Wednesday, March 11, 2015

New Action on Women's Rights: shared responsibiities for a sustainable future

First speaker is Minister for Gender Equality, Sweden. She was in Beijing in '95. 

12 Critical Areas still very critical. Noted Swedish Government called Feminist Government - have to see a diffence in what it achieves. Set up a set of objectives, with other ministers. Still have gender gaps. Levels of violence still unacceptable. Women working less hours than they would like to. 

Setting up objectives, short term, and long term. Tools - mainstreaming, sharper way, so can measure. Gender budgeting crucial. Leadership at highest level very important. Men's involvement very important. Champion has to do things. Women's Rights defenders must be supported.


Several speakers from Women's Lobby, and young women's caucus. Important to move forward, yet know we face pushback. 

Planet 50-50 by 2030 - goal of UN Women. 

Speaker on the Forum which resulted on the Feminist Agreements and Demands, New Action on Women's Rights. Economic Rights - have a come long way, very specific areas need more action. When negotiate wages, always seems other things more important. Working together, Sweden and Norway. Iceland made real headway in terms of care of children. 40 years ago, common for government to work with NGOs, now legislation in one room, and NGOs in another room. we need to talk again. Why the book distributed (Feminist Agreements and Demands, so important.)

Progress - violence against women, supposed to work in gender paradise. Women still blaming themselves, 30% of women only report in Iceland. Because of shame and guilt. Have to include perpetrators. 

What is UN Women doing? Nordic model is attainable. What they have gained. Seem to have strong relationship to government working with women. Setting high bench marks. Have to find ways to get developing countries to take on this project. Universal value - G77 summit. Bring out human rights aspect to development. Right to development, individually and collectively. Right to development being promoted by developing countries, but developed countries rejected. 

Question - accepting polygamy accepted in Norway, challenges for new comers to Norway. Question, how to make feminism an acceptpable term? Question? How to enforce existing laws. 

Umbrella organizations important. Enhances strength of lobbying. How to make feminism cool again.? Need to educate men. Have to do preventative work. Education continues very important, having necessary resources. 


No comments:

Post a Comment