Features
From Where I Sit: Hamilton’s International Perspectives, Richard Njoroge ’18
By Richard Njoroge ’18
April 28, 2016
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In my class on American social movements, Professor Margot Okazawa-Rey recently brought to light many issues with regards to the UN, global equality and most importantly, the position of women in contemporary society. As stated in Chapter 1 of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Quick Guide, “CEDAW [(Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)] and 1325 are powerful frameworks for asserting women’s human rights and demanding that governments and international institutions ensure these rights are realized, by setting up adequate responses to women’s needs and protection against violations of their rights.” After reading over the details of CEDAW and Security Council Resolution 1325, I remained skeptical of the UN or any NGO’s (non-governmental organization) ability to implement such policies that may be seen as progressive to western nations but incredibly radical to less developed nations. Although Professor Okazawa-Rey did not immediately address my concerns regarding the UN’s system, as the conversation progressed, her notions made me think less about implementation and more on why the legislation is imperative. The inequality of opportunity for women, specifically in developing, war-ridden countries, is more detrimental than I had thought. The images of warring states and groups in the media has caused many people who are privileged to simply view these images without synthesizing their reality. We are numb and emotionless to the suffering of others. That is why my immediate question after reading through the documents was “so what?” Without legislation that deems women as equal and as deserving of special privileges during times of war and peace, we cannot hope to make the ideals of the legislation reality.
In order to create change, the repetitiveness of the rhetoric in the document, though it may seem tedious, is necessary to expose and emphasize the realities of women in developing countries. The document stresses many issues such as the proliferation of sexual violence against women and girls, especially in war-torn countries.Women bear a heavy burden as men go off to war. Not only must they become the protectors and caretakers of the village elderly and children, but they also often become war casualties as victims of sexual assault. Their burdens are a direct result of the gender inequality their societies support in paternalistic systems of government that deny women the right to equal opportunity in regards to education and social mobility. Without education, the women of these societies find it hard to conceive of life without the presence of disease, violence and poverty. Legislation such as CEDAW and Resolution 1325 explicitly state that the availability of education and basic services is imperative for women to progress in these societies and to achieve beyond their means. The uniformity of these documents reinforces how easily we disregard these issues and how necessary it is for those who can create change to understand the full extent of what these women need in order for them to escape the cycles of violence and poverty.
Another important point the documents address is the lack of representation of women during peace negotiations and even in government. This lack of representation is truly an abuse of the right to equal opportunity as these processes and operations often neglect to consider the scale of the plight of women and do not offer women a means to voice their opinions. Even after a conflict ends, governments stagnate the progression of women’s issues. CEDAW and Resolution 1325 explain the necessity of having women actively engage in the governance of their country as a way to make the political process truly democratic. By implementing peace agreements while considering the plights of women, societies can take the necessary steps towards advancing the rights of women, making equal opportunity a reality and not simply an ideal of the UN.