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In depth I  Beijing +10: Conference on Women review Gender justice, citizenship and development Source: International Development Research Centre - IDRC The chapters in this book explore the meanings of gender justice and the practice of citizenship as shaped by specific histories, cultures and struggles. The book is in three parts. The first presents the conceptual paper that links current thinking on gender justice to debates on citizenship, entitlements, and law and development. The second part presents four regional perspectives on gender justice and citizenship. The third part is a strategy note for programme development based on the issues highlighted in the regional papers along with consultations held in three regions by the author with representatives from women's movements, research and policy institutions. May 2008.[see more]   print    send   Correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >> see comments.. From February 28 to March 11, 2005, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) conducted the ten-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing + 10) and commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of the First UN World Conference on Women held in Mexico in 1975. During 2004, regional meetings were taking place to prepare for this review. The Objective of the review was to identify achievements, gaps and challenges in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action -signed by 189 governments- and the outcome documents, as well as the Beijing +5 Political Declaration adopted at the five-year review in June 2000. The 49th session of the Commission on the status of Women was a regular session but it had been agreed in the 48th session of the CSW, on March 2004, that it would be a high level event. The 49th session of the Commission to held in 2005 was more than an expanded session of the regular CSW. Its focus has been different. The work programme for 2005 focused on national-level implementation through interactive dialogue and exchange of good practices. There was about 8 high-level events (panels, roundtables) on a broad range of issues, a high-level opening, the high-level plenary for national statements, and a celebration of international women's day within the CSW itself and not as an interagency event. (See more information on the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women web site). The review launched with Beijing +10 found itself in the midst of a debate concerning its desirability. Several NGOs expressed concern over the risks of losing the gains achieved under the platforms adopted at the Conferences in the 1990s, and at the same time were raising questions as to both the efficacy of such world conferences in securing the economic, political and social rights of women, and the strategic roles that feminist activists can play at such events. The same dynamics were at play in the five year review processes. Both Cairo +5 and Beijing +5 revealed the risks faced by the current women's agenda. Input to the process by regional UN commissions and other regional intergovernmental organizations included organizing meetings to elicit regional perspectives on implementation actions and initiatives, and to report the findings. In spite of expressing concern, women’s organizations were discussing how to participate in the sub-regional meetings. According to WEDO “there is a danger that these reviews may lead to negotiations which could leave women once again having to fight for their material and reproductive rights. It is not too late to influence these negotiations at the regional level, and to strategize and act to avoid negotiations at the global level in 2005”. Beijing 1995 The Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in September 1995, culminated with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Declaration secured the commitment of governments to work towards implementing -before the end of the 20th century- the strategies agreed on in Nairobi in 1985, and to mobilize resources to achieve the goals set by the platform. The Beijing Platform for Action is the most thorough document ever produced by a United Nations conference on the subject of women’s rights, as it incorporates the accomplishments of prior conferences and treaties, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and the Vienna Declaration. It also reaffirms the definitions set out in Cairo and adds a paragraph on Human Rights in general. The Beijing Platform for Action included agreements aimed at eliminating discrimination against women, eradicating poverty and adopting measures towards placing a decisive number of women in key positions. It also recognized that the right of women to control their sexuality and reproduction is one of their human rights, and called on States to review laws containing punitive measures against women who have undergone abortions (reaffirming Article 8.25 of the Cairo Conference). It further posed the need to strengthen legislation protecting the rights of women. Also of note are the recommendations concerning unremunerated work, the definitions contained in the chapter on armed conflicts, and certain decisions relating to macro-economic issues, as well as the acknowledgement of the racial and ethnic roots of discrimination and inequality. That the terms racial and ethnic were even included in a United Nations document attest to the fact that long-standing resistance on the part of certain member states in this respect was finally overcome. The Summit focused on the following critical areas of concern: Inequalities and inadequacies in, and unequal access to education and training Inequalities and inadequacies in, and unequal access to health care and related services Violence against women The effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation Inequality in economic structures and policies, in all forms of productive activities and in access to resources Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women Lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women Stereotyping of women and inequality in women's access to and participation in all communication systems, especially in the media Gender inequalities in the management of natural resources and in the safeguarding of the environment Persistent discrimination against, and violation of the rights of the girl child Beijing 1995 was preceded