19.05.2011
Council of
On 11 May
The Convention is a response to a phenomenon that is a flagrant and sensitive problem in many countries, even if not always recognized as such. The European Court of Human Rights has in several of its judgments found violence against women being a human rights violence and demanded that the States Parties shall not only have adequate legislation in place, but that the legislation has to be effectively implemented as well by all civil servants and authorities.
The Convention was finalized after very tough negotiations and an extensive explanatory report has been appended to it. The Convention consists of 81 articles that cover not only physical and sexual violence, but also issues like forced marriages, female genital mutilation, forced abortions and sexual harassment. Victims shall have access to information and support services and in certain circumstances proceedings may continue even if the victim withdraws her/his statement or complaint. Parties shall also promote awareness-raising, education and training of professionals dealing with VAW and domestic violence.
The Convention will enter internationally into force when 10 States, eight of which Council of Europe member states, have ratified it. After that, even non-Council of
Our German Zonta sister Karin Nordmeyer represents ZI in the INGO Conference of the Council of Europe. In this competence, Karin actively participated in the preparation phase of the Convention. Now that the Convention has been opened for signature and ratification by states, it is in the interest of women’s organizations - like us Zontians - to use our power and persuasion to see that our Governments make the necessary decisions to become parties in this important Convention! There are 47 member States in the Council of Europe and all of us should become attached to the principles and obligations expressed in the Convention!
For the text of the Convention: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/210.htm
Irma Ertman
ZC Helsinki II
The Convention was signed by Ambassador irma Ertman on behalf of the Finnish Government.
Mrs Ertman is a zontian of Zonta club Helsinki II in District 20.
02.04.2011
The Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995, ended in agreement on the action to be taken in order to curtail gender inequality and improve equality in the home, at work and in society.
In Finland, the first Government report to Parliament was given in Autumn 2010 on the equality of women and men and on the plans for advancing gender equality by the year 2020.
The Estonian government, on the other hand, has not prepared such a report, nor does the Estonian Government Programme include any clear principles of the advancement of equality.
The members of Zonta International District 20 wish to emphasize that we all have a long way to go to achieve absolute equality in our respective societies and to ensure that each citizen should have equal opportunities to master her or his own life.
In December 2010, the Finnish Government submitted a government proposal to Parliament pertaining to an Act on Protecting Children Against Sexual Exploitation, in order to enforce the legislative regulations issued in the General Agreement of the Council of Europe. Nonetheless, the inviolability of women and children is still not guaranteed sufficiently by the authorities: Finnish women are the 11th on the list of the 27 EU Member Countries, running the risk of being submitted to serious violence in an intimate relationship, and, in Estonia, the situation is even more serious. The worst off are immigrant women whose cases the authorities seem to be unable to deal with appropriately.
Zonta International District 20 therefore proposes that, in future Government Programmes of Finland and Estonia, the ministries concerned have explicit objects recorded of the advancement of overall human rights irrespective of ethnic background. Implementation of these objects should also be monitored continuously.
Furthermore, Zonta International District 20 wishes to point out that Zonta International has a consultative status in the United Nations and hopes that this status will be observed whenever the Governments of Finland and Estonia are arranging specialist hearings or meet their interest groups.
20.3.2011
30 talented teenagers from 22 countries selected for the 2011 Millenium youth camp
in Helsinki 2011
20.3.2011
Women and Gender Equality in Finnish Development Cooperation
