Sole woman parliamentarian dragged by police in Papua New Guinea

Port Moseby: Human rights activist and sole Papua New Guinea (PNG) female elected parliamentarian Dame Carol Kidu was dragged by police Saturday while protesting the illegal eviction and partial demolition of Paga Hill Settlement, housing some 2,000 residents.

Dame Kidu went to the site to investigate claims of demolition and upon arrival was confronted by police. According to a statement from her daughter Dobi Kidu, the police, “told her she was obstructing justice and two policemen held her by the arms and started dragging her. She told them to let her go as they were hurting her only to be shouted at that she was resisting arrest.”

Development plans have been in the works by Paga Hill Holdings, who has been been said to claim a commercial title to the land. According to activists, PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had earlier said the government would not remove residents there, stating, “I am now informed these portions of land were obtained fraudulently including the fringe of land next to the wharf.” Settlement tenants include the government-owned National Housing Corporation, the Police Legacy, National Parks, and Kikori settlers, original residents of land in southern PNG.

APWLD is concerned both about the infringements on the right to housing and livelihood of those living there, many of whom are women and children, as well as the attacks on human rights defenders. The incident follows similar attacks in Kathmandu, Nepal earlier this week with a demolition of a housing settlement. “These attacks and infringements on the right to housing and property are attacks on the poor,” said Kate Lappin, Regional Coordinator of APWLD. “Too often governments are discarding the rights of the poor, most of whom are women, in favour of the interests of corporations”.

A court order filed by residents has been successful in suspending the demolition; however nearly half of the houses and community buildings of the settlement have already been destroyed.

APWLD is calling on the government to guarantee that the residents will be provided with housing, services and the enjoyment of their economic and social rights, including compensation. We also expect to see an investigation into the incident including the assault on Dame Carol Kidu, the settlers and journalists. The matter will be brought to the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing.

-30-

APWLD is Asia Pacific’s leading feminist, membership driven network. We hold consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Our 180 members represent groups of diverse women from 25 countries in the region. For nearly 25 years APWLD has been empowering women to use law as an instrument of change for equality, justice, peace and development.

Photo credit: Sam Moko

In 2012 APWLD will be developing our next 5 year plan. To do that we will commission an evaluation report that analyses the impact of our work and identifies areas where APWLD may need to adjust, continue, grow or conduct further review and assessment.

The evaluation should take place between 1 May –30 June with the draft report due by 7th July 2012. The final report should be provided by July 25th, 2012.

Experienced evaluators are invited to submit a short proposal and personal resumes for the following consultancy. Consultancy fee will reflect competitive rates payed within the region. Travel costs to APWLD activities will be borne by APWLD and need not be included in the proposal.

DEADLINE for Proposals: 29 April 2012 via email to Ms. Navarat Nophiran, Liaison Officer at navarat@apwld.org.

APWLD External Evaluator TOR

Confronting corporate control over land and productive resources: Securing our rights and strengthening our movements

Fri. 20 April 4:30- 6:30pm

Eyup Auditorium

Organised by Asian Rural Women’s Coalition, the session with feature speakers from APWLD members Tenganita (Malaysia), Society for Rural Education and Development (India), and Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (Malaysia)

Rural women’s rights to access and control over land and resources are hampered by aggressive corporate control and gender disparities. The session is an opportunity to share struggles, lessons and key strategies from women’s movements.

Strategies for Women’s Economic Empowerment: Challenges and Perspectives

Fri. 20 April 1:30 – 2:30pm

Halic (Golden Horn) Congress Centre, Room Kasimpasa 3 &4

Organised by Forum of Rural NGOs of Kyrgyzstan with APWLD member Rural Women’s Public Association, “Alga” and moderated by APWLD member Nurgul Dzhanaeva, the session includes discussion of ways of economic empowerment of poor, rural, disabled, and migrant women, women’s NGOs experiences, lessons learnt and challenges, and rural women as new actors in the development process.

Kasimpasa 3 & 4

Understanding ‘network society’- Political economy conversations with the CITIGEN research community

Sat. 21 April 11:30am- 1:00pm

Room: Cibali 3

Organised by APWLD Regional Coordinator Kate Lappin and Anita Gurumurthy, Binitha Thampy, Margarita Salas (CITIGEN Researchers), and Andrea Cornwall and Srilatha Batliwala (CITIGEN Advisors)

Learn more as the CITIGEN research community members discuss the links between technology, economic power and women, including small group discussions on:

-Why is technology an issue of economic power and gender justice?

- What do we see play out- the good, the bad, the ugly and the invisible

- What alternative practices do we see?

- What would techno-utopia be from the perspective of economic and gender justice?

“Accountability, rather than impunity, should become the norm for all acts of violence against women,” said the independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate violence against women, its causes and consequences. “The responsibility to prevent violence, protect against violence, provide remedies for victims, and to punish perpetrators for all acts of violence against women, is primarily an obligation of the State.”

Ms. Manjoo noted that Papua New Guinea is a culturally rich and diverse country, in which the respect for tradition plays an important role in the daily lives of its population. However, she stressed, “violence against women is a pervasive phenomenon in Papua New Guinea, with a wide range of manifestations occurring in the home, the community and institutional settings.”

In her preliminary observations, the Special Rapporteur noted that violence against women in the country begins at home, with women and girl children being subjected to physical and sexual violence, mostly by male family members. “Domestic violence is socially perceived as a normal aspect of a woman’s life and a family matter that should not be discussed publicly,” she said.

Polygamy was also identified as a common cause of violence in the family by the UN independent expert: “The abuse usually starts with neglect and lack of resource provision for the first wife and her children, but can escalate to physical and sexual violence, and in some cases murder.”

“Complaints of violence and sexual abuse of women by the police while in detention and outside was a systemic issue, including against sex workers,” Ms. Manjoo said. “Regardless of the specific manifestations of violence suffered, most interviewed victims felt that the policing sector had not provided them with an adequate response to their cases.”

The expert welcomed a number of positive measures adopted by the Government, like the Family and Sexual Violence Units set up by the police; the Women and Children’s desks set up through the Community Policing; and the Family and Sexual Offence Unit of the Office of the Public Prosecutor, together with the appointment of a Victim Liaison Officer responsible for assisting women victims of violence who use the criminal justice system.

“Currently these units have very little resources and, as awareness and usage of these specialized units’ increases, there is a growing need for additional staff and resources to be allocated to them,” she warned highlighting the lack of adequate human and financial resources for such initiatives.

“It is my hope that relevant and much needed laws are passed soon, existing laws are adequately enforced; that existing specialized units are strengthened and replicated at the provincial and district levels; that women are encouraged and supported by the state sector in bringing their cases to the District and National Courts,” the rights expert said.

“The empowerment of women must be coupled with social transformation, to fully address the systemic and structural causes of inequality and discrimination, which most often lead to violence against women,” she stressed.

During her fact-finding mission from 18 to 26 March, Ms. Manjoo met with Government officials, National and Provincial authorities, and members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government. She also held meetings with representatives of civil society organisations, UN agencies and the donor community.

“Most importantly,” the UN Special Rapporteur added, “I want to thank the individual women who courageously shared their personal experiences of violence and survival with me.”

Ms. Rashida Manjoo (South Africa) was appointed Special Rapporteur on Violence against women, its causes and consequences in June 2009 by the UN Human Rights Council, for an initial period of three year. As Special Rapporteur, she is independent from any government or organization and serves in her individual capacity. Ms. Manjoo is also a Professor at the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town. Learn more, log on to:http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/women/rapporteur/index.htm

(*) Check the full end-of-mission statement

UN Human Rights Country Page – Papua New Guinea:

For more information and press inquiries, please contact:In Port Moresby: Christina Saunders (+675 321 28 77 / +675 715 59 980) or Gabriela Guzmán Garza (+41 79 444 43 32/ or write to gguzman@ohchr.org)In Geneva: Thierry del Prado (+ 41 22 917 92 32 / tdelprado@ohchr.org)

In terms of good news, ten states, including Bangladesh, agreed on the importance of empowering rural women as critical actors for enhancing agricultural and rural development, as well as food and nutritional security.

