Summary Days 3-7, Week 2

Dear all,

Based on Emily Esplen's summary for the previous days I would like to add some new elements that arise from our weekly discussion. We heard various examples on how gender based inequalities intersect with those inequalities based on income, race/ethnicity, age, location, and sexual orientation. For instance, we discussed how gender inequality and harmful gender norms are associated with the spread of HIV as well as with its consequences for women, men and trans people. Interesting examples and recommendations came from Kenya regarding access to education of rural, pastoral women as well as the job insecurity of women who work in the export-oriented garment industry in Bangladesh and Fiji.

Some of the structural factors underpinning inequalities were highlighted: women’s lack of access to and control over productive resources, unequal distribution of reproductive/productive work between women and men,  women's labor segregation (horizontal and vertical) and job insecurity, along with the various social and legal norms that constrains women's bodily autonomy.

Adding  some recommendations to those identified previously, I would say that contributors emphasized the need of policy reform through three major strategies:

* Implementation of integral social and economic policies that tackle gender inequalities and the intersections with other forms of discrimination. (See examples below)

* Increasing public financing for the implementation of gender equality policies at different levels.

* Ensuring compliance of national laws including family and penal codes with human rights and international agreed commitments.

Some of the concrete proposals are:

- Ensure the provision of sexual and reproductive health services based on gender equality and human rights approaches. This may include screening and treatment of reproductive tract infections and STIs, a range of modern contraception methods, emergency contraception, and safe legal abortion.  AIDS and SRHR policies should alter social and cultural norms that uphold gender inequality.  It also must grapple with pervasive and locally-specific gender norms that result in different levels of gender-based violence and sources of risk and vulnerability to HIV for women, girls, men, boys and transgender people.

- Guarantee the access of non-sexist and human rights based education at different levels in order to transform social patterns of discrimination. 

- To promote service provision and policies oriented to an equitable redistribution of unpaid care work and paid work between women and men.  

- To work with men on both awareness about the importance of ending gender based violence and preventing HIV, and challenging the underlying patriarchal norms and values that lead to gender based discrimination and inequality.

Dear colleagues,

It is with much interest that I join as co-moderator today on the auspicious occasion of the International Day
for the Eradication of Poverty, October 17^th.  To build on the ongoing global conversation on gender equality, we will shift slightly to reflect not only on the theme of today’s World Poverty Day 2012, Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting Empowerment and Building Peace, in particular as it relates to women and girls, but also on how we envision that the Post-2015 Development Agenda should address the feminization of poverty.

Building on the discussion guided by co-moderators Kate McInturff (Amnesty International) the first week on widespread and fundamental forms of gender-based inequalities, and Emily Esplen (Womankind Worldwide) and Nicole Bidegain (DAWN) this second week on how these forms of gender based inequalities intersect with inequality based on income, race/ethnicity, age, location, disability, and sexual orientation, I invite you to comment on the
ongoing questions for week 2 and pose the following questions to deepen the discussion:

• Last week we discussed gender norms as limitations and obstructions for the advancement of women. Women living in poverty are confronted by severe obstacles – physical, economic, cultural and social – to accessing their rights and entitlements. Reversing these obstacles and gender inequality across generations is key to moving out of a life of poverty. What are the obstacles in your society that perpetuate the cycle of poverty for women? What are some successful approaches for tackling the feminization of poverty and reversing the cycle of poverty for women?
• Reflecting on the October 17^th theme of “Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty, how should the Post-2015 development framework include and address issues of the impoverished women and girls, especially those from socially excluded groups and those facing multiple forms of discrimination?
• As mentioned in the introduction of the e-discussion, the recommendations emerging from your contributions will also be transmitted to the Secretary-General’s High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Looking ahead to the upcoming HLP meeting in London (Oct. 31 - Nov. 2), how can the HLP influence the Post-2015 process to ensure gender equality and the intersecting issues of impoverishment
  and the structural causes of poverty be featured in the framing of the dialogue?

As our UN Women and UNICEF colleagues have noted, we see this platform as an opportunity for a multitude
of voices to be heard, particularly inviting those around the world not present at discussions here at the UN Headquarters in New York. I invite UN representatives and delegates from Member States to join civil society and
NGOs, academics and others who’ve joined the global conversation on the critical topics of inequalities and gender-based discrimination.

I look forward to hearing from you and your full engagement!

Rosa Lizarde

Feminist Task Force

Closing the implementation gap begins with the provenance of human rights abuses to Indigenous and Indigenous Afro Peoples and their lands, throughout the Diaspora. If Customary International Law is the rule of law, initiated internationally, and here at home in the United States in support of Indigenous Peoples human right to free, prior and informed consent; then our direction is clear: challenge those laws that are “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with the law.” Acknowledge that sovereignty, spirituality, and sacred land trust, are the core moral and ideological constructs at the heart of abuse and subsequent discrimination against Diaspora Indigenous Peoples and the exploitation of their lands for corporate profit.. This is the first significant substantive step to be taken toward eliminating discrimination and human rights abuses against Diaspora Indigenous Peoples and their offspring, and sustaining the environment.
The Millennium Development Goal of tracking extreme poverty is synonymous with gender inequality. All aspects of minimalist definitions regarding the human rights of women speaks to the circumstances that exacerbate the status of women in all societies. In no culture, progressive, technological or agrarian based is there to be found codified equality. The separation of gender parallels the papal bulls that determined the status of all peoples based on the unnatural unilateral definition of ownership of land and accompanying titles
Like race, gender is a social construct. It defines and differentiates the roles, rights, responsibilities, and obligations of women and men, and is therefore a non sequitur. Sustainability can only be achieved when the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating poverty and gender injustice are acknowledged as co equal human rights abuses. The amelioration of one cannot be achieved without the amelioration of the other. The respectful use of the land and its resources is inextricably linked to the human rights abuses of women and the perpetuation of poverty. Sustainability is a function of the direct relationship between impoverishment in all its forms (income poverty, hunger, disease, exclusion, lack of infrastructure and shelter) and the unequal treatment of women.
The technological advances of our present are to be used to bridge the humanitarian with the ecological in service of sustainability. The steps outlined in the Millennium Development Goals are in the direction of sustainability. Our human and planetary future rests in our promoting human equality and the eradication of the paradigm of impoverishment

Post MDG Agenda- Local Prospective

Dear Friends,

We talked a lot about maternal health, child health, HIV, TB and malaria in the last decade. Millions of dollars were poured into the health system and thousands of health workers were mobilized. With the combined efforts of ministries, international donor agencies, NGOs and INGOs, we succeeded in achieving significant improvement in reducing maternal and childhood mortality and containing many diseases like HIV. It was a beautiful time when hundreds of local NGOs working in the field of the health sector flourished all over the country. Thousands of people got jobs. At the time of the civil war in my country, health became an industry. But with significant improvement in MDG goals their charm started fading. Nepal became less attractive for donors. Hundreds of NGOs, their workers, INGOs and their county directors were on the verge of losing their jobs. 

The whole system was searching for a new glamorous health issue to tackle. Suddenly we found one. One in every 10 adult females in Nepal have their womb coming out through their vagina, i.e. utero-vaginal prolapse (Bodner-Adler et al. 2007). A huge burden. Some are very quick in jumping to the conclusion that with the level of human resources we have in Nepal, it will take 60 years to treat existent cases even when working 12 hours a day.

These new findings resonated widely, however. Nepal had found a new MDG+ goal, UV prolapse. 

UV prolapse in Nepal is something like HIV for Africa. Let me explain why this should be a fancy issue: it involves women, a vulnerable group; also, it is accompanied by stigma and social exclusion just like HIV. Hesitation and embarrassment to seek medical attention for their condition often leads women to live with this terrible condition for years. In spite of all this, I fear UVP will never be an MDG+ aim. It won't be addressed by global initiatives because priorities are set in Geneva, New York and Brussels. 

Back home in Nepal a poor, stigmatized woman with her pelvic organs in her vagina probably wishes she had HIV.

http://e.itg.be/ihp/archives/nursing-wombs-poor-women-neglected-priority/

Regards,
Shishir

1. What are the most widespread and fundamental forms of gender-based inequalities faced by women and girls?

In addition to all the diverse forms of gender-based inequalities already raised, I would like to add cultural norms and values to the discussion.  In my work with girls between the ages of 10 – 14 living in Maputo, Mozambique, the girls through their stories and photos clearly identified cultural norms and values as a root cause which perpetuated gender inequality.  Cultural norms and values automatically placed the girls second to boys based only on their sex.  Their potential aptitude or capacity was even not a factor when denying girls the opportunity to regularly attend school, (even primary school), be provided with adequate nutrition, proper sanitation or adequate health care.     

Below you can hear directly from the girls their experience with cultural norms and values.  To learn more about the girls’ experiences, please see “Gender Inequality And Cultural Norms And Values: Root Causes Preventing Girls From Exiting A Life Of Poverty” Zainul Sajan Virgi, PhD– McGill University. 

Paula in her reflection piece highlights her love for learning, but she also underscores how her chores interfere with her learning:

“I enjoy coming to school.  I like learning.  But, often I cannot come to school.  Sometimes it is because I am so hungry I just do not have the energy to walk to school.   I try to sleep so that the time will pass by quickly.  Other times, I am busy with my chores.  When I miss a lot of school, I get left behind.  It is difficult for me to understand what is going on in class.  I cannot stay behind to ask my teacher to help me because she will ask me for money.  I also need to go home and complete my chores, so I cannot stay behind”. 

