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Strategic objective E.5.
Provide protection, assistance and training to refugee women, other displaced women in need of international protection and internally displaced women
Actions to be taken
147. By Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other institutions involved in providing protection, assistance and training to refugee women, other displaced women in need of international protection and internally displaced women, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme, as appropriate:
e. Take measures, at the national level with international cooperation, as appropriate, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, to find lasting solutions to questions related to internally displaced women, including their right to voluntary and safe return to their home of origin;
Beijing Declaration (1995)
Beijing Declaration’s Paragraph 147 section (e) works on some measures at the national level. All in alignment with the Charter of the United Nations. The UN Charter deals with 111 articles for four basic functions set for the United Nations. It deals with the maintenance of world peace and security – think UN Security Council, the developing of relations between and amongst nations – think globalization and internationalism/globalism, the fostering of cooperation between nations for solving international problems – think ECOSOC and the General Assembly.
In every case, we come to the issues of the humanitarian emphasis, the Golden Rule – or probably something like an Informational Golden Rule into the future with more artificial awarenesses or consciousnesses coming online, and the development of the newer systems of global integration, especially with so many democracies extant in the world now.
The ancient Greek system of governance won out; we live in the world built by their dead legacy, even the modern Greeks do too, obviously. So, the democratic systems of governance exist in most nations to one degree or another, meaning women’s rights supporters can work on common initiatives through selection of candidates who statistically lean more in favour of women’s rights than not, and with the most consequential day, each election cycle, being the day of vote.
This particular section, (e), works on the basis of some common considerations laid out before on safety, voluntary return, and the focus on those who are refugees or internally displaced women. There are approximately 21 million women who are identified as internally displaced people (women and girls). Those are vulnerable for a wide variety of reasons, and to a wide variety of calamities.
The safe and voluntary return home means a choice in whether one stays or goes – as with that famous song line – and, if it happens, in a safe manner. There may be other contingencies preventing this from happening in the first place. However, you never know. The ideals are there, and even as idealistic people and groups fail, then the effort, at least, is present.
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- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Preamble, Article 16, and Article 25(2).
- Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) in Article 1.
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) in Article 3, Article 7, and Article 13.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
- Some general declarations (not individual Declaration or set of them but announcement) included the UN Decade for Women (1976-1985).
- Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979) and the Optional Protocol (1999).
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984).
- The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the optional protocol (1993).
- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), Five-year review of progress (2000), 10-year review in 2005, the 15-year review in 2010, and the 20-year review in 2015.
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), and the UN Security Council additional resolutions on women, peace and security: 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), and 2467 (2019).
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).
- The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa or the “Maputo Protocol” (2003).
- Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence or the Istanbul Convention (2011) Article 38 and Article 39.
- UN Women’s strategic plan, 2018–2021
Strategic Aims
- 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasis on the entirety of the goals with a strong focus on Goal 5
- 2015 agenda with 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (169 targets for the end to poverty, combatting inequalities, and so on, by 2030). The SDGs were preceded by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2000 to 2015.
- The Spotlight Initiative as another important piece of work, as a joint venture between the European Union and the United Nations.
Celebratory Days
- February 6, International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is observed.
- February 11, International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed.
- June 19, Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed.
- June 23, is International Widows’ Day is observed.
- October 11, International Day of the Girl Child is observed.
- October 15, International Day of Rural Women is observed.
- November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed.
Guidelines and Campaigns
- Gender Inclusive Guidelines, Toolbox, & United Nations System-wide Strategy on Gender Parity.
- Say No, UNiTE, UNiTE to End Violence against Women, Orange the World: #HearMeToo (2018), and the 16 days of activism.
Women and Men Women’s Rights Campaigners
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Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash