NGO PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE AFRICAN PLATFORM FOR ACTION

12-15 NOVEMBER 1994, DAKAR, SENEGAL

---

{{ Curly double brackets indicate proposed additions

<<Triangualar bracktes indicate proposed deletions

V. PLATFORM FOR ACTION

80. Accelerated actions to address the three core issues of the Platform for Action (equality, development and peace) must integrate the gender dimension into all political, social, economic and cultural activities for development. In improving the status, empowerment, participation and decision-making capabilities of women at all levels and in all spheres of life, it is imperative to eliminate individual and cultural attitudes and practices that perpetuate gender discrimination. Subordination and discrimination in legislation, as well as in political, economic and social relationships between women and men have to be eliminated wherever they exist. African Governments should take greater account of women's contribution, experience, talents, insights and creativity, in the shaping of the future of the continent. Although the post-Nairobi period has witnessed some improvements in African women's status, it is imperative that setbacks, continuing imbalances and new problems must be clearly identified. It is necessary to devise measures to accelerate the integration of the gender dimension into all political, social, economic and cultural activities aimed at achieving equality, development and peace.

A. Measures required

81. The measures and actions outlined in the following paragraphs have to be implemented at national, sub regional and regional levels. The process of implementation have to involve a wide array and diversity of partners and actors in development, acting in close concert, collaboration and cooperation. Such actors include governments, intergovernmental bodies (regional and sub regional, bilateral financial institutions, multilateral organizations, United Nations agencies, national and international NGOs and women's organizations. In all cases, however, national governments in Africa have to act as leading agents in all actions meant to accelerate the advancement of women. But above all, women as the major stake holders will have to make special efforts to ensure the success of implementation of the African Platform for Action.

Women, poverty, food security and economic empowerment

82. Rationale

The struggle against poverty, the economic empowerment of women and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods for women is a moral, political and economic obligation and responsibility of national governments and the international community. The poverty experienced by women should not be seen only from a welfare perspective. Women and other people living in poverty represent an under-utilization of productive potential. Measures to reduce or eliminate poverty are major parameters of growth, empowerment and overall political stability. Women's deprived right to development should be explicitly recognized. This requires policies that are gender sensitive that accommodate the needs and interests of the women in poverty as defined and articulated by themselves. It also requires specific and gender-based anti-poverty policies, programmes and actions that are integrated into overall economic planning at local, national, regional and international levels. The realities of people and women in poverty are specific, complex, diverse and dynamic. Besides and beyond income poverty are many other dimensions of disadvantages, deprivations and ill-being experienced by women. These include social discrimination, isolation, physical disability, vulnerability and deprivation.

There is also the poverty associated with wars, famines, displaced persons and refugees, {{unequal trade relations and impact of SAP.}}

83. Objectives

(a) To have women participate effectively in all aspects of the implementation of the Platform for Action; (b) To eliminate explicit and implicit discrimination against women, particularly that the number and proportion of women living in absolute poverty is increasing at a faster rate than for men; (c) To ensure the full participation and empowerment of women and girls in society in order to make full use of all human resources in the struggle against poverty, particularly through the equal access by women to education, economic opportunities, employment, public services, basic health care services, including maternal and child health care and family planning services; (d) To intervene much more widely in order to provide greater and better opportunities at each stage of girls' and women's life for redressing the fundamental gender-based inequities;

(e) To adopt the strategies for eliminating the factors {{such as debt, structural adjustment programs}}, that accentuate poverty among women which prevent them from overcoming the circumstances that always keep them in that situation.

{{(f) To ensure that women's employments, responsibilities, opportunities, livelihood will not be affected by regional and sub-regional trading blocs.}}

84. Proposed actions

(a) Women to organize pressure groups and other relevant activities to ensure the implementation of the Platform for Action; (b) Enact and/or enforce laws that will remove barriers to the economic participation of women, particularly those which relate to property rights, asset holdings, inheritance laws, credit policies, labour and zoning laws and export processing zones, which restrict the informal sector activities;

(c) Recognize the importance of the informal sector and make all efforts to support it as it is a major source of economic activity for women in both rural and urban areas and made all efforts to promote it;

{{(c bis)Ensure channels and mechanisms through which women at all levels can all both accountability and transparency from the State and the private sector in economic, social and political policy processes. Ensure that policies are redesigned regarding gender, equity in resource allocation.}}

(d) Undertake activities aimed at the promotion of food security and where appropriate, toward self-sufficiency within the context of sustainable agriculture;

(e) All efforts should be geared towards providing more opportunities to {{all women but especially those in rural and squattered settlements}} <<rural women>> to participate in the process of economic growth by ensuring access to assets and increasing returns on those assets through land reforms, resettlement schemes, special credit opportunities, information on markets, marketing strategies and skills, training programmes, improved water connections to impoverished areas, improved agricultural extension for small farmers, rural roads upgrading and rehabilitation programme in all these activities, the gender perspective must be reflected.

(f) Endeavour to improve the condition of women by providing basic social services. e.g., education, health nutrition and population-related programmes;

(g) Provide land rights on an equitable basis for women and men in terms of ownership and utilization;

(h) Reduce women's workload through provision of appropriate technologies for all aspects of farming and household tasks; (i) Promote more equitable sharing of work between men and women; (j) Design special economic schemes for poor women, taking into consideration their domestic responsibilities. Efforts should be geared towards ensuring greater access by the poor to economic resources by forging links with existing facilities and creating new structures suitable to their needs; (k) Monitor the full implementation of the recommendations of the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. with a special emphasis on women;

(l) Facilitate women's decision-making role at the levels of family, community, organizations and the public/political spheres {{and improve their capacity to promote change and manage development in and through the public and private sectors.}} 85(bis) Rationale

Agriculture continues to be the mainstay of African economies.

