Women in International Organizations and Security of Women by Salma Khan What we need are not just a few women who make history, but many women who make policy. Geraldine Ferraro 1984 Vice - Presidential Candidate of USA Present situation Despite the widespread movement towards democratization in most countries, which essentially subsume equal participation of women at all levels of national and international decision-making process, women have made little progress in attaining political power in legislative bodies, major decision-making positions in government or international organizations including corporate bodies. Globally, women hold only 5 to 10 percent of the world formal political leadership, and about 10 percent of parliament seats worldwide and about 6 percent cabinet seats are occupied by them Women are also poorly represented in most international bodies. Only one in 5 senior managers in the United Nation is female (source United Nations). Globally women hold only 11.7 per cent of senior positions in the executive branch of the government. Why there should be Equal Participation of Women in International Organizations
Today the world has become a global village. National policies are not state centered and under the control of nation states alone. The economic and social development policies of individual states are widely influenced by power and policies of non-state authories like multinational or transnational firms or international organizations including UN bodies and specialized agencies. Most importantly, the human rights of the people within the space of a state can not be protected unless the state is capable of maintaining an effective membership and political integration with viable international organizations. Security and international affairs have traditionally been gender neutral due to which women are increasingly becoming targets of aggression, civil strife, war, armed conflict or political instability. Consequently in every country there is a growing pressure on the government to secure effective participation of women in decisionmaking level so that women s gender specific concerns, values and experiences can be redefined and widespread discriminations against women can be eliminated. Although noticeable progress has been made in the status of women in terms of education, employment and access to health services, new inequalities are emerging in the current development context where integration into global market directs development, where there is accelerating technological change, where national economies are characterized by transnational process and where ecological crisis facing humanity is at its worst. It is necessary to change the process that have brought about a world of inequality, instability and conflict (UNIFEM: Political Empowerment Program). 176
All UN statistics show that despite multi-faceted international efforts to advance the status of women around the world, vulnerability of women and children, particularly during armed conflict, political instability, civil strife and any other form of social transformation is on the increase. Often violation of women s right particularly in the public sphere take place because relevant international instruments to address the issues are gender neutral. A current UN report confirms that during the last decade almost 80 per cent of the conflict victims were civilian and a growing proportion of which were women. Women are victims of systematic mass rape, ethnic cleansing, refugee, and homelessness including becoming victims of trans-border trafficking and involuntary prostitution. It is therefore, essential to secure women s participation at the international decision making process to address at the roots of the problems. It is absolutely necessary to ensure women s participation at peacebuilding and conflict resolutions, so that international human rights framework correctly reflects women s perspective needs and concerns. To revise the conditions of conflict situation, it is therefore, critically important to achieve a gender balance in all international organizations which have a role to set international human rights standard and humanitarian laws with a gender perspective to reduce incidence of human rights abuse of women, both within the national boundaries and outside. 177
Legal and Ethical Basis to Establish Gender Equality at the International Level The basis of international human rights agenda is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 which forms the legal and ethical basis of equality of men and women in all spheres of life. An extensive body of international standards has been adopted since then to protect and promote women s right particularly in public spheres of life. The International Convention on the Political Rights of Women adopted by the General Assembly in 1952, was the first global endorsement on the principle of equal rights between men and women and the first instrument of international law aimed at recognizing and protecting the right of women to participate in policy making at the national level. The Convention in particular, provides that women, on an equal basis with men, are entitled to vote in any election, run for election to any office or hold any public office or exercise any public function under national law. However, forging a political rights convention did not bring about any change in governance since women did not enjoy the political and civil freedoms to participate in the decision-making process due to existing gender-based discriminations. Despite the existence of other instruments it was felt that extensive discriminations against women continues to exist. To address the situation, there was an expressed need to develop a more effective mechanism requiring States parties to protect women s rights effectively and provide women with opportunities for recourse and protection against discriminations. It was further felt that 178
there was need to create a legally binding normative framework with explicit objective and purpose of establishing equality of men and women in political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field and states parties requiring to adopt measures for elimination of all forms of discriminations in all its forms and manifestations. Consequently, as a landmark in women s human rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Discriminations against Women (DECAW) was adopted by the UNGA in 1979 which came into force in 1981. The CEDAW Convention incorporates the norm against gender based, discrimination and sets out measures aimed at achieving substantive equality between men and women. Most significantly, it allows temporary measures of affirmative actions and binds states parties to adopt measures to modify cultural patterns and traditional practices that perpetuate discriminations against women. The Convention has 30 operative articles of which 16 substantive articles identify specific areas of discrimination and provide an agenda for national action to end such discriminates. Articles 7 and 8 of CEDAW challenge women to fully accept their responsibilities as citizens to participate in the formulation an implementation of national and international policies. Articles 7 and 8 also urge governments to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life. Article 7 reaffirm the right of women to vote in public referenda and to participate at national level in all decision-making processes which is both a foundation of democracy and a necessary condition for reflecting women s perspective in the national 179
development agenda. Article 8, in particular, echoes the article 8 of the United Nations Charter and requires the government to take measures to ensure that women have equal opportunities with men to represent their government internationally as well as to participate in the work of the international organizations and in transnational corporations which have important consequences in the lives of women every where in the world. Women in the United Nations Although many governments and international bodies have begun the process of revising the discriminatory laws and introducing effective measures to affirm women s participation in governance and international machinery to promote gender sensitive policies, legislation and processes. United Nations is the front runner in this respect. I can not think of a single issue we deal with in the United Nations that is not a women s issues, says Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General. Since the Fourth World Conference in Beijing, UN has renewed its efforts to achieve the goal of full gender equality within the UN system particularly in senior policy making positions. The United Nations system is working towards increasing participation of women in decision-making so that they can enter the hall of power in governmental bodies, international organizations, international committees, humanitarian bodies and negotiation teams to make a critical mass (30-35% necessary for a qualitative change) in global decision- 180
making process. Numerous articles of CEDAW convention speak of these considerations. The United Nation has focused on increasing the number of women in decision-making positions at all levels and in various sectors. Although, the UN Secretariat had the goal of having 50 percent women in the senior and policy making level by the year 2000, it is less than 40 percent now. Since 1 January 1999 the percentage of women s appointments subject to geographical distribution increased from 37.7 per cent to 38.6 percent. The UN has also adopted a strategic plan of Action for improvement of the status of Women in the Secretarial. Women Taking the Lead in the UN Due to determined commitment and action, an unprecedented number of women have been appointed to the senior decision making positions in the UN. During 1990s women have assumed top leadership position in several United Nations agencies which include UNICEF, World Food Program, WHO, UNHCR, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNFPA and UNIFEM. In addition one women is occupying the position of Deputy Secretary general and three women as Assistant Secretary general of three divisions. Women have also been appointed for the first time as the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe and Regional Commissions for West Asia, Asia Pacific and Africa. 181
Participation of Bangladeshi Women at the International Level Although Bangladesh enjoys a unique position in having a woman Prime Minister and a woman Leader of the Opposition for over ten years, the participation of women at the decision making level is significantly low. According to available statistics, less than 0.3 percent women are at the decision making level in the government. At the international level, the picture is more disgraceful despite the fact that Bangladesh constitution provides for affirmative actions and the Government has a quota to appoint at least 10 percent women in the executive positions in governmental bodies. There are no woman, ambassadors. A handful of women are working in the junior and mid-level in the foreign missions. At the United Nations System, a Bangladeshi Women was the chairperson of CEDAW Committee till 1998 and presently there are virtually no women in the decision making level. Outside the UN system, one woman is holding the CEO s position in an internationally reputed human rights, namely Amenesty International. Recommendations: Women Making a Difference a. Equal participation of men and women in the national and international decision making process is essential to ensure security and development all people. According to the UDHR every citizen of the world is entitled fundamental human rights and freedom and security of person which are essential preconditions for the maintenance of international peace security and development. 182
b. To foster human rights and global development, peaceful relations between human being, groups and nations must be maintained through building a more equitable, harmonious and discrimination free society. There is increasing consensus that, this must involve a equitable partnership between men and women in the process of decision making at a level generally considered the critical mass (30 to 35 percent) necessary for qualitative change in the gender relationship. c. Today s daunting social, economic and political problems, emerging issues of structural adjustment, environmental degradation, trans-border migration all create a disproportionate impact on women and children. This, on the one hand necessitates putting women s issues and concerns in the relevant agenda, on the other hand, access must be created for women in the top decisionmaking level for infusing gender perspective in all these areas. Equality is the only way to achieve development and peace To bring about a systematic change in levels of decision-making that are needed to make it gender balanced, increased awareness at all levels is the first precondition. Secondly governments must make serious commitments to give high priority to the issue of increasing participation of women at all levels of decision-making. Thirdly, affirmative action policies, including quota systems and targets and appropriate training programs for women leadership should be introduced. CEDAW provides a legal mechanism to secure equal participation of women in the decisionmaking process at the national and international level. The Convention is particularly aware that many 183
important political, legal and social trends are both forged and reinforced at the international level and therefore, it is essential that women are adequately represented in national delegations, negotiation teams and as employees of the international organizations. To achieve the desired goal of de facto equality of women, the Convention suggests to adopt temporary special measures aimed at accelerating the process to ensure equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. How will women sharing the political space make a difference? They will change the nature of power rather than power changing the nature of women said Bella Abzug, Founder Past President of WEDO a famous American feminist. There has been enough evidences that when women assume power at the top decision-making level, they wield power for political and social change, bring about new agenda for peace in a more creative method. Few leading women holding the top position in International organizations have left their mark particularly in the area of human rights, social development and peace. Strong presence of women in Norway Government has made it leading champion of human rights. Having more than 50 percent women in the cabinet made Sweden to vote against being a nuclear power. 184