“Widowhood” should be the subject of the “Emerging Issue”

 CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS VIA THE MDGS. ORAL STATEMENT FROM WHR-SWG (WOMEN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SINGLE WOMENS GROUP) AND WPD (WIDOWS FOR PEACE THROUGH DEMOCRACY) AND OTHER WIDOWS’ NGOS
WE are the umbrella organisation for many widows’ NGOs and associations in developing and conflict-afflicted countries. We work for the empowerment of widows and the elimination of the discrimination and violence that many millions of them experience daily.  Widows’ voices are rarely heard. They are not even counted.
I speak on behalf of millions of widows of all ages. Their numbers, in recent decades, have grown exponentially due to armed conflicts, revolutions, sectarian violence, HIV and AIDS, and the continuation of harmful traditional practices such as child marriage. It is estimated that, in some war-afflicted countries, over 60% of all women are widows or wives of missing men, and 70% of children are dependent on such destitute women.
In spite of the fact that widowhood is one of the root causes of poverty, and the most neglected of all gender and human rights issues, existing MDG strategies have failed to address the causes and consequences of the low status of widows. The violation of their fundamental rights impacts disastrously on future generations.
It is essential that governments and the international community now focus on the particular situation of widows, and support their efforts to “band together”, so that their collective voice can be heard. Widows’ needs have to be considered if the post 2015 MDG goals have any chance of being achieved.
The poverty, marginalisation, and stigma of widowhood causes irrevocable damage to children, especially girls. One of the commonest “coping strategies” of impoverished widows is to withdraw their children from school. Daughters are the first to suffer. They are then more vulnerable to child labour, forced marriage and the potential control of traffickers.  
Widows themselves, often illiterate, are unable to access justice systems. Their lives are determined by discriminatory interpretations of religions and customs, and they are constantly denied inheritance and land rights. Begging, or near slavery in domestic, agricultural and sex work are an inherent part of their condition.
Widows, wives of the “disappeared” and their dependents dominate in refugee and IDP populations. They are often the last to be resettled due to a lack of rights to inheritance and land ownership. This absence of property rights, alongside the high incidence of “chasing-off” and “property-grabbing” in many countries must be addressed in the post 2015 MDG frameworks for implementation.  We therefore welcome reference to these issues in the Draft Agreed Conclusions. We also request all governments to agree to the Stand-Alone Goal on Gender Equality and ask that the blanket of invisibility is lifted from issues of widowhood, and that disaggregated data on “marital status” be added to the usual categories.
WIDOWS should not be seen as passive victims of gender-based violence, but recognised for their vital roles as sole carers of families, key contributors to economies, agents of change, particularly in conflict resolution and peace building situations.
We would like to see Member States supporting UN WOMEN to establish a special desk concentrating on widowhood issues, and for the UN Secretary-General to appoint a UN Special Representative on Widowhood.  

We suggest that “Widowhood” should be the subject of the “Emerging Issue” for the 60th CSW in 2016

http://www.widowsforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ORALfinal-STATEMENT-final-FROM-WHR-with-data-disaggregated-line-1.doc

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Manifesto on Women’s Rights and Security

10–Point Manifesto on Women’s Rights and Security

The Arab Regional Network on Women, Peace, and Security, which was launched in October 2013 and is composed of women from 14 countries from the Arab region, met in Amman, Jordan, during 1-3 April 2014 to deepen understanding of causes and consequences of issues related to women, peace, and security, and establish strategies and indicators for protection, prevention, participation, and promotion of women’s safety, inclusion, and security in peace and transition processes and conflict situations within the region.

In light of ongoing situations within the region (e.g. violence and discrimination against refugee women, violence against women committed as tools of war, women’s exclusion from peace talks and transition processes, women’s political exclusion from constitution-drafting committees and government bodies, and women’s lack of protection under national laws), the Arab Regional Network on Women, Peace, and Security strongly urges governments of the Arab League, the European Union, and the United Nations Development Programme and other UN bodies to consider and implement our 10-Point Manifesto: 

To develop national plans to implement requirements of UN SCRs 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, and 2122 on women, peace, and security and create the necessary mechanisms and measures to enforce them, by virtue of a participatory approach with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Crisis Management Unit at the League of Arab States, provided that women are main and active participants in this approach. 

To involve women in the national, regional, and global committees, task-forces and consultations pertinent to conflict resolution, peace building and reconciliation processes. 

To adopt a gender-sensitive approach in drafting of policies and national strategies in conflict and post-conflict situations. 

To review the educational system in the Arab region from a gender-sensitive and human rights lens, ensuring promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence. 

To foster professional media and communication policies and codes of conduct sensitive to gender, peace, and security. 

To call on national and local governments to adopt gender-responsive national and local budgets and ensure gender responsive recovery. 

To urge the Crisis Management Unit at the League of Arab States to incorporate a gender dimension in all program components. 

To ensure that women representatives are present on the ground as an integrated and respected part of groups and institutions tasked with creating security and stability, including women envoys and peacekeepers. 

To ensure that women representatives and gender experts are included in Expert Assessment Teams sent to evaluate countries in conflict. 

To ensure that women’s organizations and networks are strengthened to ensure responsiveness and accountability on gender issues in conflict and post-conflict situations.

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/854027/fe76bd4906/TEST/TEST/

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Child Marriage Around the World

Child marriage is a truly global problem that cuts across countries, cultures, religions and ethnicities. Child brides can be found in every region in the world, from the Middle East to Latin America, South Asia to Europe.

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Top 20 Most Affected

Child marriage: 20 highest-prevalence countries in the world (%)

1. Niger 75%
2. Central African Republic 68%
3. Chad 68%
4. Bangladesh 65%
5. Guinea 63%
6. Mali 55%
7. South Sudan 52%
8. Burkina Faso 52%
9. Malawi 50%
10. Madagascar 48%
11. Mozambique 48%
12. India 47%
13. Eritrea 47%
14. Somalia 45%
15. Sierra Leone 44%
16. Zambia 42%
17. Nepal 41%
18. Dominican Republic 41%
19. Ethiopia 41%
20. Nicaragua 41%

* Child marriage prevalence is the percentage of women 20-24 years old who were married or in union before they were 18 years old (UNICEF State of the World’s Children, 2013).

