United Nations: Commission on the Status of Women - Report on the 55th Session
 Commission on the Status of Women: Report on the fifty-fifth session (12 March 2010, 22 February-4 March and 14 March 2011)
Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
Istanbul, 11.V.2011
Istanbul, 11.05.2011 - The Council of Europe's new Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS n° 210) has been opened for signature on the occasion of the 121st Session of the of Committee of Ministers taking place in Istanbul, gathering Ministers of Foreign Affairs from 47 Member States. The Convention is also open to accession by non-European countries and by the European Union.
This new landmark Council of Europe treaty is the first legally binding instrument in the world creating a comprehensive legal framework to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention also establishes an international mechanism to monitor its implementation at national level.
The following countries signed the new Convention during a ceremony held today in Istanbul: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.
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Walking the Talk: Gender Equality in the African Union
A Quarterly Issue presented by the African Union and UN WOMEN: April 2011/ Issue Number 3/ Quarterly Publication/ Addis Ababa ‐ Ethiopia
In this issue:
- Mainstreaming Gender in The AUC
- The Decisions from the XVI Session of the Heads of State Summit
- UN Women Celebrates its Creation at African Union Summit
- CSOs participated in the Pre‐Summit organized by GIMAC
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Panel discussion - Reflections on the 54th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the BPFA+15 Review:
Challenges, opportunities and priorities for Africa
At its recently-concluded 54th session, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) focused on two thematic issues:
- A review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) (1995) and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly (2000), with an emphasis on the sharing of experiences and good practices with a view to overcoming remaining obstacles and new challenges; and
- A review of its contribution to shaping a gender perspective towards the full realization of the Millennium Development Goals.
The Centre for Human Rights invited speakers to share their reflections on this session and, in particular, to highlight challenges, opportunities and priorities for Africa arising from the BPFA+15 Review.
Documents:
Documents relating to this discussion can be viewed under the Documents section.
Videos:
Visit http://www.ips.org/mdg3/multimedia/ for videos relating to:
- Why women count : Zimbabwe; Sierra Leone
- Investigating cases of gender violence in Kenya
- Victims of gender violence speak out
Landmark case secures victory for Swaziland women's land rights
For the first time in the history of Swaziland, women married under community of property will now be able to have “immovable property, bonds, and other real rights” registered in their name.
The historical judgment was handed today (23 February 2010) by Justice Qinisile. M. Mabuza in a case of Mary Joyce Doo Aphane vs the state in which she contested the denial by Section 16 (3) of the Deeds Registry Act 37/1968 of women married in community of property to register title in their own names. The judgement effectively redresses 42 years of injustice and sub-ordination of women married in community of property. It also weakens all laws that still regard women as minors.
Ms Aphane’s battle began on 24 November 2008, when she and her husband entered into a deed of sale to buy title deed land in Mbabane, Swaziland and wanted both their names as purchasers registered. The application was not allowed as it contravened some provision found in the Deeds Registry Act.
Aphane fought the act on the basis of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland 101/2005 Section 20 and 28 which secures the equality of all in the eyes of the law. This is the first case in Swaziland which tested the effectiveness of the constitution in protecting women’s rights.
Following the judgement, Ms Aphane said: “This case was not just about me. It was about all the women of Swaziland. Women who are married in community of property will now be able to stand on their own. My husband was very supportive and he understood the importance of this battle.”
Aphane called on women in Swaziland to use this judgement to their advantage and work to remove all laws that are discriminatory to women.
Download the judgment
The Right of Women to be Appointed as Judges
The Supreme Constitutional Court Refuses to Answer the Question of Common Knowledge
The Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights (ECWR) was pleased by the Supreme Constitutional Court interpretation and ruling that approved the right of women to be appointed as judges in the State Council. This decision was rooted in the principles of justice and law to achieve the equality of Egyptian women by not neglecting her right.
