By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 -- While the UN talks a lot about women's rights and political participation, activists in Libya tell Inner City Press a different story.
They describe a May 20, 2013 meeting with UN envoy Tarek Mitri at which he called the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) "nothing."
They say the new agency UN Women promised to give them information how to reach UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and didn't, and did not attend a May 30 follow up meeting. Now the 35% quota for women is about to be eliminated. And where is the UN?
On June 19 at UN Headquarters in New York, Inner City Press put these questions to Mitri, and then to Ban's deputy spokesperson Eduardo Del Buey.
Mitri said it was up to the women to do more, including a "sit in" he said he encouraged them to hold. He admitted saying "wala’ishi" or "nothing" as to CEDAW, explaining that he meant that a Parliament could not be sued. Video here and embedded below.
"I have spoken to the media on three occasions on this, the UN did everything it said it would," Mitri insisted. "They are nascent, sometimes they are able to act more decisively. It is easier for the UN to support Libyans rather than act on behalf of them."
Del Buey said Ban Ki-moon supports women. Well, despite UN Women not giving the email address, Ban is set to receive a letter from Libya on this, Inner City Press has learned. So we'll see. Watch this site.
