WUNRN
Direct Link to Full 2-Page
Statement: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw57/generaldiscussion/observers/OIC.pdf
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Statement on Behalf of the OIC
General Secretariat - 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
11 March
2013 - Thank you Madame Chairperson for your expert guidance of the
fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The OIC General
Secretariat has been diligently keeping the issue of eliminating violence
against women and girls at the forefront of the OIC Agenda.
As soon as
he took office in 2005, OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has
prioritized the promotion of women's role and participation in every aspect of
society. He has spearheaded the Program of Action, which provided a roadmap to
facilitate and increase women's contribution to social, economic and political
development of their countries.
Toward this
end, OIC Secretary General convened the first ever Ministerial Conference on
Women in Istanbul in 2006, and since that time, the OIC has hosted conferences
on women every other year.
In 2008, the OIC adopted the
OIC Action Plan for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW), which comprises of a plan
to improve the situation of Women in all socio-economic, political and cultural
areas. The OPAAW also provides strategic vision and aims to be inclusive of the
gender perspective across all activities of the OIC.
Madame Chair, we are pleased to report that the OIC has established the Women's Development Organization in Cairo, Egypt, as a specialized institution of the OIC, and we are in the process of having its statute ratified by the member states.
Most recently at the Islamic
Summit held in Cairo this past February, a considerable group of OIC Member States signed
the OIC Statute of the Women's Development Organization. The OIC calls upon those OIC Member
States who have not yet signed and ratified the statute to do so as soon as possible
in order to operationalize WDO. Once the Women's Development Organization is
operational, it will be able to focus on such activities and campaigns as to
bring awareness to all issues particular to women, especially, how to combat
violence against women and girls. This organization is a major achievement of
the OIC, and has the potential to be a strong advocate for all women in the OIC
region.
Another
major step forward in the OIC's work to improve the status of women was the establishment of OIC's Independent
Permanent Commission of Human Rights in 2011. The eighteen-member Commission,
headed by a distinguished woman scholar from Indonesia, will be a formidable
organ to safeguard women's rights in the OIC member states. As part of an
orientation programme,
all 18 Commissioners have been visiting the human rights institutions in New
York and Geneva
in order to exchange views and seek collaboration. As the Commissioners
stressed during their visits, the women's rights will be at the forefront of
their agenda.
Madame
Chair, the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation believes that eliminating all violence against women and
girls
begins with eliminating all discrimination against women and girls. Women and
girls must be allowed to participate fully in economic, social and political
decision-making. Women and girls must also be able to access educational and
professional opportunities without fear. It is the duty and responsibility of
the governments to ensure that.
Yet, at this
time and age, the women in some countries are faced with such an archaic
cultural practice as the female genital mutilation. The FGM is still practiced
in some societies under the cloak of religious, cultural and tribal practices.
As the OIC Secretary General reiterated just last month here at the United
Nations, "We can no longer allow ignorance surrounding women's rights, and FGM to be perpetuated by
traditions and rituals disguised as religious teachings. This inhumane practice has
survived for over centuries, and must be stopped."
We are glad to report that there is a rising awareness across the Muslim world against this terribly hazardous practice that endangers the physical and psychological health of women and girls. It was concluded at the Second Islamic Conference of Ministers in charge of Childhood held in Khartoum in 2009 that FGM is a violation of human rights of girls and women. In this regard, the OIC welcomes the UN General Assembly resolution 67/146, entitled, Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations and General Assembly resolution 67/144, entitled, Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women, both of which were adopted without a vote.
Madame Chair, FGM is
unfortunately only one of many cultural practices that are disguised as part of
religious tradition.
Child marriage, violence against women as well as other negative acts
perpetuated are often
misidentified as being part of Islamic tradition, whereas they are part of the
local tradition and
we should raise awareness at the local level to de-link these practices from
religion. On this occasion, the OIC General Secretariat condemns in the
strongest terms the killing of the women polio workers. Similarly, the OIC
General Secretariat also condemned the assassination attempt on the young,
Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, who, even as a child, understands the
importance of women's education and just wanted to improve educational access
for women and girls.
One activity that we can all
take part in is to organize public awareness campaigns about the FGM, and other
issue-specific campaigns to ensure that all people receive information
regarding the negative impacts of violence against women. This can happen
through community gatherings, radio, television, social media, mass text
messaging, social media and other forms of media.
We must
continue to support and empower women and girls. We must do our utmost to
eliminate any impediments
between them and their goals. Whether they are interested in participating in science, engineering,
math and technology; creating, building and maintaining peace; participating in
economic or governmental decisions or becoming entrepreneurs; attending school
and university or
providing for their families; women and girls should have equal access to all opportunities without
any fear.
Thank you,
Madame Chair.