Beijing Declaration: A landmark in gender equality
by
GÜLAY ASLANTEPE & MAURIZIO BUSATTI

Since the Beijing conference, progress has been made in a number of areas, most significantly in education. However, overall global progress remains inconsistent. This important issue requires global attention. And that’s why the theme for this year’s March 8, International Women’s Day, is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all.” Figures show that everywhere in the world women still struggle to exercise their inalienable rights.

Illiteracy remains a serious global constraint for women, who continue to account for nearly two-thirds of the 776 million illiterate adults in the world. Every year, 536,000 women and girls die as a result of complications during pregnancy, childbirth or following delivery, with the overwhelming majority in developing countries. Most of these complications are largely preventable and treatable. Violence against women and girls is still a global pandemic.

Access to labor markets and to decent work remains limited for women. Globally, women held 18.8 percent of seats in single/lower chambers of parliament in November 2009, compared to 11.3 percent in 1995. In spite of advances, discrimination against women persists in law and in practice.

In Turkey, gender issues also require close attention, and UN Turkey is actively cooperating with the Turkish government, NGOs, the private sector, media and other key stakeholders to address issues related to the empowerment of women.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) works for the empowerment of rural women through their role in the production process and participation in the labor force, access to services and institutions.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Ankara office in cooperation with the Turkish Employment Organization (İŞKUR) has implemented a pilot project to increase the employment of women in Turkey.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Turkey proactively brings the differences between men and women’s experience in migration to the attention of policymakers. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) promotes women’s participation in local decision-making mechanisms and works for the social and economic empowerment of women in southeastern Anatolia through innovative methods.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Turkey is working with the national government to improve reporting, complaint and enforcement systems for women’s rights. Its activities are focused on strengthening capacities at both national and local levels for monitoring, protecting and enforcing the rights of women and children.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) responds to sexual and gender-based violence against refugees, particularly women and children, by providing health care, shelter, security and safety, legal assistance, psychosocial counseling and community responses.

With the technical support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) approximately 4,000 girls and 2,000 boys are now back in the regular schooling system. During the coming weeks, a new project, Strengthening Preschool Education, aimed at increasing the enrollment and attendance of disadvantaged children, will be launched. A girls’ education campaign called “Haydi Kızlar Okula!” (Let’s go to school, girls!) was launched jointly by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education in mid-June 2003 and yielded very positive results.

Since 2005 UNICEF, in cooperation with the Turkish government, has been implementing the Parenting Education Program to ensure positive parenting behavior, to increase fathers’ participation in children’s education and to fight against gender stereotypes and discrimination.

The UN Joint Programme is aimed at addressing persistent gender inequalities by improving the national policy environment, building local government and NGO capacity, designing service models for women and girls and raising awareness about women and girls’ human rights. Recently this program was successfully completed. The experiences and institutions generated through implementation of the program in six pilot cities are expected to be transferred to all 81 provinces in Turkey to create women-friendly cities.

The UN closely cooperates with the Turkish government to successfully implement the above-mentioned initiatives. All of these projects clearly demonstrate that Turkey is determined to further empower women for the overall development of Turkish society.

Turkey has taken several steps in this respect, which are highly appreciated and supported by the UN. Turkey has all the vital apparatus for success -- a determined government, a strong private sector, effective NGOs and a vibrant media. UN Turkey will continue to cooperate with all of the parties involved for the empowerment of women in Turkey.

We should not forget that when women are denied the opportunity to better themselves and their societies, we all lose.