- UN calls for greater gender equality
- The Age
- 12/11/2008 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 264 articles in 2008 )
The United Nations Population Fund has called for women's rights to be advanced and steps to be taken to eliminate gender inequality around the world.
Sixty per cent of the world's one billion poorest people are women and girls; two-thirds of the 960 million adults around the world who cannot read are women, and 70 per cent of children who do not go to school are girls, the State of World Population 2008 report says.
The report, published on Wednesday, said cultures help to mould the way people live with each other and influence their understanding of development, building women's rights will be easier if agents of change remain sensitive to the local culture.
"Agencies ignore culture at their peril. Advancing human rights requires an appreciation of the complexity, fluidity and centrality of culture by intentionally identifying and partnering with local agents of change," it says.
"Culturally sensitive approaches understand and work with a community's views: for example, about what it signifies when a woman or a couple does not reproduce; the effect of contraception on a woman's ability to conceive; or on a man's view of what makes up his 'manhood'."
The report recognises religion as an integral and key aspect of many cultures, but warns against it being misused to justify human rights violations such as honour killings.
"Cultural sensitivity entails support for women and men within the culture who oppose such practices," it says.
The UNFPA has issued a State of World Population report annually since 1996, when the report focused on the huge expansion of cities around the world.
© 2008 AFP
Sixty per cent of the world's one billion poorest people are women and girls; two-thirds of the 960 million adults around the world who cannot read are women, and 70 per cent of children who do not go to school are girls, the State of World Population 2008 report says.
The report, published on Wednesday, said cultures help to mould the way people live with each other and influence their understanding of development, building women's rights will be easier if agents of change remain sensitive to the local culture.
"Agencies ignore culture at their peril. Advancing human rights requires an appreciation of the complexity, fluidity and centrality of culture by intentionally identifying and partnering with local agents of change," it says.
"Culturally sensitive approaches understand and work with a community's views: for example, about what it signifies when a woman or a couple does not reproduce; the effect of contraception on a woman's ability to conceive; or on a man's view of what makes up his 'manhood'."
The report recognises religion as an integral and key aspect of many cultures, but warns against it being misused to justify human rights violations such as honour killings.
"Cultural sensitivity entails support for women and men within the culture who oppose such practices," it says.
The UNFPA has issued a State of World Population report annually since 1996, when the report focused on the huge expansion of cities around the world.
© 2008 AFP
Source: https://news.theage.com.au/world/un-calls-for-greater-gender-equality-20081112-5o53.html
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