Beijing Platform for Action, Chapter II: Global Framework – Paragraph 26
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/09/12
26. The growing strength of the non-governmental sector, particularly women’s organizations and feminist groups, has become a driving force for change. Non-governmental organizations have played an important advocacy role in advancing legislation or mechanisms to ensure the promotion of women. They have also become catalysts for new approaches to development. Many Governments have increasingly recognized the important role that non-governmental organizations play and the importance of working with them for progress. Yet, in some countries, Governments continue to restrict the ability of non-governmental organizations to operate freely. Women, through non-governmental organizations, have participated in and strongly influenced community, national, regional and global forums and international debates.
Beijing Declaration (1995)
All the world’s a stage… or an oyster. Or something. Whatever you wish to call it, the globe has been rather unkind to women throughout much of history, also to men without divine mandate, land, or wealth. However, the work of feminists and some men, and now simply women’s rights campaigners and activists generally speaking – tied to the various definitions of feminism now, has been developing larger activist anchors to develop a society with real equality.
This comes with predictable and stale counter-activist efforts of, some, religious organizations and traditionalist oriented professionals and academics, and conservative-centered organizations and spokespersons. However, the moves suggest by them, which means a move back into the traditional roles envisioned by their peculiar past without women as equals, would mean less well-being and wealth for the society as a whole.
I mean this in a literal, empirical sense. The advancement and empowerment of women, by its definition, means more people included in the decision-making of the society, so a greater level of equality. Also, the nation does better economically and in terms of the health of the citizenry too. If you want a healthy, wealthy, and free society, choose women’s advancement and empowerment in other words; of course, there are those working out of a fear of a changing society.
One in which they cannot recognize anything. Things are less handed to them. The competitive market includes the other half of the population, und so weiter. But, the issue with their counter-activism is that this, more often than not, comes with state violence, state repression, and the complete disregard for the law. In the past, these counter-activists with the power of the state overthrew governments and assassinated leftwing activist leaders.
Let’s not get the narrative twisted about these facts. These feminist groups and women’s rights organizations come from the rich tradition of advancing and empowering a larger sector of the population. As important activist incubators and activist organizations, we can see the development of the relationships with the international community organizations to advance and further women’s rights.
One issue noted in the paragraph is the restrictions on the ability of many of these organizations to advance the interests of women, which is a valid concern for many women in the world and for those who want to see their interests advanced. But the work of activists and advocates on the ground as individuals becomes much easier through organizations.
And it is through these formalized institutions that more robust, meaningful, inclusive, and powerful activism can be done, which is why they are far more often targeted for defunding, attempts at delegitimization, and even demonization. Because they work, and can be powerful democratic institutions in more authoritarian societies or against those groups/individuals so inclined.
These organizations are integral to the inclusion of all nations, regions, and the world to become more equal and fair, which is, at bottom, the basic sentiment and move of the women’s rights organizations throughout much of the history of the last few decades, certainly much of the 20th century too.
–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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