Gender Equity
"Poverty has a woman's face. Global prosperity and peace will only be achieved once all the world's people are empowered to order their own lives and provide for themselves and their families."
Multimedia Links
- Slip of the Tongue: A music clip on the danger of stereotyping.
- Ali G on feminism: from YouTube.
- Homage: from YouTube.
Recommended sites
Millennium Campaign: “Goal 3: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015.”
UN Cyber School Bus: “Promoting gender equality means ensuring that women have the same chances as men to improve their lives, and the lives of their families.”
Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals: “Women disproportionately suffer the burden of poverty, are the primary agents of child welfare, are the victims of widespread and persistent discrimination in all areas of life, and put their lives at risk every time they become pregnant. They are increasingly susceptible to HIV/AIDS and other major diseases, play an indispensable role in the management of natural resources, and have the right to gain as much as men from the benefits brought by globalisation.”
Global Education: “The equality of men and women has been accepted as a fundamental principle of human rights since the adoption of the United Nations Charter in 1945.”
Working Group on Girls: “In too many parts of the world, girls experience "apartheid of gender". Beginning from birth their fundamental rights are denied and violated. Girls are born with the inherent and inalienable rights of all human beings. They are also born with the unique rights of childhood which will enable them to reach their full potential as individuals and members of society.”
United Nations Development Fund for Women: “Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. And it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture, or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development, and peace. (UN Secretary General Kofi Annan)”
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women: “The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women... The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.”
Australian Coalition for Equality: “Actor Brad Pitt has declared he will not marry Angelina Jolie until restrictions on gay marriage are lifted. (Sydney Morning Herald, 10 September 2006).”
Awake!: “The 'Thin Ideal' is just as restricting to a woman as the corset ever was!”
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission: “Gay men and lesbians face widespread discrimination on the basis of their sexual identity as do persons of trans-gender identity. Australia's international human rights obligations require governments to take all necessary measures to eliminate such discrimination.”
Bullying. No Way!: “Sex-based harassment curtails behaviour through sexual stereotyping. Sex-based harassment includes name-calling, sexual innuendo, sexist comments, sexist jokes, displaying offensive materials and behaviour such as flashing and 'dakking'. Schools need to deal with bullying, harassment and violence against students who either identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual or who are perceived to be so. The issues surrounding harassment based on sexuality are closely related to those around gender.”
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group: “After a nine year campaign which saw the involvement of the United Nations, Amnesty International, the Federal Government and the High Court, supporters of gay law reform have finally achieved their dream of equality before the law for all Tasmanians.”
Did You Know?
- Of the 1.3 billion people living in poverty around the world, 70% are women. www
- In 103 countries the proportion of women in parliament increased between 1995 and 2000, but worldwide it still averages just 14%. www
- In the least developed countries, nearly twice as many women over age 15 are illiterate compared to men. www
- Two-thirds of children denied primary education are girls, and 75% of the world's 876 million illiterate adults are women. www
- Women do about 66% of the world's work in return for less than 5% of its income. www
- Men, too, can suffer from gender inequalities. In some countries these include increasing male mortality rates, suicide rates that far surpass those of women, increasing social isolation, and problems related to alcohol, drugs and other substance abuse. www
- Every year, up to two million children all over the world are sexually abused for profit. www
These sites have ideas on how to make a difference.
Join a group working for gender equity:
See the lists on Women Tasmania and Working It Out
The Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women: Amnesty International or The Centre for Women's Global Leadership
Links
School Groups
Get your school involved:
Teacher resources
- Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning has posters, classroom activities, books, videos, bookmarks on global issues such as gender equity, including new resources purchased with the assistance of Women Tasmania.
- Working It Out is Tasmania's only service specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and transgender Tasmanians, has the latest information about tackling homophobia in your school or workplace, setting up peer support groups, meeting your legal obligations under the Anti-Discrimination Act.
- Women Tasmania works to ensure women can be engaged in all aspects of society, and to ensure that Government policies, programs and projects are responsive to the needs of women and representative of their views. It has resource centres in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.