United Nations Economic & Social Council

Indian Model United Nations, 2013

Indian Model United Nations 2013 Economic and Social Council

Background Guide Neha Dewan President Aditya Tamar Vice President

United Nations Economic & Social Council

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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Greetings delegates, Welcome to the Economic & Social Council at Indian Model United Nations 2013 A founding UN Charter body established in 1946,with the primary purpose of pressing down worlds economic, social and environmental challenges the ECOSOC is the place where such issues are discussed and debated, and policy recommendations issued, making the Economic & Social Council an undoubtedly challenging committee, resulting in potentially explosive concoctions that might drastically affect the fate of world at hands of the diplomats present. The Indian Model United Nations Conference, the brainchild of Ryan Group of Institutions has been very special to us for innumerable reasons better not divulged in this diminutive letter, but we hope that by the end of this three day long conference you find yourselves appended with a similarly strong association with the magnificent institution. With the diversity of the work ambit of the organization and the wide horizon that it expands over, the ECOSOC has a broad responsibility for some 70% of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system, including 14 specialized agencies, 9 functional commissions and five regional commissions. At this session of the ECOSOC, the Council shall discuss the following agenda items: 1. Eradication & elimination of neglected tropical diseases by 2020 2. Enhancing participation of women in development through an enabling environment for achieving gender equality & advancement of women The agendas have been set for the delegates to act as leaders, advocates, facilitators and diplomats to address crucial issues with an in-depth focus on specific areas to build in them a strong understanding of the most basic yet complex sectors of the society. In order to represent your nations to the best of your capabilities, we urge you to not let yourself be restricted to the confines of this background study guide, as it has been made with the purpose of making the base of things clear to you, and we hope it steers you in the right direction as you prepare for the upcoming conference. Put your best foot forward as you research into the varied aspects of the agenda and display the best of your diplomatic courtesy. Feel free to revert back to the executive board for any queries or for any form of assistance that you may require. Wishing you luck for the conference. Warm Regards
Neha Dewan

PRESIDENT
Aditya Tamar

VICE PRESIDENT

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Committee Background
History: The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is comprised of 54 Member States of the United Nations. Historically ECOSOC is responsible for promoting international discussion about issues related to employment and standards of living, economic, social and health concerns, educational and cultural topics, human rights and fundamental freedoms. Purpose and mission statement: The Council holds several short sessions and many preparatory meetings, round tables and panel discussions with the members of civil society throughout the year, to deal with the organization of its work. It holds a four-week substantive session in July, alternating between New York and Geneva , which is organized in four segments (High-level, Coordination, Operational Activities, Humanitarian Affairs and General Segments). At the High-level Segment, national cabinet ministers and chiefs of international agencies and other high officials discuss major economic, social and environmental policy issues. A Ministerial declaration is generally adopted on the theme of the High-level Segment, which provides policy guidance and recommendations for action which covers both global issues and technical, administrative questions. The year- round work of the Council is carried out in its subsidiary and related bodies. The official languages of the Economic and Social Council are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The new functions of the Economic and Social Council: The 2005 World Summit ( A/RES/60/1 ) mandated the Economic and Social Council to convene Annual Ministerial Reviews (AMR) and biennial Development Cooperation Forum (DCF). These new functions were endorsed by the General Assembly in November 2006 ( A/RES/61/16 ) focusing on select themes drawn from the UNs Millennium Development Goals. Membership and authority: The 54 member Governments of the ECOSOC are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly. Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical representation with fourteen allocated to African States, eleven to Asian States, six to Eastern European States, ten to Latin American and Caribbean States, and thirteen to Western European and other States. The Bureau of ECOSOC includes one Government from each of five world regions Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, East Europe, and West Europe and the other developed countries. Each year, a representative from a different region is chosen to head the Council as its President. The functions and powers of the Economic and Social Council are stipulated in Chapter X of the Charter of the United Nations. The complete text of the UN Charter is accessible at: http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/index.html The rules of procedure of the council:

