|
The Fourth World Conference
on Women was a meeting that took place in Beijing,
China in September 1995. The
conference was to take action for women’s equality and rights around the world.
It looked at women in different countries and regions around the world to conclude that all women face the same problems
no matter where you live. The conference looked at trends in education, economics,
unemployment, agricultural, armed conflicts and the growing number of female refugees.
All of these are problems that affect women through out the world. If
women don’t have an education than they can’t get a job and financially provide for themselves and their families. Agriculture affects those women who use farming as a source of income and a way to
also provide for their families. The increases in armed conflicts in some areas
have given way to the rise in females who are being displaced from their homes and turning into refugees.
Gender mainstreaming is
a process of evaluating the implications for both men and women in any premeditated action such as programs, policies, or
legislation. This is so that men and women benefit equally from the action and
no one is being discriminated against. The goal is to make sure that every policy
and piece of legislation has achieved gender equality before it is passed. The
idea started at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi, but didn’t
become official until the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. An example of gender mainstreaming is having baby changing tables in both the men and women’s public
bathrooms. Until recently there were only baby changing tables in the women’s
bathroom, which caused a problem for men who needed to change their child’s diaper.
Single fathers or homosexual male couples didn’t have an option of where to change their child, they had to use
the countertop.
Women Watch is a website set up to present information and resources about gender equality and female empowerment. It was started in 1997 by the United Nations to help get information and issues available
to everyone who wanted it. It also helped give a voice to those women who couldn’t
give themselves one. The website now shows upcoming events, global issues, news
involving women around the world, other United Nations websites, and past and present committees and conferences. This website allows you to access any information that you may need for any issue surrounding women’s
rights and gender equality. The Women Watch website also provides information
on economics, laws, treaties, and issues affecting women by regions. This website
is helping to give a global perspective on issues surrounding females and maintain an acknowledgment that these issues are
happening and that everyone isn’t just turning a blind eye to them.
|
