CSW 2012

Agreed Conclusions - most recent Draft

2012-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

Please note, the latest compilation text being negotiated by governments at CSW 56 is now available. By 4:00p on 7 March, delegates were discussing section S in the "first reading." To view the text, click here.

“The Right to Participate in the CSW, the Case of Iran”, UN CSW New York, 29 February 2012

2012-03-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

More on the issue of the right to attend CSW - from the women in Iran

The panelists defended the every women’s rights to engage in the international dialogue and concluded on what the international community can do to support everyone’s right to participate at the CSW.

After screening the very impressive video, ABSENT VOICES, participants stood up to support the Iranian women’s right to participate in the CSW

The UN Women’s official statement to the event, delivered by Ms Lopa Banerjee at the closing of the event, "The UN women stands for the right of civil society to attend without fear of favor.CSW is an open space where women can come freely from all over the world and they should have that possibility in any country. No women should face a problem for attending CSW."

Here are some words were extracted from the great dialogue in the event. You can watch the entire event in the former posts too.

Susanah Sirkin, Physician for Human Rights, opened up the session with these comments, “This session is about the right to participate in the broadest sense and specifically the case of Iran. We are thinking about women of civil societies from all over the world and specifically women from Iran, obviously they are not here with us in this room but they are not silent and our goal in this gathering is to bring their plights, courage, concerns and their voices to the world. The right to participate in global conversation of inequality, poverty, development, human rights, peace and security, absolutely require adherent to the fundamental principles of the United Nation to foster conversations and dialogue among governments and civil societies all over the world. As Michelle Bachelet, Head of UN Women mentioned, engagement with civil societies is fundamental to progress at all levels and no country can prevent their own people from global conversations today and that is what we are doing today. About the right to participate and women conditions in Iran we as civil societies and UN member states have to see what we can do to make sure that people can never be prevented or prosecuted for participation in this situation.”

Daniela Colombo, president of Italian Association for Women in Development, gave a brief history of the situation, “ When 3 panelists from CSW 2011 went back to Iran, one of them, Maryam Bahreman, got arrested on charges of attending CSW. There was also Faranak Farid that participated in 2010. She was arrested in a rally on environmental issues but was questioned and charged for attending CSW.”

On the situation of Iranian women attendance in CSW 2012, Daniela explained, “This year many women were ready to participate but after discussing the situation, they decided not to come because not only for their safety and security, but also when they get arrested all their works in the field will be stopped.”

On issue of participation in general and not to participate Charlotte Bunch said, “ I first want to thank the women of Iran and solute them on bringing the issue before us. Action of this video and talking about the situation they have faced, is an example of their exemplary leadership that women of Iran have. Unfortunately by not being here we do not get to learn about as much and I think one of the important things of their participation in the last few years was that we began to learn what an amazing movement of women does exist within Iran. That is how all CSW, world conferences and all different venues have been able over the last few decades to learn about movements and to build on that strength. I think this absence is a great loss, but their decision to raise issue this way is a very important step and we should take it beyond this room. This is not a new issue and is not only about Iran. We have seen other examples, in 1995 for women participation in world conference and women in China with Chinese government with visas and other issues, we have issues with USA not issuing visas to come to these meetings. I think this is another way of denial of right to participate. On this particular situation we should raise the issue with UN Women, office of High commissioner of human rights to see how we protect better the right of every women as well as men to participate in civil societies which today is such a vital part of discussion on human rights. That is the big question and is a fundamental human right. We should look into ways in which we can raise this issue here so that we really do get to benefit from women of Iran for their absence to make a larger presence for all women.”

Marina Durano, economist feminist from DAWN commented on the question, “How do you see the absence of women or denial of participation effect the issues that you have worked on?” as follows:
“What is really important to me is that often times those concern with economic policies or policy makers do not value participation. They say or act that implies that you do not really need democracy in order to be developed; you can always generate economic growth, case of singapour or china. They are not very democratic but quick examples of success. This shows that failure of appreciation of that participation, deliberation; public reasoning are constituencies of development. Today with absence of Iranian women, we would not be able to hear their thought, and use what development could be or would be like for rural women in general so that their own contribution from their experience. Where that could have enhanced the life of other women in other developed countries.”

On situation of Iranian women, Jose Luise Diaz from Amnesty International explained,” Situation of women’s right in Iran is a matter of the general human right situation in Iran. It is nothing new. We have documented in the latest report on Iran last week that the situation is worsening in Iran.”
“The absence of women’s rights activists is a manifestation of the authorities to silence the voices and keep the information about backward happenings from reaching to the international community. Their absence here must be seen not only as their specific circumstances, but also to serve as a very powerful example to {spare action } to reprehend the situation in Iran and also throughout the world. There is a concern that other governments will learn from that and will use that. We should not underestimate the corrosive effect that this instance could have on the broader women activism movements and human rights activist and all kind of manifestations on civil societies, but there are things that can be done.”

Analia Penchaszadeh from AWID said, “The concern over the situation in Iran is that the women right activist becomes more isolated, they are shut out from spaces like CSW and other spaces. It makes it very difficult to support them and engage with them, at the same time it is so important to support them and engage with them so that they do not feel isolated and feel alone in their struggle. Knowing that they are not here, we cannot replace them but we need to make their voices heard.”

In respond to “What can we do?” the panelists and participants in eh event comments as follows:
1. What we are doing now is very important broadcasting, getting their message out,
2. Do campaign and advocacy via social media,
3. A UN resolution from the general assembly would be great
4. Report from special rapporteur of the human right defenders to the office of UN High Commissioner of Human Rights
5. Ask UN Women office to build it into civil society plan and programs ways of addressing the right to participate at CSW,
6. We can ask this to be on the agenda at UN Women and the Geneva convention
7. Ask UN Women to take up the issue with the secretary general
8. Ask the UN General Secretary to do speak up on the importance of safeguarding the participation of civil societies in this conference,
9. Any government that has representative in CSW should be called to question if indeed government is not fully participated in the commission goal, and
10. Has to call UN Women to make a statement about CSW to engage in mechanism around clarifying guarantees that already exist

Women from Iran

2012-03-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

Interesting discussion and research yesterday at the CSW regarding a "woman's right to participate in the CSW". This has come from Iranian women - you can find out more at the facebook page - www.facebook.com/IranianWomenatCSW There is a video there, in segments, called Absent Voices.

With support, they are trying to get a paragraph in the agreed conclusion about the women's human rights defenders and support the right to participate in the CSW.

IWD at the U.N. Note - this will be webcast

2012-03-06T07:14:00.002-08:00

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2012

“Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”

7 March 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 4 (NLB)

Please note: The organizers will give out tickets to NGOs that are participating in CSW 56 (i.e., with valid UN grounds passes) on the day of the event, Wednesday 7 March, at 9a in the CSW info desk area in the General Assembly lobby.

Opening

H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations
H.E. Ms. Marjon V. Kamara, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Liberia to the United Nations and Chairperson the 56th session of the Commission of the Status of Women
Video message: Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women

Panel Discussion

Ms. Mishkat Al Moumin, Former Minister of Environment in Iraq and Founder and Director of the NGO Women and the Environment (tbc).
Ms. Anne Itto, Former Caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the current Deputy Secretary General of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the Republic of South Sudan.
Ms. Marina Fe Balmori Durano, Research Coordinator for Political Economy of Globalization, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Manila, Philippines.
Ms. Mirian Masaquiza, Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Ms. Yelena Kudryavtseva, UN Women Sub-regional office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Closing Remarks

Ms. Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women

Moderator

Ms. Femi Oke, International broadcaster and a correspondent for WNYC Radio’s national syndicated news show The Takeaway

Event will be webcast live: www.unwomen.org

Recommendations to the Government of Canada on the Priority Theme of the CSW from NCWC

2012-03-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

The following are inputs from NCWC members on the priority theme for the CSW - "The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges"

The Government of Canada should seriously look at raising aid, and especially restoring aid to Africa.
The Government of Canada should require women and girls to be recipients or partners.
The Government of Canada must address environmental issues in Canada to improve conditions however minimally for women and girls in Africa.
The Government of Canada must ensure full reproductive rights for women and girls through all means available.
The Government of Canada must ensure Canada can send less expensive generic HIV/AIDs drugs to Africa and other places they are required
The Government of Canada must use whatever means are available to assist rural women everywhere to get access to land, credit, technology and markets – for starters.
The Government of Canada must stop selling military weapons to southern countries and ensure women are included in peace negotiations.
SWC and other departments should ensure that Immigrant, and Refugee women, especially those living in rural and northern Canada receive necessary supports.
The Government of Canada needs to appreciate the increasing onslaught on women’s equality, and growing rates of poverty for women in Canada and worldwide. Feminization of poverty has escalated in Canada. Organizations supporting women’s issues have been defunded.
It is very important to have women in the Parliament, and Legislatures. We had a rural MLA here in Manitoba, Rosanne Wowchuk, and she did an excellent job of keeping the issues of rural women front and center.
Many rural women will be badly affected by any changes to OAS as often they worked hard on the farm, raising children and volunteering hundreds of hours to their communities but didn’t work for a wage and thus didn’t pay into CPP. They only have OAS to rely on, if it is decreased/delayed or whatever it will have a larger impact in rural communities. We already see increasing numbers of “older” women seeking services at food banks, mostly unheard of in the past.
The services that the majority of people (read urban as that is where they are) take for granted, don’t exist for rural women and men and boys and girls. All the controversy about rapid transit means little to us. Our bus services have been cut drastically. Where we could take the bus daily to Winnipeg for work, education etc. we now need to drive. We don’t have any choice of bus, rapid transit, bike or anything else.
Rural families can’t access the income tax benefits of many activities for our children as the activities don’t exist; pools, gymnastics etc.
In rural communities, there is always extra strain for social services to do more, provide more, stretch their limits to meet the demand. We need volunteers more but have less people to draw from.

15. In preparing for the Federal Status on Women call for proposals that focussed on “Women Living in Rural and Remote Communities and Small Urban Centres”, there are groups in several rural MB communities who have submitted joint applications. The need is huge. There were two streams, one on violence and safety and the second on women’s economic security; in both the CFP asked for demonstrated community planning and an integrated community project. This integrated community based approach works WITH local women as equal partners is key to empowering women to make improvements in their economic and social situation. The minister can be affirmed on that point, and on recognizing that solutions are different in rural communities.

16. Accessible educational opportunities for at risk women, especially for women living on First Nations Communities, and for First Nations Women who have relocated to other rural communities must be provided.

17. It must be recognized by SWC, that abuse and violence is faced by rural women and there are added challenges of accessing supports in rural communities. These services are lacking in many of the rural and remote communities.

18. There is a large ongoing issue for rural women that is enmeshed with the global industrialization of agriculture. This is observed by the:

i. ever growing number of corporate farms,

ii. decrease in number of rural residents

iii. the move to corporately-owned seed that farmers have to buy each year vs. the traditional open source seed

iv. stresses on the sustainable base of Canada’s farm land by these corporate farming practises.

These all threaten the ongoing health and wellness of rural women. Women and girls are the ‘canaries in the rural community’ who are first affected by reduced income, by lack of employment, by lack of affordable food.

19. Supports and funding for early education and child care, and for elder care are both major challenges for rural women. Again the more isolated the community, the larger the problem. First Nations communities are part of our rural mosaic and are horridly under supported in these areas. The labour needs assessment show clearly that the labour force is rural Manitoba is not growing (Portage la Prairie Labour Needs Assessment, Kelly and Associates , in process), and there is a need for aboriginal women to be increasing involved in the workforce.

20. The Government of Canada must recognize that Education and Training, child care, and family care are significant barriers rural women face.

21. A comment was received about the benefits of the SWC funded project, delivered by UNPAC - UNPAC led Pathmakers program for rural women, which I'm part of, is going really well. One of the common concerns (there are 14 women) is that we feel we lack the opportunity to network. We are a diverse group of women - Included in our group are an immigration officer from Emerson, a member of Morden town council, two young mothers from Altona and the executive director of Genesis House, the women's shelter in our region. All of us are appreciating this program immensely.

22. Finally, from UNPAC comes the following report on their consultation with Rural Communities: The number one issue in every single one of the 17 communities we visited during our gender budget workshops was lack of affordable housing. Bad in Winnipeg, way worse outside Winnipeg. We heard of women staying in abusive relationships because they couldn't find housing. Second issue raised was lack of child care options. Public transportation also a big issue raised.

In general, the shrinking rural economy (smaller farms and the removal of the cooperative CWB) and the continuing difficulties in bringing economic justice and opportunity to our northern and Indigenous population - entirely different than 'rural' issues alone - are major economic issues for women in Manitoba.
It is noted that there will be a direct impact on Northern Communities with the Crime Bill C-10. The effect on women who will be separated from their children for longer periods as a result of minimum sentencing and the lack of local community alternatives should be significant.

EUROPEAN AND NORTH AMERICAN CAUCUS STATEMENT

2012-03-05T13:40:00.002-08:00

This Joint Statement of the European & Nth American Caucus to the Commission on the Status of Women in its 56^th Session recognizes that many issues of fundamental importance to rural women & girls are already included in the draft text. Yet this is not the first time CSW has addressed the rights & position of rural women & girls; hence, action is all the more imperative. Here we emphasize issues & recommend language the Commission may like to adopt. Language is power and power effects change. Thus,

Recognising:

(1) Empowerment of rural & remote area women can be achieved only through the full implementation & enforcement of women’s rights as human rights for all women.

(2) Rural & remote area women & girls are disadvantaged in all member states, including developed & industrialized nations, and recognition of rural & remote area women & girls, including women & girl leaders, in all regions is vital.

(3) A significant proportion of rural & remote area women & girls are constituted by migrant women, including refugees & asylum seekers, indigenous women & women of all minorities.

(4) Marital status & particularly widowhood has a profound effect on women, and can negate or lessen seriously the rights of rural & remote area women.

(5) The effects of climate change & environmental exploitation & degradation are seriously affecting the human rights of all women & girls, particularly rural & remote area women & girls & those from small island & coastal nations.

(6) Natural disasters & disasters caused or exacerbated by human failures of commission & omission often have a proportionately greater impact upon rural & remote area women.

(7) Environmental exploitation & abuses, whether engaged in by nation states or corporations & other private sector bodies, including claims of ‘ownership’ of the genome, plant & animal, violate human rights & can constitute crimes against humanity.

(8) Military expenditure harms women& girls disproportionately and denies resources essential to eliminating violence against women and ending exploitation, abuse & discrimination against women & girls.

Consequently, the Commission on the Status of Women in the 56^th session must:

First: Incorporate into all its resolutions, reviews & outcomes issues (1)-(8) as requiring urgent attention & constructive measures for the improvement of the status of rural & remote area women & girls, to guarantee all women & girls’ full human rights.

Secondly: In its resolutions require that member states, with the participation of women’s NGOs & civil society:

a) engage in constructive conversation with the United Nations in all its constituent bodies to formulate & advance policies to combat climate change and to end environmental exploitation & degradation, including environmental crimes and, within their own borders, formulate, implement & monitor policies accordingly;

b) ensure access of all women & girls, including rural & remote area women, to publicly funded & delivered health services, clean water & sanitation services, comprehensive education at all levels, decent work & labour conditions, childcare, affordable housing, transport & communication services as a priority is recognized in determining the distribution of resources;

c) affirm women’s reproductive rights and ensure women’s access to family planning services and girls’ access to education relating to health including sexual health;

d) legislate to include non-discrimination on the basis of all attributes & identities used to deny women & girls’ rights, including but not limited to marital status as well as sex/gender, age, pregnancy, lactation & family responsibilities in all areas of activity including employment, education, services & housing/accommodation;

e) end ‘land grabbing’ (by reference to CEDAW para 4.1), including the denial to separated & divorced women of their rightful entitlement to their share of marital or family assets, including real property;

f) end the violation of young women & girls’ rights through early marriage;

g) redirect military spending toward the goal of peace.

We urge the Commission to honour in this 56^th session and in all its work the full content & vital importance of all NGO statements made this day and during this session.

UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN 56 RURAL WOMEN & THE RIGHT TO WATER - PANEL

2012-03-05T12:57:00.002-08:00

Selected Gender Issues in Three Water Sectors of Importance in Rural Areas:

Water and Sanitation, Environment and Agriculture.

1. Water and Sanitation

The right to water and sanitation is for all people, in urban as well as rural areas (GA Resolution 28 July 2010). However, the urgent need for drinking water and sanitation has different forms in rural areas compared to urban high density areas.

Piped systems for drinking water supply in rural areas are more expensive than in urban areas (longer distances), so solutions are more often sought in groundwater sources (hand pumps), and women and girls generally have to walk long distances. In urban areas piped systems are usually available and standposts or taps are never far.

Sanitation services are much rarer in rural areas than in urban areas. This is true for toilets, sewage systems, drains for waste water collection, waste water treatment and solid waste management. Free and open defecation is not quite as unhygienic in rural areas as in urban areas.

But for schools one thing is the same everywhere -- girls tend to forfeit their right to education because of lack of water and proper sanitation facilities.

It does not need to be repeated that women and girls have the responsibility for water in the household, water for all the family members.

Women (and men) also need water for their small enterprises. There is no economic development, even at a low level, if there is not enough water. Everywhere it has been found that when there is enough water (not only for agriculture), women start to make an income for their families.

2. Environment

Also in rural areas industries that pollute surface and groundwater are increasing, because in many countries the policy is to move industries away from the cities. Rural women have serious problems with industrial pollution contaminating their traditional surface and groundwater sources.

Women often feel more responsible to protect the environment and to conserve water and ecosystem resources for the future, but those who are extremely poor sometimes cannot afford to think of the future, they live from one day to the next.

Pollution of water by monoculture cash crops, often non-food crops grown by male farmers, has a very negative impact on the access to water for food crops and drinking water by rural women.

3. Agriculture

Agriculture is the most important source of income in rural areas. Women are the main farmers and producers of food crops for the consumption of the family, but also for local markets. Often men move away to cities or to commercial farms to work, leaving the agriculture completely under the responsibility of women.

Both the right to land and the right to water are crucial for the profitability of agricultural work.

Women’s importance as farmers (and the feminization of agriculture) has been documented since the 1970s, but still their work does not get recognition. (While the CSW acknowledges the importance of women’s work, most policy makers and macro economists focus more on the food crisis.)

Women farmers may have access to some land, definitely not to the best land, and they do not usually control it. Not many have land titles, often the land they farm is owned by their in-laws or it is communal land, which is regularly re-divided by the local chief. These days that land is seen as government land which is sold to large landowners, or even to foreign countries in “land grabs”. This is how women lose the land, and why less food is being produced, contributing to the food crisis.

The right to water for irrigation is no less important than the right to land because in most rural areas rainfall is not so regular that it us adequate for the growth of crops all the time. The types of crops women choose to grow do not usually need the massive amounts of water that some of the cash crops need, for example sugarcane and paddy rice (4 metres per crop or even more). Women farmers in Africa for example, could make great progress with small dams for irrigation to bridge the dry weeks in which many crops just die. Thus, they need irrigation water mainly for survival of the plants during a few weeks, not the whole growth cycle. Most of the time these crops are rain fed. This supplementary irrigation would not cost much, it would conserve the environment, and increase production enormously.

But: the right to water for irrigation is often linked to the ownership of the land. Irrigation infrastructure is directed at cash crops, meant for export, meant to yield foreign revenues for the country, but without consideration of food for poor people, especially not for those in rural areas, and certainly not for women who are not even considered farmers.

Rural people who lose their land have to move to cities to work for wages, which can be earned per day, whilst agriculture, even if it is much more profitable, will only yield an income once or twice per year. If the crop fails, women farmers have lost all, they have no inputs for a new cropping season.

Therefore, for the country as a whole, for rural people and especially for rural women the right to water for irrigation is of great importance.

Empowerment of rural women resulting from access to water

Empowerment consists of four interrelated elements:

Socio-cultural empowerment is the improvement of women’s self-image and the image of the particular category, rural women in this case, in their society. Access to proper water and sanitation, and the recognition of women as farmers, will enhance their self image, called empowerment.

Political empowerment: if rural women, including women farmers, have leadership position in local government and in water users groups in which they can influence the decision-making related to water, this can be considered political empowerment.

Economic empowerment: enough water, both for agriculture and for local enterprises, will enable rural women to improve their economic position and that of their families. Their children will be able to go to school.

Physical empowerment: carrying water is an enormous burden which takes much energy and time of women and girls in rural areas. If clean water is available close to the household, and if proper sanitation is accessible, this would mean physical empowerment for rural women.

Joke Muylwijk, Executive Director GWA

Marcia Brewster, Second and Third Steering Committee GWA

1 March 2012

Rural Women Speak Out at CSW

2012-03-05T07:07:00.002-08:00

Rural women from around the world met this week to discuss the challenges and highlights of working to empower women in their countries and communities, at an event sponsored by UN Women, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the NGO Commission on the Status of Women Forum and other partners, including the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations, and the Feminist Task Force.

“Rural Women’s Speak-Out” brought together more than 100 women whose discussions and findings were shared with a four-member panel of guest respondents. This included UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet, along with UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri, Eva Crowley from the Food and Agricultural Organization, and Charlotte Bunch of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership.

The women activists spoke in depth on the need for their governments to formulate clearer policies that benefit rural women. It was also observed that other countries, particularly in Latin America, had good laws, but that these were too rarely enforced. Representing North America and Europe, JoAnn Todd of the Anglican Consultative Council, a sheep farmer, stressed that economic changes had sometimes disadvantaged women in developed countries, leaving women in small towns increasingly isolated, with little access to services such as transport, health care or counseling.

Many of those speaking encouraged international organizations to develop closer ties to rural women, with greater outreach, both in formats that they could use and understand, and in more languages, particularly indigenous ones.

Environmental concerns were also high on the women’s agenda. Activists highlighted that in Africa and Latin America, the sale of forested land had increased rates of violence against women, both in the rural regions, and because this causes many families to migrate to cities where women are vulnerable to various forms of violence.

Responding to the women, Ms. Bachelet stressed that, as well as representing the interests of rural women at national and international levels, UN Women’s objective is to empower and support them. This will ensure that rural women can hold governments to account, and contribute to national economic solutions and inclusive growth.

“To get out of poverty we need to scale up capacity,” she said. “You know what to do very well, and these projects are on the ground to support your capacities. We can encourage governments, but we need you lobbying with governments to build strong constituencies”.

Ms. Bachelet also emphasized the importance of supporting rural women to attain decision-making positions, and to empower them economically. “My mother once said to me, my love, if you want, you can marry… but you can do much better than that!” she told the women, to a round of applause. “When women don’t have economic independence it’s very difficult to have our rights respected.”

THE KEY TO EMPOWERING RURAL WOMEN

2012-03-05T06:44:00.002-08:00

UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (IPS) - What gets measured gets done, a powerful message delivered by Elise Scalise, attorney and director for the Landesa Center for Women's Land Rights, during the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held at the United Nations.
Along with the OECD Development Centre, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Government of Kenya teamed up with Wikigender to provide a hearty panel discussion entitled "Equal Rights to Resources: The Key to Empowering Rural Women," bringing to light an issue they feel is long overdue and necessary for women's rights, leverage and longevity.

"Owning land can open access to markets and improve social status," the CSW summary report indicated. "It can be used as collateral to access other resources, such as bank loans or resources required for food production." They cited land ownership as a way to have bargaining power and ensure greater investments in children's education and nutrition.

They addressed the impediments of discriminatory social institutions, such as stigmas on education and political involvement, and the need for rural women to have access to resources and the decision-making process; now limited mainly to men and husbands. Organizers believe that empowering women will increase agricultural production, after citing a study where cereal yields went up 60 percent in regions where women had equal access to land as opposed to a neighboring six percent where the status quo was in place.

Their focus was on legal empowerment, with distinct aims at rights enablement, enhancement, awareness and enforcement. A strong push was put on engaging young men and boys to change a generation of attitudes towards women. "By degrading women, you're degrading humanity," said Teresa Barasa from the Kenyan delegation. "They bring life," adding a heavy emphasis for women's need for access to justice.

In western Africa, women are more likely to own land or have some stake in it. In eastern regions, women can only own land through relatives or their husband but even then, the restrictions are so high, tangled and complicated. Emily Sikazwe, executive director at Women For Change, spoke on this issue and the need for radical progressive change but by their own will.

"Africans don't want to be told what to do," said Sikazwe, who hails from Zambia, boasting a population of nearly 13 million. She cited years of pushed around, and wants change to come at a roots level to ensure a long-term difference as a nation not a charity case. They applauded the efforts of Liberian lawmakers who put into place a system that allots women one-third interest in their husband's land stake. Minimal yes, but progress, noted a Finnish spokeswoman.

Wikigender is an online resource data base that maintains 1476 editors holding up to 1392 articles on all areas pertaining to gender topics. They hope to open the discussion by cataloguing past and present information on the subject. (END/2012)

KENYA - Microloans, Greenhouses Help Women Cope with Climate Change

2012-03-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

by Isaiah Esipisu

NAIROBI, Mar 2 (IPS) - At Gakoromone Market in Meru, in Kenya’s Eastern Province, Ruth Muriuki arrives in a pickup full of tomatoes and cabbages despite the scarcity of rainfall in the area, thanks to the greenhouse technology she uses on her farm – and microcredit.

"A bundle of ten tomatoes which would cost Sh40 (50 cents of a dollar) three months ago is now going for double the price. But we have no choice," said David Njogu, a vegetable dealer at the open-air market. Muriuki is selling a big sugarloaf cabbage, which would have cost 50 cents three months ago, at 1.50 dollars.

A spot check in the country shows that prices of horticultural produce have shot up in the past three months following the failure of short rains, which were expected to come between October and December last year.

However, farmers who use the greenhouse technology do not need rainfall for their crops to grow.

In the greenhouses, generally made of glass or transparent plastic roof and walls, temperature and humidity can be controlled, making it possible for farmers to grow crops year-round.

Like Muriuki, Sarah Chebet from Nandi hills in the Rift Valley Province describes her two-year experience with greenhouse farming as "a dream come true."

"I bought my greenhouse through credit offered by a local microfinance institution. Through the project within the past two years, I have been able to buy a maize milling machine, I have put up a retail shop, I have bought two dairy cows, and I have bought a stock of 400 kilograms of maize, which I intend to sell once the prices shoot up," said the 28-year-old mother of one.

From a single greenhouse, she picks an average of four crates of tomatoes per weekly harvest, which fetches her about 100 dollars per week.

Nandi hills is one of the dry regions in the country, where rainfall is not guaranteed throughout the year.

"Our boy is still young, that is why we are investing in businesses, so that I can stabilise my level of income ahead of him joining school," said Chebet. Her husband is in charge of other farm projects on their five-acre piece of land.

According to Silas Tuwei, the Integrated Project Officer at Amiran Kenya Ltd., the company has sold more than 2,300 greenhouses throughout the country in the past two years. "Most of them were bought through microfinance institutions targeting women, youth, and learning institutions," he said. "On average, almost half of the greenhouses are owned by women."

Amiran, one of the biggest horticultural companies in Kenya, specialises in construction of greenhouses as part of its business. However, other farmers depend on individual builders who know how to make greenhouses.

"In order to reach out to as many farmers as possible, we have signed an agreement with three finance institutions: the Kenya Women Finance Trust, Equity Bank, and the Co-operative Bank of Kenya," said Tuwei.

At the same time, the CIC Insurance Company now has a policy to cover the hardware component of professionally constructed greenhouses in Kenya, in case they catch fire, are blown down by heavy winds, or are destroyed by any other natural calamity.

"I have discovered that greenhouse farming and general farming through irrigation is the way to go because rain-fed agriculture has failed me many times, especially in the recent past. The rains are no- longer reliable," said Muriuki, a 64-year-old mother of seven.

In Meru area, she recalls, "Rainfall always came on Mar. 15 every year. There was no doubt about this. But in the past few years, the situation has changed. There is no guarantee that it will rain on Mar. 15 as it was the case in my youthful days."

But on barely one acre of land in Karimagachiije village, 15 kilometres outside of Meru town, Muriuki is able to produce at least a ton of vegetables every week through greenhouse farming.

She sells the produce to different markets in Eastern and Central Kenya, earning enough to pay college fees for her two youngest daughters in different universities in the country. "This was my first opportunity to pay school fees. Before I started this project, it was solely my husband’s responsibility," she said.

However, like Chebet, she was not in a position to raise the required amount of money to set up the horticultural project.

"Three years ago, I approached the Kenya Women Finance Trust, where I borrowed Sh300000 (3,750 dollars) as the capital for my farming project," said Muriuki.

The Trust is dedicated specifically to empowering Kenyan girls and women through lending facilities. The loans are mostly given through self-help groups, where shares of the group members are used as security for loans borrowed by any of the members, because many poor women do not own property that they can use as collateral.

So far, the microfinance institution is financing close to 500,000 low-income Kenyan women to run different small-scale entrepreneurships not limited to agribusiness.

"In my greenhouse, I use a drip irrigation system, where water is released through pipes strategically buried in the soil with an opening at the foot of every plant. This maximises the use of the little available water, because the drip system does not allow runoff or deep percolation," she explained. In Kenya, the average cost of building a greenhouse ranges between 1,250 dollars and 3,125 dollars, depending on where one is buying the materials, the quality of the materials and the size of the structure.

"In my entire life, I was not able to raise the amount of money that could be used to put up such a project. But thanks to microfinance institutions which have the interests of women at heart, I have become an independent entrepreneur in my old age," said Muriuki. (END/2012)

U.N. Meet Holds Governments to Account on Women's Equality

2012-03-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

by Mathilde Bagneres

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 2 (IPS) - In 2008, delegates meeting for the annual U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) agreed that much greater investments in women and gender equality were a critical – and overlooked – aspect of sustainable development.

For example, according to UN Women, while the international community gave 7.5 billion dollars in official development assistance to rural development and the agricultural sector in 2008–2009, a mere three percent was spent on programmes in which gender equality was a principal objective, and only 32 percent to those in which gender equality was a secondary objective.

Four years later, there has been some forward movement in a number of countries, but in many others, progress remains slow and uneven, a situation that is exacerbated by the ongoing global financial crisis.

Rural women continue to face limited access to productive resources, such as agricultural inputs and technology; only five percent of agricultural extension services are provided for women farmers.

As the CSW meets again here from Feb 27 to Mar. 9, panellists from around the world sat down Thursday to evaluate the evolution of financing for gender equality and women's empowerment in their home countries, and chart a way forward.

"It's time to promote gender equality and for that purpose we need a change of paradigm, we definitely need to change our way of thinking," said Maria Almeida, vice finance minister of Ecuador.

Cambodia

Dr. Ing Phavi, minister of women's affairs in Cambodia, cited a series of measures taken by the Cambodian government that have proved successful in enhancing gender equality across different areas.

"In Cambodia, in the context of a public administration reform, the prime minister has launched a major drive in 2008 to address the gender imbalance in the public administration," she said.

As a result of extensive promotion across ministries and affirmative action policies, the number of female civil servants increased by 34 percent. At the sub-national level, more women were appointed as deputy governors or heads of government departments.

