UN Political Declaration, a product of “cherry-picked” women’s rights

Mar 20, 2015 News

– WGEC Commissioner
Just 20 years after the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the soon to be implemented United Nations Political Declaration on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, is failing to adequately address the main concerns of Caribbean women and their families.
This was highlighted by the Commissioner of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Ms Vanda Radzik, on Monday last, during a round table discussion at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.
Radzik explained that representatives from all countries aligned with the UN, are currently attending the two-week-long 59th session on the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW59) held March 9-20, and the 69th UN General Assembly meeting in New York.
Commenting on the Political Declaration, Radzik made mention of ‘The Caribbean Document’ titled, “Equality Delayed, Equality Denied”: 20 years after the Beijing Platform for Action – Tek it to Dem Again & Rise up Wi Community”, which was produced collectively for presentation at the CSW59, consequent to the insufficient nature of the Political Declaration.
In providing a snapshot of the background of the Caribbean Document, Radzik noted.
“It (Caribbean Document) lays no claim to being the quintessential ‘voice’ of Caribbean women who, as individuals or organisational members, prior to and since 1995, have refused to be silenced or to be regulated to the back burners of our societies. Caribbean women who in the tradition of “Rebel women” and “Lion Heart Gals”, know that promises made and promises broken by our governments, cost lives-especially of women and girls”
Radzik announced that our own Caribbean Women’s Organisations, global and civil society, and 1000 other organisations within the region and Latin American have signed a statement saying that they are in disagreement with the Political Declaration.
In explaining the impact of the Political Declaration on the women in Caribbean society, Radzik referred to the declaration as “bad” and a “travesty”, and further highlighted the fact that it made mention of many rights which they perceived to be suitable for women, and ignored others like sexual and gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health.
“It is bad, it is rolling back our rights 20 years later (after the Beijing declaration) with refusing to mention sexual reproductive health and rights. It is refusing to call for much better action, and to welcome the feminist organisations of the world to society, and to really make a firm stand for gender equality goals, etc.,” Radzik stressed.
She opined that the UN is in effect “cherry picking” those rights that they want to assign to women and girls, and disregarding those that they do not. Radzik, in support of her stance, added that rights are indivisible and necessary, and the fact that the declaration is about to go into force after negotiations are concluded.
She added that Head of Guyana’s Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC), Indra Chandarpal is the only Guyanese representing this country at the CSW59. This is deemed unsatisfactory, since according to UN Women, 60% of each country’s delegation is to be made up of members from civil society.
She explained that since a lone Guyanese representative is there, she is hoping that Mrs. Chandarpal is able to “say that this is not enough, that this is insufficient as we are coming out of our anniversary on Beijing.”
Radzik pointed out that without securing all of the fundamental human rights that exist, women will not be able to move into a new dimension as we prepare for the future, post- 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals.

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