Gender issues: Enhancing the role of women in peace negotiations and related decision-making processes in Southern Africa (continued)

The Beijing Platform for Action, which was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, reflects a renewed commitment to the goals of equality, development and peace for women throughout the world. It recognises that peace and security are preconditions for economic and social progress, that women are increasingly establishing themselves as key players in a variety of capacities in global peace movements and that their full and equal participation in efforts aimed at preventing and resolving conflicts is essential for the realisation of lasting peace (UN 1995).

The Platform for Action identifies twelve critical areas of concern for women's advancement and empowerment. With respect to critical area E on women and armed conflict, the Platform for Action recommends that action should be taken "...to promote equal participation of women and equal opportunities for women to participate in all forums and peace activities at all levels, particularly at the decision-making level, including in the United Nations Secretariat with due regard to equitable geographical distribution in accordance with Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations" (par. 142(a)). The Platform for Action further recommends that governments should "strengthen the role of women and ensure equal representation of women at all decision-making levels in national and international institutions which may make or influence policy with regard to matters related to peace-keeping, preventive diplomacy and related activities and in all stages of peace mediation and negotiations..." (par. 144(c)). They should also "integrate a gender perspective in the resolution of armed or other conflicts..." (par. 142 (b)) (UN 1995).

Despite the existence of international norms and principles aimed at increasing women's participation in peace negotiations and related decision-making processes, women in Southern Africa continue to be marginalised in regional peace processes, particularly at decision-making levels (IPS 2000, 16). The exclusion of Southern African women from all levels of decision-making relating to peace and security in the region is inconsistent with their respective governments' international obligations to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women in the Southern Africa region. Most Southern African governments have ratified a number of international human rights instruments, which outlaw gender discrimination. These include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1979 and entered into force in September 1981 (Fraser & Kazantsis 1992, 42).

The Women's Convention, as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women is commonly referred to, devotes most of its substantive provisions to gender discrimination. In its preamble, the Women's Convention explicitly acknowledges that "...extensive discrimination against women continues to exist" and emphasises that such discrimination "...violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity". As defined in Article 1, discrimination against women is understood to be "...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field" (UN 1989, 1).

Article 3 of the Women's Convention upholds the principle of gender equality by requiring States Parties to take "...all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men" (UN 1989, 1).

References

FRASER, A, & KAZANTSIS, M 1992 CEDAW #11: Report on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Violence against Women, IWRAW, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

IPS 2000 "Women's Role in Peacemaking Hailed", in Terra Viva 39, 16.

UN 1989, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Department of Public Information.

UN 1995, Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China from 4 to 15 September 1995 (A/CONF.177/20), [www] http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N96/273/01/PDF/N9627301.pdf?OpenElement [PDF document, opens new window].