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http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/pdf/rules.pdf
The Nature of Reports, Proofs/Evidence Evidence or proof is acceptable from the following sources for reference: News Sources: REUTERS Any Reuters article which clearly makes mention of the fact or is in contradiction of the fact being stated by a delegate in council. http://www.reuters.com/ State operated News Agencies These reports can be used in the support of or against the State that owns the News Agency. These reports, if credible or substantial enough, can be used in support of or against any Country as such but in that situation, they can be denied by any other country in the council. Some examples are RIA Novosti(Russia) http://en.rian.ru/ , IRNA (Iran) http://www.irna.ir/ENIndex.htm , BBC (United Kingdom) http://www.bbc.co.uk/ , Xinhua News Agency and CCTV (P.R. Of China) http://cctvnews.cntv.cn/ Government Reports: These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated News Agencies reports and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country. However, a report that is being denied by a certain country can still be accepted by the Executive Board as credible information. Examples are Government Websites : 1. State Department of the United States of America: http://www.state.gov/index.htm , Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation http://www.eng.mil.ru/en/index.htm , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of various nations like India (http://www.mea.gov.in/) , Peoples Republic of China (http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ ), France (http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/ ), Russian Federation (http://www.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/main_eng ), etc. 2. Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Reports : http://www.un.org/en/members/ (Click on any country to get the website of the Office of its Permanent Representative) 3. Multilateral Organizations like the NATO (http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/index.htm ), ASEAN (http://www.aseansec.org/ ),OPEC (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/ ), etc. UN Reports: All UN Reports are considered as credible information or evidence for the Executive Board. 1. UN Bodies: Like the SC (http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/ ), GA (http://www.un.org/en/ga/ ), HRC (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/HRCIndex.aspx ) etc. 2. UN Affiliated bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (http://www.iaea.org/ ),World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/ ), International Monetary Fund (http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm ), International Committee of the Red Cross (http://www.icrc.org/eng/index.jsp ), etc. 3. Treaty Based Bodies like the Antarctic Treaty System (http://www.ats.aq/e/ats.htm ), the International Criminal Court (http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC ) Under no circumstances will sources like Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/ ), Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/), or newspapers like the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/ ), Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ ), etc. be accepted in the Council.
Acceptance and denial of reports is completely depended on the foreign policy of the particular member nation. However, based on their presentation, content and logical consistency, all reports will be taken into consideration by the Executive Board.

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AGENDA I : ERADICATION & ELIMINATION OF NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES BY 2020

Tropical Diseases: Tropical diseases encompass all diseases that occur solely, or principally, in the tropics. In practice, the term is often taken to refer to infectious diseases that thrive in hot, humid conditions, unique to tropical or sub tropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by forcing hibernation. The most common vectors are insects such as mosquitoes and flies. These insects may carry a parasite, bacterium or virus that is infectious to humans and animals. Most often disease is transmitted by an insect "bite", which causes transmission of the infectious agent through subcutaneous blood exchange. Human exploration of tropical rainforests, deforestation, rising immigration and increased international air travel and other tourism to tropical regions where lack of hygiene and poor living conditions prevail has led to an increased incidence of such diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, Chagas disease, African

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trypanosomiasis, and dengue .Commonly vaccines are not available for any of the diseases listed here, and many do not have cures. Factsheets on tropical diseases: http://www.who.int/topics/tropical_diseases/factsheets/en/index.html

Neglected Tropical Diseases: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) blight the lives of a billion people worldwide and threaten the health of millions more. These ancient companions of already poverty weaken impoverished populations, frustrate the achievement of health in the Millennium Development Goals and impede global public health outcomes. An evaluation of their significance to public health and economies has convinced governments, donors, the pharmaceutical industry and other agencies, including nongovernmental organizations, to invest in preventing and controlling this diverse group of diseases as these NTDs not only cause communicable illness specially to children but also hamper economic development in poor populations. Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases(TDR): Established in 1975 the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) is a global initiative of scientific collaboration that helps coordinate, support and influence global efforts to combat a portfolio of major neglected infectious diseases which disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, Central America and South America primarily. Vision: The power of research and innovation will improve the health and well-being of those burdened by infectious diseases of poverty. TDR's vision is to take up a functional global effort for eradication and elimination of infectious diseases of poverty by research and planning in which disease endemic countries play a pivotal role. It has a dual mission of developing new tools and strategies against these diseases, and to develop the research and leadership capacity in the countries where the diseases occur. Mission: To foster an effective global research effort on infectious diseases of poverty and promote the translation of innovation to health impact in disease endemic countries. Some examples of work include helping to develop new treatments for diseases, such as ivermectin for onchocerciasis (river blindness); showing how packaging can improve use of ArtemesininCombination Treatment (ACT) for malaria; demonstrating the effectiveness of bednets to prevent mosquito bites and malaria; and documenting how community-based and community-led programmes increases distribution of multiple treatments. TDR is based at and executed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and is sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and WHO.