by other Conferences and United Nations and civil society meetings, which, starting in the 1970s, have gradually incorporated gender demands, committing governments and generating a broad debate within society through women's organizations. This report provides resources on the various stages leading up to the 1995 Beijing Summit and its follow-up process, which involved the participation of women's groups from around the world, governments and the United Nations. Versión en español share:   print    send   correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >> COMMENTS Sat Aug 18 2007 The agenda in the Beijing Platform for Action (BPoA) in China 1995 was on Gender equity, equality and empowerment. It was an agenda for change to bring about a better world for all i.e men to women, boy-childto girl-child. Being adopted by 197 nations (governments), this Platform addressed 12 critical areas of interest as far as women concern, aimed at elimination of all forms of discriminations against women, in order to maintain gender balances in the world. The identified areas of interest were:-(i) Women an Poverty, (ii) Education and Training of Women, (iii) Women and Health,(iv) Violence against Women, (v) Women and Armed Conflict, (vi) Women and the Economy, (vii) Woment in Power and Decision-Making, (Viii) Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women, (ix) Human Rights and Women, (x) Women and the Media, (xi) Women and the Enviment, and (xii) The Girl Child. It was expected that 10 years after (BPoA) ratification by these nations, at least half of the critical issues(areas) would have been sorted out. However, as of today, the situation is not convicing; especially in sub-sahara Africa and Asia. The slogan of "Women and Poverty" remains nightmare (almost left unattended). Rural women are still less empowered, maternal death ranked high, rape events never miss. See what is happening in Somalia, Sudan(Darfur), Iraq etc, women and children remains the first victims of Armed Conflicts. For those women living in Township such as Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Bancok, Thailand; who are less empowered in terms of education and disemployment, they engaged theselves in Prostitution activities for survival. The slogan of "Women in Power and Decision Making" remains a political issue rather than professional, for example, women provided for Special seats (30%) in the Parliament regardless their qualifications and/or education background. For "Women and Health" it is even worse. As afore said, reproductive health is still a crical issue. Woman is number one on HIV/AIDS infection. This is due to the fact that many Women lacks the power to negotiate safe sex, women's sexual rights are avoided in many societies. Genrally the BPoA has a long way to go. What went not ok so far/Who to be blamed:- Partial acceptance of the Platform. Some Countries agrees to reafirm the plartform (BPoA) without obligating themselves to implement it. For example USA denounced increasing women's political participation, while claiming to be committed to women's equality,and reafirming the goals, objectives and committments of the BPoA. Secondly; Women themseves has inherent problem of dislike each other, and there is no doubt about that. For example for those who were in Beijing in 1995, they were already abled/empowered, thus why managed to there. They formed their own network to fight for Positions of Decision-Making and Political preferences without involving the left behind colegues especially in rural areas. They are conducting "Human Rights of Women" campaign in the Towns instead of rurals, the most targeted areas where the high % of the population is residing. The way forward: Governments(nations) should reaffirm and obligate to implement the platform in total. Women world wide should form a network involving all groups of all age to fight for the "rights for all". Thanks Yahaya A. Kambagha , Dar es Salaam ( Tanzania )  Beyond Beijing +10  Latest official documents  Towards and during Beijing +10  Beijing +10 previous debate  On-line discussions  B +10 regional meetings  Africa  Latin America  Asia Pacific  UN Commission on the Status of Women  CEDAW  From Mexico '75 to Copenhagen '95  2000 Beijing +5  UN resources  International Women's Day  Books   News Up-to-date current affairs information. Wed May 10 2006 Gender equality: striving for justice in an unequal world Fuente: UNRISD Wed Apr 26 2006 U.N. urged to create separate agency for women Fuente: IPS In-depth reports Detailed reports on key issues Cairo +10 - ICPD +10 Ten years on from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the review of the Programme of Action took place amidst a debate on the defence of sexual and reproductive rights. Migrant sex work By simply opting to talk about ‘migrant sex work’ rather than ‘trafficking’, one is taking sides in a complex debate. The gender gap in education Countries aren't fulfilling their commitment to getting girls and women into school. Sexual and reproductive rights Women’s involvement in contributing to expand the scope of the concept of human rights. Women for peace Women around the world reject the militarist tendency in global politics and demand a voice in peace processes. Millennium Development Goals - MDGs A comprehensive list of resources from the United Nations and civil society organizations. Campaigns NGO-organised actions 50/50 Campaign Act now to support unconditional reaffirmation of the Beijing Platform NGOs NGO web sites Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) They work to connect, inform and mobilize people and organizations committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women's human rights. Center for Women's Global Leadership - CWGL The Center develops and facilitates women's leadership for women's human rights and social justice worldwide. Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) The DAWN network covers Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. They work at the regional level and connect with the priorities of women's and civil society organisations in each region. see more NGOs...      