Committee on the Elimination of Discriminationagainst Women
Fifty-third session
1-19 October 2012
Item 6 of the provisional agenda
Implementation of articles 21 and 22 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Reports by specialized agencies on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities
Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Summary In accordance with article 22 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the specialized agencies of the United Nations have been invited to submit to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, at its fifty-third session, reports on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities. |
I.Introduction
1.The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) will, at its fifty-third session, examine the national reports of the following countries: the Central African Republic, Chile, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Serbia, Togo and Turkmenistan
2.As a specialized agency of the United Nations, UNESCO contributes to the building of peace, the alleviation of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, and communication and information. In accordance with the UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy for 2008-2013, gender equality has been designated as one of two global priorities of the Organization. The “Priority Gender Equality” is pursued through a two-pronged approach: (a) gender-specific programming and (b) gender mainstreaming in all UNESCO fields of competence.
3.UNESCO efforts to promote women’s empowerment, women’s rights and gender equality are guided by UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2008-2013, UNESCO’s bi-annual Programme and Budget document, UNESCO’s organization-wide Priority Gender Equality Action Plan for 2008-2013, which supports and guides the implementation of its global Priority Gender Equality, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action as well as resolutions and international and regional instruments relevant to UNESCO’s areas of action.
4.UNESCO’s commitment to pursue Priority Gender Equality is facilitated by the Division for Gender Equality in the Office of the Director-General. The Division provides policy guidance and recommendations to the senior management and the Programme Sectors for mainstreaming gender equality considerations in all UNESCO policies, strategies and programmes; carries out capacity-building; monitors gender parity and work-life balance within the Secretariat and develops and establishes partnerships with other United Nations bodies, INGOs, regional bodies, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private foundations and private sector partners that support women’s empowerment and gender-equality initiatives.
II.Measures taken by UNESCO to implement the provisions of the Convention in the countries to be considered at the fifty-third session
Central African Republic
5.UNESCO and the International Theatre Institute have carried out training activities for young theatre actors, mainly young women, from the Central African Republic to promote women’s empowerment, foster new initiatives and reinforce the country’s performing arts capabilities and the theater industry overall. Training was provided in the fields of management and communication and of setting up music and theatre residencies involving experts and trainers and a network of sales outlets for local artists. The project was promoted through a dedicated website and traditional mass media, including radio channels.
6.Within the framework of UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), which is the only multilateral forum in the United Nations system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries, and especially through radio broadcasting, the following projects have been established in the Central African Republic:
•A pilot community radio station was set up with the aim of developing a national network of community radios that will promote a culture of peace, security and respect for human rights, including women’s rights, and foster communication and exchange of ideas between disadvantaged and marginalized women and men in various fields, such as responsible citizenship, social exclusion, agriculture, health issues (STDs, AIDS, tuberculosis, etc.), management of the environment, the promotion of tolerance and the fight against all forms of violence. The radio station will also promote the emergence of media pluralism in the country through a network of radios offering local communities a forum for discussion and debate.
•Support for teacher training in the journalism department of the University of Bangui: In post-conflict countries, the media has an important role to play in promoting gender equality, strengthening democracy and human rights, and promoting freedom of expression, depending largely on the ability of the journalists to provide reliable information, and on the journalism students who will ensure the continuity of the profession. The project aims at developing the professional capacity of female and male journalists to allow them to report on relevant issues of importance to both women and men, such as the respect for human rights, the elimination of violence against women, the impact of climate change, etc.
Chile
7.The UNESCO Chairs Programme was established in 1992 to advance research, training and programme development in all of UNESCO’s fields of competence by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through the transfer of knowledge across borders. The principal beneficiaries of this programme are institutions of higher learning in developing countries and countries in transition. The following Chairs have been established in Chile:
•The UNESCO Chair on “gender studies” at the University of Chile aims at promoting an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation in areas pertaining to sustainable development, masculinity, gender and culture, gender and agriculture, etc. The Chair will facilitate collaboration and promote intercultural exchange and dialogue between high-level, internationally recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other higher education institutions in the region.
•The UNESCO Chair on “To tackle violence: a transdisciplinary challenge” at the University of Chile aims at promoting an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation activities in the fields of gender-based violence, human rights and tolerance and solidarity. The Chair will also facilitate the collaboration between the researchers of the University and other higher-education institutions in Chile, Latin America and the Caribbean, and in Europe, particularly France.
8.UNESCO and the Fundación Chile organized a conference on the “Equity situation in access to higher education”, which involved participants from UNESCO, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and consultants from the Aequalis Higher Education Forum. The discussion addressed the difficulties linked to the high (52 per cent) drop-out rate of higher-education students, mainly girls, and the problems that affect the Chilean educational system following the high drop-outs. The conference participants provided an analysis of issues that they work with (gender inequalities in education, learning outcomes and achievements, quality assurance, articulation and mobility, and structure of degrees and qualifications) with the aim of suggesting concrete institutional and public policies to improve the existing higher educational system and to increase higher education coverage for women and men from disadvantaged and marginalized areas.
9.The UNESCO Office in Santiago has prepared a guidebook on “For non-sexist journalism: guidelines for communicating from a gender equality perspective in Chile” (Por un periodismo no sexista: pautas para comunicar desde una perspectiva de género en Chile). The guidebook contains useful tools for communicating from a gender equality perspective, and is a response to the need to generate thought about the responsibilities of the media professionals. The publication also aims to raise awareness about gender-equality perspectives in the news media and to promote more inclusive and gender-sensitive journalism.
10.Recent research conducted by the University of Chile has revealed that the country has both direct and indirect restrictions on freedom of expression, and that it lacks a national monitoring system to evaluate these issues. To address this problem, UNESCO will provide training to 130 Chilean media professionals, both women and men, on the monitoring and follow-up of issues relating to freedom of expression and the application of laws on access to information. This capacity-building effort will help to create a network for cooperation among stakeholders that will be implemented through a project-specific website. The trainees will acquire skills in monitoring and tracking methodologies in matters relating to freedom of expression, such as the respect for human rights, women’s access to information, and a culture of non-violence which can be diffused to wider circles in order to generate independent, updated and systematic information on crucial issues within targeted regions.
11.Within the framework of the UNESCO International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), the only multilateral forum in the United Nations system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries, and especially through radio broadcasting, the following project has been established:
•Strengthening of community radio and community multimedia centre network in the borough of Romeral: A majority of the radio broadcasting stations in Chile are of regional or national reach and therefore not useful for those who live and work in rural areas, because they do not correspond to the local reality and needs. Local radio is an important tool to obtain useful and practical information, especially for marginalized women in remote areas. The project aims at strengthening two local community radio stations, Radio Romeral and Radio Los Queñes, and at providing training to women and men in radio programme production, editing and radio broadcasting. A seminar on Internet research will also be organized to help community members to investigate adequate information for broadcasting and to develop their own abilities to manage the radio stations at a technical level, producing their own programmes and using the Internet to promote local development in areas of interest to them.
Comoros
12.The Australian Development Cooperation Agency and UNESCO launched a project in favor of literacy for girls and women in Comoros entitled “Enhancement of capacities of civil society organizations (CSOs) and national education authorities in the provision of functional literacy for girls and women”. The project aims at setting up pilot initiatives for functional literacy carried out together with Youth and Women CSOs. The project will also enhance the capacities of local NGOs to develop literacy-training programmes and material in line with the local context taking into account a gender-equality perspective.
13.UNESCO has launched a project on capacity-building of Comorian press in modern news gathering and production methods to improve the participation of Comorian women and men in the economic and political dialogue through the media, both in print and online. This objective will be achieved by improving the professional skills and capabilities of the media professionals so that they can encourage national reconciliation, improve information-sharing and make the best use of the media in fostering economic prosperity. The immediate objectives are to train 23 female and male journalists from five print media in ethical reporting, modern news gathering, gender-sensitive approaches in the media and the use of modern production equipment and to build the capacity of the print press in order to deliver high-quality and reliable information.
Equatorial Guinea
14.UNESCO participated in and provided support to the second training session of the African Union Youth Volunteers Programme, held in Malabo. During the training, young African women and men learned how to live together and acquired useful skills and knowledge in various areas: development of a pan-African orientation, leadership roles (with a special focus on female leadership), problem-solving, intercultural communication, how to combat gender-based violence, life skills and personal discipline. Launched in December 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria, the African Union Youth Volunteers Program is a development programme that recruits young African women and men aged from 18 to 30 years old with various academic and professional backgrounds to work on different projects and programmes in Africa.
15.The UNESCO Chairs Programme was established in 1992 to advance research, training and programme development in all UNESCO fields of competence by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through the transfer of knowledge across borders. The principal beneficiaries of this programme are institutions of higher learning in developing countries and countries in transition. The following Chair has been established in Equatorial Guinea:
•The UNESCO Chair in “Education for peace, human rights and democracy” at the National University of Malabo aims at promoting an integrated system of research, education, information and documentation in the field of education for peace, human rights and democracy. The Chair will also lead research in these areas and contribute to the development of a study plan focusing on issues pertaining to human rights, women’s rights, democracy and peace intended for the university programmes, as well as for other higher education institutions in Africa.
Serbia
16.The International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) is a multi-donor fund with the objective of promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing and least-developed countries that are Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The project on “Professional development for cultural entrepreneurs in Serbia”, funded by the IFCD, strives to raise awareness about the concept of cultural industries in Serbia and to emphasize that the creative sector is a source of sustainable development and jobs, particularly for women and girls. The main objective of the project is to promote the cultural industries as a viable means for sustainable growth and poverty reduction by using policy-making and financing measures to create conditions for the cultural industries to grow in targeted areas. Focus will also be put on creating a network which would regroup the various stakeholders of the country’s creative sector, in an effort to encourage public-private partnerships. The project will provide capacity-building and mentoring for 150 female and male entrepreneurs from 15 rural and least-developed Serbian municipalities, followed by the creation of a cultural industries support fund to provide seed funding to viable entrepreneurial initiatives. The project will also organize panels, debates and media events with key stakeholders, leaders and decision makers to identify areas in need of policy development.
17.The UNESCO Office in Venice, Italy, is strongly committed to enhancing women’s empowerment and promoting gender equality in South-East Europe. It works to encourage the recognition of women’s contribution to arts and music. On the basis of the UNESCO study on women and music in Montenegro, a new publication of “Women and Music in Serbia”, emphasizing women's rights and the recognition of their role in the field of music (as musicians, composers and musicologists), is under preparation.
Togo
18.IFCD, is a multi-donor fund with the objective of promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing and least-developed countries that are Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The project “Supporting Togolese Artisans”, funded by the IFCD, aims to renew the Togo craft industry by organizing a training workshop for 20 Togolese female professionals to help them develop new drawing and production techniques. The main activities include a six-day workshop in Lomé entitled "Days of craft art” (Journées de l’artisanat de l’art), a study trip in one of the neighbouring countries (Côte d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso), an exhibition of the works produced and the drafting of a final project report that will enhance the visibility of the project for the benefit of other artists.
19.The UNESCO Chairs Programme was established in 1992 to advance research, training and programme development in all of UNESCO’s fields of competence by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through the transfer of knowledge across borders. The principal beneficiaries of this programme are institutions of higher learning in developing countries and countries in transition. The following Chairs have been established in Togo:
•The UNESCO Chair in “Women, science and reasoned water management in West Africa” at the University of Lomé. The Chair aims at promoting a better use of water resources at the local level by enhancing social communication and the role of women in water management in rural and suburban communities. Training opportunities for women in water management for health, safety and environmental protection will be created within the master’s programme on “Women, water and health” as well as an online forum for discussion and exchange of ideas.
•The UNESCO Chair in “Influence of African thought: Preservation of African cultural heritage” at the University of Lomé. The Chair intends to create a research and training centre in several countries of West Africa (Togo, Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso) to enhance the spiritual dimension of the cultural heritage of the region, mainly by providing training in the preservation and promotion of ancestral traditions and their connections to modern life to local women and girls, and to men and boys. The Chair also works to promote mutual understanding and dialogue among the students from the four countries with a view to strengthening the appreciation of and respect for the different cultural identities and beliefs.
20.Within the framework of UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), the only multilateral forum in the United Nations system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries, and especially through radio broadcasting, the following project has been established:
•“Capacity-building in good journalism practices for media professionals”: this project aims at providing training and capacity-building opportunities to female and male journalists and media professionals in basic journalism and good governance in order to raise their awareness on the crucial role played by the media in the promotion of gender equality, democracy and a culture of peace as well as on the importance to respect and promote freedom of information and freedom of expression. Having identified a set of priority needs (writing techniques, collection and processing of information, good governance, etc.), the training will be complemented by programmes and articles produced by the media organizations involved. 40 journalists and media professionals from every corner of Togo will be trained, and two six-day workshops for 25 journalists and media professionals on the theme of journalism and good governance will be organized.
Turkmenistan
No information available.
Table: G r oss enrolment ratio female and male - gender parity index
Education a l statistics for all countries rep orting to the fifty-third session
Data |
Gross enrolment ratio. Primary. Female |
Gross enrolment ratio. Primary. Male |
Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Female |
Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Male |
Gross enrolment ratio. Tertiary. Female |
Gross enrolment ratio. Tertiary. Male |
Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Primary |
Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. |
Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Tertiary |
|
Country |
Year |
|||||||||
Serbia |
2008 |
(*) 101 |
(*) 101 |
(*) 92 |
(*) 89 |
(*) 55 |
(*) 42 |
(*) 1.00 |
(*) 1.03 |
(*) 1.30 |
2009 |
(*) 97 |
(*) 98 |
(*) 93 |
(*) 90 |
(*) 56 |
(*) 44 |
(*) 0.99 |
(*) 1.03 |
(*) 1.29 |
|
2010 |
(*) 96 |
(*) 96 |
(*) 92 |
(*) 91 |
(*) 56 |
(*) 43 |
(*) 0.99 |
(*) 1.02 |
(*) 1.30 |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
Turkmenistan |
2008 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
2009 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
2010 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
Chile |
2008 |
104 |
110 |
91 |
89 |
56 |
54 |
0.95 |
1.03 |
1.03 |
2009 |
103 |
108 |
89 |
87 |
61 |
57 |
0.95 |
1.03 |
1.06 |
|
2010 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
Central African Republic |
2008 |
73 |
104 |
... |
... |
1 |
3 |
0.70 |
... |
0.35 |
2009 |
75 |
106 |
10 |
18 |
1 |
3 |
0.71 |
0.56 |
0.43 |
|
2010 |
78 |
109 |
9 |
16 |
1 |
4 |
0.71 |
0.58 |
0.32 |
|
2011 |
79 |
109 |
13 |
23 |
... |
... |
0.73 |
0.55 |
... |
|
Comoros |
2008 |
100 |
109 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.92 |
... |
... |
2009 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
6 |
8 |
... |
... |
0.71 |
|
2010 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
7 |
9 |
... |
... |
0.74 |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
Equatorial Guinea |
2008 |
84 |
88 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.95 |
... |
... |
2009 |
84 |
87 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.96 |
... |
... |
|
2010 |
85 |
88 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.97 |
... |
... |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
Togo |
2008 |
110 |
126 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.88 |
... |
... |
2009 |
124 |
146 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.85 |
... |
... |
|
2010 |
132 |
147 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
0.90 |
... |
... |
|
2011 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
Missing Values : (...) data not available
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics ( www.u i s.unesco.org )