UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN - MARCH 1-12, 2004

The themes were: MEN AND BOY'S ROLES IN ACHIEVING GENDER EQUALITY and WOMEN'S EQUAL PARTICPATION IN CONFLICT PREVENTION.

Highlights of Session

During its forty-eighth session, the Commission convened a high-level dialogue round table, which provided an opportunity for the users and producers of statistics to share national experiences, good practices and lessons learned in measuring progress in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, (1995), and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, and for identifying gaps and challenges and possible solutions. Speakers stressed that statistics were a vital tool in achieving the gender goals laid down in the Beijing Platform for Action, and in monitoring the effectiveness of gender-based policies and programmes. They also underscored the value of statistics in improving the socio-economic situation of women, enhancing their participation in politics, and highlighting unequal resources between the sexes.

The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality, as well as women’s equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace-building were the focus of two panel discussions held by the Commission. It was agreed that the involvement of men and boys in promoting gender equality was critical to reaching gender balance in a number of areas. Real change would come only when stereotypical attitudes, which inhibited women’s advancement and impeded efforts for gender equality, were once and for all removed.

Regarding women and conflict, speakers stressed how essential focusing on the gender dimension by all actors was to ensure that full advantage was taken of the window of opportunity presented by a peace process, the resulting peace agreement and its implementation. They also highlighted the need to institutionalize women’s participation in peace processes, and train women in peace-building, negotiation and prevention.

Background on Commission The Commission was established as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council in 1946 to prepare recommendations and reports to the Council on promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. The Commission also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate action in the field of women’s rights.

With the objective of promoting the implementation of equal rights for men and women, the Commission’s mandate was expanded in 1987. Following the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995,the Commission began implementing a follow-up process to the Conference in its work program, playing a catalytic role and regularly reviewing critical areas of concern in the Beijing Platform of Action.

This is excerpted from a 13 page News Release at the end of the CSW session.
www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/wom1447.doc.htm

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The following are Sr. Bernadette Sullivan's reflections of her experience as a representative of Franciscans International.

Women from many countries converged on the UN Headquarters in New York to share their stories, network, receive encouragement and lobby their Nation's Ambassadors at the U. N. The fact that so many women could come from developing countries was itself evidence of progress.

Presentations and workshops emphasized that without women participating at the negotiating table, there will not be peace and security. U.N. Resolution 1325, requires the countries to have gender balance on their negotiating teams. Gender Balance challenge in Africa: African woman reported that they have little influence politically, but privately have great influence. They educate the children. The fact that the women give life causes them to be held in great esteem. The informal work of women keeps the survival economy going while the formal economy is collapsing. Women seek to become involved on a higher level to bring about peace. The woman is the primary agent of development.

Some Success in Africa: Invoking Resolution 1325, African women from several countries collaborated and gained entry to a Parliamentary meeting in Nigeria where they were allowed to speak. After the first day, the President said they could just observe from now on. They reminded him that at the U.N., even Observers speak. He allowed them to speak.

Empowering Women: UNIFEM is training women in conflict resolution. Women who have held the community together during crisis can come forward as leaders in the post-conflict period which is sometimes even more violent.

HIV and AIDS: Franciscans International did an excellent workshop on HIV and Aids. Women have now surpassed men as victims of the disease. Two African women, an American Moslem Doctor, and a staff person from the U.N. program for Aids victims formed a panel to talk about best practices to meet the challenge.

Sexualized Violence: Medical Mondiale, a German organization founded by a female gynecologist was created during the Wars in the Balkans to help women and girls, victims of sexualized violence. Kosovo now has an independent agency in various locales. The organization has spread to many other countries where rape and trafficking are used as weapons of war. In Kabul, Afghanistan the agency helps women who are imprisoned for "moral crimes". The agency promotes human rights and due process of law for these women. Thirteen out of 50 are released due to this help. Much more is needed. The agency works also with the family she returns to because she may not be accepted back.

The effects of colonization, past and present ethnic wars, slavery, trafficking, the refugee crisis, poverty and patriarchy were discussed at various workshops. Some progress has been made, but there is much to do to heal the wounds of the past and the present.