Beyond Beijing Committee meeting in Kathmandu 19th-20th June 2004
Interim Report from Asha Chandra Comments (for use in feedback meetings)
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. It was agreed that the Girl Child issues would cut across the 12 critical areas of concern 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. India sent a girl child review paper: was it taken up for discussion in Kathmandu?
2. Enunciation of five overarching concerns of each country.
3. Bringing 5 common concerns cross-cutting the countries and bringing them to the plenary. Girl Child is one non-negotiable
4. The Himalayan Declaration. Text of declaration ?
5. Investing SAWW with the mandate to carry forward the South 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. Q: How did the IACR girl child paper figure in discussion? Was it invoked/discussed? Did any of the India delegates raise the points highlighted in this paper and the note on the UN questionnaire? >> Need for an assessment paper on girl child impact ref each of the PFA and B+5 objectives. (IACR will prepare a draft: Deadline??)
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). Cutbacks on State investment in social sector . Impact on child/girl/youth related measures. Any info or ref on ‘childisation’ of feminisation of poverty? For example,the falling age of females trafficked into sex trade? The rise in numbers of girl children in unorganized sector child labour previous performed by boy children and now shifted to less visible home sites? Is this text available??
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. G.Child concerns need to be disaggregated by age and by PFA critical concern.
· Globalisation and geo-political concerns and effects on livelihoods See comment above
· Food Girl child malnutrition, food consumption socialisation, and fallout
· Sanitation General health
· Sex Tourism Falling age level
· Lack of safe drinking water General health, water-carrying/collection burden
· Women’s equal participation “Equal” ?? How about excessive in some tasks?
· Girl Child across BPFA critical areas Spell out . Disaggregate by age blocksAlso assess against CRC
· Funding and resources for gender Resources for child, and for women
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. Q: Why not? Q: Was there a separate SAWW report on S.Asia, as well as country reports?
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. Refer to our note on questionnaire, which points to girl child angle. Govt of India does not respond to UN overtures on MDGS, esp on MDGS monitoring and reporting.
She spoke about the need to revive the spirit of Beijing and to build an environment of peace and solidarity in South Asia. What about solidarity in highlighting girl child?
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. No comments on girl child? Pak girl child’s situation is as bad as that of Indian.
She said fundamentalism was one of the reasons why no development could take place. Lack of government investment is also a factor
She was positive that this would be century of Asia and especially the women from Asia. Meaning unclearQ: How much potential for working together? Q: Did the Pak delegation seem responsive/ interested ref the girl child issue?
COUNTRY REPORTS –an Overview
SRI LANKA (Complete text available)
Q: Did the Sri Lanka team seem interested in working together, and in working on the girl child issue ?
The main issues that were highlighted were:
· Patriarchy
· Need for feminist perspective
· Recognition of Women’s Rights as Human Rights Look at Sri Lanka population age skew.
· Women and Poverty Girl child impact in conflict zones? Movement of girl labour into free trade manufacturing areas?
· Need for equal participation Do girls get socialized to making choices, or merely given formal schooling?
· Equal wage for equal work
LOOK UP
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. Text available??
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. Can NAWO provide specific information on any of the PFA issues as they affect the girl child? (Very valuable for reporting)
· Resource allocation for collective action and monitoring of GOI ineffectiveness.
· Need for Annual analysis. Good suggestion
· Policing role of NGOs .
· Grassroot movement for representation of marginalized sections. The largest “marginalized section” may be the female below 18 years.
· Gender budgeting. Should apply to child budget too
· Implementation of programmes for poor.
BANGLADESH
Did the B’desh delegation seem interested in working together, and in working on the girl child issue?
3 reports/papers were read from the country. Texts available?
Key Reporting:
· Gender perspective integrated in Government Budget of June 10.
· MDGs integrated in programmes Differs from India
· Women’s Movement, the catalyst for change, is strong in the country. How does it focus on the below-18 group?
· Gender mainstreaming has been consolidated What dos this mean? Is it well established in programming for children too?
· Media involvement is strong and is sensitive to women’s issues ? girl child visibility ?
· Women’s movement has helped bridge political party(s) divide.
Challenges faced:
· Patriarchal society How is this affecting treatment of daughters, age at marriage, girl’ education?
· Violation of human rights of women
· Acts of threats and violence present Against children too?
· 61.5% men feel wife beating is justified
· 10,000 to 20,000 women and girls trafficked every year Age levels among the girls?
· Growing fundamentalism
· 23% population is adolescent. 85% teenage pregnancies. 85 % of what? What is the combined % of child and adolescent populations?
Need For:
· Indicators/Benchmarks
· Economic Security of garment workers Age range? Many children/girls employed.
· Reproductive Rights of adolescents. Access to information ?
NEPAL
Power Point presentation—Text available. Did the Nepal delegation seem interested in working together, and in working on the girl child issue?
Critical areas: Conditional legalisation of abortion
Best practices from judiciary
Emerging Trends:
· Sexual harassment Ages affected?
· Trafficking Ages affected?
· Starvation
· Widows (terrorism)
· Violence against women in affected areas. Children affected?
PAKISTAN
Limited copies of Report circulated. Text available. Text?
Key Reporting:
· Govt. stressing on MDGs, but NGOs doubtful regarding them as they divert attention and funds from BPFA Need to examine this a bit more.(At March 2004 UNDP/ESCAP consultation on MDGS, there was no woman/women’s NGO present from Pakistan, and this point was not raised. Right afterwards there was a meeting of Planning Commission reps, where it may have come up (to check this with Rohini Nayyar)
· Need for Gender Reforms Age range suggested?
· Family Law amendments
· New framework for Domestic Violence Bill Anything on abuse of female children?
· Rise in honour crimes. Ages affected?
From 1975 – 1995 Women’s Movement had carved a space for itself and had a voice at the UN and other international fora.
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. Is there a working grp or any mechanism to ensure that the girl child is worked in a sa cross-cutting issue?
PEACE & SECURITY
ISSUES: How are children affected, and girl children in particular? Was this raised?
· 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: From disaster and conflict management expertise, and also knowhow on management of IDPs/DPs, know that different ages of people affected need different interventions.
· 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 Affect on girls?
· Joblessness
· Violence Affect on girls?
· Legal protection
· Labour Rights Affect on girls?
· Weakening Formal structure
· Transnational corporations
· Sex Tourism Affect on girls?
· Food and security erosion
· Marginalisation Affect on girls?
· Urban centric development
· Environmental degradation
· Imposed technicalities of donors
· Privatisation of water
· Protection of women workers in free trade zones Affect on girls?
· Access 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 Ages affected?
· Rape Ages affected?
· Land rights and discriminatory laws
· Culture of violence Ages affected?
· Sex harassment Ages affected?
· Honour killing Ages affected?
· Disabled women Marginalization of girl children?
· Child abuse Girls?
· Incest Girls?
· Trafficking for sex trade Ages affected?
· Sex tourism Ages affected? Trends?
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
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 Need to detail specifics, and age-profile them.
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. Sentence incomplete.
