CC_India

RECOMMENDATIONS
PREAMBLE:
We emphasise that South Asia has a diverse and plural
society which needs to be celebrated and any imposition
of homogeneity will lead to more conflict. Deepening
inequalities, discrimination and lack of respect for dignity,
autonomy and people’s right to self-determination
has created instability and conflicts.
We recognise that globalisation and its accompanying
development paradigm have contributed to the marginalisation
of peoples, dispossessing them of their
lands and livelihood, displacing them from their homes
and increasing structural inequality.
People have been denied the right to determine their
national security imperative and the ways of achieving
justice, human rights and sustainable security, keeping
in view the vision of a peaceful and stable South Asia.
Denial and exclusion of women from democratic processes
and peace building has resulted in derogation of
democracy, inequality and injustice in the region.
We are resolved to open spaces for women’s participation
at every level and aspect of peace building. We
emphasise that women have an equal stake in building
peace and stability, in constructing dialogue and
discourses of peace. Women shall take the initiative to
politically transform peace processes to ensure equality
in all power relations especially the relations between
women and men.
Women are resolved to play a role in re-building post
war and post conflict societies where justice, equal
citizenship, non-discrimination become values to be
respected and observed.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Security for women needs to be of utmost priority
for the government actors whose duty it is to provide
security to their citizens. Women should be protected
from all physical, mental, economic, livelihood violations
encompassing all factors in the human security
definition but not exhaustive of that list. A zero tolerance
policy should be established for sexual violence.
Amend and implement existing state and national
laws, stopping impunity of state and non-state actors
including family members. Ensure rehabilitation,
access to justice and compensation for all violations.
2. Demilitarisation of civilian zones including schools
and health centres as well as military occupation of
public land. Gender and ethnic sensitivity training for
all armed actors and a stop to impunity.
3. Increase quality and access for women to public facilities
by investing and ensuring the maintenance of
schools, health centres etc in adequate proximity to all
those who need the services, particularly for vulnerable
groups such as (widows, female-headed households)
in remote areas and with no discrimination. Curb
‘middle man’ corruption and militarisation hindering
women’s access to facilities. Civil society should investigate
all forms of corruption through documentation,
publicity and advocacy towards stopping low and high
level state and non-state actor corruption extending
to businesses and multi-national corporations.
4. Support organisations working on women’s rights
such as those documenting violations, raising awareness,
providing legal aid, ensuring the access and
right of people to their natural resources and livelihoods
thereby ensuring their access to justice and
entitlements and responding to women’s demands
for training and knowledge. Encourage unity/reconciliation
by hosting women’s rights events across
ethnic, communal and religious faultlines thereby
building networks.
SITE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS:
ODISHA: THE ANTI POSCO MOVEMENT — VOICES
OF WOMEN FROM THE CENTRE STAGE
Recommendations for the state:
1. Ensure that every effort is made and possible action
is taken to revoke the ownership of landpattas ( entitlement
documents and ownership papers) of those
families who under duress signed off their land rights
for a meagre compensatory amounts.
2. Guarantee to set up a well equipped and well staffed
health and well being centre for the residents of the
affected villages, with special services for women’s
overall and reproductive health needs as well as for
other members of the community, especially children
as an immediate remedy. There are many women
with gynecological ailments and other ill health conditions
due to neglect and state atrocities. With a
number of criminal cases against women (and men)
and warrants against them in the police station,any
movement outside is prevented by the fear of arrest
UNEQUAL CITIZENS: Women’s Narratives of Resistance, Militarisation, Corruption and Security
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