Girls Not Brides

http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/where-does-it-happen

WUNRN

http://www.wunrn.com

picture of María Jesús Hernández Sánchez 

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Serbia - FIRST Judgment Awarding Compensation for Victim of Trafficking in Serbia Issued & Executed

02 2014 - El Tribunal de Apelación en Novi Sad confirmó la sentencia del tribunal de primera instancia de Novi Sad en el proceso civil de ordenar cuatro personas, previamente condenados por trata de seres humanos, para compensar de manera conjunta el demandante, que fue víctima de la trata de personas, con una cantidad de RSD 1.000.000 por concepto de daños inmateriales. La compensación por la suma de 800.000 RSD debido a la angustia mental por el honor ofendido, la reputación, la libertad, los derechos de la personalidad y la dignidad se abonará en cuotas mensuales, junto con una cantidad de 200 000 RSD por causa del miedo sufrido. El tribunal también condenó a los demandados a reembolsar los costos de los litigios por un monto de 327 375 RSD. Dado que los costos de litigio fueron cubiertos por el presupuesto de ASTRA para la asistencia jurídica a las víctimas de trata, con el consentimiento del demandante de los fondos reembolsados ​​serán pagados a una cuenta separada y se utilizan para la prestación de asistencia jurídica sostenible y el acceso a una compensación por otras víctimas de la trata. 

Aunque la trata de seres humanos se criminalizó en Serbia en el año 2003 y el derecho a la compensación está garantizado tanto por la legislación nacional y los instrumentos internacionales que Serbia firmó, este es el primer caso en nuestro país que la víctima en realidad recibió una indemnización (en otros dos casos, el acusados ​​nunca se les pagó la cantidad acordada). Este es un claro indicador de que Serbia no tiene un sistema de compensación eficiente y que las personas objeto de trata, después de haber escapado de la cadena de explotación, se enfrentan a numerosos violaciónes de sus derechos por parte del sistema que se supone debe protegerlos. Para cambiar esta situación, es necesario crear un fondo eficiente y sostenible para la indemnización a las víctimas de delitos violentos, así como para hacer pleno uso de la posibilidad legal de otorgar una indemnización en un procedimiento penal.

En este caso particular, no se utilizó la posibilidad de indemnización en los procesos penales, pero la víctima fue remitido a los tribunales. En efecto, la niña que fue explotada sexualmente durante años tuvo que revivir eventos traumáticos, dando testimonio y frente a sus traficantes en juicio penal que se prolongó durante cuatro años. Ser referido a los procedimientos civiles de largo y tres años después, a pesar de neuropsiquiatra y exámenes de psicólogo llevadas a cabo durante el proceso penal, lo que indica que el TEPT y otras consecuencias de la trata de personas, en vez de evitar la victimización secundaria, la víctima fue puesto una vez más en la situación que su trauma fue cuestionado y tuvo que sentarse en la misma habitación con las personas que la trata de personas. El hecho de que ella tenía que estar esperando por más de siete años para acceder a la justicia y disfrutar de su derecho a la indemnización y que por lo tanto no tenía ninguna posibilidad de poner fin a su experiencia traumática se desaceleró significativamente a la baja recuperación de la víctima. 

Con el fin de establecer un sistema eficiente de compensación de las víctimas en Serbia, se realizó una iniciativa, en el Balcanes actuar ahora! Proyecto ASTRA que ha venido implementando desde el año 2012, para cambiar la legislación y establecer el fondo de compensación destinado a la protección adecuada de los derechos garantizados a las víctimas de este tipo de delitos. En los próximos meses, un grupo de expertos estará trabajando en el proyecto de ley. Una campaña mediática acompañará esta acción legislativa que buscan dar a conocer a un público más amplio con los derechos de las víctimas de la trata de personas.   

ASTRA - ACCIÓN CONTRA EL TRÁFICO - SERBIA
Oficina: +381 11 785 0001
SOS Hotline: +381 11 785 0000
Fax: +381 11 785 0010
ASTRA oficina: astra@astra.rs 
Sitio Web: www.astra.rs

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Closing the Dignity Gap! – eradicating poverty

Learning & Integrating the Meaning of Human Rights in Our Lives for the Future of Humanity - Closing the Dignity Gap! – eradicating poverty

            Closing the gap of unfulfilled dignity is the most important initiative/challenge for the 21st century, for all women and men, youth and children, to learn, know and own human rights as a way of life so as to plan and carry out their lives guided by the holistic, comprehensive, interconnected and interrelated world view of human rights.   In a way, human rights are a secular “religion”, gives strength and richness to all cultures and religions… to all human hopes and aspirations...-- to break through the vicious cycle of humiliation.  --Away from POVERTY, POWER, FEAR and GREED. -- We must make human rights a counter-power to achieve full equality for all without any discrimination; to arrive at meaningful economic and social transformations; adopting positive creative choices.                                                                                                            

 With such knowledge as mentors, women stand to give real power to human rights; learning to identify the difference between symptoms and causes of inequality .—creating new realities.                                                                                                                  

Guided by the extraordinary vision and practical roadmap suggested by the human rights framework and applying it to our own ways of life, women –as mentors and organizers will gain real and meaningful equality!!  Shining the light on the new journey we should first  embark on  eradicating poverty, We as women, nurturing a new future by re-imagining, re-casting and re-defining the ultimate meaning our lives.                       

