Aurlie Roy 3 July 2014 United Nations & Indigenous Persons Policy: Gender Equality in African Countries
Hammond, 2
Introduction: The United Nations and Gender Perspective in African Countries The United Nations (UN) has recognized the denial of equal, fundamental, and specific rights for African indigenous women because of the "gradual loss of collective ownership of lands and other natural resources and the introduction by dominant outsiders of institutions of private property" (BN No. 2). Due to economic globalization, indigenous African women are faced with reduced financial opportunities and independence. This is of great concern: although indigenous gender equality prevails in some indigenous communitiesfor example, in India, Thailand, and Cambodia where women enjoy a high social position and their status is not low in comparison their male counterparts (BN No. 1)this is not the case for many African tribes. The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues subcommittee recommends solutions to resolve issues facing indigenous women, including education, socio-economic development and autonomy, healthcare, and violence. Gender perspectiveor applying the mindsets of both gender equally to culture and societyhas been adopted to give women a stronger, more equal voice in their communities and prompt greater change (BN No. 1). African indigenous gender equality laws and policies are documented by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Education for Indigenous Girls
Female indigenous children are usually not registered at birth, thus denying them access to standard and public education (BN No. 1). African indigenous girls are seen as domestic workers, caretakers, and mothers only (BN No. 3), with any profit they generate only provided to their husbands; for example, among Kenyas Maasai community, indigenous girls occupy a transitional position between their parents family and that of their husbands (ILO, 2009). In the Great Lake Region of Africa, Batwa girls face verbal abuse [and] sexual harassment by Hammond, 3
male teachers and pupils at school, (BN No. 3). To address this injustice, Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women was adopted by Namibia to end gender disparity in education (ILO, 2009). This goal will push for public schooling that would teach basic education, while still retaining indigenous culture, ancestry, and language. Furthermore, feminists and volunteers travel to African countries to educate indigenous women of their political, reproductive, and social rights (BN No. 2).
Socio-Economic Development and Autonomy of Indigenous Women
Gender perspective allows women to be independent, powerful, and influential in their communities. At global levels, one female indigenous woman represents Africa at the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations each year (BN No. 1). Additionally, the UN is assisting in domestic policy recognizing the productive input of non-market domestic and caregiver's work by women (BN No. 2) to decrease the wage gap and ensure financial security. This action follows the successful passage of the Land Reform Act No. 5 of 2002 grants women equal opportunity to apply for communal land (ILO, 2009). Also, Section 3 of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 mandates women consent to be married past age eighteen, in order to decrease child bride cases and allow for marriage autonomy (ILO, 2009).
Health Care
According to the ILO, maternal mortality rate among indigenous women is very high in all countries in [Africa] (ILO, 2009), especially for Pygmy women. Therefore, the Egyptian Ministry of Health has established programs to give accessible medicine, treatments, and information regarding prenatal care and reproductive rights to indigenous African women (ILO, 2009); this ensures a safer, healthier community for mothers and posterity without abandoning Hammond, 4
culture. Traditional healing and medicinal techniques are used in addition to modern medicine by skilled birthing attendants. Article 12 of CEDAW mandates that State parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning (ILO, 2009).
Violence Against Indigenous African Women African indigenous women are subject to domestic violence, polygamy, genital mutilation, sex trafficking, and child marriage (BN No. 2). The UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations and UNPFII examine cases of violence against indigenous women. Many countries, like Botswana, Kenya, and Nigeria, do not have domestic laws forbidding violence against women (ILO, 2009). However, there is progress: the South African Equality Courts under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 enhance legal access to victims of gender discrimination and violence (ILO, 2009).
Recommendations
A few recommendations could be considered to further the progress of gender equality in indigenous communities. 1) The UN should coordinate government-funded transportation for indigenous communities; often, women are unable to attend school or work because of a lack of accessible, reliable transportation. 2) A universal law should be considered to accurately reflect the percent of indigenous people of a population as a percentage in government representation this would prompt more indigenous women to be in positions of office and politics. 3) The rights of indigenous women should be brought to attention in non-indigenous locations of the world. If the general public is aware of this severe inequality, more organizations and charities would be joined to fight for African indigenous womens equal rights globally. Hammond, 5
Literature Cited Gender and Indigenous Peoples: Overview. Brief Note No. 1. 2014. United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Received 28 June 2014 from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi genous%20Women.pdf
Gender and Indigenous Peoples Economic and Social Development. Brief Note No. 2. 2014. United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Received 28 June 2014 from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi genous%20Women.pdf
Gender and Indigenous Peoples Education. Brief Note No. 3. 2014. United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Received 28 June 2014 from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi genous%20Women.pdf
Overview Report of the Research Project by the International Labour Organization and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on the constitutional and legislative protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in 24 African countries. 2014. International Labour Organization. Received 1 June 2014 from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/--- ed_norm/---normes/documents/publication/wcms_115929.pdf