"In education, gender disparity has been eliminated in the primary and lower secondary education," she noted. "Remarkably, with the focus on training and deploying female teachers, the female ratio at the primary level reached 46 percent in 2009/2010."

However, fewer girls than boys continue on to get a higher education.

Asked what more needs to be done, Phavi told IPS, "The most important thing to understand is that gender equality is a government policy and it has to mainstream the poverty reduction strategy.

"Poverty reduction means taking care of growth, trade, agriculture development, well-being in terms of health, education and so on," she said. "Gender is already inside all sectors so it should be part of the poverty reduction strategy."

Morocco

Mohammed Chafiki, director of studies and financial forecasts for the ministry of economy and finance in Morocco, spoke about Morocco's transition to equal rights and liberties for men and women.

In April 2011, the country ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), a key instrument often described as an international bill of rights for women.

Morocco also adopted a new constitution in July that included many articles which expressly enshrined gender equality. For example, Article 19 affirms that men and women have equal civil, political, economic, cultural and environmental rights and liberties.

"In Morocco, we now need to continue the institutional reform. We are reforming our financial laws so it integrates gender considerations irreversibly," Chafiki told IPS.

"But in order to move forward with gender equality, it is not all about the government. Local communities will also have to take concrete actions," he said.

"To finance gender equality and women empowerment, we also need partnerships. We need partnerships with the private sector, with NGOs, with governments, of course, and we need international cooperation."

Chafiki cited significant progress in reducing educational disparities as one of the country's primary achievements.

"In 2010/2011, 96.3 percent of the girls from six to 11 years old are sent to school," he said.

Austria

Gerhard Steger, director general of budget for the ministry of finance in Austria, explained how the government now integrates gender considerations into budgets.

The concept of gender responsive budgeting (GRB) was included in a comprehensive budget reform package that was unanimously adopted by parliament. It features a medium-term expenditure framework, accrual budgeting and accounting and performance budgeting.

"First of all, we transformed our budget from a traditional steering instrument of resources, asking the question 'who gets what?', into a comprehensive instrument for resources and results," Steger told IPS.

"So we ask two questions: who gets what, and who has to deliver what for public management," he added.

"We ask each and every ministry to define no more than five top objectives for the ministry, which are part of the budget decision in parliament, and at least one of those objectives has to be a gender objective.

"Gender is directly interpreted into the performance budgeting process in Austria. Therefore every ministry has to contribute - with no exceptions."

Steger stressed crucial lessons that can be drawn from the Austrian experience.

"To make GRB a success, the design needs to be simple and focused on the most important aspects. If the design is too complex, GRB will very likely be a failure," he said.

"We also have to make gender relevant and thus integrate it into the budget and to create awareness for gender issues to convince decision makers to support GRB."

While national governments must take the lead, key agencies like UN Women are also working hard to steer funds into gender-oriented development.

On Thursday, UN Women announced it will give out 10.5 million dollars in grants to organisations working to advance economic and political empowerment of women in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia.

The grants will start at 200,000 dollars for initiatives that "make tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls, from enabling women candidates to run for office, to managing resources to support themselves and their families."

"At this moment of historic change, we cannot afford to leave women out. These grants will advance women’s efforts to achieve greater economic and political equality during this time of transition," said Michelle Bachelet, executive director for UN Women.

Since its creation in 2009, the Fund has invested a total of 43 million dollars in 40 countries around the world for projects working for gender equality.

Discussion between UN Women and NGOs at the meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women

2012-03-04T18:49:00.001-08:00

Briefing session, March 3^rd, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
This was a discussion with UN Women Senior Management and NGOs, representing regional caucuses of the NGO-CSW Form. This is a UN Women event in partnership with the NGO-CSW Forum.

At the 2011 CSW, Ms. Bachelet hosted a consultation with regional NGOs from the NGO-CSW forum and sought their views on UN Women’s then imminent Strategic Plan. At that meeting, NGOs spoke of their expectations of UN Women’s programme of work, in an open dialogue exchange space.

This year, regional CSOs were advised ahead of time to select 10 representatives from their Caucus to attend this consultation caucus. Caucuses included Africa, Arab States, Asia/Pacific, Europe/North America, Americas/Carribean. There were also members of the Youth Caucus present. I was one of two representatives to represent Canada, Andre Cote the other. There were 3 from the US, and 5 from Europe. The Consultation with regional NGOs was billed as a chance to improve communications with key regional-based and international NGO leaders, build support for UN Women’s programme of action and solicit civil society inputs on how to best engage with it.

Prior to the meeting, the North America/Europe Caucus had developed certain key points they wanted to raise, and our coordinator (Marion Boeker) had this in a written paper.

At the session were Kirstin Hetle, Dir. UN Women’s Strategic Partnerships; Adama Diop, 2^nd VP of the conference of NGOs, Lakshmi Puri, Asst Secretary General, UN Women, Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett, Dir. Programme Support Division.

UN Women spoke about the importance of outreach for UN Women. The expectation is to take notes from today, and share them and use them to move forward. They know things work differently in different countries. They spoke about the idea of establishing mini CSWs in different areas, before the CSW, so the process would be more inclusive.

Lakshmi spoke about the relationship between UN Women and Civil Society. CSOs are partners – a mid wife – and help in our great mission. She spoke about how should we organize – what should we focus on? CSOs can provide academic research and practical knowledge. Want UN Women to be seen as a Knowledge Hub. Not just with CSW, but with Rio +20 and all UN systems and organizations. In working with governments, CSOs can push the envelope for women and human rights.

Advocacy is required to make change at the local and national level. Together can make other partnerships – with the private sector, and academia. Programatic partnerships at the country level are important.

Referred to the 5 priority areas of UN Women – Economic empowerment, Violence Against Women, Peace and Security, Gender Budgeting, Human Rights, and MDGs. Will establish the advisory committees with strengths in those areas. M. Bachelet has spoken that eminent CSOs who have made a contribution to gender equality will be part of this Council and the members announced very soon.

Regional ones will be announced too – be in place in 3 months time. Will be 6 to 12 members.

Will be decentralized, and lead by CSOs with expertise in the 5 areas.

See it as a nonexclusive process – advice from NGOs present – include rural women, look at women from a broad group, not just the elite, careful not to take political sides.

Note, there are 75 countries with UN Women offices, 50 with real representatives, and others with projects.

Establish Advisory groups to strengthen partnerships. Expect to establish in 50 countries, and another 25, but later. Discussion on what is a region. Looking at a review on this.

Discussed how to get input from NGOs earlier in the process – part of SG report. National and regional participation earlier in the CSW process. Positive about establishing an alternative report.

Sees those countries, like Canada, where there are no UN Women offices, working through the National Committees. Will look at supporting and strengthening the committees.

Point about how can NGOs can hold their governments accountable. Some discussion about the Agreed Conclusions and language – ie ensure girls are included throughout the document, and access to reproductive health services.

It was pointed out by Marion Boeker that the time was not nearly sufficient for a consultation with the caucuses, and she also provided UN Women with the written points, attached below.

Mary Scott

NCWC Representative

North American/European Caucus – 28th Feb. 2012 - CSW 56

Recommendations for the regional mandate of UN WOMEN

Meeting of 10 delegates of the NA/E Caucus with UN WOMEN- Sat., 3^rd march, 2:30 – 4 pm, CCUN 2^nd floor

For the paper: main repr. of the European Women’s Lobby CSW 56, Marion Boeker

1.       UN WOMEN can use resources more effective if it would talk to governments in the region to mutually en-gender all existing programs and link them strongly to the mandate of UN WOMEN:
a.    programs designed for Gender Equality/ temporary special measures according to CEDAW
        Art 4.1. in the region and
b.    all other regular financed policy and project programs
UN WOMEN shall ensure that they are all en-gendered with gender and human rights criteria, gender targets and gender indicators to make them gender responsive. UN WOMEN can advice governments to install and use gender mainstreaming and budgeting, gender methodology for enhance its policies, programs and budgets for becoming an comprehensive and successful framework which works with all means for gender equality and women’s human rights.

This would create synergy effects and strengthen women’s and women’s rights NGOs position in lobbying and the work carrying out this programs and empower them to access all the programs as gender- dedicated resources and fields of activity.

UN WOMEN could insist on an comprehensive gender approach which would not only define measures, project calls and the programs purpose gender responsive but would install gender criteria, gender targets and gender indicators as an evaluation mechanism in the budget which provides the programs (local, national and regional governmental institutions, international organizations, private sector, donors) so to support the implementation and enforcement of gender budgeting.
Especially UN WOMEN could advice governments and the EU to design crisis packages and stimulus programs gender responsive with equal access for women to them and measure the impact.

2.       UN WOMEN could formulate further more criteria to raise money for the units funds and budget – Some donors or governmental budgets need other keywords to be able to spend
3.       UN WOMEN shall open a second entry for NGOs to reach out for cooperation with UN WOMEN independent from governments willingness or financial capacity to support a regional/ national liaison office (example: Women from Chechnya recently cannot connect with UN WOMEN nor with the two trust funds it’s holding since Russia is the responsible government in charge and will not allow nor support)

4.       UN WOMEN can help to get problems and issues of women and girls in the region recognized and addressed with policy which are caused by the financial crisis and its impact.
Often it is not recognized that conditions for women and girls have negatively developed now in even the OECD states especially since financial cuts have been reduced social and labour market services, educational and health services; even the infrastructure of the fights against violence against women and the protection in shelters is minimized, NGOs get less or no funding. There is no policy in place to respond or counter act.
Mainly in OECD states we do not need the money from UN WOMEN funds (except Greek women) but the attention and support, equally the cooperation and contact with UN WOMEN and UN WOMEN to address their governments and holding them accountable especially to the human rights framework.

5.       When the EU will go on closing funds for NGOs and programs for women especially on development issues like it is recently happening, the funding policy of UN WOMEN has to be re-defined. We urge UN WOMEN to have an careful eye on the cuts, the impact and the further needs of women even in our region and be flexible if needed as to our women.

6.       UN WOMEN shall always echo the voice of human rights – it will help us to enforce them in our region.
This would strengthen the regional efforts to gender equality and remind them to the legal background of gender equality as an obligation in all areas of life.

Almost all member states of the European Union (EU) and many of the Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and Council of Europe (COE) have ratified CEDAW et al. But the de facto enforcement is unnecessary low and slowly.

7.       UN WOMEN as we NGOs in the region are working in a context for an enormous set of changes which are needed for de facto gender equality. This needs a long time and sometimes patience and a diplomatic tone. We understand this. In the same time we hope that UN WOMEN will maintain its energetic performance and will continue to fulfill its mandate towards the states of our region without becoming forced to slow done or hide away.

We support UN WOMEN and will be a partner for advice and consultation on sustainable change and strategies and resource for the sustainable power of UN WOMEN.

8.       UN WOMEN shall build up its structure and units carefully and try to let them be under the mandate and efficient. UN WOMEN shall monitor and evaluate them closely.
For a efficient linkage and cooperation of NGOs in our region with UN WOMEN we need well structured national UN WOMEN units (committees). Some are not yet very well off.

9.       UN WOMEN and its local, national and regional units in our region can count on our NGO support to hold governments accountable to the proper funding of UN WOMEN. It can outline may be materials which we can use for the fund raising process now and on the long run. We are very aware about the lacking funding in the moment. We know that a good deal of gender equality improvements we need depend on UN WOMENS strengths and vice versa.

The Importance of Decent Work for Indigenous Women

2012-03-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

Presentation by Kaylene Rawlings Hunter from Australia about the taking of land and resources by mining company. Alternatives to the process - joint partnerships, which respects environment. Rather than steam rolling. Is it really sustainable work - what is decent work - work that maintains and promotes a relationship with the land, and family. Cultural tourism, arts and crafts, medicines, recording our history. Can have enterprises, but must protect them. Copyright - issue for art products.

Lee Anne Cameron, Director, First Nations and Metis Relations, Hydro One Networks (Canada)spoke - Reported on some of the statistics. Research shows that aboriginal women earns more than her counterpart non aboriginal. Historical review - Residential school - not allowed to speak their language. Mother did go to university, and importance of education. Importance of tradition - women's council, and grandmother's circle make important decisions.

Investment on human resources - how resource development going on in traditional territory. because of constitution, meaningful consultation is required - sometimes consent in required. Some industries - protocol - specific requirement for aboroiginl people to participate in employment. Strong efforts to ensure aboriginal people employed, and also eduction and training. Ratio - 2 to 3% of general population is aboriginal, right now 3% of workforce are aboriginal

Recogniton they have a right to make decisions about their lives. Fact of funding for students on reserve compared to off reserve. Economic activity is the band and government on the reserve. Communities demanding opportunities for their people -

Rose Cunningham Kain, from Nicaragua - Work 24 hours a day - Carried out under adverse conditions. She gets children ready for school, then goes to farm, then sells products, An example of business person, good mom, and community worker. Can't harvest in Hondouras. These farmers are not indigenous, Selling fish - not allowed to sell just because of being a woman.

Increasing women in politics - had a meeting with justice, and will work with traditional justice systems. Not seen as poor women - value their knowledge. Natural resources - contamination of natural resources. Decent work essential for indigenous women - labour codes, and labour law - to support indigenous rights ILO - campaign.

National Council of Women - Parallel Event - The Korean Saemaul Movement and Beyond

2012-03-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Korean National Council of Women sponsored a session on National Development and Rural Women n Asia Pacific. President Jung-Sook Kim gave an excellent presentation on the Korean Women in Agriculture, The Saemaul Movement and Beyond. In 2011, the IMF ranked Korea as the 6th in the world in terms of Incremental GDP, which is a remarkable achievement.The following description is taken from Dr. Jung-Sook Kim's presentation.

Korea has achieved a Miracle of Han River through the Semaul Undon (New Community Movement, New Village Movement) in the 1970's, and it is through this movement that women in agriculture emerged as Community leaders. Before the movement started, the status of Korean women in general was very low, under the Confucian system, which assumed male superiority. As the process of industrailization started, young labour forces moved to the cities to get jobs, and women who remained in the country side came to fill the vacuum and become the majority of the rural labour force. The Saemaul Undong is an example of a strong role of the government in leading rural movement. Also know as the New Village Movement or New Community Movement, it was a political initiative launced on April 22, 1970 by Pres. Park Chung Hee to modernize the rural South Korean economy. It initially sought to rectify the growing gap between the urban centers and the small villages. Later focus was on rural infrastructure. The movement promoted self help and cooperation among the people, as the central government provided a fixed amount of raw materials to each of the participating villages free of charge, and entrusted the locals to build whatever they wished with them. The success can be attributed to 3 basic strategies of poverty reduction adapting to and making use of the Korean contexts.

The government actively encouraged women's participation and provided guidelines. The Saemaul Undong did much to improve infrastructure in rural S. Korea, bringing modern facilities.

It developed women leaders in rural areas. One person per family was asked to participate in the meetings, and many women participated when men were not available. When it came to choose leaders, one male and one female were chosen.Saemaul Undon Women's Organization was established in each community and women's activities started playing the central role in the New Community Movement. The women leaders played the role of mobilizing other women during the Community development projects.

Te women got really involved, in rice saving campaigns, running village co ops and child care centres. The championed eradication of pubs from villages, and burned Korean playing cards - as they believed that the backwardness of rural communities was largely due to men's habitual drinking and gambling.

Other panelists included Hon. Yun-Sook Lee (Former MP),Prof. Yenlin Ku (Prof. National Chiao Tung University), Elisabeth Neuman, from International Council of Women.

Rural Women Speak Out at CSW

2012-03-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

Posted on March 2 2012 | News

NGO Briefing - Friday morning

2012-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Soon-Young Yoon, Chair of the CSW NGO Committee

The NGO Briefing happens daily, and is a good source of information - today it was announced there are 1,824 representatives at this CSW, representing 398 organizations.

