Inter-American Commission of Women

1. Strategic Vision of the OAS Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) Hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender equality

2. Inter-American Commission of Women 1900s 2000s Establishment and strengthening of the legal framework for women's rights From talk to action: Implementation of the legal framework • Established in 1928: • Mission: Analysis of the status of women in the Americas • First intergovernmental body to promote women's rights • The only hemispheric political forum for women's rights and gender equality • 34 Principal Delegates, one for each OAS member state (Minister for the Advancement of Women or equivalent)

3. Bases for the Work of the CIM PURPOSE To support states seeking to harmonize international agreements on women's rights and gender equality with domestic legislation and effective public policy Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Inter-American Convention on Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará) Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women's Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality (PIA) Human rights Equality and nondiscrimination Strategic Plan of the CIM 2011-2016

4. Where we stand Progress: • Strong international and inter-American legal framework for women's human rights and gender equality • Ratified by all countries in the region, except for the USA (CEDAW/Belém do Pará) and Canada (Belém do Pará) • Replicated -- to varying extents --in most countries through constitutional amendments, laws, public policies, mechanisms etc. Challenges: • Recognition of rights still patchy with respect to: sexual and reproductive rights; the rights of informal sector workers; the rights of LGBTQI persons • Intersection of gender with other aspects of identity - socio-economic status, ethnicity, urban/rural residence, migration status, age, physical ability, sexual orientation • Deficient implementation of the legal framework and public policies, especially as regards access to justice 33 out of 34 countries guarantee gender equality in their constitutions 33 out of 34 countries have national equality plans 9 countries have comprehensive laws on violence against women Allocations to address violence range from .01% to 1% of national budgets

5. Strategic objectives of the CIM • Support OAS member states seeking to establish and implement international agreements (CEDAW, Belém do Pará, PIA) on women's rights and gender equality • Mainstream a gender equality and women's rights perspective in the work of the OAS - policies, programs, projects, meetings, and other activities - within the framework of the four thematic pillars: Promoting democracy Political citizenship of women for democracy Defending human rights Women's human rights and gender violence Guaranteeing a multidimensional approach to security Citizen security from a gender perspective Fostering integral development and prosperity Citizenship and economic security for women

6. Programs and subprograms 1. Political citizenship of women for democracy Current state of affairs Message: Women are key to the strengthening of democracy • Ongoing obstacles: • Political party regulations and culture • Less access to financing and media coverage • Limited educational and training opportunities • Failure to implement quota and parity laws • Discriminatory media coverage • Reconciliation of political careers and family life • Subprograms: Women cabinet members: 29% Women in legislatures: 22.6% Women party members: 46.5% (leaders: 19%) Women in high-level positions in the judiciary: 19% Work with women parliamentarians on a legislative agenda for women's rights and gender equality Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective Women councilors: 21% Raising political parties' awareness of gender inequalities and women's rights and political representation Mayoresses: 10.5% Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws

7. Principal outcomes • 2 Hemispheric Forums on women's rights in democratic systems (April 2011 and July 2012) • 2 surveys of female members of Parliament in the Americas (July 2012 and October 2013) • Publication of three studies: • Women's citizenship in the democracies of the Americas • The struggle for parity: democratizing the political system in Latin America (experiences in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Costa Rica) • The democracy of citizenship: Visions and debates surrounding the rights of women in the Americas (2012) • Survey of presidential candidates in the Dominican Republic (2012) • Meeting to support amendments to the Political Parties law in Guatemala (adoption of gender parity, 2013) http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp

8. Programs and subprograms 2. Women's human rights and gender violence Current state of affairs Message: With gender violence, there are no HRs. • Ongoing obstacles: • There are no good data (incidence, nature, and so on) • Violence against women continues to be regarded as a private matter • Many still believe that violence is justified • The reports deal only with government activities -- We don't know whether there is less violence or better access to justice (results versus impact) • Subprograms: Proportion of women victims of violence; 1/3 Proportion of women victims of sexual violence: 1/4 Proportion of domestic violence cases reported to the police: 2/5 Mechanism to Follow up on Implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (MESECVI ) Women and girl victims of trafficking per year: 1,000,000 Judicial system awareness of women's rights (best practices / training) Violence is one of the leading causes of death among women aged 15 to 49 Indicators for monitoring the right to a life free from violence Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights

9. Principal outcomes • 2 Hemispheric Reports on implementation of the Convention of Belém do Pará (2008 and 2012) • 56 national reports • 1 Follow-up report to the recommendations of the Committee of Experts (2010) • Adoption of a system of indicators for exercise of the right to a life free from violence • Systematization and dissemination of best practices in gender justice • Orientation / training manual on the Convention of Belém do Pará • Best practices in gender justice • Human rights of women living with HIV http://www.oas.org/en/cim/democracy.asp

