News and Events

New Report Shows Cultural Sensitivity Critical to Successful Development Strategies, Women's Equality

New York, Kathmandu, 12 November 2008


Development strategies that are sensitive to cultural values can reduce harmful practices against women and promote human rights, including gender equality and women's empowerment, affirms The State of World Population 2008 report from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights, launched 12 November 2008, reports that culture can play an integral part in success or failure of development projects in developing countries, and therefore must be integrated into development policy and programming.

Acknowledging the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the report focuses on the basic fact that the international human rights framework has universal validity. Human rights express values common to all cultures and protect groups as well as individuals. The report endorses culturally sensitive approaches - to develop and promote of human rights, in general, and women's rights, in particular. This is especially relevant to Nepal, where under the umbrella of human rights, traditional forms of discrimination based on gender, caste and ethnicity are being addressed in the process of building a 'New Nepal'. Despite many declarations and affirmations in support of women's rights, the report argues, gender inequality is widespread and deep-rooted in many cultures. Coercive power relations underlie practices such as child marriage-a leading cause of uterine prolapse and maternal death-and chaupadhi and dheuki.


The State of World Population cautions that cultural sensitivity and engagement do not mean acceptance of harmful traditional practices, or a free pass for human rights abuses - far from it. Understanding cultural realities can reveal the most effective ways to challenge these harmful cultural practices and strengthen beneficial ones

The UNFPA approach encourages change from within, says the report. The Fund works with governments and a variety of local organizations and individuals through a "culture lens". "There are people within every culture who oppose harmful cultural practices. Our experience shows that we can work closely with them for cultural change to protect human rights," said Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA. In Nepal, UNFPA has been deeply engaged with community based organisations, community leaders, women's groups and federations, faith-based leaders and government partners to influence strategies that promote human rights and put an end to harmful practices.

The report emphasises the importance of a culturally sensitive approach not only to development, but also to humanitarian response. It stresses that humanitarian assistance in conflicts or natural disasters must protect whatever progress women have made towards gender equality, including reproductive health and rights. Describing women as victims and men as aggressors ignores cultural realities and the variety of responsibilities that women take on in wartime and during complex emergencies as heads of household, breadwinners, caregivers and combatants.

Culturally sensitive approaches are essential for reaching the Millennium Development Goals, says the report, including Goal 5: to improve maternal health. "To be healthy throughout the life cycle - before pregnancy, during pregnancy and after pregnancy - is a human right," said Ms. Obaid.

Nepalese
The electronic version of the report is available at
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/

Summary of the Report in Nepalese

For more information contact Anna Adhikari, Communications Consultant, adhikari@unfpa.org, 5523880, ext 213 or 9841377061

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