The Regional Caucuses are meeting tomorrow with UN Women, and after the NGO briefing, the North America/Europe caucus met to discuss the issues we will be raising. There will be 10 (now 11) in the caucus, and I will be one of the 2 from Canada. Andre Cote is the other Canadian. It will be an interesting meeting - to look at how UN Women can engage with civil society.

Statement by women’s organizations and the pan-Canadian labour movement New York, March 1st, 2012

2012-03-01T18:11:00.001-08:00

The Minister, Status of Women Canada gave a statement in the plenary yesterday, and today, representatives of the pan-Canadian labour movement released the following statement, supported by a number of NGOs, including National Council of Women of Canada

Representatives of the pan-Canadian labour movement are gathered in New York on the occasion of the 56th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The theme this year focuses on empowering rural women, and we are here to ensure that governments agree to protecting public services, providing access to decent work and quality education and training at all levels for rural and Aboriginal women.

We are very dissatisfied with the statement that was issued on February 29 by the Honorable Rona Ambrose, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, at the plenary session of the Commission. In that statement, there was no mention of the role of government in the development of policies and programs that could empower rural women.

No reference to the important role of public services, such as public transportation, clean water, health care, affordable housing and quality education, in ensuring women's equality and full participation in society.

No reference to the importance of ensuring that rural women have access to decent work, including pay equity, health and safety at work and child care.

No reference to an action plan addressing violence against Aboriginal women, poverty alleviating measures, or other measures to end the housing and education crisis on and off reserve.

No reference to the importance of ensuring that women participate in the process leading to local, regional and national development policies.

And while the government is preparing the federal budget 2012, there was no reference to the importance of taking gender into account in budgetary policies, despite repeated promises to do so.

We reiterate that we are:

In support of public services
In support of access for rural women to affordable, quality, public and not-for-profit early learning and care
In support of the transfer of the gun registry data to the provinces and territories
In support of the rights of Aboriginal women
For the application of "decent work" standards, and their application to women working in rural regions
For the adoption of a gender sensitive federal budget

We ask that the federal government respect its commitment under the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, that it revise its current policies and take the necessary measures to effectively respect and promote women's rights, in particular women living in rural and remote regions.
_______________________________________________

A Night Out!

2012-03-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

Last night a couple of us headed out to see a new documentary, put out by Women's Learning Partnership - called From Fear to Freedom - it is a 35 minute film, and highly recommended - it will be up on their web site for March 8th, International Women's Day - http://www.learningpartnership.org/

Worldwide, at least one in three women are victims of violence. It's the most pervasive human rights violation on earth - present in every country, culture, religion and class. But around the globe, women are joining forces to advocate for new laws, and develop successful strategies to eradicate gender based violence.

From Fear to Freedom, leading experts and activists from across the globe discuss the root causes of gender-based violence, share successful strategies to combat it, and provide inspiring accounts of the important milestones already achieved through the international women's movement.

The Women's Learning Partnership puts out excellent publications - "Yes i Can - Leadership for Teens" is one, and "Leading to Action - A Political Participation Handbook for Women" is another. I got a copy of both books, plus the DVD of the documentary, and can share back home.

The panel following the movie was very good - full of stories of how women are challenging and changing the culture. But it isn't easy. The message for Egypt is not encouraging for women's rights.

Women’s Role in Local Peace Building Key findings from Afghanistan and Liberia.

2012-03-01T17:32:00.001-08:00

Rural Women are Vital to Post Conflict Reconstruction

2012-03-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Interactive session to learn and share about post conflict lessons learned.

Chair Zarin Hainsworth, WAFDI UN Permanent Representative Geneva.

Introductions:

Tania, from Zimbawe – 20 years old. Sustainable future for young rural women. Bear brunt of social and economic challenges. Boy child favoured – school. Self esteem challenged. Young women esp. in rural areas - tested who are still virgins. These girls are at risk of infection. Young women voices not adequately heard. Women’s organizations and government should work together. Education will aid for tomorrow. Declared, education for all, but economy is not good now so it isn’t for all. Could participate in income generating project. Sexual reproductive rights – build advocacy skills. Building confidence. Hi unemployment rate – over 80%. If rural electricity distribution was increased, it would help increase employment. Minimize crime rates, and HIV/AIDs reduced. Build their sustainable futures – education combined with life skills.

Magda from Columbia - Find way to communicate – Columbia is involved in conflict, not finished yet. There are guerilla groups, that have suffered, and losses. Most women who are victims are rural women. Imagine a woman who is about to give birth, abused – children taken, Multiple reflections: importance of dispossession of land – Impossible to talk reconciliation without peace. Should be able to continue to live in city rather than return to rural country during reconciliation.

UN Women – Ann Marie Goertz – UN Women – rural space during and after conflict. See a demographic shift – feminization of space. Young men flee, join the fighters. Women and older and young children, and older males. Concentration of age spectrum. 45% of adult women were widows. For women, often means instant destitution. No rights to land – no support resources. Beyond male desertion or death, face rejection. Forces men to go to cities, or other countries. In the camps it is the women work – domestic work. Low skilled jobs. 93% working, only 7% working in formal work. Women’s access to employment, does not have more influence or power. Actually, increase in family violence. Gender roles may change but gender identity doesn’t. Women pushed back to the home post conflict.

Distribute a peace dividend – more profitable – DDR (disarmament, demobilization, reintegration) – deliver some kind of factory job. Package of seeds – land etc. DDR historically gave to men. Women get very little compensation. Went to males. Get later. And no serious alternatives. See hundreds of millions of dollars go to DDR. How much goes to women’s land recovery. Or women’s benefit. No marker – not calculated – but approx. less 5% for targeted recovery. Women’s land access is not a topic on the agenda, unless it becomes a problem – 60% of women had no access. No spending for economic, no land access- nothing for women’s economic recovery. Men spend DDR on motorcycle, or 2^nd wife. Women spend – on land, children’s education, and health. Investing in women’s economic recovery.

Woman from Iraq – now working in Washington. Issues facing women in Iraq same as rural women in Zimbabwe and Columbia. Civil society sector – not present – post 2003, a lot of organizations got going. Not necessary having capacity. A lot of barriers. Donors – don’t have capacity – Leaving NGOs – Government after conflict, but really are still in conflict. Curb some of the organizations – Another layer of challenge. Strategic approach so can become active partners – bottom up approach.

Speaker – Global Justice Network – Using International law – Hard Law. Think about law and justice. Throwing money – getting injustice! Old patriarchial system inplace.Human Rights – think about women as victims. Use law for structural change. Use law – without women won’t get education, protection from abuse. We need to change to Power Not Pity! Columbia – constitution court – has struck down over 1,200 times. Time of transition time to put these in place – women be at peace treaty table. South Sudan – getting less than under previous regime. Give women political power, and justice. Sadam didn’t allow women judges. Now many judges – new laws, new president’s – but same old judges. Demand 50% judges as women. Women’s committees monitoring decisions – mobile trailer with judge – mobile court. CEDAW – didn’t have to do anything. But now can be enforced. SC in India – need to look at sex harassment in workplace – need women judges to do that. Reconceive justice –Power not pity.

Interfaith Dialogue

2012-03-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

Women are mirrored in Each Other -

An Interfaith Dialogue

First Speaker introduced Sally Kader, President of US Federation for Middle East Peace. Dialogue between religious women - Once we know each other the perceptions can change. The need for inter faith dialogue and understanding is at the heart of the vision for a world that is free from religion-based conflict and promotes understanding.

No religion teaches hate. Let's have a dialogue together.

June Jacobs - lives in UK, women building bridges, national alliance of women, Abrahmic faith - From Jewish Women Council, her background gave her Jewish and Christian education.

Dr. Rev. Kathy - Presbyterian. Asking questions - Story of Jesus, breaking down barriers. Personal stories - Ron Bell quoted. Abraham - all he had to do was be faithful.

Muslim Women Union - speaker from Pakistan.Studying human rights law. Sees all as People of the Book. All the rights are in accordance with Islamic teachings. Human Rights in CEDAW, enforces equality - not against Islamic teachings. Infanticide not allowed - Rights for all children to be educated. Consent of both parties necessary for marriage.Women can not marry out of her religion, economic responsibility of looking after wife, so difference in inheritance.

4th speaker - listening component, common ground and action - Story of being in a study - roomed with those that occupied her country. When foot on the ground, see the stars. When you have each other, can not kill you. Dream to have Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim centre. Can't have dialogue without freedom.

Contrast between Islamic religion, and Islamic reality. Women empowered because of education - like in US, and UK. More than 50% are illiterate in Somalia. Until we provide education - and true teachings important.

Gender and Climate Change

2012-03-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Many women here are concerned about climate change -

GENDER & CLIMATE CHANGE: TOOLKIT FOR WOMEN

This toolkit on Gender and Climate Change is part of an important endeavour by Isis International to explore innovative and strategic ways to communicate gender justice and climate justice issues, especially from Southern feminist perspectives.

Climate change impacts people and countries in many different ways, yet the impacts of climate change are not gender neutral because of existing gender inequalities. Climate change is the living reality of women, with two facets -- on the one hand, women are indeed the most affected because of long-standing issues of gender; on the other hand, they are also active agents in addressing immediate and strategic solutions to climate justice. However, this consciousness has not yet permeated the current discussions and negotiations nor the production of knowledge on climate justice.

To date, gender issues have hardly figured in the international policy discourse on climate change and have been often overlooked in discussions about strategies to reduce the source of greenhouse gases because of the “technical” or “scientific” nature of the strategies.

This toolkit aims to deepen our analysis from a broader and human-centered perspective on this imperative global issue of climate change and the mounting resistance to the corporate-driven false solutions that only deteriorate the catastrophe. In plain language, it provides community-based or grassroots organisations basic information on climate change and how to communicate climate justice with their constituencies and target groups.

The first part of this toolkit answers the questions: What is climate change and what are the effects of climate change? What is climate justice and what does climate justice have to do with gender? It shows how international bodies concerned with climate change do not take women’s needs or gender issues sufficiently into account. It looks at the potential solutions proposed by international bodies and at what needs to be done to make these solutions more inclusive of women and women’s needs.

The second part of this toolkit looks at how groups and organisations can use communication and advocacy to work towards climate justice and gender justice. A Communication Agenda can be developed to map out the steps for using information and communication in strategic ways to work towards climate justice. This includes: surfacing women’s experiences of climate change; how to analyse the data; and applying a feminist development communication framework to empower women and advocate for women’s human rights and gender justice.

The toolkit presents communication tools and strategies and both traditional and new information technologies (ICTs) with a special look at the usefulness of community radio. It looks at what elements make communications empowering.

Advocacy is a powerful means to amplify women’s voices and promote climate and gender justice. The toolkit looks at how to use different forms of advocacy including: lobbying, information and communication campaigns, community organising, new ICTs and social media tools. It shows how to build an advocacy plan.

All this is accompanied by real-life stories and experiences of women around the world with photographs and colourful illustrations.

Rural Women speak about Development

2012-03-01T05:29:00.000-08:00

Reframing development - women who will speak from Asia Pacific together to talk about alternative development frameworks. 2 short videos, Cambodia, and Burma.

Constraints on development - UN reviewed development and found fault - it left marginalized out of poverty definition. No development without human rights.

Sustainable Development Goals - part of Rio +20 & MDGs more human rights based.

Example of a farm workers in Philippines - women having the control and management of the land.

Land rights central to women's rights - Thailand.- Live in protected area where don't have legal right to land. Project to replace the poppy - not allowed to practice traditional practices. Can't read labels when using insecticide. Affected health. Father is paralyzed. Have no choice -

Kyrgyzstan - asserting their rights to development on the base of the experience of Rural Women's Association "Alga"

Widespread use of chemicals very harmful on health.No controls. No basic laws on chemicals in agriculture. High demand for development of legislation on agrochemicals handling and providing security measures for rural people.Rural women very much involved in ag. - hi risk for their health. Need controls of use and disposal of chemicals. 80% of rural women had symptoms of poisoning. Labels in Chinese. advocacy - radio and TV. Can be real agents for change. Great power for development.

Impact of militarization - in Burma.Ruling by military for last 40 years. Violation has increased since election. Using violence against women as a weapon of war. Shared story. 3 week old baby, mother and killed. 90 year old woman and 70 year old daughter raped. Number of displaced people around 60,000 people. Staying in camps. Rural women lost their land, lifestyle Facing sexual harassment. In camps, water and sanitation not good.

West Papau - Military occupy since 1963 - Women and children traumatized. Looking for apology.

Cambodia - management body at local area. Women work together. Political participation for women? Based on interviews. Women reflect diversity. Come from rural areas - women interviewed. Number at the local level - women increased to over 20%.Some of the challenges - difficult to understand complexity of politics. Less supported by political party. Going thru rapid change in Cambodia.We all work together. I always prepare food for my husband, before i go to my work. All women need to struggle to achieve.Be confident in speaking at commune meetings.Indicator of success be informed by women themselves.

Women's economic and social rights. Women's livelihood - coming from human rights - is there a human right to livelihood. Looking at it as a human right. Regionally and in our national constitution. Not a new topic. Depends on who you talk to. Concept of livelhood - right to food, is a key component, natural resources (water, land) , issues get tied to natural resources, markets - space where we trade goods, and trade labour goods.How do women enter markets. What gives women bargaining power. Loans important.

Rural Women Are Leading the Way - Will the World Follow -

2012-03-01T05:11:00.002-08:00

IPS Correspondents*

MBARARA, Uganda, Feb 29 (IPS) - The United Nations’ 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) opened Monday in New York, with the empowerment of rural women high on a list of priorities for this year.

According to a press release issued last week by UN Women, "Rural women constitute one-fourth of the world’s population. (They) account for a great proportion of the agricultural labour force, produce the majority of food grown, especially in subsistence farming, and perform most of the unpaid care work in rural areas."

Yet, "the livelihoods and well-being of rural women and girls are directly linked to the environment they live in," Lakshmi Puri, assistant-secretary-general and deputy executive director of UN Women, told IPS.

"In many countries, rural women and girls have been directly impacted by the effects of climate change. (Throughout) the Commission on the Status of Women, UN-Women will be listening to rural women from all continents about the ways they have been impacted by climate change and, together with partners, amplifying their voices so that they are heard by world leaders," Puri added.

While the U.N.'s high-level conference is just getting started, women on the ground in the global South are already in the eye of the storm and are busy deploying a combination of indigenous techniques and adaptive agricultural technologies to ward off the impacts of climate change.

Benefits of collective action

Winfred Baryabamu, a peasant woman from Uganda’s Southwestern Mbarara district, endured months of saving her hard-earned income to acquire the treasure that sits at the back of her iron-roofed house: a large tank, used to harvest rainwater during the wet season.

The 35-year-old peasant farmer has just returned home from her teaching job. She fills up a jerrycan from the small tank, which is enough for her to prepare a meal for her family and water her goats. "Before this tank was constructed I had to travel five kilometres per day during the dry season to collect water, which was mostly dirty," she said.

Now, Baryabamu is part of a group of one hundred women in Mbarara enjoying greater access to year-round water security.

The rainwater-harvesting tank was constructed using a collective pool of savings that she and other women established with support from the Agency for Cooperation, Research and Development (ACORD) to address the perennial drought that dries wells and springs in the region. Extreme weather changes have made Uganda’s drought-prone regions more insecure than ever before.

Female group members contributed labour to construct the tank, while ACORD paid for materials like cement, wire mesh, gutters and pipes.

ACORD’s Mbarara district project officer, Dunstan Ddamulira, told IPS that rainwater harvesting has provided women with greater water security.

"Our children used to come home from school, leave to fetch water and not return until nighttime," Baryabamu told IPS. "Now, they come home from school to find water waiting for them."

Adapting traditional agriculture

In South Sudan, women farmers are working with a host of NGOs to engage in climate-resilient crop production as well as sustainable pursuits like goat rearing and bee keeping.

William Taban, an agricultural consultant in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state, said, "Women are the ones who dig the land in preparation for planting, tend the crops by weeding, harvest and even market the produce in case of surplus production."

With the help of NGOs like the U.N.’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Norwegian People's Aid, Catholic Relief Services and Concern Worldwide, women have organised themselves into groups, which "target mostly widows and female-headed households because we believe they are most vulnerable to poverty and hunger," explained Isaac Woja, an agricultural extension worker in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state.

The women grow food crops such as cereals, legumes and vegetables in order to improve their children’s overall nutrition and bring in a small, market-based income. Given that South Sudan is semi-arid, most parts of the country receive insufficient and unreliable rainfall. To mitigate the effects of drought on traditional rural agriculture, women are being encouraged to grow crops that are drought-tolerant.

"I grow cassava because it is not affected by drought. It can do well even in situations where there is insufficient rainfall. I’m assured of food even when the rains don’t come," Alice Naponi, a single mother of four, who owns a farm near the capital city of Juba, told IPS.

In most villages women now grow cereals like sorghum, bulrush or pearl millet, which, farmers agree, usually survive insufficient rainfall and mature early.

However, women are seriously constrained by gender disparities in land ownership.

"If a woman wants to start a large crop farm, she still has to go through her husband to contact the community leaders who are responsible for allocating land to community members. In most cases these community leaders, who are males, frustrate us," Naponi told IPS.

In fact UN Women recognised that, "while women have equal property ownership rights in 115 countries and have equal inheritance rights in 93 countries, gender disparities in land holdings persist worldwide."

NGOs in South Sudan are at the forefront of supporting women’s agricultural activities, such as supplying equipment and seeds of improved crop varieties imported from neighbouring Uganda. However, Woja warned that not all agricultural development programmes are foolproof.

"(Some) imported improved seeds have been tested in Uganda but not in South Sudan. Actually what we are doing is a trial and error method that should not be encouraged. If we grow crops that do not do well here and farmers fail in a given season then it would cause a situation of food insecurity," he added, highlighting a major problem with top-down policy and programming.

Ripple effects

In Mexico, rural women have organised themselves to struggle against financial and environmental crises. In many cases, local NGOs have assisted in this process by building formal structures and developing capacities.

"We look for women who are able to produce goods in their own yards, and help them bottle or sell vegetables, (essentially) by starting a microenterprise," Magali Costa, at the Rural Value Consortium, told IPS.

Increasingly, women are playing key roles in economic activities, such as planting crops, saving seeds and selling their produce, not to mention performing virtually 100 percent of household labour, which is almost always unpaid.

Almost 13 million women live in rural zones around Mexico, according to the National Women’s Institute. Since 2008, poverty has proliferated throughout the country, reaching 52 million people but particularly impacting women in the countryside.

Of 19 million Mexican households, 39 percent are rural. Of these, 11 percent, or roughly 852,000 households, are headed by a woman, most of who are impoverished.

This not only means that women generally bear the brunt of food shortages or price fluctuations in the commodities basket, but also that slight changes can have far-reaching ripple across the entire rural population.

These statistics make a strong case for empowering rural woman, whose leadership generally creates much wider, more positive ripple effects than in communities dominated by men.

As Woja pointed out to IPS, "Women are more supportive of the family; any help provided to them will (always) trickle down to all the family members," and eventually to the rest of the community.

As CSW progresses throughout the week, women around the world can only hope that global leaders will finally stop overlooking the crucial role rural women play in securing a more stable future.

* This is the second of a two-part series on rural women, agriculture and climate change

*Charlton Doki contributed to this report from Juba, South Sudan; Wambi Michael from Mbarara, Uganda; and Emilio Godoy from Mexico City

Funding the Rural Future

2012-02-29T11:25:00.001-08:00

An interactive panel and workshop - at the Baha'i International Community Offices

First speaker - Importance of microgrant - Tanzania - multiple programs experience,

Second speaker - nutritional counseling for maternal health in Nepal,

Third speaker - 16 year old - use photography to show lives of girls

Fourth speaker - working with UN

Zimbabwe - speaker

Columbia - interactive discussion

Mother of 8, an accountant - helping women in east African corridor. Spoke about project, helping most vulnerable - Understanding between communities in Africa .and America. Get to talk to women. Rural women know what they want. Teaches them how to manage funds, talk about health, impact of culture. People in rural area - once they are ready - Men feel threatened by women's empowerment, even though supported by government. Rural areas very traditional, and conservative. Involving the men - see the project will support them. Defined project as anything that generates income. Example of a vegetable garden - have 198 women working on it. Impact of culture - must be considered when working with rural women.

Nutritional Counseling for maternal health care, for those affected with HIV/AIDs. Research - nutritional counselling - eat more, protein, Specifically for women with HIV? Not know. Lack of training. Economic barriers major reason for not following advice. Made 4 recommendations - need for protocol, need for training, strengthening role of female community health volunteers - usually women come just before having birth. Identify HIV, Following a food security assessment, direct food support.

Discussion - cultural considerations; Application research, financial resources. District decision making capacity - How does action get done in rural areas?

Issues for Rural girls - girl's education best investment that can be made. Main reason not attending is cost. CSI - schools - providing basic resources for families. Ensuring basics are provided. Sexual health education a key necessity. Youth services in UK cut. Youth centres provided sexual health education - now cut. Rural girls ignorant, and unable to protect themselves. Education more accessible for rural girls. Forced marriages - Stopping abuse is essential.

Presentation - issues removing obstacles for rural women - importance of giving economic power to women. Studies show this - allowing women the power over their economic projects. Decrease of domestic violence. Need for separate wash rooms, and sanitary pads. No matter what country, rural women and girls are not as well off as other women. Public transportation isolates girls - high drop out rate for girls, free lunch programs, Many countries do not do gender budgeting, and lack gender sensitivity.

Girls in rural Zimbabwe - boys are sent to school, because considered more intelligent. Girls face problem of sanitation - no sanitary pads. Shared story of widow with 3 children. Older child dies, as she goes for water. Mother devastated, no longer can attend her other children.

Columbia - girls difficulty in obtaining education, health. But the biggest problem is armed conflict. Sexxual exploitation. Last year 400 girls were killed. Why girls killed, Young women treated as a product rather than human being, many forces - 3 different forces. These men have taken a position - the women are their possession. Body of the girls, 12 year old getting political pressure. A way of security. Government not investing funds to end this conflict.

Rio +20 - including gender and equality in the upcoming conference.

2012-02-29T11:23:00.002-08:00

UN Women speaker - speaks about Rio +20 - Brazil playing a role in organizing this side event. Renew and strengthen Gender Responsive structures, that supports voice and greater participation of women. From now until Rio +20 must concentrate our efforts. Our efforts rooted in global standards and values - though that don't know Rio - rare question. It was an integral part of Rio 21- also Beijing PfA. Normative that we reaffirm, and update. If we want development to be sustainable, women's agency and leadership in promoting social justice, and economically sustainable. Equal access to production, information, training and capacity building, and special measures - won't happen on their own. Government have to make that happen. Gender responsive budgeting must be assured. Green Economy - one of key themes of Rio +20 - must be gender sensitive, gender responsive, and enable move forward. Institutional frameworks, must be equitable. Brazil, goals put together to post 2015, goal must include women's empowerment. More comprehensive. Targets - that capture gender empowerment - energy a concern. Tribute to global women's movement. UN Women's role, bringing women's voices to sustainable development agenda. Bring women's voices to the conference. Include rural and indigenous women. June 19 interactive exchange - and summit of women leaders - Declaration will be made. Sum up gender empowerment - Rio +20 - re visioning a new world.

Speaker from CEDAW - Protection of climate - driver of sustainable development. Protection of planet - examine our traditional roles. Women are at core of this issue, particularly rural areas. They have to use this - How we do it is the question. Women as part of the decision making - must be guaranteed. Gender equality - in terms of social services. CEDAW has built a legal framework. CEDAW has contributed to ending discrimination. Other countries approaching gender approach that Rio is recommending. Drives a new society - CEDAW committee looking forward to participation, and contributing to the Rio process.

Speaker from Brazil - In 2012, Brazil will host conference on sustainable development - Crisis lived in majority of countries. Financial, economic, social and environment. Women fundamental role with managing resources. Rural women here at CSW, not accorded a fair distribution of resources. Shared by whole of society. Sustainable development - linked to a new development paradigm. linked to equal distribution of work and resources. Brazil economy, looked at increasing income of the poor. Emphasizes sustainable development in the rural areas. Topics of Rio 20 fit nicely into Brazil goals. We also hi light discussion on sustainable development not unlinked from rights, and services. Perpetrators of violence, starts with girls and outside the houses. Development processes overcome difficulties of accessing public health services - access to reproductive health service. Health professional in rural areas, very difficult.

Through voice of rural women organizations from Brazil - emphasis on traditional women necessary - access to services, ensure these rights. Invite all delegates to fight at their countires the agenda of Rio +20, can only contribute to a sustainable world, if outcome includes development and equality. Sustainability of life - Link the development with resource distribution and input of work. Commitment to women, to make sure debate on economic development has a strong emphasis on equality between men and women.

Why has so little happened. Change in mindset - very often white middle aged men - have to address inequalities, and power.

Existing MDGs - taking them forward, transforming them - right kind of indicators and targets. Comprehensive SDGs. Including energy, and other new issues to be included in the new framwork. Partnerships with corporate sector. How do we get private sector to be more sustainable - in their foot print. Have very strong commitment to gender sustainability. Gender empowerment principles - UN Women program to encourage private sector to sign on.

Live Blog, from Conference Room 4, North Lawn Building, New York

2012-02-29T07:35:00.002-08:00

Statement by Canada's Minister, Rona Ambrose.

Statement by the Delegation of Canada to the 56^th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/med/spe-dis/2012/0229-eng.html

Reaffirm obligations under the Beijing Platform for Action.

Canada's Rural Partnerships - transforming ideas to economic realities.

Economic empowerment of women - Canada reaching out to women and girls around the world. Grassroots projects for rural and aboriginal women - has been a call for proposals by Status of Women Canada.. Job preparation training, training in non traditional work. Involve men and boys with eliminating violence against women. Leadership role with Plan Canada - Oct. 11th - International Day of the Girl -and working with Turkey and Peru - UN General Assembly's resolution.

NGO members of the Canadian Delegation

2012-02-29T06:13:00.001-08:00

Amber Fletcher (Women's Information Network Saskatchewan)

Judy Unterschultz (Multicultural Heritage Centre)

Marie Kenny (Federated Women's Institutes of Canada)

Shannon Joseph (Federation of Canadian Municipalities)

This is exhilirating, interesting, challenging, and tiring - but very worthwhile

2012-02-28T19:37:00.003-08:00

It is Tuesday evening, and the women NGOs that are here at the 56th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women are working extremely hard. There are over 4,000 of us! And over 300 parallel sessions, and all the main presentations by the countries, and the panels of experts. The physical space continues to be a challenge, with most of the formal sessions held in the out of bounds for NGOs, in a temporary building known as the North Lawn Building - a huge temporary tent. Across the street is where most of the NGOs hang out, in what is called the Church Building. Here is where the NGOs put on workshops, roundtables, presentations on a wide range of topics. Although the theme is Rural Women, the workshops cover the gamut of topics of interest to women and the lives they lead. Here too is where there are Conversation Circles (i've attended one on Communications), and also Regional Caucuses (I attended the one on Europe/North America tonight) The difference in culture between the UN building and facilities, and the NGO space is quite apparent. And the real work is how to engage the UN system in a process to affect the changes that women want, and in fact are demanding.

The Canadian NGOs are fortunate, in that the official delegation, which the Minister, Rhona Ambrose leads. There are 4 NGO delegates on that delegation, one being a representative from the Women's Institutes.The following photos are from the Briefing today -

Tonight was the reception at the Canadian Mission - i got there, but late - i wanted to attend the Regional Caucus, and was glad i did - lots of issues that need to be discussed together, in terms of the Agreed Conclusions, and the relationship with UN Women. Tomorrow is another day - and a busy one - breakfast tomorrow morning with the DG of Status of Women Canada.

Parallel Event – “Women, Media, Revolution: Amplifying Voices on the Frontlines” Where women use IT, and how.

2012-02-28T19:19:00.001-08:00

Women Peacemaker Program – speaker – awards 4 women leadersin conflict country given a 2 month internship – we try to disseminate thestories – Free and open to the public. Present at a conference of at a forum –at local Santiago university. This year, with the stories of the revolutions –how they are covered, and when they are covered – the nature of the coverage.What happened to the women in Egypt. What was the rest of the story. Conferenceto discuss – women in conflict situations.

Women, Media, Revolution– conference.

Jina Moore –Christian Science Monitor – trauma reporting – work in Africa – doesn’t fitin cliché. Work in post conflict counties. Does seem to be something thatfemale reporters get – see it in conflict coverage. Telling of stories whengender part of it. West and southern Africa – Maternal health – African writers– Reproductive health – how to present topics to editors. Critcal way oftelling story so subject is safe. Journalist, reader, and the subject – morallyoutraged by the story. Jackee Batanda – spent 6 months on internship, number ofopinion pieces. Need for opportunities for African reporters to work in US.Following what is happening in Uganda. Freelance journalist. Women who aredoing amazing things – Facing hardships but doing amazing things – refugesliving in Uganda – who had lived in camps, then coming to the city. Give peoplean opportunity – Ethiopia – ended up hiring someone from Uganda. Women doingimportant work. Social rights issues. Uganda in a recovery process – womenmaking a contribution – Jennifer Pozner – Women, Media and the News. Contact analysis, and look at how issuesreported across the board? Women’s voices – almost virtually absent – exceptfor lifestyle coverage. 50% was in lifestyle – what clothes to buy etc. Leastwas foreign affairs. Women’s voices – no complete story without women’s voices.Work with journalists – connect them with women experts – from academia – whenjournalist looking for an expert – women in every field – women economist for example.Power Process Project – model the diversity of women’s voices. Morning TVprograms – Sunday morning programs – women only 14% of guests. Blindness – bymajor stations. Policy work – reregulate the media conglomerate. Every issue awoman’s issue – is a really key thing – so why content is problematic.

Women Make Movies– have operated for 40 years – we need the films – Kristen Fitzpatrick.Conference in 1975 with a statement – there is so much more to do. Internship,over 600 films – use collections for film festivals. The Price of Sex – usedas training tool – Hip Hop movie – using movie and telling story about endingfemale genital mutilation.

Suggestion – of a topic of absence of war, and nucleardestruction.

Social media power – pushing agenda in own way.

Why does US not report international news.?

Media justice question – much cheaper to run a story fromUS. Think that is the level of Americaninterest. Idea that profit the most important factor. 5 or 6 white American menown most of American newsoutlets. Finding access to media – Christian ScienceMonitor – Democracy Now – Atlantic Monthly – etc. Response to Hate – movies forfree –

Government influence – journalists – access for preemptivereporting. Tips for NGOs – Start with independent press. Framing – somethingthat is relevant – develop relationship with editors, journalists. Not seen as newsmakers – Thank you’simportant to recognize a good writer. On line petitions.

Investing in Women, Investing in Peace: Financing 1325, Gender Equality and Peace

2012-02-28T19:09:00.003-08:00

Excellent session presented by ICAN – International Civil Society Action Network & The Global Network of Women Peacebuildiers – Bridging GlobalPolicy with local action on Women, Peace and Security

Photos from the sessions

Yes, joining us in the audience was Leymah Ghowee, Nobel Peace Prize recipient!

Mavic Cabrera-Balleza – welcome, and background on GNWP

2010, SGs, 10^th anniversary of 1325, identified 2key factors, 1. Lack of political will, 2^nd. Inadequate financingfor implementation. About 35 countries, or 16% of the countries. Study –Costing 1325 – how much does it cost to implement 1325. Not enough resources toimplement 1325. Took up recommendations and piloted them – established aplatform for resources. Platform of performance for accountability. Usingresources properly. Mulitstakeholders financing – want more resources fromdonor community. All saying 1325 important, now need financing. Tellingcountries to put into budget. Started multi stakeholders financing – Look at UNsystem – UNDP – price of peace, financing gender equality for post conflictrecovery. Saw Netherlands – actual support for developing action plans.Outcomes of workshop – to go into outcomes document.

Catherine Mabobori – Burundi – national action plan adoptedDec. 2011.

Was activist, now in government – Context of adopting 1325 –Burundi – post conflict country. Benefited from special post conflict process.2005 – emerging now to developing country. Peacebuilding – include povertyreduction. No development without peace, and no peace without development.

Policies VS R 1325. Constitution calls on equality and nondiscriminatory principle between men and women. CEDAW is incorporated in theConstitution. Have affirmative action – quota system for participation making.Burundi Vision 2025 – Development of Action Plan

Planning – Budgeting and Financing Process – specific budgetline – increased from $44,000 to $100,000. Also budget to deal with violenceagainst women, and have project from the Trust Fund.

Challenges, economic empowerment, ongoing gender basedviolence, integrating gender in security sector reform and peace missions,transversality, capacity budgeting, research, women and transitional justice.Multistakeholder financing mechanism: a model of financial cooperation. Theultimate success of national action plans on SCR 1325, and 1820 depends ontheir funding and commitment to ensure their full implementation. Although NAPwas recently adopted it’s implementation was already in progress.

Other commitments – Sept. 2011 – embassies, Netherlandsrecently adopted the 2^nd NAP and is ready to take the lead for theMSHFM. MSHFM will insure more transparency and accountability. Best way tocoordinate is by establishing atechnical coordinating mechanism. One of the very few multistake holdersfunders –

Peter van de Vliet – Netherlands – Supporting women’sempowerment in emerging democracies. Investing in Women – UNDP – gender gap oneof the reasons for lack of development – in countries own advantage to havewomen in power structure, Had their first action plan in 2007 – emphasizedcomplementary work of government and NGOs. Successful training courses –Spanish and dutch officials. Netherlands launched 2^nd Action Plan.Aligned with 3 pillars – freedom, security, and economic growth. 2^ndplan to support women’s role in post conflict countries. Expertise not enough –without money, action plans never implemented. Dutch Action plan where manypartners commit resources – financially and expertise. 10 million euros peryear. Some joint initiatives. Dutch contribute to multistakeholders – otherpartners commit too.

Coraid’s WPS programme

Facilitation multi stakeholder mechanisms for NAP UNSCR 1325implementation. Enhancement of women’s political participation in peacebuildingprocess. Integration of WPS issues in national and international securitystrategies, protection of Women Human Rights Defenders. Civil SocietyOrganiations (CSO) participation is crucial. Women’s organizations involved – aprecondition for inclusion and local ownership leads to sustainability. Women’sorganizations have a lot of resources to commit – mobalizing the society.Guiding Principles: Locally owned frameworks, based on comprehensive andaccurate assessment of needs, resources and capacities. Earmamark 1325 funds,review military and other government budgets and identify windows through which1325 implementation could be funded. Engage private sector – where we can findresources.

Process for establishing multistakeholders mechanism –

Assessment: needs, benchmark analysis

Joint planning process, government, and others.

Budget eamaked specifically for CSOs, linking and learning,comprehensive monitoring and evaluation.

UNDP – Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo

Just came from a meeting with Fiji – Stand by generator.Help us to learn from the past. Easier when gone thru major events – spirit of1325 – need to go thru war? Challenges of postconflict recovery. Reintagrationof community members – also related, security – unskilled – need for effectivefinancing for gender advancements essential Legacy of violence – must deal withthis. Recovery of livelihoods – social capital, financial capital. NDPP –reminds us of this – Decades of work by women’s global movement. Attn. towomen’s empowerment post conflict – fairly widely accepted society hasn’tsupported women and girl post conflict.UNDP supported women thru all parts of the process. Inclusive development – 10gender advisors – in many countries affected by conflict. UNDP in 177 offices,comply with UNDP Steering committee- Recovery assets better placed with women who made better use of theresources when invested in women.

Liberian leader – take both Christian and Muslim sectorstogether. Heal divisions.

Fiji – truth and reconciliation – rules that restrict –women not comfortable talking with men. So much fear – how can consultationshappen? Fear of torture. Answer – women have to be vigilant – women have tothink it is their business – not accepted – did have observatory status – couldobserve, and interact – support from UN women – have to mobalize together –women were united to be part of peace negotiations. Do we take revolutionaryprocess or step by step process. Success of change of political process MDGs not being achieved in post conflict andfragile states. What will be our agenda after 2015 when MDGs expire. Whenpreconditions lacking for development- have poverty.

Janis Alton – bloated budgets on military arms, comparedwith what supporting 1325.

Speaker from Ghana – countries going from yellow to red. Sawmachetes – conflict is for others. Need to be vigilance – pay attention towarning signs. Military expenditures compared with development expenditures. Plan well ahead of time capacity building forelections. Working on sexual and gender based violence -

Girls: Control of their body and access to development

2012-02-28T08:24:00.003-08:00

Presentation and discussion on this topic - by France, and Tunisa

Welcome and acknowledgement of Tunisa's recent changes - by Roselyne Bachelot, French Minister for Solidarities and Social Cohesion.

Access to control of their bodies essential for education and independent life. Early pregnancies increase early mortality. Access to education and occupational training. Must have access to family planning - this is France's international policy. Investing more dollars through UN Women and UNICEF. Many are living in rural areas.

Girl's untapped resource for development - part of France's policy of equality.. Review of France's actions with CEDAW, which includes child care, and France's influence of the workplace - need for occupational equality plan for businesses. Hypersexualization of children - charter of media to deal with this, just announced.

Tunisa - going thru a period of reviewing laws - Courts ensures civil rights. Women most developed rights - but not sufficient. Need to revise laws - a law that women can have more than 25% of seats in national legislature. Legal age for marriage is 18. Reproductive rights - abortion and contraception is available. Average of 2 children - women's health insurance - rejected by traditional Tunisa society. Has ratified CEDAW. Women as Ministers. Still far from our objectives. Must be present in all positions of decision making - must review laws.

France - Marie-Pierre Martinet - Chair of the French Movement for Family Planning. Feminist in nature.

Taken in the room where this presentation was given

Need for more action for rural areas - to contact services a problem in small societies. Actions in 3 countries - Cameroon, Tunisa, and France. First pregnancy - young girls - Share our experiences. Strong emphasis on new program - focus on young girls - and boys. Go to early detection centers encouraged. Women benefited from early education. Work with men and boys - Quotes - talk to leaders - to get their support - not interested in starting a feminist revolution, we are ambassadors - using popular education. Using different topics - education - an important part of making change to society. Many agreements refer to this need for young women and girls have access to family planning. Rio plus 20 for example.

Question from Canada - government - access to abortion services - enact new laws - religious right putting pressure on access to abortion. What to do - from Tunisia. Response from CEDAW Chair - we need this kind of meeting on this major issue - need to control your body - issue of young women and girls - stereotypes and culture. CEDAW - want to be empowered - there are risks of regression - see in some countries, never had so much need to have strong sense of support for women's rights. All forms of violence against women - Stronger visibility - rights of young women - 180 have signed. Public aid must support this violence, and needs of young women and girls - Fundamental and can't be separated. It's a cross issue, we must work on this issue.

Do you think Arab Spring a spring for women? Many concerned about rights of women in Tunisia Unfortunately everyone has rights - including fundamentalists. Confidence in Tunisia, because she is the Minister and this will not happen while she is the Minister.

Question from Belgium - choices for young women and girls - funding access to these services so good to see. Need to define a feminist position - appreciate presentation because gives us hope. Concerning abortion, not going backwards. With schools - have challenges with funding for family planning education. Difficulty for girls to even get to school. Costs for families. Monetary issue, need to set priorities.

Question from Iraq - Happy to attend meeting - Have good laws, and amended civil state in Kurdistan as happened in Tunisa. Law against violence - these laws are considered amongst most important laws. Proposed that regions need support. Environment in Iraq - the situation is different - Affects officials attitudes - more pressure needed so officials must respond. How to support our action. Working with NGOs, and UN. Courses for judges. Adapt our laws to international convention. Strategy last year, but need to make it official. Economic aspect, and economic ability of women very important. going thru great transition in country - Graduates, but no work - must have access to market. International agencies have to pay more attention to these aspects. Have information about CEDAW but it is wrong - ??

South Africa - part of Social Law - included with health, education - balance availability of contraceptives, and access to abortion. Issue of contraception - a right and gov't must ensure girls and young women access this right. Cervical cancer - Promote intergenerational dialogue.A lot of families with out elders - Child headed households, headed by young girls - given self defence, and girls in conflict with the law - access for girls to access sanitary pads - especially problem in rural areas. Forced marriage - to accept dowry. Traditional authorities - ensure that women part of it - because men see violence against women a traditional practice. Talked about many others from adjoining countries to SA, but protecting children born in SA.

Morocco - Listening circles - for girls - Movie to be shown on March 2nd - story of young woman who has got a PhD, and now teaching girls.

Response from CEDAW - question from Iraq - raised access to justice - can't move without the law, need action plan, and concrete results. support of all vital parts - can't move forward if still living in patriarchial system, early marriage & older traditions. Help with doing plans, very important. Move forward at own pace, Fight all forms of violence - next year's theme for CSW. Girls very first victims. Start as soon as possible, so in line with convention - help as much as possible.

Young woman who spoke - increase of STDs, very important today - re examine some of the teaching.

Ambassador - access to health - long way to go. realize all our issues are similar. Why is it taking so long?? With all the energy - struggle still going. Maybe issues still talking among women - men are absent. Men should be educated - this patriarchial society and imposing their way. We must work with men. If we can convince men, if they see their future in hands of wives, daughters, then can move forward. Need to work together. Feminism must take more modern forms. Still talking about inequalities of salaries - should not exist in modern world. Huge evolution in parts of the world - we need to ask a lot of why questions.Can't just talk to women and young girls, but talk to all of society. We have a legal apparatus - very substantial - CEDAW. Signed a convention that will help Have niches - specific helpful approaches. Importance of listening - we need to have open discussion. Education - support friends from Iraq. Helping each other.

Strong speech by Michelle Bachelet - calls for rural women's participation and sustainable development

2012-02-28T05:13:00.001-08:00

Rural women comprise 43 percent of the agricultural workforce worldwide, and in some parts of the world, about 70 percent. They are on the frontlines of climate change, managing natural resources so they can feed their families and communities. As they directly benefit from their natural environment, so too do they contribute to its safeguarding.

Yet, as we heard in the Commission this morning, they continue to confront barriers—lack of equal access to education, healthcare, land, finance, markets and technology, and gender-based discrimination, that hold them back. This not only limits their own personal prospects, it limits the prospects of their nations and our global community.

How do we unlock their potential? We need to empower them and this means changing policies and laws to protect their rights and expand equal opportunities. We need to address the issue of access to and control of resources. Rural women have been hard hit by export oriented agriculture, climate change, and volatility in food and energy prices. They lack equal access to technology and infrastructure, clean water, and national and international markets. And they need to participate in decision-making.

This is our call and our priority at UN Women as it is only through economic and political empowerment that women, and particularly rural women, will be fully empowered to reach their potential.

Around the world, there are many encouraging practices. Three technologies currently making a difference in the lives of rural women are mobile phones, solar power and energy efficient cook stoves. There is no stopping a good idea and useful product once people can enjoy its benefits.

In Fiji, women are adopting new eco-friendly farming methods. In Kenya and Zimbabwe, women are planting and protecting indigenous and medicinal trees; establishing bee populations in arid areas; and learning how to maintain them sustainably.

In Ecuador, UN-Women works with indigenous women’s groups to ensure their involvement in the sustainable conservation and management of the natural and cultural heritage of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve.

In Nepal, the Women’s Environment Preservation Committee manages 963 tons of waste per year that supports 40 waste-fed biogas plants to meet local communities’ demand for renewable energy.

Together with the Barefoot College of India, UN Women is empowering rural and illiterate grandmothers. By providing necessary equipment, technical support and training — the grandmothers become effective and self-sufficient solar engineers.

There are many innovative practices by rural women and men around the world. I am eager to hear more from the other panelists as well as the audience today.

Yet despite their resilience and resourcefulness, the situation of women in rural areas remains particularly challenging. We have to do more and we can do more. We can all contribute in our own way through our institutions and connections.

Now we are at a crossroads, the international community is heading to Rio in June to reaffirm commitments to sustainable development and also to possibly launch a framework for a new international post Millennium Development Goals, post 2015 framework.

We must build on the agreement 20 years ago at the first UN Conference on Environment and Development, where nations affirmed that gender equality and women’s empowerment are integral to sustainable development. In 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action issued by the Fourth World Conference on Women in China upheld this notion.

Today there is growing momentum. The Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability recently stated, “Persistent gender inequality in particular has to be addressed as part of any serious shift towards sustainable development.”

UN Women is playing a strong role to ensure that women’s empowerment and gender equality feature prominently in the Rio+20 agreement. We are encouraged by the support we are getting from stakeholders, including the organizers of this event.

Today world and business leaders, citizens and activists increasingly recognize women’s vital roles in a healthy society and for a resilient planet. I am confident that with our commitment and action, the agreed conclusions from the Commission on the Status of Women will pave the way to Rio to empower rural women and advance development that is sustainable.

Session Monday Afternoon on the Arab Spring

2012-02-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

U.S. Federation for Middle East Peace – Connecting Continents for Peace

Facilitator, Mrs. Sally Kader

Arab Spring: Voices of Women

Welcome by Sally – relationship between gender and politics and religion – women refashioning their role, long suppressed under patriarchal regimes. Tunisia – lit a fuse – Tunisia became known as the vanguard - Rising wave of protest. Women felt liberated – able to discuss their ideas – speak to more new audiences then ever before. Significance incredible. Women offered their thoughts during Arab Sring. No one knows better than women, the abuses and suffering. Women’s actions in the name of human rights are part of trend world wide. They put safety on the line – made others realize change has to happen, but it’s not easy. Caretakers of corrupt governments, Women – always non violent. Shameful attach by military , but believ Egypt can become better place. Recent Dec. 20^th many women expressed outrage. Women that were protesting, they were young old, mothers, grandmothers. Directed violence against them. In the court of public opinion, women are winning. No amount of violence can hold Arab Sring down. Enabled ordinary people to challenge status quo. Examples outside prison in Libeia, woman in Arab Spring turned into gain. Issues of empowerment – inheritance, land, now reachable goals, women long believed to be under utilized. Chanelled into peace. Equal opportunity – to make it happen. Has been a toll on economy – loss of 600,000 jobs in Egypt alone, tourism, any change is good change – in Egypt, Sally met with over 300 organizations – all parts of society. Illiteracy – unimagina ble – stories now there is hope, all share in this revolution. Sustain what they have started. The Arab Spring stimulated a major mobilization of women. Global revolutionary movement. We have to change their belief system. Brought women’s voices in direct contact with their government. Wonderful change – sparked way more than ever dreamed of.