Fatima shares her thoughts regarding the difference of opportunity between her brother’s ability to attend school and her lack of opportunity to attend school in her reflection piece:

“My family makes sure that my brother is able to attend school.  But for me, they feel it’s okay if I do not go to school.  They feel it’s much more important for me to learn how to keep the house clean, cook and take care of younger siblings as this will be my responsibility when I grow up.  When I say that I like going to school, I like to learn, they tell me that is my brother’s job not mine”

The amount of time and energy expended by these girls’ daily chores including fetching water hampers their ability to attend school regularly.  As Paula shared during a Focus Group:

“We need water every day.  If I wake up late and start collecting water later, then I have to miss school.  Often, when I am sitting inside the classroom, I find it hard to concentrate.  I have a headache.  I am tired from collecting water.  I just want to sleep.” 

Cultural norms and values play a critical role in perpetuating gender inequality.  The barriers imposed by cultural norms and values begin as soon as a girls enters the world.  The girls’ life experiences and opportunities are being shaped by cultural norms and values.  Of important to note is that all the decision makers in her life are men who endorse such cultural values and norms.  These include her male relatives including her father and brothers, to community leaders and decision makers at schools, government, health care and the corporate sector. 

1. What are the major structural factors at the root of these inequalities, within and among different societies?

My response noted below takes a slightly different perspective by considering the structural factors that are present in research and decision making that inadvertently perpetuate the unequal status of girls and women.  

Importance of Participatory Methodologies To Inform Policies, Strategies For Girls Living With Poverty

First and foremost policies and strategies developed for girls living with poverty are missing their voices.  Why?  As researchers, we need to utilize participatory methodologies to engage and learn from the girls directly their challenges with poverty.  We need to understand from them the root cause of poverty.  As decision makers, therefore, we need to encourage research that empowers girls, provides them with voice and agency instead of silencing them.  From a policy development perspective, it is challenging if not impossible to develop high impact and meaningful policies for girls living with poverty if their voices have not been included.  The girls in my study all shared that no one had asked them for their ideas.  One of the most poignant moments for me was when one girl said so eloquently, “I saw myself for the first time.”  She saw herself for the first time through her ideas!  It was at this moment that they became visible to themselves and to each other as a result of their ideas, thoughts and dreams.  It was also at this moment that the girls were no longer passive recipients of knowledge, but active contributors to new and relevant knowledge, ideas and solutions.

Focus on Development Years – Age and Sex Disaggregated Data

A wide body of diverse research in the fields of anthropology, developmental psychology, medicine, sociology, and education all underscore the importance of development during the early years of childhood in relation to the formation of intelligence, personality, and social behaviour.  The effects of neglect during the early years of life can be cumulative and lasting.  There has also been a call since the late 1990s for research with girls and boys that engages their voices, particularly during their early adolescent years.  However, the voices specifically of young adolescent girls are notably absent in relation to poverty, gender inequality and the affects of cultural and social norms in their lives.

Data informs policies.  Decision makers develop policies based on data available to them.  Currently data for girls living with poverty for the most part is available between 0 – 5 and then again at 15 years.  There is an absence of a holistic set of data that is available between the ages of 6 – 14, years considered to be unique years for optimal intellectual and physical development.  To continue our work in addressing gender inter-generational poverty, we would need data that identifies the unique obstacles that are present in girls’ lives during specific intervals that prevents girls from accessing a higher quality of life. Without deepening our understanding of the feminization of poverty by engaging girls at specific intervals, we can potentially miss the root causes that prevent girls from exiting a life of poverty. 

1. What kinds of policies, strategies or interventions have been most successful in addressing the various inequalities experienced by women and girls? And under which conditions/in which situations have particular policies, strategies or interventions had the greatest, lasting impact?

Policies that engage males and female gatekeepers along with the beneficiaries will have the highest probability of achieving high impact, sustainable and relevant policies, particularly in addressing the inequalities experienced by women and girls.  I will site a grassroots example from my work in Tanzania which can be applied at the national, regional and international levels.

I was hired as an Education Officer/Acting CEO responsible for 10 schools (primary and secondary) scattered throughout the country.  In my analysis of the success rates of girls completing high school, I noted that in these schools there was a graduation ceremony in Grade 10 and a second graduation ceremony in Grade 12.  Of great interest was who graduated in Grade 10 and Grade 12.  Girls predominately graduated in Grade 10.  Few if any graduated in Grade 12.  In my conversations with girls and their families whose daughters/nieces ‘graduated’ in Grade 10, I learned the following:

• Male members of the family all felt that if the girls ‘were too smart’ then it would be difficult to find them a suitable marriage partner.
• Male members also felt that they had supported their daughter’s whim for education, but that it wasn’t necessary given her role in the family and society.  Their only expectation of their daughter/niece was to ‘keep their good name’, marry a good man and have children. 
• There was a mixed response from female relatives in discussions in the absence of men.  Some female relatives supported their daughter’s education and wished they would complete their education and have a greater voice in their lives.  However, since the adult female members didn’t have a voice within own homes, they remained silent in front of male members.  Others felt that their daughters had enough time to be children and now needed to become adults, marry and have children.  Additional education therefore was not required.
• Initial conversations with girls in the absence of family resulted in a repetition of expectations of girls reiterated in their own families.  But after a few girls voiced their desire to complete high school, pursue higher education, as well as share with the girls their dreams and desires, succeeding conversations seem to give the remaining girls confidence to share their dreams too.  Silently, it appeared that the majority of girls wished to complete high school and pursue higher education or at a minimum have a job and a voice within the family.    

Before abolishing Grade 10 graduation and encouraging girls to complete high school at a minimum, I needed buy-in and ownership from male and female gatekeepers in their lives.  In the interest of space, I will share a simplified version of the process.  Instead of approaching the adult members in the family, I chose instead to speak to the younger male members of the family – brothers and cousin brothers.  By actively engaging younger male members and asking them what quality of life they envisioned for their sister/cousin sister, I achieved the buy-in I desired.  Through their support of ensuring that their sisters/cousin sisters would have the necessary time to complete their homework, attend school regularly, complete high school and pursue their dreams, the brothers and cousin brothers became the voice of change within their homes.  They convinced the adult members that already trusted them, the importance of their sisters and cousin sisters in completing their education and in turn ensuring a higher quality of life. 

1. Based on experience, what are the most important Recommendations that could be proposed in the Post-2015 Development Agenda for making a lasting and transformative impact on the different forms of inequalities faced by women and girls on the basis of gender?

Critical Role And Value Of Participatory Methodologies In Research and Decision Making

1. Decision makers should encourage researchers to use participatory methodologies to engage and learn directly from girls their intimate experiences with poverty.  This important step will ensure that relevant and holistic data is being collected.  Root causes will also be identified that may otherwise be missed. It will also begin the process of empowering girls by providing them with voice and agency.  By engaging girls living with poverty, the knowledge we gain will provide decision makers with relevant data, thereby enabling them to develop high impact, meaningful policies and strategies. 

Age and Sex Disaggregated Data & Focused Attention On Girls Between The Ages of 6 - 14

1. With limited research focusing on girls and poverty between the ages of 6 to 14 years, notably critical years reserved for intellectual and physical development, policies are being developed for girls that are void of comprehensive data related to the same.  Also, current data does not identify the root causes giving rise to the feminization of poverty in relation to girls and poverty.  Policy makers instead have access to more general conclusions like in order “to break the cycle, children must be provided with the appropriate food security, shelter, healthcare, education, public services (i.e. water and sanitation), and with a voice in the community” (UNDP, 2004 in UNICEF, 2005 p 6). Such a conclusion makes the assumption that boys and girls do not experience unique obstacles whilst living with poverty even though UNICEF and UN WOMEN acknowledges that poverty has a female face. Therefore, a holistic set of age and sex disaggregated data is required to uncover the root causes that prevent girls from exiting poverty over and above boys.  Only when policy makers are armed with appropriate data can they in turn develop high-impact and meaningful policies specifically for girls living with poverty.

Role Of Culture In Perpetuating Gender Inequality

1. Decision makers are predominately male.  Each community subscribes to a given set of cultural norms and values.  Girls are being subjected to an equal status as a result of these cultural norms and values.  They are in fact a root cause that ensures that girls will remain the face of inter-generational poverty.  Without incorporating culture as a distinct and critical category in relation to addressing gender inequality and disempowerment that currently exists and has existed for females for centuries, it will be challenging if not impossible for countries to achieve the goal of gender equality, empowerment and poverty alleviation for girls. 

It would be of great value to incorporate culture as a distinct category in relation to addressing gender inequality and disempowerment. At the local level, it would be important to identify internal gatekeepers noted by girls and their role in preventing girls from exiting a life of poverty.  It would also be of value to include civil society and community leaders when designing gender equality and empowerment strategies and policies particularly in relation to cultural norms and values.

1. What actions and initiatives could be taken by different stakeholders, including civil society, to bring about lasting improvements in these inequalities? How can we ensure the implementation phase of the new Development Framework will be more inclusive of those who face inequalities, and more accountable to them?

Girl Development Rank

In order to capture the unique obstacles faced by girls living with poverty, a tool should be developed to capture the girls’ diverse needs, strengths and ideas for solution.  I am proposing a tool I have termed Girl Development Rank for the purposes of dialogue.  The Girl Development Rank would be tool designed to increase our understanding of barriers that are present for girls living with poverty during their unique development years as they attempt to negotiate a higher quality of life.  The development years as noted earlier are years in which girls have the opportunity to achieve maximum intellectual, physical, social and emotional development.  Since there is an absence of age and sex disaggregated data that holistically captures the diverse obstacles related to feminization of poverty, the Girl Development Rank would be designed to capture obstacles giving rise to gender inequality and the affects of cultural norms and values.  Since the Girl Development Rank would identify the barriers experienced by girls living with poverty, it would also be used to develop high-impact solutions related to alleviating girlhood poverty. 