Yet women who are the main actors in the agricultural sector in both rural and urban areas are continously being denied access to the resources that will enhance production. National and international policy makers hsould be made to recognize their role in agriculture and mechanisms should be put in place to support this role.

Objective

To have women participate effectively in all aspects of agricultural production.

To enhance their participation in all aspects of the development of the agricultural policy.

To eliminate discrimination against women in access to resources that will enhance agricultural production.

Proposed actions.

With regard to promoting a sustainable agriculture regime;

• Adopt national policies on sustainable and ecological sound agriculture that:

• Promote household food security

• Promote research on local and alternativ eproduction systems and provide incentives for alternative farming techniques

• Set up national and international mechanisms to promote sustainable agriculture practices;

• Promote women's access to resources decision-making and organize in the interest of promoting the agricultural sector;

• Develop effective lines of communication and dialogue between local communities, women's organisations and national and international institutions to enhance sustainable agriculture

Women, education, training, science and technology

85. Rationale

Universal access to <<basic>> {{quality}} education {{leading to tertiary levels}} for all women and girls is a fundamental right which requires the mobilization of existing and new financial and human resources whether from public, private or voluntary sources.

African Governments must fulfill their commitment to the principles of the 1990 World Declaration on Education for All and to the goals and targets set by themselves in accordance with the Framework for Action to meet Basic Learning Needs. At all times, priority must be given to the education of girls and women because education and information are key factors in the quality and development of women Education is also a powerful tool for the social and economic integration of women by prornoting tolerance, democratic values and respect for the human person. Its provision constitutes one of the primary responsibilities of African Governments and civil society.

86. Objectives

(a) To provide gender-responsive education and remove disparities from national policies and programmes for universal primary, secondary and higher education <<and >> {{including}} adult literacy;

(b) To achieve equality in access {{to quality education}}, <<quantity>>, retention, {{higher learning outcomes for girls - especially those with disabilities from both formal and non formal schooling}} <<for girls from both formal and non-formal schooling:>>

(c) To encourage women to enter new fields of science and technology which offer various job opportunities and career perspectives.

87. Proposed actions

The Ouagadougou Declaration on the Education of Girls should constitute an important denominator of the proposed actions.

(a) Provide occupational and educational guidance and counselling services to girls at all levels of the education system in respect of career choices and personal development;

(b) Ensure that statistics on education recognize and analyze the issue of gender by appropriate disaggregation of all education data;

(c) Enact legislation to enforce the minimum nine-year formal elementary education;

(d) {{Provide a scholarship fund for the education of girl children from poor families and state support to provide assistive devices for girls with disabilities}}. << Give incentives to families to minimize the opportunity cost of girls' education through provision of flexible school schedules and child-care systems for young siblings;>>

(e) Adopt gender appropriate curricula and the integration of gender-awareness in all aspects of {{teacher}} training programmes to eliminate stereotyping;

(f) Enact legislation for employers to provide {{functional}} literacy and other job-related skills <<classes >> for unskilled women;

(g) Take positive action to promote women's interest in and benefits from scientific and technical education, thus encouraging women to enter non-traditional fields {{by utilising professionally sound educationists form pre-school onwards;}}

(h) Promote the training and recruitment of female teachers to achieve gender equity using innovations such as affirmative action in enrolment and access to scholarships or loans <<such as special financial incentives;>>

(i) Improve access to schools {{and remove architectural barriers for the girls with disabilities; as well as}} <<and >>provide culturally appropriate facilities near the cornmunity;

(j) Avail basic literacy and functional literacy programmes to women and girls;

(k) Since most formal education systems are inadequate in providing high- quality education to all eligible children, governments need to develop non-formal alternatives and encourage innovative approaches to make education accessible and relevant to girls while ensuring gender sensitivity in order to overcome stereotypes. School systems should be flexible in accommodating the special needs of girls:

(l) Involve women, {{parents and grandmothers in the development of}} <<Develop >> life skills curricula;

(m) Consciousness raising of parents about girls' education and the support they give should be provided on a continuous basis using all means of communication;

(n) Develop community-based education centres {{at convenient locations - and equip them with up-to-date relevant educational materials.}}

(o) Make available appropriate technologies aimed at reducing the workload of women and girls, in order to provide more free time for schooling {{and encourage sharing of household chores by males and females in the family.}}

(p) Provide technical and financial support to existing training programmes for women {{in order to strengthen and reinforce their hands on practical experience in vocational training.}}

(q) Develop relevant and effective family life and sex education programmes for girls and {{boys}} <<women>> as a priority. Guidance and counselling, role models, facilities in schools, method of teaching, curriculum content, building self-image, socialization for equality must all be integrated if useful, relevant and sustained education is truly desired for girl children and women.

{{All governments are urged to adopt effective HIV/AIDS broad-based and multisectoral programmes which stress prevention rather than cure for implementation at all levels. Legislation for the protection of the girl child and women against sexually transmitted diseases must be passed.

(r) Expenditure on defense and procurement of armaments must be reduced and such savings be channeled to quality education for girls and women particularly for science and technology.

(s) Manufacturers of weapons of war which are responsbile for Africa's continuous cycle of wars and conflict must be closely monitored by appropriate United Nations organs/agencies and made public.

(t) The World Bank and the IMF must seize to dictate the implementation of SAPs which have greatly curtailed spending governments expenditure on social services -- especially education and training for the vulnerable and marginalised groups while causing the resurfacing of traditional and cultural inclinations for the tendency to sacrifice girls when disposable incomes have diminished.

(u) The international community is urged to cancel all Africa's debt so as to encourage injection of much needed resources into education, partcilularly science and technology}}.