Fatiima – Bahrain – 7 children. Teacher –

Optimistic – as a business woman – recognize we hear and see media. Bahrain have contributed much for women, since 1920s, attended schools for women – holding jobs in government, and private sector. 2000 competence raised further ground – national action charter which safeguarded their rights. All citizens equal before the law. Charter gurarantees their rights to participate in election process. Supreme Counsel for women in 2001. Granting of full political rights to vote and run for election. Bahrain have high positions in government. Real and active participation in government positions. 5 Bahrainian women appointed to cultural affairs – College deans, head of banks, head of university, prosecutors, business woman chamber of commerce, ambassador, telecommunications – political participation of women – Charter – 2002 women participated in municipal election – 2006 – women didn’t succeed in gaining seats – women in shura council – women participation from 10% to 15%, to 25% in 2006. Bahraininan women working in private sector – number of working 48.61% participation rate of women in private sector. Have labour unions, 4 unions chaired by women. Supreme Council – SCW – manifest of promoting status of women, chaired by 1^st lady – assume a greater role – ensure rights protected. Training programs, establishing award – first of its kind in Arab world. We know women married to non Bahranian husbands, because of supreme council, children get Bahrainian passport. Challenges – stereotype of women in society, women’s issues not integrated – religious beliefs. Positions of women in organizations. Changing women thru public media, government include women in action plan, qualify women to get into job market. Rural women – have incubator system for business ideas - supporting each women for 2 years – place to go for idea – get free training, auditing – until business is stable. Huge and practical – 2003 – rural women became business women.

2^nd Speaker from Egypt

Egypt – new face for Egyptian women. Translated – happy to be here to be here for CSW. Will speak on 1. Revolution for democratic human rights. 2.– revolution, how it relates to other revolution of Jan 25, 3. own story and what witnessed.

Begin with – applaud anyone that was arrested – about a year ago, when millions of people in the Arabic world went out on the street to demonstrate. Arabic revolutions followed Tunisia – now the whole Arabic world is changing – Young people – traditional view of Arab women as isolated has changed. Men and women’s unity. Egyptian women participated. The revolution of jan 25^th included women of all classes of Egypt. Families were in the square – facing tear gas and other forms of violence. Resolution brought out women who justice, for social justice. Pushing revolution forward. Made sure peaceful revolution. Women who have to raise a generation with the changes that were happening. Youth looking forward to rights they can hold on to. Millions gathered the square – no violence. After revolution a reconstruction group of National Council of Women. A female candidate running as president – first time – Will it b e beneficial for women? Is revolution lost? Permanent democracy to demand her rights. Transitional stage. They realized a bitter truth, pushed away from decision making positions. No women on constitution committee. Quota dropped – New election – 9 women in the parliament. Not happening get into high position. Almost impossible for women to win – only 2% representation.

Taking back all laws protecting women – claims that these laws were by a corrupt government. Women in Egypt living in fear of uncertain future. Islamist moving up to ruling chair – Prophet says respect the women – Egyptian has had this for a long time – quality of life and rights not up for discussion.

Question – Egypt recognize previous obligations? They have ratifie – human rights. New government, is a transient government – will wait – Role of UN – no one voice that speaks for government.

Question - From Iraq – hearing all the rights, and good story from Bahrain – why a revolution – clarify – what happens a very small part of Bahrain – brainwashed by other countries. Looking for something else. Outside agenda. No day did we close the schools. Media not doing a good job in Bahrain.

Question about medical students – lost rights for university. Medical students not allowed to go back to school. Students kicked out of school – they are back. Great excitement, how are you now?

Question – In Egypt, how are organizations coming together? Noone knows – haven’t police, many problems – There is a problem in Bahrain – see it in social TV – As a woman from the country – 2 sects of Muslims – lived as brothers and sisters, every house, mixed marriage. What to do to the children. Not a religion – who suffering – children. We don’t say sunni or shia – we can solve it internally, walk together. Big parade – all of them walking together. Misinterpreations of men and women – prophet Mohammed and his wife – he supported wives. Nursed sick. Don’t look at – all equal. Organizations coming together – in Egypt.

Anything the corrupt regime did – everything misunderstood – the president’s wife – seen as her University in 1890 in Egypt and Lebanon. Not because Mrs. Mubarak – not her invention – she took claim for CEDAW etc. and many of the advances of women in Egypt, and now some people turn against the Mubarak government, and what his wife stated she had done, which was not true. It was not her, but the UN’s work, and resolutions.

2012-02-26T20:18:00.002-08:00

Quite a full day with Sunday being the NGO Forum - from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. And so much happening! The day started with a wonderful performance by the National Dance Institute - this remarkable program, started in New York City, was founded by Jacques d'Amboise in the belief that the arts have the power to motivate children - and it certainly showed us the energy, and how excited the children were to feel the music and dance - they did a number "the wonder of Stevie Wonder" that brought everyone to their feet. This National Dance Institute is now in many countries, offers their programs for no charge, in cooperation with schools. How i would love to see this program in some of our schools in Canada.

The serious part of the program started with Michelle Bachelet, Under Secretary General and Executive Director, UN Women speaking. She talked about the past year, and future plans to set up the Advisory Groups, at the global, national and regional level. This was of interest to everyone - as the appointments will be made by the time of the next board meeting in June. Also stated the NGOs will be part of this process in making the nominations. There will be web based platforms for ongoing dialogue with the advisory groups.

The Regional Perspective Panel, moderated by Ilona Graenitz, gave everyone an overview of what the issues were from many parts of the world, especially for rural women. Layla Alkhafaji, from Iraq spoke - she is the human rights activist/defender who was imprisoned for 10 years. She actually was a refugee in Canada, and has since gone on to be elected as a Member of the Iraqi Parliament - quite an amazing women. We also heard from Ilona Graenitz (Austria), Lydia Alpizar Duran (Costa Rica), Bineta Diop (Senegal), HIlda Chirsanzara (Zimbabwe), Mabel Bianco (Argentia), but the real thrill was the speaker after the panel - Leymah Gbowee - wow, was she fantastic. A very moving, and inspirational speech about her work, and how women can move mountains.

I'll add more to this blog tomorrow.

We Will Never Ever Lose Sight of Our Way!

2012-02-25T18:19:00.002-08:00

What a lovely program and a great start to the CSW - We Will Never Ever Lose Our Way! It was a combination of story telling and beautiful singing. The stories were from rural women - from Sudan, St. Vincent, Australia, New Guinea, Kosovo, St. Vincent, U.S., Cameroon, Myanmar, Brazil - all the stories were about their own journeys and the work they are doing to make a difference for their communities. Education was a large part of the change they were able to push for. The music by Olympia's Daughters was so perfect - all sung a cappella. They take their name from Olympia Brown, the first female who was ordained by a national denomination-the Universalists. She was also a leading suffragist, a mother, and a business woman. Here are the words from one of the songs -

We will never, ever lose our way

To the well of our memories

And the power of our living flame

It will rise, it will rise again.

CSW 2012

2012-02-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

Photos of CFUW and ICW colleagues,and scenes around New York

2012-02-25T10:56:00.000-08:00

Draft Agreed Conclusions Now Available

2012-02-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Draft Agreed Conclusions are now available on the CSW web site for downloading, just go down the page

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/56sess.htm#agreedconclusions

This is what Canada and all the countries will be working on during the meetings of the CSW - so good to review. What do you think? Does it cover what you think should be in it?

Saturday is Registration Day

2012-02-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

Just got registered, along with a few others - it is a lovely sunny day in New York, unlike the blizzard I left yesterday in Winnipeg! I left our house at 9:00 am and arrived in New York at 9:30 pm, rather than 4:30, because of the weather - but it's been forgotten today.

The registration opened at 10, and they didn't let us in until exactly 10 - security is very tight. Thank goodness the weather is good.. The line up started at 9:00 - but once inside, they were well prepared. Those of us that had been before, went to a separate line, and got thru even quicker. My problem was that, although i had been before, i guess another Mary Scott had too, and we do not look alike! Or sign names the same! But they quickly got it sorted out, and then we got the extra, and necessary passes for the North Lawn Building, and the ticket for the Opening Ceremony.

Lots of familiar faces - here are photos of some of the CFUW delegates, and Rosemary Mallory (NCWC delegate) and Elisabeth Neuman (from ICW).

Later today, we go to a special program at the Church Centre - Stories and Music. In the meantime - will enjoy New York!

You can follow on line!!

2012-02-24T19:40:00.001-08:00

56th session of CSW: High-level round table A on the priority theme "The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges"
Fifty-Sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (27 February - 9 March 2012)
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/56sess.htm

o Marjon Kamara, Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations and Chair of the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women welcomes everyone to this year's session on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FYOT_Z6j_cw#!

o List of delegations: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw56/List-of-delegations-HLRT-A.pdf

Women, Victims of War, Have No Seat at Negotiating Table

2012-02-24T04:28:00.003-08:00

Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 23 (IPS) - When the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held its inaugural meeting in London back in 1946, the U.S. delegate, Eleanor Roosevelt, read an open letter to "the women of the world" calling on governments to encourage women everywhere to participate in national and international affairs.
The letter also urged women who are conscious of their opportunities "to come forward and share in the work of peace and reconstruction as they did in war and resistance".

But 66 years later, the worldwide struggle for gender equality and gender empowerment continues unabated - even as women find themselves discriminated against, and victims of violence, both at home and on the battlefield.

As India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri told the Security Council Thursday, close to 90 percent of current casualties in wars and situations of armed conflict are civilians, with the majority being women and children.

"Obviously, women bear a disproportionately large share of the burden of conflict, but have a marginal say in matters of war and peace," he said, pointing out the irony.

This is perhaps a function of the gender imbalance in our societies, reflected in positions of power and influence, he added.

Despite this, Puri argued, women should not be viewed solely as victims of war.

They also have to assume the key role of ensuring family livelihoods in the midst of chaos and destruction, and are particularly active in the peace movements at the grassroots level and cultivating peace within their communities.

"Therefore, the absence of women at the peace negotiating table is unconscionable," declared Puri, as he implicitly criticised the fact that peace negotiators are overwhelmingly male.

Yasmeen Hassan, global director at the New York-based Equality Now, told IPS economic downturns bring with them rising fundamentalisms and a clinging to practices and beliefs that pose a challenge to gender equality.

Similarly, she pointed out, war and lack of security lead to a curtailment of women's rights.

The developing world has seen a lot more instability - economic, political, social - that has often been exacerbated by conflicts, both internal and cross border, that pose the biggest barriers to gender equality.

"Instability and conflicts also make women's rights activism difficult as women may become divided on issues of national origin, race and class," she added.

A 10-day meeting of the 45-member CSW, beginning next Monday, will focus on another battle front: the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication and sustainable development.

According to the newly-created U.N. Women, rural women constitute one-fourth of the world's population of seven billion people. Still, only five percent of agricultural extension services are provided for women farmers, and in rural sub-Saharan Africa, women hold less than 10 percent of the credit available to smallholder agriculture.

"If rural women had equal access to productive resources, agricultural yields could reduce the number of chronically hungry people by between 100 and 150 million," says U.N. Women.

Asked about the key achievements on gender empowerment in the last five to 10 years, Hassan told IPS, "Everyone agrees that it is an issue that has to be put on the agenda - women's empowerment has come to be seen as essential for development and, more importantly in current times, for building peace."

She said the shackles of culture and religion, though still binding women much more harshly than men, have come to be seen - at least internationally - as not inevitable and in fact breakable.

Gigi Francisco, the Philippines-based general coordinator of Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), told IPS that amidst the backdrop of uncertain times for economies worldwide and re-commitments made by the international community to ending poverty and achieving sustainable development, there is a more deliberate focus on ordinary women's roles in production and consumption across the economic south.

By relieving women's practical burdens linked to their gender roles, it is assumed that women and their families will become more efficient in accessing and distributing resources that would eventually redound to some degree of empowerment, she said.

At the same time, Francisco pointed out, when women become more efficient in performing their roles, the rest of the society and the entire economy benefit.

Focusing on the issues and concerns of grassroots women is the right thing to do. "However, what is fundamentally wrong with this approach is that without a women's rights perspective the focus on efficiency confers entitlements to poor women solely on the basis of their labour," she added.

As well, the approach does not lead to any transformation of the existing gender division of labour that positions women in a subordinated way within families and societies, she added. And being less poor does not mean that the gender gap had become less unequal.

Asked about gender progress, Francisco said the rise in the number of women entering official positions of power and authority at local, national, regional and global levels is a major achievement in one key aspect of gender equality.

This is undoubtedly a clear follow through on obligations set in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in China.

While institutional arrangements and mechanisms for gender equality have provided the framework in progressively realising gender balance in political reforms, changes could not have taken place without the actions by women's rights advocates and movements that pushed gender equality issues to the realm of public deliberations and resistances.

"In celebrating women who are in positions of power, we must remember that firstly, the situation for women leaders across and within countries considerably vary," Francisco said.

"Secondly, that gains, even the celebrated ones, may be transient and seriously threatened by a host of neo-conservative reactions that emerge from simultaneous upheavals and uncertainties, and thirdly, powerful women will need to be assessed not in terms of how long they remain as poster girls for gender equality but in terms of their concrete contributions to ensuring that the rights and well-being of ordinary women are secured and promoted.

"And that the processes of governance at all levels remain accountable to women's rights organisations and movements," she said.

Related to this, she said, is a big challenge that UN Women now has to face: how it will work out its mechanisms and processes of partnership with and accountability to the women's movements in a transparent and consultative way.

Preparations now almost behind me -

2012-02-23T18:56:00.001-08:00

Getting ready for the CSW is like getting ready for Christmas or some major holiday - the thinking of what you might need, what others might need. But I think I'm ready! The bags are packed, but space for bringing back the treasures of publications, or CDs/DVDs that one is sure to find that is totally relevant to our interests or the wide network of women, and men working on equality issues at home. It's like discovering some hidden treasure at a garage sale, and you quickly pick it up to bring back. I must say though, that so much is on the web, it is almost ridiculous. Even the major panels are being broadcast on the web.There have been messages, advisories flying back and forth all week. The major UN building is under construction - for the third year. Why it is taking so long, i don't know, but again we deal with major access issues. It's not only the regular UN pass that you need (and sometimes stand in line for up to 6 hours to obtain), you also need a secondary pass to get into the North Lawn Building, that is really a huge tent, and is indeed a temporary building, used while the UN Building is being renovated. Some parts of the UN building though i think are still in use. but many of the sessions for the CSW will be in this temporary building, which you need another pass. These are doled out very carefully and are hard to come by - major line ups, and uncertainty. Then, you're still not in the session you want - you need a ticket for it!! So if you do get in, it's a miracle.

That's why, unless you hit the jackpot, and have a ticket, and a secondary pass, and a UN pass, you go with the other NGOs, or Non governmental groups, and hang out at the Church Centre, or the Salvation Army building, where literally hundreds of NGOs put on workshops, seminars, presentations, roundtables- this is where the real energy is. No special passes needed - it's first come, first served, so if you're there in good time, you're in!

I'm looking forward to speaking with the women from Africa, the middle east, India, Pakistan - so many women who have worked so hard to get here. It's amazing, language doesn't seem to be an issue.

One of the new things this year are Conversation Circles - i'm wanting to go to the ones on Peace - but on many themes - I wrote on it earlier at http://csw2012.blogspot.com/2012/02/this-is-something-new-conversation.html

So maybe a short piece tomorrow after I hope, a safe arrival.
Mary

The Plight of Single Rural Women in India

2012-02-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, 21 February 2012 23:52

By Sunila Singh, India
These talking points are based on the outcome of the National Consultation on Agrarian Single Women: Distress, Access to Livelihood, Services, India, which brought together a range of intellectuals, academicians, social and grassroots activists along with rural single women and widows of rural India. The consultation addressed issues related to the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides in a most comprehensive way and also discussed the multiple crises and the extremely challenging circumstances that single rural women face with total despair. Further, the consultation also focused on deprivations within the family and institutional discrimination in basic services, deliverables and schemes that are faced by poor rural widows and single women.

