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 GENDER ISSUES BACKGROUND AND ORIGINS

The first World Conference on Women held in Mexico City, Mexico in 1975 was where women's Status in relation to men's were first brought to the attention of the world and subsequent world conferences on women, Copenhagen, Denmark in 1980, Nairobi, Kenya in 1985 and the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in 1995 recognised the pivotal roles of women in development despite economic, social and political discrimination against them. These global conferences identified critical areas of concern, which create impediments to women's advancement within the public and domestic spheres. The 4th world conference on women in Beijing in 1995 came up with the Beijing Platform of Action identifying 12 critical areas of actions required to be taken by governments'    NG0s, the private sector and international organisations that would safeguard and protect the human rights of women, provide for their unrestricted access to education, information, maternal health, farnily planning and reproductive health facilities, productive assets and increase their participation in political, economic and national decision-making processes.
 
In Malawi, the formulation of national development plans, frameworks, priorities and objectives is the responsibility of government, and as a result of the Beijing Platform for Action, the government of Malawi in March 1997 launched the Malawi National Platform for Action. The Malawi National Platform for Action identifies 4 priorities for the advancement of women in Malawi

  1. Poverty alleviation and economic empowerment
  2. The Girl Child
  3. Violence against women; and
  4. Peace
It also provides the framework for all activities that seek to promote equality and the advancement of women. The National Platform for Action is a declaration of the commitment of the Government of Malawi in addressing all forms of gender based disparities and improve the status of women towards achieving equality and equity between women and men in the 21 st century.
 
 
 
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