Archive for March 7th, 2016

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07/03/2016

The Empowerment of Women Will Be Central to Realising Sustainable Global Development

Human Wrongs Watch

By Mary Robinson* 

Former president of Ireland (1990-1997) and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 

DUBLIN, 5 March 2016 (IPS) – “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality” – the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day serves as a timely reminder that, despite incremental progress of recent years and the ambition of the new global development agenda, we must redouble efforts to achieve a world underpinned by gender equality. 

Mary Robinson

All women must be empowered to realise their full and equal rights. But what does it actually mean to step it up for gender equality?

For me, this requires targeted approaches to ensure that all women have a voice in the formulation of decisions that impact upon their lives.

This is particularly important when it comes to facilitating the engagement of grassroots women.

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07/03/2016

Happy International Women’s Day

Human Wrongs Watch

By Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, 

UN Women Executive Director*

This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day is the first within the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are confidently asserted in that Agenda as intrinsic to progress.

PhumzileMlamboNgcuka_official_244x163 jpg

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

The new Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals include a specific goal to achieve gender equality, which aims to end discrimination and violence against women and girls and ensure equal participation and opportunities in all spheres of life.

Important provisions for women’s empowerment are also included in most of the other goals.

In conjunction with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, more than 90 governments have answered UN Women’s call for action to “Step It Up for Gender Equality”.

Heads of State and Government have pledged concrete and measurable actions to crack some of the fundamental barriers to the achievement of gender equality in their countries.

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07/03/2016

Photo Essay: A Day in the Life of Women

Human Wrongs Watch

5 March 2016 (UN Women)* – Teachers, farmers, businesswomen, politicians, mothers, law enforcers — women and girls contribute every day in many visible and invisible ways. Here’s a glimpse into their lives.

Photo: UNICEF/Agron Dragaj

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MAURITANIA

In the capital of Brakna in southwest Mauritania mothers gather to attend a session on early childhood development. Providing children with a strong foundation of learning and good health is key to sustainable development and economic growth.

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07/03/2016

Advocacy and Laws against Women Trafficking Across Arab States

Human Wrongs Watch

5 March 2016 (UN Women)* – A three-year anti-trafficking programme supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is boosting legal enforcement against the crime in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.

An anonymous trafficking victim. Photo: UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

Photo: UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

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It was a simple job posting in her local newspaper that drew Rosita* to Jordan. Work as a chef for USD $400 in addition to free accommodation and food, it promised.

“I received an invitation from a recruiting agency in Jordan so that I could get my visa,” she recalls. “[The man who interviewed me] told me that I will have a separate room with a television and phone so that I can contact my family.”

The incentives were too enticing to refuse.

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07/03/2016

Situation in Libya ‘Alarming’

Human Wrongs Watch

Visiting Algeria for the second time as United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on 6 March 2016 expressed alarm on situation in Libya. “There is alarming information coming from Libya about grave acts that could amount to war crimes,” Ban warned.

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**Destroyed tanks outside of Misrata | Author: joepyrek from Richmond, Va, USA | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. | Wikimedia Commons

“All external actors need to use their influence to appease the situation. If things don’t improve on the political front, the humanitarian crisis will worsen and threats to people’s security, including attacks by Daech [ISIL], will multiply and expand.”

In addition to thanking Algeria for hosting UN-led talks on Libya, he also welcomed the country’s engagement towards Mali, for its role as one of the main mediators of the peace process.

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