The Girl Development Rank could have age categories as follows: 0 - 2; 3 – 6; 7 – 10 and 11 – 15.  The rank would be designed to measure quality of life including access to basic necessities including sanitation, water, nutrition, health and education.  The Girl Development Rank would be a live tool evolving to meet the needs being identified by girls living with poverty.  With respect to education for example, using the stories shared by the girls, it would seek to capture access, retention and completion.  In addition, literacy would be included both in the primary and secondary language used for education and business.  Time in relation to responsibilities in the home and field would be measured.  Creative ways of measuring status, voice, agency would also need to be explored.

Measuring a change in cultural, societal norms and traditions may be challenging.  However, indicators outlining how political and legal reforms are responding to issues related to identity cards, inheritance, violence and child marriages could be used as key success indicators.  An educational curriculum that demonstrates gender equality would also be an important indicator for a change in societal and cultural norms.  Laws that are enforced which prohibit child marriages and violence perpetuated against girls will be strong indicators to demonstrate a change in cultural and societal values.  Finally, the employment opportunities afforded to young women would be a strong indicator of gender equality.  To better understand how pervasive the problem is from an age perspective, it would be important to include age-disaggregated data for all relevant indicators.

All that we aspire women to be, can only happen if SHE HERSELF is empowered. Its only the one's ownself that can make a difference. Millions of women still do not have access to basic education. Education is the key and that is what needs innovation on how to provide it and how to make sure that it is received in all societies across the globe, where there is a need! 

Sharing personal story as attached file

• UN Discussion on Women 2012.doc

1. How should the Post-2015 development framework address the needs of specific groups of women, especially those from the most marginalized groups and those facing multiple forms of discrimination?

1. What are the gender norms in your society and how do these impede gender equality

1. What are some successful approaches for tackling the social norms that cause and perpetuate gender based inequalities,

1. How do we balance the need for a universal approach that aims to achieve gender equality in all countries, with need to set national priorities and target specific vulnerable and disadvantaged groups? What indicators should be proposed to monitor progress? Should there be global, regional as well as national measures (including those that capture inequalities within countries), and what specifically should they be?

In a world that embraces humanity, Peace, Engergy For all , Green Energy, Indegenous population rights , rights to free speech and equality for all No wars and rejection of white supremacist domination, there would be no need for measures such as we have been debating;.

When they killed Cornel Gaddaffi and publisized the pictures globally draged through the street covered in blood for the whole world to see-in the name of equality,democracy and justice:- young people in the world saw the example set for murder in the name of freedom they realised that they no longer have to listen to what Goverments state, when the law makers become the law breakers we indeed have no future.

So the way forward needs to be advocacy and education to inform communities of their rights ( this also includes the West) a sea change of governance and uplifting of the next generation to take over the old dinasaurs  of non democracy  land enroachment and theft of resourses in the name of progress, technology and world peace.

Gender equality and human rights are distinct yet interrelated concepts. Men, women, boys and girls in the world should be equipped with knowledge of human rights and gender equality improvement to fully understand the necessity of these very important elements for change. I believe that this is best done by building standards and training manual tools to enable policy makers, civil society and women groups to better implement strategies to combat violence, preserve human rights and implement democratization in all countries. I also am committed to the idea that men, women, girls and boys should be actively involved, as agents of societal change, in violence prevention plans. Good practice guide on implementation of innovative measures to promote human rights and gender equality through lifelong learning is related to the existence of human being. I believe that underlying challenges of human rights neglect that persists in the world and the key barriers to the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence are the paramount problems in the world so I suggest to pursue the interdependence of human rights and gender equality in order to present a simplified strategies for key actors of human rights and gender equality in the world.

The Post 2015 Development Agenda the ‘world we want’ is an indication that each and everyone needs to participate for the world to build inclusion rather than exclusion in all aspects of development. Mustard Seed Communications Women Empowerment Centre (MUSCOWEC) is putting in her contribution adding to the fact that she has been empowering women in many dimensions including gender equality.  

It is a fact that women and children are the most marginalized in society. The gender divide in relation to income indicates that in many parts of the world especially Sub Saharan Africa, the status of women remains considerably low. This is due to the fact that women are not educated at all or have low educational background. They get involved in childbearing at early stages of life and also early marriages. With all these barriers, getting jobs or highly paid jobs is difficult for women. These render women  perpetually poor especially with the families under their care. In most families women and girls are responsible for the well being of the family including cooking and general house keeping, childcare and care of the elderly. Due to these duties imposed on them taking up good jobs is difficult.  To this effect education is a necessity so that women and girls can attain high levels in education for which can give them well paid jobs.

Regarding race/ethnicity, gender inequalities is common place. In the Northwest Region of Cameroon for example, the Borrorros and the Fulanis usually experience a lot of discrimination. Amongst them there is gender equality in regards to their traditional norms. For instance, during workshops we noticed that women do not eat in the presence of men. These people mostly live a nomadic life in isolated hilly areas with their cattle. Most indigenous people see them as an uneducated and foolish race. Due to this, there is a gap in communication and this leads to discrimination in job opportunities leading to marginalization. Their economic activities are limited to animal husbandry. Their education is consequently poor and adds to exclusion in varied social activities. Inclusion at this level is very necessary so that this group can feel a sense of belonging and will consequently will lead them into social integration and consequently improved educational background that will close the margin of competition for good jobs.

Age has varied disparities as far as gender equalities are concerned. In Sub Saharan Africa and Cameroon in particular, the most affected/infected groups of HIV/AIDS are women and adolescent girls. Sexual and reproductive health in this area is therefore a burden on women and girls. Sexual and reproductive health and rights should be a point of concern in order to save lives. In terms of education girls are not educated compared to boys and therefore will always remain illiterate and poor since they cannot get into the labor market. The MDG 3 is an important issue to be looked into

Gender inequality divide beteween rural and urban settings also exists. This has been due mostly to lack of information flow and poor education. Thus for example, the celebration of the international day of the rural woman often goes more or less un-noticed while on the other hand, the international day of the woman is celebrated with much vim by all. This goes same for all job openings and other opportunities. This gives the impression that the rural woman is insignificant yet she feeds the nation.

From the foregoing, it is important that all the 2015 development goals should aim at redistributing available resources taking into cognizance all areas of gender inequalities.

In response to question 1 in week 2. Many articles published in Reproductive Health Matters have examined the ways in which gender-based inequalities in access to sexual and reproductive health care are exacerbated by other inequalities, as well as the inadequacy of measures to address these problems. Here we highlight four perspectives on these issues, and proposals for steps to be taken, from the following articles published in the journal (http://www.rhmjournal.org.uk/):

• S Diniz et al, “Equity and women’s health services for contraception, abortion and childbirth in Brazil”, Reproductive Health Matters 2012;20(40) in press.

• S Gruskin et al, “Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health for People Living with HIV: An Overview of Key Human Rights, Policy and Health Systems Issues” in Reproductive Health Matters 2007;15(29):4-26.

• S Thomsen et al, “Promoting equity to achieve maternal and child health” in Reproductive Health Matters 2011;19(38):176-182.

• E Kismodi et al, “Human rights accountability for maternal death and failure to provide safe, legal abortion: the significance of two ground-breaking CEDAW decisions” in Reproductive Health Matters 2012;20(30):31-39.

Equity and disparities: clarifying the terms

S Diniz et al [“Equity and women’s health services for contraception, abortion and childbirth in Brazil”, Reproductive Health Matters 2012;20(40) in press] emphasize the need for precision in terminology.

The concept of health equity is based on the ethical notion of distributive justice, and can be seen as reflecting core human rights principles. [Vieira da Silva L, Almeida-Filho N. Equidade em saúde: uma análise crítica dos conceitos. Cadernos de Saúde Pública 2009;25(Suplemento 2):S217-26.] To promote health equity in a population, people with different needs should be treated differently, with more investments for those who need more, in prevention, treatment or rehabilitation.

Some authors also use the concept of health disparities, which is different from inequity. Inequity is the result of unjust disparities. Some health disparities are considered inevitable – for example, people over 65 tend to have more chronic diseases than younger adults. [Vieira da Silva L, Almeida-Filho N. Equidade em saúde: uma análise crítica dos conceitos. Cadernos de Saúde Pública 2009;25(Suplemento 2):S217-26.] Equity in health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and, more pragmatically, that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential, if this disadvantage can be avoided. However, "health potential" or "health needs" vary from person to person, region to region, and time to time. The focus of a policy of equity in health is not to eliminate all health differences so that everyone has the same level and quality of health, but to reduce or eliminate the disparities arising from factors considered both preventable and unjust. [Whitehead M. The concepts and principies of equity in health. International Journal of Health Services 1992;22:429-45.]

Addressing gender, poverty and HIV through health systems

S Gruskin et al [in “Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health for People Living with HIV: An Overview of Key Human Rights, Policy and Health Systems Issues” in Reproductive Health Matters 2007;15(29):4-26] draw attention to the correlation between poverty, inequality and vulnerability to HIV and to poor access to sexual and reproductive health services. Specifically, “the biological vulnerability of women to HIV infection is exacerbated by social, cultural, economic and political realities at international, national, community and inter-personal levels”. The authors cite the strong evidence base demonstrating that reproductive health and HIV interventions “that have been most integrated with the economic, education, and/or political sectors have resulted in greater psychological empowerment, autonomy and authority, and have substantially affected a range of health outcomes” [What is the evidence on effectiveness of empowerment to improve health?. WHO Regional Office for Europe's Health Evidence Network. February 2006;At: <www.euro.who.int/HEN/Syntheses/empowerment/20060119_10>. Accessed 29 March 2007]. In conclusion, the authors call for the “rights, needs and aspirations of the people involved, the larger social and economic environment, the health systems within which services will be requested and delivered, as well as the national legal and policy framework within which they operate” to be considered systematically, in order that sexual and reproductive health and HIV can be addressed by health systems.

