It is known that educating girls brings benefits not just to the girls themselves, but to the communities they belong to, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
Information from the Statistics on Women study of 174 States, showed that the best predictor of a country’s peacefulness as not its wealth, nor political structure nor its ethnic or religious make up. It was the well-being and education of women and girls that was the best indicator.
“In addition to academic achievements, education must equip students with the tools to critically analyse and challenge rigid gender roles that limit choices and perpetuate women’s subordination” he said.
The High Commissioner spoke as part of a panel discussion on “realizing the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl.” The discussion was part of the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, taking place in Geneva.
Margot Wallstrom – Sweden Minister for Foreign Affairs
Exploring Sweden's 'Feminist' Foreign Policy
Sweden's Foreign-Affairs Minister discusses the benefits of including women in foreign and social policy.
Wallstrom has led Sweden's recognition of a Palestinian state and overseen a standoff with Saudi Arabia [EPA]
Khadija Patel | 15 Jun 2015
Johannesburg, South Africa - Margot Wallström, Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs, has emerged as one of the most vocal diplomats in Europe.
This eleventh edition of Progress for Children is UNICEF’s final report on the child-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It presents latest data that show while the MDGs helped drive tremendous advances in the lives of the world’s children, development efforts in the past 15 years failed to reach millions of the most disadvantaged. The report spotlights where the international community must now focus attention and action to reach the most vulnerable children and achieve sustainable growth.
The issues of human rights & transnational corporations & other business enterprises are exceedingly important to women as consumers, employees, owners, citizens - Enforcing rights, preventing abuse & victimization, accessing justice.
State National Action Plans on Business & Human Rights
The UN Working Group strongly encourages all States to develop, enact and update a national action plan on business and human rights as part of the State responsibility to disseminate and implement the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/Submittingcomplaints.aspx
Website gives comprehensive details.
Victims of sexual violence at a shelter in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN Photo/Marie Frechon (file)
19 June 2015 – In an effort to boost the global fight against the horrors faced by women and girls in zones of conflict worldwide, the United Nations General Assembly today approved by consensus a new resolution to commemorate 19 June as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
“Rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict constitute grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” President of the 193-member Assembly, Sam Kutesa, declared as he greeted the resolution’s adoption. “Yet these depraved acts still occur and are used to terrorize and control civilian populations in conflict zones.”
