Daughters of the World

Women in the World Women’s rights as only an issue in religious countries? Women’s rights not an issue at all anymore? Women’s rights are an indicator of global well-being

Decade of Women Slogan Women do 2/3 of the world's work, receive 10 percent of the world's income, and own 1 percent of the means of production.

What does it mean to be a woman in this world?

Women and Poverty 77 cents on the dollar for every full time male dollar African American women and Hispanic women earning 68 and 57 cents respectively. Two out of every three poor adults are women.

Feminization of Poverty Production of foodstuff Housework Childcare

Some Shocking Truth In Africa and the Middle East, Female Genital Mutilation still continues — endured by an estimated 130 million women. Last year, an estimated 5,000 girls were put to death because they were victims of rape. Two million girls younger than 15 became sex slaves — forced into prostitution.

Some Shocking Truth In Jordan, Morocco and Syria, women who commit adultery can legally be killed by their husbands. In Ethiopia, Lebanon and Uruguay, there are laws that will protect a rapist from prosecution, but only if he decides to marry his victim. India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Serbia still have laws allowing marital rape. A wife in Israel can't seek a divorce without her husband's permission.

Some Shocking Truth In Pakistan, three out of four women in jail are there because they were raped. In Bangladesh, authorities estimate three to five women each week are assaulted in what they call acid attacks. In the poorest parts of India, girls—some as young as ten—are sold into prostitution, sometimes by their own families.

More Equality Over Time? Trends are moving in the other direction More than 1 billion women live in poverty today

Poverty and Women’s Rights Basic needs unfulfilled Unsafe and unhealthy environment Job discrimination Unable to own or inherit property Denied equal access to education Unable to decide on number and spacing of children Unequal share of raising children

UN Efforts UN Charter CSW CEDAW MDGs

"...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field” (CEDEAW, Article 1).

SIGNATORY COMMITMENTS to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system; to abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women; to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.

equality between men and women political and public life education, health and employment reproductive rights nationality rights trafficking in women exploitation of women

As of March 2006, 182 countries - over ninety percent of the members of the United Nations - are party to the Convention. Latest Signature: San Marino, 26 September 2003 Latest Accession: Marshall Islands , 2 March 2006

Millennium Development Goals "The Millennium Development Goals were adopted by all the world's Governments as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century" Kofi Annan.

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Ensure environmental sustainability Develop a global partnership for development

The Millennium Development Goals 3) Promote gender equality and empower women

Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Target: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005 and to all levels of education no later than 2015. Indicators: Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education Ratio of literate females to males of 15-24 year olds Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

Gender Mainstreaming “a strategy for making women's as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policies and programs in all political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated” (ECOSOC, 1997).

Gender Mainstreaming Priorities include: monitoring MDGs with a 'gender lens'; promoting gender-sensitive budgeting; reducing the incidence of HIV among vulnerable women; engendering macroeconomic policies and trade negotiations; promoting women's empowerment through democratic governance, decentralization and civil society participation; and developing women's capacities through training, knowledge-sharing and networking.

Changing Roles of Women: International System Impacts Leadership on women’s issues Increased security Impact on children Impact on economy Increased stability of global economy Reduced likelihood of conflict

Every woman and girl is entitled to the realization of all human rights -- civil, political, economic, social and cultural -- on equal terms with men, free from discrimination.

Thank you!