Ms. Nalini Singh, Fiji Women's Rights Movement
Session 8: Reyiew of Implementation: SDG5
12 July 2017 11:00-13:00
Ms. Nalini Singh
Introduction: Progress in ending structural discrimination against women
Two years into Agenda2030, we see our governments, as also outlined by the panellists, set in
legal amendments and institutional frameworks that attempt to tie the development agenda to
human rights conventions with the aim of eliminating discrimination against women. While the
Jordan and Ugandan presentations have outlined remarkable efforts on laws and policies, two
years is still early to map out the full progress. And systemic and structural changes takes time.
However, I am concerned when I see states' siloed approach on gender equality. Both the
thematic and national reviews indicate that states are inclined to maintain "business as usual" or
even deepen the systemic inequalities in order to gain international comparative advantage.
This approach is why we now see 8 men owning the same amount of wealth as half of the
world's population and that much of the SDGs indicators are not able to address structural
inequalities.
The progress in the last two years means nothing if Systemic Barriers are not addressed.
Systemic and Structural Barriers to Achieving Gender Equality which perpetuate and
entrench discrimination against women include:
1. Patriarchy and the rise of authoritarian governance:
In recent years, the world has experienced a resurgence of authoritarian, patriarchal
governance propagating the notion that countries need strong, aggressive leadership. In doing
so, state governance becomes increasingly patriarchal and authoritarian control and violence
becomes normalized. The consequence is diminished participatory democracy with a higher
tolerance for sexism, racism and discrimination. The shrinking of democratic space and
increased political repression. And increased attacks on women human rights defenders and
organizations as well as environmental, land and labour defenders. And if I have to pick one
indicator that we are all well aware of, then this can be seen in the percentage of women in
parliaments which remains low globally at 23.3% and in my sub-region -the Pacific remains at
7.5%, with Fiji at 14%, PNG at 2% and Vanuatu at 0%.
2. Militarism:
Patriarchal, authoritarian governance often leads to increased militarism, by both state and nonstate
actors. There are ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, territorial disputes and
build-up in military threats in Asia Pacific. There is always a threat of reverting to military rule in
countries which have had a history of military interventions. And we know that militarism directs
much needed state resources away from social spending and what might be better spent on
sustainable development initiatives.
3. Neo-liberalism, Trade Agreements and Corporate Influence:
As a woman from the global south I am glad that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Agreement did not proceed and the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations
(PACER) Plus has been rejected by Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Yet
approximately 3,000 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements remains negotiated
across the world in secret. Many of these agreements will impact women negatively, not
to mention, contradict the promises governments have made under Agenda2030.
This economic model perpetuates, and often relies on, the systematic discrimination and
disadvantage experienced by women. All done to generate growth through below
subsistence wages, through making women's labour invisible and through the use of
women's unpaid labour to prop up social protection and the care economy.
The target to reduce and redistribute unpaid care work requires public investment and
states have not reported on efforts to invest in public care systems that will alleviate the
burden.
4. Land and resource threats
Women are losing land, and without land, women are driven to urban centers or into
external migration to become cheap labour to power global growth.
The acquisition of land by agro-business or wealthy farmers, for large scale infrastructure
(including those conducted under the guise of 'green growth'), or for extractive industries
routinely results in forced evictions and displacement of communities. Indigenous
peoples and communities face increasing threats to their territorial rights and livelihoods
without respect for their right to free, prior, and informed consent.
Whilst significant efforts are being made in my region to reduce emissions and pollutants
as well as to build resilient communities, everyday we are living the dire consequences
of climate change and the expansion of harmful extractive industries.
SO in the face of these barriers, how do we achieve Agenda2030? A closer look at the Means
of Implementation:
1. Are state resources really diminishing?
We note that all VNR countries reporting this year offer tax holidays to foreign investors. Foreign
corporations often use evasive practices, like trade mis-invoicing. In other words, many
countries are failing to collect taxes from corporations and the wealthiest and instead increasing
regressive taxes. This results in diminished public investment and social protection. It also
pushes countries to enter into public-private partnerships, ultimately transferring more public
wealth to the private sector and creating for-profit services that particularly harm women.