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European Foundations Initiative for African Research into Neglected Tropical Diseases (EFINTD): The EFINTD is a response from five European Foundations Cariplo, Gulbenkian, Merieux, Nuffield and Volkswagen. They see NTD control as representing a largely untapped development opportunity to alleviate poverty in the worlds poorest populations, with a direct impact on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Beyond their negative impact on health, NTDs contribute to an ongoing cycle of poverty and stigma that leaves people unable to work, go to school or participate in family and community life. Link : http://ntd-africa.net/

World Health Organization and NTDs:

The WHO released its first report on Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2010.The assessment of the global burden caused by these diseases, and of the tools and strategies available for their control, brought optimism, although specific obstacles to controlling individual diseases were also identified.
- Dr Margaret Chan Director-General World Health Organization

In January 2012, the WHO built on various resolutions and decisions of its governing bodies as well as this previous assessment of opportunities and obstacles and on the growing sense of optimism by issuing a roadmap with visionary time-bound goals for controlling, eliminating or eradicating several of these ancient diseases. That ambitious agenda was almost immediately endorsed by the London declaration on neglected tropical diseases, which expressed a strong and broad-based will to seize these new opportunities. Commitments on the part of ministries of health in endemic countries, global health initiatives, funding agencies and philanthropists escalated, as did donations of medicines from pharmaceutical companies by the help of engagement of the international community.

The 17 neglected tropical diseases:

Buruli Ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans infection) Chagas disease Dengue/Severe dengue Dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease) Echinococcosis Foodborne trematodiases Human African trypanosomiasis (Sleeping sickness) Leishmaniasis Leprosy Lymphatic filariasis Onchocerciasis (River blindness) Rabies Schistosomiasis

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Soil transmitted helminthiases Taeniasis/Cysticercosis Trachoma Yaws (Endemic treponematoses)

Factsheets on neglected tropical diseases: http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/resources/en/index.html

Definitions by WHO: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2009/WHO_HTM_NTD_2009.1_eng.pdf

Other 'neglected' conditions: Podoconiosis Snakebite Strongyloidiasis

THE ROADMAP AND THE LONDON DECLARATION:

The January publication of the WHO - Accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases: a roadmap for implementation (the roadmap) was created at a meeting of partners donating resources, expertise and time, uniting to combat neglected tropical diseases. Their commitment is outlined in the London declaration on neglected tropical diseases (the London declaration) . The continuing informal relationships and goodwill that exist among the International community of partners and the governments of endemic countries through the vision of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations have been essential in achieving goals. The Roadmap for Implementation : http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/NTD_RoadMap_2012_Fullversion.pdf London Declaration United to Combat Neglected Diseases : http://unitingtocombatntds.org/downloads/press/ntd_event_london_declaration_on_ntds.pdf This declaration is the largest coordinated effort to date in health issues and it aims to eliminate or control 10 neglected diseases by 2020 by providing more than US$785 million to support research and development. These diseases are most rampant in the economically deprived regions of the world and affect 1.4 billion people, and are responsible for the persistent backwardness in human development. Further: http://www.unitingtocombatntds.org/endorsements

Practical Definitions of Eradication, Elimination and Control:

After consulting with the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2012, WHO recommended that the following definitions should be used for the roadmap's targets: Eradication is the permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by specific pathogen as a result of deliberate efforts , with no risk of reintroduction. In some cases a pathogen may become extinct, but others may be present in confined settings such as laboratories. Elimination (interruption of transmission) is the reduction to zero of the incidence of infection caused

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by a specific pathogen in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued actions to prevent re-establishment of transmission may be required. Control is the reduction of disease incidence, prevalence, intensity, morbidity, or mortality, or a combination of these, as a result of deliberate efforts. The term elimination as a public-health problem should be used only upon achievement of measurable targets for control set by Member States in relation to a specific disease. Continued intervention measures may be required to maintain this reduction. The members while suggesting methods for control may set targets for their achievement.

Obstacles and risks in achieving target goals by 2020: a. Conflicts & Population displacement Natural disasters and violent human conflicts lead to the death and displacement of millions of people who, as a result, suffer from disease, as well as starvation and sexual and physical abuse. Since 1945, some 23 conflicts have been waged or continue to be waged in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, where NTDs are prevalent. Since 1999, 5.4 million people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 1.5 million have become refugees or been displaced. Armed conflict is likely to disrupt the delivery of preventive chemotherapy, and adequate case management and disease surveillance, put the lives of health workers at risk and impede access to treatment. Plans should be made to reach out to refugees and IDPs, especially if they are living in campus. The number may seem relatively small compared with those requiring preventive chemotherapy but, in addition to their health needs, displaced persons may serve as reservoirs of infection or agents of dispersal when national borders are porous.
b. Population Growth By 31 October 2012, the world's population had reached 7 billion, with most if the growth occurring again in the countries where NTDs are prevalent. Population growth is predicted to continue to be the greatest in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes 33 of the 49 countries considered to be least developed according to social and economic indicators. By 2020, the estimated current population with a likely annual increase of 20 million is predicted to be 1.02 billion. In the wake of meeting 1 eradication target, 4 global elimination targets and 10 regional or country-based elimination targets, the population growth should be considered to ensure that resources will be available to deliver sufficient treatments and how. c. Vector control The transmission and persistence of many pathogens such as those responsible for dengue, Chagas disease, foodborne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, dracunculiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and schistosomes depend on vectors or intermediate hosts. There is a risk that sufficient medicines alone will not achieve a specific target if measures to control vectors or intermediate hosts are inadequate. Most efforts need to be made to deal with vectors and the chemicals involved in their control, with due consideration to the possibility of the side effects of these control mechanisms. Vector control mainly relies on the use of pesticides. Sound management of pesticides requires collaboration among sectors of agriculture, health and the environment. WHOPES ( the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme) works in collaboration with the FAO(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and UNEP ; it continues to serve as the main resource for information on pesticide management and encourages members states to provide guidance on the safety, quality control,