   Indeed, the most important challenge for humanity in the 21st Century is the learning and integration of the promise and dream of human rights as a way of life.. --belonging in society, in dignity and in community with others. We must recognize the humanity of others as our own. We must recognize women as full human beings with undeniable human rights, and for women to lead the discussions.                                         

    We must redirect our ways to effectively move horizontally to reach new horizons, achieving new dreams, new hopes, using an altogether new language, knowing that food, education, housing, healthcare and work at liveable wages are our inalienable human rights.  No one can take it away from us!!                                                                                                                                                                                   

           

            The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is indeed the most important promise for the 21st century; we must learn and mentor others to live by it de-facto, celebrating our dignity and genuine equality wherever and whoever we are. We must never again exchange our equality for survival and abide by the injustices some call ‘justice, to belong in dignity, in community with others, women and men alike. --whatever life form we choose  to abide by...--whatever historic memories guide our desires...--whatever culture gives us a sense of security and belonging!!.                                                                              

   Human rights close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity. Human rights are about inclusion; they extricate exclusion and provide a meaningful way to overcome poverty by and for the people who learn to claim irrevocably their human rights...-- knowing that poverty is an unacceptable, egregious human rights violation.   .                                      Learning about human rights as a relevant to our daily lives is the most important initiative for the multitudes in the 21st century. For millions to own, act and plan guided by the human rights framework is the way to go. This calls for an intense and ongoing process of learning for moving from charity to dignity .Whoever we are, we must build trust and respect and design a new future with full equality is at its center.                                         

    We have no other option!!                                                                              

                Human rights learning must become a never ending ongoing process. People  analyze how their own lives affect the lives of others and work to close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity.  In this process we reinvent our lives as we choose it to be. --Adding a new link to our past and to our historic memory. --Raising human rights to the level of a true way of life and self empowerment. .                                                                                    

                 No one should be left behind. We women --half of humanity --an acknowledged source of moral authority—need to assume the day-to-day mentoring of others towards integrating the holistic vision and practical mission of human rights as a world view, the absolute truth to guide to life. A covenant must be made, one that assures that the sanctity of life will never be desecrated or stepped on.                                              

            This step-by-step process of women mentoring communities is a sure way to acknowledge and achieve equality!!  --women and men learning to participate as equals in the decisions that determine our future, guided by human rights as a way of life.

            It is indeed the most forward-looking initiative of the 21st century.

            Join us in this effort. The future is in our hands! .

                                                                                                                                              Shulamith Koenig – Founding President 

                                                                                                                             PDHRE, 

People’s Movement for Human Rights Learning                                                   pdhre@igc.org  ; www.pdhre.org

                                                   

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Call for endorsement of this Feminist Declaration by February 25

La Declaración feminista, de la Reunión de Estrategia Feminista de organizaciones a mediados de febrero, presiona por un modelo de desarrollo que funcione para las mujeres y las niñas de todas las edades e identidades. Este modelo debe estar firmemente arraigado en las obligaciones internacionales de derechos humanos, la no regresión y la realización progresiva. Para ello es necesario revisar el paradigma actual de la seguridad de invertir fuertemente en la paz y la seguridad militarizada, respetando la laicidad del Estado donde se está consagrado en las normas nacionales; invertir el actual modelo de consumo excesivo y de producción a una de consumo sostenible, producción y distribución y asegurar un nuevo plan de sostenibilidad ecológica que aplica un enfoque de la biosfera y el respeto de los límites del planeta y la sostenibilidad ecológica.

Convocatoria para la aprobación de esta Declaración Feminista por los 25 de febrero , enviando un correo electrónico a feministspost2015@gmail.com , indicando el nombre completo de su organización, la sigla y el país.

Género, Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Justicia Ecológica para el Desarrollo Sostenible: Declaración Feminista de mensaje 2015

Enlace directo a la completa Declaración 5 Página 2014 - Ampliar tamaño de letra.

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RISE, RELEASE, DANCE, and demand JUSTICE! On 14 February 2014

Last year, on 14 February 2013, one billion people in 207 countries rose and danced to demand an end to violence against women and girls.

On 14 February 2014, we are escalating our efforts, calling on women and men everywhere to RISE, RELEASE, DANCE, and demand JUSTICE!

ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is a global call to women survivors of violence and those who love them to gather safely in community outside places where they are entitled to justice – courthouses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental injustice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes, or simply public gathering places where women deserve to feel safe but too often do not.  It is a call to survivors to break the silence and release their stories – politically, spiritually, outrageously – through art, dance, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies and whatever way feels right.

JOIN THE RISING, SIGN UP HERE >

Our stories have been buried, denied, erased, altered, and minimized by patriarchal systems that allow impunity to reign. Justice begins when we speak, release, and acknowledge the truth in solidarity and community. ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is an invitation to break free from confinement, obligation, shame, guilt, grief, pain, humiliation, rage, and bondage.

The campaign is a recognition that we cannot end violence against women without looking at the intersection of poverty, racism, war, the plunder of the environment, capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy. Impunity lives at the heart of these interlocking forces.

It is a call to bring on revolutionary justice.

Begin to imagine what Rising for Justice looks like for you, your community, your city, your country.

http://www.onebillionrising.org/about/campaign/

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Patriarchy Is an Institution to Be Outlawed

By Kamla Bhasin

In early December 2013 I received a call from Swaraj, a Karnataka wide network of women’s groups, fighting against violence and all forms of discrimination against women, to invite me for a function to felicitate six rural women who have challenged the oppression of widows in their families and villages. They asked me to speak on Patriarchy as a Superstition. I was amused by this formulation and asked them why this topic. They said the government of Karnataka was planning to bring a new law against superstition and they want patriarchy to be declared a superstition and outlawed. I smiled whole heartedly and said, WOW. What a great idea!! Once again I marveled at the wisdom of working class rural women. I wondered why in spite of such wisdom of rural working class women, so many media people think feminism is an urban phenomenon.

