International Achievements in Women

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International Achievements in Womens Human Rights

• What they are and why they matter

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I KNOW MY RIGHTS!
You cant make me do that!

• BUT WHAT ARE RIGHTS?

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What Are Human Rights?

• Human rights are the rights a person has simply
  because he or she is a human bring. Human Rights
  are
• Universal every human has them, no matter what
  race, age, language, sex, or social distinction
• Inalienable you cannot lose them any more than
  you can cease being human
• Indivisible you cannot be denied a right because
  it is less important or non-essential

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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Most important human rights document
• Was written in 1948, following the horrific
  experiences of the Holocaust and World
  War II
• Many people sought to create a document that
  prevent future human rights atrocities from
  taking place and to ensure a world in which every
  human has and knows their rights.
• Fundamental consensus on what rights all human
  beings should have

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Basic human rights

• As articulated by the Universal Declaration for
  Human Rights

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Equality

• Everyone is entitled to all the rights and
  freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without
  distinction of any kind, such as race, color,
  sex, language, religion, political or other
  opinion, national or social origin, property,
  birth or other status.

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Life

• Everyone has the right to life, liberty and
  security of person

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Freedom from Slavery and Torture
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Freedom of expression, opinion, belief, and
religion.
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But what about women?

• Do they enjoy these basic human rights?

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Private vs. Public Threat to Womens Human Rights

• The pervasive division of life into "public" and
  "private" spheres has its roots in the desire to
  limit the jurisdiction of the government.
• In many countries, this has meant that what
  individuals do in the "public" sphere is subject
  to regulation, while activities taking place in
  the "private" sphere are thought to be exempt
  from governmental scrutiny.
• Human rights were traditionally seen as applied
  only to public sphere

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Private vs. Public Threat to Womens Human Rights

• Women have traditionally been relegated to the
  "private" sphere of the home and family
• the typical citizen has been portrayed as male,
• Thus the dominant notions of human rights have
  historically had men as the center
• Women have been marginalized in the human rights
  discussion because they are seen outside the
  public sphere

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Private vs. Public Threat to Womens Human Rights

• Therefore, abuses done to women in the name of
  family, religion, and culture have been hidden by
  the sanctity of the so-called private sphere, and
  perpetrators of such human rights violations have
  enjoyed immunity from accountability for their
  actions.
• Examples rape, wife murder, FGM, reproductive
  rights
• Bottom line women have not historically not
  enjoyed their due human rights

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What does it mean that Womens Rights are Human
Rights?

• Its the revolutionary notion that women are
  human beings
• It declares, quite simply, that as human beings
  women have human rights.
• On the other hand, womens human rights is a
  revolutionary notion states that women can no
  longer be marginalized in the human rights
  discourse.

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What are womens human rights?

• Basic human rights for women
• Equality before the law
• Life
• Freedom of expression, political participation,
  religion
• Freedom from torture and slavery
• Important womens human rights issues
• Violence against women (esp. in conflict)
• Equality under the law and at home

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Womens Human Rights AchievementsThe UN

• United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985)
  women from many geographical, racial, religious,
  cultural, and class backgrounds took up
  organizing to improve the status of women.
• The United Nations-sponsored women's conferences
  Mexico City(1975,) Copenhagen (1980,) and
  Nairobi(1985, )
• convened to evaluate the status of women and to
  formulate strategies for women's advancement.

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Womens Human Rights AchievementsThe UN

• The UN issues more Conventions or international
  treaties regarding womens human rights for
  countries to sign
• Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
  Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979)
• Currently, 185 countries - over ninety percent of
  the members of the United Nations - are party to
  the Convention.
• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence
  Against Women (1995)

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Womens Human Rights AchievementsCivil Society

• More civil society NGOs (Non-governmental
  organizations) take on the issue of womens human
  rights.

Ex Amnesty International once said that
violence against women is not a human rights
issue. Now they have a Stop Violence Against
Women Campaign.
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More Womens Human Rights Organizations
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Human Rights for Women Human Rights for All

• Women play a vital role it fighting for
  realization of all human rights

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This photograph was taken at a demonstration
against the White government, during the singing
of the ANC anthem, NKosiSikele Africa.At one
stage, NKosiSikele Africa was banned and singing
it publicly was a criminal offense. Today it is
the New South Africa's national anthem.
Women helped end apartheid in South Africa
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Women fight for equal rights and democracy in Iran
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Mary Robinson, Irelands first female president

• Women bring peace to Northern Ireland

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Threats to Womens Human Rights

• religious or cultural fundamentalisms of
  different kinds
• power of ultra-conservative forces within
  governments and their influence on foreign and
  domestic policies
• backlashes in the media, judiciary, public
  opinion
• an increase in violence, conflict and war

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Its up to all of us to promote gender equality!