Posted 11 December 1998
The workshop on a rights-based approach to women's empowerment, advancement and gender equality, organized by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, took place in Rome at FAO, from 5-7 October 1998. It brought together members of the United Nations Inter-agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality and the Working Party on Gender Equality of the Organizations for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC). The workshop sought to review and clarify the rights-based approach to gender equality and its implications for policy and operations by bilateral and multilateral entities. The workshop contributed to the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The workshop agreed on the relevance and added value of a rights-based approach on gender equality and development. It also agreed that this approach allows for holistic attention to women's civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. The realization of human rights is at the heart of sustainable people-centered human development. The workshop recognized that all human rights are interdependent and indivisible, and ultimately reflect the dignity of women and men. The participants emphasized that human rights are entitlements and as such, create obligations on States for their fulfillment. This in turn creates national and international accountability. The meeting also stressed the importance of the social responsibility of the corporate sector and the urgent need to develop accountability mechanisms with respect to this sector.
The workshop agreed that further efforts are required to specify the full implications for policy and programming and the following recommendations were adopted:
FAO, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR and WHO compose the ACC Network's Thematic Group in Myanmar. The first activity undertaken by the group was to recruit a national consultant, funded by the UN country team, to prepare an Issue Paper on Food Security and Nutrition in Myanmar. The first draft of the Issue Paper has been completed and outlines different agencies' programmes in relation to Food Security and Nutrition and activities planned or undertaken by the government or other institutions in Myanmar.
Further on, the paper identifies issues to be addressed jointly by the UN Agencies with a view to enhancing synergy. For more information about the Thematic Group in Myanmar, please contact the FAO Representative, Mr. Francis Rinville at: fao-mmr@field.fao.org
At a recent meeting in October, the Thematic Group agreed to assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries with the development and implementation of a National Plan of Action on food security within the framework of the Resident Coordinator System.
A local consultant, funded by UNDP, will assess the needs and scope of a National Plan of Action by reviewing the constraints and recommendations outlined in the report "World Food Summit Follow-up Draft Strategy for National Agriculture Development Horizon 2010"(FAO) and prepare a project proposal.
For more information about the Thematic Group in Samoa, please contact the Chairman, Mr. Vili Fuavao at: fao-sapa@field.fao.org
The recently established Thematic Group on Food Security and Rural Development in Pakistan has already made progress in setting it's agenda and initiating activities. Six meetings have been convened and the objectives and main activities to be undertaken in several priority areas have been agreed upon.
In terms of the first priority area, Policy and Strategy for Sustainable Household Food Security in Pakistan, a project proposal to develop a policy and strategy has been formulated and UNDP has agreed to provide US$ 150 000 for its implementation. The government has recently approved the project and its implementation will start from February 1, 1999. Other themes selected are: Improving information and statistical data on food insecure and vulnerable groups, Assessment and advice on nutritional status, Strengthening food control system in Pakistan, Improving preparedness and response to emergencies, early warning and emergency mechanism, and Ensuring sustainability of resources and technologies including "Food for All".
For more information about the Thematic Group in Pakistan, contact the FAO Representative, Mr. A.M Aboul-Naga, at: fao-pak@field.fao.org
The Thematic Group in Nicaragua was established last July, with participants from all UN Organizations represented in the country. The following objectives were agreed upon:
Among the themes identified for possible action are:
Following the disasters produced by hurricane Mitch recently, the Group is providing support to the Government and civil society organizations in their rehabilitation activities. Nicaragua is a country which has already experienced a number of emergencies in its recent history, including an earthquake in the 1970s and a civil war in the 1980s. The Thematic Group can become an important focal point to identify experiences from both Nicaragua and other countries which can be usefully applied to promote a rapid and effective rehabilitation process. For example, the experiences of Bangladesh, the Philippines and Zambia which are dealing with the floods provoked by El Nino, and of Rwanda which is coping with the results of a civil war, can be most useful to the Thematic Group in Nicaragua.
It is hoped that the Thematic Groups in these countries will be able to exchange information and experiences with the Group in Nicaragua, as well as with other Thematic Groups in Central America dealing with the aftermath of hurricane Mitch.
For more information on activities in Nicaragua, contact the FAO Representative, Mr. Ghyoot at: fao-nic@field.fao.org
The Thematic Group in Kenya has identified the following as priorities for 1999: In light of the weaknesses of the food security indicators, work will be initiated on the development of an early warning, food security and nutrition information system, compiling existing sources of data, identifying gaps and proposing an appropriate framework.
Policy reform, particularly with regard to food security, the changing role of the public and private sectors in agriculture, and gender implications of the legal framework affecting access to land and services are themes that the Thematic Group will address in 1999. The partners will collaborate to produce studies and reports that analyze the current status of these policy reforms and the work that is underway by different groups active in the policy reform process.
Partnerships between government, communities, NGOs and the private sector will be fostered, including the exchange of experience and information on best practices. This will include, for example, dissemination of the interactive policy formulation approach of the commodity groups supported by UNIDO, the Kenya National Food for All Campaign, and other initiatives that are already underway or planned.
Participatory research and extension will be highlighted through the community-based farmer field school approach, ideally through innovative arrangements that utilise community-based organizations in collaboration with local extension and research staff.
For more information, contact the FAO Representative, Mr. Daniel Gustafsson at: fao-ken@field.fao.org