As I started thinking on this topic, I was convinced that patriarchy is indeed just a superstition with no basis in reality or in the law s of Nature. Actually, so many other man made systems like caste, racism etc. are nothing but superstition. The word for superstition in Hindi is Andh Vishwas., blind belief. Superstition is something which has no basis. It is illogical. It has no basis in natural law. Yet superstitions can be as powerful as patriarchy or caste system in spite of the destructive nature of these blind beliefs. One can once again see that if we repeat lies all the time they become the truth. Mother Nature gave women the special responsibility and power of carrying new life and caring for it by breastfeeding. Because of this I suppose, Nature made women biologically superior. For millions of years women and men lived together as equals. Because of their special power, women and Nature were worshipped all over the world. Then suddenly, a few thousand years ago when humans developed private property and weapons to control Nature, animals and other human beings, man created systems of class, caste and patriarchy. From equality human beings moved in to all kinds of inequalities and hierarchies mainly because of the development of private property.

Let us look at patriarchy more closely. Post patriarchal religions created all kinds of superstitious beliefs like Eve was created from Adams rib, Brahmins were created from the head of Brahma etc. Natural laws were put on their head. Men, who are unable to create from their bodies, were declared to be the Creators, the heads of households, the inheritors of private property and family names. Hinduism said only sons can do the last rites. Jainism said only men can achieve Nirvana. One lie after another repeated for centuries. Because they were lies, they had to be repeated everyday through rituals like karwa chauth, mundan for boys, kanya daan, father giving away the bride amongst Christians, four marriages and more property for men in Islam and I can go on and on.

As to the power of these rituals, even I did not wash my hair on a Thursday until I was 24. In our Punjabi community Thursday is called Veervaar, or brother’s day. We were told if sisters washed their head on this day, something bad will happen to their brother/s. Since I loved my brothers I followed this superstition until Feminism dawned on me. Of course there was never a day on which my brothers did not wash their hair for their love for me.

I think the time has come for us and our leaders to think and decide if we believe in our Constitution or in the superstition of Patriarchy or Caste. We cannot believe in both. Therefore, it is indeed time to remove these superstitions from our personal belief systems, from our families and communities and then declare them illegal. If we accept and respect the Indian Constitution, then words like Pati, Swami, Jajmana. Mijazi Khuda (all words for husband in different Indian languages), even the word husband which means controller, manager, domesticator (remember animal husbandry?)should be illegal and abandoned. Practices like Kanyadaan should be illegal and abandoned. Unless we do these things in our personal lives the Constitution cannot be implemented. This is why we feminists say the Personal is the Political.

Kamla Bhasin

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Spain’s Alarming Abortion Debate

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s proposal to enact some of the toughest abortion restrictions in Europe has exposed his already unpopular government to a building political backlash and criticism from the European Parliament, while reinvigorating his Socialist opponents and opening divisions in his own conservative Popular Party.

On Sunday, demonstrators gathered in downtown Madrid to protest the government’s health care cuts and the abortion proposal, which was introduced in December and would allow the termination of a pregnancy only if it was the result of rape or if having the baby would significantly endanger the mother’s health. It would not allow abortions if the fetus was deformed.

“Those who give birth should be deciding,” said Pilar Gómez, an administrator of the Los Yébenes health care center in Madrid. “After all the advances that we had made, we’re now being taken right back to the days of Franco.”

The current abortion law, adopted under the previous Socialist administration, allows women to end a pregnancy within the first 14 weeks and beyond that period in cases of life-threatening problems related to the fetus.

The debate in Spain began about the same time that a law in Ireland, another Roman Catholic country, set out for the first time the conditions under which abortions would be allowed. The Irish law, which was prompted in part by the death of a woman who was refused an abortion, allows termination of a pregnancy in cases of a threat to the mother’s life. It leaves Malta as the only European Union country that has a complete ban on abortion.

On Wednesday, Elena Valenciano, the deputy leader of the Socialist Party, argued that Mr. Rajoy’s government, which up to now had been focused on Spain’s ailing economy, was also taking a “real step back in history” with a proposed law that she described as an affront to women.

She predicted that the law would turn on Mr. Rajoy by dividing his party rather than strengthening his electoral appeal among conservatives. Already, some senior members of his Popular Party have urged the prime minister to soften the legislation.

Still, Benigno Blanco, the president of the Spanish Family Forum, an association that has campaigned against abortion and represents about four million families, welcomed the legislation as “a very important step” that “should guarantee Spain becomes the first country in Western Europe to prioritize the right to life and to fight back against the social normalization of abortion.”

The abortion debate has transcended Spain’s borders. Protests were recently held outside Spain’s embassy in Paris, and France’s minister for women’s affairs, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, said it was “terrible to see Spain about to take a step back on the right to decide over one’s own body.”

Last week, the European Parliament held a heated session over what Spain’s planned U-turn would mean for the rest of the Continent. In Portugal, news media have started speculating about whether the country’s abortion clinics could cope with an influx of women from neighboring Spain.

Even as left-leaning politicians and women’s associations have expressed dismay at the draft law, the government has insisted that it was merely following through on Mr. Rajoy’s campaign pledges from 2011, when the Popular Party swept into office after voters punished the Socialists for their economic mismanagement. Spain pulled out of its two-year recession in the third quarter of 2013, but still struggles with an unemployment rate of 26 percent and anemic domestic consumption.

Mr. Rajoy’s Popular Party has a comfortable majority in Parliament. But the Socialists have urged the government to allow voting on the abortion law to take place by secret ballot, to help encourage dissenting conservative lawmakers to break ranks.

RAPHAEL MINDER - January 19, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/opinion/spains-alarming-abortion-debate.html?_r=0

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STATEMENT FROM SOUTH SUDAN WOMEN TO THE AFRICAN UNION (AU) & INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT (IGAD)

24 JANUARY 2014, ADDIS ABABA

We, the women of South Sudan are shocked and disappointed by the recent outbreak of armed conflict in South Sudan, and are also concerned by the wide spread violence that has led to a continuous loss of numerous lives and displacement of women, men, youth and children.    

South Sudan women met at the SPLM secretariat in Juba on the 20th December 2013 to deliberate on how they can quickly intervene and seek all possible ways to end the crisis. Thereafter the women of South Sudan met various leaders to urge for dialogue and peace. The women also held a national meeting for women from all walks of life on the 15th January in Juba to discuss all possible interventions for peace. Similarly South Sudanese women in Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda held meetings on the same on the 17th January 2014 and 19th January 2014 respectively. On the 24th January 2014 we converged in Addis Ababa under the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) conference at the margins of the Heads of State meeting, to share our experiences and bring the different voices of women of South Sudan together for peace. 

We are also concerned about the negative involvement of youth, both women and men, as combatants and agents of negative propaganda in the ongoing conflict; and demand that all parties to the conflict desist from involving the youth. 

We recognize the historic participation of South Sudanese women in the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005; and the critical role they played during the 2011 South Sudan referendum for independence. We, the women of South Sudan are committed to continuously calling for and defending the peace and all that has been achieved since the signing of the CPA. 

We acknowledge and appreciate the commitment of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the SPLM/A in opposition for signing the cessation of hostilities agreement on the 23 January 2014 in Addis Ababa. We believe that this is an important step towards attaining a lasting peace in South Sudan. We also acknowledge that this is only the beginning of a difficult part of the peace process and believe that the inclusion and full participation of women in the process of mediation and negotiation is a prerequisite for the success of this process and sustainable peace in South Sudan. 

Based on the above, we the women of South Sudan call on the AU and IGAD: 

-To strongly urge all parties to the conflict not to breach the cessation of hostilities agreement. 

-To commit to women's participation in the next phase of the political mediation and negotiation as stipulated in the UNSCR 1325 and provide all necessary support. 

-To urge all parties to the conflict and the UN to provide protection for women who advocate for peace, displaced women and particularly young women who are often targeted for abuse by the different conflicting parties 

-To urge all conflicting parties to open corridors for humanitarian assistance and also urge the humanitarian organizations to include special packages for women

We call on our sisters in the African continent to continue supporting our cause and all actors to respond to the plea of South Sudanese women. 

http://www.gnwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/South-Sudanese-Women-Statement-to-AU-and-IGAD-2014.pdf

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GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE

According to the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, "reporting on sexual violence demands special care and increased ethical sensitivity. It requires specialised interviewing skills, understanding of the law, and basic awareness about the psychological impact of trauma.” On all levels and topics of reporting, a special awareness is required to offer ethical journalism that challenges stereotypes and begins to provide a more balanced and just worldview. However, in the case of reporting on violence against women, including sexual violence, it carries an extra responsibility; as anything short of breaking through the silence that often surrounds these criminal acts of rape, assault and murder supports a status quo that minimises and excuses the impact of violence, and endangers women everywhere.

Challenges to reporting on violence against women

Language: The inherent dangers in reporting on violence against women are many, and to follow any ethical guidelines requires an awareness of the impact of language, its underlying messages and a willingness to avoid journalistic shorthand in the ever-quickening turn-around speed of modern media. This is not an easy task, many of the stock words and phrases used support an imbalanced status quo and endanger change in societal thinking and treatment of survivors. These can be expressions that mislead (sexual violence should never be related to sex – it is a violent act and an abuse of power), that blame the survivor (“she got herself raped”), that avoid placing the responsibility for the attack on the attacker, or that suggest that attackers do not look like “normal” men. In the worst cases, in terms of sexual violence, the survivor is often judged through use of dramatic language (i.e. “cowering in fear”), which suggests that for women to be proper “victims”, they must express the trauma in a certain way. This goes against most beliefs on the impact of trauma, which acknowledge that each person reacts in their own, individual way. Therefore, it is essential not only to get the facts correct, but to be precise, to offer alternatives to popular myths, and not use euphemism or shorthand. Language use is discussed in the “guidelines” section below.

Context: The issue is not one of using religion, culture or geographic location as an excuse for any form of violence: all violence is inexcusable. Rather, the issue is to recognize the consequences of reporting in a particular way, and the inherent possible dangers posed to interviewees, to others providing support, as well as to the journalist herself. Survivors or witnesses have the right to respect and privacy, but foremost to that of safety. It is essential for a journalist to educate herself in order to safeguard the life and wellbeing of those she interviews and works with. Often violence against women is dismissed or the impact minimised, yet research reveals the severe lifelong effects on the physical and mental health of survivors. An awareness and sensitivity of the risks posed to the survivor by going public and others providing support should form the contextual framework for everything a journalist does. Local and international women’s organisations, non-governmental organisations and, journalist unions and organisations are all good places to obtain information on potential risks, hazards, and threats to survivors, as well as the cultural context.

Guidelines: Reporting on (sexual) violence against women

1.    Accurate language: Frame violence and sexual violence using accurate language. Rape is never sex nor is it a volatile ‘relationship’; it is a violent crime with judicial consequences. Sexual violence and violence against women has been defined not only as a human rights abuse but also as a crime against humanity, whether during war or peace.  Be aware of the legal framework of the crime and use the terminology to challenge myths that minimise violence.

2.    “Survivor” or “victim”?: Use of the word “victim” presumes knowledge of the impact of the survived trauma, and presupposes that the woman is, and was, powerless. The word itself removes the possibilities that a woman can resist, not accept that violence is normal and expected, seek help and survive. Use of the word “survivor” supports life after the attack, does not define her by that one event in her life, and helps to highlight the woman’s agency to take control, and make choices about her future.

3.    Privacy and respect issues: Many survivors may feel shame, or guilt, or be distressed by the retelling of events. Identify yourself clearly as a journalist and explain the content of the story, it is important to build trust. It is also important to inform interviewees that they have the right to refuse to answer a question and that they may bring someone to support them. If possible, the interviewer should be female, with some understanding of the impacts of trauma. For example, some survivors of sexual violence remember things in a disjointed way, or may not remember certain events if too severe for them to cope. If you have offered anonymity, respect it, and think about obscuring identifiable elements, such as job or location (see guideline 9 below).

4.    Safety concerns: In some cases, speaking to a journalist can further endanger a woman (see guideline 9). Recognize that you may be putting someone in further danger by approaching them. In some cases, to admit rape can lead to exile from the community, retaliation, or even death. Be aware and thoughtful about these risks when choosing the time and location of interviews. Local women’s organisations, non-governmental organisations working in the area, and local press organisations can provide information on the context and dangers posed by “going public”. Further, be aware that sexual violence can have wider impacts on family members, communities and witnesses.

5.    Do your research: Misinformation is perpetuated through poor research. For example, Western media often focuses on “stranger danger”, when in fact most sexual violence (outside of war) is often perpetrated by persons known to the survivor, or treating domestic violence as an isolated event. Challenge these myths by doing research to give the story the proper, factual base and context necessary in order to educate the audience about the reality.

http://www.whomakesthenews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117:16-days-2013&catid=14:news&Itemid=105

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“Holiday Brides”

India - Saving Trans-Border Brides Abandoned in "Holiday Marriages" to Non-Resident Indian Men

London (Women’s Feature Service) – The phenomenon of “holiday brides”, mostly poor unsuspecting India women who are married off to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) only to be abandoned by their ‘grooms’ even before they can settle into their new lives, has been growing steadily. This concern, however, has been long recognised. In 2008, the India National Commission for Women (NCW) reiterated that the issue of women trapped in fraudulent marriages has assumed ‘alarming’ dimensions. The NCW has also brought out a book, ‘Abandoned Indian Women Trapped in NRI Marriages - The Way Out’, which suggested remedial measures.


The case of Kiranjeet Ahluwalia in the UK - dramatised as a film starring popular Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - clearly demonstrates the kind of abuse that immigrant women in the country are
prone to. The UK recently proposed a legislation that would ban legal aid to people who were not citizens and lived in the country for more than a year. Such a move definitely spells bad news for scores of immigrant women who are vulnerable to abuse and abandonment.


But nothing much seems to have changed. Every year, different sources ranging from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and the NCW to the media report steadily increasing numbers. In fact, according to 2008 media reports, attributed to the MOIA, 20,000 abandoned wives are officially recorded as abandoned as a result of such marriages.



With their remarriage prospects being virtually non-existent and their families left bankrupt because of the high dowries they have had to pay defrauding ‘grooms’, these women are often forced to either live with their families or depend on relatives for their subsistence in the towns or villages of their birth.



The UK recently proposed a legislation that would ban legal aid to people who were not citizens and lived in the country for more than a year. Such a move definitely spells bad news for scores of immigrant women who are vulnerable to abuse and abandonment.



At first glance, such a state policy may not seem to have any relation to women in India, but a closer look will show that its ripples will indeed be felt, particularly in the small towns of the country. Indian legislators are aware of the well-established plight of abandoned wives, and the problems they face which include domestic abuse. Women of the diaspora also face similar situations, yet have no established support structures or legal remedies. Today, in its attempt to engage with the NRI population, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is considering a proposal to establish Overseas Indian Centres in USA, the Gulf countries and Malaysia, to start with, because these are the regions where there is a significant presence of Indians. Besides other activities, it is proposed that these Centres will extend “counselling facilities with the help of professional counsellors to those who face the problem of fake, fraudulent or failed marriages”.



But these are all post facto measures. More immediate and pertinent questions that need to be answered. How, for example, can women ensure that they do not fall prey to this form of abuse? And, if they do end up in such unfortunate situations, how will they be able to access measures of recourse? One of the ways in which the government is proposing to do this is to raise awareness on the issues involved for those seeking to marry persons living abroad. Through booklets and other means, such information will be made available in the vernacular for rural readers. Of course, it is anybody’s guess as to who would actually read these booklets. Perhaps it would be more useful if, along with the various immigration documents made available to departing brides, a simple pamphlet is provided detailing the problem and listing emergency numbers or addresses that can be accessed. This may prove handy should any of them find themselves abandoned under foreign jurisdictions.



Dynamic and multi-pronged approaches are important when it comes to issues that transcend international borders, and the system of checks and balances needs to be continually fine-tuned. Unfortunately, there are currently no internationally accepted checks for diasporic marriages. One of the arguments against too much regulation is that it would place unnecessary restrictions on marriages that are healthy and safe, as the majority are.



But while we certainly should not create procedural headaches for the law abiding, we also need to provide succour from within the country to those who travel out and end up in intractable personal situations. This is in the interests of ensuring the safety and security of Indian citizens who can realistically hope that the country of their birth would protect their interests. In an increasingly globalised world, the responsibility of the government to ensure adequate protection for its population, whatever the inherent challenges, are of immediate importance.



The recent passing of the compulsory registration of marriage bill in the Rajya Sabha is an effort to find a workable solution to this problem and it might prove a significant check, since it at least allows such cases to be tracked. The good thing about this Bill is that it makes registration compulsory, even for marriages across religions. Some civil society groups have expressed doubt as to whether it will indeed make a difference since conservative families or communities may choose not to disclose abandonment, if it were to happen. They also point out that there are no incentives or disincentives with regard to registration in this law. But despite its shortcoming, it could be seen as a step in the right direction.



India is no stranger to enacting laws that are sometimes more progressive than those that exist in more economically developed countries. For instance, the constitutional right of non-discrimination on the basis of sex has made it easier for Indian courts to legislate on issues such as equal pay. At the same time, there can be no disputing that a substantial number of Indian women today are faced with the reality that their basic rights are not safeguarded, even on paper. Trans-border brides in bad marriages belong to this category.
By Lavanya Regunathan Fischer and Devadatt Kamat

http://southasia.oneworld.net/features/saving-trans-border-brides-from-bad-marriages
http://www.wfsnews.org/
http://www.wunrn.com

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Learning about and integrating the meaning of human rights in our lives for the future of humanity

Closing the Dignity gap!