Proportionate universalism as a response to gender and poverty inequalities

“Women, by virtue of their reproductive role, will need more health services in their lifetime than men. Poor people, because of a variety of structural and social factors (i.e. social determinants of health), will need more health care than rich people” explain S Thomsen et al in “Promoting equity to achieve maternal and child health” in Reproductive Health Matters 2011;19(38):176-182. Yet, despite their numbers and greater need, “the poor and other disadvantaged populations are frequently the last to benefit from improved health policies and interventions… Utilitarian public health systems – those that focus on having the greatest impact possible with the least amount of investment – have exacerbated existing inequalities.”

The authors show that despite the fact that reducing maternal mortality is a top priority for the Government of Indonesia, for example, large disparities persist within the population in relation to access to skilled birth attendance and/or health facility deliveries and other maternal health services indicators. These disparities are based on women’s education, socioeconomic quintile, region or province and geography (urban vs. rural).

In response to their findings relating to equity and maternal health in China, India, Viet Nam as well as Indonesia, the authors propose the approach of “proportionate universalism”, which maintains universal health care and a universal social policy as an ultimate goal, but requires that interim actions be taken with intensities proportionate to disadvantage. Governments should be required to put the majority of resources into pulling the poorest out of poverty through an increasing focus on reducing the equity gap between rich and poor, rural and urban, men and women, old and young, and minority and majority groups.

Human rights approaches to multiple discrimination

E Kismodi et al, in “Human rights accountability for maternal death and failure to provide safe, legal abortion: the significance of two ground-breaking CEDAW decisions”, Reproductive Health Matters 2012;20(30):31-39 highlight the development of international human rights jurisprudence in relation to multiple forms of discrimination. In 2011, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women ruled that the Brazilian government had violated the rights of Alyne da Silva Pimentel who died after she suffered obstetric complications. Among other grounds for this ruling, the Committee found that she had been discriminated against as a poor woman of African descent. The authors call for steps to be taken towards implementing human rights accountability strategies and international rulings such as this one, as an approach to addressing the needs of women like Alyne da Silva Pimentel.

Gender equality , and women’s rights and empowerment as fundamental to the post-2015 framework, and therefore to any consideration of SDGs. To make this possible education must be included as a cross–cutting issue, particularly because education have proven to  be a key issue for poverty eradication and a  accelerator for development  specially for this groups that face multiple forms of discriminations

To build on MDGs, we must continue to assess their achievement and gaps specially because the  poor  progress on MDG3 for gender equality  is a burden   in  the achievement of all the MDGs and of any potential SDGs . Together with this, there is a need of structural changes to produce a new set of goals that will represent the needs and concerns of women.

Post 2015 should work to have a transformative agenda that addresses the structural inequalities such as   access to and control of resources and that go beyond the rhetoric of gender mainstreaming.  The Post-2015 development framework  has to have a holistic approach  based in women human rights ,  with inter-linkages  among the  different goals to address women health and reproductive rights , food sovereignty , access to sustainable  development, to clean water , to energy , to social protection ,  access to land and property ,women unpaid work, child and elderly care as well as issue where women are hardly impacted such as climate change and natural disasters. The linkages must be explicit and connected, to uphold human rights and achieve gender equality. They need to be realistic for the wide range of country-level realities or we risk no progress.

Marcela Ballara ICAE GEO

¿Qué medidas e iniciativas podrían ser adoptadas por las diferentes partes interesadas, incluida la sociedad civil, para lograr mejoras duraderas en estas desigualdades?

Para superar las desigualdades, debemos poner énfasis en las acciones afirmativas que visibilicen el rol de la mujer.

Un ejemplo concreto: Sabemos que en Huánuco (Perú) donde radico,  la mayoría de autoridades son hombres. En los eventos públicos quienes son llamados hacia adelante para presidir la Mesa de Honor generalmente son hombres. Entonces ¿Por qué no invitamos a las lideresas a formar parte de la mesa de honor para ellas sean visibles y haya equidad en la composición de la Mesa de Honor?

Los días domingos se realiza el izamiento de la bandera nacional en la Plaza de Armas. Promover que las mujeres tengan más participación en este izamiento. Los discursos centrales también deberían estar con más frecuencia a cargo de mujeres. Estos actos son simbólicos, pero necesarios para visibilizar la participación de las mujeres.

¿Cómo podemos asegurar la fase de implementación del nuevo marco de desarrollo será más incluyente de los que enfrentan desigualdades y más responsables ante ellos?

Creo que antes de pedir a las autoridades que implementen políticas públicas que favorezcan la equidad de género, lo primero que se debe hacer es sensibilizarlos. "Nadie puede dar lo que no tiene".

No podemos pedir a los políticos o autoridades que comprendan que la equidad de género promueve desarrollo sostenible,mientras ellos no comprendan el significado de lo que es "equidad de género", "igualdad de oportunidades".

Mientras ellos no comprendan los beneficios que trae promover la igualdad en el acceso y administración de los recursos por parte de las mujeres, nunca promoverán acciones ni asignarán recursos para que las políticas se ejecuten.

Si observamos cuantas ordenanzas y normas han sido aprobadas porlos gobiernos regionales y gobiernos locales, nos daremos con la sorpresa que abundamos en documentación. Pero de esta normatividad ¿Cuántas se han implementado? Casi ninguna.

Mientras tanto las organizaciones no gubernamentales, las organizaciones de la sociedad civil insisten en elaborar el Plan Regional de Igualdad de Oportunidades, aún sabiendo que este Plan puede caer "en letra muerta"porque no estamos en un contexto social y político favorable.

No es conveniente seguir creando planeso normas legales que incrementen los archivos de las instituciones y que cuando tengan que informar, en forma orgullosa muestren toda esa documentación.

Es necesario que con la ayuda de organizaciones internacionales, firmando un convenio con el Gobierno, se implementen programas que obliguen a las autoridades y funcionarios a ser capacitados y sensibilizados en los temas de derechos de la mujer,equidad de género e igualdad de oportunidades con el enfoque de desarrollo sostenible. Incluso esta capacitación y los aportes que funcionarios y directivos realicen para promover acciones que favorezcan la equidad de género, pueden servirles como incentivo para promocionarlos dentro de las instituciones del Estado donde laboren.

A partir de allí, ellos mismos serán los actores locales claves quienes impulsen desde sus puestos, la verdadera equidad de género, de una manera sostenible y no sólo porque se sienten presionados o porque tienen que cumplir con la Ley, aun cuando sólo sea en papeles.

This is a most important discernment, and it should really highlight the voices of women and girls that suffer invisibility, and social and economic exclusion.  I think that we must be sure to recognize that this is a historic debt and condition that is hundreds of years old, it is a structural situation that held women captive to the explotation of their ethnic groups and communities.  It is a system of impoverishment, which now due to the various crisis: financial/economic, climate change, high cost of food, high cost of energy, deepens this exclusion.. it is not only about declaring the international day of the girl child, or more education, or first jobs, etc. etc.. we have to understand that we have a paradigm that will continue to create exclusion and poverty, thus very creative responses.  but they are not about sustainabilty, which depends very much for creating conditions for real security and justice, thus equity for real peace.  

I have been conducting with a group of young people-- all of us volunteers, some UNDP CONSULTATIONS ON THE MDGs and Post 2015, to guarantee that some of our sisters and brothers who suffer marginalization and invisibility are  intentionally consulted.  So, we have gone to the  most impoverished rural communities.  It is clear that rural women and girls, and first nations communities face all the aspects that have been listed in these conversations.  

We know all these, but governments do not resolve on what the people identified as their most felt needs... they and their ancestors have been exiled from their ancestral lands, so they can not take care of their needs for sustenance, which will free them from just merely surviving as they are condemned to do. 

These lack of respect for their right to land, creates conditions of guaranteed impoverishment, and where communities live in impoverishment, the women and the girl child, and children, older adults, will be for sure the most negatively affected.

The people, the youth , the women, stress the need for governments not only to acknowledge their situation, and bring aid to them but to deal with the structural roots of their condition to resolve this historical debt. MDGs and the Post 2015 process must be about this, and SDGs must be used as measures to fulffill the MDGs.  This will be a real contribution to stop and revert the exclusion that they suffer and which is at the base of the impoverishment.  We need to work not so much for the world we want or need, but on how to create the world needed by all present and future generations and a healthy and peaceful planet. 

Greetings My final word and on behalf of women unabled to contribute "we hear you" education that is culrally apprpriate" Security forces that are monitered , task forces of women of the world and border control of paedophiles no passports issued to them and if they break the law outside of their country of origin whatever penality issued is implemented: Training for men and women on issues of GBV towards erradication of it towards a kinder , planet, that is loved Thank you moderators we have enjoyed the power of The people  Rise you all up and link me soon

adabo

Sistar kenyasue

Submission for the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights: 

“What are the most important recommendations that could be proposed in the post-2015 development agenda for making a lasting and transformative impact on the different forms of inequalities faced by women and girls on the basis of gender?”

Gender Equality must be a cross-cutting theme in all goals of the post-2015 development agenda and not siloed in specific “women’s” goals. All issues - employment, sanitation, access to water, climate change, education, etc. - have a gendered component that must be recognized through specific targets and indicators. It is essential that the post-2015 development agenda address gender-based inequalities by paying particular attention to young women and girls’ rights in all laws, policies and programmes. Young women and girls must have equal access to education, health services and information, income earning potential, and employment opportunities. Governments, UN agencies and civil society must go beyond MDG 3 by advancing Gender Equality as a human rights issue and as an end in-and-of-itself. Particular attention should also be paid to young women from marginalized groups, such as HIV positive women, lesbians and gender non-conforming women.  

