Since Beijing, my commitment to women's rights has been consolidated and broadened, and has gone beyond the borders of Mali due to strong interactions with women's associations and women lawyers at both regional and international levels. This has been done through work with ECOWAS and the United Nations, during colloquiums, conferences and mid-term workshops on various themes. Over the years, we have been able to organise numerous meetings to inform and orient women.
Mali is unique in that the preamble to its constitution contains a commitment to defend the rights of women and children. In view of the climate of instability that has prevailed for several years, there is a feeling that all battles must be fought again. This doubt becomes certain when some of the youth turn away from the essentials and fail to identify their real struggles because of the lack of an enabling environment for quality education and training.
soyata maiga
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We have also influenced the fundamental texts that were being drafted to include strong commitments to the needs and concerns of women in Mali. For example, the preamble to the 1992 Constitution of Mali, which is still in force, states that "the sovereign people of Mali are determined to defend the rights of women and children...".
In Mali and from Bamako, several sustainable agreements with technical and financial partners, embassies and cooperation agencies were set up around the issues and challenges faced by Malian women, where I was very involved, as an actress, activist and even consultant on national and even regional projects covering the ECOWAS and WAEMU countries. All issues related to women's rights were addressed, discussed and most often in workshops and seminars with state and civil society actors. The themes revolved around the situation of women in prison, reproductive health, legal assistance for poor women, discrimination in the marriage code, the code of kinship, etc.
The Beijing meeting came at the right time as it was the most emblematic of the last 25 years. It highlighted the global context and environment by helping to raise the consciousness of world leaders and peoples. It highlighted the urgency of achieving gender equality through gender mainstreaming in all aspects of life. I remember the great cultural and linguistic diversity and the extraordinary mix of women from the five continents. It was a communion of spirit and a real feeling that women were carrying the world and that they were in a better position to lead it. One of the highlights was the physical presence of Mrs Hillary
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Clinton. The words "women's rights are human rights" continue to resonate in our minds. The imperishable memory was the adoption by consensus, by the 189 Heads of State and Government, members of the United Nations, of the Beijing Declaration and Platform. In addition to our constitution, Mali has ratified all the regional and international legal instruments for the promotion and protection of women's rights.
However, endogenous factors linked to poor governance, political instability, inter-community conflicts, internal political crises and terrorism have handicapped several initiatives and prevented women from realising their potential. Insecurity in 2/3 of the country has led to internal displacement. Women and girls make up the largest group of these displaced people. They have found themselves in a new cycle of violence of all kinds. Schools have been largely closed, as have health centres. Courts and police and gendarmerie stations were ransacked. Programmes for poor women, fistula patients, women living with HIV have been suspended.
In Mali, we are experiencing serious violations of human rights, particularly women's rights. In times of peace, the issue of violence and discrimination was quite worrying for a country that has no legislation on female genital mutilation. Despite the high prevalence of the practice and paradoxically the family code still contains provisions inspired by Islamic practice and custom that relegate women to a place always inferior to that of men. These trends will be exacerbated and spread over several generations, with serious consequences. These will be fuelled by the planned de-schooling of thousands of girls, and the closure of modern schools in favour of the Koranic schools that have been flourishing in northern and central Mali since 2012.
On the other hand, there are young women, educated and urban, who are following the regional and international movement on the theme of gender equality. Several active platforms are supported by UN Women and other partners for the upgrading and presence on the political, cultural and civic scene of young girls and boys to avoid compartmentalisation. There is also their organisation within the National Youth Council and other structures at local level to relay information and civic actions, engagement to discuss programmes and trends. The intergenerational link is woven and articulated according to the fields of activity.
The contribution of NICTs is also significant, with social networks and local radio stations also being used, although not always to good effect. But there are interesting and emerging educational programmes on gender issues that need to be supported and better structured with young people to develop the same language and to understand the concepts of gender, violence and discrimination. The
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The place of national languages is essential and fundamental to guarantee a mastery of the discussions and alternative solutions in this field.
However, it is necessary to include the debate on gender equality in school and university curricula. It must be carried by both girls and boys. Efforts must be made because disparities exist between the capital and the regions. In this respect, young people must be upright, educated, innovative, aware, patriotic and attached to our civilisation values. However, we can see today that the youth, in the absence of being able to seize decent and immediate employment opportunities, are developing non-productive tendencies. Some get involved in the political field to support rich politicians.
The next step in the fight is also legal. The reform of family laws must continue through the adoption of laws on female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, inheritance, etc. It is also our country's responsibility to report on the level of implementation of its obligations arising from regional and international instruments that have been regularly ratified before the bodies. Basically, the country, through its institutions, must take ownership of the recommendations and observations of the treaties signed. These will need to be implemented in good faith by all stakeholders to avoid the same findings and the redundancy of the same challenges at each assessment.
By 2050, we aspire to a better world, free of discrimination, war, ethnic conflict and disease. A world in which respect and human values are promoted and respected by all. Several initiatives are beginning to take place, despite the context of the consequences of Covid. There have been evaluations of Beijing, which have been conducted at all levels. The results showed the shortcomings and loss of opportunities and poverty in the lives of women. Recommendations were made to governments, UN agencies and continental and regional institutions for more attention to women's needs, with indicators, deadlines, and pledges for more resources and action in their favour.
The Generation Equality Forum, which took place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July, will broaden discussions on the present and future challenges and opportunities for the younger generations to build a future of peace, democracy and development. The future of women in Mali is completely linked to all these transformations and their positive effects.
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Me Soyata MAÏGA
Lawyer at the Malian Bar
Outgoing President of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights ACHPR from 2017 to 2020
