Inter-American Commission of Women
-
Upload
jeanette-brown -
Category
Documents
-
view
19 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Inter-American Commission of Women
Strategic Vision of the OAS Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) Hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender
equality
Inter-American Commission of Women
Established in 1928: – Mission: Analysis of the status of women in the Americas
First intergovernmental body to promote women's rights
The only hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender equality
34 Principal Delegates, one for each OAS member state (Minister for the Advancement of Women or equivalent)
1900s 2000s
Establishment and strengthening of the legal framework for women's
rights
From talk to action:Implementation of the legal
framework
Bases for the Work of the CIM
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women (CEDAW)
Inter-American Convention on Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of
Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará)
PURPOSETo support states seeking to harmonize international agreements on women's rights and gender equality with domestic legislation and effective public policy
Equality and nondiscrimination
Strategic Plan of the CIM 2011-2016
Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women's Human Rights
and Gender Equity and Equality (PIA)
Human rights
Progress:
Strong international and inter-American legal framework for women's human rights and gender equality
– Ratified by all countries in the region, except for the USA (CEDAW/Belém do Pará) and Canada (Belém do Pará)
– Replicated -- to varying extents --in most countries through constitutional amendments, laws, public policies, mechanisms etc.
Challenges: Recognition of rights still patchy with respect to: sexual and reproductive
rights; the rights of informal sector workers; the rights of LGBTQI persons Intersection of gender with other aspects of identity - socio-economic status,
ethnicity, urban/rural residence, migration status, age, physical ability, sexual orientation
Deficient implementation of the legal framework and public policies, especially as regards access to justice
Where we stand
33 out of 34 countriesguarantee
gender equalityin their constitutions
9 countrieshave comprehensive
laws on violenceagainst women
33 out of 34 countrieshave national
equality plans
Allocationsto address violence
range from .01% to 1%of national
budgets
1. Support OAS member states seeking to establish and implement international agreements (CEDAW, Belém do Pará, PIA) on women's rights and gender equality
2. Mainstream a gender equality and women's rights perspective in the work of the OAS - policies, programs, projects, meetings, and other activities - within the framework of the four thematic pillars:
Strategic objectives of the CIM
Promoting democracy
Defending human rights
Guaranteeing a multidimensional approach to
security
Fostering integral development and prosperity
Citizenship and economic security for women
Citizen security from a gender perspective
Women's human rights and gender violence
Political citizenship of women for democracy
Message: Women are key to the strengthening of democracy
Ongoing obstacles:– Political party regulations and culture– Less access to financing and media coverage– Limited educational and training opportunities– Failure to implement quota and parity laws– Discriminatory media coverage– Reconciliation of political careers and family life
Subprograms:
Womencabinet members: 29%
Womenparty members: 46.5%
(leaders: 19%)
Womenin high-level positions
in the judiciary: 19%
Womencouncilors: 21%
Mayoresses: 10.5%
Womenin legislatures: 22.6%
Work with women parliamentarians on a legislative agenda for women's rights and gender equality
Raising political parties' awareness of gender inequalities and women's rights and political representation
Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws
Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective
Current state of affairs
1. Political citizenship of women for democracyPrograms and subprograms
2 Hemispheric Forums on women's rights in democratic systems (April 2011 and July 2012)
2 surveys of female members of Parliament in the Americas (July 2012 and October 2013)
Publication of three studies:– Women's citizenship in the democracies of the Americas– The struggle for parity: democratizing the political system in Latin America
(experiences in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Costa Rica)– The democracy of citizenship: Visions and debates surrounding the rights of
women in the Americas (2012)
Survey of presidential candidates in the Dominican Republic (2012)
Meeting to support amendments to the Political Parties law in Guatemala (adoption of gender parity, 2013)
Principal outcomes
http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp
Message: With gender violence, there are no HRs.
