WSSD: WOMEN’S TENT DEMANDS ACTION

WSSD: WOMEN’S TENT DEMANDS ACTION

Patrick Burnett, Fahamu

JOHANNESBURG - A special gathering of women held as part of the World Summit on Sustainable Development has called for a United Nations Convention on Corporate Accountability to monitor, address and sanction violations by corporations.
The final declaration of the Women’s Action Tent, held between 26 and 30 August, demanded that UN conference outcomes should not be compromised in the process of building greater coherence with international finance and trade institutions.
International trade and investment agreements should be transparent, and their mechanisms conducive to accountable and democratic participation.
A sustainable, gender-sensitive, and environmentally sound development framework that addressed the needs of the people and the planet should replace the neo-liberal global economy, the document said.
Noting that women made up a majority of the world population, the document said women did not cause wars, but were the major victims of conflict. To solve this problem, adherence to treaties on arms control and human rights law needed to be enforced.
Security Council Resolution 1325 guaranteeing women’s equal participation in conflict resolution should be implemented and non-violent forms of conflict resolution fostered.
The demands also called for environmental security and health for women and commitments to include women in governance institutions. “All governments and national and international agencies must promote gender mainstreaming and ensure gender balance in decision-making…in all environment and sustainable development related policies and programmes.”
Education was another key area: Full literacy should be the target for rural and urban women and gender sensitive education for sustainability should be promoted. - ENDS