(b) The family

44. The International Year of the Family, 1994 in which the "International Family Charter" has been formulated by United Nations Member States and which will be adopted in Paris in December 1994, focuses on one of humankind's oldest social institutions. <<yet the pressures and rapid changes of today have contributed to a breakdown in the central role of the African family. Traditionally, the family is the provider of values, behaviour. character formation, the means for economic progress and cultural values that influence work attitudes, ethics and accountability for the individual and society.>> {{The family is the basic unit of the society which establishes behavioural patterns, attitudes, and cultural values that influence the conduct of individuals in society. Various factors have contributed to a change in the nature and concept of the African family.}} To this end, the extended working hours of the woman is a reality that must be addressed in order to balance the family and professional responsibilities. <<Politically, traditional leadership among African families is a link between communities, enhancing tolerance and bridging ethnic and political differences.>> Contemporary problems have greatly challenged the fibre of the African family, e.g. economic deterioration has impoverished many households.

Unemployment and migration to urban centres have disrupted family relations. <<and family social systems>>. As a consequence, young family members have lost the social, economic and emotional support of the family and often resort to delinquent behaviour and drug abuse. {{Violence against and girls within the family is a fundamental violation of human rights. Much of this violence has remained unreported and unadressed.}}

45. In addition, recurrent natural disasters, civil strife and ethnic <<rivalries>> {{conflicts}} have created serious hardship for families. The displacement of families during these crises deprives them of the support of the extended family system and this has serious social and cultural implications. <<Families are>> {{The family is}} the primary source of economic and social protection for those who cannot support themselves due to disability, illness, age, unemployment, displacement <<or>> {{and}} other causes. In this context, the burden falls disproportionately on women who have had to <<assume increasingly other roles>> {{increasingly assume greater responsibilities }} in addition to their traditional ones. <<When family support is not available, the community or >> {{Governments}} must provide assistance through social welfare and social protection schemes and programmes <<including targeted programmes on women>> {{especially targetted at women.}} Single-parent, particularly single-mother families make up a large proportion of the poor in many African societies in recent times. Governments <<and community organizations>> should make particular efforts to ensure that single-parent families receive the social support they need <<either>> in the form of economic support for the family <<or>> {{ and}} child-care support for a single working parent.

(c) Socialisation

46. <<Socialization is the process by which a child is taught the roles he or she is to play in society.>> {{Socialization is the process by which an individuals value system, self perception and role definition are established}}. <<This process determines how adult men and women behave as chief agents of socialization in families, schools and communities. In Africa, roles assigned to men and women are pre-determined and different. >>The family as <<an>> {{the primary}} agent of socialization assigns different status, values and roles to girls and boys. Discrimination against women and girls starts before birth with parental and societal attitudes that promote a preference for sons over daughters. {{In many African countries, women's disadvantaged position, translates into low self esteem, socio-economic deprivation, low political motivation and lop-sided educational policies, which blur women's parcipation and contribution to society.}} Young women and girls should be accorded equal opportunities to grow and to develop their full potential in their productive and reproductive roles. There must be concerted effort to promote a cultural environment where girls and boys grow and work together as equal partners for sustainable development and peace. <<In many African countries, women's culturally disadvantaged position, low self-esteem, lack of confidence coupled with lack of time and low motivation limit their capacity to take advantage of opportunities available to them in order to alleviate poverty.>> Social and cultural traditions and practices should be reformed towards a common civil code that upholds the dignity of women as equal partners with men in the family including <<removal>> {{elimination}} of gender bias in matters of marriage, divorce, {{child}} custody and property rights.

Women's health, {{REPRODUCTIVE Health, including }} family planning and population

91. Rationale

Health care and population {{related}} programmes should be designed to serve the needs of men and women at all ages and must {{include equal involvement}} <<involve>> women in leadership, planning, decision making, management, implementation, organization and evaluation of services. Governments and other organizations should take positive steps to include women; at all levels of population and health care systems, but above all to integrate population {{related issues}} and health care activities into overall {{human}} development policies and strategies from a {{balanced}} gender perspective.

In accordance with the 1994 principles adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development, everyone has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Therefore, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure universal access to health care services, including those related to reproductive health care which encompasses family planning and sexual health for both men and women of all ages.

Population {{related}} policies and programmes must advance gender equality and equity and improve the quality of women's lives by enabling them to exercise their rights to plan and control their own fertility and to participate fully at all levels of the implementation of population and {{human}} development programmes.

92. Objectives

The objectives with regard to {{health, reproductive health care including family planning and}} population are to integrate fully population {{related policies}} and {{balanced}} gender concerns into:

(a) Development strategies, planning, decision making and resource allocation at all levels in order to meet the needs and improve the quality of life of present and future generations;

(b) All aspects of development planning in order to promote social justice and to eradicate poverty through sustained economic growth in the context of sustainable development.

(c) Another objective is to raise the quality of life for all people through appropriate population {{related}} and {{human}} development policies and programmes targeted at the eradication of poverty and human resource development. Since women are generally the poorest of the poor and are at the same time key actors in the development process, a major objective is to eliminate all kinds of {{gender imbalance and}} discrimination against women as a prerequisite to eradicating poverty and achieving {{sustainable human development}}. <<a balance between population and available resources.>>

{{(d) Achieving a budgetary allocation to women's health issues commensurate with the critical nature and centrality of women's health to the totality of human development.}}

{{(e) Providing preventive preventive and early intervention measures for girls and women (including counseling and education) for diseases affecting them throughout their life cycle.}}

{{(f) Reducing the environmental and occupational hazards that adversely affect women's health, infant and maternal mortality; eradicating traditional practices which are harmful to women's health such as female genital mutilation, widowhood rites, child marriage, etc:}}

{{(g) Supporting research on women's health problems including reproductive health and family planning , and environmental health hazards etc., with the aim of devising effective and appropriate programmes and technology to address these issues.}}

{{(h) Ensuring equitable representation by women in professional and managerial positions in the health sector.}}

The objectives on HIV/AIDS are to:

Control the scourge of HIV/AIDS by appealing to African Heads of State and Government to implement the Declaration on HIV/AIDS that they adopted in July 1992 in which they decided:

(a) To sensitize 100 per cent of the adult population by 1993 about HIV/AIDS, how it is transmitted, how to protect themselves and others against it and also ensure that each governments department of health will have prepared a plan of action on the control of the disease;

(b) To elaborate a plan of action by 1994 on how to control HIV/AIDS in Africa;

(c) To sensitize women with a view to enable them to negotiate the practice of engaging in protected sexual practices without risk, especially when they know that their sexual partners are not doing so;

(d) To promote within the family and between partners the spirit of dialogue that permits mutual protection against HIV/AIDS and give the necessary support when one of them is infected with the disease.

