First Decolonisation, Now ‘Depatriarchilisation’

Young Bangladeshi women raise their fists at a protest in Shahbagh. Credit: Kajal Hazra/IPS By Lakshmi PuriUNITED NATIONS, Jun 9 2014 (IPS) At the end of this week leaders of the Group of 77 and China will meet in Bolivia to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the group. From the original 77, this group now brings together 133 countries, making it the largest coalition of governments on the international stage. Promoting an agenda of equity among nations and among people, sustainable and inclusive development and global solidarity have been at the heart of the G77’s priorities since its inception. But none of it will be achieved without fully embracing the agenda of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Two weeks ago, I travelled to Bolivia to attend a historic international meeting in preparation for the G77 Summit, exclusively dedicated to women and gender equality. More than 1,500 women, many of them indigenous, packed the room, full of energy. Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, was also present – a testimony to his commitment and leadership to this critical agenda. At this meeting, a message emerged, loud and clear. If we want the 21st century to see the end of discrimination, inequality and injustice, we must focus on women and girls – half the world’s population, which continues to experience discrimination every day and everywhere. The 20th century saw the end of colonisation. Now the 21st century must see the end of discrimination against wo...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Civil Society Conferences Democracy Development & Aid Economy & Trade Education Featured G77 Gender Gender Violence Global Geopolitics Global Governance Headlines Human Rights IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Labour Population Source Type: news