However, key text was deleted or ‘bracketed’, as was the case with the US and important text on right to food and replacing ‘equity’ with ‘inclusion’. The Women’s Major Group (WMG) said this will impact negatively on poor women around the world.

What became clear by the end of the session is negotiations have only just begun.

Read the full report here

Activities and advocacy carried out by APWLD delegation during the CSW 56 include:

• Hosted the side event “Re-thinking Development Frameworks”, focusing on rural women’s vision of development.
• Delivered an oral statement as one of only 12 NGOs during the General Discussion of the CSW. Member Panha Sok from Cambodia read the statement on behalf of APWLD.
• Delegation members spoke at various NGO events sharing issues, achievements and challenges to the enjoyment of rural and indigenous women’s human rights
• Met with the Malaysian government delegation, the Australian and with the Timorese Permanent Mission to influence the negotiation processes of the agreed conclusions with stronger human rights language particularly on women’s access to resources such as land, peace and eradication of violence against women and militarization, democratic ownership and meaningful representation and participation of rural and indigenous women in development

Reflection and impact assessment are taking place based on which future strategies towards CSW and other key political decision making processes at national, regional and international levels will be developed.

Attending CSW was a pivotal experience for the women delegates as they “truly felt their voices were heard” and “took ownership of the process”.

“I feel I now have more power.  I have APWLD and Asia Pacific women’s movement.  Thank you very much for supporting my participation to CSW and my work for human rights, peace and democracy in Burma.  I too will always be there to support you in solidarity and in sisterhood.”                    Participant from Burma

Unfortunately the CSW ended with a political stalemate, and the governments failed to adopt Agreed Conclusions of the CSW 56.  Government’s failed to reach a consensus on the basis of safeguarding ‘traditional values’ at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, particularly around gender equality and women’s sexual and reproductive rights. APWLD together with other leading women’s rights groups issued a statement strongly demanding all governments and the international community to reject any attempt to invoke traditional values or morals to infringe upon human rights guaranteed by international law, nor to limit their scope. The statement is open for signatures so please click here to endorse it.

STATEMENT OF FEMINIST AND WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS ON THE VERY LIMITED AND CONCERNING RESULTS OF THE 56^TH SESSION OF THE UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN[1]

We, the undersigned organisations and individuals across the globe, are alarmed and disappointed that the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) failed to adopt agreed conclusions at its 56^th session. This failure has diminished the considerable work, energy, time and costs that women all over the world invested on the 56^th session of the CSW.  The advancement of women’s human rights should not be put on hold because of political battles between states.  We say NO to any re-opening of negotiations on the already established international agreements on women’s human rights and call on all governments to demonstrate their commitments to promote, protect and fulfill human rights and fundamental freedoms of women.

We  are particularly concerned to learn that our governments failed to reach a consensus on the basis of safeguarding “traditional values” at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. We remind governments that all Member States of the United Nations (UN) have accepted that “the human rights of women and of the girl-child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights” as adopted by the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.   Governments must not condone any tradition, cultural or religious arguments which deny human rights and fundamental freedoms of any person.  After more than 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was embraced and adopted by the UN, the relationship between traditional values and human rights remains highly contested.  We affirm the UDHR as not only ‘a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations’ but a common standard of assessment for all traditional values.  The UDHR is an embodiment of positive traditional values that are universally held by this community of nations and are consistent with the inherent dignity of all human beings.  We remind governments that under the Charter of the United Nations, gender equality has been proclaimed as a fundamental human right.  States cannot contravene the UN Charter by enacting or enforcing discriminatory laws directly or through religious courts nor can allow any other private actors or groups imposing their religious fundamentalist agenda in violation of the UN Charter.

