[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 31 (Monday, February 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WHO ANSWERS TO WOMEN? GENDER AND ACCOUNTABILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 23, 2009

  Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to submit into the Record, an 
article expressing why it is important for governments throughout the 
world to stay committed to achieving gender equality. The article, 
published by the UN News Service, cites critical information from a 
newly released report from the United Nations Development Fund for 
Women (UNIFEM).
  The report, entitled ``Who Answers to Women? Gender and 
Accountability,'' alarmed us about the enormous gaps between men and 
women when it comes to responsibility in official segments of society. 
Ms. Hanny Cueva-Beteta, Data and Statistics Specialist with the UNIFEM, 
stated that women's priorities are non-existent when it comes to 
conflict resolutions and war crimes committed against them are often 
not prosecuted.
  The article poignantly points out that women are outnumbered 4 to 1 
in legislatures around the world; almost \2/3\ of all unpaid family 
workers are women; and approximately \1/3\ of all women suffer gender-
based violence during their lives.
  Madam Speaker, I want to commend the UNIFEM for their exceptional and 
vital research and I urge my colleagues to support efforts to alleviate 
gender disparities throughout the world.

 Accountability Key To Meeting National Gender Equality Goals, Says UN 
                                 Report

       20 February 2009--Strengthening accountability for 
     commitments made by governments will be vital to achieving 
     gender equality and women's rights, according to a new report 
     released today by the United Nations Development Fund for 
     Women (UNIFEM).
       ``The actions of those in power need to be reviewed and 
     made accountable to women,'' Hanny Cueva-Beteta, Data and 
     Statistics Specialist with UNIFEM, stressed today at the 
     launch in Monrovia, Liberia, of the agency's flagship 
     publication, Progress of the World's Women 2008/2009.
       The report, entitled ``Who Answers to Women? Gender and 
     Accountability,'' pointed to vast gaps in accountability 
     between men and women, which lead to weakened participation 
     of women in the formal sector, according to a news release 
     issued by UNIFEM.
       Ms. Cueva-Beteta said that in areas such as conflict 
     mediation, women's priorities are silenced and war crimes 
     committed against them are often not prosecuted.
       In both national governments and multilateral 
     organizations, accountability systems need to be changed and 
     oriented to answer to women, if commitments to gender 
     equality are to move from rhetoric to results, she stated.
       ``It is time to move from lip-service to real results,'' 
     she said, adding that commitments made by governments should 
     be accompanied by funding and planning.
       There is still a long way to go in that regard, she noted, 
     given that women are outnumbered 4 to 1 in legislatures 
     around the world; over 60 per cent of all unpaid family 
     workers globally are women; and about one-third of women 
     suffer gender-based violence during their lives.
       Also speaking at the launch, Liberia's President, Ellen 
     Johnson-Sirleaf, highlighted some of achievements made in her 
     country towards women's empowerment. They include the 
     establishment of a special ``Criminal Court E,'' dedicated to 
     gender-based violence crimes with an emphasis on rape, and an 
     empowerment programme, funded by the Nike Foundation, for 
     1,500 adolescent girls.
       There is also the Sirleaf Market Women's Fund, which the 
     President set up to support girls' education and improving 
     markets for women.
       Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf thanked UNIFEM for its efforts in 
     getting countries to make greater commitments towards the 
     empowerment of women and implored those at the launch to 
     ``join hands at all levels and work together for the 
     enhancement of women as a means of acting towards the 
     development of society as a whole.''

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