Beijing Declaration (1995): Annex I(22)-(24)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/08/26
22. Intensify efforts and actions to achieve the goals of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women by the end of this century;
23. Ensure the full enjoyment by women and the girl child of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and take effective action against violations of these rights and freedoms;
24. Take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and the girl child and remove all obstacles to gender equality and the advancement and empowerment of women;
Beijing Declaration (1995)
Annex I(22) to (24) of the Beijing Declaration deals with the intensified efforts for the women to enjoy full rights and elimination of discrimination. Not a small task to accomplish for the international community; however, it is definitely doable within the provisions of the document and of the international community.
The problem is not documentation via rights, or the government, but the best means by which the international community can coordinate for more equality in rights. The first section to be discussed today, Annex I(22), looks into the need to up the ante on the efforts for the goals of the advancement of women throughout the 21st century.
Depending on the document, some will be immediate efforts, long-term efforts, even indefinite articles with the intention to pursue equality until achieved. It is an interesting sight. Nonetheless, the general move is for more equality with an increased emphasis on the long-term future for equality of women with men.
The next look into the “full enjoyment” a not-too-obscure phrase when looking at women’s rights, where the ability to live in a free way apart from the fear of rights being revoked or violence begins inflicted. Throughout the life cycle from girl to woman, there is a general issue in the physical, psychological, and sexual violence disproportionately impacting girls and women.
Sometimes, it is associated with resentment over women as equals in the society in the ability of women to make free sexual choices, or of girls finally having equal education with the boys; where, in a way, the boys and men feel deprivileged from a prior higher state, when, in fact, the equality is simply providing for the other (approximate) half of the population.
The point provides a recognition of the need to prevent the rights of women and girls from being revoked because this can form the basis for terrible repression against women and girls. The best means by which to better provide for women and girls is recognized, implement, and retain their fundamental human rights.
Annex I(24) speaks to the need to take the requisite actions as individuals and states for the rights of women and girls to be free from the possibility of human rights violations. The first people to lose their rights in a regressive period of a nation tend to be the women and the girls, which raises questions about the means by which to prevent it.
One of the best ways is vigilance and prudence, even hypervigilance about education and inculcation of the values enshrined in various international rights documents emphatically stating the rights of women and girls. It is not something to be overstated or to be taken lightly. Rather, it is something to consider from the point of view of everyone deserving and reserving the right to equal treatment and status – all else considered – within the society.
There have been obvious regressions in a number of different areas of the world for women’s rights. But one of the most striking is the Global Gag Rule on abortion and other funding starting with the United States of America. It is something reflected in a number of regressive actions within the international community regarding the rights of the people to have safe and equitable access to abortion.
Religious individuals hold the right to freedom of religion, belief, and conscience, but not to restrict reproductive rights of other people; that is to say, these former mentioned rights can be invoked for the prevention of an abortion on themselves, as a religious woman, or within their family decision-making structure, if a religious home, but not for other citizens in the society who do not harbour those restrictions.
It remains an important part of the creation of a just and equal, and fairer, international society and global community. It starts with us. It starts with areas of emphasis. It begins with education and continual re-education of the next generations. To drop the ball would be to disservice all those dead and gone who made their sacrifices by giving their lives away for our better futures, we owe the same to the next generations, whether or not we have a personal future generation ourselves; it takes everyone.
–One can find similar statements in other documents, conventions, declarations and so on, with the subsequent statements of equality or women’s rights:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Preamble, Article 16, and Article 25(2).
- Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) in Article 1.
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) in Article 3, Article 7, and Article 13.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
- Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979).
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984).
- The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1993).
- Beijing Declaration(1995).
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000).
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).
- The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa or the “Maputo Protocol” (2003).
- Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence or the Istanbul Convention (2011) Article 38 and Article 39.
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