The Supreme Constitutional Court resolved the issue of women's appointment to the judiciary of the State Council at the request of the Prime Minister, who asked the Minister of Justice for the Supreme Constitutional Court's interpretation of two articles because of conflicts between the Special Council and General Assembly's use of this law within the State Council. The first article is regarding item (1) of article (73) in the code of the State Council. The article states that in order to fulfill the conditions and be eligible as a member in the State Council, one has to be an 'Egyptian' who enjoys full citizenship. The Constitutional Court noted that the term 'Egyptian' used in article 73 of the State Council code has not created any conflicts in its application between the Special Council and General Assembly. There has been no dispute in its application or in the significance of its interpretation. Therefore, Article 73 (which the Prime Minister requested for its interpretation) is not relevant as there is no dispute over its interpretation.
The court confirmed that women's rights as Egyptian citizens is not a subject of debate or interpretation, but that women have full rights and should not be discriminated against.*
The second article to be considered and interpreted is the third passage of article (83) that states: "The rest of the members and the representatives are appointed according to the decision of the President after the approval of the special council for administrative affairs."
Furthermore, the Constitutional Court confirmed the importance of Article 83, regarding it as one of the texts of the State Council code, the laws of the judiciary and is considered complementary to the Constitution. Therefore, the interpretation of this text is acceptable. The conflict about this text surrounds the difference in enforcement between the special council for administrative affairs and the General Assembly. The court concluded in its final ruling that the approval to appoint judges in the State Council is based on the special council for administrative affairs, not the General Assembly.
ECWR respects the independence of the judiciary and the important role of the State Council in establishing the principles of justice and protecting rights and freedoms. ECWR is confident that the State Council will apply the procedures in the appointment of male and female graduates from the school of law, according to their qualifications and experience and in coordination to the principles of the Egyptian Constitution and international conventions. This is necessary, especially in light of the Egyptian society that has declared vividly by all peaceful means that they refuse infringement upon applying justice standards or any justification for discrimination between Egyptians based on ethnicity, color, race or gender.
ECWR, NGO partners and civil society demand:
- The opening of doors for female graduates to work in the judiciary according to equal standards with men and according to their qualifications without discrimination.
- Speedy action to create a law that prevents discrimination, in order for Egyptians to feel secure that they are being treated according to their citizenship rights and qualifications.
Major Victory Against Rape Apologist Hate Speech in South Africa
Courtsey of : Feministing.com
"When a woman didn't enjoy it [sex], she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes out, request breakfast, and ask for taxi money."
-ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, speaking to a group of 150 University students last May on why South African President Jacob Zuma's rape accuser must have enjoyed having sex with him.
These are the words of a rape apologist. They are the words of someone seeking to shame, embarrass, humiliate, and de-legitimize a woman who dared to take legal action against her alleged rapist- the president of a nation. And now, according to a recent ruling by the South African Equality Court, these words also legally constitute hate speech and discrimination, and will not be tolerated without legal ramification.
Young black male celebrates in the streets holding a sign that reads
The verdict handed down yesterday by the South African Equality Court was as much symbolic victory as a legal one, in my opinion. The comment is infuriating, sure, but it is made even more so when considering the context in which it was delivered- to a group of youth, in a country where it is estimated that one in three women is raped in her lifetime and one in four men admits to rape, by a leader in a historically progressive political party whose self-declared "key objective is the creation of a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society."
The credit for this monumental victory belongs to Sonke Gender Justice Network, an amazing South African organization that supports men and boys to act against domestic and sexual violence. It was them who filed the lawsuit against Malema when they recognized the opportunity to make a public statement about the harm and destruction caused by rape culture.
This move took bravery. It also took strategic vision. The organization where I work, which has partnered with Sonke since 2008, has been anxiously awaiting this verdict since Sonke formalized their complaint in May, but we also recognize that the outcome wasn't really the point. The very act of them filing the claim was such a powerfully symbolic feminist victory.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that they ended up winning the case, and now, we don't have to just be content with a symbolic win. Upon being pronounced guilty of hate speech and discrimination, the two charges Sonke leveled against him in the Equality Court following his hateful comments, Malema was ordered to issue a written apology within the next two weeks and instructed to pay R50,000 (approx. $7,000) to an organization serving survivors of gender based violence.