The post-2015 development agenda must integrate the sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) of young women and girls. Measurable, and specific SRR targets and indicators must be established, as a means of holding governments accountable to recognizing and promoting young people’s SRR. Such targets and indicators must consider the needs and rights of marginalized populations, including adolescent and young women, lesbians, and gender non-conforming women. Furthermore, any goal, target or indicator related to sexual and reproductive health and rights must include young women and adolescent girls’ access to safe, legal abortion. Looking beyond 2015, all laws that restrict or prohibit access to safe and comprehensive abortion services must be eliminated, and replaced with laws and policies that protect and respect women’s right to access safe and affordable abortion services, free of discrimination and stigma.

The post-2015 development agenda must hold governments accountable to creating laws, policies & programmes based on young women and girls’ rights, not numbers. All stakeholders must frame discussions regarding young women and girls as rights-holders, rather than a demographic. Young women and girls people are more than numbers, we are individuals who require legal protection through the respect and promotion of our human rights. When our rights are guaranteed, including our sexual and reproductive rights, we are better positioned to make free and informed decisions regarding our health, well-being and futures.

The post-2015 development agenda must empower young women, girls, and adolescent girls to ensure they are supported to participate in decision-making that affects their lives, access information, make free and informed decisions about their bodies and health, all free from coercion; this includes young women’s access to abortion services.

The post-2015 development agenda must include specific actions to eliminate all forms of violence, discrimination and stigma against women and girls. Perpetrating violence, discrimination and stigma is a gross violation of numerous human rights. All young women and girls have the right to live free of all forms of violence, in their homes, communities, schools, and all public spaces. Looking beyond 2015, governments, UN agencies, civil society and all stakeholders must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to all cases of violence, discrimination and stigma committed against young women and girls.   

The post-2015 development agenda must pay particular attention to the specific needs and rights of lesbians, bisexuals, transgeder, queer and gender non-conforming youth. Eliminating violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ youth is a human rights issue and is the responsibility of all governments, UN agencies, civil society and other stakeholders. The post-2015 development agenda must take active measures to recognize and uphold the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) youth by eliminating all laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTIQ youth, based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI); including criminalization based on SOGI.

The post-2015 development agenda must take a rights-based approach meaning it must be transparent, participatory, and non-discriminatory. A human rights based approach will ensure that the new framework is able to respond to and address inequalities, a capability that the MDGs lack. When the human rights of young people are guaranteed and promoted, they are better positioned to live free from violence and discrimination, access information and services and actively participate in decision-making that affects their lives. 

Submission by the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (YCSRR) 

www.youthcoalition.org

We would like to support the recommendations by others to ensure that the outcome of the ICPD beyond 2014 process is included in the development of the post-2015 development framework and we would urge the UN agencies to explain what mechanisms will be put in place to achieve this. Thanks for organizing this online consultation!

A successful strategy to change social norms is to target the younger generations and ensure that children are socialized in a more gender equitable way. This involves including a gender equality perspective in the most basic levels of education.  Other approaches that should be considered are: providing girls with safe spaces, education, skills, and opportunities, which will offer girls the opportunity to be leaders in their communities; and working with men and boys and teaching boys to be non-violent men, who will support and respect women and girls.  In order to ameliorate gender inequities, parents must also recognize the importance of investing in their daughters and  support the higher aspirations of girls to realize their dreams – of becoming teachers, engineers, artists, doctors and leaders.   

To target the most marginalized groups of women and girls and those facing multiple forms of discrimination, it is therefore important to go beyond traditional calls for more sex-disaggregated data. We must also ensure that data be analyzed to better reveal the situation of women and girls who experience multiple forms of discrimination and exclusion.  Girls, like all people, are not defined solely by their age and sex.  The most disadvantaged girls live with disabilities, live in the poorest communities, are part of indigenous or minority groups.  For example, girls with disabilities are less likely than boys with disabilities to attend school, and are often the least likely of all girls to attend school.

It is critical to adequately prepare girls for the 21st century economy, especially in middle income countries, where growing economic inequalities mean that the vast majority of the world’s poor now reside within these nations.  Education, training, and skills development are especially important. Girls must have increased access to science and technology education and training; filling the information, communication and technology gender gap is critical to meeting our global development goals. These types of changes can foster longer term transformations, and will contribute to narrowing global gender inequalities.

Equally important is the need to look at structural, policy, and infrastructure issues that perpetuate fundamental gender inequalities. This includes ensuring clean and accessible water and fuel, for example, as well as safe access to school with quality education. We must help pave paths to opportunity, work, and markets – equally, for both boys and girls.

UNICEF’s renewed focus on equity has placed gender equality at the centre of the on-going discourse to achieve results for all children, with a special emphasis on the most vulnerable and marginalized. This equity focus provides a unique opportunity to address remaining gaps, while building upon the recent achievements in integrating gender equality into the work of UNICEF, as well as the international community’s broader development goals. Working together – as donors, multilaterals, governments, civil society, private sector, professional, faith-based and other organizations – we must recognize that gender equality provides an essential context and precondition for inclusive human development. 

We are an NGO based in Bengaluru, India (www.itforchange.net) engaged in research, policy advocacy and field projects to work towards an equitable information society for marginalised groups, especially women, in the Global South. We feel that discussions on the deep structures that exclude and on the question of transformation must frame gender equality debates not only in relation to the macro context of globalisation, but also of the information or network society.

In the recent past, there has been a shift in the perceptions of feminist scholars and activists on the promise offered by ICTs for transforming gender relations. The skepticism and distrust of the earlier years has given way t an open embrace of ICT-based solutions for women's empowerment  and gender equality. However, we would like to highlight that an uncritical celebration of 'ICTs -as- effective-tools' may not be of much use. The need of the hour is an analytical perspective that can comprehend the nature of ICTs, identifying how digital technologies re-articulate existing structures of inequality, thereby creating new structures of exclusion, while also heralding spaces for transformation of traditional gender orders.  This structural approach will help in identifying the opportunities and challenges that the new techno-social paradigm offers for women's empowerment and gender equality. 

Our attempt to take such an 'information society' perspective to understand gender inequality can be found in our paper Reflecting on gender through the 'information society' prism (Draft) which can be accessed here, or by copy-pasting the below link to your browser:

http://www.itforchange.net/sites/default/files/ITfC/Reflecting%20on%20gender%20through%20the%20information%20society%20prism.pdf  

The abstract is reproduced below. 

This paper investigates the opportunities for gender equality that the information society offers, and the challenges it portends. In specific, it analyses the emerging structures of exclusion and transformation that impact gender equality in the emergent information society context. The paper also highlights the need for policy and practice frameworks to address the issues of 1. Promoting access and effective use of the internet and ICTs 2. Creating opportunity structures for women in the information society and 3. Building equitable techno-architectures, in order to promote gender equality and women's empowerment, in the current conjuncture. Finally, the paper recommends that the question of gender and ICTs must be addressed, while evolving the post-2015 global development agenda, in the following manner:

1) There should be a specific goal related to meaningful and effective use of ICTs and the Internet that is measured through gender sensitive targets and indicators. This should take into account the quality of access, and not just availability.

2) There should be a specific goal related to gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment that takes into account, access to and effective use of ICTs and the Internet as a target (and indicator) within the goal. Ensuring that the gender goal is not ICT blind is equally important, as access to and use of ICTs and Internet cannot be separated from the larger goal of women's empowerment in the contemporary information society.

We are an NGO based in Bengaluru, India (www.itforchange.net) engaged in research, policy advocacy and field projects to work towards an equitable information society for marginalised groups, especially women, in the Global South. We feel that discussions on the deep structures that exclude and on the question of transformation must frame gender equality debates not only in relation to the macro context of globalisation, but also of the information or network society.

In the recent past, there has been a shift in the perceptions of feminist scholars and activists on the promise offered by ICTs for transforming gender relations. The skepticism and distrust of the earlier years has given way t an open embrace of ICT-based solutions for women's empowerment  and gender equality. However, we would like to highlight that an uncritical celebration of 'ICTs -as- effective-tools' may not be of much use. The need of the hour is an analytical perspective that can comprehend the nature of ICTs, identifying how digital technologies re-articulate existing structures of inequality, thereby creating new structures of exclusion, while also heralding spaces for transformation of traditional gender orders. This structural approach will help in identifying the opportunities and challenges that the new techno-social paradigm offers for women's empowerment and gender equality.

Our attempt to take such an 'information society' perspective to understand gender inequality can be found in our paper Reflecting on gender through the 'information society' prism (Draft) which can be accessed at:

http://www.itforchange.net/sites/default/files/ITfC/Reflecting%20on%20gender%20through%20the%20information%20society%20prism.pdf

The abstract is reproduced below.

This paper investigates the opportunities for gender equality that the information society offers, and the challenges it portends. In specific, it analyses the emerging structures of exclusion and transformation that impact gender equality in the emergent information society context. The paper
also highlights the need for policy and practice frameworks to address the issues of 1. Promoting access and effective use of the internet and ICTs 2. Creating opportunity structures for women in the information society and 3. Building equitable techno-architectures, in order to promote gender
equality and women's empowerment, in the current conjuncture. Finally, the paper recommends that the question of gender and ICTs must be addressed, while evolving the post-2015 global development agenda, in the following manner:
1) There should be a specific goal related to meaningful and effective use of ICTs and the Internet that is measured through gender sensitive targets and indicators. This should takeinto account the quality of access, and not just availability.
2) There should be a specific goal related to gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment that takes into account, access to and effective use of ICTs and the Internet as a target (and indicator) within the goal. Ensuring that the gender goal is not ICT blind is equally important, as access to and use of ICTs and Internet cannot be separated from the larger goal of women's empowerment in the contemporary information society.

