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Girl Child - A REPORT
---- Asha Chandra (aiwefa)
This was a women’s conference with a human face. Grassroot workers connected with policy planners and drafters to hammer out a Himalayan Declaration on Beijing + 10. Grassroot workers of Nepal presented their existent and emerging concerns for the policy planners to place at the Sub-Regional for a and beyond. It was agreed that the Girl Child issues would cut across the twelve critical areas of the BPFA.
The Himalayan Declaration marked the culmination of the South Asian Country process:
1. Country-wide consultations to report critical areas of concern.
2. Enunciation of five overarching concerns of each country.
3. Bringing 5 common concerns cross-cutting the countries and bringing them to the plenary.
4. The Himalayan Declaration.
5. Investing SAWW the mandate to carry forward the Souhth Asian Regional Programme to Bangkok.
Day 1: The Girl Child Working Paper by IACR, the Sri Lankan Country Report and the BBC book were handed over to the delegates at the Registration Counter. Anjana Shakhya, Executive Director/Founder, Beyond Beijing gave the objectives of the Meeting. She made an impassioned plea for according the Girl Child the status of a specific concern area, cross-cutting the 12 critical BPFA issues.
Ms.Sangita Thapa, Sr. National Programme Officer/ Officer-In - Charge, UNIFEM-NFO read the UNIFEM SARO Regional Advisor, Ms.Chandni Joshi’s keynote address. The note dwelt on the feminisation of poverty, violence against women, HIV and gender equality as key concerns.
It spoke about the MOUs between UNIFEM and SAARC countries like India and Nepal.
The integration and mainstreaming of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) into the development process.
The note mentioned the slow progress made on the BPFA and acknowledged the need for further action on the parts of the Governments in the fields of Women’s equal participation, gender equality/sensitization, human rights, health and sustainable development.
Special focus areas spotlighted were gender equality, effects of globalisation.
(COMPLETE TEXT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON RETURN).
PLENARY GUEST SPEAKERS:
INDIA-Dr.Pam Rajput : She said that it was twenty years since the International Women’s Year 1975. Though various Reports illustrated achievements, the ground reality remained the unchanged. The main issues continued to be :
· Peace and women and the girl child.
· Globalisation and geo-political concerns and effects on livelihoods
· Food
· Sanitation
· Sex Tourism
· Lack of safe drinking water
· Women’s equal participation
· Girl Child across BPFA critical areas
· Funding and resources for gender
She mentioned that the SAWW Country Report did not contain special reference to the Girl Child but a separate paper was (UN questions) already with the delegates.
Referring to the UN questionnaire she said that the framing was such that it was a cover-up for failures, had only MDG focus and a link between BPFA and MDG had to be forged. She said that the UN was weakened, but it had strengthened women’s decision to mould the world they would like to live in. The gains and struggles of the Women’s Movement were geared to make the Governments accountable and the women responsible.
She spoke about the need to revive the spirit of Beijing and to build an environment of peace and solidarity in South Asia.
PAKISTAN—Ms Mehnaz Rafi
She spoke about some of the gains in Pakistan like the scholarships for women, women police stations, CSW in Pakistan, Citizen Amendment Act that ended discrimination against women.
She said fundamentalism was one of the reasons why no development could take place.
She was positive that this would be century of Asia and especially the women from Asia.
COUNTRY REPORTS –an Overview
SRI LANKA (Complete text available)
The main issues that were highlighted were:
· Patriarchy
· Need for feminist perspective
· Recognition of Women’s Rights as Human Rights
· Women and Poverty
· Need for equal participation
· Equal wage for equal work
INDIA (Complete Text available). Report by Dr.Ruth Manorama. Girl Child Paper on Beijing Plus 10 circulated to all members simultaneously. Texts of India Report were limited so not distributed to all.
Dr. Ruth Manorama mentioned the Government’s Common Minimum Programme which promised 1/3 Parliamentary reservation for women, the passage of the Domestic Violence Bill and globalisation with a human face.
· She reiterated that the GIRL CHILD issues would cross-cut all BPFA areas. She said that if the condition of women was bad, then the condition of the girl child was worse.
· Resource allocation for collective action and monitoring of GOI ineffectiveness.
· Need for Annual analysis.
· Policing role of NGOs .
· Grassroot movement for representation of marginalized sections.
· Gender budgeting.
· Implementation of programmes for poor.
BANGLADESH
3 reports/papers were read from the country.
Key Reporting:
· Gender perspective integrated in Government Budget of June 10.
· MDGs integrated in programmes.
· Women’s Movement, the catalyst for change, is strong in the country.
· Gender mainstreaming has been consolidated.
· Media involvement is strong and is sensitive to women’s issues.
· Women’s movement has helped bridge political party(s) divide.
Challenges faced:
· Patriarchal society
· Violation of human rights of women
· Acts of threats and violence present
· 61.5% men feel wife beating is justified
· 10,000 to 20,000 women and girls trafficked every year
· Growing fundamentalism
· 23% population is adolescent. 85% teenage pregnancies.
Need For:
· Indicators/Benchmarks
· Economic Security of garment workers
· Reproductive Rights of adolescents.
NEPAL
Power Point presentation—Text available.
Critical areas: Conditional legalisation of abortion
Best practices from judiciary
Emerging Trends:
· Sexual harassment
· Trafficking
· Starvation
· Widows (terrorism)
· Violence against women in affected areas.