The testimonies that were presented in the presence of the Minister of Rural Development clearly exposed that single rural women have one thing in common: they live dehumanized existences, and their dignity and identity have been eroded. The women also narrated that their fundamental right “Right to life” is at stake. Almost all the testimonies articulated that not only their economic, social and cultural rights (right to work, housing, land, health, education) are violated, even their civil rights are violated, and encompassed with gender based violence, which they face within family and in the public sphere as well. The testimonies also revealed that if single rural women raise their voices, they are labelled as witches, traitor, agents of social and cultural divisiveness. Consequently, these violations have damaged their basic livelihoods, leading to greater victimization, resulting in subhuman living conditions and greater destitution. Further, the testimonies presented showed how gender bias, traditional prejudices, and harmful traditional practices result in single women’s subordination, leading to hunger and impoverishment.

The papers presented indicated that there is little or no data available on single rural women’s plight and survival, though the little available data indicated that rural distress affects the aged and more so women. Nonetheless, the two-day consultation attempted to interlink the issues that undermine single rural women’s existences and rights. Almost all the papers that were presented had common elements— double discrimination, deprivations, denial of access to resources and right to life that rural single women face because they are generally invisible or their identity is ignored. The papers also examined that among the poor, rural single women are the poorest, more vulnerable and more adversely affected by poverty than men. The incidence of poverty among rural single women is on the rise either due to agrarian distress or non-availability of labour due to mechanized forms of agricultural production. In addition, disappointing performance of the rural non-farm sector in general and the greater attractiveness of certain urban centres on account of neoliberal urbanisation, increase rural to urban migration and impose more burdens on women left behind in rural areas to fend for themselves.

The papers also pointed out that post liberalisation, parameters of globalisation, commercialisation, and the largely neglected process of stagnation of production, productivity and incomes have only paved the way to farmers’ distress. These elements have affected farmers in important ways in the agriculture sector and have resulted in farmers’ suicides in the more advanced states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and parts of Tamil Nadu, resulting in an increase in asset-less farmers’ widows and women-headed households.

Further, these deliberations pointed out adverse discrimination experienced by older widows f farmers and other women family members who face multidimensional misery and the age factor compounded with other forms of discrimination — ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, migrant status, marital and family status, literacy so on.
The internally displaced persons (IDPs) single women and single women from conflict zones face double institutional discrimination and they are increasingly targeted by the opponents and general public as well. Thus, single women often experience a disproportionate degree of discrimination, intolerance, abuse, pitted against each other and neglected by the state apparatus. These single rural women are denied access to health care, education for their children and livelihood. They are reduced to homelessness because they lack legal status or legal documents.

Many single, widowed and older women do not have access to private health insurance, or they are excluded from State-funded schemes because they did not contribute to a scheme during their working life time, due to the fact that many of the vulnerable single women and widows work in the low-paid unorganized sector. In addition, gender-specific physical and mental health conditions and diseases tend to be overlooked by research, academic studies, public policy and service provisions and mechanisms. Information on sexual health and HIV/AIDS is rarely provided in a form that is acceptable, accessible and appropriate for single and widowed women. Yet another factor that was enumerated during the deliberations is gender-based discrimination in rural employment throughout their life that has a cumulative impact in their old age, forcing older, widowed and single women to face disproportionately lower incomes and pensions, or even no pension, compared with men.

An estimated 89.3% of households do not have access to any formal source of credit. Financial exclusion is most acute in the Central, Eastern and North-Eastern regions, which have a concentration of 64% of all financially excluded farmer households in the country. This is further aggravated by the lack of access to education and training, credit, markets, technical assistance, labour protection, and social capital including the opportunity to participate equally with men in farmers’ organisations. The weakest link in India’s agricultural effort is its totally inefficient extension services. The emergence of new poor is another phenomenon that deserves our attention. Focusing on the above challenge, the paper on implementation of CEDAW and human rights standards articulated that the State failed the protect women’s human rights and allowed single rural women to get alienated from equal participation in community activities; access to agricultural credit and loans, marketing facilities and appropriate technology; equal distribution and opportunity to have control over resources—land, forest, water, and agrarian reform as well as in land resettlement schemes, therefore further pushing single rural women to deprived situations.
The programmes, schemes and services for single rural women’s empowerment have largely overlooked the question of gender equality. The schemes aiming to reduce poverty view poor rural single women as the recipients of benefits rather than active equal partners in decision making, project formulation and implementation. Even minimum access to basic needs such as food, health, livelihoods and education (formal and non-formal) has been eliminated from service delivery mechanisms, reducing rural single women to precarious circumstances. Rural poverty, hunger and livelihoods need to be looked at holistically by converging the services and delivery mechanisms for impoverished single rural women.

According to the 2002 Census, 39.8 million single women live in India. The Central and the State governments need to make adequate budgetary provisions to reach out to this large number of single women. Insufficient provisions at the top, lead to single women in need being turned away at the bottom. Not willing to rely on the charitable impulses of family and society for support, poor single rural women in the country — comprising the most vulnerable 10 per cent of the entire female population in the country — need public funds necessary for them to live with dignity with their own identity.

FOOD INSECURITY & ENERGY CRISIS RESULT IN LAND GRABBING FROM WOMEN

2012-02-22T04:52:00.000-08:00

By Lydia Alpizar Duran - 21 February 2012

Once the most frequented source of poster images depicting starving children, Ethiopia is now in the media for a new reason: as the go-to destination, ironically, for foreign companies and governments leasing land to grow food and biofuels. Globally, food prices are rising. Food security is dubious in the Global North, Gulf countries and emerging economies such as China and India. Moreover, many nations face an energy crisis and are on a quest to find renewable alternatives to fossil fuels such as biofuels.

Given this confluence of circumstances, countries with abundant land such as Ethiopia, once ignored as too poor and destitute to warrant anything but food aid, now enjoy ‘most favored nation’ status in the eyes of foreign investors.

Women, who are already compensating for rising food prices and energy costs with additional time and labor – are now further disadvantaged through land grabbing. Land grabs are land lease or sale agreements between parties with unequal bargaining power, often transacted through covert or illegal means.

Although land grabs in the 21^st century bear some resemblance to massive land grabs that characterized colonization and empire-building in Africa in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, grabs today are courted by African governments, endorsed through intentionally vague paperwork and lauded in official speeches espousing their trickle-down merits. According to Oxfam, in the last decade alone, foreign companies and governments have acquired 227 million hectares of land in Africa.

In Ethiopia, as a legacy of the socialist dictatorship of the 1960s and 1970s, the government technically owns all land. It claims that the land available for lease is unused and surplus. This land is dry and pastoral, used primarily for grazing and for small-scale cultivation by families for their own food, including staples such as teff.

Planet for Sale, a documentary from the Farm Land Grab project of GRAIN, explains that the Ethiopian government offers land for lease for as little as one US dollar per hectare.
Leases are paid in cash and long in duration, with many lasting 99 years and offering rent-free initial years as incentives. Licenses to operate can be obtained within four hours from a special office catering to foreign investors in Addis Ababa. Investors leasing the land are exempt from paying local taxes.

Lease agreements stipulate that the land will be handed over to investors without ‘encumbrances’ - people and their homes. The leases also do not specify any conditions about creating jobs for local residents or building schools, hospitals or housing. Unbridled access to water sources, including wells and rivers, is implied in lease agreements. As Indian economist Jayati Ghosh puts it, “investors are given carte blanche.” She adds there is no way that investors could find such good deals within their countries of origin. The private sector refers to this agricultural outsourcing as the third wave of outsourcing, following manufacturing and then services.

As foreign investors cultivate crops, often water sources are polluted, diverted and drained. Without regard for long-term arability and with the goal of maximum yield, the land is used for monocropping under commercial agricultural techniques, including spraying harmful fertilizers and chemicals. Imported machines lessen the need for local, human labor. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) reports that the first land to be offered for sale is land used predominately by women for purposes such as grazing animals or collecting firewood, water, and medicinal plants. As land is leased, women are displaced without compensation, lose access to their livelihoods, are forced to work for small wages as farm hands, and have their workload significantly increased as they travel greater distances to accomplish their daily tasks such as fetching water.

On one hand, women’s cultural roles—for example, their role as traditional healers —may be undermined when access to important resources is cut off by some land deals. On the other hand, women’s reproductive roles are reinforced as paid jobs are offered by investors first and often solely to men, and women take on more responsibilities in the home.Also, in negotiating land agreements, investors approach and deal directly with men in the
government and in local communities. As a result, the situation of women land users is often not considered in the negotiation process – and is already precarious due to lack of land rights.

Women grow 80% of Africa’s food but own 1% of its land. Throughout the continent, with few exceptions, men hold land rights, and women access the land as kin. In most cases, women cannot own, inherit or bequeath land and do not participate in land administration structures.

On paper, the recently created African Union Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa commits to prioritizing land policy development for locals and equitable access to land in the African Union. It even recognizes the role of patriarchy in restricting women’s
ownership and control of land and further notes the role of colonization in cementing patriarchy in land ownership laws in the first place.

Yet the Framework and Guidelines remain silent on the issue of land grabs and fail to address how land grabs further and urgently necessitate the need for women’s rights to land.

When questioned, representatives from governments, including those in Ethiopia, spout proven ineffective neoliberal arguments. In Planet for Sale, they eschew the need for rights and instead contend that such massive foreign investment will trickle down to locals and that money from food exports can be used to buy food from international markets. With food price volatility, climate change and the demonstrated failure of neoliberal economic policies to alleviate poverty, this is hardly likely.

Thus far, kickbacks from investment have padded the pockets of elites and are yet to augment national coffers. Land grabs have not increased local food security. Cultivated crops are exported or sold at high prices to locals who can afford them. Meanwhile, no investments are made in local, small-scale farms. Ethiopia continues to depend on food aid.

South of Ethiopia and wary of the same fate, communities across Madagascar revolted when their government leased half of the country’s farmland to South Korea’s Daewoo corporation. Korean women farmers backed their counterparts in Madagascar, protested for support for small-scale local farms and pressured their government to revoke the deal. After weeks of uprising, the government cancelled the contract with Daewoo.

There are also a few signs of hope in Ethiopia. According to IFPRI, female representatives have recently been included in the land certification process, increasing the likelihood that women will have their interests in land better protected in the context of land deals.

At the global level, women’s rights advocates are working in solidarity with other civil society organizations and social movements to prevent land grabs. They are also linking land grabs to climate change, including as part of the People’s Summit in the lead-up to the United Nations Rio+20 conference on sustainable development.

One day, Ethiopia may be a source for images that portray sustainable development and rights for all.

NGO Consultation Day update - Sunday, February 25th.

2012-02-21T12:18:00.001-08:00

We are pleased to announce that Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee and UN Women's Lakshmi Puri have been added as speakers to the NGO CSW Forum Consultation Day lineup.

Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace and women's rights activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. As war ravaged Liberia, Ms. Gbowee organized Christian and Muslim women to demonstrate together, founding Liberian Mass Action for Peace and launching protests and a sex strike. Gbowee's part in helping to oust Charles Taylor was featured in the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell. You can learn more about Ms. Gbowee at http://leymahgbowee.com/.

Lakshmi Puri is UN Women's Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary-General for Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships, a position to which she was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in March 2011. Ms. Puri has more than 37 years’ experience in economic and development policy-making as well as in political, peace and security, humanitarian and human rights–related diplomacy. She once held the rank of Permanent Secretary of the Government of India, was Ambassador of India to Hungary and accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Please note that registration for the NGO CSW Forum Consultation Day remains open, until we reach full capacity. To register, please visit our website.

A thoughtful article on what women bring to the peace table.

2012-02-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

Following up from yesterdays posting about the work of Voice of Women for Peace..

OP-ED
How Gender Values Point the Way for a More Effective U.N.

Alisa Clarke*

NEW YORK, Feb 20 (IPS) - A growing list of U.N. Security Council Resolutions acknowledges the importance of gender in processes for peace. Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889 and 1960 note that women continue to be marginalised in peace negotiations and their potential is not fully utilised in humanitarian planning, peacekeeping operations, peace building, governance and reconstruction.

They call for the participation of women at all levels of decision- making, protection of women and girls from violence, promotion of women's rights, accountability, law enforcement, and mainstreaming of gender perspectives in peace operations. International humanitarian and human rights law justify these appeals. But what is the true nature of this potential of women?

If war is still a man's game, what is particular to women that they bring of value to the peace table? And what would be the implications for the U.N.'s work if this was clearly articulated and factored into decision-making?

The answer may lie at least partly in values and values research. In particular, one 2005 study drew relevant conclusions from a cross- cultural assessment in over seventy countries on sex differences in 10 basic values. Men consistently rated power, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, and self-direction values as more important than benevolence and universalism values. The reverse was true for women.

While the differences are small and sex is ascertained to be less of a determinant than age or culture, they point to a critical role for women in myriad processes, including those related to peace.

Peace would seem to be the natural outcome of expressions of benevolence and universalism. Benevolence concerns preserving and enhancing the welfare of those with whom one is in frequent personal contact, and universalism refers to understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection of the welfare of all people and of nature.

Conflicts, in contrast, are often a conduit for the assertion of power, even if in defence of perceived justice and human rights. Power essentially relates to social status and prestige, and to control or dominance over people and resources. The use of force for the distribution of power is the underlying game of war, and apparently also the primary preserve of men in that armed conflicts are historically conducted by men.

Given these differences, there appears to be a deeper grounding for the role of women in preventing or overcoming conflict, one that legitimises their stronger position.

Of course, the research findings do not propose that women hold monopolies on benevolence and universalism; they merely place a higher priority on them than men do. But it suggests better-honed cultivation and application of peace-related proficiency among women because they pay greater attention to associated skills. Such competencies include building relationships and nurturing a sense of cooperation, and advancing the value of negotiation, compromise and acceptance over confrontation.

Gender-specific values, therefore, do not only have meaning in and of themselves, but in the development of qualities and behaviours that are of direct relevance to the creation, maintenance, and recovery of peace.

Women's values and skills thus surely deserve as much space and support on the international peace agenda as traditional male-driven activities. The argument must not only be that women have the human right to be equally represented but rather that what they specifically bring to the negotiating table, to the conference, to the classroom, and to the world, needs to be equally integrated in order to achieve peace objectives.

It is crucial not to fall into the trap of touting one set of values or one gender approach as superior to the other. Nothing will be sustainably gained unless we value the specific features, strengths, and appropriate application of the approach on each side of the gender divide. It may well be that parallel approaches by women and men yield complementary results or even a short-term successful fait accompli on the part of one or the other.

However, participation of all stakeholders in charting and implementing social constructs for peace is the only real option with long term viability. The approach must thus be a joint one, incorporating the respective advantages and talents of both men and women, having them serve as the warp and weft of a new, stronger fabric of methodologies for peace that ultimately transcends gender.

The world does itself a great disservice in not recognising and integrating the specific innate values and competencies of women. The U.N. can be a model for valuing this force for peace and overcoming this oversight. In doing so, it would be arming itself with proven science, in addition to troops, weapons and equipment. Such initiatives must pro-actively ensure the participation of women in every aspect of peace work, from analysis of the root causes of conflict at community level, to the joint design and implementation of strategies, to seats at Security Council meetings, and in its own Secretariat.

At a time when the U.N. must make the best use of its resources, it can dig more deeply and creatively into the assets at its disposal by valuing and incorporating already present sources of gender-based knowledge and skills. Ultimately, gender equity will thus forge stronger, more fully equipped, and more balanced configurations for peace world over.

*Alisa Clarke is president of the Global Vision Institute.