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application and efficacy of pesticides. d. Resistance to medicines and pesticides Resistance to a medicine or pesticide is defined as a loss of susceptibility to that medicine or pesticide in a population that was previously sensitive to the appropriate therapeutic dose or controlling application. Certain veterinary experiments in sheep have shown resistance to doses like albendazole, mebendazole, levamisole. In mice experimentally infected with a human isolate of Schistosoma mansoni and exposed to repeated doses of praziquantel, evidence has shown that praziquantel-resistant genes are present in the isolate, thus making it inefficient for human cure. The shorter a pathogen's generation time, more likely is the risk of resistance. In anticipation of the development of such resistance, especially with the scaling up of preventive chemotherapy, WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for NTDs has established a working group to monitor efficacy of medicines and prepare standard operating procedures to detect resistance early. It is equally important t highlight these provisions and deliberate upon them and along with prepare procedures and alternative strategies that can be used if resistance is detected. e. Insufficient capacity for scaling up Projections for the progressive scaling up of interventions en route towards 2020 and the related milestones, assume that necessary resources will become available as required. In terms of human resources, this implies that technical and managerial capacity will be built at all levels of national health-care systems so that simultaneous nationwide implementation can be carried out and maintained for as long as necessary as part of the delivery of routine health-care interventions, similar to the ways that nationwide vaccination programmes were introduced. If adequate sustainable capacity is not built into national health plans and strategy, it is unlikely that such a large number of endemic countries will simultaneously be able to scale up their programmes. Significant resources are required to ensure that programmes are fully implemented, milestones are reached, and then programmes are scaled down. It is unlikely that these resources will be generated entirely from external sources, thus consistent efforts to mobilize national resources from various sectors will need to be made in endemic countries. The worldwide private sector has made unprecedented pledges to supply the medicines required for large-scale distribution, but such external support needs adequate domestic infrastructure. The impact of programmes will need to be monitored, and adjustments may need to be made to implementation strategies to reach the roadmaps targets in the most cost-effective manner. f. Expectations overtaking science Evidence from clinical trials and community studies demonstrates that individual treatment and the large-scale delivery of effective chemotherapy reduces and controls morbidity caused by NTDs. However, current scientific information may not be sufficient to underpin all aspects of NTD control. For example, a key assumption guiding most programmes is that a given number of treatments or rounds of mass drug administration will interrupt transmission in all settings, whether transmission occurs from person to person or through vectors or their intermediate hosts. Information collected by monitoring coverage and evaluating the impact of strategies will help validate this assumption and refine control strategies. g. Inadequate support for research Fundamental research and operational research will continue to be essential components in the work to overcome NTDs. The 2012 Global report for research on infectious diseases of poverty recognized that research into NTDs lags behind research that affect more affluent people. There is a need for equitable support for research into NTDs to increase knowledge about these diseases ant to improve control interventions.

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h. Climate Change Climate change is now accepted as resulting mainly from an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) released as a result of human activities. By the end of the 21st century, the Earth's temperature may rise above mid-1990 levels by 1.1C to 6.4C, a change that is predicted to lead additional heat waves, floods and droughts. The World Meteorological Organization's publication Atlas of health and climate explores the numerous and variable effects of climate change on infectious diseases, including NTDs. The effect of climate change on population of vectors and on the persistence and transmission of NTDs are of particular concern and put in question foreign and local industrial and extraction activity.

First Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564090_eng.pdf

A Human Rights Based approach: Right to Health A human rights-based approach is guided by human rights standards and principles. It requires that health interventions support the capacity of duty bearers (primarily government authorities) to meet their obligations and of affected communities to claim their rights. The right to the highest attainable standard of health ('the right to health') is recognized in several human rights treaties and national constitutions. Moreover, the right to health is closely related to and contingent on several other human rights. Development efforts often need to be cross-sectoral and include economic, social and political interventions. The contents of the right to health have been clarified by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in General Comment 14. The right to health extends not only to timely and appropriate health care, but also to the underlying determinants of health (i.e. Access to education, clean water, housing, etc.).The right to health calls for immediate and targeted steps to be taken to progressively ensure that health services, goods and facilities are available, accessible, acceptable and of good quality. A human rights-based approach requires that the interventions and processes in response to neglected tropical diseases are guided by human rights principles, such as participation, non-discrimination and accountability. From the perspective of the right to health, interventions should be population-based; respond to specific local needs; and form part of, or at least not undermine, the regular health system. Participation People are entitled to participate in decisions that directly affect them, such as the design, implementation and monitoring of health interventions. Participation should be active, free and meaningful, and include affected women, men, boys and girls. Specific attention must be focused on people living in poverty and other vulnerable groups. Communities affected by neglected tropical diseases are sometimes involved in prevention, treatment and control programmes, such as vector control programmes or administration of treatment. However, a human rights-based approach requires that affected communities participate not only in implementing programmes, but also in priority-setting at local, national, and international levels. Non-Discrimination States have an obligation to ensure equality and non-discrimination in laws, policies and the distribution and delivery of resources, health services and underlying determinants of health. This requires identification and targeting of vulnerable groups. Authorities need to take steps to ensure that prevalence data, mass drug administration and facility-based treatments are available for all at-risk populations.

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Accountability Rights and obligations demand accountability. Governments and other decision makers need to be transparent about process and actions and justify their choices. Also, redress mechanisms should be in place. Accountability comes in many forms. These are some of the possible mechanisms: Judicial mechanisms, e.g. incorporating human rights obligations in domestic law, court cases; Quasi-judicial mechanisms, e.g. national, human rights commissions or ombudspersons; Administrative and policy mechanisms, e.g. development and review of health policies and plans, human rights impact assessments; Political mechanisms, e.g. Parliamentary processes, monitoring and advocacy by NGOs; Ratification and reporting on human rights treaties incorporating the right to health. Children and women are disproportionately affected by some neglected tropical diseases and may face additional barriers to seeking and receiving treatment. Women also tend to suffer more severely from social stigma. Dissemination of information is necessary for awareness-raising, and for impeding stigmatization, which is both a cause and consequence of neglected tropical diseases

Further areas to consider: 1. To examine the causes of the neglected tropical diseases with regard to internal and foreign activity 2. Other relevant causes that the member states deem important for the council to discussion 3. Solutions and their applicability and efficiency 4. Human and Economic Burden 5. To achieve the target goal : 2020 and beyond 6. Global and regional plans for prevention and control

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AGENDA II
ENHANCING PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPEMT THROUGH AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR ACHIEVING GENDER EQUALITY & ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

INTRODUCTION:
The report of the Secretary-General on the review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, submitted to the 49th session of the Commission in 2005, noted that the status and role of women has undergone a significant change over the past ten years, although not at an equal pace in all regions. Achievements noted included increased awareness, policy reforms, improved legislative frameworks, and institutional development at the national level in many countries. Positive developments include the establishment of national policies and strategies for gender equality; adherence to international and regional instruments for the protection of the human rights of women; increased diversity in the mechanisms promoting and monitoring attention to gender equality; attention to resource allocations through gender-sensitive budgeting; the recognition of the critical role played by NGOs in awarenessraising, advocacy, monitoring and programme delivery; and efforts to engage men and boys more actively in the promotion of gender equality. Yet, ten years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action by the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, a large gap remains between policy and practice. Discriminatory practices and public

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attitudes towards the advancement of women and gender equality have not changed at the same pace as policy, legal and institutional frameworks. The Commission on the Status of Women, at its forty-ninth session in 2005, adopted a Declaration in which Governments pledged to undertake further action to ensure the full and accelerated implementation of the Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session.

UNITED NATIONS ACTION ON THE ISSUES AT HAND 1. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW):- It was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, and is often described as an international bill of rights for women. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The Convention provides the basis for realizing equality between women and men through ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life -including the right to vote and to stand for election -- as well as education, health and employment. (Full text of the Convention:http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm) 2. Declaration on elimination of violence against women:- The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women was adopted without vote by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 48/104 It stresses the recognition of "the urgent need for the universal application to women of the rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings". The resolution is often seen as complementary to, and a strengthening of, the work of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. (Full text:- http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm) 3. United nations General Assembly Resolution 54/210 (Text:- http://www.unfpa.org/gender/docs/54-210.pdf) 4. Fourth World Conference on Women The United Nations convened the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace on 415 September 1995 in Beijing, China. Aung San Suu Kyi delivered the keynote address at the conference. Delegates had prepared a Declaration and Platform for Action aimed at achieving greater equality and opportunity for women. Many nations publicly disagreed with positions outlined by the United States of America and other nations concerning abortion, reproductive rights and other sensitive issues which still continue to be highlight today. Complete document :http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf Text : http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/declar.htm

