As a first experience, attendance to the CSW 58 Session was an eye opener for me. Although aware of the inequalities that women confront, I recognized the severity of female victimization. After the first two days, I realized that I was in culture shock, totally overwhelmed by what I heard!
Millennium Developmental Goals for women and girls were all new to me. I listened to many excellent presentation about the atrocities committed, the violence and inequity that women and girls experience in both unindustrialized countries and developing countries. I met and listened to presentations made by exceptional women. Some of the presenters were women who rose from poverty in stricken areas to higher education and now represented NGO's at the United Nations! They had the opportunity to share their experiences, influence NGO's and the world. Through these presentations, I recognized that although there are standards for developmental goals, women are habitually not included in the development or in the implementation strategies. Women from the grass roots must participate in community based programs to ensure success. One of the most successful governments was in Rwanda. Forty eight women are members of parliament due to the fact that so many men were killed in the genocide. The country is now thriving. The success is credited to the women running their country!
Exploitation of women and girls takes place primarily from poor countries and frequently from countries where they suffered an environmental disaster such as that in Haiti. Girls and women are left homeless and desperate. They are promised work. They are kidnapped, abused and forced into prostitution. This is a serious problem that affects all countries including Canada where they are brought to and forced into prostitution. The NGO's impelled that men should be prosecuted for using a service rather than criminalize women for prostitution. Major cities across Canada are places where kidnapped women are forced into prostitution. Several massage parlors offer more than a massage! This is a very lucrative business that is established in developed countries like Canada and the United States. These are usually operated by cartels who force women into prostitution (through false promises) .
Education plays a key role in reducing violence against women and girls. The educational program must be an integral part of early education programs in schools; young people must be given the tools for empowerment; boys and men play an equally important role in this education. Men must comprehend the magnitude of human rights as they pertain to women. Authorities, such as police, lawyers, judges all have to understand the significance that women have equal rights and participate as equal citizens. They must be educated as well.
I appreciated that many of the parallel presentations that I attended presented significant data that reported on the success or failure of the diverse projects implemented in various countries. The fact that data is being on the projects implemented, will hopefully contribute to solving some of the inequities women and girls continually confront.
Because of my first hand experience in living and working at the Baffin Regional Hospital, NWT Canada, when I listened to the many presentations that concentrated on the violence and assaults towards women and girls, my concern focused on Canada's Aboriginal population where women and girls do encounter comparable experiences and hardships. As Canadians, we must address issues in our own country as well, the Aboriginal population!
Although not part of the CSW the "equality effect of the 160 Girls", partially funded by the National Council of Women of Canada Development Organization, has made legal history in Kenya, indeed in Africa and beyond; it has set the high water mark for girls' rights internationally. The decision recognizes the obligation on the Kenyan police to conduct proper investigations in cases of sexual abuse, and could easily be extended to apply to other forms of gender-based violence. Equally of importance is the fact that the police asked for training to assist them in the execution with the High Court's "160 Girls" decision. The equality effect and its partners will also engage in a variety of public education strategies in foreign countries to raise awareness about the court decision, and to keep the State accountable. The success of this victory provides inspiration that progress is being made!
I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to attend the Commission of the Status of Women forum (CSW58). It was an overwhelming and exceptional experience that I recommend.
--Bonnie Destounis
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