2015.03.13
World leaders pledge to achieve gender equality by 2030
Ministers adopt declaration at UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York, though women’s groups say it lacks the transformative agenda required
The Guardian
By Liz Ford
Tuesday 10 March 2015
By Liz Ford
Tuesday 10 March 2015
orld leaders have pledged action to fully implement laws designed to protect women’s rights and end discriminatory practices, following weeks of closed-door discussions that have been criticised by women’s rights activists.
At the opening of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York on Monday, government ministers adopted a political declaration confirming their commitment to achieve gender equality by 2030.
However, almost 1,000 women’s rights and feminist groups issued a statement attacking the lack of transparency in the discussions around the declaration, which they said had resulted in a document that lacked ambition.
The adoption of a declaration or outcome document from the CSW traditionally comes at the end of the two-week meeting, following negotiations that include significant input from civil society groups.
This year, however, the decision was made to agree a declaration before the annual conference, which this year marks the 20th anniversary of the landmark fourth world conference on women, held in Beijing in 1995, where 189 countries signed an action plan that identified 12 critical areas to empower women.
The groups maintain that this year’s closed-door discussions, from which civil society had been largely excluded, had led to a political declaration that did not go far enough in committing to the transformative agenda needed to achieve gender equality..
Lydia Alpízar, executive director of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, told member states: “The text of the political declaration is weak and does not go far enough towards the transformative change that is needed for gender equality. We, women of the world in all our diversity, deserve much better than this. We deserve that you put aside your ideological, political and religious differences and fully recognise and affirm the human rights of women and girls and gender justice. Nothing less.”.
She called on governments to commit to increase funding to support gender equality. She warned leaders against “cherry picking” the rights they want to protect and discard, and added that sexual and reproductive rights should not be traded off in negotiations..
In a statement, the International Planned Parenthood Federation said: “The political declaration presented an opportunity to look back at what has been accomplished and look forward to the work that remains. However, although we welcome the affirmation of the Beijing declaration and platform for action and its follow up reviews, and the recognition that the full implementation of these agreements is essential to achieving sustainable development, the International Planned Parenthood Federation is disappointed that the declaration did not go further in setting an ambitious agenda for the future.”
In her opening speech to the CSW, the executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, told member states that progress towards achieving the ambitions of the Beijing platform for action, which has become a blueprint for gender equality, had been slow and uneven. “Serious stagnation and even regression” was evident in several areas, she added.
According to UN Women, at the current pace of change, it will take more than 80 years to achieve gender parity in economic participation, and 50 years to reach parity in parliamentary representation.
Indigenous women, women with disabilities and women who have been marginalised because of their sexual orientation needed to be better served by their governments, said Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Despite the adoption of new legislation to uphold women’s rights and amendments to national constitutions, “what has not been done is to implement many of these significant changes”, she said, adding that substantial steps to achieve gender equality must be evident within the next five years.
“Yes, much has been done, and much of it worthwhile. However, what we chose to prioritise and act on has not led to irreversible and deep-rooted change,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka.
“What has not been done, however, is to change the attitudes that perpetuate the culture of male superiority and the stereotypes that diminish women. This, unfortunately, has subverted the gains that the good laws can bring. There remains an unresolved clash between the modern laws and customary laws that has robbed us of the benefits of these good laws. If we do not address this, our progress will always be compromised. This is what we have to deal with now, once and for all.”
The UN secretary general’s review of progress against the Beijing platform for action, launched at the CSW, listed five priority areas for change – ending discriminatory practices, reorienting macroeconomic policy to better serve women, ensuring the full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels, significantly increasing investments in gender equality, and strengthening accountability for gender equality and the realisation of the human rights of women and girls.
“We seek truly bold actions in order to see accelerated implementation of the Beijing platform for action, so that in 2020, we can register far-reaching progress,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka.
“In 2030 we want to be able to talk about a world that has achieved gender equality. A 50-50 planet.”
On 26 September 2015, China and UN Women will co-host a meeting on gender equality and women’s empowerment at the UN general assembly.
Resource: the guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/10/world-leaders-pledge-womens-rights-equality-csw-2030
Resource: the guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/10/world-leaders-pledge-womens-rights-equality-csw-2030
