Maeve Hammond

Exploring Global Perspectives

Aurlie Roy
3 July 2014
United Nations & Indigenous Persons Policy:
Gender Equality in African Countries











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Introduction: The United Nations and Gender Perspective in African Countries
The United Nations (UN) has recognized the denial of equal, fundamental, and specific
rights for African indigenous women because of the "gradual loss of collective ownership of
lands and other natural resources and the introduction by dominant outsiders of institutions of
private property" (BN No. 2). Due to economic globalization, indigenous African women are
faced with reduced financial opportunities and independence. This is of great concern: although
indigenous gender equality prevails in some indigenous communitiesfor example, in India,
Thailand, and Cambodia where women enjoy a high social position and their status is not low in
comparison their male counterparts (BN No. 1)this is not the case for many African tribes.
The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Secretariat of
the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues subcommittee recommends solutions to resolve
issues facing indigenous women, including education, socio-economic development and
autonomy, healthcare, and violence. Gender perspectiveor applying the mindsets of both
gender equally to culture and societyhas been adopted to give women a stronger, more equal
voice in their communities and prompt greater change (BN No. 1). African indigenous gender
equality laws and policies are documented by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Education for Indigenous Girls

Female indigenous children are usually not registered at birth, thus denying them access
to standard and public education (BN No. 1). African indigenous girls are seen as domestic
workers, caretakers, and mothers only (BN No. 3), with any profit they generate only provided
to their husbands; for example, among Kenyas Maasai community, indigenous girls occupy a
transitional position between their parents family and that of their husbands (ILO, 2009). In
the Great Lake Region of Africa, Batwa girls face verbal abuse [and] sexual harassment by
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male teachers and pupils at school, (BN No. 3). To address this injustice, Goal 3 of the
Millennium Development Goals Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women was
adopted by Namibia to end gender disparity in education (ILO, 2009). This goal will push for
public schooling that would teach basic education, while still retaining indigenous culture,
ancestry, and language. Furthermore, feminists and volunteers travel to African countries to
educate indigenous women of their political, reproductive, and social rights (BN No. 2).

Socio-Economic Development and Autonomy of Indigenous Women

Gender perspective allows women to be independent, powerful, and influential in their
communities. At global levels, one female indigenous woman represents Africa at the UN
Working Group on Indigenous Populations each year (BN No. 1). Additionally, the UN is
assisting in domestic policy recognizing the productive input of non-market domestic and
caregiver's work by women (BN No. 2) to decrease the wage gap and ensure financial security.
This action follows the successful passage of the Land Reform Act No. 5 of 2002 grants women
equal opportunity to apply for communal land (ILO, 2009). Also, Section 3 of the Recognition
of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 mandates women consent to be married past age
eighteen, in order to decrease child bride cases and allow for marriage autonomy (ILO, 2009).

Health Care

According to the ILO, maternal mortality rate among indigenous women is very high in
all countries in [Africa] (ILO, 2009), especially for Pygmy women. Therefore, the Egyptian
Ministry of Health has established programs to give accessible medicine, treatments, and
information regarding prenatal care and reproductive rights to indigenous African women (ILO,
2009); this ensures a safer, healthier community for mothers and posterity without abandoning
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culture. Traditional healing and medicinal techniques are used in addition to modern medicine by
skilled birthing attendants. Article 12 of CEDAW mandates that State parties to take all
appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women, access to health care services,
including those related to family planning (ILO, 2009).

Violence Against Indigenous African Women
African indigenous women are subject to domestic violence, polygamy, genital
mutilation, sex trafficking, and child marriage (BN No. 2). The UN Working Group on
Indigenous Populations and UNPFII examine cases of violence against indigenous women.
Many countries, like Botswana, Kenya, and Nigeria, do not have domestic laws forbidding
violence against women (ILO, 2009). However, there is progress: the South African Equality
Courts under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000
enhance legal access to victims of gender discrimination and violence (ILO, 2009).

Recommendations

A few recommendations could be considered to further the progress of gender equality in
indigenous communities. 1) The UN should coordinate government-funded transportation for
indigenous communities; often, women are unable to attend school or work because of a lack of
accessible, reliable transportation. 2) A universal law should be considered to accurately reflect
the percent of indigenous people of a population as a percentage in government representation
this would prompt more indigenous women to be in positions of office and politics. 3) The rights
of indigenous women should be brought to attention in non-indigenous locations of the world. If
the general public is aware of this severe inequality, more organizations and charities would be
joined to fight for African indigenous womens equal rights globally.
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Literature Cited
Gender and Indigenous Peoples: Overview. Brief Note No. 1. 2014. United Nations
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Secretariat
of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Received 28 June 2014 from
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi
genous%20Women.pdf

Gender and Indigenous Peoples Economic and Social Development. Brief Note No. 2.
2014. United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of
Women and the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Received 28 June 2014 from
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi
genous%20Women.pdf

Gender and Indigenous Peoples Education. Brief Note No. 3. 2014. United Nations
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and the Secretariat
of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Received 28 June 2014 from
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/Briefing%20Notes%20Gender%20and%20Indi
genous%20Women.pdf

Overview Report of the Research Project by the International Labour Organization and
the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on the constitutional and legislative
protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in 24 African countries. 2014. International
Labour Organization. Received 1 June 2014 from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---
ed_norm/---normes/documents/publication/wcms_115929.pdf