Beyond Beijing +10 Women's organizations propose amendments to the Millennium+5 outcome document Source: Choike Peace Women Women’s organizations and networks welcome the improvements brought to the revised version of the Draft Outcome Document dated July 22 (A/59/HLPM/CRP.1/Rev.1), to reaffirm the critical importance of gender equality, women’s empowerment and the promotion and protection of the human rights of women in achieving sustainable development and peace. However, there are still elements crucial to women that have been left out of the July 22 Document.Prepared by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), United Methodist United Nations Office Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). 25 July, 2005. Pdf format. Gender equality in education: world fails to meet MDG 3 Source: Isis International-Manila Critics of the MDG have said that the target goals are over simplistic and too quantitative. The indicators chosen for monitoring reflect only the data which already exist and do not take into account the myriad of differences among countries and cultures. August 2005. Are we making progress, or fighting the same battles? Source: AWID Kathambi Kinoti After years of talk about equal opportunities for women, gender mainstreaming, and even, at the very least, political correctness, it ought to come as a surprise that policy shapers and makers still need to be persuaded of the need to consider the gender implications of whatever they do. The debate continues about whether or not gender mainstreaming is a strategy that can actually ever work as originally envisioned. It has been realized that in many cases it has become an end in itself rather than a means to an end. September 2005. It's time to get angry again! 10th AWID Forum begins Source: Choike With thousands of women from around the world, committed, wide-awaken and happy to be together, the 10th AWID Forum began October 27th. Looking back at the 1993 Vienna Conference on Human rights, much has been achieved on the rights of women. However, if we look ahead and we see how the world has changed...it's time to get angry again! said Sunila Abeysekera at the opening session. October 2005. Beijing + 10 meets WTO + 10: assessing the impact of trade liberalization on women's human rights Source: International Gender and Trade Network The year 1995 marked both the UN Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, and the founding of the World Trade Organization. At the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing) the primary macroeconomic agenda for the women of the world was structural adjustment. Trade as an important issue was hardly recognized, but today has emerged as a key macroeconomic structure that affects the economic security of women, their families and their communities. January 2006 (pdf version). From victims to resisting people Source: Choike Martín Bergel The central part of the activity entitled “From victims to resisting people. Your mouth is fundamental against fundamentalisms” was developed by Iraqi activist Yanar Mohammed, who in her first participation in a WSF showed a surprising clarity of concepts and contagious energy. By Martín Bergel for Choike. The accumulated effects of inequality Source: Social Watch India Himanshu Jha, Yogesh Kumar The Beijing Betrayed report presented at the Beijing+10 UN Conference mentioned “growing poverty as a powerful trend harming millions of women worldwide”. In India the majority of the approximately 260.3 million people living below poverty line are women. Poverty was aggravated after economic reforms introduced the country to the forces of globalization in a way that women’s labour was casualized and limits were placed on production entitlements on natural resources. 2005 report. Mechanisms for women's advancement in Latin America and the Caribbean ECLAC In a rapidly changing context dominated by globalization, public policies on gender equality involve bringing together many social and institutional actors. Mechanisms for formulating public policies also play a strategic role in this process. According to ECLAC, a lack of resources for them to fulfill their mandate is apparent, having also a limited access to the innermost circles of decision-making wich makes it difficult to effectively introduce a gender perspective across the board and encourage equity between men and women. 39th meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Reports in English and Spanish, May 2006. Women's rights: a tale of two national assemblies Source: Pambazuka Faith Cheruiyot Ahead of the important July AU Summit to be held from 25 June -2 July in Banjul, The Gambia, contrasting experiences from two largely Islamic West African countries reveal the cutting edge importance of the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights in Africa. In the Gambia, Parliamentarians blaze the trail for women’s rights and gender equality by reversing earlier reservations on the Protocol, while in Niger their counterparts vote against its ratification. Faith Cheruiyot in Nairobi interviewed leaders of women’s organisations in the two countries and wrote this article. In addition, Roselynn Mussa presents an analysis on the Protocol and Khédija El Madani's paper looks at women's rights in Islam. June 2006. The long road to gender equity Source: Social Watch Since the General Assembly of the UN adopted the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1979, gender equity has been a central theme of the world development agenda.After the World Summit for Social Development in 1995 and the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, the international community dedicated two of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose deadline is the year 2015, to improving the situation of women. MDG 3 calls for the promotion of equality of opportunity between the sexes and for women’s empowerment – equitable representation of both sexes in decision-making processes; MDG 5 requires the reduction of maternal mortality rates by three quarters. November 2006. The Gender Equity Index 2007: inequity persists Source: Social Watch The results of the 2007 Social Watch Gender Equity Index (GEI) clearly demonstrate that a country’s level of wealth does not automatically determine its degree of equity. The United States, a high-income country, is one of the 10 countries that have experienced the greatest regression. Obviously, the key to gender equity lies not in a country’s economic power, but rather in its government’s political will. March 2007. Gender justice, citizenship and development Source: International Development Research Centre - IDRC This paper presents a collaborative piece of work aimed at contributing towards current efforts to re-energise and re-politicise the gender equality agenda in international development. The purpose is to re-visit concepts, review and learn lessons from context-specific struggles for equal citizenship. The document's final chapter looks at strategic issues, initiatives and organisations related to this topic, focusing on three regions in which consultations took place Latin America, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. 2007.    Latest official documents Thousands of advocates for women’s rights from all over the world successfully gained full and unequivocal reaffirmation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) in a Political Declaration adopted March 4th 2005. In addition, 10 resolutions adopted at the CSW covered the following: Gender Mainstreaming, HIV/AIDS, Women in Afghanistan, Women in Palestine, Indigenous Women, Women and Natural Disasters, INSTRAW, Economic Advancement of Women, Trafficking, and a proposal to consider in 2006 appointing a Special Rapporteur on Laws that Discriminate Against Women. Many of these cover areas of great concern to women that are often addressed by the CSW. The resolutions on Indigenous Women and on Women and Natural Disasters, however, are new and represent important gains based on organizing done by women on these issues. The Economic Advancement and Trafficking resolutions, while covering important topics, were introduced and used by the US to continue to try to impose their narrow perspectives and to undermine aspects of the Beijing Platform. Because many governments rejected parts of the U.S. approach, the trafficking resolution eventually passed in a modified form. On Economic Advancement, the resolution introduced by the US that had focused narrowly on entrepreneurship was successfully expanded by other countries to address the feminization of poverty, the role of the public sector, and the link between reproductive rights and economic independence. As a result the US withdrew its sponsorship but the resolution was still adopted. (From the Statement of the Linkage Caucus, pdf format. Official Documents on the 49th Session Source: U,N. Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Conference reaffirms Beijing Platform for Action Source: U.N. The United Nations conference on women’s status adopted ways of promoting women’s rights after unconditionally reaffirming the 1995 agreement that women’s rights are human rights. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) closed a week in which 6,000 women from around the world successfully pressed the U.S. delegation to withdraw a divisive amendment that would have injected U.S. domestic abortion politics into a Declaration of Policy. March 2005, pdf format. Economic Advancement of Women Resolution from the 2005 CSW Final Text Source: WEDO Eliminating demand for trafficked women and girls por all forms of exploitation Source: WEDO Roundup 122 - Beijing + 10, 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Source: NGLS Exhaustive information from the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS). The 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women focused on implementation proposals at the national level and identified achievements, gaps and challenges thereby providing an indication of areas where initiatives, within the framework of the Platform for Action and the outcome of the Special Session (Beijing+5), are critical for supplementary implementation. In total, ten resolutions and one Political Declaration were passed that reaffirmed the commitments made ten years ago in Beijing and called for increased perseverance from governments. Pdf format, May 2005. Commission on the Status of Women: final report on Beijing +10 Source: CSW Matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council or brought to its attention, resolutions adopted on women, girl child and HIV/AIDS, on mainstreaming gender perspective into national policies and programmes, indigenous women, etc. July 2005, pdf format.    Towards and during Beijing +10 Women across the globe demand action on commitments to women’s rights and gender equality. They will take part on the official Beijing +10 review, in their country or regional activities. Turning promises into progress Source: Beijing & Beyond Statement of the Linkage Caucus From the 49 th Session of the CSW, March 11, 2005. Pdf format. Statement to the Commission on the Status of Women delivered by Lorena Aguilar, IUCN Senior Gender Advisor Source: WEDO "All of us, the people and countries gathered here, have repeatedly stated our commitment both to the construction of a world governed by fair relations between men and women and to the equitable and sustainable use of natural resources. While progress has been made towards this goal, steps have also been taken backward. Now is the time to make headway". March 2005. Global week of action for women’s rights Source: WEDO From March 1-8, 2005 women across the globe will organize local, national, regional, and international actions to address a broad range of concerns, demand action on commitments to women’s rights and gender equality, and celebrate their gains of recent decades. Consultation with women’s rights groups on the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Declaration Source: Peace Women Consultation with women’s rights groups on the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Declaration The Millennium Campaign, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the Heinrich Böll Foundation organized a three-day consultation with women’s organizations to brainstorm on key opportunities and challenges in 2005, focusing on the ten-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action and the five-year review of progress in implementing the Millennium Declaration. December 2004. February/March 2005: Beijing +10 related events Source: Peace Women Calendar for Beijing +10. Pdf format. Live coverage and media pool in Beijing + 10 Source: Amarc A Women´s Media Pool towards and during Beijing + 10 will contribute to share and articulate some of the media initiatives of women communicators and their organizations. Calling on governments to reaffirm the Beijing Platform for Action - February 2005 Source: Peace Women Calling on governments to reaffirm the Beijing Platform for Action International and national non-governmental organizations, networks, and parliamentarians from every region of the world, underline the importance to women worldwide of the ten-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action. They also call to sign on to a civil society letter. No turning back: full implementation of women’s human rights now! Source: Amnesty International Ai's report on the 10 year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. February 2005. Another U.S. withdrawal at the United Nations? Source: WEDO Leaders from human rights and women's development organizations are sounding the alarm about the possible U.S. withdrawal from a historic women's human rights agreement currently under review at the United Nations. UNIFEM at CSW 2005 Source: UNIFEM Events organized or co-sponsored by UNIFEM. Feb-March 2005. U.S. abortion stance angers women at U.N. meet Source: IPS As the George W. Bush administration tries to influence other nations to endorse its antagonistic views on abortion, feminist scholars and activists from the Arab and Muslim world warn that the U.S. move could cause irreparable damage to their years-long struggle for equality. March 2005. Book: Beijing Betrayed Source: WEDO Women worldwide report that governments have failed to turn the platform into action. The Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) offered governments a comprehensive view of reality as women themselves see it in 150 countries. March 2005. Under fire, U.S. retreats from abortion stance Source: IPS Women's groups celebrated their victory after a United States envoy declared that her government would not press for any changes in an international document that reaffirms what world leaders had pledged at a major summit on women's rights 10 years ago. March 2005. Economic justice and women’s human rights Source: MADRE At the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, governments committed to remedy some of the ways in which macro-economic policies impact women negatively and disproportionately. But 10 years later, violations of women’s economic rights have only worsened.    Beijing +10 previous debate Beijing +10 regional and global processes Source: WEDO "Region, when and where, issues, targets and outcome", compiled by Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO). Pdf format. Beijing +10: Discussions at the 48th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Consensus was reached by the NGOs on some critical overall positions. In particular, NGOs agreed that while they hoped that there would be a lively and meaningful review of implementation of the Platform for Action, they did not want any renegotiations of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Beijing +5 outcome document or any other type of negotiated UN document from this process. There was some discussion and the general affirmation of the desire for a Fifth UN World Conference on Women to take place sometime between 2007-2010. Some ideas were also raised regarding the possibility of women holding their own non-governmental world conference. Africa: reviewing the Beijing Declaration Source: Pambazuka Communique that was presented by a SADC Gender NGO Focal Points Working Session that met in Lusaka 25 April to the Sub-regional Decade Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA -Beijing + 10), on April 26-29 2004. The meetings discussed and reviewed the main constraints and challenges encountered in implementing the 12 critical areas outlined in BPFA as obstacles to the advancement and well being of women. Is there need for another Women’s conference next year? Source: East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women - EASSI While the debate goes on as to whether or not another women’s conference is necessary next year, there seems to be some confusion about this particular issue. The Women’s conference is a separate activity from the Beijing +10 Review. These two activities must be discussed separately. The conference in question would be the fifth World Conference on Women. The proposal is that this conference should be held before 2010. A petition to hold the Beijing +10 World Conference of Women outside of the U.S. Asia-Pacific women organizations demand Beijing +10 to be held outside the United States. to make Women’s Conference free from U.S. control. The UN Commission on the Status of Women and Beijing +10: a feminist strategy for 2004-05 During its session from 1-12 March, the UN CSW will make decisions on the format for a Beijiing +10 review. Groups meeting in New York in February 2004, including Amnesty International, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, CONGO-CSW Committee, IGLHC, the International Women’s Health Coalition, the International Women’s Tribune Centre, WEDO and WICEJ, suggested potential recommendations to the CSW regarding Beijing+10, to be further discussed among NGOs at the CSW. By Carol Barton, Charlotte Bunch and Martha Salazar (pdf format). Draft report on the question of Beijing +10 - No to negotiations for B +10? Source: Choike At the 47th Session of the Commission on the Status on Women (CSW) in 2003, a group of NGOs (Center for Women’s Global Leadership-CWGL, the Conference of NGOs-CONGO, the European Women’s Lobby and the Women’s Environment and Development Organization-WEDO) met to discuss Beijing +10 and a possible Fifth World Conference on Women. Some of the consensus points that emerged from this group are: Beijing+10, in 2005, should not be linked to a Fifth World Conference. There should be assessment of implementation, but no new negotiations in the B+10 Review. The possibility of a Fifth World Conference on Women should be explored for sometime between 2005 and 2010. Beijing + 10 Review: a feminist strategy for 2004-05 Source: Center for Women’s Global Leadership - CWGL The following ideas emerged out of several activities held as part of a consultation process on the future of women’s human rights sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 2003. They drew up a short paper for broader circulation and discussion. The main thrust is that: The Beijing+10 year should be an opportunity for global women's movements to re-politicize their movements and to set their own agenda, rather than following the minimalist agenda of UN member-states. Women's movements should intensify their activities at the regional level, while not ignoring the Beijing+10 review at the UN in March. Women's movements should take this opportunity to address the context of obstacles to advancing women's human rights, including neo-liberal globalization, the rise of political-religious fundamentalisms, the intensification of militarism and intervention, racism, and resurgent forms of patriarchy. (Pdf format) Beijing +10 discussion on World Social Forum 2004 Source: WICEJ A group of women met informally at the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India in January 2004 to discuss regional efforts and general strategies around Beijing+10. This was for information-sharing and discussion, and did not seek consensus. A few points that emerged include: Different regions are taking different approaches to preparation for regional events; some will have NGO-related events. There is an increased sense of urgency to shape regional and global strategies now in order to have a more coherent strategy for 2005. Some women felt it is necessary to work to address elements inadequately addressed in the BPFA, such as fundamentalism, neoliberalism, racism, castism, and militarism. Some felt that they can have conversations that contextualize their current struggles and raise concerns about missing elements, in the context of implementation, without new negotiation. There was strategizing about how to get past an NGO focus on minimalist government reports or negotiations, to use B+10 to repoliticize the agenda, and take political space for our issues, particularly at the local level, but also regionally and internationally. How can they learn from the WSF process about re-politicizing the agenda? How can they involve large numbers of women, not just those who have been part of UN processes in the past? How do they do this without a major mobilization of resources? The overall strategy concerns taking back space, they don't want government consensus - more central is how and what the issues are. (Pdf format) A Conference on Women in 2005? The pros and cons Source: WIDE What Beijing +10 will look like is not yet decided: it could be a high-level, adequately resourced UN-conference, a global summit, a special session of the General Assembly or the assessment could be processed within the regular functions of the UN decision-making organs. In order to facilitate the ongoing discussion process WIDE has opened a discussion forum on the Fifth high level UN Conference on Women. DAWN says no to negotiations for Beijing+10 and Cairo+10 Source: DAWN DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) like a number of other organizations, is concerned about the possibility of setbacks to the gains made for women's human rights during and in relation to the UN conferences of the 1990s. A report of the Consultations held at Kampala, Uganda In July 2002 a group of leaders from global women's movements related to the UN met in Kampala in conjunction with the 8th Women's World Congress, to assess women's movements, the political moment, and prospects for Beijing+10. They concluded that: There should be multiple "consultations" among women to think analytically about our strategies and the current moment, and to devise a common strategy for Beijing+10. They should use the opportunity of 2005 to draw up a platform of proposals drawn out of the material from women's struggles. It needs to unite single issues and diverse identities into a common agenda. There should be a global campaign and one theme might be accountability. There was interest in pursuing a forum, outside of the United Nations process and outside conventional spaces, that would belong to women and that would allow new ideas to develop. They also expressed the view that the UN process has been enabling and should not be overlooked, but that they cannot rely on it as the only space for their activism. Women's movements need to critically assess concepts like "gender mainstreaming" and "empowerment," and the way they have been used. (Pdf format) Brazil says no Source: DAWN Brazil’s Minister Emilia Fernandes, who heads the Special National Secretariat on Women’s Policy, has declared that the Brazilian Government’s position will always be to honour and defend commitments agreed on in Beijing. Central Asian Meeting of Women's NGOs Beijing +10 Source: WHRNET Forum of Women's NGOs of Kyrgyzstanions Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, 1995. Representatives of women's NGOs from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan met from 14-16 October 2003 in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, under the theme of Integration of Central Asian Women's Issues into the Beijing+10 Review Process. International Alliance of Women (IAW) "NGOs want to emphasize the importance of a broad and open NGO Forum organized parallel to the Fifth World Conference on Women. This is essential to maintain the momentum and guarantee the continuation of the process for the empowerment of women around the world." The Beijing +10 debate Source: Kubatana AWID With the proliferation of resources, energy and participation of NGOs in the numerous UN system world conferences, it is time that the feminist movement begin to ask important questions around not only the efficacy of such world conferences in securing the economic, political and social rights of women, but the strategic roles that feminist activists can play at such events. Discussion around the positions, ideas and strategies within the international women's movement about participation, and for some, non-participation, in a possible 5th World Conference on Women (WCW).    On-line discussions 5th World Conference on Women/ Beijing +10 debate Source: AWID This discussion list asks the following questions: How should we prepare for and support a fifth WCW? Given the current global political context, when do we anticipate a fifth WCW? What key issues need to be addressed and further developed in preparation for our participation/non-participation? WIDE's discussion forum: A 5th high level conference on women in 2005? Source: WIDE WIDE would like to invite you to participate in the ongoing debate around the pros, cons and alternatives to the proposed fifth UN Conference on women in 2005. UN on-line discussion on Beijing Source: Women Watch Gender equality and women's empowerment ten years after Beijing - Where do we stand?    