Source: Fom Poverty to Power
July 6, 2011
UN Women, the new body headed by former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, has an excellent report out today. It’s the latest in the roughly biannual ‘Progress of the World’s Women’ series kicked off by UNIFEM, one of UN Women’s predecessors, in 2000. This edition explores the justice system. It’s crisply written, full of striking killer facts, and (to me at least) original. And yes, this is a UN report we’re talking about.
Some highlights:
The Background
“In 1911, just two countries in the world allowed women to vote. A century later, that right is virtually universal and women are exercising greater influence in decision-making than ever before. Alongside women’s greater political influence, there has been a growing recognition of women’s rights, not only political and civil, but also economic, social and cultural rights. Today, 186 countries worldwide have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), signalling their commitment to meeting the human rights of women and girls, breaking down the barriers to gender equality and justice.
And yet, while examples of countries making immense strides And yet, while examples of countries making immense strides in promoting gender equality abound, all too often women are denied control over their bodies, denied a voice in decision-making and denied protection from violence.
Although equality between women and men is guaranteed in the Constitutions of 139 countries and territories, inadequate laws and implementation gaps make these guarantees hollow promises, having little impact on the day-to-day lives of women. In many contexts, in rich and poor countries alike, the infrastructure of justice – the police, the courts and the judiciary – is failing women.
Progress of the World’s Women shows that well-functioning legal and justice systems can be a vital mechanism for women to achieve their rights.”
How to do this?
