WOMENS’ RIGHTS IN WORLD PERSPECTIVE
Posted on February 9, 2008
Filed Under Women Leaders | 18 Comments
WOMENS’ RIGHTS IN WORLD PERSPECTIVE
Women’s rights around the world are an important indicator of understanding global well-being. Many may think that women’s rights are only an issue in countries where religion is law, such as many Muslim countries. Or even worse, some may think this is no longer an issue at all.
BACKGROUND
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The importance of the question of violence against women was emphasized over the last decade through the holding of several expert group meetings sponsored by the United Nations to draw attention to the extent and severity of the problem.
In September 1992, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women established a special Working Group and gave it a mandate to draw up a draft declaration on violence against women.
The following year, the United Nations Commission for Human Rights, in resolution 1993/46 of 3 March condemned all forms of violence and violations of human rights directed specifically against women.
The World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in June 1993, laid extensive groundwork for eliminating violence against women. In the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Governments declared that the United Nations system and Member States should work towards the elimination of violence against women in public and private life; of all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation and trafficking in women; of gender bias in the administration of justice; and of any conflicts arising between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and religious extremism.
The document also declared that “violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflicts are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law”, and that all violations of this kind — including murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy — “require a particularly effective response”.
The issue of the advancement of women’s rights has concerned the United Nations since the Organization’s founding. Yet the alarming global dimensions of female-targeted violence were not explicitly acknowledged by the international community until December 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Until that point, most Governments tended to regard violence against women largely as a private matter between individuals, and not as a pervasive human rights problem requiring State intervention.
In view of the alarming growth in the number of cases of violence against women throughout the world, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1994/45 of 4 March 1994, in which it decided to appoint the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences.
As a result of these steps, the problem of violence against women has been drawing increasing political attention.
WHAT IS GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women is the first international human rights instrument to exclusively and explicitly address the issue of violence against women. It affirms that the phenomenon violates, impairs or nullifies women’s human rights and their exercise of fundamental freedoms.
The Declaration provides a definition of gender-based abuse, calling it “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.
The definition is amplified in article 2 of the Declaration, which identifies three areas in which violence commonly takes place:
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs in the family, including battering; sexual abuse of female children in the household; dowry-related violence; marital rape; female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women; non-spousal violence; and violence related to exploitation;
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs within the general community, including rape; sexual abuse; sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere; trafficking in women; and forced prostitution;
- Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.
SAFE GUARDS FOR WOMEN
In recent years some countries have taken significant steps towards improving laws relating to violence against women. For example:
- In July 1991, Mexico revised its rape law in several important ways. A provision was eliminated that allowed a man who rapes a minor to avoid prosecution if he agrees to marry her. Now judges are required to hand down a decision regarding access to an abortion within five working days.
- On 9 June 1994, the Organization of American States adopted the Inter-American Convention to Prevent, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women (also called Convention of Belém do Parà), a new international instrument that recognizes all gender-based violence as an abuse of human rights. This Convention provides an individual right of petition and a right for non-governmental organizations to lodge complaints with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.
- In Australia, a National Committee on Violence against Women was established to coordinate the development of policy, legislation and law enforcement at the national level as well as community education on violence against women.
- In 1991, the Government of Canada announced a new four-year Family Violence Initiative intended to mobilize community action, strengthen Canada’s legal framework, establish services on Indian reserves and in Inuit communities, develop resources to help victims and stop offenders, and provide housing for abused women and children.
- In Turkey, a Ministry of State for Women was established whose main goals are, among others, to promote women’s rights and strengthen their role in economic, social, political and cultural life. Legal measures are being adopted towards the elimination of violence against women. The establishment of special courts to deal with violence is envisaged. Psychological treatment for abused women is also planned, along with the establishment of women’s shelters around the country. Specially trained female police officers could provide assistance to victims of violence.
- In Burkina Faso, a strong advertising campaign by the Government as well as television and radio programmes on the unhealthy practice of genital mutilation were launched to educate and raise public awareness about the dangerous consequences of such an “operation”. A National Anti-Excision Committee was established in 1990 by the present head of State. Today, the practice of genital mutilation has been eliminated in some villages of Burkina Faso. In others, there has been an incredible drop in the number of girls excised: only 10 per cent of the girls are excised compared to 100 per cent 10 years ago.
- Some countries have introduced police units specially trained for dealing with spousal assault. In Brazil, specific police stations have been designated to deal with women’s issues, including domestic violence. These police stations are staffed entirely by women.
Professor of anthropology, Richard Robbins also notes that
At the same time that women produce 75 to 90 percent of food crops in the world, they are responsible for the running of households. According to the United Nations, in no country in the world do men come anywhere close to women in the amount of time spent in housework. Furthermore, despite the efforts of feminist movements, women in the core [wealthiest, Western countries] still suffer disproportionately, leading to what sociologist refers to as the “feminization of poverty,” where two out of every three poor adults are women. The informal slogan of the Decade of Women became “Women do two-thirds of the world’s work, receive 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the means of production.”
CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN
Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979
Entered into force: 3 September 1981, in accordance with article 27 (1)
The States Parties to the present Convention,
Noting that the Charter of the United Nations reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women,
Noting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the principle of the inadmissibility of discrimination and proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on sex,
Noting that the States Parties to the International Covenants on Human Rights have the obligation to ensure the equal rights of men and women to enjoy all economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,
Considering the international conventions concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and the specialized agencies promoting equality of rights of men and women,
Noting also the resolutions, declarations and recommendations adopted by the United Nations and the specialized agencies promoting equality of rights of men and women,
Concerned, however, that despite these various instruments, extensive discrimination against women continues to exist,
Recalling that discrimination against women violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity, is an obstacle to the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries, hampers the growth of the prosperity of society and the family and makes more difficult the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their countries and of humanity,
Concerned that in situations of poverty women have the least access to food, health, education, training and opportunities for employment and other needs,
Convinced that the establishment of the new international economic order based on equity and justice will contribute significantly towards the promotion of equality between men and women,
Emphasizing that the eradication of apartheid, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, colonialism, neocolonialism, aggression, foreign occupation and domination and interference in the internal affairs of States is essential to the full enjoyment of the rights of men and women,
Affirming that the strengthening of international peace and security, the relaxation of international tension, mutual cooperation among all States irrespective of their social and economic systems, general and complete disarmament, in particular nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control, the affirmation of the principles of justice, equality and mutual benefit in relations among countries and the realization of the right of peoples under alien and colonial domination and foreign occupation to self determination and independence, as well as respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, will promote social progress and development and as a consequence will contribute to the attainment of full equality between men and women,
Convinced that the full and complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields,
Bearing in mind the great contribution of women to the welfare of the family and to the development of society, so far not fully recognized, the social significance of maternity and the role of both parents in the family and in the upbringing of children, and aware that the role of women in procreation should not be a basis for discrimination but that the upbringing of children requires a sharing of responsibility between men and women and society as a whole,
Aware that a change in the traditional role of men as well as the role of women in society and in the family is needed to achieve full equality between men and women,
Determined to implement the principles set forth in the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and, for that purpose, to adopt the measures required for the elimination of such discrimination in all its forms and manifestations,
CONCLUSION-
Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievementOf equality, development and peace, as recognized in the NairobiForward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in which a set ofMeasures to combat violence against women was recommended, and to the fullImplementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women. The Law affirming, that violence against women constitutes a violation of theRights and fundamental freedoms of women and impairs or nullifies theirEnjoyment of those rights and freedoms, and concerned about the long-standingFailure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case ofViolence against women. REFERENCE 1. UN CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS 2. UN CONVENTION REPORTS NANDINI CHAKRABORTY.LECTURER OF JOURNALISM& MASS COMMUNICATION.KOLKATA, W.B.
Watch the video related to women rights
Afghan Member of Parliament Malalai Joya speaks about the troubling and declining status of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Interview recorded September 2006. More info: www.malalaijoya.com Copyright © 2006 Intrinsic Audiovisual Productions
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18 Responses to “WOMENS’ RIGHTS IN WORLD PERSPECTIVE”
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Go back to the kitchen.
Women are fucking gay, I wish they just had a dick
You probably don’t even have a dick!!!!!
Fuck you loser! I’ll bet your face looks like a cunt!!!!!!
because they only want to be equal when it suits them
"isn’t it against the federal law for women to be paid 85 cents to a dollar?"
Why yes it is. In fact, if a woman was doing the same job as a man and got paid less the company could be sued and would probably face enormous fines. Funny that it supposedly happens all the time then isn't it?
This myth has been so thoroughly debunked, it's embarassing. This is a partial article with references.
