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Gender equality is a universal goal to be
achieved.
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Gender equality is basic
constituent of many international treaties and
conventions.
The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948) The
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW 1979) the
Beijing Platform for Action, outcome document of
Beijing +5
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Gender equality is among the body of the
Copenhagen Criteria of the EU.
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Gender equality is one of Millennium Development
Goals
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Gender equality is an issue of development.
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Gender equality has been spelt out in national
development plans and other important national
official documents (Preliminary National
Development Plan, Annual Programmes, Emergency
Action Plan)
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Gender equality involves in not only public
sphere but also in private sphere.
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Gender equality does not limit the problems of
women only in traditional areas such as
education/health/employment/violence and
political participation. It covers more than
that. Social exclusion, economic violence etc.
are some of them
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Gender equality gives the priority of women’s
active participation in decision making both at
national and local level
EQUAL PARTICIPATION
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Participation in the democratic
life of any community is about more than voting
or standing for election.
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Participation is about having
the right, the means, the space and the
opportunity and where necessary the support to
participate in and influence decisions and
engage in actions and activities so as to
contribute to building a better society.
WHY WOMEN ARE MORE AFFECTED BY
LOCAL POLICIES
Basic Services
The lack of basic services and infrastructure
affects women most fundamentally in cities because
they, more than men, deal with water, sanitation,
fuel and waste management due to their domestic
responsibilities. Substandard or non-existent
services with their attendant health and hygiene
risks therefore affect women more than men
Human rights
The issue of women’s rights is closely related to
issues of public safety and gender violence. Women’s
rights are also closely connected to housing rights,
especially in the urban context.
Economic capacity
The economic capacity of women in urban areas is
linked to basic services and security of tenure.
With women's economic activities concentrated in the
informal economy and close to home, their need for
resources essential to business in residential urban
areas is crucial. These include water and sanitation
as well as property and land.
Transport
Women depend more heavily on public transport than
men and, given the allocation of household
resources, women have less access to private modes
of transport .Women also use transport in different
ways from men because of gender divisions of labour.
They are more likely to travel in off-peak periods
and to travel accompanied by others, such as when
taking children to school or taking older or infirm
relatives to hospitals or clinics.
Violence Against Women
The pervasive risk of violence restricts women's
full participation in society. Urban violence
against women presents itself in the public and
domestic domain, and has been linked closely with
issues of housing and shelter. Women subject to
domestic violence may remain in abusive
relationships if they are unable to secure rights to
land and property except through their husbands.
Security of House
Security of house, or the lack of it, is a key
factor in the ability of poor households to protect
themselves from the threat of forced evictions, and
their willingness to invest in improving their
living conditions.
GENDER AND THE NORMS OF GOOD URBAN GOVERNANCE
Sustainability
Women play a critical role in urban life, with
extensive responsibilities for their families'
welfare. At times women's livelihood strategies and
efforts to provide their households with basic
necessities bring them into conflict with local
government. It is essential that urban poor women's
constraints are recognised and worked with, through
supportive partnerships with local authorities.
Decentralisation
Decentralisation presents the opportunity for
greater involvement of women in planning and
consultation processes, and also has the potential
for a more gender conscious allocation of local
resources. Local authorities are closest to their
citizens and hence in the best position to involve
women in the decision-making process and in
consultation
Equity
Equity in the city implies representation as well as
access to resources. Equity of access to
decision-making and the basic necessities of urban
life are basic to good urban governance. Yet there
are countless ways in which income or social status
affect people’s ability to participate in city life
and access its resources. Even when resources are
available, public expenditure may be under-allocated
in gender terms
Efficiency
The role women play in the urban economy is often
not recognised because much of it takes place in the
informal economy or hidden from view as
home-working. Cities need to be efficient in terms
of finances and administration. This means
regulating and coordinating local authorities'
management, and targeting finances for effective
performance.
Transparency and accountability
women must be in a position to access, interpret and
comment upon local government performance.
Transparency and accountability depends upon city
administrations and politics being open to public
scrutiny. Communication needs to be accessible to
people who cannot handle complex documents, to those
not used to engaging in public debate, and to
working parents with limited time -- all factors
affecting women more than men.
Civic engagement and citizenship
Governments and international agencies alike have
increasingly appreciated the importance of women’s
grassroots organisations. The crucial role played by
women organised on the ground -- in advocating for
services and providing infrastructure and basic
services themselves in the absence of provision from
other sources -- cannot be over-emphasised. It is
the responsibility of local authorities to encourage
the full engagement of women citizens. It is also in
their interests to do so to ensure the effective
functioning of urban neighbourhoods.
Security of individuals and their environment
Insecure and even hostile urban environments can be
perpetuated by local authorities' inattention to
planning for women's security both domestically and
in public places. Security of individuals and their
environment is not confined to cities of every
nation. It is a matter of growing urgency as unsafe
cities restrict access and mobility for their
citizens, especially women. Violence against women
is just as likely to happen in the home as in public
spaces.
The important issues that policy needs to
address are outlined as follows;
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Participatory urban policy
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Eliminating urban violence against women
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Building capacity of women and NGOs
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Building capacity of local governments
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Gender budgeting
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Women's representation in local government
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Recognition and support for urban poor women's
activities |
