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International Issues

Australia now accedes to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (adopted by other nations in 2000).

November 2008 - This has now been adopted by the Rudd Government. The Australian Government  launched the Australian Government CEDAW Report to the United Nations on December 18, 2008. The Australian Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek and Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick affirmed Australia's commitment, across all levels of government, to end discrimination against women. CLICK here to see WEL's letter of congratulation to Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Housing, Minister for the Status of Women.

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Government outlines gender equality plan to UN Commission on the Status of Women... March 2009.

THE Federal Government has outlined its pursuit of greater gender equality at a key United Nations meeting.

International Alliance of Women (IAW) -  June 2006. 

Lobbying by women's groups throughout the world about the gender mainstreaming has resulted in the International Criminal Court issuing Red Notices on the first of June 2006, for the arrest of five individuals for  multiple counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes including murder, abduction, sexual crimes, rape and child conscription in Uganda, Sudan and the Congo.  In spite of various criticisms the ICC is an historic institution in terms of women’s rights. For the first time in international law, the Rome Treaty establishing the ICC recognised sexual and gender violence as crimes against humanity.  Sexual and gender crimes are defined by the Treaty to include rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilisation, and other sexual violence.

IAW News Flash in July 2006 calls for an end to violence in the Middle East.     CLICK here for details

What is IAW and how is WEL involved?  CLICK here for more information.

The meetings of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held in New York in February 2005 and the agenda for the next meeting in 2006 are summarised in the attached Word documents.

Suzette Mitchell, the Executive Director of the International Women's Development Agency, liased with members of the Australian Non Government Organisations (NGO). She reports bluntly what the official reports only imply.

"UN process has never been an easy one for women. We never expected fast, radical or easy change, but I certainly hadn't expected it would be so jolly hard just to hold onto the basic rights that were enshrined in the Beijing Platform for Action (PFA) a decade earlier. The US Delegation began the CSW session with reservations about reaffirming the PFA that had become a guidebook on the status of women's needs and concerns. I had expected to talk with others on exciting strategies for the future - instead we found ourselves arguing and lobbying to protect the past." CLICK to see her full report.

The report from Dr.Geulah Solomon, National Council of Jewish Women of Australia, also details her disappointment at the frustrations at this meeting. CLICK here for her report.

To see the interesting report from Tammy Williams, the Aboriginal barrister who was part of the official delegation CLICK here. To see the official report for the Australian Delegation CLICK here.

The agenda for CSW in 2006 has been circulated by the Office of Women in Canberra and states that 2006 will focus on the two critical areas:  Enhanced participation of women and development: an enabling environment for achieving gender equality and the advancement of women, taking into account, inter alia, the fields of education, health and work. Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels.

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Other International Issues have been brought to our attention by reports from the International Alliance of Women (IAW)

1. The UNESCO Executive Board at its 173rd Session in October 2005 has proposed the establishment of the International Centre for Girls' and Women's Education in Africa under the auspices of UNESCO, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

   The General Conference, at its 33rd Session should approve the establishment and authorize the Director-General to sign the agreement (which is already formulated) between the Government of Burkino Faso and UNESCO.

2. In an EU Statement on HIV prevention for an aids free generation, the members of the European Union reaffirm their commitment to tackle all the global aspects of AIDS pandemic. The statement pointed to the fact that some people, in particular women and girls, are disproportionately affected. To be successful, HIV prevention must utilize all approaches known to be effective including universal access to sexual and reproductive health information and services for women, men and young people, including people living with HIV and AIDS, to ensure that they have reliable access to essential sexual and reproductive health commodities including male and female condoms. 

   Gels to protect women from AIDS.
   A new microbicide against HIV is being tested by women in Africa. The tests are part of a trial with 10,000 women across Africa. Microbicides are virus-killing gels applied vaginally before sex. They are seen by many AIDS experts as a key to stopping new infections. This could offer women an HIV-prevention method that they control, and one they do not have to inform their partners about. Convenor of the IAW Health Commission: Gudrun Haupter.

3. UN - Legal ruling on abortion
   The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) decided its first abortion case, Karen Llontoy v. Peru. The decision establishes that denying access to legal abortion violates women's most basic human rights. This is the first time an international human rights body has held a government accountable for failing to ensure access to legal abortion.

4. LOBBYING -- It's Time for a Woman to be the next United Nations Secretary-General: 1945-2006: 3 Europeans, 2 Africans, 1 Latin American, 1 Asian, 0 Women.  The International Herald Tribune published an article on 7 September 2006 announcing the creation of an all-woman peacekeeping force.  125 Indian policewomen are being trained to form an all-women team of United Nations peacekeepers - the U.N.'s first such peacekeeping group - to help bring order to strife-torn Liberia, a West African nation rebuilding after nearly a quarter-century of conflict. India has been a major contributor to U.N. peacekeeping missions for decades, and has sent women as part of earlier contingents. But Indian officials felt it was time for a woman-only unit, picking candidates from the country's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force. The unit expects to deploy to Liberia by mid-October. For more information on why women make such good peacekeepers CLICK here.

5. Women and girls face abuse of basic human rights.
   Minor rape count shoots up.
   New Delhi, Dec. 14: Madhya Pradesh, where women have had their hands chopped off for reporting rape or protesting against child marriage, is the most unsafe place in India even for minor girls. Delhi, dubbed the nation's rape capital, isn't far behind.

   IAW Ed:- It is sad that a country like India, with its proud history and its now amazing commercial growth as one of the emerging world super powers, still has many areas and beliefs that continue to allow women and girls to face such injustices.

6. Pat Richardson outlines her long involvement with the International Alliance of Women. To read her speech to the Zonta Club on 16 June 2010 CLICK here.
   

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Three Iranian feminists have been arrested and imprisoned. CLICK here to read the story.

South American Defence now including women. CLICK here to read the Associated Press article.

Fijian women are being abused. CLICK here for details from Australian Federation of University Women.