ITEM 8 – FOLLOW UP TO AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION
Interactive Dialogue with the Panel
on Gender Perspective in the Work of the Human Rights Council - 20 Sept.
2007
JOINT STATEMENT of 14 NGOs delivered
by Conchita Poncini, International Federation of University Women on behalf of:
International Federation of University Women, Pan Pacific and South East Asia
Women’s Association, International Federation of Business and Professional
Women, Women’s International Zionist Organisation, Women’s Federation for World
Peace International, Zonta International,, Women’s International League for
Peace and Freedom, Worldwide Women’s Organisation, Agence des Cités Pour la
Coopération Nord-Sud, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les
peoples, Anglican Consultative Council, Bangwe Dialogue, International Council
of Women, Women’s World Summit Foundation.
- We
have an abundance of international principles and norms calling for
mainstreaming gender equality in all areas. Yet there is a dearth of information on
national legislation and practice that have gender-based discrimination
because of the use of wrong terminologies or simple manipulation of
language. There are also practices
that prima facie are gender neutral, but when examined with an
equality lens, one could identify
protection or promotion gaps.
To illustrate, a woman doing the same work as a man next to her
receives lower wages simply because the classification of her job falls
within the unskilled category while her male co-worker’s job
classification falls in the category of specialised skill. Would the panel consider that the
appointment of a special rapporteur on Gender Justice be advisable to
examine legislation with a view to identifying such gender discriminatory
clauses that impede the realisation and enjoyment of equal rights of women
and men in all spheres of life?
- Gender
equal perspective in the UPR should be scrupulously respected by a
systemic method of gathering and
reviewing data and information disaggregated by sex and age.
- The
importance of a two-pronged approach, one towards gender equality
mainstreaming as an institutional process and the other on specific
women’s rights cannot be overlooked because if one takes only a gender
perspective, women’s reproductive role as a contribution to social and
economic development would not be recognised as a responsibility of
society to protect and to stimulate in the same manner as military service
of men. Using models of best
practices are a way to promoting on the one hand gender equality and on
the other hand substantive women’s rights.
Example is legislation on parental leave in Nordic countries based
on the “choose or lose” principle which are non-transferable rights that
encourage equal sharing of family and work responsibilities;
- The
Commission on Human Rights had a standing agenda item on gender integration into all the UN
system from a human rights-based approach.
This is an institutional guarantee to ensure a gender equal
perspective in all the sessions of the Council throughout the year. It
needs however an accountability system where a chart is established to
trace quantitative and qualitative progress or slippage accompanied by
some form of sanction or reward, otherwise the exercise will remain a lip
service and absence of a political will. We highly recommend that such a
panel becomes a regular feature in the Council as an impact assessment
tool.
- It
is not enough to have a gender balance composition in the Special
Procedures, Expert Advisory Services or the UPR and Complaints
Procedure. Mandate holders have to
have empathy and not mere sympathy.
For this to be ensured, some technical gender awareness and
sensitivity training have to be provided to mandate holders in particular
to those mandates where one can immediately determine gender discrimination.
How would the panel see this capacity building exercise taking place?
Would you suggest collective training to stimulate raising innovative idea
and questions. I propose that the Office of the High
Commissioner be charged with looking at what methods by UN bodies and specialised agencies
have been proven successful, e.g. ILO, UNFPA, WFP, UNIFEM, UNICEF.
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