Recommendations for the Post-2015 Development Agenda by the International Center for Research on Women

The post-2015 global development paradigm should build on the successes of the MDGs, make space for realizing goals that have not been met, and provide a more integrated framework for achieving progress on key elements that were not (at least originally) reflected in the MDGs, but are critical to achieving gender equality. Specifically, theInternational Centerfor Research on Women (ICRW) puts forward the following recommendations for the post-MDG framework:

• Protect and Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The post-2015 framework must incorporate sexual and reproductive health and rights as critically important components of achieving gender equality, poverty alleviation and global development. The new framework is an opportunity to build on the momentum gained since the incorporation of universal access to reproductive health as MDG 5.b, as well as to take into account the conclusions of global reviews of the ICPD Programme of Action and Beijing Platform for Action that will take place in 2012-2015. 
• Prevent Gender-Based Violence: Gender-based violence remains a global scourge and a crippling manifestation of inequality. The post-2015 framework must include explicit targets for violence prevention and response as a component of gender equality from the global south to the north, in humanitarian, development and developed country settings.
• End Child Marriage: Child marriage is a human rights abuse and a crippling development challenge. It is estimated that in the next decade 142 million girls will be married before their 18^th birthday (UNFPA 2012). The next global development framework should protect adolescent girls’ rights and foster their healthy transitions to adulthood, with a particularly strong focus on ending child marriage and supporting married adolescents, thereby advancing key health, education and other development goals.
• Invest in women’s economic advancement: Significant progress was made over the past decade in acknowledging and supporting women’s substantial contributions to household and national economies, and in poverty reduction. Achieving gender equality requires renewed commitment and increased investments as large numbers of women worldwide remain in poverty, and gender gaps persist in wages, asset ownership and access to economic opportunities. Investments in women should take a comprehensive approach accounting for formal and informal sector employment, rural and urban settings and the transitions between them as they offer opportunities for women, growth and development.
• Integrate and Coordinate: Before the Millennium Development Goals charter expires, the world will mark the 20^th anniversaries of the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo) and the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing), as it has just observed the 20^th anniversary of the Rio Conference on Sustainable Development. These conferences and their associated policy frameworks have been as crucial to global development as the Millennium Development Goals have been, and the recommendations put forward by the international community during their reviews should not take place in isolation. Rather, global leaders must ensure that the next development paradigm references and builds on the critical rights and development milestones that were enshrined in the ICPD Programme of Action, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the UN Conference on Environment and Development platforms. As important, those involved in the post-2015 framework must incorporate the findings and recommendations that come from their 20-year reviews. 

I would like to address two of the proposed questions based on the experience of the MDG Achievement Fund. The MDG-F is an international cooperation mechanism whose aim is to accelerate progress on the MDGs worldwide. Established in December 2006 with a generous contribution of USD 710M from the Spanish Government to the UN system, the Fund supports national governments, local authorities and citizen organizations in their efforts to tackle poverty and inequality (more information www.mdgfund.org ).

This contribution is done jointly by the Fund Secretariat and the partners involved in the analysis and dissemination of lessons emanating from the implementation of the Fund’s Dual Strategy for Gender Equality, which are UNDP/Gender Team and UNWomen.

In the framework of the Fund’s Knowledge Management initiative, these partners have gathered and analyzed evidence generated by 128 Joint Programmes, 13 of which have gender equality as its main goal while the rest mainstream, more or less effectively, the gender perspective.   

What kinds of policies, strategies or interventions have been most successful in addressing the various inequalities experienced by women and girls? And under which conditions/in which situations have particular policies, strategies or interventions had the greatest, lasting impact?

Interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches have facilitated holistic responses to the complex social and cultural dynamics that perpetuate the various inequalities experienced by women and girls. Evidence from the 13 gender targeted joint programmes shows that overall, coordinated and well-planned multi-sectoral approaches increase the potential for transformation of gendered power relations towards equality between men and women.

In many countries, these programmes have represented a great opportunity to break new ground and demonstrate how a multi-sectoral approach can contribute to gender equality addressing, for instance, Gender Based Violence (GBV), one of the worst manifestations of gender inequality.

Some examples: First-ever National Surveys on VAW (Vietnam and Guatemala) that produced the first- ever data set as a main source of the first National Study on Domestic Violence Against Women. First-ever National Strategy to Combat Violence Against Women (OPT) was developed as a national strategy (2011–2019) using a bottom-up approach over the span of a two year period; First-ever shelter for victims of domestic violence in Gaza; First Law against Domestic Violence and National Action Plans on GBV and Human Trafficking (Timor-Leste). Supported the largest and most extensive advocacy and campaign, technical support, and other capacity building efforts provided in formulation, approval, promulgation and implementation of the Law; First large advocacy campaign involving men and boys (Colombia). Based on a study by the programme on Social and Institutional Tolerance of GBV Educational Communication strategy (first Inter-Institutional Communication Committee to prevent VAW, Campaigns at regional/local level, training media on changing attitudes); First attempts at harmonizing GBV data from different sources into national data systems with common indicators including on race and ethnicity (Brazil, Vietnam, Namibia and Bangladesh); First tools to support reporting on GBV included free reporting hotlines (Namibia) and introduction of mobile phones for reporting GBV (Bangladesh).

Key factors for the success of multi-sectoral approaches are, first, the engagement with central ministries, such as those responsible for finance and planning. This improves the prospect for sustainability in management of future donor contributions and in allocation of national budgets. And, second, the involvement of UNCT Gender Theme Groups, who significantly contributed to interagency and multi-sectorial approaches through advocacy within their own agencies, as well as through team building with national partners, including the media.

What are some successful approaches for tackling the social norms that cause and perpetuate gender based inequalities, including innovative strategies for working with men and boys to promote gender equality?

The MDG-F Gender Programmes have shown the significant potential of concurrently addressing women’s immediate and practical needs for education, security and health while also supporting strategic transformational change. Programmes that were able to create a balance between tangible and short-term desired results, strategic higher level changes such as legislation or changes in social norms, as well as capacity development and awareness among key stakeholders and decision-makers demonstrated the most potential for sustainability and impact. Strategic change promotes women and girls as capable, respected and informed actors in the development of their families, communities and countries, and works in the medium to long term to transform social and cultural norms.  In order to maintain government interest and investment in gender equality, gender programming should combine strategic longer term conceptual results with short term tangible and more practical gains for beneficiaries.

1. How should the Post-2015 development framework address the needs of specific groups of women, especially those from the most marginalized groups and those facing multiple forms of discrimination?

Assistance from more affluent countries to help subsidize those from poorer countries in forms of providing education, work opportunity and empowering the affected party so they can have equal opportunity and be self-reliant.

2. What are the gender norms in your society and how do these impede gender equality? What are some successful approaches for tackling the social norms that cause and perpetuate gender based inequalities, including innovative strategies for working with men and boys to promote gender equality?

In the Thai society, women should be the hind legs of the elephant with the men in the lead. It is something the fairer sex had been imbued since a child. Although the issue of gender equality has progressed e.g. married women can opt to carry their family name; there are legislations to punish offenders of domestic violence and no longer treated solely as a family issue not to be brought public. There has been campaign to educate the men and boys to treat women and girls with respect. The innovative strategies could be to incorporate into popular songs and plays, and make it less serious with variety of presentation to different age groups.

Achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health is essential for achieving gender equality, and for overcoming the inequalities in health and wider well-being experienced by disadvantaged groups because of their income, race/ethnicity, age etc.

There are an estimated 222 million women in developing countries with an unmet need for modern contraception. These are women of reproductive age who are sexually active and wish to avoid pregnancy but are not using a modern contraceptive method. Ensuring that women have the ability to plan and space their pregnancies is critical for women’s human rights and for advancing gender equality. Achieving universal access to family planning services and information, including a range of contraceptive methods, will advance women’s health and increase women's opportunities for education, employment and full participation in society. Addressing unmet need for contraception will significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Maternal mortality and morbidity is a health burden that undermines gender equality and disproportionately affects the poorest and most marginalised women in society.

The post-2015 development framework must place inequalities at the heart of the approach, with a focus on the most marginalised groups. Unequal access to sexual and reproductive health services, as well as wider health services, exacerbate the health inequalities and poverty experienced by marginalised women including young women, poor women, disabled women, women discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, and women living in rural areas.

Investment in family planning is extremely cost-effective and can be seen as a ‘win-win’ for women and for wider development. Addressing unmet need for voluntary family planning services, by preventing unplanned pregnancies reduces the costs of meeting other development interventions. For every dollar spent in family planning, it is estimated that between 2 and 6 US dollars can be saved in interventions aimed at achieving other development goals. Development priorities that investments in family planning offer the potential to advance include: maternal and newborn health, gender equality, elimination of poverty and hunger, education, HIV/AIDS and environmental sustainability. This emphasises the centrality and cross-cutting nature of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights for sustainable development.

Ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and adolescents must be a priority, and is relevant to issues such as forced marriage, teenage pregnancy and the associated implications for girls’ and women’s human rights, education, poverty etc. Girls and young women in particular face a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health information, services and education appropriate to their needs.

I would also like to highlight the importance of rights-based approaches to sexual and reproductive health promotion, and to wider interventions promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality. This approach is important for positively influencing gender norms that undermine progress towards women’s equality. Rights-based sexual and reproductive health programmes includes addressing issues such as sexual violence and other interventions that seek to promote behaviour change through changing the social norms underlying gendered power inequalities. There should also be a focus on education strategies that encompass rights-based ethos within programmes to increase people’s understanding of rights and instil a sense of entitlement, as well as establishment of means for ensuring accountability and redress of rights violations.