93. Proposed actions

(a) Incorporate population and gender concerns into all national development strategies, plan-policies and programmes and ensure women's full participation as decision makers in these processes;

(b) Increase the accessibility, availability and affordability of primary health care services and reproductive health facilities and ensure that the design of health interventions takes into account women's multiple responsibilities and the demands on their time;

(c) Promote social justice and eradicate poverty through people-centred and sustainable economic growth policies as to meet equitably the health needs of women of present and future generations;

(d) Promote safe womanhood by ensuring pre-natal, peri-natal and post-natal care for the mother's and child's health;

(e) Promote {{affordable and accessible reproductive health services including family planning, and provide appropriate health services for women in their post reproductive years, disabled women with a strong emphasis on Information, Education and Counseling (IEC);}} <<informed family planning services aiming to space, postpone or limit pregnancies, particularly in rural areas and involve men in this process;>>

{{(f) Increase the participation and sharing of responsibilities by men in all aspects of reproductive health care including HIV / AIDS;}} <<Plan a strategy of IEC in the field of prevention of HIV/AIDS at all levels of social structures and particularly in the school system;>>

(g) Decrease maternal and infantile mortality by 50 per cent {{of the 1990 levels by the year 2000;}}

{{(h) Prevent and reduce the incidence of and provide treatment for STDs including HIV / AIDS and their complications such as infertility with special attention to girls and women;}}

{{(i) Provide adequate resources for research, documentation and services to address impact of stress, the environment ( including the home environment) and occupational hazards on women's health;}}

On population, {{reproductive health}} and family planning:

(a) Provide safe, {{accessible}}, affordable and quality {{reproductive health care including}} family planning services to all those who need them without discrimination;

(b) Adopt or enforce measures to ensure that women and men have the ability to exercise their responsibility and right to decide freely the number and timing of births that they desire;

(c) Provide timely and accurate information to enable men, women and youth to make informed choices about their sexuality and health;

(d) Enlist the support of men in safeguarding the reproductive health of their sexual partners through sensitive and appropriate programmes that target men;

(e) Provide updated {{gender sensitive}} training and information to health {{care}} <<and family planning service>> providers to empower them to give compassionate, appropriate and timely reproductive health services to women at all stages of their life cycle;

(f) {{Ensure equal}} <<Increase the>> representation of women as key decision makers at all levels of population and health policy formulation, programming and implementation in order to ensure the incorporation of {{balanced}} <<critical>> gender concerns;

(g) Mobilize and allocate more financial and human resources to the {{health sector incorporating reproductive health and}} <<population>> family planning and health sectors in order to reverse the observed decline in overall health and well-being of women, men , {{adolescents}} and children;

(h) Integrate reproductive health services in the primary health care systems and adopt innovative approaches which will involve communities as active participants as well as beneficiaries;

(i) Ensure better {{reproductive}} health <<and>> {{including}} family planning coverage by adopting an integrated development approach through multidisciplinary activities in order to outreach rural families involving the joint efforts of social partners, NGOs and communities;

(j) Ensure targeted measures on AIDS in the field of awareness, information, education and protection.

Combat the spread of AIDS by calling upon the Heads of State and Government to implement the Declaration on AIDS and the Child in Africa adopted in July 1992 at the twenty-eighth Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly in Dakar in which the Heads of State and Government decided:

(a) By 1993, they would have ensured that 100 per cent of every country's adults will know how HIV is transmitted, how to protect themselves and others from infection and to have ensured that every sector of government will have worked out a plan of action to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS;

(b) By 1994:

(i) To have collaborated with their experts to produce a consolidated plan of action for controlling HIV/AIDS in Africa;

(ii) To mount awareness-raising activities to ensure negotiating skills for women to practice safe sex techniques especially when they are aware that their spouses/partners are involved in high-risk behaviours;

(iii) To organize activities that promote caring relationships within families in a context in which partners will protect each other from HIV and provide support in the event that either partner develops AIDS.

Women, environment and {{sustainable development}} <<natural resource management>>

94. Rationale

At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the international community agreed on objectives and actions aimed at integrating women. environment and development. Agenda 21 was conceived and accepted as a response to the major challenges related to the gender dimension of environment and development. The recommendations contained in chapter 24 of Agenda 21 need to be operationalized in order to harmonize the linkages between women, poverty, environment and natural resource management.

95. Objectives

(a) To ensure that gender/population. environmental and poverty eradication factors are integrated in sustainable development policies, plans and programmes;

(b) To create awareness among women regarding their dependency on the environment and how this impacts upon the natural resource base;

(c) To establish. strengthen and maintain institutions responsible for environment and women's issues;

(d) To mainstream environmental concerns into the planning and policy process.

