Last Session - National Mechanisms for Gender Equality

Suzanne Cooper, Status of Women Canada, and part of the official Canadian delegation. Thanks Suzanne for your work in support of the NGOs!

Jennifer Lynch, Chair of the Canadian Human Rights Commission presenting proposal that Human Rights Commissions have an independent role to the CSW.


This was the last session for me - it was in Conference Room 1, and included representatives from many countries, plus the NGOs. There were 3 panelists (experts), plus the chair, Mr. Takashi Ashiki, Vice-Chair of CSW (Japan)

The 3 panelists were Ms. Rounaq Jahan, Senator Margaret Mensah-Williams (she was a riot!) and Ms. Mary Rusimbi. Their papers are available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/ievents.html

Canada played a role in this session -

Jennifer Lynch, Canadian Chief Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke about support for independent status for Human Rights Commissions, rather than being part of a country's delegation. The would be strategic partners. Want independent status This would include many benefits. We all agree on importance of national human rights. Joint statement -Ms. Lynch presented this proposal on behalf of many countries, including Australia, and European countries.

The panel presented on the type of structure for national machineries, focal points at local, or national institutions. Mandate - generally gender mainstreaming. In Europe - incorporated - Financial and human resources. Both from top leadership and broad based support. Instruments, strategies - mainstreaming, programs, priorities, violence, Trafficking, women's health, Coordination very weak. No clear mandate. Budget constraints. Identified achievements - legal, women's representation. Growth of machinery, information exchange. Constraints, Donor reliance, limited collaboration. Lack of political will, social conservatives, first ladies. How we can sustain political will.

multiplicity of structures is positive.

1. coordination is weak.
2. resources do not match their mandate.
3. gender mainstreaming, but still no understanding
4. special measures has improved womens participation
5. legal - most used
6. research
7. accountability is weak
8. collaboration - strain national mechanism.
9. international - supports exchange
10. multiple actors influence what's going on on the ground.

Senator from Namimbia presented her personal experiences --she was well received. She has introduced important legislation - domestic and rape act. She learned from older women - today in parliament - women without women can't do much - role of institutional mechanizations - gender committee - gender sensitize all members of parliament. have votes with out women lose votes. Women coming thru war, assisting them. All elected women's forum. Didn't know how to preside. For a women to rule, can be intimidating.

Gender mainstreaming - well acknowledged strategy, need for assessing, programs, and policies. Need to see if whatever focusing on impacts on women and men.

Strategy to assess budgets, programs and policies, to deal with men and women's need.

Gender mainstreaming concept that enables us to make transformative changes. Gendermainstraming a great strategy, and gender responsive budgeting well used.

We need to support national machineries. Fact when setting - where do we place gender responsive budgeting. We are missing the boat, minister of women, not doing budgeting, minister of finance does it. But should take minister of budgeting, and finance - to be able to influence the ministers, Minister of Women becomes a resource. . Turned into fund raisers. How sustainable this approach is? Gathering information - sex aggregated data. or influencing gender relevant data - that supports budgeting. Need to have enabling environment.

Canada,
Jennifer Lynch, Canadian chief commissioner for human rights - support for independent status - strategic partners. Want independent status, not as part of government delegation. ICC would include many benefits. Agreed on importance of national human rights. Joint statement - HRC of Canada, Australia, etc. to recognize the formal role of independent HRCs. Consider independent status.

ACPD - gave a statement supporting strong national machineries to support women, and enforce legislation, and policies.