5.Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women http://www.un.org/womenwatch/confer/nfls/

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REGION SPECIFIC DECLERATIONS/INSTRUMENTS Africa: 1. Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa:- In July 2004, the African Union (AU) embarked on a new chapter of moving forward the gender equality agenda in Africa, representing another milestone for womens effective participation: The AU adopted the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) at its Summit meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. For the first time in history, a continental organization took ownership of gender mainstreaming at the highest level, calling for the continued implementation of gender parity in the AU and at national level. (Text of the Declaration:http://www.achpr.org/instruments/declaration-on-gender-equality-in-africa/) 2. Declaration on Gender and Development (SADC):- While the Member States of SADC aim to raise the status of women to that of men, a disparity remains throughout Southern Africa in terms of legal rights, power sharing and decision-making, and access to productive resources and education. Therefore, SADC signed the Declaration on Gender and Development on 8th September 1997 to promote closer regional cooperation and collective action as a means of fostering gender equality. ( Text: http://www.sadc.int/files/7613/5292/8380/Declaration_on_Gender__Development_1997.pd f Arab Nations:
1. Beirut Declaration:- In 2004, more than 400 Arab women ministers, parliamentarians

and non-governmental representatives launched a call for peace in a regional forum organized by the Beirut-based United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA). The importance of the Arab Regional Forum Ten Years after
Beijing: a Call for Peace, lies in the great attention and support the world body is giving to the conferences organized by the five regional commissions, UNESCWA. ( Full text:http://www.unfpa.org/gender/beijing10/docs/arab.pdf) Latin America:1. Adoption and Implementation of the Inter American Program on the Promotion of Womens Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality :- It was adopted at the first plenary session of the Organisation of the American States, in the year 2000, in collaboration with the Inter American Commission of Women (Text:http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/agres_1732_xxxo00.htm)

Indigenous women and gender equality:

In indigenous communities, men and women have different gender roles and responsibilities and for that reason they also often have different needs, desires and interests. Traditionally, indigenous women were generally respected by indigenous men and had equal access to and control over collective land and natural resources. However, with the gradual loss of collective ownership of lands and other natural resources and the introduction by dominant outsiders of institutions of private property, indigenous women progressively lost their traditional rights to lands and natural resources. The following has been a familiar pattern in many indigenous communities: As the indigenous economy, guided by the values of generalized reciprocity, symbolic complementarity and customary laws that cherish gender equity and equality, weakened, male members of some indigenous communities became sole inheritors of lands and other property. As a result, female members have been deprived of their rights of traditional access to lands and other resources. Mainstreaming a gender

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perspective in development initiatives can make a real difference. For instance, indigenous mens and womens situations can be better understood through the analysis of gender disaggregated data (qualitative and quantitative). Based on their needs assessment and their development priorities, various programs such as awareness raising, social mobilization, organization building, training, saving and credit schemes, income generation, functional literacy and cultural revitalization, will be prepared and implemented with their full participation. When indigenous women manage institutions, resources and development initiatives, they enhance and improve their social and economic situation. Gender-blind approaches to development fail to address the issues and problems of indigenous women. In plural legal systems, the simultaneous existence and operation of national legislation, customary and/or religious laws often lead to tensions and complications in the implementation of the rights of women and girls. For example, The Global Campaign to Stop Violence against Women finds that child marriage in the indigenous-dominated Autonomous Region of Muslim. Mindanao (ARMM) of the Philippines is largely influenced by Article 16 of the Muslim Code, which sets the minimum age of marriage of both males and females at 15 years and also confers powers on sharia district courts to sanction the marriage of a girl who has attained puberty. The International community is the only way through which such states can express their viewpoint along with deliberation by the opposing member nations with regard to existing International laws and rights of women. Text of relevant treaties:

http://social.un.org/index/IndigenousPeoples/CrossThematicIssues/IndigenousWomen/Recommen dationsrelatedtoIndigenousWomen.aspx
Discrimination:

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted
in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women. Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...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." Text: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/

MDG 3: To promote gender equality and empower women

The MDG 3 indicators track key elements of women's social, economic and political participation and guide the building of gender-equitable societies. All the MDGs influence health, and health influences all the MDGs. The MDGs are inter-dependent. For example, better health enables children to learn and adults to earn. Gender equality is essential to the achievement of better health

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United Nations and Women Empowerment Principles:

The Womens Empowerment Principles are the product of collaboration between UN Women and the UN Global Compact.Created by the UN General Assembly in July 2010, UN Women - the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and womens empowerment: Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Over many decades, the UN has made significant progress in advancing gender equality, including through landmark agreements such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Yet gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in every society. Women lack access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps. They are too often denied access to basic education and health care. Women in all parts of the world suffer violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes. For many years, the UN has faced serious challenges in its efforts to promote gender equality globally, including inadequate funding and no single recognized driver to direct UN activities on gender equality issues. UN Women was created to address such challenges. Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the UN Charter, UN Women, among other issues, works for the: elimination of discrimination against women and girls; empowerment of women; and achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Gender equality is not only a basic human right, but its achievement has enormous socio-economic ramifications. Empowering women fuels thriving economies, spurring productivity and growth.
Sectors for advancement of women:

(i) Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full development of women to enable them to realize their full potential (ii) The de-jure and de-facto enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on equal basis with men in all spheres political, economic, social, cultural and civil (iii) Equal access to participation and decision making of women in social, political and economic life of the nation (iv) Equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security and public office etc.
(v) Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of discrimination against women Legal-judicial system should be made more responsive and gender sensitive to womens needs, especially in cases of domestic violence and personal assault. New laws should be enacted and existing laws reviewed to

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ensure that justice is quick and the punishment meted out to the culprits is commensurate with the severity of the offence. At the initiative of and with the full participation of all stakeholders including community and religious leaders, the Policy should aim to encourage changes in personal laws such as those related to marriage, divorce, maintenance and guardianship so as to eliminate discrimination against women considering their globally conflicting nature. The evolution of property rights in a patriarchal system as in certain countries has contributed to the subordinate status of women. The Policy should aim to encourage changes in laws relating to ownership of property and inheritance by evolving consensus in order to make them gender just.

(vi)Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the development process.

Policies, programmes and systems will be established to ensure mainstreaming of womens perspectives in all developmental processes, as catalysts, participants and recipients. Wherever there are gaps in policies and programmes, women specific interventions would be undertaken to bridge these. Coordinating and monitoring mechanisms will also be devised to assess from time to time the progress of such mainstreaming mechanisms. Womens issues and concerns as a result will specially be addressed and reflected in all concerned laws, sectoral policies, plans and programmes of action.

(vii)building and strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly womens organizations. (viii) Public and Private Sector UN Women is committed to advancing womens economic empowerment, inter alia, through engaging with business, recognizing the significant potential of the private sector for providing women with social and economic opportunities for their empowerment and advancement as well as the benefits resulting from womens contributions to sustainable business at all levels and along the value chain. The UN Women, Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) provide an important and targeted tool for building strong partnerships with the private sector to advance gender equality and womens empowerment.
(ix) Decision-making Womens equality in power sharing and active participation in decision making, including decision making in political process at all levels should be ensured for the achievement of the goals of empowerment. All measures should be taken to guarantee women equal access to and full participation in decision making bodies at every level, including the legislative, executive, judicial, corporate, statutory bodies, as also the advisory Commissions, Committees, Boards, Trusts etc. Affirmative action such as reservations/quotas, including in higher legislative bodies, should be considered whenever necessary on a time bound basis. Womenfriendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN Poverty Eradication Since women comprise the majority of the population suffering from poverty, given the harsh realities of intra-household and social discrimination, macro economic policies and poverty eradication programmes will specifically address the needs and problems of such women. There should be improved implementation of programmes which are already women oriented with special targets for women. Steps should be taken for mobilization of poor women and convergence of services, by offering them a range of economic and social options, along with necessary support measures to enhance their capabilities Micro Credit In order to enhance womens access to credit for consumption and production, the establishment of new, and strengthening of existing micro-credit mechanisms and micro-finance institution should be undertaken so that the outreach of credit is enhanced. Other supportive measures should be taken to ensure adequate flow of credit through extant financial institutions and banks, so that all women below poverty line have easy access to credit.

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Womens perspectives must be included in designing and implementing macro-economic and social policies by institutionalizing their participation in such processes. Their contribution to socio-economic development as producers and workers should be recognized in the formal and informal sectors (including home based workers) and appropriate policies relating to employment and to her working conditions will be drawn up. Member states should present country based measures and areas for incorporating women's participation where it is lacking and is deemed viable. Globalization Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of womens equality, the gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-level studies, it is evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal economy and rural areas. Strategies should be designed to enhance the capacity of women and empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the globalization process.

