8th of March 2023 - International Women’s Day
By Bethany Morley / GICJ
The 8th of March 2023 marks International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD seeks to celebrate the progress made thus far towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, recognising achievements and accomplishments made by women, raising awareness of issues that impact equality, and increasing the visibility of women globally.
In 1933 the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, recognising the urgent need for the universal application to women of the rights and principles of equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings (A/RES/48/104) [1].
In 1945, the Charter of the United Nations became the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men [2], with the first official celebration of IWD commencing on the 8th of March 1975.
Subsequently, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the UN in 1979. The Convention is rooted in the goals of the United Nations: to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women.
IWD is celebrated differently throughout the globe depending on culture, progress made thus far and the commitments the state already must eliminate inequalities towards women. However, it marks a day to recognise the extraordinary acts of women and to come together as a united force to further advance gender equality around the world. Furthermore, it is important to recognise the inequalities that still inhibit women’s participation in social, political and economic structures.
Challenges that women continue to face.
Though it is important to not devalue the gains made in the advancements of women’s rights and advancements in legislation and laws that have been introduced. It is similarly vital to recognise the challenges still faced by women and girls everyday globally, such as:
Lack of Access to Education
Long-term solutions are needed to combat the issues affecting women and girls’ access to education. Furthermore, programmes are needed to further enable women to use their education to find sustainable and high-quality employment.
Harmful Traditional Practices
Harmful cultural practices include but are not limited to practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage. These are discriminatory practices regularly committed over long periods of time that communities and societies begin to consider acceptable.
Further, it is crucial to analyse and recognise the division of labour in the family/private sphere and traditional gender roles that place women in vulnerable situations and decrease their value within society. Globally traditional gender roles fit into a wider pattern of causation that reinforces cycles of discrimination and inhibits women’s participation in broader society. Though families are a basic support system and have positive economic and social impacts, women’s value needs to be recognised outside of family structures.
Gender-Based Violence
One in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence, primarily by an intimate partner. Violence has a negative impact on the overall well-being of women and impedes their full participation in society. Though laws have been introduced to prevent Gender-based violence (GBV), challenges remain in enforcing such laws. Furthermore, there is not enough being done to prevent violence.
Political Participation
Political structures maintain a continuum of female subordination as such spheres are overwhelmingly male-dominated and women are constantly underrepresented. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. As of September 2022, just 13 countries have a woman Head of State, and 15 countries have a woman Head of Government [3].
Economic Disparities
“Women’s Economic empowerment is central to realising women’s rights and gender equality”.
- UN women 2018 [4]
Women have historically had very limited access to tangible economic assets such as land, property, and inheritance. A lack of economic empowerment due to unemployment, minimal access to education and Economic assets manifests in the global exploitation of women whereby women remain in a violent relationship and are not able to reach their full potential.
DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality
The theme for 2023’s IWD is ‘DigitALL: innovation and technology for gender equality’. The purpose is to recognise and celebrate women and girls who are advancing transformative technology and digital education, reducing the digital gender gap that widens economic and social inequalities.
The digital gender gap refers to the disparities in access to technology and the internet, depending on gender. Statistically, girls and women have access to less technology than men and boys with 259 million fewer women being able to access the internet than men, even though they account for nearly half the world's population [5]. Further, girls are steered away from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) globally. Teachers and parents, both intentionally and inadvertently, perpetuate biases around what work is “suitable” for women and men. Due to this lack of inclusion and access to technologies for women and girls, inequalities are widened as they are unable to develop necessary digital skills to engage in such spaces. Removing their opportunity to participate in such spaces diminishes their opportunities, not only to pursue careers in STEM, but it also removes the ability to actively engage in civil societies as the internet plays an increasing role in society. An example of this is not being able to vote electronically, precludes women and girls’ ability to access health information such as sexual and reproductive health, information regarding services for Gender Based Violence (GBV) and domestic violence and further limits their access to other critical information and services.
The Covid-19 Pandemic necessitated access to the internet and technology as the world became digitised where education, jobs and information all moved to the internet. However, due to the lack of access women and girls have to technologies, particularly in the Global South and rural communities, there were educational losses for women further widening the economic and social inequalities already present.
Position of Geneva International Centre for Justice
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) gives our full support to the progress made thus far in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. It is vital to continue to empower women and girls to express and exercise their rights and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making processes. Though it is important to observe the gains made, we recognise that there is still a long way to go. GICJ recalls that women’s rights are human rights and must be respected equally. Further, we call for the need to end violence against women and girls, reducing the digital gender gap, opening avenues for women’s participation in social, economic and political spheres and increasing the general visibility of women globally.
It is vital for governments, international organisations, and individuals to engage with women's rights organisations in the creation of technological policies and in the promotion of women's rights around the world. It is essential for women to live equally, without discrimination or violence, and to be able to exercise their fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
IWD2023, Women's Rights are Human Rights, HumanRights , United Nations, geneva4justice, GICJ , Geneva International Centre For Justice
References:
[1]https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N94/095/05/PDF/N9409505.pdf?OpenElement
[2] https://www.unesco.org/en/days/women
[3] https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures
[4] https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures
[5] https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day