Closing the gap of unfulfilled dignity: --The most important initiative/challenge for the 21st century is for all women and men, youth and children to learn, know and own human rights as a way of life so as to plan and carry out their lives guided by the holistic, comprehensive, interconnected and interrelated world view of human rights. In a way, human rights are a secular religion that gives strength and richness to all cultures and religions… to all human hopes and aspirations attempting to break through the vicious cycle of humiliation… away from POWER, FEAR and GREED. -- We must make human rights a counter-power to achieve [full] equality for all without any discrimination; to arrive at meaningful economic and social transformations, adopting positive creative choices; giving real power to human rights; learning to identify the difference between what are the symptoms and what are the causes of inequality.

Guided by the extraordinary vision and practical roadmap suggested by the human rights framework and applying it to our own ways of life, women --the world mentors and organizers of human rights cities-- can shine the light on the new journey we should all embark on. We are talking of fostering a new future, of re-imagining, re-casting and re-defining what ultimate sense [of] our lives really have. Indeed, the most important challenge for humanity in the 21st Century is learning about and integrating the message, promise and dream of human rights as a way of living and belonging into society, in dignity and in community with others. We must recognize the humanity of others as our own; we must recognize women as full human beings with undeniable human rights. We must redirect our ways to effectively move horizontally to reach new horizons, achieving new dreams, new hopes, using an altogether new language. The UDHR is indeed the most important promise for the 21st century; we must know, own and live by it to de-facto celebrate our dignity and genuine equality wherever and whoever we are. We must never again exchange our equality for survival and abide by the injustices some call ‘justice’… We must all belong in dignity, in community with others, women and men alike. Add this to whatever life course each of us chooses to abide by, to whatever historic memories guide our desires, to whatever culture gives us a sense of security and belonging. Human rights close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity. Human rights are about inclusion, they extricate exclusion.

All people learning about human rights as a relevant to their daily lives is the most important initiative for the multitudes in the 21 st century. For millions to recognize human rights as a way of life is the way to go. This calls for an intense and ongoing process of learning for moving from charity to dignity .Whoever we are, we must build trust and respect. Human rights learning must never stop… While learning human rights, people continuously learn how their own meaning lives affect the lives of every human being. To close all gaps of unfulfilled dignity, and yet be what we choose to be, we must reinvent our lives while remembering our past. We must add a new powerful link to our historic memory and raise human rights to the level of a veritable way of life.

Joining together to make this a reality is the most important initiative of the 21st century. 

No one should be left behind, as women --half of humanity and an acknowledged source of moral authority-- assume the day-to-day mentoring of others integrating the vision and mission of human rights as a world view and a guide to life. A covenant must be made, one that assures that the sanctity of life will never be desecrated or stepped on.

This step-by-step process of women mentoring communities must have women and men participating as equals in making the decisions that determine their future... guided by human rights as a way of life.

This is indeed the most important forward-looking initiative of the 21st century.

Shulamith Koenig 

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Forced Marriage

A forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning or physical disabilities, cannot) consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used.

The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats, actual physical violence and sexual violence) or emotional and psychological (for example, when someone is made to feel like they’re bringing shame on their family). Financial abuse (taking your wages or not giving you any money) can also be a factor.

Statistics January - December 2012

- The Forced Marriage Unit FMU gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1485 cases.
- Where the age was known, 13% involved victims below 15 years, 22% involved victims aged 16-17, 30% involved victims aged 18-21, 19% involved victims aged 22-25, 8% involved victims aged 26-30, 8% involved victims aged 31+. The oldest victim was 71 and the youngest was 2.
- 82% involved female victims and 18% involved male victims.
- The FMU handled cases involving 60 different countries, including Pakistan (47.1%), Bangladesh (11%), India (8%), Afghanistan (2.1%), Somalia (1.2%), Turkey (1.1%), Iraq (1%), Iran (0.9%), Nigeria (0.9%), Sri Lanka (0.9%), Egypt (0.6%), Saudi Arabia (0.6%), Yemen (0.6%), The Gambia (0.5%), Morocco (0.5%), and Ukraine (0.5%). The origin was unknown in 7.7% of cases.
- Within the UK the regional distribution was: East Anglia 2%, East Midlands 3%, London 21%, North East 1%, North West 8%, Northern Ireland 0.2%, Scotland 1%, South East 11%, South West 2%, West Midlands 16%, Wales 1%, Yorkshire and Humberside 7%. The region was unknown in 27% of cases.
- 114 cases involved victims with disabilities.
- 22 involved victims who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).


This guide provides information for professionals protecting the victims of forced marriage. It also gives details of financial support for charities and awareness-raising publications. Information for people directly affected by forced marriage is also available.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) is raising awareness about forced marriage across the public sector. We provide expert advice to professionals, especially those confronted by forced marriage for the first time:

• we do a broad programme of public speaking and outreach work – email for more information
• if a personal visit isn’t possible, we can send you copies of our publications to help you give presentations yourselves.
• we can train your staff in how they can help victims of forced marriage
• we have started an awareness-raising programme for registrars
• we have produced multi-agency guidelines for the police, children and adult social care, health, housing and education professionals

UK - Forced Marriage Unit

https://www.gov.uk/forced-marriage#forced-marriage-unit
Website includes comprehensive information and videos.

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CULTURE, CUSTOMS, OR TRADITIONS PREVENT FULL CEDAW IMPLEMENTATION

 "Many States parties to the CEDAW Convention assert that they cannot fully implement CEDAW because it is in conflict with Shari'ah, or that laws or practices cannot be changed because they are divine or based on the Qur'an."

"Musawah submits that full implementation of CEDAW is possible, as the principles of equality, fairness, and justice within CEDAW and Islam are fully compatible, and reform of laws and practices for the benefit of society and the public interest (maslahah) has always been part of the Muslim legal tradition."

