Equality in Economic
Rights
As a result
of the rapid liberalization of domestic economies in
the area of trade and investment, issues of gender equality
and discrimination against women in the realm of the
economy have become highlighted in this period. Concerns
related to women's equal right to work, property and
social security (see Article 11: Work and Employment)-
that were not pervasive at the time that the CEDAW was
formulated - are taking on new dimensions and creating
serious economic insecurity for a large number of women
and men.
For instance, various economic studies show that newly
introduced macroeconomic policies in trade intensification
and monetary and finance policies, including taxation
and budgetary allocation, are eroding traditional livelihoods,
leading to the casualization and flexibilization of
work, and reducing government avocation for basic social
services, such as, health and education. These have
particularly affected rural women for whom CEDAW carries
a special focus (see Article 14: Rural Women).
Drawing from the CEDAW
Committee's Gen. Recommendation No. 25, central to government
efforts to eliminate discrimination against women in
the economic sphere are the following:
(1) protect women from and prohibit direct and indirect
discrimination, within the public and private sectors,
in law, policy and practice, and provide remedies and
sanctions;
(2) take all appropriate
measures to improve the de facto position of women to
enable them to realize the rights through laws, policies,
and programs, and
(3) modify negative
cultural or customary stereotypes and practices that
hamper their exercise of said rights.
|
