  |
 |
|
|
|
| Main Page |  |
Programme Priorities |
|
| Empowering Women and Eliminating Violence Against Women |
|
| Reproductive Health, including Family Planning and Sexual Health
Population and Development
Strategies
|
Empowering women and eliminating violence against them are essential to effective reproductive health programmes. Without these actions, which are called for in chapter IV of the ICPD Programme of Action, women may be unable to exercise autonomy in the use of reproductive health services. Specifically, the Programme of Action recommended assisting women to establish and realize their rights, including those that relate to reproductive and sexual health (para. 4.4(c)); eliminating violence against women (para. 4.4(e)); and making special efforts to emphasize men's shared responsibility and to promote their active involvement in responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive behaviour (para. 4.27). A majority of countries responding to the Field Inquiry have taken at least some measures since the ICPD to protect the rights of women and promote women's empowerment. The greatest changes have been in policy: protecting women's employment and inheritance rights; prohibiting harmful traditional practices; protecting women from acts of violence; and establishing Women's Affairs Offices. But considerable barriers remain. Over half of the respondents cited social and cultural attitudes as the major constraint in achieving gender equity, while a quarter cited the lack of financial resources and poverty as the major obstacles. All UNFPA-assisted programmes support actions to encourage gender equality and equity and the empowerment of women in one form or another. Below are selected examples. Country-level initiatives. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, gender equality and equity continued to be a high priority. Training in gender sensitization was conducted at the national level, and the Centre for Women's Participation conducted seven regional workshops on gender issues with over 10,000 participants. The workshops provided an important forum for discussing gender issues, in particular the gaps and priorities in current programmes. The workshops led to decisions and the adoption of measures by high-level authorities at the provincial level. Gender issues also figured prominently in the programme in Malawi. The Ministry of Women, Youth and Community Services showed the video on "Voices of Young Mothers" to a cross-section of Malawian society, including policy makers, chief executives, members of Parliament, women's groups and NGOs. It was also shown to over 30,000 villagers and students in the areas in which the video had been shot. The showings provided a unique opportunity to help raise awareness of critical aspects of gender relations and adolescent fertility. Zambia also made creative use of information materials. Two books were disseminated in high schools and other appropriate places. The first, "Woman Know Your Place", is a gender analysis of the messages conveyed by popular Zambian popular songs. The second, "Women in Politics", presents profiles of famous Zambian women who can serve as role models for girls. In Thailand, the first project approved under the new country programme will develop a research agenda aimed at creating a gender-sensitive reproductive health programme. The project's first phase ended with a national seminar that identified priority issues relating to gender and reproductive health and examined research methodologies. In the second phase, beginning in early 1999, project staff will prepare a training curriculum for research on sociocultural and gender issues in reproductive health; conduct a short-term training course for researchers; select and prepare research proposals; carry out the research in four regions; and disseminate the findings for use in policy-making and programming. |