Gender Equality is a right and a strong principle of Human Rights. Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that ‘All people are entitled to rights without distinction based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, opinion, origin, property, birth or residency’, and the significance of this article is overwhelmingly profound as it provides a legitimate stake for all persons to claim equality in every home, community, society, country and region. It is a inalienable right that provides for millions of disadvantaged persons in our society that include Women, Children, Youth, Communists, French Speakers, Muslims and Indo Fijians to be specific. But its provisions leading to gender come out from follow up covenants and conventions that propose sexual orientation and gender, these are found in Article 2 of the International Covenants on Civil and Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as in article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the language of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. There is a suggestion that sex and gender are two distinct definitions in principle and this is where we always miss the point. Sex is simple, its man and female and to be more dictionary and reference friendly the World Health Organization (WHO) define sex as referring to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. Now gender as defined by the WHO makes reference to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. So women are described as feminine and man with all their behavior traits are termed masculine.
Now the tragedy in many of our societies is that many of our leaders and gatekeepers are inclined to supporting the rights of women but not the rights of other GENDERS and violations that relate to gender. Gender is an interesting field, and includes so many marginalized categories the girl child, homosexuals, bisexuals, transvestites, and even youth are gender focused social makes of our societies today and are sad to say very marginalized and in traditional Fiji silenced and guised under taboo and rejection. Feminine things like house hold chores and masculine things like carpentry are real reasons why gender roles and perspectives are always challenged. Now many traditional and conventional persons are coming to terms with men who can carry out feminine responsibilities and who identify more with femininity and the vice versa for women and masculinity. This is a historic accumulation of our cultures that have led us to believe that men are supposed to be a certain beast and do certain things and women have their own. We will revisit this later on in this article.
On the 18th December 2008, 66 nations compiled and agreement in a statement at the United Nations that they honor human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity. This is the single most profound statement ever to be read out at the UN General Assembly for Feminists and Human Rights Activists, that was supported by Syria and even many former Yugoslav states that needed to admit that they had to adhere to these terms. Fiji of course did not join in on this statement but I am sure by principle our nation does ascribe.
In June 3 2008 the General Assembly of the Organization of American States during its 38th session adopted the Resolution 2435 (XXXVIII-O/08) on “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity” which gave far wide commitments to the respect of all persons and the provisions of awareness and sensitization on these big three principles. Gender Identity has become much talked about these days and in Fiji is in the phase of been challenged by its historic and traditional grasps.
Youths of today are more inclined to support many perspectives that fall under Gender Rights, Sexual Orientation and Human Rights. They learn in their schools the principles of Human Rights and pick up along the way some knowledge of Citizen and Gender Rights. This is challenged of course by their peers and elders who need control over their dependant children and exercise at time abusive responsibilities to silence these rights. So we can also assume that many of our youths are confused as to where they can exercise their rights or whether as young people they have rights. Well, lets just answer this disturbing question, yes! Youths have rights and yes, they must be allowed to exercise these rights. I argue a lot with many co-facilitators when we go into communities in the hope of enlightening many young people of their responsibilities and God Given right to be an active citizen that we can give them the multicoloured coat, but can they wear that coat in their homes or communities. What I really mean by this metaphor is if we empower a young person in the interior of Fiji to the extent where they know their sexual orientation is inclined to the same sex (homosexuality) than will they be accepted in that community? Will they be pushed out? Will they be silenced? When people see this in the community, will the negative act silence them also? Are we really helping them than or creating more trouble? I guess these are painful realities that plague activist’s and advocates.
Lets look at the Gender war we have in Fiji today. Man are supposed to do certain chores and not cry or have women role models. Women are supposed to shy away from leaving the house and not performing household chores. There are suggestions every now and than that are heard in every home that this is mans job and that is a women’s job. However, is it really? Are there really such things as a mans job and women’s job?
Over time man have been led to believe in this great lie, that they are more powerful and must hold dominion over the other sex. If you don’t believe this, than ask yourself why in families around Fiji, the man do work during certain hour of the day and women work from dusk till dawn. Why is it that many men in Fiji sit down for a Sunday lunch that a woman prepared than they stand up and go knock out under a mango tree while women are washing their dishes and preparing Dinner? Why is that a man who has an office job, goes to work comes home and has his meal and goes to sleep or shoots off to a friends home for day light session of kava drinking, while a worker mother comes home , cooks, looks after the kids and plans out the next days meals and activities?
These are unfair realities that will one day be accepted by all people as adverse injustices. And now while we have people struggling with women’s rights we throw in Gender Rights and many of our ‘oldies’ feel youth have gone berserk. The problem the UN and many feminists have been attacking and trying to change for many generations now has been Laws and National Policies, there have been inroads into ‘changing mindsets’ in our communities here in Fiji but really especially for Fiji youth, the problem is man. You have to tackle man and their perceived ideas of masculinity. Once again, who says man cant cry, bake and draw bright flowers. Who says that to be a man you have to drink grog, smoke, have sex with as many girls as you can and cut your hair a certain way. A look at our society today and you see man who are not gay walking our streets in pink t-shirts, feminine looking jeans, earrings, baking scones for tea, sweeping their homes, and washing the dishes. But more man need to be empowered to step out of the stereotype and accept what may seem unconventional. Man been able to accept and support women. Man willing to respect other gender identities.
Man have proven over the years to be almost insensitive when they are national positions of influence. Governments have paid some really great lip service to Gender Rights and Sexual Orientation. And we have had some really popular Gucci feminists riding and capitalizing of their own pick and choose advocacy works. Government structures need to be set in place to fund and assist programs or advertisements that make gender identity and rights attractive and easy to accept.
There really needs to be a program focused on educating young leaders regardless of sex or gender from various parts of Fiji’s social economic backdrop from an empowering human rights perspective. And I am rubbishing the work already done, because I can see certain feminists stabbing me with their sharp tongues but I am merely suggesting some simple evolutionary realities. Young man have to be empowered also, empowered to the extent of accepting gender rights and the need to unite to further the cause.
Gone are the days were women stand alone on women’s issues, its time to involve young men. If not than the term of shouting from rooftops and voices in the wilderness will continue to haunt us all.