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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
Government officials and persons from civil society organisations attended a workshop organised by the Bureau of Women’s Affairs focused on issues dealing with CEDAW and Gender Dimensions of HIV in the Caribbean. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)
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NASSAU,
BAHAMAS -- The Bahamas has submitted its first national report to the
United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW).
CEDAW, an expert body established in 1982, is composed of 23 experts on women’s issues from around the world.
The
Committee’s mandate is very specific: it watches over the progress for
women made in those countries that are the States parties to the 1979
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women.
A
country becomes a State party by ratifying or acceding to the
Convention and thereby accepting a legal obligation to counteract
discrimination against women. The Committee monitors the implementation
of national measures to fulfil this obligation.
The Bahamas ratified the Convention on October 6,1993.
During
an April 26, 2012, workshop organised by the Bureau of Women’s Affairs
on CEDAW and Gender Dimensions of HIV in the Caribbean, Professor
Barbara Bailey, CEDAW Committee Member/Rapporteur, who was one of the
facilitators, explained that countries who ratify the Convention are
supposed to submit a report within one year of ratification and then
thereafter every fours years.
The
report has to cover national action taken to improve the situation of
women and is presented to the CEDAW Committee by Government
representatives.
The
Bureau held the workshop for individuals working in the Government
agencies that have a part to play in gathering information for the
report, as well as civil society organisations that have an interest in
women’s issues and creating equality in society.
The
purpose of the workshop was to augment government capacity to develop a
more HIV-sensitive approach to CEDAW reporting, implementation and
monitoring.
It
was also geared toward strengthening the capacity of women’s
organisations, particularly women’s rights organisations and
organisations of women living with and affected by HIV, human rights
organisations, HIV organisations, and other relevant social society
partners to more effectively integrate HIV into CEDAW reporting and
follow-up.
Lastly,
the workshop strengthened the capacity of governmental and
non-governmental partners to engage issues of HIV more consistently in
their work on promoting women’s rights and gender equality.
Also
facilitating the workshop were Janine Moussa, UNDP Consultant and
Gabrielle Henderson, Program Specialist UN Women, based in the Caribbean
office in Barbados.
Ms
Moussa explained the importance of having civil society at the
workshop. “Civil Society and Non Governmental Organisations have an
opportunity to send their own reports based on their assessment on how
the Government is doing and the Committee would usually take this under
advisement.”
Professor
Bailey said the Committee has already reviewed The Bahamas’ written
report, and any matter the Committee wanted clarification on has been
addressed.
However, a Bahamian delegation will formally go to New York in July to discuss and defend the report.
“The
Bahamian representatives will appear before what we call two meetings: a
three-hour block in the morning and a two-hour block in the afternoon,
where we engage in what we call the constructive dialogue,” Professor
Bailey explained.
“The
structure of the constructive dialogue is that first of all the country
is allowed half an hour to make a statement and that gives them an
opportunity to update information, because there is always a time lag
between the submission of a report and when they actually come before
the committee.”
According
to the CEDAW website, while in discussions with the Government
officials, CEDAW experts comment on the report and obtain additional
information.
This
procedure of actual dialogue, developed by the Committee, has proven
valuable because it allows for an exchange of views and a clearer
analysis of anti-discrimination policies in the various countries.
The
Committee also makes recommendations on any issue affecting women to
which it believes the States parties should devote more attention.
Professor
Bailey said, “At the end of the meeting, concluding observations are
drafted, which look at the positives as well as the gaps in
implementation and makes some recommendations for further action.
“That
is then sent back to the State and that then should form the basis for
the further implementation of the Convention,” she added.
© Copyright 2012 by thebahamasweekly.com
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