5. Gender Equality & Balance in Business

Rose Mukantabana, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Rwanda, delivers a speech on building global standards for democratic parliaments during the 3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva on July 19. Role models such as Angela Merkel in Germany, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia, Yingluck Shinawatra in Thailand, Dilma Rousseff in Brazil, Rose Mukantabana in Rwanda, and many others, are certainly a source of encouragement in the pursuit of gender balance in governance. Martine Aubrey is reportedly a strong candidate to become the next president of France. Rwanda is a case that deserves careful analysis. It is estimated that 800,000 people died in the male-driven Rwandan Genocide (1994). Bouncing back from such a national tragedy, Rwanda is now a democratic country in which over 50% of the members of parliament are women. Mukantabana to head CPA-Africa James Karuhanga, The New Times, Rwanda, 16 June 2011 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION Rose Mukantabana, will take over as president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association-Africa KIMIHURURA - The Speaker of Parliament, Rose Mukantabana, will take over as president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association -Africa, at the end of their conference that starts today. President Paul Kagame is expected to officially open the meeting. Demetrius Mgalami, the Assistant Regional Secretary of CPA-Africa, told The New Times yesterday that, after the conference, Mukantabana will head the caucus for a year, in accordance with the group's constitution. Mgalami said that at the beginning of the meeting, Mukantabana will be named vice-president to enable her co-chair the Kigali conference. "The vice president of the association is elected as per article 35 – the person who is going to host will be one of the presiding officers – Rwanda is hosting this conference and by virtue of that, it will produce a vice-president. However, under the same article, at the end of the conference, Rwanda will be elected President of the association." Last year, South Africa hosted the conference, and Hon. Sipho Lubisi, the Speaker of Mpumalanga, was elected as president of the association. Today's conference will focus on two aspects –the administrative and the financial. "The conference will pass the budget of the association, discuss the statement on financial accounts for the region for the year, and also receive reports from its three sub-committees," Mgalami said. Rwanda is hosting the 42nd African CPA annual conference, under the theme: “Consolidating Growth and Development.” Thematic sessions in the Kigali CPA-Africa conference include the issue of food security and sustainable livelihood and the role of Parliament in mitigating the impact of genetically modified crops on poverty and food security. Democracy, good governance, gender, terrorism, piracy and the challenge of parliaments in safeguarding national development interests in an atmosphere where the Executive plays a dominant role, will also be on the agenda. About the presidential candidacy of Martine Aubry in France: Martine Aubry can put women's rights back on France's political map Caroline De Haas, Guardian, 21 July 2011 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION The Socialist party's presidential hopeful has vowed to make gender equality a priority in her bid for the nomination. French journalists' attention in recent weeks has been shifting from aimless speculation to the very strong public mobilisation against sexism, which followed the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the affair's many developments. This public outcry did not intend to comment on what did or did not happen in New York – as long as the judicial system does not decide, no one in France can say – but to do away with the flood of misogynistic discourse prompted by the news, made in private or in public, which some believe belong to France's so-called "Gallic culture". But contrary to what our editorial writers and commentators may think – remember, those people were never passionate about gender equality in the first place – it wasn't only back in May, when the DSK news broke, that gender issues were part of the French public debate. Such discussions were well under way in the months preceding the scandal. Indeed, several large-scale protests have taken place in the past two years to bring women's rights to the table, making it an unavoidable topic for all citizens. In 2009, the government tried to eliminate public funding allocated to Family Planning, the national association for sexual and reproductive health. A petition launched by the organisation was signed by 150,000 people. The government caved in, but people realised that women's rights, including those gained in the 1970s, were no longer safe. Several feminist associations and magazines were launched, attracting young people eager to end inequality. In 2010 an immense social mobilisation rejected the pension reforms proposed by the right. Indeed, retired women receive on average 40% less than men, and no action to seriously address this injustice was to be found is the law proposals. In all marches, the millions of demonstrators and protesters – men and women – repeated feminist slogans which were at the heart of their demands for true equality in the workplace. Martine Aubrey Socialist Party France Times are changing in France. While we have often heard it said that feminism was outdated and belonged in the past, we have recently seen a profound resurgence of a yearning for equality and a widespread ras-le-bol when it comes to sex-based discrimination. These issues have invited themselves into the public space and, for the 2012 presidential election, they intend to stay. In France, 80% of casual workers are women, the wage gap amounts to 27%; 80% of household tasks are performed by women, and we only have 18.5% women in the national assembly. If we want the entire society to change, we will have to undertake ambitious measures. There are absolutely no illusions harboured by the women's movement when it comes to the right's ability to rally against this cause. On pensions, access to abortion or public services serving early childhood, the right never ceases to attack these social protections upholding the rights of women. Any attempt to seek equality comes from the left. This is where any significant change will come from. Because the left has always fought for the emancipation of individuals, it can carry the feminist torch and provide an effective outlet for collective mobilisation in favour of women's rights – but only if it has the necessary will. Much remains to be done. Many feminists like myself have chosen to side with presidential hopeful Martine Aubry in the primaries organised by the Socialist party. By putting social issues at the heart of her candidacy, she is demonstrating a commitment to collective progress that will advance women's rights – and therefore the rights of all. By speaking out against widespread part-time work (too often, by default, the most common type of work offered to women), or in support of the opening of childcare places, she shows her willingness to turn legislative texts into reality, making gender equality a matter of priority. This week, when faced with the crisis in Greece, Aubry brought together all the leaders of the European left and proposed to put political action back on the map to serve the public interest. She is against the notion that political decisions should be dictated by private interests. These are essential conditions for advancing women's rights in France, Europe and worldwide.

Courtesy of New Internationalist Men for Gender Equality Special Issue of New Internationalist, 1 July 2011 Gender has always been understood to be about women. But increasing numbers of men are now challenging traditional views of masculinity. They are getting involved in debates about violence, parenting, relationships, and sexuality. They are questioning the stereotypes of what it is to be a man. And most – but not all – are doing it from a feminist perspective. This month's New Internationalist asks men and women around the world about why it is important for men to be involved in work on gender equality. Some related resources on men and authentic virility: The Invisible Partners: How the Male and Female in Each of Us Affects Our Relationships, John Sanford, Paulist Press, 1980. Original Unity of Man and Woman, John Paul II, Daughters of St Paul, June 1981. Men and Masculinities, SAGE, 1998-2011. Two Wings of a Bird: The Equality of Women and Men, Bahá'í International Community, 1999. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, APA, 2000-2011. Biological Differences Between Men and Women With Respect to Social Stability and Aggression, Judith L. Hand, 2006. Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality, Joseph Gelfer, Editor - Monash University, Australia, 2007-2011. Shaping the Future: A Proposal to Hasten a Global Paradigm Shift for the Security and Well-being of All Children Everywhere, Judith L. Hand, August 2011. Patriarchies of the Past - Masculinities for the Future, Catherine of Siena College, 2011.

Why should men and women be involved as allies in peacebuilding? New Tactics in Human Rights, 7 February 2011 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 License) Peacebuilding and ending violence affect both men and women as victims of gender socialization, so working as allies is essential. Too often, we understand "gender" as something pertaining only to women when in reality it encompasses both sexes. Men themselves gain from an allied approach: deconstruction of gender roles breaks down the gender hierarchies/ stereotypes of masculinities that harm men's interaction with one another and women. Ultimately, peacebuilding and the deconstruction of gender roles rely on changing the cultures of patriarchical institutions and systems. Both men and women contribute to the maintenance of the status quo, so sustainable approaches necessarily involve both. Allies influence change from within cultural contexts when it would be difficult for either gender alone. Men conforming to hegemonic expressions of masculinity are often in decision-making positions, and male allies may have greater access to and understanding of the structures that contribute to men and women's suffering. Thus, men play an important role through their place in the system of patriarchy. What does integrating a masculinities perspective in peacebuilding imply? Integrating a masculinities perspective in peacebuilding implies balancing how gender is discussed. Because inclusivity is key, it is important to include the needs, rights, interests, and ideas of other marginalized communities (ethnic, religious, young people, etc.).This also implies a commitment to changing the dominant idea that masculinity equals dominance, control, and violence. The discussion should not just focus on women, but pay attention to the socially constructed roles, relationships, and responsibilities of men and women. At times this means recognizing that men and women may not have the same initial needs in gender sensitive peacebuilding, and therefore integration implies that gender-sensitive peacebuilding among men be addressed. It's important that men have a safe space to discuss these issues, where that they can speak out and share with other men how they feel in the current system.  We must find, as quoted by a participant, a way "to talk about masculinity that distances them a little bit from actual men and women." In so doing, there must be an acknowledgement that—though the perception may be that men benefit from inequality—they are also victims of hegemonic masculinity. Men's Resources International provides these "Beliefs About Men" What kind of engagement are we looking for and how do we achieve it? Key characteristics for men and women are listening and interacting respectfully. Women emphasized that they specifically did not want paternalism, but rather collaboration—men joining with an awareness of and openness to women's experiences, as well as the way peacebuilding benefits men. Thus, engagement is not charity, but a mutually constitutive relationship. Specifically, male allies understand their own privileges and power, and are willing to give them up. That being said, the approach should not treat men as problems or obstacles; rather both male and female allies should work for a positive development approach. We achieve that by advancing positive masculinity rather than reinforcing perspectives that favor hegemonic masculinity. Patience and dialogue are essential in engagement, and facilitating sustainable interaction and change. On an individual level, try to understand someone's experiences, what they think, and value, while on a group level understanding the dynamics within/between