96. Proposed actions

(a) Analyze the structural linkages between gender relations, poverty, environment and development and integrate demographic and gender factors into environmental impact assessments and other planning and decision-making processes aimed at achieving sustainable development;

(b) Undertake measures to enhance the full participation of all relevant groups, especially women, at all levels of decision making to achieve sustainable use of natural resources;

(c) Ensure that environmental protection laws take due cognizance of women's concerns;

(d) Teach discerning use of natural resources at all levels of government departments, schools, associations and NGOs, and introduce effective ways of mitigating the ensuing impact on the environment in all development programmes;

(e) Develop and make available appropriate and affordable technologies which effectively reduce women s workload while protecting the environment;

(f) Promote, design and disseminate information for appropriate houses in rural and urban areas in order to enhance the internal environment;

(g) Legitimize, promote and replicate women's understanding and knowledge systems on the environment as well as their traditional techniques for resource utilization in support of their productive and reproductive functions.

{{(h) Promote the devleopment of a new environment paradigm that rejects popoulation control programmes as a solution to problems primarily caused by a misallocation of and inequitable distribution of resources within between coutnries and focus on eqitable resource distribution.}}

{{(i) Ban the dumping and import of toxic wastes as well as industries that polluted and result in the net depletion of resources.

 

{{WOMEN, HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT{{

{{(a) Rationale

The development and maintenance of the "human habitat" is not possible without the participation of all of us men and women. The social and economic agenda cannot be cmplete without focusing on human settlement development. Women are crucial in making "human sustainable, environmentally sound" development happen.

Objectives

1) Customary laws and religious practices that discriminate against women should be either abolished or amended to include the right of the women to land.

2) Women should have the right to control the crops they produce on their so-called "family land." For most families, the husbands sell the crops and spend the money the way the like - drinking or marrying more wives.

3) Encourage women to own their own pieces of land so that even after divorce they have some sort of property.

4) Women should have the right to inherit clan land which they have been working on before the death of their husbands.

5) Ensure that forced evictions are not carried out and that functions of subsistence are respected in the urban transition.

6) A new form of structural adjustment is required, a structural adjustment of the international finance institutions, so that they place the priorities of the women, the sustenance of human life and the environment, above the prioriy of free trade.

Proposed Actions

1) Women's fundamental human right to equitable access to and control of, land and property must be upheld, regardless of customs, laws, traditions and practices relating to inheritance and marriage which would deny such equity.

2) Laws and practices relating to enforcement of women's rights to equal treatment must be reconciled through a process of law review and reform which must also be gender-sensitive

3) Public programmes of conscientization should be carried out to create awareness of women's rights vis-a-vis tradition.

Non-Government Organizations (NGO) should provide information on women's rural and urban land rights at the community level. At the same time, the information media should disseminate information on this to the general public.

4) Mechanisms need to be set up for monitoring of implementation of all existing and new conventions relating to these fundamental rights.

5) Networking of women to support and promote equal gender right to land and property need to be set up by voluntary action, both within the bureaucracy and at the grass roots.

6) National and local authorities should have a policy supporting land allocation to women's groups: Finance institutions should a have a policy to provide access to finance to women and women's groups for land, housing and development.

7) Carry out specific training and job development for in women in formal construction skills, managerial advocacy skills, job development for women within the human settlement field.}}

 

The political empowerment of women, {{Decision making and power sharing}}

97. Rationale

The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and health conditions are highly critical areas of concern for the Platform for Action. The full participation and partnership of both women and men is required in all aspects of development.

Women in Africa receive much less formal and informal education than men, and at the same time, their knowledge, talent and abilities to cope with a highly adverse environment are hardly ever recognized. Women's inherent knowledge, talent and abilities should be fully recognized as attributes for their active participation in politics and decision-making processes. Similarly, the power relations that impede women's full participation and attainment of healthy and fulfilling lives operate at many levels of society and they should he fully recognized and adequately addressed.

98. Objectives

<<(a) To promote solidarity among women;>> <<(b) To initiate and implement policies and programmes that are designed to improve women's access to secure livelihoods and economic resources, alleviate their heavy responsibilities and tasks with regard to farm and housework and remove legal impediments to their full participation in public life;>> To promote the advancement of women in order to enhance their decision-making capacity at all levels and in all spheres of life.

(c) To raise social awareness through effective prograrnmes of civic education and mass communication; <<(d) To improve the status of women in order to enhance their decision-making capacity at all levels in all spheres of life;>> <<(e) To promote a harmonious partnership between women and men in order to achieve equality and equity;>> (f) To increase the numbers of women politicians and parliamentarians.

99. Proposed actions

All development partners and actors should act to empower women and should take concrete actions to eliminate inequalities between men and women by:

(a) Establishing mechanisms and strengthening chances for women's full and equal participation and equitable representation at all levels of the political process, power structures and decision making in each community and society, and enable women to articulate their concerns and needs;

(c) Adopting appropriate measures to improve women's ability to earn income beyond traditional occupations, achieve economic self-reliance and ensure women's equal access to the labour market and social security systems;

(d) Adopting specific measures to redress past and present imbalances;

(e) Mobilizing both women and men to support and promote women candidates at all political levels and support women aspiring to political careers, identify, enable and encourage them to take part in politics and governance.; {{The selection must be based on careful consideration of the commitment of candidates to promote women's interests.}}

(f) Governments should appoint women to decision-making positions in key ministries, such as Foreign Affairs, Defence, {{Security and Policy,}} Finance, Economic Planning and Development; (g) Information and training should be provided to enable women to participate in the political process. {{In this regard}}, Ppolitical parties and pressure groups should encourage women to take part in local and national elections, and other competitive leadership situations;

(h) Taking further action to correct the low representation of women at the regional level and in the United Nations system, particularly at decision-making levels; <<(i) Taking affirmative action to redress the imbalances between women and men.>>

 

Women's legal and human rights

100. Rationale

Nearly 20 years ago, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was adopted. As of 20 May 1994, 20 African countries had neither ratified nor implemented it.

