Author Archives: Mel O'Brien

CfP: International Congress on Gender Violence: Intersectionalities

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Oñati International Institute for the Sociology of Law Oñati, 10 – 12 July 2013

Call for papers Deadline 4th March 2013

Papers Deadline 10th June 2013

The congress will be hosted by the International Institute for Sociology of Law, which is located in Oñati, Spain. Sessions will be held in both English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation provided for the final keynote speaker session. This congress is aimed at examining the main conceptual frameworks for thinking about gender violence. We invite participants to consider how useful the concept of gender violence is for tackling violence against women. We also particularly encourage papers that will examine the intersections of gender violence with other determinants of inequalities. Papers are invited from researchers working in the area of gender violence, as well as policy makers, practitioners and activists. We feel that this interdisciplinary may help to produce new conceptualisations of gender violence. The topic of gender violence is especially relevant to Spain and the Basque country. Spain has been a relative latecomer to legislation to address gender violence, although is now attempting to a take a lead in Europe. In Spain, violence against women is seen to be a problem of gender violence. The decision to use the concept of gender rather than domestic violence was based on the recognition that violence against women arises from gender inequalities that extend outside of the domestic sphere, and are connected to patriarchy. However, this definition has also been criticised for only conceptualising violence with intimate partnerships, and excluding other types of violence such as sexual harassment, rape, trafficking of women etc. The definition also does not recognise the intersectionality of violence with race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability and other structural determinants of inequality. For instance, Amnesty International has argued that undocumented migrant women in Spain who have been the victims of violence have not been able to access services provided to other victims. In addition, despite the provision of considerable funding to tackle the problem, gender violence appears to be a growing problem in Spain, and it is becoming clear that legislation reform alone is not sufficient to address the problem. Clearly these problems are not limited to Spain, and we invite different international examples and comparative perspectives. Congress themes This congress is aimed at examining existing and producing new conceptual frameworks for thinking about gender violence. It is proposed to have sessions on: New theoretical models of gender violence: questioning the primacy of gender inequality The persistence of gender violence as a gendered phenomenon The intersection of gender, race and ethnicity Giving voice of marginalised women: disabled women’s experiences of violence Debunking stereotypes of battered women: intersections of gender and class Sexuality and violence

ORGANISATION COMMITTEE: Angela Melville (International Institute for the Sociology of Law) Ana Isabel Pérez Machio (Instituto Vasco de Criminología. Universidad del País Vasco) Arantza Campos (UPV/EHU) David Gadd (Manchester University School of Law)

For further information: IISL (Meetings) Antigua Universidad Apartado 28 20560 Oñati (Gipuzkoa) – Spain Tel.: +34 943 71 88 89 Fax: +34 943 78 31 47 E-Mail: malen@iisj.es

See also the Congress website.

CfA: Feminist Critical Analysis: Contemporary Contentions, Dubrovnik, May 27-May 31 2013

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Feminist Critical Analysis

Inter-University Center (IUC), Dubrovnik May 27th to May31st, 2013

Call for Applications Center for Gender and Politics of the Belgrade University (Political Science Department), Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers of the State University of New Jersey, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Washington University in St Louis are pleased to announce the next annual postgraduate course in Feminist Critical Analysis: Contemporary Contentions -Rethinking Gender Identity and Identity Politics. Continue reading →

CfP: Aftermath Conference: Sites and Sources of History & Memory

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The 3rd Dr Jan Randa Conference in Holocaust and Genocide Studies

AFTERMATH 2013: SITES AND SOURCES OF HISTORY AND MEMORY

Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

6-7 August 2013

Hosted by the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation in partnership with the History Program at Monash University and the University of Warwick

Keynote Speakers Include: Professor Hasia Diner, New York University; Professor Ben F. Kiernan, Yale University

Call for Papers:

The field of Holocaust and Genocide Studies is at a critical juncture.  Archives, testimony projects, documentation centres, and new tools in the fields of salvaging and mapping sites of conflict have proliferated and thus present new and urgent possibilities for documenting and transmitting histories and memories of traumatic events.  Consequently, the expansion of new sources (ranging from recently opened Holocaust archives to the creation of Rwandan testimony projects) and the unearthing of sites of destruction (in locations like Cambodia and Darfur) compel explorations of how evidence will be accessed and interpreted with an attention to their cultural, historical, topographical, and media specificity, and how they will be engaged not only in scholarly and pedagogical terms but also in larger areas of social and political practice. Continue reading →

CfP: CEPS Human Rights and Policing Conference, April 2013

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In April 1963, the United Nations held a Seminar on the Role of Police in the Protection of Human Rights, in Canberra, Australia. The Seminar was attended by delegates and observers from 19 countries and territories, including government ministers, police commissioners, academics, NGO representatives, judges and lawyers. The agenda covered topical issues such as compulsory finger-printing; freedom of police from political influence; the right of suspected persons to legal advice; and the unacceptability of the use of force to obtain a confession.

In April 2013, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security (CEPS) will be holding a conference to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Seminar. The 2013 conference will examine issues at the 1963 seminar, address the evolution of human rights since 1963, and also consider new topics of concern that did not confront law enforcement in 1963. These issues include:
* The changing environment of accountability and human rights: police unions; integrity; corruption and police ethics.
* Criminal investigation and human rights: interrogation/interviewing; torture; violence.
* Internationalisation of policing: engagement in regional and multi-national peacekeeping missions; transnational crime.
* Balancing human rights and security/anti-terrorism.
* Indigenous people and policing.
* Gender; women in policing.
* Discrimination (e.g. gender, race, disability).
* The role of technology and forensic science.
* The role and differing structures of modern policing.

The 2013 conference will be an opportunity to re-engage professionals and academics in the fields of human rights and policing, and to create a discourse about issues that face police in the 21st Century. Continue reading →

CEDAW 52nd Session Country Reports: Mexico and Bahamas

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By Mel O’Brien

The final two states to have their country reports addressed in the 52nd CEDAW session were Mexico and Bahamas.
This was the first appearance of the Bahamas before the Committee, and the Committee had to address all first five reports of the country as there had been such a delay for submitting them (the Bahamas ratified CEDAW in 1993). The delegation promised to be timelier with subsequent reports.

As was a running theme with other states, with regards to women in politics and leadership, there seemed to be both a lack of understanding of what temporary special measures are and an unwillingness to apply them. Like previous states in the session, the Bahamas declared there is no need for special measures, a decision that was even declared by the Bahamas Court of Appeal. The Bahamas argued that there are ‘no barriers of advancement of women’ in the country, and that the small percentage of women elected to parliament in May 2012 does not demonstrate the fact that 16.5% of candidates were women. However, this is a very low percentage compared to the fact that over 18,000 more women than men are registered to vote. This demonstrates a real interest in politics by Bahamian women, and a need for programs that encourage women to participate in politics. Continue reading →

CEDAW 52nd Session Country Reports: New Zealand and Samoa

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By Mel O’Brien

I thought I would put NZ and Samoa in the same blog post, as they are two Pacific island countries, and so it is a useful comparison. The two states are in completely different situations, however, in many ways, with regards to advancement and equality of women.

The issue of women in politics continues to be a pressing issue for the Committee, and they have pushed this topic with every state whose report(s) has(ve) been considered. There was no love lost with either NZ or Samoa, however. In the case of NZ, there was, we repeatedly heard, "no appetite" for special measures like quotas to increase the number of women in parliament. NZ does have a relatively high percentage of women in parliament, at 32%, however this is down from previous governments, and in general the trend towards women’s advancement is decreasing in NZ. As a consequence, the Committee pushed for NZ to consider implementing temporary special measures, although the NZ delegation did not take to this idea. Continue reading →

CEDAW 52nd Session Country Reports: Bulgaria and Jamaica

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By Mel O’Brien

The country reports of Bulgaria and Jamaica were addressed at the end of the first week of the 52nd session of CEDAW. Both states worked quite hard to answer all the questions of the Committee.

In the case of Bulgaria, there have been quite a lot of new laws promulgated recently, as well as the establishment of a Commission on Protection Against Discrimination. The news laws include one on anti-discrimination (including gender, race, etc). In 2005, a domestic violence law was passed, which has also been amended in 2009 and 2010. The Penal Code also offers domestic violence protection, including provisions for violation of protection orders, and others on general crimes such as assault and murder. In addition, there are new hate crime provisions in the Penal Code, and new legislation against trafficking in persons. The government is in the process of amending the Penal Code further (for 2012 or 2013), including the removal of provisions that outlaw ‘crimes against sexual morality’, and the ability of rapists to avoid punishent by marrying their victims.

One of the ongoing concerns of the Committee through all of the issues was the issue of Roma women. In 2012, the Bulgarian government launched a National Strategy for the Integration of the Roma, and this focuses on prevention of discrimination and hate crimes, including against Roma women. The Strategy has two timeframes of application, the first from 2012 to 2015, the next from 2016 to 2020.

CEDAW 52nd Session Country Reports: Guyana and Indonesia

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 By Mel O’Brien

The second and third days of the 52nd session of the CEDAW have addressed the country reports of Guyana and Indonesia. Issues addressed across both countries included migrant workers, domestic workers, education, women in politics, HIV/AIDS healthcare, healthcare for prostitutes, and trafficking in persons.

