GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES WOMEN in the WORLD TODAY Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN “If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all. Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak freely — and the right to be heard.” — Hillary Rodham Clinton, September 1995 at the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing • This book is based on the 12 critical areas of concern identified at the Beijing Conference: 1 The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women 2 Inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to education and training 3 Inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to health care and related services 4 Violence against women 5 The effects of armed or other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation 6 Inequality in economic structures and policies, in all forms of productive activities and in access to resources 7 Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision- making at all levels 8 Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women 9 Lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women 10 Stereotyping of women and inequality in women’s access to and participation in all communication systems, especially in the media 11 Gender inequalities in the management of natural resources and in the safeguarding of the environment 12 Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of the girl child Source: Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Fourth Conference on Women, 15 September, 1995 http://www.unesco.org/education/information/nfsunesco/pdf/BEIJIN_E.PDF GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES WOMEN in the WORLD TODAY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS PUBLISHED 2012 GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES WOMEN in the WORLD TODAY TABLE OF CONTENTS • PREFACE Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton ................................................................ 4 OVERVIEW Solutions to Global Challenges Require Women’s Participation ....................... 6 Interview with Ambassador Melanne Verveer WOMEN AND POVERTY ............................................................................................................................ 10 1 OVERVIEW by Geeta Rao Gupta .................................................................................................................. 12 PROFILE Roshaneh Zafar: Social Entrepreneur Empowers Women .......................................... 16 by Shufqat Munir PROJECT Fighting Poverty One Coffee Bean at a Time by Ritu Sharma .................................... 20 EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF WOMEN ................................................................................... 24 2 OVERVIEW by Lori Ashford .......................................................................................................................... 26 by PROFILE Rita Conceição: Bahia Street Margaret Willson ......................................................... 30 PROJECT Educating Women About Technology by Renee Ho ...................................................... 34 WOMEN AND HEALTH ............................................................................................................................. 38 3 OVERVIEW by Lori Ashford .......................................................................................................................... 40 by PROFILE Salwa Al Najjab: Palestinian Health Care Activist Naela Khalil ........................... 44 PROJECT mothers2mothers: Help for HIV-Positive Women by Maya Kulycky ....................... 48 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ............................................................................................................... 52 4 OVERVIEW by Robin N. Haarr ..................................................................................................................... 54 PROFILE Chouchou Namegabe: A Fierce Voice Against Sexual Violence ............................... 58 by Solange Lusiku PROJECT Gender Equality and Combating Domestic Violence by Qin Liwen ......................... 62 WOMEN AND ARMED CONFLICT ..................................................................................................... 66 5 OVERVIEW by Dyan Mazurana ................................................................................................................... 68 PROFILE Zainab Salbi: Helping Women Recover from War by Joanna L. Krotz .................... 72 PROJECT Female Peacekeepers: Smashing Stereotypes by Bonnie Allen ................................... 76 WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY ............................................................................................................. 80 6 OVERVIEW by Susanne Jalbert ..................................................................................................................... 82 PROFILE Lubna Olayan: Saudi Businesswoman Strengthens Communities ........................... 86 by Scott Bortot PROJECT Women’s Work: Paying It Forward by Joanna L. Krotz ................................................. 90 WOMEN IN POWER AND DECISIONMAKING ......................................................................... 94 7 OVERVIEW by Lori Ashford .......................................................................................................................... 96 PROFILE Michelle Bachelet: Physician, Military Strategist, Head of State ............................. 100 by Karen Calabria PROJECT Council of Women World Leaders by Laura Liswood ................................................ 104 INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN .......... 108 8 OVERVIEW by Mona Lena Krook .............................................................................................................. 110 PROFILE Katerina Levchenko: Working Within the System ...................................................... 114 by Yevhen Hlibovytsky and Oksana Forostyna PROJECT Women’s Caucus Boosts Uruguayan Democracy by Eric Green ............................. 118 HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN ............................................................................................................. 122 9 OVERVIEW by Robin N. Haarr .................................................................................................................. 124 by PROFILE Sina Vann: Ex-Child Slave Helps Others Escape the Darkness Eric Green .... 128 PROJECT Making Cities Safe For Women by Maria Jain and Kim Sugenie ........................... 132 WOMEN AND THE MEDIA ................................................................................................................... 136 10 OVERVIEW by Carolyn M. Byerly ............................................................................................................. 138 by PROFILE Ann S. Moore: Leveraging the Value of Women Joanna L. Krotz ..................... 142 PROJECT Women’s Edition by Deborah Mesce ................................................................................ 146 WOMEN AND THE ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................................. 150 11 OVERVIEW by Cate Owren ......................................................................................................................... 152 PROFILE Aleksandra Koroleva: A Passion for Environmental Protection ............................. 156 by Alexey Milovanov PROJECT Barefoot Solar Engineers by Anuradha Saxena .............................................................. 160 THE GIRL CHILD ......................................................................................................................................... 164 12 OVERVIEW by Robin N. Haarr ................................................................................................................... 166 PROFILE Bogaletch Gebre: Trading New Traditions for Old by Julia Rosenbaum ............... 170 PROJECT Changing Hearts and Minds: Averting Child Marriage in Yemen ......................... 174 by Dalia Al-Eryani and Laurel Lundstrom BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................ 178 PREFACE n September 1995, I joined representatives opportunities, amazing things happen. The from 189 countries for the United Nations’ benefits don’t stop with an individual woman. IFourth World Conference on Women in They spread to entire communities and countries. Beijing. That event still stands out as one of Simply helping girls stay in school longer, for the great honors and highlights of my life. example, has a powerful effect. Birth rates drop. That 1995 historic gathering brought together So does the number of young children who die. people of all backgrounds and beliefs to voice HIV infections, domestic violence and female our support for women’s rights and put women’s cutting all decline. And, in nations divided by issues at the forefront of the global agenda. violent conflict, the chances for lasting peace go Together, we outlined a Plan of Action to improve up when women are part of the solution. Women the condition of women and girls worldwide. play important roles as peacekeepers, as they In the years since Beijing, advocates, activists and governments around the world have used that plan to advance opportunity