GREATER EFFORTS NEEDED TO BOOST WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN IRAQ, SAYS UN

GREATER EFFORTS NEEDED TO BOOST WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN IRAQ, SAYS UN
New York, Mar 9 2009 12:00PM

With years of conflict curbing progress towards equality for women in Iraq, the United Nations has called for bolstered steps to ensure their rights are protected and advanced.

"A major UN priority for 2009 is to improve conditions for women and girls who have yet to feel the full benefits of Iraq's recovery," said David Shearer, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq.

He pointed to some positive signs, such as one-quarter of those elected in the governorate polls in January being women.

"We now need to build on this achievement by joining forces with Iraq's government and civil society to further improve women's opportunities and human rights," Mr. Shearer said, cautioning that "there is still much to do."

One in 10 Iraqi households are headed by women, more than 80 per cent of whom are widows.

Women comprise 17 per cent of the country's labour force, compared to 81 percent of men, with the low participation rate of women partially attributed to illiteracy. Nearly one-quarter of women and girls – many of whom were afraid to attend school due to the violence – above the age of 10 are illiterate, compared with just 11 per cent of boys.

The UN also expressed concern over women's health indicators, with maternal mortality rates reaching 84 per 100,000 live births compared to 41 and 65 in neighbouring Jordan and Syria respectively.

"Most of children and women mortalities in Iraq can be prevented through simple interventions – from antenatal and emergency obstetric care to breastfeeding and safe hygiene at home," said Sikander Khan, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative in the country.

He stressed the importance of cooperation with Iraq's health system to prevent further deaths.

Mr. Shearer also said the high rates of violence against women, the theme of this year's International Women's Day which was observed yesterday, are still worrying. "We are putting more resources into initiatives to address this problem – to raise community awareness, increase support and strengthen legislation to protect women's rights," he said.

The UN is teaming up with local and international organizations to put dozens of protection, shelter, health, governance, education and other programmes into place.
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COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF

COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF
New York, Mar 8 2009 11:00AM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today added his voice to a chorus of United Nations officials calling for an end to the routine violence suffered by women and girls around the world, in a message marking the International Day for Women.

In some countries, as many as one in three women will be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, Mr. Ban said in his message for the Day, celebrated annually on 8 March.

"We must stop the habitual and socially ingrained violence that mars lives, destroys health, perpetuates poverty and prevents us from achieving women's equality and empowerment," he stressed.

Last year the Secretary-General launched a global campaign "Unite to End Violence Against Women" ending in 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of internationally agreed objectives which include eradicating poverty, achieving universal gender
equality in education and reversing the rate of HIV/AIDS incidence.

"Violence against women is also linked to the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Mr. Ban.

He explained that not only are large numbers of women in some countries forced to have sex, but "Women and girls are also systematically and deliberately subject to rape and sexual violence in war."

"Violence, and particularly sexual and gender-based violence, is one of the defining characteristics of contemporary conflict," said Ron Redmond, the spokesperson of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr. Ban noted that "Death, injury, medical costs and lost employment are but the tip of an iceberg. The impact on women and girls, their families, their communities and their societies in terms of shattered lives and livelihoods is beyond calculation."

To change the mindsets and socially ingrained habits of generations will not be easy and will take the collective force of individuals, organizations and governments, added the Secre
tary-General.

"We must work together to state loud and clear, at the highest level, that violence against women will not be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance," he said, adding that "We need a positive image of women in the media. We need laws that say violence is a crime, that hold perpetrators accountable and are enforced."

In another statement, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Ann Veneman underlined the significant role men and boys have to play in ending violence against women and called for putting in place programmes and activities to educate them.

Michael Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, called for gender equality to be at the core of all the world body's actions, saying that it is not only necessary for social justice but also for achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
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LIBERIA LAUNCHES UN-BACKED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

LIBERIA LAUNCHES UN-BACKED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
New York, Mar 8 2009 10:00AM

The Government of Liberia today launched a United Nations-backed national action plan aimed at furthering gender equality, sustainable peace and security in the only African nation with a democratically elected female head of State.

The plan was launched as part of the International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security, which is taking place in Monrovia from 7 to 10 March and co-convened by Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen.

