Experts and officials to discuss women’s rights

Officials from women’s and justice ministries, law-makers, activists, and religious and community leaders will meet in Bangladesh on 30-31 October 2007 to discuss the rights of women in the context of legal reform, customary laws and the administration of justice.

Participants from Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore and Sri Lanka will attend the event, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Bangladesh Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs.

Dr Meena Shivdas, Gender Adviser at the Secretariat, believes that “despite laws against harmful customary practices such as female infanticide, honour killings and dowry deaths, women continue to be scarred, maimed and killed under the guise of culture. Women’s rights to land, property and housing are also severely curtailed.”

The meeting will cover themes such as women and marriage, property rights, law and customs and violence against women. It will also discuss cultural norms that disadvantage women and deny them rights. The meeting will facilitate discussions on barriers to women’s rights as well as violations against women and girls. Different stakeholders will be able to look at how the administration of laws and customs can be more sensitive and also help map gender sensitive and culturally appropriate strategies for successful law reform.

“Given the disadvantages faced by women because of entrenched gender biases and discrimination, this forum will facilitate discussions on how the judiciary, women’s rights advocates, traditional and religious leaders, and national women’s machineries can help secure women’s rights through law and customary practices,” Dr Shivdas explained.

“Customary practices that often run counter to the rule of law need to be reviewed given the commitments to national and international agreements on gender equality.”

This meeting will be a starting point to develop policy advocacy and other project-related work on women’s rights and the law. The Secretariat plans to compile a case law book on women’s rights, which will be a useful research tool for judiciary and legal practitioners.

Key Links:

• Gender Section