It is very interesting to see that the CSW
is attracting attention in the press this year. I can’t remember that this was
the case in earlier CWS’s I attended. And the press has picked up on the fact
that women’s rights are not guaranteed and we have to fight hard against
backlash, especially around sexual health and rights.
It remains baffling to me why so many
people seem to fear women having the option to shape their own life. I loved
the presentation of a group of women from Chechnya who showed us how they
address the fear of change in individual relations (e.g. between mother in laws
and daughter in laws) leading to more freedom and ultimately societal change.
I have collected a few media links below
Oddly the leader of UN seems to imply in
the article above that it is ok to backtrack on sexual health and rights. Not
the kind of position you hope to see from UN women who should stand firm on
women’s rights. The States are quite able to water down commitments by
themselves. : )
http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/3184/opinie/article/detail/3403991/2013/03/05/Conservatieven-draaien-tijd-voor-de-vrouw-terug.dhtml
Loeky Droesen is policy advisor at
RutgersWPF, board member of the Women Peacemakers Program and freelance
consultant at Rights for Change
Comments
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/mar/11/religious-right-wrong-women-right-choose?goback=%2Egde_3608112_member_222228509
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/03/06/playing-into-the-holy-sees-hands-a-firm-no-to-watered-down-rights-for-women/
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/03/10/egyptian-delegation-to-un-status-of-women-commission-criticised/
http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/dd2da2804edbc24d8d2bdfd17cdf0d25/SA-commits-to-end-violence-against-women-20131203
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/03/a-political-tug-of-war-over-militarism-and-gender-violence/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/egypts-muslim-brotherhood-says-un-document-on-violence-against-women-violates-islamic-rules/2013/03/13/1257d688-8bfe-11e2-af15-99809eaba6cb_story.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/us-women-un-rights-idUSBRE92C1EN20130313