Strategic Vision of the OAS Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) Hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender

equality

Inter-American Commission of Women

Established in 1928: – Mission: Analysis of the status of women in the Americas

First intergovernmental body to promote women's rights

The only hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender equality

34 Principal Delegates, one for each OAS member state (Minister for the Advancement of Women or equivalent)

1900s 2000s

Establishment and strengthening of the legal framework for women's

rights

From talk to action:Implementation of the legal

framework

Bases for the Work of the CIM

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW)

Inter-American Convention on Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of

Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará)

PURPOSETo support states seeking to harmonize international agreements on women's rights and gender equality with domestic legislation and effective public policy

Equality and nondiscrimination

Strategic Plan of the CIM 2011-2016

Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women's Human Rights

and Gender Equity and Equality (PIA)

Human rights

Progress:

Strong international and inter-American legal framework for women's human rights and gender equality

– Ratified by all countries in the region, except for the USA (CEDAW/Belém do Pará) and Canada (Belém do Pará)

– Replicated -- to varying extents --in most countries through constitutional amendments, laws, public policies, mechanisms etc.

Challenges: Recognition of rights still patchy with respect to: sexual and reproductive

rights; the rights of informal sector workers; the rights of LGBTQI persons Intersection of gender with other aspects of identity - socio-economic status,

ethnicity, urban/rural residence, migration status, age, physical ability, sexual orientation

Deficient implementation of the legal framework and public policies, especially as regards access to justice

Where we stand

33 out of 34 countriesguarantee

gender equalityin their constitutions

9 countrieshave comprehensive

laws on violenceagainst women

33 out of 34 countrieshave national

equality plans

Allocationsto address violence

range from .01% to 1%of national

budgets

1. Support OAS member states seeking to establish and implement international agreements (CEDAW, Belém do Pará, PIA) on women's rights and gender equality

2. Mainstream a gender equality and women's rights perspective in the work of the OAS - policies, programs, projects, meetings, and other activities - within the framework of the four thematic pillars:

Strategic objectives of the CIM

Promoting democracy

Defending human rights

Guaranteeing a multidimensional approach to

security

Fostering integral development and prosperity

Citizenship and economic security for women

Citizen security from a gender perspective

Women's human rights and gender violence

Political citizenship of women for democracy

Message: Women are key to the strengthening of democracy

Ongoing obstacles:– Political party regulations and culture– Less access to financing and media coverage– Limited educational and training opportunities– Failure to implement quota and parity laws– Discriminatory media coverage– Reconciliation of political careers and family life

Subprograms:

Womencabinet members: 29%

Womenparty members: 46.5%

(leaders: 19%)

Womenin high-level positions

in the judiciary: 19%

Womencouncilors: 21%

Mayoresses: 10.5%

Womenin legislatures: 22.6%

Work with women parliamentarians on a legislative agenda for women's rights and gender equality

Raising political parties' awareness of gender inequalities and women's rights and political representation

Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws

Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective

Current state of affairs

1. Political citizenship of women for democracyPrograms and subprograms

2 Hemispheric Forums on women's rights in democratic systems (April 2011 and July 2012)

2 surveys of female members of Parliament in the Americas (July 2012 and October 2013)

Publication of three studies:– Women's citizenship in the democracies of the Americas– The struggle for parity: democratizing the political system in Latin America

(experiences in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Costa Rica)– The democracy of citizenship: Visions and debates surrounding the rights of

women in the Americas (2012)

Survey of presidential candidates in the Dominican Republic (2012)

Meeting to support amendments to the Political Parties law in Guatemala (adoption of gender parity, 2013)

Principal outcomes

http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp

Message: With gender violence, there are no HRs.

Ongoing obstacles:– There are no good data (incidence, nature, and so on)– Violence against women continues to be regarded as a private matter– Many still believe that violence is justified– The reports deal only with government activities -- We don't know whether

there is less violence or better access to justice (results versus impact)

Subprograms:

Proportion of womenvictims of violence; 1/3

Proportion of domesticviolence cases

reported to the police: 2/5

Women and girl victims of trafficking

per year: 1,000,000

Violence is one of the leading causes of death among women

aged 15 to 49

Proportion of womenvictims of sexual

violence: 1/4

Current state of affairs

Mechanism to Follow up on Implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (MESECVI )

2. Women's human rights and gender violencePrograms and subprograms

Indicators for monitoring the right to a life free from violence

Judicial system awareness of women's rights (best practices / training)

Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights

2 Hemispheric Reports on implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (2008 and 2012)

– 56 national reports– 1 Follow-up report to the recommendations of the Committee of

Experts (2010) Adoption of a system of indicators for exercise of the right to a

life free from violence Systematization and dissemination of best practices in gender

justice Orientation / training manual on the Convention of Belém do Pará Best practices in gender justice Human rights of women living with HIV

Principal outcomes

http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp

Message: The definition of security must address VaW

Ongoing obstacles:– Lack of dialogue between security and human rights spokespersons – Security is not the same as a reduction in violent crime.– Failure to disclose violence against women as a public security issue– The absence of women at all levels in the security sector

Subprograms:

In mostcountries, womenmake up < 10%

of the police force

In Canada andthe USA, women

account for <20% of Armed Forces personnel

They account for < 1%of police

chiefs

Current state of affairs

The hemispheric security agenda from a rights and gender equality perspective

The participation of women at all levels of the security sector

Ability of women's groups to engage in dialogue with and monitor the security sector from a rights and gender equality perspective

Women's participation in the illicit drug problem

They hold only 19%of high-level

positions in thejustice system

60-80% ofwomen in prison

are there ondrug-related offenses

3. Citizen security from a gender perspectivePrograms and subprograms

Roundtable on policies regarding women and drugs in the Americas

Preparation of a diagnostic assessment is under way

Compilation of information/data and States' experiences

Establishment of cooperative ties with CICAD and think tanks

Inclusion of the topic addressed in the Declaration of Antigua

Principal outcomes

http://www.oas.org/en/cim/security.asp

Message: Greater gender equality = stronger economies

Ongoing obstacles:– The work done by women generates less income, security, benefits and

opportunities for promotion– Women entrepreneurs have less access to financial services, credit, and

other services needed to expand their business– Social reproduction is not considered a State responsibility– Women's unpaid -- domestic and care-giver -- work is not recognized as

a contribution to the economy and growth Subprograms:

Women in theworkforce: 40%

In part- time,

temporary and/or unpaid work: 66%

Poorfemale workers: 60%

Female unemployment: 10.1%

(men: 6.7%)

Women earn $0.77 for every dollar earned

by men

Current state of affairs

MSMSE policies that are gender-sensitive and foster female entrepreneurship

Policies to support and protect women in the informal economy

Gender mainstreaming in Labor Ministries ("Decent Work" agenda)Unpaid

work by women accounts for 30-50%

of GDP

4. Citizenship and economic security for womenPrograms and subprograms

Principal outcomes

Permanent support for the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor

First Inter-Ministerial Conference

Publication of two studies:– The Advancement of Gender Equality in the Context of Decent Work– Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministries of Labor of the Americas:

Monitoring of strategic planning with a gender perspective workshops

Support for the gender audits process in Ministries of labor

http://www.oas.org/en/cim/development.asp

Message: The OAS has to be accountable to the women of the Americas

Ongoing obstacles:– Despite the CIM's efforts, progress on gender equality is uneven and still

relies heavily on the good will of personnel– Lack of attention to such issues as accountability, reporting, and consistent

monitoring and evaluation– Confusion regarding the purpose of gender mainstreaming - who is

responsible for doing it and how...

Subprograms:

Strengthen the ability of OAS personnel to effectively mainstream a rightsand gender equality perspective in their work

Institutional policy with respect to gender equality

Mechanism for tracking, monitoring and supporting implementation of the policy

Gender and women's rights in the principal OAS forums

41.5% of OAS departments and entities have gender

mandates

48.8% have the projects

promoting gender equality

Current state of affairs

56.1% have the technical ability to

promote gender issues

5. Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OASPrograms and subprograms

Principal outcomes

On-line course "A Rights and Gender Equality Perspective in Policies, Programs, and Projects" (50 OAS staff members already trained, 30 more inscribed)

Permanent support to the PEC and its Working Group

Support to the Permanent Council, its Committees and Working Groups:– Committee on Migration Issues– Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs– Working Groups to prepare declarations and other agreements

Specific support for specific projects:– Electoral observations with a gender perspective– Diagnostic assessment of migration information systems– Training police to deal with violence against women– Hemispheric seminar on public policies and the presence of women in the port

sector in the Americashttp://www.oas.org/en/cim/gender.asp

Human resource distribution

Distribution of resources (2013)

Area RegularFund

Specificfunds

ICR TOTAL

Strategic partnerships with governments, institutions, and enterprises 98,100 -- -- 98,100

Support for fund-raising 109,100 18,000 -- 127,100

Support for the dissemination of poverty-reduction policies and programs 67,400 -- -- 67,400

Support for meetings of authorities and experts on gender equity and the gender perspective 474,500 80,900 -- 555,400

Assistance with strengthening and preserving democratic institutions 19,500 -- -- 19,500

Technical assistance with public security 40,400 -- -- 40,400

Dissemination of OAS activities 116,400 18,000 134,400

General functions of representation and institutional coordination 107,600 -- 157,000 264,600

Annual operational planning 40,400 40,400

Promotion and protection of women's rights 290,000 532,900 822,900

TOTAL $1,363,000 $649,800 $157,000 $2,170,100

Distribution of resources (2013)

Democracy

Human Rights

Security

Development

Gender mainstreaming

2012 2013

OAS Regular Fund $85,350,800 $83,870,500

CIM Regular Fund $1,254,000 (1.47%)

$1,295,100 (1.54%)

OAS staff (Regular Fund)

464 431

CIM staff (Regular Fund)

6 (1.29%)

8 (1.86%)

Outlook for 2014: Prioritization proposals

Prioritization of work based on the CIM's comparative advantages

Human rights and gender violence– MESECVI– Gender justice / women's access to justice– Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights

Political citizenship of women for democracy– Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective– Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws– Fifth Latin American Democracy Forum

Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OAS– Institutional policy with respect to gender– Coordination with the PEC and its Working Group– Specific support for other OAS departments / entities (projects, meetings, etc.)