10. Programs and subprograms 3. Citizen security from a gender perspective Current state of affairs Message: The definition of security must address VaW • Ongoing obstacles: • Lack of dialogue between security and human rights spokespersons • Security is not the same as a reduction in violent crime. • Failure to disclose violence against women as a public security issue • The absence of women at all levels in the security sector • Subprograms: In most countries, women make up < 10% of the police force They account for < 1% of police chiefs They hold only 19% of high-level positions in the justice system The hemispheric security agenda from a rights and gender equality perspective In Canada and the USA, women account for <20% of Armed Forces personnel Women's participation in the illicit drug problem The participation of women at all levels of the security sector 60-80% of women in prison are there on drug-related offenses Ability of women's groups to engage in dialogue with and monitor the security sector from a rights and gender equality perspective

11. Principal outcomes • Roundtable on policies regarding women and drugs in the Americas • Preparation of a diagnostic assessment is under way • Compilation of information/data and States' experiences • Establishment of cooperative ties with CICAD and think tanks • Inclusion of the topic addressed in the Declaration of Antigua http://www.oas.org/en/cim/security.asp

12. Programs and subprograms 4. Citizenship and economic security for women Current state of affairs Message: Greater gender equality = stronger economies • Ongoing obstacles: • The work done by women generates less income, security, benefits and opportunities for promotion • Women entrepreneurs have less access to financial services, credit, and other services needed to expand their business • Social reproduction is not considered a State responsibility • Women's unpaid -- domestic and care-giver -- work is not recognized as a contribution to the economy and growth • Subprograms: Women in the workforce: 40% In part- time, temporary and/or unpaid work: 66% Poor female workers: 60% Female unemployment: 10.1% (men: 6.7%) Unpaid work by women accounts for 30-50% of GDP Gender mainstreaming in Labor Ministries ("Decent Work" agenda) MSMSE policies that are gender-sensitive and foster female entrepreneurship Women earn $0.77 for every dollar earned by men Policies to support and protect women in the informal economy

13. Principal outcomes • Permanent support for the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor • First Inter-Ministerial Conference • Publication of two studies: • The Advancement of Gender Equality in the Context of Decent Work • Gender Mainstreaming in the Ministries of Labor of the Americas: Monitoring of strategic planning with a gender perspective workshops • Support for the gender audits process in Ministries of labor http://www.oas.org/en/cim/development.asp

14. Programs and subprograms 5. Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OAS Current state of affairs Message: The OAS has to be accountable to the women of the Americas • Ongoing obstacles: • Despite the CIM's efforts, progress on gender equality is uneven and still relies heavily on the good will of personnel • Lack of attention to such issues as accountability, reporting, and consistent monitoring and evaluation • Confusion regarding the purpose of gender mainstreaming - who is responsible for doing it and how... • Subprograms: 41.5% of OAS departments and entities have gender mandates 48.8% have the projects promoting gender equality 56.1% have the technical ability to promote gender issues Institutional policy with respect to gender equality Mechanism for tracking, monitoring and supporting implementation of the policy Gender and women's rights in the principal OAS forums Strengthen the ability of OAS personnel to effectively mainstream a rights and gender equality perspective in their work

15. Principal outcomes • On-line course "A Rights and Gender Equality Perspective in Policies, Programs, and Projects" (50 OAS staff members already trained, 30 more inscribed) • Permanent support to the PEC and its Working Group • Support to the Permanent Council, its Committees and Working Groups: • Committee on Migration Issues • Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs • Working Groups to prepare declarations and other agreements • Specific support for specific projects: • Electoral observations with a gender perspective • Diagnostic assessment of migration information systems • Training police to deal with violence against women • Hemispheric seminar on public policies and the presence of women in the port sector in the Americas http://www.oas.org/en/cim/gender.asp

16. Human resource distribution

17. Distribution of resources (2013)

18. Distribution of resources (2013)

19. Outlook for 2014: Prioritization proposals Prioritization of work based on the CIM's comparative advantages • Human rights and gender violence • MESECVI • Gender justice / women's access to justice • Indicators for monitoring the exercise of women's rights • Political citizenship of women for democracy • Women's leadership in public policies from a gender perspective • Training of electoral bodies in women's rights and quota laws • Fifth Latin American Democracy Forum • Gender mainstreaming in the work of the OAS • Institutional policy with respect to gender • Coordination with the PEC and its Working Group • Specific support for other OAS departments / entities (projects, meetings, etc.)