Reports From : Africa And Middle East - women's rights

WIN News, Autumn, 2000

UNITED NATIONS AND AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE MEET IN LOME, TOGO TO PLEDGE PROTECTION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS

(translated from French)

SYNFEV [less than]synfev2@enda.sn[greater than], B.P. 3370, Dakar, SENEGAL, By Noel Tadegnon

"The ministers of 23 countries of West and Central Africa met in Lame, Togo (May 15, initiated by UNICEF) with representatives of UN agencies and regional nongovernmental organizations to support the protection of the rights of women and children in their countries. The ministers in charge of financial plans far women and children and coordination of women's rights were also present.

The participants examined the status of women and children in the region which is characterized by serious discriminations against women and children: this prevents them from being recognized and from benefitting of basic human rights as well as civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.

Our main concern is to change the attitude and mentality of society concerning women's and children's rights declared Irene Assih-Assirah, Minister of Social Affairs and promotion of Women of Toga. She stated: 'to support the rights of women and children we have to go beyond declaration and assume our clear responsibilities.' We must act on our commitments beyond declarations, stated Rima Salah, the regional director of UNICEF West Africa. It is urgent that we adopt new and positive attitudes, she said.

Ms. Salah stated that in the West African region the maternal mortality rate is the highest in the world. The risk of death in childbirth is 1 in 12 births while the global rate is 1 in 60 and 1 in 800 in developed countries. The age of marriage is less than 18 years in all countries of the region and more than half the women of the region are illiterate. These problems are aggravated by extreme poverty which effects especially women and children.

'The battle against poverty must be our priority,' said Eugene Koffi Adoboli the Prime Minister of Togo, 'because ti will have results in many areas. We must search for the best solutions to extricate our continent from poverty and support solid and durable development.'

All the participants of the Lome meeting resolved that they would work together on this 'Gordian Knot' of all their problems. The participants proposed to support to effectively implement women's and children's rights and to implement 'equality' between men and women starting with education programs for women. The coordination of all national laws for women in the region would be organized. Another recommendation dealt with facilitating credit for women to fight against the feminization of poverty.

In several West African countries children have become objects of trade: they are sold to entrepreneurs who use them as plantation labor for cacao fields and others as domestic workers.

The participants in the Lome meeting resolved to develop protocols prohibiting the sale and prostitution of children for pornography and as soldiers. It is estimated that some 250,000 children are involved in conflicts in Africa most of them 12 years old or less.

The conference also proposed a series of meetings in the region on the subjects of health, work, adolescents and military conflicts. These meetings are also designed as preparation for the summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)."

AFRICA: A PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION THROUGHOUT FEMALE LIFE

FROM 'HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM IN AFRICA: A GENDER ISSUE', ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA, AFRICA CENTRE FOR WOMEN

P.O. Box 3001, Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

"Infancy: differential access to quality and quantity of food and medical care

Girl-child: genital mutilation, early marriage, sexual abuse, differential access to food, medical care and education, heavy workload

Adolescence: violence during courtship, economically coerced sex (e.g. for school fees), sexual abuse in the workplace, rape, sexual harassment, forced marriage

Reproductive Ages: physical, psychological and sexual abuse of women by intimate male partners and relatives; forced pregnancy (by partner or in situations of armed conflict); abuse of widows, including property grabbing and sexual cleansing rituals; rape, sexual abuse and harassment

Elderly: abuse of widows, accusations of witchcraft, physical and psychological violence from younger family members and relatives; differential access to food and medical care"

HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN THE FORMAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN AFRICA: A GENDER ISSUE

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA, AFRICAN CENTRE FOR WOMEN P.O. Box 3001, Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

CONTENTS: "Preface // Introduction // Background: Global Consensus on Human Rights Standards // Human Rights in Africa // The Gender Dimension of Human Rights // Promoting a Culture of Peace and Tolerance // United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education: The Role of Governments // United Nations Plan of Action for Human Rights Education // Human Rights Education Africa: On-Going Initiatives and Approaches // The Way Forward: Recommendations // Conclusion // Bibliography // Annexes.