Closing The Gap

A. Closing the Gender Gap Ð'- Equal Access to Human Rights for all

Women have been blessed with the privilege of being the natural chosen care-takers, the backbone of the family structure, and a significant pillar in the community systems. Even though the woman has equally contributed to the civilization of today, her rights of freedom have been always been marginalized and abuse due her gender. In the time of war, women as civilians are more likely to face the most risk, danger, and even death than the trained solider. Today, there isn't any concrete documentation that strictly protects women from discrimination, abuse, and/or violence. Women are constantly being excluded and absent from public political influence, economic success, and official initiatives to end conflicts. For economic success, democratic political systems and the guarantee social and cultural justice truly and greatly lays on the protection of women for the survival of our civilizations.

"Asserting that discrimination against women had also affected children, families, communities, and the progress of the entire civilization, success in the struggle for women's equality is essential for achieving the Millennium Development Goal".-Economic and Social Council President Munir Akram

I. Challenges

1. Decouple poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and unsustainability from gender.

2. Each region faces different patterns of discrimination against women, starting with violation of basic human rights to political, economic and social discrimination, as well as domestic violence or sexual exploitation that women have to endure because of their sex.

3. The UN reform of the Human rights system Ð'- a chance to unite all UN organs working on women's rights under one roof improving effectiveness of their work.

4. Implementation of the Millennium Goals concerning women's and children's health to ensure the sustainability of families.

II. Recommendations

1. Abolish school fees for primary school education to improve the chances of girls to attend school. This will help to enhance the economic and social competitiveness of women and families as well as an increase of public health.

2. Non-discrimination of women is a general principle a state must implement into its national legislation not distinguishing between citizens and residents of the country. This has to be kept in mind considering the feminisation of migration flows and the increase in human trafficking. The International Community has to urge Member States which have not yet ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol to do so. This would show the broad commitment for gender equality and therefore for all related fields of human development and international peace. The success of the four previous World Conferences on Women is a reason to proceed with such events to promote the discussion of the drawbacks of gender inequality for economy and society on the global level.

3. Institutional changes have to be considered:

a. If the reform in the field of Human Rights will provide for the promotion of the Commission on Human Rights to a Human Rights Council (including an increase in funding), the integration of the Commission on the Status of Women into the Human Rights system should be considered.

b. The Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women should become a permanent body to be able to deal with all country reports timely to their submission.

c. Close cooperation between the UNIFEM and the Commission on the Status of Women as well as NGOs which work in the field has to be guaranteed to establish a demand based empowerment of women.

4. All measures of international conduct have to keep the principle of gender equality in mind to start a process of awareness building even in the least interested state.

The head of the United Nations mission in Cambodia

demonstrated this tendency when he was asked about the sexual violation of women and

girls by United Nations peacekeepers.

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