2000 - Advocacy Guide to Women's World Demands

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEMANDS OF THE WORLD MARCH AND THE PLATFORM FOR ACTION ADOPTED BEIJING (SEPTEMBER 1995)

Many connections can be made between the demands against poverty and violence against women brought forth by the World March of Women and the platform for action adopted by consensus by the 189 States that participated in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995. Among the 12 themes that are discussed in this platform, the following can be noted in regards to the World March: poverty, education, health, violence against women, armed conflict, decision-making, and human rights of women and girls. Since the platform for action is a document that is negotiated among many States with very different viewpoints on these issues, the analysis that is presented often bears witness to the process of concession and compromise. In all negotiations, non-governmental organizations at times succeed in asserting their viewpoint to certain States, which will submit the idea to other States as part of their discussions.

Many strategic objectives targeted by the platform propose measures that are in line with the demands brought forth by the World March, although the World March's demands go much further. Yet since the platform is not a legal international document, it does not have the force of law and a State cannot be compelled to align with it. On the other hand, its content can be used to interpret more favourably to women the various international conventions and covenants that are at issue in this Advocacy Guide. Moreover, under the effect of pressure exercised by women's movements worldwide as is the case with this World March of Women in the Year 2000, States may decide to adopt the policies that we are demanding and to respect at last the commitments they have made by agreeing to platforms for action such as the platform of the Fourth World Conference on Women. As part of "Beijing +5", we must remind governments of their duties.

Here is an outline of the analyses and the strategic objectives, called "critical areas of concern" contained in the Beijing Platform for Action, particularly as pertains to the demands of the World March.

CRITICAL AREAS

A. Women and Poverty (as pertains to demands P-1, P-3 and P-2d of the World March)

A.1. Review, adopt and maintain macroeconomic policies and development strategies that address the needs and efforts of women in poverty.

A.2. Revise laws and administrative practices to ensure women's equal rights and access to economic resources.

B. Education and Training of Women (as pertains to the demand P-1 of the World March)

B.1. Ensure equal access to education.

C. Women and Health (as pertains to demands P-1, V-2 and V-10 of the World March)

In this section, it is recognized that "The human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence" (paragraph 96).

C.1. Increase women's access throughout the life cycle to appropriate, affordable and quality health care, information and related services.

D. Violence against Women (as pertains to demands V-2, V-3 and V-6 of the World March)

D.1. Take integrated measures to prevent and eliminate violence against women.

D.2. Study the causes and consequences of violence against women and the effectiveness of preventive measures.

D.3. Eliminate trafficking in women and assist victims of violence due to prostitution and trafficking.

E. Women and Armed Conflict (as pertains to demands V-7, V-9 and V-11 of the World March)

A paragraph of analysis recalls that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights, states that "violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflict are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law" (paragraph 132).

E2. Reduce excessive military expenditures and control the availability of armaments. Paragraph 143 refers to implementing disarmament policies.

E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the incidence of human rights abuse in conflict situations.

E.4. Promote women's contribution to fostering a culture of peace.

E.5. Provide protection, assistance and training to refugee women, other displaced women in need of international protection and internally displaced women.

F. Women and the Economy (as pertains to the demand P-1 of the World March)

The analysis of the globalization of the economy, as found in the Platform for Action adopted in Beijing, is not very critical. This analysis reflects the adherence of the States to neo-liberal theses. The platform does, however, note the following critical areas of concern:

F.1. Promote women's economic rights and independence, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources.

F.2. Facilitate women's equal access to resources, employment, markets and trade.

F.3. Provide business services, training and access to markets, information and technology, particularly to low-income women.

F.4. Strengthen women's economic capacity and commercial networks

F.5. Eliminate occupational segregation and all forms of employment discrimination.

F.6. Promote harmonization of work and family responsibilities for women and men.

G. Women in Power and Decision-making (as pertains to the demand P-1 of the World March)

G.1. Take measures to ensure women's equal access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making.

G.2. Increase women's capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership.

I. Human Rights of Women (as pertains to demands V-4 and V-5 of the World March)

I.1. Promote and protect the human rights of women, through the full implementation of all human rights instruments, especially the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

I.2. Ensure equality and non-discrimination under the law and in practice.

J. Women and the Media (as pertains to the demand V-3 of the World March)

J.2 Promote a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in the media.

CONCLUSION

The analysis proposed by the platform for action makes no direct criticism of neo-liberal capitalism and the patriarchal system. However, several of the measured proposed to governments could have the effect, if they were applied efficiently, of limiting the subordination of political and social life to market dictates. Moreover, several of these measures are aimed at enforcing women's fundamental rights, particularly the right to exercise control over their life and their body as well as their reproductive function.

The World March wants to go one step further in identifying neo-liberal capitalism and patriarchy as structural causes of poverty and forms of violence against all women. The World March therefore proposes concrete measures to combat poverty and incidents of violence against women. Moreover, the World March wishes to serve as a reminder that poverty is a violation of economic and social rights, just as the forms of violence against women are violations of fundamental human rights.