General
Source: Sudan Vision
The empowerment of women and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political social, economic and health status is a highly important end in itself. In addition, it is essential for the achievement of sustainable development. The full participation and partnership of both women and men is required in productive and reproductive life, including shared responsibilities for the care and nurturing of children and maintenance of the household. In all parts of the world women are facing threats to their threats, health and well-being as a result of being overburdened with work and of their lack of power and influence. The power relations that impede women’s attainment of healthy and fulfilling lives operates at many levels of society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving requires policy and programme actions that will improve women’s access to secure livelihood and economic resources, alleviate their extreme responsibilities with regard to homework, remove legal impediments to their participation in public life, and related social awareness through effective programmes of education and mass communication. In addition, improving the status of women also enhances their decision-making capacity at all level in all spheres of life, especially in the area of sexuality and reproduction. This, in turn, is essential for the long-term success of population programmes. Experience shows that population and development programmes are most effective when steps have simultaneously been taken to improve the status of women.
African women represent more than 50 percent of the content population but still many of them are deprived of their political, economic and social rights according to a paper presented by the international expert in capacity building Ms. Jesica Tokho in the workshop organized by the Political Parties Council and the UN Women in the framework of " Gender participation and women empowerment in the Sudanese political parties". This report was written by Najat Ahmed with input by Sudan Vision Senior Editor Alula Berhe Kidani.
The paper also said that most properly that households headed by women are the poorest despite that 60 to 70 percent of food staffs are produced by women.
The expert pointed that the good governance, democracy and human rights are basic components for the empowerment of women and enjoying their complete rights and this in turn require the effective participation of all the components of the civil society.
The absence of the complete rights women rights is manifested by that women have less chances of owing lands than men in all African countries. Same time women and children suffer most from the violent conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and African Central Republic .and their human rights are widely violated. But in the midst of this gloomy picture there rays of hope in some of the countries of west, central and South Africa.
The paper presented by Ms. Jesika pointed to that human rights can simply be defined by that every human being have the right to enjoy these rights without discrimination of any kind or on any base.
But the journey to the present to this stage in the standards of human rights which are still not perfect either in inclusiveness that is respected by all and in all countries or in kind because certain groups are still not given their legitimate rights.
The journey stated after the send of the end of the Second World War and the atrocities that have been committed against the ordinary citizens and civilians population.
The first international human rights instrument was the, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which laid down the ground and became the solid base for the development of more comprehensive universal human rights instruments.
The UDHR stressed on the onsite on three fundamental principles. The first principle says, "Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world".
This principle which came in 1948 after the tragedies of the Second World War clearly stress on the universality of human rights and are the basic foundations of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
Same time it concedes with the Second paragraph of the United Nations Charter (1945) which states," We the people of the United Nations are determined to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small".
The second principle stress on why human rights are essential, " Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people"
The importance of this principle is stressed on as an important element for peace and stability; "Were as it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the "Rule of Law".
The UDHR was followed by two important international conventions, the International Covenant on Economic .Social and Cultural (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These three international human rights instruments together are called, "The International Bill Rights of Human Rights". These three basic instruments were followed by more detailed covenants, conventions and declarations which is termed, the first generation of human rights. These instruments focused in short basically on the right to life, personal freedom and privacy, human dignity, personal safety ,protection from torture and inhuman treatment, enforced labour, discrimination of any kind, freedom of the press and ex
The second generation of human rights instruments focused on the guaranteeing the citizens rights in economic and social rights. This included the right to food, housing, health, education, social security, legal aid, sports, entertainment facilities, etc. Many countries constitution have adapted these rights. The third generation and which is still been expanding every day main interests where on the rights of human beings in a sustainable environment and human development.
An important development happened in 14 Decmebr,1960 when the United Nations General Assembly adapted on 14 December,1960 within the context of ," The Right to Self-Determination", a Resolution titled, " Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial countries and people". This proclaimed the end of the era of colonialism and a new page for many free independent countries which helped in the spread and improvement of the standards of human rights in varying degrees in the world.
Women Rights
During the last decades there was also more focus on the rights of women and children with the stress on the strong links between them. The journey was a long one although not yet completed but with a lot of progress. In the road there were important many sign posts which must be mentioned. We will just mention some of them; the adaptation by the United Nations of the 8 March as the yearly International Women Day and the convening of many international conferences on women rights. The first was held in Mexico City in 1975 and the second in 1980 in Copenhagen (Denmark), there was also the adaptation by the United Nations of the 1976-1985 Decade for Women. In 1985 the Third Conference on Women in Nairobi with its outcome document
"The Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies the Nairobi Conference revealed that women movements had grown in number and scope , and that they represented an international force for equality, peace and development.
The Forward-looking Strategies are intended to provide a practical and effective guide for global action on a long-term basis and within the context of the broader goals and objectives of a new international order.
The methods and procedures of implementing measures will depend upon the nature of the political process and the administrative capabilities of each country.
Some measures are intended to affect women directly and others are designed to make the social context less obstructive and more supportive of their progress.
The Forward-looking Strategies not only suggest measures for overcoming obstacles that are fundamental and operational but also identify those that are emerging.
Thus, the strategies and measures are intended to serve as guidelines for a process of continuous adaptation to diverse and changing national situations at speeds and nods determined by overall national priorities ,within which the integration of women in development should rank high.
Beijing China) -1995
The Conference Platform for Action Document have stressed on:
1. Action to protect and promote the human rights of women and the girl child as an integral part of universal human rights.
2. Action to eradicate the persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women.
3. Action to remove the obstacles to women’s full participation in public life and decision-making at all levels-including the family.
4. Action to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
5. Action to ensure equal access for girl child and women to education and health services.
6. Action to promote economic autonomy for women and ensure their access productive resources.
7. Action to encourage an equitable sharing of family responsibilities.
Now twenty-five years latter, this document Cairo’s ICPD
Our last station in this article is with the ICDP (International Conference on Population and Development) in Cairo on 1994. The ICDP’s Programme of Action contained a chapter on, “Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Women”. We will summarize briefly the main points but hope to elaborate more on future articles.