While states express scepticism on mobilising the $3 to $5 trillion dollars that will be required
annually to finance Agenda2030, between $21 and $32 trillion dollars currently sit undisturbed in
offshore tax havens. Why have we not tapped into this?
2. Realise that Women's Rights/ Feminist Movements and Organisations are the core MOI
A comprehensive global research spanning over 40 years found that the single most important
factor in influencing positive policy change relating to violence against women was the existence
of autonomous feminist movements. Their existence was more significant than the number of
women in parliaments, the wealth of a country, the status of treaty ratification or other conditions
tested. The presence of autonomous movements with support from progressive social
movements advanced women's economic and labour rights.
We also hope to see deepened commitment of many governments to CEDAW, Beijing Platform
for Action, Cairo Programme of Action, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
and other conventions and commitments as we continue to work towards achieving the
Agenda2030. And a deepened commitment to public-public partnership - between governments
and the people, where women and people exercise real power and control over their own lives
and the terms on which they engage with social, political and economic structures. When
women's movements are able to challenge and transform public space and discourse and
instigate interventions that advance women's rights and achieve Agenda2030.
[1] http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pregnant-muslim-woman-bumed-to…
story-0XjWlwpFOXp4Za2QygAS50.html
[2] http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pregnant-muslim-woman-bumed-to…
story-OXjWlwpFOXp4Za2QygAS50.html
[3] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2017, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/india
[4] 267 I. Granoff et al. (2016) .• Beyond Coal: Scaling up clean energy to fight global poverty". London:
Overseas Development Institute. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resourcedocuments/10964.pdf
[5] Empower Malaysia was the subject of a police raid ...• (details or link to details).
[6]OECD, Gendemet 'Donor support to southern women's rights organisations: OECD findings". November 2016.
https://www.oecd.org/dac/gender-development/OECD-report-on-womens-right…
12 July 2017 11:00-13:00
Ms. Nalini Singh
Introduction: Progress in ending structural discrimination against women
Two years into Agenda2030, we see our governments, as also outlined by the panellists, set in
legal amendments and institutional frameworks that attempt to tie the development agenda to
human rights conventions with the aim of eliminating discrimination against women. While the
Jordan and Ugandan presentations have outlined remarkable efforts on laws and policies, two
years is still early to map out the full progress. And systemic and structural changes takes time.
However, I am concerned when I see states' siloed approach on gender equality. Both the
thematic and national reviews indicate that states are inclined to maintain "business as usual" or
even deepen the systemic inequalities in order to gain international comparative advantage.
This approach is why we now see 8 men owning the same amount of wealth as half of the
world's population and that much of the SDGs indicators are not able to address structural
inequalities.
The progress in the last two years means nothing if Systemic Barriers are not addressed.
Systemic and Structural Barriers to Achieving Gender Equality which perpetuate and
entrench discrimination against women include:
1. Patriarchy and the rise of authoritarian governance:
In recent years, the world has experienced a resurgence of authoritarian, patriarchal
governance propagating the notion that countries need strong, aggressive leadership. In doing
so, state governance becomes increasingly patriarchal and authoritarian control and violence
becomes normalized. The consequence is diminished participatory democracy with a higher
tolerance for sexism, racism and discrimination. The shrinking of democratic space and
increased political repression. And increased attacks on women human rights defenders and
organizations as well as environmental, land and labour defenders. And if I have to pick one
indicator that we are all well aware of, then this can be seen in the percentage of women in
parliaments which remains low globally at 23.3% and in my sub-region -the Pacific remains at
7.5%, with Fiji at 14%, PNG at 2% and Vanuatu at 0%.
2. Militarism:
Patriarchal, authoritarian governance often leads to increased militarism, by both state and nonstate
actors. There are ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, territorial disputes and
build-up in military threats in Asia Pacific. There is always a threat of reverting to military rule in
countries which have had a history of military interventions. And we know that militarism directs
much needed state resources away from social spending and what might be better spent on
sustainable development initiatives.
3. Neo-liberalism, Trade Agreements and Corporate Influence:
As a woman from the global south I am glad that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Agreement did not proceed and the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations
(PACER) Plus has been rejected by Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Yet
approximately 3,000 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements remains negotiated
across the world in secret. Many of these agreements will impact women negatively, not
to mention, contradict the promises governments have made under Agenda2030.
This economic model perpetuates, and often relies on, the systematic discrimination and
disadvantage experienced by women. All done to generate growth through below
subsistence wages, through making women's labour invisible and through the use of
women's unpaid labour to prop up social protection and the care economy.
The target to reduce and redistribute unpaid care work requires public investment and
states have not reported on efforts to invest in public care systems that will alleviate the
burden.
4. Land and resource threats
Women are losing land, and without land, women are driven to urban centers or into
external migration to become cheap labour to power global growth.
The acquisition of land by agro-business or wealthy farmers, for large scale infrastructure
(including those conducted under the guise of 'green growth'), or for extractive industries
routinely results in forced evictions and displacement of communities. Indigenous
peoples and communities face increasing threats to their territorial rights and livelihoods
without respect for their right to free, prior, and informed consent.
Whilst significant efforts are being made in my region to reduce emissions and pollutants
as well as to build resilient communities, everyday we are living the dire consequences
of climate change and the expansion of harmful extractive industries.
SO in the face of these barriers, how do we achieve Agenda2030? A closer look at the Means
of Implementation:
1. Are state resources really diminishing?
We note that all VNR countries reporting this year offer tax holidays to foreign investors. Foreign
corporations often use evasive practices, like trade mis-invoicing. In other words, many
countries are failing to collect taxes from corporations and the wealthiest and instead increasing
regressive taxes. This results in diminished public investment and social protection. It also
pushes countries to enter into public-private partnerships, ultimately transferring more public
wealth to the private sector and creating for-profit services that particularly harm women.
While states express scepticism on mobilising the $3 to $5 trillion dollars that will be required
annually to finance Agenda2030, between $21 and $32 trillion dollars currently sit undisturbed in
offshore tax havens. Why have we not tapped into this?
2. Realise that Women's Rights/ Feminist Movements and Organisations are the core MOI
A comprehensive global research spanning over 40 years found that the single most important
factor in influencing positive policy change relating to violence against women was the existence
of autonomous feminist movements. Their existence was more significant than the number of
women in parliaments, the wealth of a country, the status of treaty ratification or other conditions
tested. The presence of autonomous movements with support from progressive social
movements advanced women's economic and labour rights.
We also hope to see deepened commitment of many governments to CEDAW, Beijing Platform
for Action, Cairo Programme of Action, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
and other conventions and commitments as we continue to work towards achieving the
Agenda2030. And a deepened commitment to public-public partnership - between governments
and the people, where women and people exercise real power and control over their own lives
and the terms on which they engage with social, political and economic structures. When
women's movements are able to challenge and transform public space and discourse and
instigate interventions that advance women's rights and achieve Agenda2030.
[1] http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pregnant-muslim-woman-bumed-to…
story-0XjWlwpFOXp4Za2QygAS50.html
[2] http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pregnant-muslim-woman-bumed-to…
story-OXjWlwpFOXp4Za2QygAS50.html
[3] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2017, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/india
[4] 267 I. Granoff et al. (2016) .• Beyond Coal: Scaling up clean energy to fight global poverty". London:
Overseas Development Institute. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resourcedocuments/10964.pdf
[5] Empower Malaysia was the subject of a police raid ...• (details or link to details).
[6]OECD, Gendemet 'Donor support to southern women's rights organisations: OECD findings". November 2016.
https://www.oecd.org/dac/gender-development/OECD-report-on-womens-right…