Hawaii-2016-SR97-Introduced

WHEREAS, although women have made significant gains in the struggle for equality in most fields, more action is necessary to fully eradicate discrimination based on sex and gender; and

WHEREAS, in 1979, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and

WHEREAS, in 1981, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women entered into force as an international treaty, and is the only human rights treaty focused on women's rights; and

WHEREAS, out of the one hundred ninety four nations in the world, the United States of America, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Palau, and Tonga are the seven nations that have not ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and

WHEREAS, in nations that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, women have partnered with their governments to improve the status of women and girls, which has resulted in changes in laws and policies, which have led to safer environments and opportunities for women and their families; and

WHEREAS, state, county, and municipal governments have an appropriate and legitimate role in affirming the importance of international laws as universal norms and as guides for public policy in communities; and

WHEREAS, the "Cities for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women" campaign seeks to protect the rights of women and girls by passing ordinances that establish the principles of the foregoing treaty in cities and towns across the United States; and

WHEREAS, the adoption the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women as local law has proven effective in addressing the barriers that reduce the quality of life and equity of opportunity for women and girls; and

WHEREAS, a local initiative based on the principles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would include three standards, which are:

(1) A gender analysis of city departments and commissions;

(2) An oversight body to ensure that appropriate and timely actions are taken; and

(3) Funding to support the implementation of the principles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and

WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu, recognizing the congressional stall on the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, has become the most recent city to join the Cities for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women campaign; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the state departments and the several counties are requested to affirm the tenets and principles found in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state departments and the several counties are requested to affirm the principles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which include, among other principles:

(1) The integration of gender equity and human rights principles into governmental operations, including budgetary considerations; and

(2) The examination of governmental actions, policies, programs, services, and employment practices to ensure they are nondiscriminatory, gender-appropriate, and fully serve communities of women and girls; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state departments and the several counties are urged to work with the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to develop gender analysis guidelines, and include the examination of race, disability, immigration status, sexual orientation, and other demographic characteristics that are linked to gender; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development and the several counties are urged to implement a gender analysis of governmental functions by:

(1) Collecting and analyzing disaggregate data;

(2) Identifying strategies that best meet the needs of residents and employees and eliminate discrimination based on stereotypes; and

(3) Creating an action plan and developing a monitoring mechanism to ensure that governmental entities do not discriminate based on sex and gender; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Mayors of the several counties, the chairpersons of the several county councils, the Director of Human Resources Development, the Chairperson of State Commission on the Status of Women, and the Chairs of the several county commissions on the status of women.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Discrimination; Women; State; Counties

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	97
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII