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Momodou
Denmark
11740 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 12:58:02
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WOMEN RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND LOCAL INITIATIVES
Presentation At The Evaluation Seminar Of The End Of The
Adult Literacy Project 2001-2006
By Amie Sillah
Partners: ABFZ/WODD/People centre/S-Women
Date: 9 and 10 December 2006
Place: SIMMA Vocational Training Centre
Bundungka kunda
Women had been developing power throughout the ages. They have been in local and international development and women had helped to transfer power from National to International development. The 1970s were heady days for the incipient global women's movement. The energy and turmoil fueling the reassertion of women in the US provide greater visibility to the growing demands for equality by women around the world. The women in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe had some forms of legal equality but they were still fighting the vestiges of patriarchy. Women at the UN struggled to be heard in patriarchy institutions. Women in newly independent countries challenged male predominance, and women scholars challenged the assumptions that international development benefited everyone.
Instead of reversing the inroads that colonialism had made on women's traditional rights, the new economic development programs were infact reinforcing women's subordination. Resistance to these polices grew as women put their ideas into action.
Individual women wielded great influence through their ideas. But the upheaval of gender relationships globally has been the result of women becoming organized at every level. The paradigm shift in development aid was precipitated by efforts of women's groups in Washington to ensure that the flow of funding to developing countries and their rural poor also reached women. UN women organised to demand greater equity in pay and assignment for themselves while working for women's equality abroad. Around the world, organized women protested against laws that enshrined prevailing roles assigned to women. Brought together through the series of UN World Conferences on women and the parallel NGOs Forums, these women have coalesced into the global women's movement which has changed the lives of women and men throughout the world.
Global networking and organizing were greatly enhanced by the four UN World Conferences, which were held in Mexico City in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980, and Nairobi in 1985, and Beijing in 1995. The most famous international convention is the CEDAW otherwise known as the women's Bill of Rights. It stipulates women's Rights in every facet of human life.
The protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of women in Africa known as the Women Protocol is also formulated by the African continent through men and women of good will at the AU. The women protocol is Africa context specific. It deals with the specificities of African women.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (The Charter) was adopted in June 1981 and entered into force on October 21, 1986. It is a regional human right instrument, which seeks to combine African values with international norms by promoting individual duties and collective rights in addition to internationally recognized individual rights. It reflects the history, values, traditions and development of Africa.
Article 66 of the Charter provides for the establishment of protocols and agreements to supplement its provisions and gave impetus for the consideration and subsequent formulation of the women's protocol. It was therefore gratifying when on 11July 2003, the Assembly of Head of States and Governments of the African Union (AU), at its 2nd summit in Maputo, Mozambique adopted the protocol to the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. Furthermore, as a mark of their commitment the AU Assembly at its 3rd Ordinary session held in Addis Ababa from July 6-8 2004 undertook to sign and ratify the protocol by the end of 2004. The AU also undertook to support the launching of public campaigns aimed at ensuring its entry into force by 2005. Women are optimistic that the AU leaders as men of honour will keep to their word and meet the deadline they have voluntarily set for themselves and the continent of Africa will be better.
The protocol is in three sections. The first section covers rationale behind its elaboration, making reference to both regional and international commitments regarding women's human rights. The second section outline the rights to be upheld by the protocol, whilst the third section covers implementation by addressing the manner in which it is to be adopted and monitored, as well as the process through which it may be amended. The protocol affirms the following broad categories of rights. Civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, the rights to development and peace and reproductive and sexual rights.
The adoption of the protocol is not an end to the problems of gender discrimination and inequality, as laws cannot be self enforcing. The protocol is now ratified and has come into force. It is a new dawn for African women and girls. The African continent is celebrating its 1st anniversary for entering into force. Now the main challenge is ratification and domestication. Men and Women should be able to live in harmony. African women now have a legal instrument to claim for justice but this can only be done if the protocol is domesticated.
The Gambia has ratified the protocol in September 2005 with reservations but with the engagement of civil society groups in the dissemination of its contents the reservations were withdrawn in May this year. However 20 countries out of the 53 member states of the Africa Union have ratified the protocol. It came into force 25th November, 2005.
The commemoration of the coming into force of the women's protocol coincides with the commemoration of the 16 days Activism against gender-based violence which runs to the 10th of December. Our Evaluation seminar is in line. We are evaluating women and Education which is an essential ingredient to women's empowerment.
There have been many local initiatives regarding women's rights and women's empowerment. Women organizations such as SIMMA are in the fore front for women's rights and empowerment. WODD too is promoting the same ideas and is formulating policies and programs to make it a reality. The literacy project is one of such programs.
We would later engage in programs for economic empowerment whereby literacy will be linked to economic ventures to keep intact the study circle participants and their leaders. The study circles will promote democracy, human rights, governance and economic prosperity.
Women have their commonality that's why S-women Sweden and ABFZ Sweden formed partnership with WODD and Peoples' Centre to provide adult literacy to some women in The Gambia. The effort is commendable. That is international solidarity.
Women have their specificities. Some have disabilities and some have not. We should give support to each other. We should not discriminate each other.
Women have their difference. Some are white, red, yellow and black. But we are all women. We should love and respect each other.
Women have divergent views which should be respected. We should try to reason and convince each other.
Women have their commonality. That is fighting patriarchy, the system of exploitation, oppression, subjugation, discrimination and alienation.
Women and men of the world must forge partnership to fight these ills to make the world a better place than we found it.
Amie Sillah WODD
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 003/2007, 8-9 January, 2007
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