Approaches to CEDAW and Muslim Family Laws & Practices

 CULTURE, CUSTOMS, OR TRADITIONS PREVENT FULL CEDAW IMPLEMENTATION

A type of argument frequently used by many States parties attempts to take the responsibility for implementation of the CEDAW Convention away from the government, by pointing to the role of culture, customs, traditions, and the patriarchal society in discriminating against women. The States argue that in the face of these powerful local customs and traditions, which often are intertwined with religion, change is difficult and takes time. In many cases, the people are not ready or women themselves are preventing the change from occurring. Governments also cite situations in which the law permits a practice, which is often justified because of tradition or culture, but the practice is rare.......

One of the main arguments evoked by governments for the inequality that exists between in men and women in their country was that change took time......Several countries underscored the challenges and time required to change these stereotypical notions of equality......

Several delegations assured the CEDAW Committee that progress, though slow in coming, was nonetheless taking place.......

CEDAW & MUSLIM FAMILY LAWS
In Search of Common Ground
By MUSAWAH - An initiative of Sisters in Islam, Malaysia

http://mariajesushernandezsanchez.com/

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European Parliament Report on Human Rights Calls for Stand-Alone Goal on Gender Equality, Respect for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and an End to Violence Against Women

[Brussels, 12 December 2013] On 11 December 2013, the European Parliament adopted its yearly report on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2012 and the European Union’s policy on the matter. The EWL is pleased to see many recommendations in the report addressing women’s rights.

In particular, MEPs call for for a stand-alone goal for women’s rights and gender equality to be included in the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, with a strong emphasis on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Very interestingly: on the day before, MEPs voted an alternative resolution to the Estrela report on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), recalling the subsidiarity principle when it comes to health policies, and therefore denying any debate on the issue as the resolution canceled the vote on the report.

Moreover, the report on Human Rights "calls for efforts to be stepped up to ensure the fullest possible achievement, prior to the expiry of the deadlines, of the Millennium Development Goals as regards gender equality, maternal health and access to adequate health systems, education and sexual and reproductive health rights, especially for the most vulnerable groups such as girls and young women, on the basis of a solid commitment on the part of governments to enhance accountability and monitoring mechanisms for existing human rights obligations, promote access to justice for all and ensure effective participation for all, including the most marginalised and disadvantaged, in development, decision making and implementation."

So, if the Estrela report has not been adopted this week, nevertheless the European Parliament sends a strong message about SRHR as human rights.

Finally, the report calls for an immediate end to all acts of violence, sexual assault and other forms of degrading treatment against female protesters and women‘s rights activists and for serious and impartial investigations into all such cases and full accountability for those responsible.

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"OPPONENTS OF GIRLS' RIGHT TO EDUCATION VIOLATE ISLAM"

UNITED NATIONS: “Those who deny women and girls their right to education, violate Islam,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Masood Khan told a UN audience. He said the religion was for all men and women without discrimination.

He observed that the terrorist attack on Malala Yousufzai showed that “the forces of darkness” were afraid of the education that gave courage to girls to stand up for their rights.

“Those who do so (deny girls’ education) violently, violate the right to life and the right to education,” he said while addressing a Unesco-sponsored discussion on the “Importance of education and sports in preventing gender-based violence” held at the UN Headquarters on the sidelines of the current session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

The Director-General of Unesco, Irina Bokova, presided. Emphasising that education is enlightenment, emancipation, empowerment and development, Mr Khan said Pakistan had always given priority to education for girls and boys, for men and women.

“In education lies the redemption of a nation and the entire international community. The attack against Malala was as evil as it was showed that the forces of darkness are afraid of the education that gives courage to girls as young as Malala to stand for their rights against all odds,” the Pakistani envoy added. He said Pakistani women parliamentarians, with the support of all political parties, were creating new legislative and administrative space for women’s education.

Masood Haider - March 6, 2013

http://dawn.com/news/790599/

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NEW NGO COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN - LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

The Committee of NGOs from Latin America and the Caribbean on the Status of Women – CSW- was created along with those from 4 other regions of the world, with the goal of strengthening regional processes to influence gender equality and the women’s empowerment agenda. One of the principal activities of this new body is to organize forums for sharing and discussion that bring women’s concerns to governments’ attention during the regional meetings of the United Nations. 

The Committee represents non-governmental organizations of women from Latin America and the Caribbean in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which was created in 1946, is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and is “the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women.”

The Advisory Council of the Executive Committee of Organizations includes for the first period Mabel Bianco  of FEIM-Argentina (co-president), Lana Louise Finikin of Sistren Theatre Collective-Jamaica (co-president), Aidé García of CDD-México (vice-president), Delores Robinson of ASPIRE-Trinidad and Tobago (vice-president), Susana Chiarotti of CLADEM (treasurer), Rocío Rosero of REPEM LAC and ACDemocracia-Ecuador (secretary), Tarcila Rivera of Centro de Culturas Indígenas del Perú (member), and Dorotea Wilson of Red de Mujeres Afrolatinoamericanas, Afrocaribeñas y de la Diáspora and Colectiva Mujer (member).

The representatives of these organizations with consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) are feminists with a long history of defending women’s rights in the United Nations Committee for the Decade for Women, now known as the Committee of NGOs on the Status of Women, and of which they will be constituent members. 

The foundational objectives of the CoNGO are to provide “a forum for information-sharing and profound discussions on issues and policies related to women under consideration by the UN and on other relevant studies on women, and with regard to specific programs in the context of Latin America and the Caribbean,” as well as “to work to incorporate a gender perspective in Latin America and the Caribbean through the UN system,” among other goals. 

The first official meeting of the Committee of NGOs took place on 16 October, in the city of Santo Domingo, on the occasion of the XII Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.  From this initial meeting, it will go on working and will inform on the activities. People interested in contacting with it can do it through: 

FEIM: feim@feim.org.ar
REPEM LAC: repem@repem.org

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