Empowering Grassroots Women Discriminated on Work and Descent: Advancing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)

Background and Rationale : Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD) encompass diverse groups worldwide who face systemic marginalization due to inherited social status, often tied to stigmatized ancestral occupations. These groups include the Roma in Europe, Dalits in South Asia, Burakumin in Far East Asia, Osu, Mboros, and Haratins in Africa, Quilombola in Brazil, and Palenque in Colombia, among others. Collectively, they represent over 270 million people globally, suffering from exclusion, poverty, violence, and restricted access to fundamental rights and services. Women within these communities experience intersecting forms of discrimination, exacerbating their vulnerabilities and hindering their participation in social, economic, and political spheres.

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) provides a comprehensive framework to advance gender equality and empower all women. However, the aspirations of this landmark document remain unrealized for grassroots women from CDWD. Addressing their unique challenges is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fulfilling the Beijing Declaration’s vision.

Objectives:

• Highlight the lived experiences of grassroots women from CDWD and the specific barriers they face.
• Showcase successful initiatives and strategies for empowering these women, particularly through local leadership, advocacy, and grassroots mobilization.
• Advocate for strengthened international and domestic policies aligned with the Beijing Declaration to address the intersecting inequalities faced by CDWD women.
• Foster dialogue among stakeholders, including grassroots leaders, civil society, policymakers, and international organizations, to develop actionable recommendations.

This event aims to spotlight the issue of diversity and inclusion of the rights of CDWD women, focusing on Haratine women (Association des Haratine de Mauritanie en Europe), Roma women (ERGO Network), Quiloambola  (CONAQ), Osu women (IFETACSIOS, Nigeria), Palenque and Dalit women (Asia Dalit Rights Forum) across the world. This event ensures that their lived experiences are highlighted at the international level, creating pathways for more inclusive and responsive global frameworks.

The key innovative element of this event is that it provides a platform, a space for women discriminated against on work and descent that they have been so far deprived of. Bringing their voices in the UN space not only allows for their unique challenges to be acknowledged, but also actively involves them in shaping policies that affect their lives.

Expected Outcomes

• Increased awareness of the unique challenges faced by grassroots women from CDWD and the importance of their inclusion in global gender equality initiatives.
• Enhanced understanding of the Beijing Declaration’s relevance to CDWD women and its implementation gaps.
• Practical recommendations for stakeholders to strengthen policies, programs, and advocacy efforts for CDWD women.
• Strengthened networks among grassroots leaders, civil society, and policymakers to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
• Acceleration of efforts to include CDWD women in the global gender equality agenda. The event will highlight the gaps in current policies and advocate for more inclusive approaches that prioritize the women from CDWD.
• Strengthened partnerships and collaboration among international organizations, governments, and civil society stakeholders to work together on CDWD women.
• Greater awareness and visibility of the unique challenges faced by CDWD women, particularly Quilombola, Palenque, Roma, Dalit, Hartine, Osu and other  CDWD women in Africa.
• Formulation of concrete policy recommendations for national governments, regional and international organizations, and other stakeholders.

Please click here to register 

Date and time: 13 March 2025 12:30 New York time

For proposed Agenda, click here

Focal points: Torotcoi Simona, Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (Lead Organizer)

Email: simona@globalforumcdwd.org