The African Platform for Action urges firm political commitment and concrete action towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

In most African countries, violence against women in domestic, private or public places has increased to alarming levels. This is further exacerbated by gender bias in the administration of justice, conflicts which arise between the rights of women and certain traditional and customary practices, cultural prejudices and extremism, {{political repression}} as well as armed conflicts.

{{The Government is urged to take immediate action to put an end to this unacceptable situation}}. <<This Platform urges immediate action to put an end to this unacceptable situation.>>

The equal status of African women and their legal and human rights should be integrated into the mainstream of African Governments' legislative, judicial and administrative bodies. The African Platform for Action endorses and urges action towards the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women, whether overt or covert. It also supports the universal ratification by all States of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women {{and all other international instruments that affect the lives of women and the girl child.}}

In line with {{the African Charter and}} the Vienna Declaration (para. 38), this Platform stresses the importance of working towards the elimination of violence against women in public and private life, the elimination of gender bias in the adrninistration of justice and eradication of any conflicts which may arise between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and religious extremism and armed conflict. The Platform further endorses the view that violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflict are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law.

101. Objectives

(a) To empower women with knowledge about their rights, and the ability to attain them;

(b) To remove discriminative and oppressive laws and fill the gaps by enacting new laws and ensuring their implementation; (c) To ensure that {{international}} conventions and charters on women's rights are implemented. This includes the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Declaration on the Rights of the Child (Dakar Consensus) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;

(d) To assess implications of certain penal codes with regard to women's and children's rights.

102. Proposed actions

With regard to women's legal and human rights, actions should be taken to:

(a) Urge governments which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the African Charter for Human and Peoples Rights and other legal instruments concerning women and organize campaigns to this end {{before the World Conference on Women;}} {{(b) Governments are urged to withdraw reservations in the ratification of CEDAW and other international instruments which goes against the objectives and purpose of these instruments.}} (c) {{Governments to}} adopt strategies for effective implementation and consolidation of internationally accepted norms and standards on women's rights;

(d) {{Government to}} reform the judicial system to make it more responsive to gender issues and establish and/or strengthen institutions to support and assist women to enjoy their rights; (e) {{Government to}} socialize boys and girls {{through the educational system}} to develop awareness and respect for the equality between the sexes;

(f) {{Governments to}} eliminate violence against women and girls and the negative image portrayed by the media; (g) {{Governments to}} provide accurate information on the situation status of women to human rights bodies and widely disseminate information on women's rights; (h) {{Governments to}} promote legal literacy and build on the existing initiatives by NGOs to create the necessary infrastructure for reaching women at all levels;

(i) {{Governments to}} introduce and/or strengthen the concepts of human and women's rights at all levels of formal and non-formal education;

(j) {{Governments to}} guarantee the right of all women to buy, sell, own, inherit and administer property; (k) {{The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to}} introduce the right of petition through the preparation of an optional protocol to the Convention to provide for complaints procedures. {{Governments to}} increase resources to provide training, advisory services and technical assistance in the implementation of the Convention;

(l) {{Governments to}} <<should>> develop indicators to evaluate the impact of legal literacy programmes; (m) {{Governments should}} set up mobile legal clinics and para-legal services in rural and urban areas to help women understand the provisions and the correct interpretation of laws.

The media should report on women's issues and collaborate with other partners to create public awareness of human and women's rights.

With regard to violence against women, {{governments should acknowledge that the problem of violence against women is a violation of international human rights instruments, and should undertake the following measures}}: <<particular attention should be given to >>

(a) Adopt and promote the strategic objective to eliminate violence against women, and review existing legislation with a view to making necessary changes to deal with- violence; (b) Provide training and orientation to police and judicial personnel, doctors, social workers, nurses, {{international public officials, peace keeping forces}} and others to recognize abuses perpetrated against women, and develop national, {{regional and international}} strategies to address the causes of violence through the education system and the mass media; (c) {{Government to}} organize shelters, {{protection}} and support groups and undertake campaigns against violence as well as providing legal assistance to << women faced with>> {{victims of}} violence;

(d) Support the work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, and monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, as well as the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (adopted by the General Assembly in December 1993); (e) Monitor the situation of violence against women by developing appropriate indicators.

{{(f) Governments are urged to enact specific legislation on violence against women.}}

{{(g) Governments to take specific measures against media which portray negative images and stereotypes of women and girls that contribute to violence.}}

{{(h) Governments are urged to provide accurate information and disaggregated data on the status of women to human rights bodies and mechanisms.}}

 

Women with special needs

103. Rationale

Traditionally in Africa, the aged have long been cared for by the extended family system and other community arrangements. However, urbanization, mobility, civil and ethnic strife, frequent droughts and families have weakened and disrupted the extended family system and communities ties.

Most existing systems in the region provide inadequate protection for the disabled and the old, {{widows, internally displaced persons, refugees, female headed households, girls and adolescents}}. Informal community- and family-based arrangements are weakening. The demand for {{social}} <<health>> services {{primarily met by women increases, thus an added burden on the family's limited resources}}. <<since health problems and costly medical technologies are concentrated among the old and the disabled.>>

104. Objectives

(a) To develop special prograrnmes for women with special needs and, in doing so, to ensure the active contribution of the women themselves in the planning, design and management of such programmes;

(b) To develop programmes for the disadvantaged and vulnerable women that reflect a true understanding of the underlying needs of each group and which must be both equitable, efficient and culturally appropriate;

(c) To provide social assistance in cash or {{in kind to the poorest groups in society, including disabled and aged women, including widowed, internally displaced persons, refugees, female-headed households, girls and adolescents}} who may not be covered by contributory plans, taking into account their vulnerability stemming from their diminished ability to work; (d) To encourage informal support systems and offer incentives to families to continue the caretaking of their older and disabled relatives. {{Widows should be particularly protected aginst customary and traditional practices which deny her the rights guaranteed by laws. Government is urged to ensure the effective implementation of these laws;}}

(e) To create institutional and policy mechanisms to encourage greater performance of such valuable services such as care for the disabled and ageing populations.