Sarah Fisher, Population and Sustainability Network

All over Central andEastern Europewomen from ethnic minorities (especially Roma women), women living in remote, rural areas, migrants, members of sexual minorities, disable women face intersectional discrimination in access to resources and services. This is especially evident in access to sexual and reproductive rights and health. To stop this discrimination it is most importantly to

1. to recognize, implement and reinforce the commitments accepted in 1994 and 1999 and reaffirmed in 2004 and2009, inparticular their promise to promote and achieve sustainable development through SRHR agenda and recognizing its critical role in improving women's status and eliminating gender inequality;
2. to renew their commitment to making available the full range of contraceptive methods (including emergency contraception); to promote condoms, including female condoms, as dual protection method; to guarantee the full range of abortion services and post-abortion care; the full range of services that prevent maternal deaths, especially emergency obstetric care services and adequately equipped facilities; and the full range of services to identify and to treat victim-survivors of gender-based violence;

1. to mainstream SRHR policies into already existing national machineries, national policies and national plans in a cohesive manner;
2. to align national SRHR policies throughout the region to provide universal access to full range of contraceptive methods and abortion services, pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity interventions, addressing STIs and HIV/AIDS, reproductive cancers, and to raise awareness of male responsibility in sexual and reproductive health, as well as to enunciate measures against stigma and discrimination in access to SRHR services;
3. to inform SRHR policies with intersectional analysis; to found those on data measuring based on reproductive rights indicators, and to include vulnerable/marginalized groups, and to use qualitative research input in order to ensure that these policies are continually relevant;
4. to base policy reviews on human rights paradigms (These can build on the 2009 call by the UN Human Rights Council to recognize preventable maternal mortality and morbidity as human rights violations, and on the 2009 NGO Berlin Call to Action by the SRHR community to address deaths resulting from unsafe abortions also as a human rights issue) in order to ensure that sexual and reproductive health are being recognized as human rights, and that governments are obliged to fulfill them, regardless of economic climate or political change.
5. to develop comprehensive and clear regulations that define and regulate conscientious objection issue with regard to health and medical services, including reproductive health services, as well as to provide oversight and monitoring, including effective complaint mechanisms, of the practice of conscientious objection.

5. to guarantee implementation of SRHR policies through assuring functionality of health systems, providing adequate budgets, training for human resources and updated training and curriculum for health professionals;

Prevailing traditional perception of gender norms and stereotypes further obstructs access of women living in Central and Eastern Europeto education, health care, labour market and exposes women to various harmful practices like early marriage. Early marriage is a problem in Armenia Azerbaijan, Georgia, and some parts of Russian Federation. Of girls between 15 and 19 years of age, 13% were married, divorced or widowed in Azerbaijan, and 11% in Russian Federation[1]. Also inBulgaria,Hungary, andRomania early marriage and childbirth forces Roma girls to drop out of school. In order to curb these problems, it is necessary to:

1. Collect data on women‘s access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and address gaps in implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action;
2. Review, amend and implement laws and policies to address the needs and realities of  young women and men, girls and boys, and to uphold human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights;
3. Address the impact of religious extremism on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for women, young people, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex persons and other vulnerable groups by removing legal and policy barriers pertaining to young people’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights based in political and cultural conservatism;
4. Unequivocally endorse, sustain and scale up domestic resources for the implementation of comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights interventions for adolescents and young people in the region;
5. Fulfill the right of adolescents and young people to universal access to a continuum of quality care and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, supplies and information, through all levels of healthcare and public provisioning;
6. Provide universal comprehensive sexuality education and youth friendly health services. Ensure full participation of young people in the process of developing such programmes and insitutions. Create a system of accountability and transparency to monitor the status of comprehensive sexuality education in respective countries and develop mechanisms to ensure that these initiatives reflect needs of young people and adolescents;
7. Improve all levels of education and training systems and invest stronger policy efforts in order to improve youth employment;
8. Meaningfully engage non-governmental organisations and progressive social movements as equal partners in development at all levels, particularly youth-led groups, and ensure an enabling environment for their work.

Good day everyone,

My organization has given some considerable thought to this and would like to present based on questions 4-5 from week 1 that also coincides with questions for Week 2. The response is kept relatively brief, as we had a lot to outline:

Gender Inequality: Moving the agenda forward for women Post 2015

  La question du genre renvoie aux rôles sociaux, aux comportements, aux activités aux particularités et surtout au non dits de la femme. la femme subie et ne parle, l'homme s'exprime et décide..... Simone de Beauvoir disait "On ne naît pas femme on le devient" d'ou une  rupture entre le (( biologique )) et le (( social ))!!! car si le biologique est un acquis le social peut être changé par le biais d'actions individuelles ou collectives. La femme sort de son silence et dans la rue elle revendique ses droits les plus usuels .......Le mouvement des femmes en Tunisie, peut être considéré comme rejoignant plus globalement le mouvement féministe international même si le contexte et les revendications sont parfois différents. Les mouvements des femmes et/ ou féministes en Tunisie ont un double objectifs améliorer le droit des femmes, notamment l'accès au travail, et réduire l'impunité des violences faites aux femmes notamment domestiques. Mais aussi dans le changement des mentalités et dans la modification des rapports entre les deux sexes, en vue d'atteindre l'égalité totale entre les hommes et les femmes, sans domination des uns sur les autres. Le projet est donc bien une transformation en profondeur de la société, les mouvements féministes, et/ou de femmes sont donc bien des mouvements sociaux. La femme tunisienne a eu la chance de rencontrer un homme leader Habib Bouguiba ex président de la république qui a eu le mérite de promulguer le statut de la femme tunisienne  de1956.  la pilule loi est passée sans problème sans casse, le Président successeur a fait de son mieux, il a sauvegardé les acquis de la femme et a essayé de donner une image moderne de la femme de tunisienne............23 ans après et suite à la révolution tunisienne du 14 janvier 2011 une autre génération est venue au pouvoir avec une connotation islamique a essayé de modifier les statuts de la femme et à intégrer la charia "le coran" dans la politique et du coût les valeurs socio économiques de la femme sont menacés , elle revient dans la rue qui n'est plus comme avant et sans leader politique elle coupe le chemin à une mentalité qui la renvoie 100 ans en arrière.....

Les relations de genre ne seraient pas seulement présentes dans les dimensions de la construction sociale, c'est-à-dire les comportements, les statuts, les gouts, les rôles... Mais elles sont aussi dans les symboles, les valeurs, les émotions rattachées au féminin et au masculin. Les cadres symboliques rendant les oppositions féminin/masculins naturelle. Ainsi depuis (il semblerait) presque toujours et dans de nombreuses sociétés cette dichotomie fondée sur le biologique existe et est largement répandue. Le féminin serait associé dans de nombreuses cultures à la «  Nature : la reproduction, et soins de l'enfant. Alors que le masculin lui est associé à la « Culture » et aux tâches intellectuelles et physiques. Un des arguments les plus fréquents est de dire que la nature détermine la culture. La femme serait physiquement plus faible que l'homme et aurait un cerveau plus petit, c'est pourquoi naturellement elle serait destinée à des tâches différentes que celles des hommes. Cet argument est scientifiquement contesté. La division des tâches relève donc plus d'une division politique et de pouvoir que d'une division biologique.

De plus une mauvaise interprétation de la religion, une éducation de l'homme sur des principes de l'inégalité de sexes, une utilisation massive des droits de la femme comme tremplin politique, un double discours des décideurs, une absence totale des médias et de la société civile, ...rendent le chemin de batail encore plus long, la femme qui est devenus responsable est indépendante financièrement court à droite et à gauche entre la cuisine, les enfants et le boulou est fatiguée jusqu’a regretté le jour ou un jour en 1956  est sortie dans la rue et a rencontré le leader Habib Bourguiba!!!

My comment stems from my my experinece in capacity building for gender sensitzation, gender mainstraming and gender just organisations. These activities are conducted with both the private (NGO/CBO) and public sector officials in Pakistan. Most of the times it is not accepted by educated/elite class wo/men that their subconscious portrayal of male dominance stems from their own mind-sets. Why is it difficult for them to fathom that their spontaneous reactions are based on their subconscious, deep-rooted attitudes, on the roles of the sexes instilled from their early years at the expense of their conscious knowledge. How do we change the mind sets of the elites?

Dear all in response
to second week questions ,I would like to add the following:

1. How forms
        of gender based inequalities intersect with inequality based on
        income, race/ethnicity, age, location, disability, and sexual orientation.
        How should the Post-2015 development framework address the needs of
        specific groups of women, especially those from the most marginalized
        groups and those facing multiple forms of discrimination?

Various studies and reports done by researchers and international
organizations have found that unemployment and poverty increases among people
living in  refugee camps in
oPt over those living in villages and cities ( and hear I would like to explain
that 3 generations are living in these refugees camps, constructed since the
plight of the Palestinian people in 1948). In addition many other studies I have
done on status of graduates of TVET, and other people conducted on graduates in
general, which showed that most graduates got employment through their
relationships to friends and family, a mean that forbids the poor and those
with minimum relation to influential people to find jobs, for organizations
believing in their work addressing the poor, and I was leading some of these,
we introduced apprenticeship training and increased the time of internship, and
found that second means of finding employment for women was through place of
training before graduation,  for graduates
coming from poor families and remote areas, this was the second means as well.

I think if policy people are sensitive to these inequalities,
then they can find means to address them, I think the most important part of
policies and strategies in post 2015 is to relay on agents of change, for me
they are the people who believes in what they do not the staff employed to implement
a gender or poverty project which they don’t believe in. In addition to look
for means to study and document pilots implemented in NGOs and through projects
and try to scale up such means and methods

Secondly Regarding inequalities, women under military occupation
suffering from daily measures can’t be equal to women few kilometers way, living
in prosperity out of the fruits of this occupation, I think this distinction
have to be clear, women who are living under occupation are suffering various impediments
and have to plan her life and daily routine differently than those women part
of the occupying country that hold obligation and responsibility for what is
going on to the other women, ie not only location matters but women’s position
to power do matter, women who are legally and morally responsible should be
held accountable, yes we are suffering as women from inequalities all over the
globe, but in added to this women are suffering in different nations based on
class, political affiliation, and identity.

Regarding second question, Gender norms in Palestine is
the second important obstacle to women equality, were women are allowed by law
for inheritance, yet due to norms and traditions she would not be allowed to
take her inherittance, this is true in most communities here, but specialy in
rural areas. On  the other hand rate of
eduaction for women is high, she consists over 50% of university graduates yet
in the job market she is 16%, main obstacle is persception to women’s work, by
family, society and employer, and that her main duty in family caring stops her
from accessing jobs, or progressing in these jobs, I have done various studies
in this regard.

So again documentation of success stories, and using media
to disseminate this info is of importance. And not only addressing policy
people to change laws works, but addressing grass roots and working from
bottom-up would address the perception and would work on changing attitudes.
Education that is human rights based would also work as important catalyst for
change.

Hi everyone,

I believe that gender inequality fundamental problem is education. Many many many of women are forced to marry in young age because they only join school in few years, only in primary school. These women then become vulnerable with the men they're married to because they depend on their finance with the husbands. Imagine if these women get enough education. Imagine if she finishes school until high school. I think as stronger she's based on her education, she become less smarter, less dependent and less vulnarable. The government of India has a regulation that girl should study in school until 10 standard while men only until 7 standard. From the report I read, this approach has succeeded to delay year of marriage as well as increasing their knowledge so that thay are less vulnerable.   

Etant donné que la base de développement d'un pays est l'agriculture, domaine priviligié des femmes, les gouvernements devraient mettre des terres à exploiter à la disposition des femmes tout comme des hommes. mettre les moyens d'exploitation des produits issus de la récolte afin de réduir la pauvreté des femmes. Ce programme devra être bien ventilé et informé à tous les niveaux.

Mandana Hendessi
 

12 07 Working With Men & Boy Survivors.pdf

Description:

I would like to add these publications to our discussion as they would, in my view, help us define gender-based violence in conflict and the survivors.

By FORDI - Forum for Rights and Diversity

A network of 30 Danish development organisations working to increase focus on and strengthen the work of combating inequality, poverty and marginalization in a development context.

Despite the fact that gender equality is a core human right, way too many women do not enjoy the same rights as men. Globally, women constitute the largest discriminated-against group. Discrimination against women leads to increased poverty, greater inequality, lower economic growth, more cases of HIV and AIDS and poor political governance. Women represent a huge force of change in poor countries. If women had the same rights and opportunities as men in the world's poorest countries, it would mean less poverty and more growth. So why are women not having the same rights as men?

The answer is of course not easy, but the answer may be rooted in cultural and traditional norms and an anxiety and a reluctance to change. There are many barriers that need to be overcome before women can enjoy the same rights as men, for example:

Women’s rights and legislation: There is a need to anchor gender equality and non-discrimination between women and men in the constitution and in the legal framework in general. Legislation needs to be based on international human rights standards and norms and take into account structural forms of inequality and discrimination, which may not be resolved by formal equality and may require specific laws.

The economic exclusion: Women often do not own the land they cultivate, and therefore cannot borrow money. Women account for 66% of all the world's work and produce 50% of all food, but women earn only 10% of the world's income and own only 1% of all property. As a result of discriminatory customary laws and traditional practises, widows in many countries are excluded from inheriting property and other assets.

Access to information and illiteracy: Women often don’t have access to information and out of the world's 776 million illiterate 66% are women. This means that they often are highly unaware of their rights – and how can you claim or fight for something you do not know that you are entitled to?

Political participation: Gender roles and social status, illiteracy, division of domestic work, poverty, pressure from family members, harassment, violence, electoral fraud, and lack of civil liberties are examples of factors that have a negative impact on women's political participation. An increase in the number of women being elected to parliaments is almost always a result of a quota system - the global average for women in parliaments is 19.5%. From 2010 to 2011, the number of women in parliaments increased by 0.5%. If this pace continues it will take more than sixty years before there is equal representation in parliaments worldwide. However, it is not only a matter of representation as the few women who get voted into positions of influence often are excluded from informal forums for decision-making.

Reproductive and sexual Rights: In many places women and girls have no – or limited reproductive rights. They have no or limited access to contraception, and they cannot choose how many children they want to have. Hundreds of thousands of women die each year in pregnancy and childbirth.

Violence against women: Up to 70% of women experience gender based violence in their lifetime, and for women between 16-44 years, physical or sexual violence is a frequent cause of death and pose a greater risk than traffic accidents, cancer and malaria. Politically active women often become targets of physical and psychological violence and intimidation, such as forced virginity testing, rape or attempts at discrediting their personalities. This leads to withdrawal of women from political and civic activism and discourages other women from asserting their right to participate in political and public life and seek positions of influence.

Unequal social relations and power structures: Dictate unequal access to resources, claims, responsibilities, decision making etc. Socially constructed gender norms prevent both men and women from enjoying their full potential and equal opportunities in social, political and economic spheres. Especially, people who fall outside the gender norms of the majority, like LGBT, face discrimination and restricted opportunities. Therefore power structures, social relations and institutions need to change.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Gender equality is a fundamental human right and respect for and promotion of human rights standards and norms must be integrated wide in the Post-2015 framework.

• Gender equality must be implemented and mainstreamed across the whole Post-2015 Development framework and not reduced in a single goal.

• Women from all levels of society, in particular those living in poverty, must be involved in the prioritisation, design and implementation of initiatives to promote their rights.

• Focus on active constructive involvement of men in the work for gender equality is a necessity if we want to overcome the challenges of gender inequality. Good information and awareness building for both men and women about their rights, roles and responsibilities is absolutely essential.

• There is a need for changes in attitudes and appreciation of women's potentials, rights and opportunities and also allowing for alternative ways to exercise masculinity. It generates a need to work more directly with the attitudes of both men and women. There is a need to change power structures, social relations and institutions and men need to be actively involved in forming that change.

• Targeted efforts to increase women's political participation - both as voters and as candidates in elections – on local, regional and international levels. One way could be to actively involve, train and support local interest groups, networks and organizations, working for equal representation in local governments.

• Support to women who are active in politics and civic action should take into consideration the social risks of alienation in the local community and family, the psychological risk of being subjected to rumours and smear campaigns as well as the risk of physical violence. Interventions should establish protection mechanisms as well as support structures for women in need of counselling, legal advice and medical support.

• Appropriately disaggregated data on all citizens must be collected. This is in order to track inequality and progress – or lack of progress. Disaggregated data can help document the different levels of progress within and between different countries and marginalised (and/or vulnerable) groups. An increased support for the establishment of gender statistics can for example contribute to a more nuanced picture of women's and men's participation in elections and their voting behaviour.   

• Targeted effort to support the sexual and reproductive rights of women and men to exercise their right to self determination in relation to sexuality and reproduction including accessible gender sensitive information and services must be prioritised.

•  Using CEDAW and other human rights mechanism to fight violence against women including working on amending national laws in countries where domestic violence including marital rape is not criminalized.

1)      L’inégalité du genre est un problème qui porte plusieurs visages. Cette inégalité entraine des graves conséquences sur le plan humain et social pour des milliers des femmes et des enfants. La violence conjugale  est un fléau endémique bien qu’il soit très souvent banalisé, elle constitue un frein majeur aux objectifs du développement humain et du développement durable.

2)      La socialisation des hommes et des jeunes garçons est l’une des causes de la violence fondée sur le genre au Niger. Il existe d’autres facteurs qui expliquent la violence contre les femmes : la dépendance économique des femmes envers les hommes, l’accès limités à l’éducation, le statut inferieur de la femme défini par la loi et les coutumes, le manque de compréhension pour les problèmes des femmes par les forces de l’ordre et le système judiciaire…

3)      Des vastes campagnes de sensibilisation et d’information doivent être orchestrées aux populations. Aider les parents à comprendre et respecter les droits de filles, offrir un espace aux femmes afin qu’elles puissent s’informer et échanger sur leur droits et devoirs. Aider les femmes à avoir une autonomie financière et favoriser la scolarisation.

4)      Les recommandations les plus importantes à mon avis seront d’organiser des conférences, des rencontres dans le but de changer les mentalités des hommes pour qu’ils voient les femmes d’une autre manière. Eduquer les garçons dans le sens de considérer les filles comme eux et non de les voir comme des êtres inferieur à eux comme le défini les lois et coutumes. Impliquer aussi les leaders religieux dans cette démarches.

Hello Guys, I am delighted we are expressing and taking Gender as one of the top priorities because it has been a challenge to me during many of my children and youth on behalf of UNICEF Rural Voices of Youth since 2009 till 2011.Currently be been the Global Youth Digital Advocate for post-2015 Development Agenda actually galvanising young people across the globe to address the thematic.  That said and done lets keep the momentum ruling and here you have my skype id:ntiokam.divine for better reach out. Thanks once more to the entire UN Family to establish this educative, informative and enhancing platform to get post-2015 a success, I say this is a UNIQUE opportunity for children and youth to express their challenges and enable concrete solutions to be addressed in creating the World We Want.For your information we have been to encourage youths to organise consultations such Nairobi (Nov 12-16,2012),Maputo (Dec 10-14th,2012),Yaounde (Feb 08-10,2013),Free -town (Marc 19-21,2013), and prior to this we are planning to get voices of young people heard during the UNFCCC Climate Change Negotiations , COP18 in Doha ,Nov 27- Dec6 ,2012. The Time is NOW!!! Lets Stop Talking.Start Planting.Making Noise for the MDGs.