In order to empower women, it is vital to address their status within the home. Household Methodologies is a participatory methodology for encouraging equitable intra-household relations and decision making processes, encouraging all household members to realize that working together is a win-win solution that benefits everyone.
Written by Shanthi Dairiam, a Malaysian human rights and women’s rights advocate, this paper enshrines the concept of equality through CEDAW to provide a resource for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission (AICHR) in its engagement with the ASEAN governments using international standards in promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girl children.
With the exception of Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore who have no reservation to the substantive articles of CEDAW, most of the ASEAN countries have ratified CEDAW and have undertaken binding obligations to promote and protect the human rights of women according CEDAW standards. AICHR remains to be the main mechanism for the promotion and protection of the human rights of all people, with women included
in ASEAN.
“Europeans remain largely unaware of the painful personal histories of intersex people and the human rights violations they face. Stereotypes and norms grounded on the binary female-male classification have led to unnecessary medical and surgical interventions on intersex infants and a climate of incomprehension in society. It is time to address this unacceptable situation,” said today Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a research paper on human rights and intersex people.
The six-chapter paper addresses the medical, legal and administrative obstacles which prevent intersex people, some of whom were called “hermaphrodites” in the past, from fully enjoying their human rights. “By publishing it, I intended to provide more detailed guidance to address this neglected human rights problem,” said the Commissioner.
Austerity burden must fall on those with the broadest shoulders, not on children, says Secretary General opening new video exhibition
An exhibition of short films and animations created by children from eight regions of Europe and featuring the impact of economic crisis and austerity measures on their lives was opened today at the Council of Europe.
Many governments have had to take difficult decisions for the sake of economic stability, said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland who opened the exhibition.
"The moral justification for austerity is that we take the pain today so that future generations are not still paying the price for mistakes tomorrow," he added. "Yet, too often it is precisely our children who are bearing the brunt of these policies."
No cultural, traditional, religious values can justify hate crime and violence against LGBT people – Council of Europe participates in IDAHO Forum in Montenegro
The Council of Europe representatives are among key participants in the IDAHO Forum 2015 “Ending hate crime and violence” organised by the Government of Montenegro, to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia celebrated on 17 May.
Snezana Samardžić-Marković, Director General of Democracy of the Council of Europe, delivered a keynote speech at the Forum today saying that hate crime and violence against LGBT people are among the most persistent human rights challenges, with homophobic and transphobic incidents, the so-called “corrective rapes”, forced marriages, physical and emotional violence, family and community rejection, bullying and discrimination still being a sad reality in Europe. A sound legal and policy framework is needed to effectively counter these crimes.