More on the significance of this victory from Sonke's press statement:
"This case makes it clear that our country's leaders need to be more responsible in their public statements and that civil society can and will hold them accountable. We hope that this ruling will alert public figures to the potential repercussions of their words, both in terms of the impact that public statements can have in perpetuating gender-based violence and other forms of discrimination, and in terms of the legal implications.
"In a country where it is estimated that one in three a women is raped, we need to take strong action to counter myths and stereotypes which can lead perpetrators to believe that they can act with impunity, and which can dissuade rape survivors from seeking health care or justice."
The press statement goes on to outline next steps for continuing the fight against stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence in South Africa:
"It is not sufficient, however, for leaders to refrain from making irresponsible comments; we need proactive leadership to mobilise men and boys to take action against gender-based violence. We reiterate our call for men in public positions to be clear and consistent in their explicit support of gender equality and to condemn openly and unequivocally all forms of gender-based violence.
Instead of perpetuating rape myths, public figures should make it clear that rape can happen anywhere, and that the rapist could be anyone: a stranger, a friend, a boyfriend, a husband. There are no rules that say a woman who has been raped will behave like this or like that. We need to make sure that women who have been raped are not stigmatised and are not made to feel like the crimes against them were their fault."
I'm so psyched to continue to support and partner with Sonke through my work at IWHC as they continue their incredible work generating support for women's rights and gender equality - and specifically to educate men and boys about the role they can play in advancing gender transformation.
Truly a cause for celebration!
Gender Expert Meeting on State Reporting on the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa
6 - 7 August 2009
The Centre for Human Rights (CHR) has identified a need to support the African Commission in the development of reporting guidelines under the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol or Protocol) in order to promote strengthened state reporting and facilitate subsequent meaningful engagement between state parties and the ACHPR on women’s rights. On 6 and 7 August 2009, the CHR facilitates a working meeting in Pretoria with invited experts and members of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission). The overall goal of this working meeting is to strengthen the capacity of the African Commission to promote and protect women’s rights in Africa through monitoring implementation of the Protocol.
The Protocol is a legally binding multilateral supplement to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter), adopted in 2003 by the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Protocol entered into force on 25 November 2005. By 30 June 2009, it had been ratified by 27 of the 53 African Union (AU) members, all of which are also state parties to the African Charter.(1)
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(1) See www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text
The state parties are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Monitoring UNGASS-AIDS Goals in Sexual and Reproductive Health
Between June 8th and 9th there will take place in Cape Town, the III UNGASS Forum South Africa. The forum is coordinated by Mosaic Training, Service and Healing Centre for Women and Health Systems Trust in partnership with Gestos, an NGO from Recife, Brazil, that coordinates an international advocacy push on women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The event will have the participation of leading representatives of South Africa’s health social movement, including NGOs, networks and possible governmental institutions to dialogue on the pressing issues of HIV/AIDS and SRH.
Monitoring UNGASS-AIDS Goals in Sexual and Reproductive Health
Press Release III UNGASS-AIDS Forum South Africa - June 8th and 9th, 2009
Gender Unit awarded a grant by the Geneva Institute of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
As part of a Swiss initiative to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Gender Unit has been awarded a grant by the Geneva Institute of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights to undertake research in Botswana and Malawi on the right of women living with HIV to control their fertility. Two researchers from the Centre have been invited to participate in the official launch of the initiative entitled 'Enhancing Human Dignity: An Agenda for Human Rights' in Geneva on 5 December.
Gender Unit awarded research grant by the Centre for the Study of AIDS
The Gender Unit has been awarded a research grant by the Centre for the Study of AIDS to pursue a study entitled 'knowledge and understanding of male cicumcision messages and its effect on HIV prevention behaviour among men and women respondents in Pretoria and its surrounding communities'.