“No one may invoke cultural diversity to infringe upon human rights guaranteed by international law, nor limit their scope.  Not all cultural practices accord with international human rights law and, although it is not always easy to identify exactly which cultural practices may be contrary to human rights, the endeavour always must be to modify and/or discard all practices pursued in the name of culture that impede the enjoyment of human rights by any individual.” (Statement by Ms. Farida Shaheed, the Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights, to the Human Rights Council at its 14^th session 31 May 2010)

Amongst other things, it is alarming that some governments have evoked so-called “moral” values to deny women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. Sexual and reproductive rights are a crucial and fundamental part of women’s full enjoyment of all rights as well as integral to gender equality, development and social justice.  Social and religious morals and patriarchal values have  been employed to justify violations against women. Violence against women, coercion and deprivation of legal and other protections of women, marital rape, honour crimes, son preference, female genital mutilation, ‘dowry’ or ‘bride price’, forced and early marriages and ‘corrective rapes’ of lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and inter-sexed persons have all been justified by reference to ‘traditional values’.

We remind governments that the CSW is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women with the sole aim of promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields.  Its mandate is to ensure the full implementation of existing international agreements on women’s human rights and gender equality as enshrined in the Convention on  the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action as well as other international humanitarian and human rights law.

We strongly demand all governments and the international community to reject any attempt to invoke traditional values or morals to infringe upon human rights guaranteed by international law, nor to limit their scope.  Customs, tradition or religious considerations must not be tolerated to justify discrimination and violence against women and girls whether committed by State authorities or by non-state actors.  In particular, we urge governments to ensure that the health and human rights of girls and women are secured and reaffirmed at the coming Commission on Population and Development and the International Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).  Any future international negotiations must move forward implementation of policies and programmes that secure the human rights of girls and women.

We call upon the member states of the UN and the various UN human rights and development entities to recognise and support the important role of women’s groups and organisations working at the forefront of challenging traditional values and practices that are intolerant to fundamental human rights norms, standards and principles.

ASIA PACIFIC FORUM ON WOMEN, LAW AND DEVELOPMENT (APWLD)

ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN DEVELOPMENT (AWID)

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH COALITION (IWHC)

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTION WATCH ASIA PACIFIC (IWRAW ASIA PACIFIC)

WOMEN LIVING UNDER MUSLIM LAWS (WLUML) / VIOLENCE IS NOT OUR CULTURE CAMPAIGN

YOUR NAME HERE

This will be submitted to UN Member States, CSW and other relevant UN human rights and development entities. Endorse here. The deadline is 5 April 2012.

Download the statement in:

FRENCH

SPANISH

More information:

Download the statement here: Statement from Women’s Organisations on CSW

Click here to read statements from Norway and the EU supporting women’s human rights

Click here to read UN Women’s Michele Bachelet “Impasse at CSW deeply regrettable”

APWLD is a regional network of women’s organisations and activists in Asia Pacific, committed to enabling women to use law as an instrument of social change for equality, justice and development. APWLD’s members are drawn from 26 countries and the secretariat is based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

This position is a fulfilling role working closely with our membership to advance rural, indigenous and migrant women’s rights. This programme officer will be responsible for anchoring and implementing our “Breaking out of Marginalisation” programme. The successful candidate will work closely with APWLD membership, particularly the organising committees responsible for the programme areas, but will report directly to the Regional Coordinator. Click here for more information.

Working with women engaging in politics to strengthen their political participation and challenge gendered political structures, APWLD organises capacity building on Gender & Politics with women political leaders, activists, campaigners and trainers.

The Level 1 training aims to build on skills and capacity of women who want to engage in political processes and advance women’s agendas in their respective countries and across the region.

To apply, please see download the information and the application below and email/fax completed application form to the attention of:

Diyana Yahaya, Programme Officer, Women in Power  diyana@apwld.org

For applications through email, please include in the subject line “Application for East & Central Asia Gender and Politics Level 1 Training”

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2012

More information: Sub-regional (East & Centra Asia) GPL1 Training Mongolia 2012

Application Form Sub-regional (East & Central Asia) GPL1 Mongolia 2012