Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality IANWGE - Selected Critical Areas of Concern

ON-LINE DISCUSSION
Participants recognized the Optional Protocol to CEDAW as an important new tool for protecting women’s human rights, while observing that it still does not have the necessary enforcement capabilities. The Optional Protocol, however, contains many of the same inadequacies as CEDAW, and it is not ratified by as many States and thus, the ineffectiveness remains. Due to the need for stronger remedies, the Optional Protocol should provide the right to an individual petition followed by more adequate international remedies to attain true effectiveness.

Vanessa von Struensee, lawyer and activist, USA.


From: "Estelle Angelinas"

My experience is rather small. It has to do with an effort to clear up
some empty lots in our own neighborhood. It is however, an example of what women can do, even without the help of any organizations.It started when the women noticed that the empty lot had become a dumping ground for rubbish. This presented a health hazard to all, since it was the breeding ground for rats and insects.
Since the men, inspite their concern didn't do anything, we took the matters into our own hands. We gathered together and complained to local officials, saying that if they didn't do anything, we'd go to a higher level. At first, they ignored us, but we kept at it. Finally, someone came and cleaned the lot up. It has remained clean since then. But what was more important was that we set an example for other women, who in their own way followed.

It may sound like a drop in the ocean, but isn't an ocean made up of many drops?
Estelle Angelinas
Greece

By: B. Dhakal, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Environment conservation has been successful at the expenses of powerless people
well-being and social disaster of the country. Its negative impacts are pervasive and more serious on local employment, income and maintaining aspiration of the people living in remote rural areas who have low access to other opportunities. This is the fact to be armed conflict successful in Nepal. This is no excusable misuse of power, resources and opportunities by these organizations.

I examined the resources of some communities with heterogeneous income households and multiple objectives by developing a community resource management decision computer model. The result indicates that a considerable level of forestlands is available in communities to meet their needs, even taking into account the timber demand for long term needs. On this basis, demand based uses of one half area of public forestland could resolve over two-third level of absolute poverty of the country.
Please be informed that total public forestlands occupy 40 percent, and agriculture, private forests and residential land occupy another 21 percent of the national area in Nepal. Women's behaviour, local technologies and institutions are environmentally friendly and advanced. Therefore the problems are at policy decision level and institutional capacity building sides.

The burdens of women and poor people have increased by global pollution mitigation and resource saving for future generation through environment conservation pathway. Conservation agencies with various interests are working in different fields and capacities worldwide. Thus people may be marginalised beyond Nepal and India, and beyond forest sectors. For watching and monitoring and advocacy on such issues the development of pressure groups is required at local, national and international
levels.

B. Dhakal


From: "Yogita Bhikabhai"

In the Pacific, traditional norms and values play an influencing factor towards men and women’s roles in communities, which can be a barrier because of their tendency to be male driven. Literacy is another barrier. From a recent study coordinated by Pacific Energy and Gender Network (PEG), it was found that there was a general
lack of awareness at the grass roots level on energy issues and the gender dimension.

The key is to build more awareness on gender issues at the grass roots as well as to the top-level policy makers. Both are crucial to ensure change in thought, challenge traditional outlook and to bring change. PEG has initiated awareness building activities such as radio programmes (targeting local communities), video, posters, flyers, web site & database development. It is a start.

Yogita


The international agencies might reconsider the despotic rhetoric to be taken as original voices of the South. Instead they should attempt to recognize complexities, “biased interpretations” and newly emerged evolutionary changes. Awareness of gender oppression imposed by the fundamentalist State interpreted as “cultural sensitivity” needs rethinking.

Nasrin Azadeh