individuals and sub-groups. On a political level, it is important to engage patriarchal societies and their gender systems. To facilitate this type of engagement, participants recommended face-to-face dialogues. What are the challenges, opportunities and next steps? The participants cited a variety of ongoing challenges to integrating a masculinities perspective in peacebuilding: Getting men to recognize their privilege and the way that it harms women and themselves Combating the early processes of socialization that creates harmful masculinities Women's reluctance to include men for fear of being patronized or disempowered The tendency among both men and women to conceptualize women's rights as secondary to military movements for issues such as independence. Maintaining the effects of any gender-sensitive training and sustaining the relationships between men and women activists In response to these challenges, they came up with the following opportunities and next steps: Clarity of meaning, guidelines, and specific communication between men and women can help address issues of paternalism and concerns about the power dynamic. Furthermore, a clear structure facilitates opportunities for all group members to participate. Networking and working with other "ally" organizations assists with issues of sustainability Similarly, conducting gender-sensitive training in cycles rather than single events also helps with maintaining the movement, along with using social media tools. Existing documentation, in addition to writing new documents and pledges offer opportunities for dialogue and serve as tools to demand change There are opportunities for men and women to unite to broaden resistance to military action when working together           Resources New Tactics Resources Dialogues: Healing of Memories: Overcoming the Wounds of History Tactics: Engaging local leaders to become women's rights and victim advocates–New Tactic's intern connects these tactics Engaging locally respected leaders to end customary practices that violate human rights–New Tactic's intern connects these tactics Engaging youth in non-violent alternatives to militarism –New Tactic's Kristin Antin connects these tactics Establishing village peace committees to build understanding between internally displaced people and host communities–New Tactic's intern connects these tactics Re-writing Traditional Stories to Gain a Gender-Sensitive Perspective Using a nomination campaign to identify new constituencies for human rights–New Tactic's intern connects these tactics Notebooks: Breaking the Silence: Using popular culture to engage young people in human rights reporting— New Tactic's Kristin Antin connects these tactics Using Popular Theater to Break the Silence Around Violence Against Women–New Tactic's Kristin Antin connects these tactics Online Resources/Documents Narratives: The Journey to Healthy Manhood, story used by Men's Resources International The Men's Story Project, public performance and community dialogue project Silence Speaks, international digital storytelling initiative VoiceMale Magazine, explores critical issues relevant to men's growth and health while cataloguing the damaging effects of men's isolation and violence. Video: Gender Sensitive Active Non-Violence training by WPP Documents: Australian Agency for International Development, offers Gender Guidelines:Peace-Building Global MenEngage Alliance, a vast range of resources and toolkits Global Symposium on Engaging Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality (Rio, 2009) wrote an extensive declaration GPPAC, members recommend the Western Balkans'10th Cetinje Parliamentary Forum outcome statement as a guiding document for their work and in relating to other stakeholders ICRW, Gender Equity and Peacebuilding, Evolving Men: Initial Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey, and What Men Have to Do With It: Public Policies to Promote Gender Equality IFOR/WPP, reports of the first (1) and second (2) training block of Training of Trainers for male peace activists KAFKA/Oxfam, Women and Men: Hand in Hand against Violence (in Arabic here) Men's Resources International provided these resources on consciousness-raising processes and male involvement projects. UNDP, Gender Approach in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations UNIFEM, Gender and Conflict Analysis and Women Building Peace and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict-Affected Contexts WANEP, Women in Peacebuilding Resource & Training Manual WPP, "Together for Transformation-Men, Masculinities and Peacebuilding" Initiatives A Common Future, Cameroon: men walked in women's high heal shoes in a walkathon that built on an old saying with a new twist - You can't really understand another person's experience until you've put on her shoes to know where it pinches. White Ribbon Campaign, Canada: In the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" campaign, men similarly partook in a walkathon wearing high heels to support of a future without violence. The Women's International League for Peace & Freedom's 1325 Literature Repository. It is a space to get information as well as add information for others to learn about what you are doing.