The Wage Gap Myth Is Hazardous To Men's Health
by Stephen Jarosek
A study in the May issue of American Economic Review (2003) had found that the wage gap between men and women was the result of lifestyle choices, and not discrimination. It was found that choice, not discrimination, is the determining factor in wage difference 97 percent of the time. The wage gap myth has been debunked numerous times — for example, by the Independent Women's Forum, and the publication, "Women's Figures", by Furchtgott-Roth and Stolba (1999).
The wage gap fiction was derived from the median wages of all men and all women in the work force, without regard to age, education, occupation, experience or working hours.
It's pretty obvious, isn't it? You'd think that if you had to explain something so self-explanatory, you might as well not bother and go and live in an ashram in India.
We know how it goes…. Women are more likely to work fewer hours so that they can have more time to devote to the caring of children. Men are more likely to value career and therefore, work longer hours per day, devoting many more years to developing their expertise that makes them more valuable. Men are more likely to work in the death careers, such as mining (and therefore get paid more), whereas women are more likely to work in air-conditioned offices, regardless of their skill-level. Women are more likely to pull out of careers in order to raise a family — the stay-at-home mom is a legitimate, fulfilling option and an ideal escape-hatch. No such fulfilling option is extended to men. The man who chooses the stay-at-home option becomes an invisible drone, of no interest to men or women, employers or government, God or country. And so on.
The various studies that have been coming out have been equalizing the wage-gap disparities, and so feminists no longer have any basis to claim discrimination on the basis of income.
As a further very dramatic example, there was the New York Times article by Lisa Belkin, "The Opt-Out Revolution", published on the 26 th of October, 2003. After arraying a formidable and damning indictment of a revolution choosing to opt out instead of persisting with the good fight, Ms Belkin asks the rhetorical question, "Why don't women run the world?" Her answer is "Maybe it's because they don't want to."
Precisely. The wage gap is not a wage gap at all. It is a choices gap. Put simply, women have more choices than men. In most cases, their additional choices (e.g., stay-at-home-mom) require men to continue providing for them, and this is the reason for the wages gap.
Copyright: Stephen Jarosek (2004)
because 9/11 happened on their American soil.
There has been a lot of debate about the role of women in society for millennia, but the first modern "feminist" was Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote a Vindication of the Rights of Woman in the late 18th century, which advocated female education and stated that women should have a greater role in society
you are so right,najhtan!there are a lot of people (…men!) who are not strong in their real world and so they spread hate on the internet but it`s great that there are also sensible,intelligent people like you:-)
Satan is the author of rebellion. Satan seduces the person into thinking that they're not getting a fair shake in life. Satan claims that another person is profiting from holding you down. He deceives a person that raising a family is a lowly profession, – and that to be important in the eyes of the world, – you need to work outside the home life.
For all the so-called benefits of a liberated society, – the poor policy decision has kids being raised by TV, – and the first 18 yrs. of a person's life is a missed opportunity to teach them how to be complete people, -on the path of emotional prosperity.
In the end, – Satan robs, cheats and steals. The individual and society as a whole.
Can you believe Obama got a peace prize WTF man!!!!
If this woman is in the USA she needs to call the cops.
It's true.
Women who wished for the right to vote were treated very badly by those who wanted to oppress them.
One of the most awful events was "The Night of Terror" that occured on Novemver 15, 1917.
"The women were innocent and defenseless. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden’s blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of “obstructing sidewalk traffic.”
They beat Lucy Burn, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold Her cell mate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women."
HBO made a movie about this terrible event called "Iron Jawed Angels" that's available on DVD.
I've never seen it, but HBO usually does wonderful films.
The only right woman have is being in the kitchen making mens lunch.
This lady is a class act, and her late husband was also a good person.
Here is a report on women's rights in China and the impact of communism on those rights.
Good luck!
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20285587_ITM
Write a Limerick, it is a five-line poem in which lines 1, 2, and 5 are anapestic trimeters and lines 3 and 4 are anapestic dimeters, rhymed as aabba.
Or a sonnet preferably the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet. Or you could divide it into quatrains which is four lines in a stanza.
For a rhyme scheme, you could use something like terza rima or design your own.
I always find organization helpful when writing poetry. Use a refrain for dramatic effect if you want like the use of "nevermore" in Poe's The Raven. Of course it could be a phrase, not justt a word.