Ongoing obstacles:– There are no good data (incidence, nature, and so on)– Violence against women continues to be regarded as a private matter– Many still believe that violence is justified– The reports deal only with government activities -- We don't know whether
there is less violence or better access to justice (results versus impact)
Subprograms:
Proportion of womenvictims of violence; 1/3
Proportion of domesticviolence cases
reported to the police: 2/5
Women and girl victims of trafficking
per year: 1,000,000
Violence is one of the leading causes of death among women
aged 15 to 49
Proportion of womenvictims of sexual
violence: 1/4
Current state of affairs
Mechanism to Follow up on Implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (MESECVI )
2. Women's human rights and gender violencePrograms and subprograms
Indicators for monitoring the right to a life free from violence
Judicial system awareness of women's rights (best practices / training)
Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights
2 Hemispheric Reports on implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (2008 and 2012)
– 56 national reports– 1 Follow-up report to the recommendations of the Committee of
Experts (2010) Adoption of a system of indicators for exercise of the right to a
life free from violence Systematization and dissemination of best practices in gender
justice Orientation / training manual on the Convention of Belém do Pará Best practices in gender justice Human rights of women living with HIV
Principal outcomes
http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp
Message: The definition of security must address VaW
Ongoing obstacles:– Lack of dialogue between security and human rights spokespersons – Security is not the same as a reduction in violent crime.– Failure to disclose violence against women as a public security issue– The absence of women at all levels in the security sector
Subprograms:
In mostcountries, womenmake up < 10%
of the police force
In Canada andthe USA, women
account for <20% of Armed Forces personnel
They account for < 1%of police
chiefs
Current state of affairs
The hemispheric security agenda from a rights and gender equality perspective
The participation of women at all levels of the security sector
Ability of women's groups to engage in dialogue with and monitor the security sector from a rights and gender equality perspective
Women's participation in the illicit drug problem
They hold only 19%of high-level
positions in thejustice system
60-80% ofwomen in prison
are there ondrug-related offenses
3. Citizen security from a gender perspectivePrograms and subprograms
Roundtable on policies regarding women and drugs in the Americas
Preparation of a diagnostic assessment is under way
Compilation of information/data and States' experiences
Establishment of cooperative ties with CICAD and think tanks
Inclusion of the topic addressed in the Declaration of Antigua
Principal outcomes
http://www.oas.org/en/cim/security.asp
Message: Greater gender equality = stronger economies
Ongoing obstacles:– The work done by women generates less income, security, benefits and
opportunities for promotion– Women entrepreneurs have less access to financial services, credit, and
other services needed to expand their business– Social reproduction is not considered a State responsibility– Women's unpaid -- domestic and care-giver -- work is not recognized as
a contribution to the economy and growth Subprograms:
Women in theworkforce: 40%
In part- time,
temporary and/or unpaid work: 66%
Poorfemale workers: 60%
Female unemployment: 10.1%
(men: 6.7%)
Women earn $0.77 for every dollar earned
by men
Current state of affairs
MSMSE policies that are gender-sensitive and foster female entrepreneurship
Policies to support and protect women in the informal economy
Gender mainstreaming in Labor Ministries ("Decent Work" agenda)Unpaid
work by women accounts for 30-50%
of GDP
4. Citizenship and economic security for womenPrograms and subprograms
Principal outcomes
Permanent support for the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor
First Inter-Ministerial Conference
Publication of two studies:– The Advancement of Gender Equality in the Context of Decent Work– Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministries of Labor of the Americas:
Monitoring of strategic planning with a gender perspective workshops
Support for the gender audits process in Ministries of labor
http://www.oas.org/en/cim/development.asp
Message: The OAS has to be accountable to the women of the Americas
Ongoing obstacles:– Despite the CIM's efforts, progress on gender equality is uneven and still
relies heavily on the good will of personnel– Lack of attention to such issues as accountability, reporting, and consistent
monitoring and evaluation– Confusion regarding the purpose of gender mainstreaming - who is
responsible for doing it and how...
Subprograms:
Strengthen the ability of OAS personnel to effectively mainstream a rightsand gender equality perspective in their work
Institutional policy with respect to gender equality
Mechanism for tracking, monitoring and supporting implementation of the policy
Gender and women's rights in the principal OAS forums
41.5% of OAS departments and entities have gender
mandates
48.8% have the projects
promoting gender equality
Current state of affairs
56.1% have the technical ability to
promote gender issues
5. Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OASPrograms and subprograms
Principal outcomes
On-line course "A Rights and Gender Equality Perspective in Policies, Programs, and Projects" (50 OAS staff members already trained, 30 more inscribed)
Permanent support to the PEC and its Working Group
Support to the Permanent Council, its Committees and Working Groups:– Committee on Migration Issues– Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs– Working Groups to prepare declarations and other agreements
Specific support for specific projects:– Electoral observations with a gender perspective– Diagnostic assessment of migration information systems– Training police to deal with violence against women– Hemispheric seminar on public policies and the presence of women in the port
sector in the Americashttp://www.oas.org/en/cim/gender.asp
Human resource distribution
Distribution of resources (2013)
Area RegularFund
Specificfunds
ICR TOTAL
Strategic partnerships with governments, institutions, and enterprises 98,100 -- -- 98,100
Support for fund-raising 109,100 18,000 -- 127,100
Support for the dissemination of poverty-reduction policies and programs 67,400 -- -- 67,400
Support for meetings of authorities and experts on gender equity and the gender perspective 474,500 80,900 -- 555,400
Assistance with strengthening and preserving democratic institutions 19,500 -- -- 19,500
Technical assistance with public security 40,400 -- -- 40,400
Dissemination of OAS activities 116,400 18,000 134,400
General functions of representation and institutional coordination 107,600 -- 157,000 264,600
Annual operational planning 40,400 40,400
Promotion and protection of women's rights 290,000 532,900 822,900
TOTAL $1,363,000 $649,800 $157,000 $2,170,100
Distribution of resources (2013)
Democracy
Human Rights
Security
Development
Gender mainstreaming
2012 2013
OAS Regular Fund $85,350,800 $83,870,500
CIM Regular Fund $1,254,000 (1.47%)
$1,295,100 (1.54%)
OAS staff (Regular Fund)
464 431
CIM staff (Regular Fund)
6 (1.29%)
8 (1.86%)
Outlook for 2014: Prioritization proposals
Prioritization of work based on the CIM's comparative advantages
Human rights and gender violence– MESECVI– Gender justice / women's access to justice– Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights
Political citizenship of women for democracy– Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective– Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws– Fifth Latin American Democracy Forum
Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OAS– Institutional policy with respect to gender– Coordination with the PEC and its Working Group– Specific support for other OAS departments / entities (projects, meetings, etc.)