Introduction & Overview

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1 U2NESCO 2018 UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CHAIR REPORT Committee: Human Rights Agenda: Measures to eliminate gender discrimination across education and occupations. Officer: Helen Wong Introduction & Overview The agenda for the Human Rights Committee this year will be: Measures to eliminate gender discrimination across education and occupations. Gender discrimination has always been a global issue that the world has been trying to eliminate. Today in many regions around the world today, gender discrimination has effected both boys and girls. For boys in some regions, education opportunities are limited because of different gender roles that compels them to work instead of going to school. These monetary responsibilities are often expanded to boys juvenile years and making it hard for them to be able to complete secondary school. However, many parts of the world, girls are usually the victims of gender discrimination as they pursue an education. Many girls in Africa, five years of going to school is the maximum years an African girl can expect, they are also the lucky ones. Across the region of Sub-Saharan, almost 33 million girls between the ages of 6~15 are not in school, In sub-saharan region 56% of the girls will never even get the chance of going to school compare of the 41% of boys out of school. Not just Africa is facing this issue, many other countries are also facing this issue, such as: Cambodia, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan., Chad, Guatemala, Haiti, Turkey, Morocco, Rwanda, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nigeria and Ethiopia, Gender discrimination usually happens in LEDC s. Today, there are three specific countries that have over 1 million girls that are not attended to school, these three countries are Pakistan, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Not only girls are victims, there are 4 million fewer boys than girls enrolled in school. A quarter of 774 million illiterate people in the world are female, and that is more than 510 million women, illiteracy can keep the whole reproduce cycle in poverty, but education can help women reduce poverty.

3 Definition of Key Terms LEDC: Less economically developed countries Monetary: Relating to money or currency Juvenile: A young person, relating to young people Gender discrimination: Sexism, A belief that one gender is superior to the other, especially that men are superior to women Occupations: Jobs History Everything started in the early 1860s, the solution towards gender discrimination began. 1860s to 1890s The London Society for Women s Suffrage is formed to campaign for female suffrage The Married Women s Property Act allows married women to own their own property. Previously, when women married, their property transferred to their husbands. Divorce heavily favoured men, allowing property to remain in their possession. This act allows women to keep their property, married, divorced, single or widowed. Clementine Black, Secretary of the Women s Trade Union League, secures the first successful equal pay resolution at Trades Union Congress 1900~1910 A delegation of women s textile workers from Northern England present a 37,000 signatory petition to Parliament demanding votes for women. The Women s Social and Political Union is founded in Manchester by Emmeline Pankhurst, her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, and Annie Kearney. The National Federation of Women Workers is set up by Mary MacArthur Under the Qualification of Women Act, women can be elected onto borough and county councils and can also be elected mayor. Two hundred and fifty thousand people gather in Hyde Park, London, in support of women s suffrage The National Federation of Women Workers, along with many of the other women's organizations, campaigned to expose the evils of the sweated trades. Their propaganda was very effective and played a major part in inducing the Liberal government to pass the Trade Boards Act which was an attempt to fix minimum wages in certain of the most exploitative trades, usually the ones in which women predominated. 1910~1920 The Cat and Mouse Act is enacted in Britain, allowing the government to temporarily discharge women prisoners hunger striking for the vote until they were fit enough to be imprisoned again.

