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Update on the gender audit and inter-sectional women´s network Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 januari 1999
AI members only
AI Index: ORG 53/01/98
Distr: SC, CC
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Amnesty International
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 8DJ
United Kingdom
To: All Sections & Inter-Sectional Womens Network (IWN)
From: Habiba Hasan, IEC member with brief on Women & Gender
Date: November 1998
UPDATE ON THE GENDER AUDIT AND INTER-SECTIONAL WOMENS NETWORK
Summary This circular contains an update from the IEC on recent developments in AIs work for women, a request for feedback from sections, and Terms of Reference for the Inter-Sectional Womens Network
Keywords ICM / WOMEN / IEC / AI DEVELOPMENT
Distribution This is an internal organisational circular
Recommended Actions All Section Boards are asked to take the lead in ensuring a response by 31 January 1999, and bringing this circular to the attention of those at the section with responsibility for AIs work for women and gender issues.
AI members only
AI Index: ORG 53/01/98
Distr: SC, CC
No. Of Words: <1442>
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Amnesty International
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 8DJ
United Kingdom
Dear Friends,
I am writing to you in my capacity as the IEC member with the special brief on women. I would like to report back on two important developments in AIs work on women as well as to request your input in moving these forward in time for next years ICM.
1. Decision 32 of the 1997 ICM
As many of you may already know, the report submitted to the 1997 ICM in Cape Town by the International Secretariat, regarding the implementation of the 1995 ICM decisions on the work on women during the first half of the Four-Year Ljubljiana Action Plan [Org 53/03/97] showed that work in this area is progressing in the different areas. The period saw a steady growth in AIs research and action highlighting human rights violations against women and the underlying gender-related issues that give rise to these violations. Our consistent work at the IGO level particularly with regards to the drafting of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW [Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women] and following-up governments commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action has generated positive feedback both from governments and partners in the womens NGO community.
The dynamic growth of AIs work on women, however, has yet to reach a level of sustainability. Achievements in some areas have remained weak in terms of reflecting a consistent sensitivity to the gender dimension of our overall work as a human rights organisation. A challenge to institutionalise the achievements made over the past few years was put forward by a number of sections who are at the forefront of advocating for a gender-sensitive AI movement. And in response to this challenge, the 1997 ICM passed with an overwhelming majority ICM Decision 32, which has two major elements.
Firstly, it
asks that the IEC conduct a quantitative and qualitative gender-based evaluation of AIs research, campaigning, development, publicity and organisational structures since prior to the 1991 Report Women in the Front Line.
This pertains to undertaking a gender audit of the movement. Due to the fact that we have had to make deep financial cuts in this operational plan and this being given a medium priority at the ICM, the gender audit could not be implemented in this current planning cycle. However, the Australian section, who had put forth this resolution at the ICM are conducting their own gender audit, and will bring their experience of successful and unsuccessful methodologies to the 1999 ICM. Based on their experience, it is envisaged that a framework can then be drawn up for a gender audit of the rest of the movement. Realistically speaking, this movement-wide gender audit would therefore be done in the next planning cycle and when appropriate funding, too, would eventually be allocated to it.
Secondly, it further
asks that the IEC requests all sections to ensure a focus on gender is included in:
a) their mandate training and development sessions & b) their strategic planning processes .
I would like you to report back on what activities have been undertaken by your sections to implement your part of this decision. I have been informed briefly by the IS (CCR) that AIUSA, AIUK, AI Spain, AI Australia and AI Austria have taken some initiatives along this line. However, I would like to receive a descriptive report of your section activities in this regard which I hope to highlight in my report for the March 1999 IEC meeting. Kindly send them to me via the IEC Assistant, Paulette Roberts [[email protected]] by end of January 1999.
2. The Inter-Sectional Women's Network (IWN )
At the organisational level, the Inter-sectional Womens Network (IWN) has grown from an informal grouping of womens activists into a formal structure representing 26 sections, whose Terms of Reference of the IWN were recently approved by the IEC. To recall, the IWN was set up in response to the 1989 ICM decision to raise the profile of AI's work on women. The IWN is an international network of staff and members of AI who work in partnership with the international movement to assist in the development of AI's work on women's human rights violations, and encourage, support and contribute to the movement's work on women's human rights violations.
To help pursue the objectives of the IWN, may I request all sections and their co-ordinating
structures on women (where they exist) to appoint one person to co-ordinate and liaise their work with IWN. Kindly contact the International Secretariat (Edna Aquino of the Campaigning and Crisis Response Program) for more details regarding the IWN and how it functions. The Terms of Reference of the IWN are attached below. Those interested may also wish to request a report submitted to the December 1997 IEC meeting: ACT77/IEC03/97 - Trends in reporting of Women and HR Violations.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Habiba Hasan.
IEC Member
Special Brief on Women
Appendix to ORG 53/01/98:
INTER-SECTIONAL WOMEN'S NETWORK
TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. INTRODUCTION
a) The Inter-Sectional Women's Network (IWN) is an inter-sectional advisory group with expertise in women's human rights issues.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTS
a) The purpose of the IWN is to:
- assist in the development of Amnesty International's work on women's human rights violations, and
- encourage, support and contribute to the movement's work on women's human rights violations.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) The IWN consists of members and staff from Amnesty International (AI) Sections, Structures or Groupings who are involved in work on women's human rights.
b) The representatives from AI Sections, Structures, Groupings shall be appointed by their governing bodies (Boards) and allocated resources as appropriate.
c) The representatives of each Section / Structure shall not exceed two in number, and the representatives from each Grouping shall not exceed one in number.
4. ROLE
The role of the IWN shall be advisory in nature and the IWN will undertake to:
a) Work with the International Secretariat (IS) to develop and improve AI's work on women's human rights.
b) Support the integration of work on behalf of women's human rights into international and national projects and programs.
c) Foster greater attention by the sections in order to integrate a focus on womens rights and participation by women in all section activities
d) Foster the development of good working relations with other organizations that promote the protection of women's human rights at the section and international levels.
e) Work with IS staff to provide section members with opportunities to share ideas, materials, news and updates on forthcoming actions and materials produced by the IS, activities of sections and the women's groups and networks on women, news updates of women's organisations that are relevant to the work of AI; and news and updates on other parts of Amnesty which have an impact on the work on women.
f) Work with the IS to engage in cooperative work with other non-governmental organizations working on women's human rights; and lobby/liaise with inter- governmental organizations (such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women).
g) Where necessary and appropriate, work with IS staff to support the development of actions and/or campaign materials relating to the protection and promotion of women's human rights.
5. GOVERNING BODY
a) A Coordinating Committee will coordinate the IWN. The Coordinating Committee shall consist of a small number of members, selected by the Network membership.
e) The IS will designate contact person(s) for the IWN.
6. ACCOUNTABILITY
1. The Coordinating Committee of IWN shall be responsible to the IEC and report to them annually.
2. The representatives of AI Sections, Structures and Groupings shall be responsible to their respective governing bodies (Boards).
3. The IEC will review the work of the IWN and these Terms of Reference after two years.
4. The IEC asks the IWN to submit a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Strengths [SWOT] report.
Source: Amnesty International, International Secretariat,
1 Easton Street, WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom