Promoting Women’s Rights Worldwide: Efforts of the United Nations

"So tell me, as an outsider, what do you think of the human race?" -- Anonymous

Have you ever thought that if the outsider saw the way that women are treated worldwide, instead of being complimentary, they would be appalled? I have.

Here is a quote I stumbled upon several years that surprised. The quote did not surprise me. It's the person who is credited with having made the statement.

"Enable every woman who can work to take her place on the labour front, under the principle of equal pay for equal work." -- Mao Tse-Tung.

Sorry but I was born and raised in America. I was never taught that Mao Tse-Tung championed the rights of women.

The official website for the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), aka "WomenWatch", serves as an Internet Gateway to resources and information regarding gender equality and empowerment of women.

The Most Important Thing
“We all agree that human rights issues, not just the rights of women and children, are matters that are a global and universal concern. But women and children are particularly vulnerable, as they are most often the disadvantaged and the downtrodden. Let us keep their plight in the forefront of our hearts and minds. If presented with an opportunity and we have the power or the ability to do good, to show kindness and mercy, to make a change for the better, in this respect, then embrace it.”

(RE: The Most Important Thing. That's me quoting myself.)

 

United Nations Development Group

The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) has a membership of 32 funds, programs, agencies, and offices, plus five observers that play a role in internationally agreed-upon development goals. One of the members of the UNDG is the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI). In the UN's organizational structure, the UNDPI is under the Secretariat. The Secretariat carries out a range of duties including surveying economic and social trends and organizing international conferences on issues of worldwide concern. The UNDPI's organizational unit has 3 divisions:

- Strategic Communications Division;

- News and Media Division; and

- Outreach Division.

The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, was held in Beijing, China in 1995. Twelve (12) critical areas of concern were identified and presented under the umbrella "The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action". The Declaration is aimed at achieving greater equality and opportunity for women, i.e. female equality and empowerment, worldwide. The three previous World Conferences were held in Mexico City (1975), Copenhagen (1980) and Nairobi (1985).

The official website for the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), aka "WomenWatch", serves as an Internet Gateway to resources and information regarding gender equality and empowerment of Women.

In March 2010, at its fifty-fourth session, the Commission on the Status of Women reviewed the implementation of the Declaration. In an effort to accomplish certain strategic goals for "Women and the Media" (outlined in Section J of the Beijing Platform for Action), interested parties not able to attend the Commission on the Status of Women were invited to participate in online discussions.

However, "Women and the Media" is not the only discussion. The following is a listing of several discussions which were moderated by numerous UN organizations. These discussions have been taking place since November 2009.

- Violence against women | United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

- Women and the Economy | World Bank (WB)

- Institutional mechanisms | Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

- Women and Health | World Health Organization (WHO)

- Girl Child | United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

- Armed conflict | United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)

- Gender Equality, Education and Training | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

- Women and Poverty | United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

- Women in Power and Decision-Making | United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

- Women and the Environment | United Nations Environment Programme, with United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNEP with UN-HABITAT)

- Women and Human Rights | Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

- Women and the Media | United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)

I am repeating the quote because it bears repeating.

"Enable every woman who can work to take her place on the labour front, under the principle of equal pay for equal work."

These are the words of Mao Tse-Tung but surely his thought is not an original thought. No doubt there were many who came before him and many who trailed behind him who all understood and saw the need for the application of this simple, fair and equitable principle. But as you can see by the listing of organizations above, equal pay for equal work is only one wrong towards women that is happening around the world. There are several women's rights issues and … what is the conclusion? IT'S A SHAME AND A DISGRACE!