4 A massive rally is held in Hyde Park for women s right to vote, with women travelling from all across the country. The first Women s Institute in Britain is founded in North Wales. Thousands of women march in Glasgow in response to the greedy rent increases faced by women whose husbands were at war. Out of this came the Rent Restriction Act which changed the housing system and benefited poor people across the country Women over 30 are granted the right to vote in Britain. The Sex Discrimination Removal Act allows women access to the legal profession and accountancy. (Greater London Authority (2002) capital two Unemployment benefits are extended to include allowances for wives The Law of Property Act allows both husband and wife to inherit property equally All women in Britain gain equal voting rights with men. The first general election in which women are allowed to vote occurs. The election is sometimes referred to as the Flapper Election due to the thousands of women turning out to vote. Women become people in their own right, by order of the Privy. Council. 1030s~1950s The National Service Act is passed introducing conscription for women. All unmarried women between the ages of 20 and 30 are called up for war work. It is later extended to include women up to age 43 and married women, though pregnant women and those with young children can be exempt. The introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) gives everyone free access to health care. Previously, only the insured, usually men, benefited. The Sexual Offences Act defines rape under specific criteria, such as incest, sex with a girl under 16, no consent, use of drugs, anal sex and impersonation 1960s~1970s The Married Women s Property Act entitles a woman to keep half of any savings she has made from the allowance she is given by her husband. The contraceptive pill becomes available through Family Planning Clinics. The NHS (Family Planning) Act permits health authorities to give contraceptive advice regardless of marital status and the Family Planning Association (FPA) follows suit. Women at the Ford car factory in Dagenham strike over equal pay, almost stopping production at all Ford UK plants. Their protest led directly to the passing of the Equal Pay Act Working women were refused mortgages in their own right as few women worked continuously. They were only granted mortgages if they could secure the signature of a male guarantor Britain s first national Women s Liberation Conference is held at Ruskin College. This is the first time women s groups from across Britain have met in a single place. The Women s Liberation Movement (WLM), influential throughout the 1970s, develops from the conference. The Miss World Competition is interrupted by feminist protestors claiming the contest is a cattle market. They throw flour and smoke bombs, inaugurating the first protest event organized by the women s movement. Over 4,000 women take part in the first Women s Liberation march in London. The National Women s Aid Federation is set up to bring together nearly 40 refuge services across the country. Contraception becomes available through the NHS.

5 The gender Discrimination Act makes it illegal to discriminate against women in work, education and training. This is another act pushed through by the women s movement. The National Abortion Campaign is formed in response to James White's Abortion (Amendment) Bill. It organizes 20,000 people to create the largest women s rights demonstration since the suffragettes. Lobbying by women s organizations ushers in the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act is introduced to protect women and children from domestic violence. The Act gives new rights to those at risk of violence through civil protection orders. Women s Aid lobbies government to acknowledge women and children at risk of violence as homeless and introduce their right to state help with temporary accommodation. (Women s Aid (2004) Celebrating 30 years International Women s Day is formalised as an annual event by the UN General Assembly. The first Rape Crisis Centre opens in London. The Women s Aid Federation of Northern Ireland established. It went on to become the lead in the voluntary organization challenging domestic violence in Northern Ireland and currently provides support to over 10,000 women every year. The feminist journal Feminist Review is founded. It went on to play a crucial role in promoting contemporary feminist debate in the UK. 1980s Lesley Abdela forms the 300 Group to push for equal representation of women in the House of Commons. Baroness Young becomes the first woman leader of the House of Lords 30,000 women gather at Greenham Common Peace Camp. The camp remained open for 19 years during which thousands of female protesters visited and lived in the camp. The Court of Appeal decides that bars and pubs are no longer able to refuse to service women at the bar as this constitutes sex discrimination Lady Mary Donaldson becomes the first woman Lord Mayor of London. The national Black Feminist Conference is held The first black lesbian conference is held in Britain. Over 200 women of African and Asian descent attend. Campaigning against female genital mutilation by the Foundation for Women s Health, Research and Development leads to the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act The Sex Discrimination (Amendment) Act enables women to retire at the same age as men. It also lifts the legal restrictions which prevent women from working night shifts in factories Diane Abbot becomes the first black woman member of the Westminster Parliament. Section 28 of the Local Government Act made it illegal for any council or government body to intentionally promote homosexuality, or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality. Massive demonstrations took place against Section 28 in London and Manchester, with high profile support from media stars and politicians. Lesbians invaded the House of Lords and even the BBC Six o clock news in protest against the draconian and homophobic legislation. 1990s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill makes provisions to license and monitor the performance of fertility treatment clinics, and any research using human embryos.

