Why Gender Mainstreaming?
Before discussing the conference itself, it is important to outline the unique challenges and needs of females in mine action. While the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women celebrated its 30th anniversary, gender issues continue to present obstacles in mine action. Frequently, there is a dissonance between a country’s legal framework and the enforcement of its laws. A country may have a law stating that discrimination based on sex is illegal, but enforcement of such a policy is rarely imposed. Gender issues continue to present obstacles in mine action. A country may have a law stating that discrimination based on sex is illegal, but enforcement of such a policy is rarely imposed. To address these issues, the Gender National Action Plan aims to assert CEDAW and other new policies. UNMAS has discovered that balancing the staff of mine-action programs along gender lines ultimately makes projects more successful. UNMAS found that all participants in a