Women and Agriculture In view of the critical role of women in the agriculture and allied sectors, as producers, concentrated efforts should be made to ensure that benefits of training, extension and various programmes will reach them in proportion to their numbers. The programmes for training women in soil conservation, social forestry, dairy development and other occupations allied to agriculture like horticulture, livestock including small animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries etc. should be expanded to benefit women workers in the agriculture sector. Women and Industry Women at present cannot work in night shift in factories even if they wish to due to certain national laws or safety conditions of various nations. Suitable measures should be taken to enable women to work on the night shift in factories. This must be accompanied with support services for security, transportation etc. Support Services The provision of support services for women, like child care facilities, including crches at work places and educational institutions, homes for the aged and the disabled should be expanded and improved to create an enabling environment and to ensure their full cooperation in social, political and economic life. Womenfriendly personnel policies will also be drawn up to encourage women to participate effectively in the developmental process. SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN Education Equal access to education for women and girls should be ensured. Special measures should be taken to eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender-sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate lifelong learning as well as development of occupation/vocation/technical skills by women. Gender sensitive curricula should be developed at all levels of educational system in order to address sex stereotyping as one of the causes of gender discrimination however the issue of a non-universal educational system needs to addressed considering the variation in the education pattern of various nations. Health A holistic approach to womens health which includes both nutrition and health services that should be adopted and special attention will be given to the needs of women and the girl at all stages of the life cycle. The reduction of infant mortality and maternal mortality, which are sensitive indicators of human

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development, is a priority concern. This policy reiterates the national demographic goals for Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) set out in the National Population Policy 2000. Women should have access to comprehensive, affordable and quality health care. Measures should be adopted that take into account the reproductive rights of women to enable them to exercise informed choices, their vulnerability to sexual and health problems together with endemic, infectious and communicable diseases. The social, developmental and health consequences of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases should be tackled from a gender perspective. Good and accurate data at micro level on deaths, birth and marriages is required. Strict implementation of registration of births and deaths would be ensured and registration of marriages should be made compulsory while a global maintenance record i.e. encouraged.

Nutrition In view of the high risk of malnutrition and disease that women face at all the three critical stages viz., infancy and childhood, adolescent and reproductive phase, focussed attention would be paid to meeting the nutritional needs of women at all stages of the life cycle. This is also important in view of the critical link between the health of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women with the health of infant and young children. Special efforts should be made to tackle the problem of macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially amongst pregnant and lactating women as it leads to various diseases and disabilities and hinders their role in overall development. Womens participation will also be ensured in the planning, superintendence and delivery of the system. Housing and Shelter Womens perspectives should be included in housing policies, planning of housing colonies and provision of shelter both in rural and urban areas. Special attention should be given for providing adequate and safe housing and accommodation for women including single women, heads of households, working women, students, apprentices and trainees. Science and Technology 6.11 Programmes should be strengthened to bring about a greater involvement of women in science and technology. These will include measures to motivate girls to take up science and technology for higher education and also ensure that development projects with scientific and technical inputs involve women fully. Efforts to develop a scientific temper and awareness should also be stepped up. Special measures should be taken for their training in areas where they have special skills like communication and information technology. Efforts to develop appropriate technologies suited to womens needs as well as to reduce their drudgery should be given a special focus too. Women's role in International relations and projects should be encouraged through the same. Expert teams of nations to interact abroad can help develop global advancement the women sector. Violence against women All forms of violence against women, physical and mental, whether at domestic or societal levels, including those arising from customs, traditions or accepted practices shall be dealt with effectively with a view to eliminate its incidence. Institutions and mechanisms/schemes for assistance should be created and strengthened for prevention of such violence , including sexual harassment at work place and customs like dowry; for the rehabilitation of the victims of violence and for taking effective action against the perpetrators of such violence. A special emphasis should also be laid on programmes and measures to deal with trafficking in women and girls. Rights of the Girl Child All forms of discrimination against the girl child and violation of her rights shall be eliminated by undertaking strong measures both preventive and punitive within and outside the family. These would relate specifically to strict enforcement of laws against prenatal sex selection and the practices of female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriage, child abuse and child prostitution etc. Removal of discrimination in the treatment

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of the girl child within the family and outside and projection of a positive image of the girl child should be actively fostered. Mass Media Global media should be used to portray images consistent with human dignity of girls and women. The policy shall help specifically to strive to remove demeaning, degrading and negative conventional stereotypical images of women and violence against women. Private sector partners and global media networks should be involved at all levels to ensure equal access for women particularly in the area of information and communication technologies. The media would be encouraged to develop codes of conduct, professional guidelines and other self regulatory mechanisms to remove gender stereotypes and promote balanced portrayals of women and men. Lastly, implementation of international obligations/commitments in all sectors on empowerment of women such as the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+5) and other such instruments and their particular clauses. International, regional and sub-regional cooperation towards the empowerment of women should continue to be encouraged through sharing of experiences, exchange of ideas and technology, networking with institutions and organizations and through bilateral and multi-lateral partnerships. Further areas to consider:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Global sectors for advancement of women International opportunities Strategies for internationally applicable guidelines Internal policies and constitutional policies of member nations Role of ECOSOC sub bodies past success and failures