Title
RESOLUTION AFFIRMING DULUTH’S COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.
Body
BY COUNCILOR WESTERLUND:
WHEREAS, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979, ratified by 187 UN member nations and signed by President Carter in 1980, has not been ratified by the United States Senate; and
WHEREAS, recognizing that local governments have a role in affirming the importance of eliminating discrimination against women and girls in their communities, the Cities for CEDAW initiative is a campaign to adopt local measures supporting equal rights for women and girls; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Duluth want the women and girls who live in Duluth to enjoy all the rights and privileges bestowed on all people in the United States and will not tolerate discrimination against women and girls or violence perpetrated against them; and
WHEREAS, the city of Duluth is committed to examining city policies and practices in relation to women and girls and working to eliminate discrimination based on gender.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVE, that the city of Duluth is committed to eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting health and safety of women and girls and affording women and girls equal academic, economic, and business opportunities.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the city council would like the human rights commission to assist in this effort by:
1. Holding a community listening session on local issues and efforts related to identifying, addressing and eliminating challenges faced by women and girls in Duluth;
2. Holding a discussion session with city administration to explore ways to promote greater gender equity in city hiring;
3. Exploring best practices for promoting women-owned business with local business groups and entrepreneurs;
4. Meeting with local law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers to gain a better understanding of local efforts to combat violence against women and hurdles that remain; and
5. Presenting to the council at a committee of the whole its findings. The council understands that it is asking the human rights commission to take on an extensive task and understands that the requested process may take over a year to complete.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of this resolution is to support the goals of the CEDAW (http://citiesforcedaw.org) by affirming Duluth’s commitment to eliminating violence and promoting equal opportunities for women and girls. The CEDAW is an international human rights treaty that promotes equal opportunities for women and girls in all areas of society. The treaty calls on communities to overcome discrimination in the political, social, economic and cultural fields and to address domestic violence, human trafficking, affordable health care, child care, economic security, pay inequities, and educational and vocational opportunities.