B +10 regional meetings Regional meetings on Beijing +10 to be held during 2004 and calendar of regional intergovernmental as well as civil society events. Regional meetings calendar Source: WEDO The Beijing +10 review process is already underway in regional meetings organized by the UN Economic Commissions in Africa, Asia and Pacific, West Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, and North America and Europe. Beijing +10 in Africa The Seventh African Regional Conference on Women (Beijing+10) will be held in parallel with the Fourth African Development Forum (ADF IV) on Governance, 6-15 October 2004 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe - ECE United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean - ECLAC Women and Development Unit. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific - UNESCAP Emerging Social Issues Division. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia - ESCWA ESCWA Centre For Women Regional Training Workshop for Preparation of National Reports for the Ten-year Review for the Implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action (Beijing + 10), Cairo, 28 March – 1 April 2004 PeaceWomen Source: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Exhaustive information on the B +10 process.    Africa UNECA web site on the reivew of Beijing Source: U.N. Economic CommisSion for Africa - UNECA African NGO Forum and Ministerial meeting, October 2004. Is there need for another Women’s conference next year? Source: East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women - EASSI While the debate goes on as to whether or not another women’s conference is necessary next year, there seems to be some confusion about this particular issue. The Women’s conference is a separate activity from the Beijing +10 Review. These two activities must be discussed separately. The conference in question would be the fifth World Conference on Women. The proposal is that this conference should be held before 2010. Southern African Development Community (SADC) gender experts review progress after Beijing Source: SARDC SADC has joined the rest of the world in evaluating the state of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in 2004 in preparation for the decade Beijing +10 in 2005. The meeting devised some strategies on measures to address the obstacles encountered in the implementation of the recommendations of the Beijing Platform for Action. By Singy Hanyona. North Africa Beijing +10 meeting: need to consolidate the regional perspective to better meet challenges ahead Source: UNECA Within the framework of Africa’s contribution in the Global Decade Review of the Beijing Platform for Action on Women (Beijing + 10), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) launched a series of subregional meetings at experts level to review progress achieved in the 5 subregions, and seek consensus as to what the gender-related priority areas in the subregions are for the next 10 years. Tangiers, Morocco, 21 April 2004. Rights of women in Africa: launch of petition to the African Union Source: Pambazuka The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights recognizes the importance of women’s rights through three main provisions. However, these provisions are not adequate to address the rights of women. Mainstream international human rights standards are defined in relation to men's experience, and stated in terms of discrete violations of rights in the public realm whereas most violations of women’s human rights occur in private. The private/public dichotomy that is detrimental to women continues to exist. In most African countries, the same constitutional provisions that guarantee gender equality allow exceptions in the so-called “private law” areas of customary law, personal law and family law. Serious violations of women’s human rights such as violence against women and provisions that discriminate against them are found in that private sphere. By Mary Wandia, June 2004. Protocol on the rights of women in Africa Source: Pambazuka On 26 October 2005, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa received its 15th ratification, meaning the Protocol entered into force on 25 November 2005. This marked a milestone in the protection and promotion of women’s rights in Africa, creating new rights for women in terms of international standards. This groundbreaking Protocol, for the first time in international law, explicitly sets forth the reproductive right of women to medical abortion when pregnancy results from rape or incest or when the continuation of pregnancy endangers the health or life of the mother. In another first, the Protocol explicitly calls for the legal prohibition of female genital mutilation. Report of the Sub-regional Decade Report of the Sub-regional Decade Review Meeting Source: U.N. Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in Southern Africa. Lusaka, Zambia, 26 – 29 April 2004. Pdf format. Seventh African Regional Conference on Women - October 2004 Source: UNECA The Conference will be held in parallel with the Fourth African Development Forum (ADF IV) on Governance, 6-15 October 2004 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Beijing+10 fits within the global evaluation framework for assessing progress achieved after 10 years of implementing the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action on Women. These two conferences mark an important step towards achieving gender equality and equity in Africa through national and regional action. From Beijing to Addis Ababa: what has progressed for African women? Source: Pambazuka The World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 raised hopes of a substantial improvement in women's condition across the world and particularly in Africa. The Beijing Declaration and programme of action commits States to taking concrete action in twelve priority areas in relation to women's autonomy. Ten years after Beijing and on the heels of the seventh regional conference at Addis Ababa, in evaluating the implementation of the platform of Action adopted there, where are we now? By Kafui Adjamagbo-Johnson, October 2004. Africa: time to walk the talk on women's rights Source: Pambazuka Gender-based violence is a crosscutting and complex phenomenon that needs to be tackled on all fronts. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on Rights of Women in Africa provides a comprehensive mechanism for addressing gender-based violence in Africa. However, African women cannot access because only 4 member states of the African Union have ratified it. By Mary Wandia, November 2004. Implementation of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa Source: Pambazuka Josh Ogada The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) has released a quarterly update on the campaign on the Popularization, Ratification, Domestication and Implementation of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. The report clearly demonstrates that whereas the ratification of the protocol as an all encompassing and legally binding document is paramount, there are many fronts on which the battle for the equal rights for women must continue to be fought. In the first quarter of the year, several countries and themes have come under the spotlight. The number of ratifications shows a minimal improvement from the same time last year. Despite the tremendous work that has been done by the numerous rights groups across the continent, advocating for the rights of women, there still remain obstacles to their achievement. May 2007. Women, equality and the African human rights system Source: Pambazuka Roselynn Musa The role of international instruments and other initiatives cannot be underestimated. Broad legitimacy beyond the nation state has created some leverage to pursue the gender agenda. However we are faced with growing failure to translate these instruments into reality in the domestic context. The gap between the commitments and their implementation is becoming ever larger, raising the question: what needs to be done? There is no denying that it is very important to have these commitments on paper as markers of progress. What is more important though is using them to ensure actual change in the lives of women. We have to be careful that the gains won in Beijing are not turned back.November 2007.    Latin America Beijing Betrayed: Latin America and the Caribbean Source: WEDO Two reports are included in this publication: 1) "Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean: commitments to women's rights surge forward, but implementation lags behing" (Authors, Social Watch Research team: Karina Batthyány, Mariana Cabrera, Graciela Dede, Daniel Macadar and Lucía Scuro - Social Watch International Secretariat); 2) The Caribbean community (CARICOM) advocates reamain steadfast despite stiff struggle for survival (Authors, CAFRA Regional Office. The reports were published in "Beijing Betrayed", book published by the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). Pdf format. Call for action Source: CLADEM CLADEM and Equality Now have prepared the "Call for Action Beijing +10". In 2005, the Declaration and the Platform for Action will celebrate its 10 years of creation, unfortunately, most of the goals and commitments have not been fully complied by the states parties, specially regarding gender discrimination kaws, like the exemption from penal responsabilityof the rapist through his subsequent marriage to the victim in cases of rape or, regarding the CEDAW´s Optional Protocol, some countries like Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, El Salvador have not signed it yet. See how to participate in this Call for Action. "Pro-Life" pressure fails to thwart "sexual rights" Source: IPS Washington and right-wing anti-abortion groups lost an important battle in Latin America and the Caribbean because despite their threats and pressure, they failed to keep the terms "sexual and reproductive rights" out of the final document of the regional conference on women. Results of the Ninth Regional Conference on Women - 12 June 2004 Source: ECLAC Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean adopt the Mexico City Consensus. In the Consensus Governments also repeat their view that full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action, the Regional Programme of Action for the Women of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the CARICOM Action Plan is an essential contribution to meeting the Millennium Development Goals approved by the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2000. ECLAC Beijing +10: a positive step Forward! Source: AWID After an intense three days of strong pressure from the US Government and right wing NGOs the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Regional Meeting on B+10 approved by acclamation the "Mexico City Consensus" . This Ninth session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean was held in Mexico City, on June 10-12.   The Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing +10 officially opened in June 30-2004 at the Prof. Kasarn Chartikavanij Plenary Hall in Mahidol University (Bangkok, Thailand). Throughout the conference, there will be various workshops and plenary discussions on the different sections of the BPFA and other women's issues. The main output of the conference will be the Purple Book, which will outline and detail the current, emerging and persistent women's issues in the Asia Pacific region. The Purple Book will be based on the outputs of the various workshops and discussions that will be held throughout the conference, and will be the main lobbying document to be used by Asia Pacific women's organisations for the Beijing +10 process. This will be published and made available in time for the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) Intergovernmental Meeting for Beijing +10 which will be held in September 2004. !-->  Asia Pacific --> The Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing +10 officially opened in June 30-2004 at the Prof. Kasarn Chartikavanij Plenary Hall in Mahidol University (Bangkok, Thailand). Throughout the conference, there will be various workshops and plenary discussions on the different sections of the BPFA and other women's issues. The main output of the conference will be the Purple Book, which will outline and detail the current, emerging and persistent women's issues in the Asia Pacific region. The Purple Book will be based on the outputs of the various workshops and discussions that will be held throughout the conference, and will be the main lobbying document to be used by Asia Pacific women's organisations for the Beijing +10 process. This will be published and made available in time for the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) Intergovernmental Meeting for Beijing +10 which will be held in September 2004. Forum of Women's NGos of of Central Asia Source: WHRNet Representatives of women's NGOs from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan met on October 14-16, 2003 in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan under the theme of Integrati