Gender/Women's caucus for information sharing and strategising

Women ask for men's participation

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, men and women participating to the Sub-Commission are invited to attend the Gender/Women caucus, from 9 to 10 a.m., of which purposes are; to share information, to determine the issues to be addressed in the areas of gender problems and women's rights, and to allow the participants to express their ideas…Well, the point is: to help make the agenda of the Sub-Commission integrate women's rights That is what the leader of the meeting, "Mrs Conchita Poncini, President of the NGO Committee for the Status of Women (CSA) in Geneva", recalled to the participants this morning.

This caucus is facilitated by the CSA, which has celebrated his 30th anniversary last week, 21-22 July. On this occasion, a forum took place, entitled "Towards Full Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action". During this event, 45 speakers from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe have had the opportunity to express their views about questions relating to women's rights. This meeting revealed a fear among all those who are concerned about these rights, explained Mrs Poncini. They are afraid of a watering down of the text of the Conference Beijing+Ten (in 2000). There is also a certain fatigue of the conference system.

Then we arrive at the core of the meeting when the issue of the role of boys and men was raised. How can we integrate them in the fight for women rights? Men have already the power (above all the economic power), they have to allow women to share the rights, that is to say, to give up a part of the power to them. Therefore she proposed to write a joint statement on that issue, which would take place during the plenary session dealing with point 6.

Mrs Poncini also note that often press release let appear women more like victims of men than like actors of change. We must change that representation of women, "we are not only the victims", she said. Participants are asked to express their opinions about the future statement and the issue it raises or any other ideas about the women's status.

Vera finds a joint statement is good but not enough and raises the question of the double burden which is now faced by women, that is women have won the right to have a professional life but continue to take upon themselves all the rest, housework, children…so and so. It would be great if men could share this burden. Unfortunately, when men see the term "gender," they often think this is an issue for women only, it does not affect them, Mrs Poncini explains, because "gender" is still classed as "women". But men have to be more active.

Ms. Angelina Bartlett, a free listener, suggests that it would be good to follow a procedure like the International Labor Organisation Tripartite Body, each group (men and women) discussing the different issues separately and then together. Mrs Poncini answers that "we face an old boys club" when trying to change the system. She emphasizes the importance to bring women issues to the public, especially men. But, in her opinion, the most important problem for women is their reproductive role, something that men will never know. Men always try to control the way women dispose on their bodies, e.g. the way they look as well as their sexuality. Taking the argument of preserving morality or traditions, men endeavour to keep the control of this aspect of women's life. This cultural relativism is the focal point of her argument. Therefore we need not only national measures to protect women, but also international standards.

Ms. Tomo Shibata, from Asian Women's Human Rights Council, spoke about the concept of gender and its ability to generate more inequality in society. She stresses the point of making the exploitation of women clear for the public. But some voices remind us that we are not starting from zero, and that progress has been achieved through the United Nations system.

It is clear that the participation of men is a problem which has to be debated. Other important points discussed are how to make the public aware of gender issues and the how to implement the United Nations system.

After the exposition of the opinions and ideas of participants, Mrs Poncini asks them to think about a possible contribution to the future joint statement and closes the meeting.

By: Alicia Pary and Melvina Araman

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