Courtesy of UN Women UN Women Progress Report 2011-2012 United Nations, July 2011 This is an important report. The United Nations has credibility in promoting gender equality. Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and the current Executive Director of UN Women, is well known for her commitment to gender justice worldwide. The document is 164 pages long and provides a wealth of information including a compilation of relevant statistics. Some progress is reported. Much remains to be done. Here we include just two excerpts: the "Foreword from Michelle Bachelet" and the "Ten Recommendations to Make Justice Systems Work for Women." FOREWORD As the first major UN Women report, this edition of Progress of the World's Women reminds us of the remarkable advances that have been made over the past century in the quest for gender equality and women's empowerment. Even within one generation we have witnessed a transformation in women's legal rights, which means that today, 125 countries have outlawed domestic violence, 115 guarantee equal property rights and women's voice in decision-making is stronger than ever before. Today, 28 countries have reached or surpassed the 30 percent mark for women's representation in parliament, putting women in the driving seat to forge further change. Progress of the World's Women 2011–2012: In Pursuit of Justice shows that where laws and justice systems work well, they can provide an essential mechanism for women to realize their human rights. However, it also underscores the fact that, despite widespread guarantees of equality, the reality for many millions of women is that justice remains out of reach. The report highlights the practical barriers that women – particularly the poorest and most excluded – face in negotiating justice systems and the innovative approaches that governments and civil society are pioneering to overcome them. It explores the ways in which women are reconciling guarantees of their rights with the realities of living within plural legal systems. And it highlights the severe challenges that women face in accessing justice in the aftermath of conflict, as well as the enormous opportunities for change that can emerge in these most difficult times. I am privileged to be the first Executive Director of UN Women, an agency that was created because of the growing recognition that women are central to development, peace and security goals and that equality for woman and girls lies at the heart of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. For UN Women to meet the expectations that spurred its creation it must inspire all of our partners – including governments, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations – with concrete and replicable examples of how change happens to expand women's access to justice. This edition of Progress of the World's Women builds on the work of colleagues across the United Nations system in highlighting women's part in strengthening the rule of law and outlines a vision for the future in which women and men, worldwide, can work side-by-side to make gender equality and women's empowerment a reality. Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women Ten Recommendations to Make Justice Systems Work for Women 1. Support women's legal organizations 2. Support one-stop shops and specialized services to reduce attrition in the justice chain 3. Implement gender-sensitive law reform 4. Use quotas to boost the number of women legislators 5. Put women on the front line of law enforcement 6. Train judges and monitor decisions 7. Increase women's access to courts and truth commissions during and after conflict 8. Implement gender-responsive reparations programmes 9. Invest in women's access to justice 10. Put gender equality at the heart of the Millennium Development Goals To download the report, click here. MILLENNIA2015 ANNOUNCEMENT Building peace in the minds of men and women Millennia2015 - UNESCO International Conference, Paris, 21-22 November 2011 Point of contact: Anna Maria Majlöf Courtesy of Millenia2015 The international conference Millennia2015, "An action plan for women's empowerment" will be organized to present the results of the foresight exercise started in 2008. Benefiting from the patronage of the UNESCO and the support of the International Organization of la Francophonie, Millennia2015 "Women actors of development for the global challenges" has been launched by The Destree Institute and its international partners in 2007. Its international community gathers more than one thousand experts, women and men, decided to strengthen and to promote the empowerment of women, the respect of human rights and of gender equality all over the world. On the occasion of the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (Beijing+15) in March 2010 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Millennia2015 has also launched an appeal for international digital solidarity in order to work together until 2015, with the aim of building sustainable futures in solidarity for all women in the entire world at the horizon 2025. About Millennia2015 and the "Liège 2008-Paris 2011-New York 2015" Foresight Process: Millennia2015 Foresight Methodology, Marie-Anne Delahaut and Philippe Destatte, Namur, 14 October 2009. Millennia2015, its role and its spirit, Eleonora Barbieri Masini, January 2010. Millennia2015 Foresight Exercise, Marie-Anne Delahaut, Philippe Destatte and Coumba Sylla, Namur, 8 October 2010.