In light of a trial conducted in 2005 in South Africa (Orange Farm) revealing that circumcised men had at least 60% reduction in HIV infection as compared to men who were not, the hypothesis of the study is that there is a lack of specific knowledge and understanding of HIV prevention messages based on male circumcision among men and women in various groups. In international human rights law states have a positive duty to promote and ensure access to health-care services, including health education. Accurate information about male circumcision is therefore a human right and should include, for example, comprehensive messages about HIV prevention, and provision of information to men and women about the need for continued condom use even after circumcision. Amidst enthusiasm around male circumcision as a ‘vaccine’ for HIV, the proposed study will explore to what extent the right to health education is being respected in the context of male circumcision. In addition, the potential effect of the confusion about male circumcision on HIV prevention attitudes among men and women will be addressed. The study, to be completed in February 2009, is intended to provide policy makers and programme implementers with key insight into some of the critical issues that they have to take into consideration when considering male circumcision as a prevention tool.
Centre staff member participates in UN expert group meeting on good practices in violence against women legislation
Karen Stefiszyn, head of the Gender Unit, was invited to participate in the UN Division for the Advancement of Women expert group meeting on good practices in violence against women legislation in Vienna from 26 - 28 May 2008.
A Brief Overview of Recent Developments in Sexual Offences Legislation in Southern Africa
Karen Stefiszyn, Centre for Human Rights
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Maternal health in South Africa:
Delivering Women's Human Rights
Over seventy students, lawyers, nurses, midwives, NGO staff from across Africa and other interested individuals packed a lecture hall on Wednesday 19 October for a panel discussion on maternal health in South Africa presented by the Centre for Human Rights. As the rate of maternal mortality more than quadrupled in South Africa in the last decade, the need to examine the related issues, challenges and opportunities is critical.
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Panelist Karen Clark presented one inspiring success story, which represents a potential model for maternal health in rural areas. Ms Clark’s Birthworks Busfare Babies Birth Centre provides compassionate, quality care for pregnant women in rural Eastern Cape province, where she noted that care for women is often difficult to access. Delays in health care for expectant mothers can have disastrous consequences, including threats of HIV transmission and complications that can claim the lives of mother and/or child. Unfortunately, as Ms Clark observed, where access to health care is available, women often complain that medical staff are verbally and sometimes physically abusive before, during and after labor.
Dr Agnes Odhiambo from Human Rights Watch shared findings from her organisation’s recent report on maternal mortality and morbidity titled “Stop Making Excuses.” Dr Odhiambo told the group that 385 000 women globally die each year from pregnancy-related causes. More than 4 500 are South African women. What’s worse, perhaps, is that these deaths are entirely preventable. And this, she stated, is what makes maternal health a human rights issue. Maternal mortality typically follows a series of human rights violations, such as denial of the rights to health, education, liberty, dignity and life. Governments must do more to, according to Dr Odhiambo, to offer a continuum of services from adolescence through adulthood, which necessitates an increase in the number of skilled health care workers and includes unfettered access to family planning and safe abortion options. Dr Odhiambo also stressed the importance of accountability where the identification of key problem areas can help address pregnancy-related health issues and deaths.
As the Chief Director of Maternal and Women's Health within the National Department of Health, panelist Dr Eddie Mhlanga understands that there is a great need to eliminate provincial disparities in the access to and quality of maternal health care in South Africa. Challenges exist, he recognized, stemming from the lack of skilled health care professionals and the prevalence of negative attitudes about the state health care system. South Africa must undertake initiatives, he said, to improve primary health care, increase the skills of midwives and nurses, and ensure access to contraception and family planning services. As importantly, declared Dr Mhlanga, there must be strong and substantial advocacy for women’s rights because, as he eloquently concluded, “unless women are respected, nothing else will make sense.”
And it is true. The women of South Africa are delivering the country’s future every day; it is therefore incumbent on the country to deliver South African women’s human rights every day.
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