It is the role of the government to ensure the rights of women to:

• the same employment opportunities as men;
• free choice of profession and employment;
• equal pay for equal work.

The government must take the necessary measures (including legislation) to ensure that women:

• are not dismissed from their work on the grounds of pregnancy;
• are granted paid maternity leave;
• are provided with the necessary supporting social services.

In law women are identical to men, particularly in concluding contracts and administering property.

In marriage government are under a duty to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in marital and family relations. In common with men, women have the same right:

• to freely choose a spouse and enter into marriage only with their free and full consent; and responsibilities during marriage and at its dissolution;
• to decide on the number and spacing of their children;
• to have the same personal rights as husband and wife including the right to a profession and occupation.

Gender-based violence is a violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately. The 'traditional attitudes' may regard women as being subordinate to men or having stereotyped roles. These attitudes perpetuate... family violence and abuse, forced marriage, dowry deaths, acid attacks and female circumcision... and ... contribute to the propagation of pornography and the depiction... of women as sexual objects, rather than as individuals.

In dealing with gender-based violence, the government/ society/ myself should ensure that:
Laws give adequate protection to all women;

• prohibiting any defence of 'honour' in regard to the assault or murder of a female family member;
• providing safe refuge for victims of family violence and support services;
• that the media respect, and promote respect for women;
• that education and public information programmes are introduced to help eliminate prejudice which hinder women's equality;
• with preventive and punitive measures that are put in place to overcome trafficking and sexual exploitation;
• to be protected from sexual harassment and other forms of violence in the workplace.

What is slavery?

• all acts involved in the capture, acquisition or disposal of a person with intent to reduce him to slavery;
• all acts involved in the acquisition of a slave with a view to selling him or exchanging him;
• all acts of disposal by sale or exchange of a person acquired with a view to being sold or exchanged;
• and, in general, every act of trade or transport in slaves by whatever means of conveyance.

Slavery includes:

Debt bondage - a person in debt to another promises, as security for that debt, his/her personal services or the services of someone under his/her control.

Serfdom - someone who is bound by law, custom or agreement to live and work on land that belongs to another and to perform some service to that other, for reward or not, and is not free to change his situation.

Any institution or practice whereby;

• a woman, without the right to refuse, is promised or given in marriage on payment of money or in kind to her parents, guardian, family, or any other person or group; or
• the husband of a woman, his family or his clan, transfers her to another person for value received or otherwise; or
• a woman on the death of her husband is inherited by another person; or
• a child or young person under the age of 18 years is given by his/her parents or his/her guardian to another person with a view to the exploitation of the child or young person of his labour.

Forced or compulsory labour... all work or service which is extracted from any person under the menance of any penalty and for which the person has not offered himself voluntarily (ILO 29). Such work must be: against someone's will; oppressive or unjust or involve unavoidable hardship.

To have or to adopt a religion

ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) Article 18 (1) states that 'Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thoughts, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observances, practice and teaching.'

This include the right to:

• assemble to worship in public and deep places for these purposes;
• establish appropriate charitable institutions;
• seek and receive voluntary contributions;
• teach a religion or belief in suitable places;
• observe days of rest and celebrate holidays according to one's faith;
• establish and carry on communications in matters of religion and belief locally and abroad.

Children should enjoy religious education in accordance with the wishes of their parents or guardians and should not be forced to receive religious teaching against the wishes of their parents or guardians. Further, children should be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples...and...respect for freedom of religion or belief of others.

No manifestation of religion or belief may amount to propaganda for war or advocate national, religious or racial hatred.