6 The 'composite tax system', whereby all banks and building societies deducted an average (or composite) rate of tax is abolished. The change to the tax regime allowed women more independence and freedom from their husbands or partners. With the help of lobbying by women s organizations around the world, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women affirms that violence against women violates their human rights The UK starts its first Take Our Daughters to Work Day. Rape in marriage is made a crime after 15 years of serious campaigning by women s organizations. The Disability Discrimination Act gives some new rights for disabled people in employment and access to services. Northern Ireland s Women s Coalition was founded in an attempt to promote the inclusion of women inclusion of women in social and political life, on an equal footing to men. Establishing itself as a political party, it became an influential and liberalizing force in Irish politics and helped elect two of its members, Monica McWilliams and Jane Morrice, to the Irish National Assembly The general election sees 101 Labour women MPs elected. The European Union passes the Human Rights Act, guaranteeing basic principles of life for everyone. The House of Lords delivers a historic judgement in the Shah and Islam case that women who fear gender persecution should be recognized as refugees to the present After a long battle led by refugee women s groups in the UK to bring a gendered analysis to asylum claims, the UK s Immigration Appellate Authority (the immigration and asylum tribunal) launched its Asylum Gender Guidelines for use in the determination of asylum appeals. The guidelines note that the dominant view of what constitutes a real refugee has been of a man and this has meant that women asylum seekers in the UK may not benefit equitably from the protection offered by the Refugee Convention. They aim to ensure that the gender of the asylum seeker does not prejudice their application. Parliament passes measures allowing lesbian and unmarried couples to adopt children. The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations are introduced to protect people against discrimination based on their sexual orientation. The Female Genital Mutilation Act strengthens and amends the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act of For the first time, it is an offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to carry out female genital mutilation abroad, or to aid, abet, council, or procure the carrying out of female genital mutilation, even in countries where the practice is legal. After years of lobbying by voluntary and community organizations, particularly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender organizations, Section 28 is repealed. Women march on Parliament in protest that one in four retired women live in poverty. Members of the disabled people s Direct Action Network block Westminster Bridge in protest of the Draft Disability Bill which they believe does not go far enough The first civil registrations of same-sex couples takes place as a result of the long campaigned for Civil Partnerships Act. (

7 In Northern Ireland, women s voluntary and community organizations and their service users march to the headquarters of the Voluntary and Community Unit, Department of Social Development, to deliver a letter of protest about the funding crisis facing the Northern Ireland women s voluntary and community sector. As a result of the protest, emergency funding is allocated and mass closures of women s organizations are averted. Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female speaker of the House. Hillary Clinton is the only First Lady to run for president. Sonia Sotomayor is nominated as the 111th U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Sotomayor becomes the first Hispanic American and the third woman to serve. Hillary Clinton becomes Secretary of State on January 21, She is the third woman in U.S. history to hold this position. After four years, she stepped down. The ban against women in military combat positions is removed; this overturned a 1994 Pentagon decision restricting women from combat roles. Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The new bill extends coverage to women of Native American tribal lands who are attacked by non-tribal residents, as well as lesbians and immigrants. United States v. Windsor 570 U.S. Supreme Court decides that a key part of DOMA, the law that restricts federal recognition of same-sex marriage, is unconstitutional because it violates the equal protection clause of the constitution. Major Parties Involved Gender discrimination is now leading to a major issue throughout the world, especially in Africa. About one in seven adults-14%-who have been employed have been victim of gender discrimination on the job at some point in their working lives. Women, baby boomers and blacks are more likely than men to become victims across gender discrimination. But with the work of these organizations, councils and communities gender discrimination has been changed in many different ways. These are the following parties that were involved: The National Society for Women s Suffrage The National Society for Women's Suffrage was formed on the 6 th of November, on 1867 by Lydia Becker. This was the first national group in the United Kingdom to campaign for Women's right to vote. UNICEF UNICEF took part of gender discrimination on 2005 to target to eliminate gender discrimination and target the deadline to United Nations The United Nations took part by providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large. The OECD council The OECD council took part by providing education to females in less economical developed countries. New York s Married Women s Property Act.

8 Allows married women to own their own property. Previously, when women married, their property transferred to their husbands. But this organization helps women to own their own property National Health Service (NHS) Gives everyone free access to health care. Previously, only the insured, usually men, benefited. World Health Organization (WHO) Provides both gender with equal amount of health protection Past Action Throughout those right on time a long time for this country, ladies were not qualified for those same privileges as men. Ladies were not permitted to vote and usually were required to surrender control of their property to their husband upon marriage. Usually female's education and jobs opportunities were limited because people believed that woman's should stay home, raise their kids and tending to domestic affairs The principal genuine exertions to attain correspondence to ladies happened in the 1800s. Throughout the early and only that century, co-educational investigations toward those school level were advertised to those to start with duration of the time. State laws were passed which permitted ladies with hold of their property after marriage. Also, the first women's rights convention was held. Many who supported women's rights became active in the abolitionist movement during the Civil War era. Some even became well-known public orators, an uncommon job for women at the time. The quest for equality continued after the Civil War. In 1869, the Wyoming Territory passed a law which allowed women to vote and serve on juries. Several other western territories and states subsequently granted women the right to vote. Women's rights advocates were outraged that the Fifteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1870, prohibited the states from denying voting rights on the ground of race, but not on the basis of sex. In 1878, Congress considered a Constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote. Although the amendment failed, it was revitalized every year for a period of 40 years. The movement for women's suffrage was led, among others, by Susan B. Anthony, who was arrested for voting in a presidential election, and by Lucy Stone, who was one of the first American women to retain her maiden name after marriage. In 1920, women were finally given the constitutional right to vote in the Nineteenth Amendment, which provided that "he right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The women's privileges development lost its stimulus then afterward those approval of the nineteenth alteration. It was not until the 1960s that it regained its energy. With more women rejecting the traditional role of housewife and entering the work force, there might be an expanded request to rise to privileges and chances. In response, congress passed those equivalent pay act of 1963, which Disallows managements from oppressing representatives on the ground for gender with admiration to those money house under payment. The following year, Congress enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination in employment on

9 the basis of sex, among other grounds. Males, as well as females, have been granted protection against sex discrimination under both the Equal Pay Act and Title VII. In 1972, Congress submitted the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the states for ratification. Basically, the ERA barred all discrimination on the ground of sex. However, the ERA suffered defeat after the necessary number of states failed to ratify it within the mandatory ten-year deadline. To date, women are still struggling with the issue of equality in their personal and professional relationships. Thirty-five years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women have still not achieved equality in wages. Possible Solutions Economic opportunities for women can grow and improve by raising the overall level of labour productivity and be capable until now to underuse labour supply. If this humanity may help more people to realize the negativities of gender discrimination, changes can be made. Gender discrimination are usually caused by: Sociocultural Causes Biological Causes Economic Causes Educational Causes But there are also solutions changes could be made through: Reduction of Prejudice Cognitive Approach Educational Approaches Learning Not to Hate Change in Attitude, perception Bibliography and resource section Progress and Obstacles to Girls' Education in Africa. Plan International, planinternational.org/publications/progress-and-obstacles-girls-education-africa. 6 Things Keeping Girls out of School and What Plan International Is Doing about It. 6 Barriers to Girls Education - Female Education in Africa, Asia & Latin America - Plan International Canada, plancanada.ca/6-things-keeping-girls-out-of-school. The World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education Education United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,

10 international-agenda/gender-and-education/resources/the-world-atlas-of-gender-equality-ineducation/. Discrimination against Girls in India. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Dec. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/discrimination_against_girls_in_india. Gender Inequality in India. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Dec. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gender_inequality_in_india. Sex Differences in Education. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Dec. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sex_differences_in_education. Gender Discrimination: Causes and Reduction. Psychology Discussion - Discuss Anything About Psychology, 10 June 2016, Newman, Constance. Time to Address Gender Discrimination and Inequality in the Health Workforce. Human Resources for Health, BioMed Central, 2014, Youth, Voices of. Addressing the Issue of Gender Discrimination in Education. RSS, The History of Gender Discrimination in the Workplace. Bizfluent, bizfluent.com/info history-gender-discrimination-workplace.html. History of the Movement for Gender Equality. Wikigender, Detailed Timeline. National Womens History Project,

11 Contact Information Helen Wong, Human Rights Committee Co-chair: Secretary General, Pei E Cheong: 19pcheong@student.uiszc.org

PART OF THE TMSL ON-LINE RESOURCES SERIES ON GENDER EQUITY

PART OF THE TMSL ON-LINE RESOURCES SERIES ON GENDER EQUITY FORWARD TOGETHER Complete Timeline History of Women s Rights http://yourdream.liveyourdream.org/2017/03/history-of-womens-rights-america/ 1769