There was quite a stark contrast in the presentations and answers from the two states. Guyana had a small delegation of two ministers, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Human Services. Both women delivered succint, detailed responses to the questions posed y the Committee experts. They dealt with issues such as the differing services provided to women in the hinterland (which is the majority of the country geographically but only 5% of the population resides there) compared to those more comprehensive services provided to women on the coastline, particularly in the capital Georgetown. Guyana is a nascent democracy, and since its last CEDAW report, has enacted a significant number of new and pertinent pieces of legislation, including a Sexual Offences Act, a Domestic Violence Act, a Prevention of Crime Act and a Protection of Children Act. There is also government provided healthcare system which includes provision for sexual and reproductive health. In 2003 the Constitution was amended to enshrine rights of equality and non-discrimination, and women constitute 32% of the Guyana parliament. Child marriage was another issue discussed, which has been reduced since Guyana raised the age of consent for marriage from 13 to 16.

 In contrast, the Indonesian government delegation contained a large number of people from different ministries, and offered very general responses to answers, much to the disappointment of the Indonesian NGO representatives present. The Committee was particularly critical, emphasising the rights issues that were raised in the previous CEDAW report on Indonesia, and how none of these issues have been addressed. The Committee was also extremely blunt and even undiplomatic in calling the Indonesian government on the issues of female genital mutilation (FGM). In particular, those members of the Committee from Islamic states were quite adament about the fact that Islam does not condone FGM. FGM was reiterated as a violation of human rights norms, under CEDAW, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention Against Torture, and Indonesia’s law stating that FGM must be conducted by a medical professional was highly criticised by the Committee. With regards to reparations for women who are victims of violence, particularly sexual violence, from armed conflict, such as the 1965 conflict and conflicts in Aceh and Timor Leste, the Indonesian government offered little resonse, simply stating that the issue is ‘complex’  and that the government has made ‘significant progress’, but did not elaborate on what such progress is. In general, the Indonesian delegation made many references to ‘action plans’ relating to a variety of areas such as development and gender mainstreaming, but failed to provide examples of what specific actions these plans contain and how they are being implemented.

30 Years of Working to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women- 52nd Session of CEDAW

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By Mel O’Brien

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. Today the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women held a 30th Anniversary Event during its 52nd Session at UN Headquarters. The brief event focused on women’s political participation and leadership, and the pursuit of equality in this area. Mr Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, spoke about the importance of equality and non-discrimination and how his office is seeking to achieve that, through intergration of human rights principles. Michele Bachelet, the head of UN Women, gave an excellent speech about how women in positions of leadership inspire young women to seek further education and aspire to be leaders themselves some day. The event also heard from several women from different countries, who hold positions in their home countries in the legal profession, government or civil society organisations, and the challenges that they face in their home states with regards to achieving parliamentary parity and legislative changes to implement rights under CEDAW.

By 2030, the UN is aiming for 30% women in all governments/parliaments across the world. Currently only about 30 states have at least 30% women in their parliaments, which certainly makes the UN goal an ambitious one, but still an essential one. Having women in leadership roles ensures that a wider variety of issues are addressed by governments, including women’s concerns. 

I am attending the 52nd Session of the CEDAW as a delegate of the American Society of International Law, and will post regularly during the next three weeks. During this session, the CEDAW will address the state reports of Bulgaria, Guyana, Jamaica, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Bahamas, and Samoa.  

Houla: The Next Srebrenica?

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In the reporting of the massacres in Houla in Syria, it has been alleged that civlians called the UN mission, located only kilometres away, to notify them of the massacres occurring at that time. The massacres occurred during the night, and in the two days either side of the night, the UN had come to Houla. Houla civilians are thus questioning why the mission did not come to help them- a cry that echoes of Srebrenica. However, what it is important to note is that the mission in Syria is a Supervision Mission. Its mandate is extremely limited. The mission is to monitor the cessation of armed violence through up to 300 UNARMED military observers and an appropriate civilian component (SC Res 2043, 21 April 2012). As of 30 May, the mission has 297 unarmed military observers, 71 international civilian staff, and 14 local civilian staff. This is not a contingent with capabilities to stop armed military or militia assaults. While the mandate itself may be questioned or criticised for not being robust enough, the contingent as it exists, as it is resourced, and as it is tasked, should not be criticised for stopping armed attacks and assaults. Thus it is quite different to the situation in Srebrenica, where the mission had a much more robust mandate. Therefore, while it is still astounding that the Syrian government would engage in massacres with UN observers so close by, it is vital the media does not run with the tag line that the Supervision Mission personnel should have stopped the massacres.