105. Proposed actions

(a) Ensure that disabled and <<older>> {{aged}} persons, {{widows, internally displaced persons, refugees, female-headed households, girls and adolescents}} have access to adequate food, water, shelter. clothing and health care through the provision of income, family and community support and self-help; (b) Give disabled and <<older>> {{aged}} persons {{widows, internally displaced persons, refugees, female-headed households, girls and adolescents}} the opportunity to work or to have access to other income-generating opportunities; (c) Facilitate the integration of disabled and <<older>> {{aged}} persons {{widows, internally displaced persons, refugees, female-headed households, girls and adolescents }}in society and their active participation in the formulation and implementation of policies that directly affect their well-being; (d) Ensure that disabled and <<older>> {{aged}} persons {{widows, internally displaced persons, refugees, female-headed households, girls and adolescents}} benefit from community care and protection in accordance with each society's system of cultural values; (e) Ensure that disabled and older persons are able to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms, including full respect for their dignity, beliefs, needs and privacy;

(f) Continuously monitor programmes designed and implemented for the groups with special needs, and periodically evaluate them in order to ensure that they are reaching their intended beneficiaries.

 

Women {{Refugees, Internally Displaced, in Armed Conflict Situations and}} In the peace process.

106. Rationale

Peace is a prerequisite for the advancement of women. According to the Kampala Action Plan, if peace is to be attained, conflicting factions in society must be reconciled and not polarized. The African traditional way of resolving conflict is often more relevant to our current problems than adversarial methods of adjudication in which there is a winner and a loser, and the winner takes all. Peace is not just the absence of war, violence and hostilities but a situation in which all people have equal access to economic and social justice, and to the entire range of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in which the environment is protected.

Without peace in the countries of the African region, none of the proposed actions in this Platform can be implemented. It is imperative that African Governments work towards the resolution of the conflicts currently plaguing the region but above all, women must be regarded as crucial stake holders in the search for peace and must be included as active participants and contributors in the envisaged mechanisms for conflict resolution, particularly the OAU resolution mechanism.

107. Objectives

(a) <<To accelerate and enhance the factors that involve women in the peace process;>> {{To ensure the full involvement of women, including refuges and internally displaced, in conflict management, resolution and the peace process;}}

(b) <<To involve men and women in the peace process and conflict resolution >> {{To promote awareness and recognition of internally displaced persons; }}

(c) <<To include more women in the higher hierarchies of the armed forces so that they can participate effectively in decision making>> {{To ensure the participation of women in all decision making processes;}}

(d) To ensure the protection of women, children and refugees during wars and other kinds of conflict .

108. Proposed actions

Peace making, maintenance and education is a life-long process that is based on the concept of partnership between men and women and between people. It expounds and advocates the necessity of eradicating all types of violence in society, at the family and community levels. In this Convention, the proposed actions are to:

Action for peace

(a) {{The governments should}} reduce expenditure on armaments and "defence" and reallocate the financial resources so saved to improve science and technology for peaceful development and social services {{for women ;}}

<<(b) Pledge certain proportions of the defence budgets for the promotion of peace and social development;>> (c) {{Governments should}} tie aid to the ratio between military and social expenditures;

(d) <<Reinforce those>> {{Government and Non Governmental bodies should promote the positive}} aspects of culture which enhance the status and importance of women in the peace process; (e) <<Set aside a regional day for women in positive action for peace;>>

(f) Identify potential situations of violence in a timely way and take preventive measures to avert it instead of responding only when fighting has actually broken out;

(g) Provide for the practical empowerment of peacemakers and reconciliation of warring parties through the offer of amnesty and assistance for resettlement and rehabilitation which are more successful than punishment in securing cessation of armed struggles;

(h) Develop and support programmes to introduce, promote and sustain peace;

(i) {{Governments should}} recognize and support the national machineries of women and NGOs to work as pressure groups and mobilize necessary action to ensure that women achieve a critical mass at the national cabinet level in key ministries and departments and in international organizations that make or influence policy with regard to matters related to collective security and peace;

(j) OAU is further requested to take a more active role in averting, managing and resolving conflicts and participating in peace-keeping - endeavors. To this end, member States are urged not only to support the newly established Mechanism but also to contribute to the Special Fund for Conflict Management and Resolution;

(k) OAU and ECA should review, monitor and appraise the implementation of the Kampala Action Plan on Women and Peace and periodically convene conferences to assess progress and promote implementation;

{{(l) African Governments should ensure gender parity in peace negotiations and conflict resolution and take concrete steps to provide women and men with the necessary training in this area;}} {{(m) Refugee victims of sexual violence and their families should be provided with adequate medical and psycho - social care, including culturally appropriate counseling facilities;}} {{(n) Procedures for the determination of refugee status, asylum seekers who may have suffered sexual violence should be treated with particular sensitivity. Gender based prosecution should be a criterion for political asylum;}} {{(0) Review Conference on the 1980 "Inhuman Weapons Convention" should categorically prohibit the use of landmines in all armed conflict, internal or international.}}

Peace education

(a) Make peace education, human rights and humanitarian law a compulsory component of the school and college curricula and syllabi;

(b) Educate emergency service givers and peace keepers to respect the human rights of women, children, displaced peoples and refugees, and sensitize them about criminal and civil procedures in relation to peace and peace making;

(c) Organize seminars to .sensitize community leaders on the important role women should play in developing a culture of peace in the family and in society;

(d) Young people, and especially girls, should participate in all conferences and fora devoted to peace;

(e) Women to be educated in their civic rights and sensitized about criminal and civil procedures;

(f) Rehabilitation centres should ensure that the knowledge and professions of displaced people are utilized; (g) Regional research and training institutes to carry out research on the role of women in the peace process and to identify and analyze policies and action programmes.

 

{{ K. The Girl Child

The Convention on the Rights of the Child gives the meaning of "child" as every human being below the age of eighteen and grants children rights relating to their civil, political, social, economic and cultural lives. However, all available indicators point to the fact that the African girl child is discriminated upon right from inception resulting in less parental appreciation and care, poor nutrition and unequal access to education.

The economic prospects of the developing nations keep declining so also the hope of survival and empowerment of the girl child whose status is considered inferior right from birth from an early age girls are socialized to put themselves last.

Realizing that the girl child of today is the women of tomorrow and in view of the incontrovertible fact that the woman's roles are fundamental to the very existence and subsequent progress of society, the girl child's total upbringing and holistic education needs equal attention and commitment as that of the male child with the provision of subsidized education for the girl as the African economies cannot provide free education per se.

Statistics show that in the African educational sector, the gross enrolment ratios for the girl child is still very low at 18% while the drop-out rate stands at 47.8% as of 1992. There is also a clear trend of low enrolment of girls in the secondary and tertiary levels of education as well as in science, technology and mathematics. The educational process reinforces existing gender inequalities which in turn shapes the perceptions that influence curriculum designers, textbook writers, audio-visual aid designers as well as teachers, methodology, and pupils. Thus decisions on what is to be learned and by who and delivered by who are male-dominated. This renders the curriculum inappropriate in relation to gender.

Widespread evidence from the African region indicates that the health and quality of life of girls becomes even more precarious at adolescence, as she is faced with the risks of exploitation and unwanted pregnancy, leading on to rejection, abortion and discontinuation of education. Faced with rejection by an unsympathetic society, she is then exposed to the streets and the risks of sexually transmitted diseases with its attendant health implications.

The economic conditions as well as the high poverty ratio in developing nations coupled with the socio-cultural values have brought about increased burdens on girls who have at an early age to contribute to the family fortunes either by hawking, trading or being married off early at a price. All these and traditional practises that are harmful to the girls such as infibulation and puberty rites and the burden of household chores, constrain the development and attainment of full potentials of the girl child.

Rationale

The girl child of today is the woman of tomorrow. In order that she may grow up with the health, confidence and education necessary for her to take her place with dignity and equal to man in society, special attention needs to be focused on her.

The girl child with disabilities needs the special help of government to ensure that she has access to all the special devices needed even when her family is poor.

Objective

1) To promote a postive image of the girl child at the level of the family, the community and nation.

2) To ensure the girl child is allowed equal access to formal and non-formal education from school to tertiary levels.

3) The girl child with disabilities should be prepared to live independently and should not be seen as dependent for life.

Proposed Actions

a) Sensitize the community organisations from local to national levels on the needs of the Girl Child.

b) Men and boys must be targeted for sensitization on the needs of the Girl Child as a process of girl's empowerment.

c) Harmful traditional customs and practices impending the social, economic health and educational well-being and developments of the Girl Child be eliminated.

(d) Empowering girls with knowledge, information, training as well as organisational skills to articulate better their needs an defend their interests should be given priority.

(e) Research and documentation for deeper understanding of the issues that affect the advancement of girls call for community research in specfic areas that have been neglected over the past decades.

(d) To abide by and make explicit plans of action for implementation of the Women's and Rights of the Child Convention pertaining to the Rights of the Girl lChlid

(e) Girls who fall pregnant while schooling should be allowed to continue their education.

(f) Steps to eliminate gender stereotyping in school curriculum should be taken urgently.

(g) Education of the girl child with disabilities should be free and compulsory to ensure that her needs are met regardless of her family's economic status.}}

Mainstreaming of race and sex-disaggregated data

109. Rationale

It is not enough simply to define the critical issues and areas of concern. Proper implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action requires information, data and continuous research for updating information. Furthermore. women as stake holders need to have knowledge and the statistics with which to assert their rights to mobilize for change and to make informed choices. In addition, the concept of mainstreaming and integration requires development of indicators and guidelines to guide policy makers., planners and the actors in the socio-economic, cultural and political sectors.

110. Objectives

(a) To effect research as a necessary component for the development of knowledge towards the understanding of gender issues in Africa;

(b) To develop data that can quantify and evaluate women's and men's work;

(c) To mainstream the use and application of gender and age disaggregated data of policy makers, planners and programme implementers in all sectors;

(d) To establish in all member States reliable and updated data bases on women.

{{(e) To achieve visibility of women at all levels in data bases.}}

{{(f) In order to achieve equity in developing and distributing of resources sex and race indices must be reflected in data which the latter is still an issue.}}

{{(g) To encourage governments, research institutions and the business sectors to develop sustainable resources -- human, technological and intellectual -- for research at all levels and in all fields engaged in by women.}}

{{(h) To empower women through the research process by developing research capacity that will be participatory, accessible, and informative to the decision-making processes at local, regional, and national levels.}}

{{(i) To develop methodologies or instruments that will enhance women's capacities to be partners in reserach and unleash their potential.}}

{{(j) To develop and maintain databases that are user-friendly and accessible to communities and different linguistic national groups on an ongoing basis.}}

111. Proposed actions

(a) Facilitate national central bureaux of statistics to incorporate gender statistics units in their structures;

(b) Improve the collection and dissemination of gender and age disaggregated information on target groups and target areas in order to facilitate the design of focused programmes and activities consistent with the identified needs;

(c) Ensure and facilitate the mainstreaming and application of gender and age-disaggregated data by all development agents;

(d) Strengthen the data gathering capability of women machineries and sectoral gender focal points;

(e) Improve skills for the collection of gender statistics and issue guidelines and indicators for data and information development for and about women;

(f) Enhance the capacity and strengthen the advisory coordinating, operational and research roles of the African Centre for Women.

---