INTERNATIONAAL
Women's Rights Worldwide
United in Diversity - Women set the Agenda for 2015
The 34th Triennial Congress of the IAW 2007, excellently organised by hostess All India Women’s Conference in Delhi, India, elected a new Board, decided on a new Action Programme, installed 5 Commissions and sent
5 resolutions around the world.
In short, everything was done to continue and expand as an efficient international organisation, focussing on women's rights.
Picture:Women's organisations are showing the poster 'A Violence Free Home' to India's President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, on October 30, 2007.
The 5 Commissions
Commissions are open-ended, and any member who wants to join in the work may do so with the agreement of the convenor.
1. Elimination of Violence - convenor Mmabatho Ramagoshi, South Africa
Goal: to eliminate all forms of violence
* say no to violence;
* treat violence against women as a violation of human rights and as a crime;
* promote the implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women;
* suport the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking;
* etc.
2. Justice, Human Rights - convenor: Margret Steinarsdottir, Iceland
* Goal: to fully implement CEDAW and its Optional Protocol;
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and its Protocol;
the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Protocols;
the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocols, especially that on Trafficking in Persons, in particular Women and Children;
the Convention on Corruption and human rights treaties relevant to women at the regional level;
* urge govenments to ratify and implement CEDAW and its Optional Protocol;
*
etc.
3. Democracy - convenor: Jessica Kehl, Switzerland
Goal: to achieve equal participation in political, economic and social decision-making
* Work for good governance;
* mobilise and train women for representation in politics;
*
assure gender parity at all levels of sociaty including the institution of quotas when necessary;
* train women to understand the globalisation process, governments' responsibilities in a globalised world, and the need for NGOs and civil society to participate in intenational decision making;
* etc.
4. Peace - convenor: Susanne Riveles, United States of America
Goal: to end war, civil conflict and achieve peaceful conflict resolution
* work actively to promote peaceful conflict resolution;
* popularise and promote the implementation of UN Security Council Res. 1325;
* monitor and evaluate the UN peacekeeping structures in conflict and post conflict operations for gender mainstreaming;
* Promote women's training in negociating skills and their participation in peace negotiations;
*
work for the control and reduction of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and fight against their illicit trade;
* support the International Criminal Court in its work to hold governments and individuals accountable for their violent acts particularly against women in times of war and civil conflict;
* etc.
5. Health - convenor Gudrun Haupter, Germany
Goal: issues with sexual and reproductive health components:
*follow closely the medical advancement on nutrition and HIV/Aids;
*advocate a global strategy on sexually transmited infections, calling for non-discriminating acceptable and sustainable sexual education on a secure scientific basis;
* promote the World Health Organisation's Global Strategy on reproductive health and the integration of sexual and reproductive health care services including family planning;
* promote the WHO contribution to the implementation of the Strategy for Child an Adolescent Health and Development;
* monitor the implementation of recommendations on violence and health;
* follow-up the strategy on diet, physical excercise and health, in the context of the fast growing numbers of people with chronic diseases - coronary diseases, diabetes, cancer;
* etc.
Round Tables, Seminars etc.
During the Triennial Congress we discussed several interesting topics. Experts in Round Tables and Seminars gave introductions on Human and Civil Rights, Peace and Security, Education, Violence against Women, Health, Gender Equality, the Role of Women Entrepreneurs for Industrial Development and last but not least: Environment and Sustainable Development.