PAKISTAN
Limited copies of Report circulated. Text available.
Key Reporting:
· Govt. stressing on MDGs, but NGOs doubtful regarding them as they divert attention and funds from BPFA
· Need for Gender Reforms
· Family Law amendments
· New framework for Domestic Violence Bill
· Rise in honour crimes.
From 1975 – 1995 Women’s Movement had carved a space for itself and had a voice at the UN and other international for a.
Since 1995 drifted away from activism. Hence a critical analysis regarding issues like poverty is missing.
Challenge:
· No organizations to take B+10 agenda forward
· Patriarchal society
· Powerful religious groups.
June 20, 2004---DAY II
ISSUES EMERGING FROM COUNTY REPORTS:
· PEACE & SECURITY
· GLOBALISATION
· VIOLENCE
· WOMEN & GOVERNANCE
· INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
WORKING GROUPS FORMED IN EACH AREA TO IDENTIFY ISSUES, FORMULATE STRATEGIES AND PREPARE AN ACTION PLAN.
PEACE & SECURITY
ISSUES:
· Discrimination
· Lack of consultation in problem solving
· Poverty
· Lack of equitable distribution of Resources
· Lack of participation in decision making at all levels
· Lack of implementation of laws
· Lack of women in peace building process
· Erosion of values
· Imbalance between spiritualism and materialism.
STRATEGY:
· Negotiation
· Budget for peace education
· Formation of pressure groups
· Local level women to ensure peace
· Co-ordination between all groups
· Develop IEC for Peace Education
· Peaceful reconstruction across borders
· Participation of women in media
· Relief programmes—Income Generation, Psychological, Schools
· Employment Generation
· Post and during conflict rehabilitation
· Peace Building
· Health Education
ACTION PLAN:
· Education programmes for peace building
· SAARC NGO women activation
· Formation of pressure groups
· Women’s participation from every section
· Support Programmes for women
· Rehabilitation and Reconciliation
· Transparency in resources, implementation and programme implementation
· Anti corruption measures
GLOBALISATION
ISSUES:
· Intensification of Poverty
· Joblessness
· Violence
· Legal protection
· Labour Rights
· Weakening Formal structure
· Transnational corporations
· Sex Tourism
· Food and security erosion
· Marginalisation
· Urban centric development
· Environmental degradation
· Imposed technicalities of donors
· Privatisation of water
· Protection of women workers in free trade zones
· Accessibility to loans
ACTION PLAN
· Women’s watch
· Protection of people not profit sole motive
· Mobilisation against negative impact of globalisation
· Marginalised people
· Regional role to be stronger
· Debt monitoring, reduction and cancellation of loans given to women
VIOLENCE
Issues:
· Patriarchy
· Domestic Violence
· Rape
· Land rights and discriminatory laws
· Culture of violence
· Sex harassment
· Honour killing
· Disabled women
· Child abuse
· Incest
· Trafficking for sex trade
· Sex tourism
STRATEGY:
· Awareness raising
· Gender sensitization
· Reforms and Non- discriminatory laws
· Policy
· New legislation with proper implementation
· Establishment of Family Laws
· Strong networking within countries and neighbours
· Bisabled women, girl child, dalits, minorities, marginalized, disadvantaged
· Advocacy and Lobby
· Media policy on monitoring of violence
ACTION
· Dissemination of information
· Documentation of new laws
· Pressure Groups formation and budget resources
· Training programmes for capacity development
· Networking
· Advocacy Lobbying with Government regarding international commitments
· Development of monitoring mechanisms at all levels
· Access to medical, legal and other aid.
WOMEN & GOVERNANCE
ISSUES:
· Lack of adequate representation of women in decision making
· 33% reservation implementation
· All parties to nominate women and implement
STRATEGY:
· Compliance by political parties
· Women’s Groups, MPs—dialogues and collaborations
· Media sensitization
· Encourage women to vote and build vote bank
· Networking of potential candidates
· Networking with Women Parliamentarians in SAARC countries
ACTION PLAN:
· 25% quota for women in all public sector jobs
· Reservation for women in decision making positions—Corporate, Governements and in Ministries like Finance, Home, Defence
· NGOs presence in high level teams
· Cadre of Trainers and capacity building—allocation of funds
· Encourage women to stand for elections
· Addressing criminalisation of politics
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
Documents consulted:
Beijing BPFA
CSW 48th Session Outcome Document
CRC
ISSUES:
· Implementing and Monitoring Mechanisms
· Ensure State accountability
· Ensure implementation of ratified international instruments—CEDAW, BPFA, OD, CRC and others
· Girl Child, Disadvantaged, Disabled, Dalits, Minorities, Aging women
STRATEGY:
ACTION PLAN:
· Revive SAARC Technical Committee
· Ensure NGO participation in SAARC process
· Regular deliberations amongst SAARC countries
· Easing of visa facilities for South Asian countries
HIMALAYAN DECLARATION ON BEIJING + 10 at Lalitpur, NEPAL adopted the above critical areas of concern for South Asia with reference to women, girl child, dalits, disabled, minorities.
OUTCOME REPORT IS UNDER COMPLETION AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT DELHI.
SAWW is mandated to carry the South Asia Reporting to further for a.
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