Nearly 20 current and former heads of government and some 50 UN representatives will be participating in this week's Colloquium, which seeks to empower women to be more effective leaders by linking with their peers from around the world and sharing best practices on a range of issues.

The action plan draws on UN Security Council resolution 1325 whic
h stresses the importance of giving women equal participation and full involvement in peace and security matters and the need to increase their role in decision-making.

It also incorporates components of UN Security Council resolution 1820 on sexual violence against civilians in times of conflict, which addresses previously-neglected areas such as equal protection under the law for survivors of sexual violence and punishment for perpetrators.

The process of drafting the plan -- developed by the Ministry of Gender with the help of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) -- began last August and included representatives of various governmental institutions, UN agencies and civil society organizations.

"A planning process that brings together all relevant stakeholders, and that takes into account the real needs of the local population, will be more sustainable over the long term because people w
ill see themselves reflected in the text of the resulting plan," stated INSTRAW Acting Director Carolina Taborga.

"A plan that is not inclusive will have no ownership, and essential accountability and monitoring components may be left out," she added.

The plan's launch coincides with International Women's Day, observed annually around the world on 8 March.
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DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN WEAKENS ALL OF SOCIETY – UN RIGHTS CHIEF

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN WEAKENS ALL OF SOCIETY – UN RIGHTS CHIEF
New York, Mar 6 2009 6:00PM

Deeply rooted discrimination against women in the political, economic, social and cultural spheres weakens society as a whole, the United Nations human rights chief said on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that the negative effects of discrimination are magnified by conflict, as well as natural or man-made disasters, such as the current economic crisis.

The meltdown in global markets and financial institutions and ensuing recession is likely to have a disproportionate impact on millions women, who already formed the majority of the poor and disenfranchised before the crisis developed.

"Unless gender-sensitive policies are adopted, I fear we may well witness a serious setback in areas where progress has taken decades to achieve," she said in message for the Day, observed annually on 8 March.

Also, in an opinion piece published today in USA Today Ms. Pillay said that growing up in apartheid South Africa as a person of colour and raised in poverty, she had experienced gender, race and class discrimination.

But, "I have seen the power of ordinary people who have stood up against injustices they faced and triumphed," stressed the High Commissioner. "This Sunday, on International Women's Day, I will celebrate the power of women to overcome the vulnerabilities resulting from these multiple forms of discrimination."

In the workplace women still do not receive equal pay for equal work, do not enjoy the legal protection afforded to men, and domestic workers – especially migrants – often fall outside the scope of labour laws.

Discrimination also demonstrates itself in violence against women, which the UN regards as pandemic, warned Ms. Pillay. "I have seen firsthand the effect of this violence on women, children and families, wrecked by these crimes that are too often hidden and protected with impunity."

Yakin Ertürk, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences, also marked the Day with a statement underscoring the importance for men and women to join forces in this time of economic turmoil.

"The scale and impact of the current crisis is still largely unknown, but it is expected that women and girls in both developed and developing countries will be particularly affected by job cuts, loss of livelihoods, increased responsibilities in all spheres of their life, and an increased risk of societal and domestic violence," said Ms. Ertürk.

She highlighted the World Bank's prediction of 53 million more people being driven into poverty in developing countries this year, bringing the total number of those living on less than $2 a day to over 1.5 billion.

"Studies have shown that violence against women intensifies when men experience displacement and dispossession related to economic crises, migration, war, foreign occupation or other situations where masculinities compete and power relations are altered in society," added Ms. Ertürk.

Ms. Pillay noted, however, that there is a new generation of powerful women growing up around the world with a strong sense of their identity and strength.

"They say 'no' to harmful practices such as early marriage, female genital mutilation and sexual harassment. They want to go to school and get an education. They want to be lawyers, doctors, judges and members of parliament. They want to change the world. I celebrate these girls on International Women's Day. They are our future."
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NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED WOMEN TO SOAR AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS, WARNS UN AGENCY

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED WOMEN TO SOAR AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS, WARNS UN AGENCY
New York, Mar 5 2009 6:00PM

The global economic crisis will plunge a further 22 million women into unemployment and make decent work for women increasingly more difficult to find in 2009, predicted a new United Nations report issued today.

