IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #231 Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide July 22, 2003 WOMEN AND LAW 1. UPDATE ON THE COMMITTEE ON THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) CEDAW held its 29th Session at the UN Headquarters, New York from 30 June-18 July 2003. The Committee considered reports from the following 8 countries: Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, and Slovenia. In addition to the official country reports, CEDAW experts receive shadow and/or alternative reports from representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the reporting countries who are also able to brief the Committee's pre-session working group as well as the plenary meetings. In this current session, shadow reports have been submitted by NGOs of all eight countries to the CEDAW Secretariat for circulation among experts. The shadow report system within the larger CEDAW review process is important for several reasons. It establishes a formal role for NGOs within the CEDAW process and it allows CEDAW experts to see the issues through multiple lenses. IWTC is discussing with other international groups how to develop more fully the linkages between CEDAW and the UN Security Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Human Security. Such an opportunity may exist in the 30th CEDAW session, tentatively scheduled for January 2004, where, among the 8 reporting countries (Belarus, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Germany, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and Nigeria), Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria are countries in which women have experienced the impact of armed conflict. For NGOs from reporting countries, technical support is available on the "how-to's" of the shadow report system through several institutions including York University International Women's Rights Project (www.yorku.ca/iwrp) and International Women's Rights Action Watch (www.iwraw.org) The following countries have signed and ratified the CEDAW convention in 2003: Afganistan-5th March 2003, Syrian Arab Republic28th March 2003, Timor-Liste 16th April 2003. In addition, one more country Sao Tome and Principe ratified the convention on June 3, 2003, bringing the total number of ratifications to 174 countries out of a total of 191 countries in the United Nations. For more information see: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw.htm For an in-depth analysis of the impact of CEDAW : "The First CEDAW Impact Study Final Report" by Marilou Mcphedran, Susan Bazilli, Moana Erickson and Andrew Bynes. This pilot study by the International Women's Rights Project (IWRP) at York University concluded that, although CEDAW is underutilized, there is a growing awareness among women's groups who participated in the study of how they can use the convention to pressure their governments to abide by international treaty commitments. Countries include Germany, Japan, Nepal, South Africa and Turkey. 2000. 232 pages. US$25.00 To order, contact Mary Wong, Sales Manager (Tel: 212-687-8633 ext.204 Fax: 212-661-2704 email: wink@womenink.org) You can also order online at http://www.womenink.org 2. GENDER UPDATE ON THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) Following the March 2003 inauguration of 18 Judges including 7 women to the International Criminal Court (ICC), attention is now being turned to the next round of appointments. Sworn into the ICC as Prosecutor in June was Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina. His first task will be to nominate Deputy Prosecutors and investigators for appointment by the Assembly. The application period for Deputy Prosecutors ends on July 20, 2003 at which time the Prosecutor would nominate 3 candidates through an interview process. The Assembly would then elect one or two Deputy Prosecutors during the September 2003 session through a closed balloting process. The importance of the role of the Prosecutor was noted by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, "The position of Prosecutor is among the most crucial at the new Court. How he exercises his discretion to decide which investigations to pursue and what type of prosecutorial strategy he develops will do a lot to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the ICC". It is therefore important that gender advocates continue to demand a gender balance in the prosecution team and the court as a whole if the court is to work for women. 3. UPDATE ON THE WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR GENDER JUSTICE The Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, an international coalition of NGOs founded to advocate for gender perspectives in the negotiations toward the International Criminal Court (ICC), in a recently circulated letter, said farewell to it partners, supporters, donors and friends as it moves to a different phase in its work. The Caucus, which has been credited for the explicit inclusion of rape and other gender-based crimes as war crimes and crimes against humanity, called for continued and expanded gender advocacy in their letter when they said, "The achievement and the court now belongs to every one". We commend The Women's Caucus for Gender Justice for ensuring that gender perspectives in the developments of the Rome Statutes and in all the processes of the ICC. The organization's new role as " Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice" is expected to open its offices at The Hague. (Reference Globalnet 192 of April 02) Links: http://www.iccnow.org, http://www.lchr.org http://www.un.org Relevant Women ink resources; -Women's Human Rights Step by Step By the Women, Law and development International/ Women's Rights Project. -The International Criminal Court. The making of the Rome Statute. Issues. Negotiations. Results Edited by Roy S. Lee -The International Criminal Court. Elements of Crimes and Rules of Procedure and Evidence. Edited by Roy S. Lee For more information see: http://www.womenink.org 4. PROTOCOL ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADOPTED BY THE MAPUTO AFRICAN UNITY SUMMIT The African Unity Summit held in Maputo, Mozambique during 4-12 July 2003 adopted the Protocol on Women's Rights to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. The new Protocol is a historic first in that it calls for the legal prohibition of female genital mutilation. It sets forth a broad range of rights for women including establishment of the minimum age for marriage at 18, affirmative action to promote the equal participation of women and right to equal pay for equal work. The Protocol also sets a precedent in international law by explicitly calling for the reproductive right of women to medical abortion when pregnancy results from rape or incest or when maternal health or life is endangered with the continuation of pregnancy. Of the 53 members of the African Unity, Egypt and Libya attached reservations because, in their view, the Protocol is not in line with the Islamic Sharia Law. 15 members need to ratify the Protocol in order for it to come into force. (Sources: http://www.equalitynow.org, http://www.wn.org) 5. NEW TRAINING APPROACHES: USING LAW TO CHANGE WOMEN'S LIVES The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development is developing sets of instructional methodology and materials that focus on Feminist Legal Theory and Practice. At one recent workshop in Thailand, participants discussed the framework for feminist legal theory and practice, the different streams of feminism, law as an institution or system and its dynamic and interacting components. One participant in the workshop commented "the discussions were insightful and confirm that law can be used as a tool for changing women's situations: the[re is a] need to interrogate law's contribution to women's subordination and oppression." The participants at the workshop demonstrated an understanding of the use of law as an entry point to address women's concerns and the limitations of the law. Materials used and developed in the training are being compiled into a manual. For more information see: http://www.apwld.org Other relevant links: http://www.whrnet.org, http://www.iwraw-ap.org This issue of GlobalNet was researched and prepared by Isha Dyfan, Kristina Lawyer and Hanako Kaku IWTC Women's GlobalNet is a production of: International Women's Tribune Centre 777 United Nations Plaza 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (1-212) 687-8633 Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 Email: <iwtc@iwtc.org> Web: <http://www.iwtc.org> PLEASE NOTE: For back issues of IWTC Women's GlobalNet, go to our website at <www.iwtc.org> and click on either Women's GlobalNet under Resources, or What's New? You can subscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to: <iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com> You can unsubscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to: <iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com> WOMEN, INK. For quality, cutting-edge publications on women and development by, for and about women worldwide, write for Women, Ink's 2002/2003 catalogue, or view it at : <http://www.womenink.org>. Contact Women, Ink. at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: Yasna Uberoi (1-212) 687-8633 ext 212 or Mary Wong (1-212) 687-8633 ext 204. Fax: (1-212) 661-2704. E-mail: <wink@iwtc.org> To subscribe to the Women, Ink. monthly bulletin "BookLink", which features new titles constantly being added to the Women, Ink. collection, write to: <wink@iwtc.org> WOMEN, INK. IS A SERVICE OF IWTC --- The "women-rights" mailing list provides information on issues related to women's human rights. Archives of "women-rights" messages, as well as instructions on how to (un)subscribe to the list, can be found at: http://www.hrea.org/lists/women-rights/markup/maillist.php
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