Women's eNews (https://womensenews.org/tag/united-nations/)
A space built to advocate for the plurality of women’s rights is instead becoming increasingly hostile and unsafe for people whose identities and principles do not align with an extremist, Judeo-Christian, heteronormative framework.
The recent U.N. campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence brought global attention to this issue, but there are things you can also do to raise awareness.
The reputation of the U.N.’s peacekeeping troops in the country has been blemished by allegations of sexual misconduct and the mission is incomplete. But many Liberians still trust foreign security forces more than their own, raising questions about the fate of girls and women.
One girl on this nationally elite team says the dominating behavior that guys use to get ahead didn’t seem socially acceptable for her. “I always had to find that balance between being really confident, as well as being more submissive and quiet.”
Politicians and activists at the recent World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul highlighted the dire consequences of overlooking reproductive and sexual health care in crises. A series of new commitments and projects were announced to address this growing need.
Paula Donovan, founder of the Code Blue campaign, believes there’s a way the U.N. can be held accountable. On April 13 her group said it had information about 41 more rape allegations against U.N. peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic.
And this time the selection process is under greater scrutiny. For the first time member states may nominate candidates to act as the U.N.’s de facto spokesperson and leader. In April they will have a chance to ask the candidates questions over three days of informal dialogues.
It’s time to shift billions of people onto modern energy sources in ways that help women and the planet. That’s the mantra. But the U.N.’s latest development plan lacks any legally binding mechanism to create flows of finance.
Around the world, civil society groups and individuals commemorated the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Here’s a look at some of the events that have taken place.
Over the next few years campaigners will be trying to boost the number of women running and serving in the tribunals and offices that make some of the most consequential decisions in international justice.