The International Labour Office (ILO) launched its annual Global Employment Trends for Women (GET) report in advance of International Women's Day on 8 March, calling for "creative solutions" to close the gender gap.

"Gender inequality in the world of work has long been with us, but it is likely that it will be exacerbated by the crisis," warned the agency's Director-General Juan Somavia.

"In times of economic upheaval, women often experience the negative consequences more rapidly and are slower to enjoy the benefits of recovery," he said, adding that "before the crisis, the majority of working women were in the informal economy with lower earnings and less social protection."

The GET report noted that of the 3 billion employed people across the world, slightly over a 40 per cent are women, and that the global unemployment rate for women could reach 7.4 per cent in 2009, compared to 7 per cent for men.

The biggest difference in unemployment rates between men and women due to the economic meltdown will be felt by women in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the ILO report.

The new publication also projected that the ratio of women pushed into insecure jobs this year would be greater than men, with the global vulnerability employment rate ranging from 50.5 to 54.7 per cent for women and 47.2 to 51.8 per cent for men.

"Women's lower employment rates, weaker control over property and resources, concentration in informal and vulnerable forms of employment with lower earnings, and less social protection, all place women in a weaker position than men to weather the crises," said Jane Hodges, ILO Bureau for Gender Equality Director.
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Women need safer access to health care in war situations

Geneva (ICRC) – In the run-up to International Women's Day, 8 March, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the specific health-care needs of women are often ignored or insufficiently taken into account in war situations.

"People wounded in fighting are given priority for medical treatment, but women, even pregnant mothers, are often given scant attention despite their special needs," said Nadine Puechguirbal, the ICRC's adviser on issues relating to women and war.

In the world’s least developed countries, many of which are at war, women are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than in developed countries, according to UNICEF. While armed conflicts and other violence affect entire communities, women are particularly at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence. Because of poor security conditions or because they have no means of transportation, it is often impossible for women to reach a health-care facility so as to give birth safely.

"International humanitarian law stipulates that the specific health-care needs of conflict-affected women must be met, including in places of detention," explained Ms Puechguirbal. "Parties to a conflict have an obligation to comply with the law and do everything possible to ensure that women receive the health care they require."

During the recent conflict in Gaza the lives of numerous women were put at risk when ambulances couldn't get through to them because of the fighting. The conflict also prevented women in labour from reaching a safe place to have their babies. Women are currently facing the same difficulty in Somalia, where the death rate of pregnant women and newborn babies is among the highest in the world. According to UNICEF, only nine women in a hundred thousand actually make it to a hospital to give birth in Somalia.

The ICRC is addressing the specific health needs of women in war-torn countries around the world by supporting hospitals and basic health-care services. In some countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is making counselling services available to victims of sexual violence. "The first priority after a rape is to obtain medical care," explained Charlotte, a Red Cross volunteer providing counselling. "But medicines can only treat the body. The victims of these attacks bear invisible, psychological wounds."

Women in the Crossfire - ICRC Calls for Better Health Care for Women in Conflict Zones

Women in the crossfire - ICRC calls for better health care for women in conflict zones

In areas ravaged by conflict, the health needs of women are often neglected and ignored. As the bombs fall, the damage to infrastructure and communications affects the whole community but women are particularly at risk. They are often prevented from reaching a health facility to give birth safely, or to care for their sick children. In some conflict-torn areas they suffer sexual violence, including rape. And while the war-wounded and emergency cases get priority, women's needs, and in particular the needs of pregnant mothers and their children, are often given scant attention.

In the recent conflict in Gaza the lives of women and their young children in desperate need of health care were put at risk. Ambulances were unable to operate freely. Women in labour could not reach a safe place to have their babies – one woman gave birth in a donkey cart trying to reach hospital, delayed by the fighting.

In Somalia, over a decade of conflict has devastated health services and death rates among pregnant women are among the highest in the world (WHO statistics). Conflict adds to the suffering when women cannot access the scant services that do exist.

In the aftermath of war, the destruction of health services often prevents women returning to their homes and villages. The need to provide reproductive health care is particularly urgent. Without it, families cannot return to normality and start rebuilding their lives.

International Humanitarian Law requires that expectant mothers be the object of particular protection and respect. Nadine Puechguirbal, ICRC's Women and War adviser, stresses that during conflict, "International humanitarian law must be implemented …women must get access to a proper health care system and humanitarian workers must be allowed to do their jobs."

On International Women's Day, the ICRC demands more respect for international humanitarian law, and calls for a greater focus on the predicament of women who, because of war and its aftermath, do not receive basic health care for themselves and their babies.

SOMALIA - story

Few women in Somalia's war zone are as fortunate as Halima who managed to reach Mogadishu’s KeysaneyHospital in time for an emergency caesarean section which saved her life and that of her baby.

By the time she was operated on, she had been in labour for 24 hours. She and her husband had spent four hours in transit trying to find a hospital to take her because fighting made it impossible to reach the city’s maternity facility.

The trauma specialists in KeysaneyHospital have received training in war surgery from the ICRC. They are more familiar with war wounds than delivering babies. But the chaotic and dangerous conditions in Mogadishu mean they must take on all those who manage to survive the journey there.

When Halima arrived at the hospital, the surgeons were preparing to operate on a young man with a gun shot wound. He had to wait his turn while her baby was delivered. Halima's condition was critical but both mother and son survived.

In war zones pregnant women and their children have few resources and are at high risk. Survival is often a matter of chance. As the conflict drags on in Somalia, the situation for women is, if anything, worsening.

Additional information:

• The number of Somali women dying in childbirth is estimated at 1400 per 100,000. It is one of 14 countries in the world with a maternal mortality rate of more than a thousand. By contrast Ireland has a maternal mortality rate of 1 per 100,000 (Unicef,2009).
• Only 9 in a hundred thousand women make it to a hospital to give birth and only 33 in a hundred thousand have a person with any birthing skills present for their deliveries (Unicef, 2009.)
• Keysaney and MedinaHospitals have treated more than 2,500 war casualties since January 2008.
• The ICRC has been providing humanitarian assistance to the Somali population since 1977 working in close partnership with the Somali Red Crescent Society.

LIBERIA - story

In Liberia, a peace agreement was signed in 2003 and rebuilding is underway. But 14 years of conflict has left the country with a looted and destroyed health system.

The ICRC helped treat the wounded during the war and in the aftermath supports a broad programme to restore basic health services in areas of the country worst affected by the conflict. Part of that strategy is the reduction of the maternal mortality rate - estimated at 1200 in a hundred thousand (2005, latest UN statistics).

In a joint initiative with the Liberian Ministry of Health, the ICRC is training traditional birth attendants to achieve clean, safe deliveries and to refer women with problems to hospital quickly.

Eunice Ekenko, an ICRC health worker in Liberia confirms the need for this assistance, "we don’t have enough skilled staff which is because of the war. After the war most of the skilled staff fled away."

Beneta Kessely is a midwife trainer for the ICRC. She explains the role of the traditional birth attendants who come from and work with their own local communities: "Because they are already doing the work, we just need to improve their skills so they can do even better. And they have proved to be that way."

Before this programme, many traditional birth attendants had no formal training. With emphasis on the need for prompt referral to a health facility in the event of any problem, the women learn how to give immediate care to the mother and her newborn as well as the importance of nutrition, vaccination, malaria prophylaxis, family planning and hygiene.

It will take time to measure the full impact of the training, but the traditional birth attendants themselves believe it is helping the women in their communities. Sonnie Lombeh has completed the course and has taken her new-found skills back to her village: " I am already happy for the training that they have given us. Those things that we did not know, now I know them, I am happy."

Additional information:

• The number of Liberian women dying in childbirth is estimated at 1,200 per one hundred thousand – one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world (UN statistics).
• An estimated 37 women in a hundred thousand give birth in a hospital and only 51 in a hundred thousand have a skilled attendant present for delivery (UN statistics).
• By September 2008, the ICRC in partnership with the Liberian Health Ministry had successfully trained almost 300 traditional midwives. During their six month training course the midwives develop their skills in antenatal care, deliveries, post partum and new-born care.
• The ICRC has been active in Liberia since the onset of the first war in 1990 – providing emergency care and now in the reconstruction phase, assisting with the reconstruction of facilities and the training of staff.