ID :
28927
Fri, 11/07/2008 - 17:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/28927
The shortlink copeid
4-1 ratio of men to women likely in parts of Asia: expert
By Kim Young-gyo
SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- The ratio of men to women in some Asian countries is
likely to tip as heavily as 4-to-1 about 10 years from now, an American expert on
futures studies said Friday.
"At least 60 million girls are 'missing' in Asia due to the abortion of female
fetuses, female infanticide, and deliberate neglect and starvation of baby
girls," said Jerome Glenn, director of the Millennium Project of the World
Federation of U.N. Associations. "At this rate, some parts of this region will
have a ratio of 20 women for every 80 men by 2020," he said.
Glenn was in Seoul this week to attend a forum at the government-funded Korean
Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education. He is co-founder of the
federation, an international think tank that gathers information on futures
studies.
Although many of the guidelines have been officially endorsed by the United
Nations, such as in the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women and the 1995 Beijing Plan of Action for Women, many
countries still have laws and cultures that treat women as second-class citizens
and expose them to violence, he said.
"Women in legislatures have increased from 13.8 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in
2008. They account for over 40 percent of the world's workforce, but earn only 25
percent of the wealth," he said, arguing that progress for women in getting equal
salaries and good jobs in politics and business has been slow.
"WHO (the World Health Organization) reports that after diseases and hunger,
violence against women is the greatest cause of death among women. One in five
women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime," Glenn said,
calling for establishment of truth and reconciliation commissions on violence
against women in armed conflicts.
He also quoted research by Plan International, an international development
agency advocating for children's welfare, which said unsafe abortions and birth
complications are the leading causes of death for girls aged 15-19 in the
developing countries studied.
"The report also said over 100 million girls, some as young as 12, are expected
to marry over the next decade, even though international treaties outlaw early
marriages," he said.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- The ratio of men to women in some Asian countries is
likely to tip as heavily as 4-to-1 about 10 years from now, an American expert on
futures studies said Friday.
"At least 60 million girls are 'missing' in Asia due to the abortion of female
fetuses, female infanticide, and deliberate neglect and starvation of baby
girls," said Jerome Glenn, director of the Millennium Project of the World
Federation of U.N. Associations. "At this rate, some parts of this region will
have a ratio of 20 women for every 80 men by 2020," he said.
Glenn was in Seoul this week to attend a forum at the government-funded Korean
Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education. He is co-founder of the
federation, an international think tank that gathers information on futures
studies.
Although many of the guidelines have been officially endorsed by the United
Nations, such as in the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women and the 1995 Beijing Plan of Action for Women, many
countries still have laws and cultures that treat women as second-class citizens
and expose them to violence, he said.
"Women in legislatures have increased from 13.8 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in
2008. They account for over 40 percent of the world's workforce, but earn only 25
percent of the wealth," he said, arguing that progress for women in getting equal
salaries and good jobs in politics and business has been slow.
"WHO (the World Health Organization) reports that after diseases and hunger,
violence against women is the greatest cause of death among women. One in five
women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime," Glenn said,
calling for establishment of truth and reconciliation commissions on violence
against women in armed conflicts.
He also quoted research by Plan International, an international development
agency advocating for children's welfare, which said unsafe abortions and birth
complications are the leading causes of death for girls aged 15-19 in the
developing countries studied.
"The report also said over 100 million girls, some as young as 12, are expected
to marry over the next decade, even though international treaties outlaw early
marriages," he said.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
