Enforcing Rights and Correcting Wrongs - Asia-Pacific Regional ...

In fact, a large number of women are estimated as
“missing”. Women and girls dead due to neglect, denial
of treatment for health, poor nutrition or neglect are
estimated as close to 100 million in Asia, with China
and India accounting for a majority of them. The numbers
seem to be increasing in absolute terms. 9
discrimination. The percentage of countries between
medium to high levels of discrimination remained as
high at 59 per cent in 2007, though it was a decline
from the 63 per cent of 2004. In South Asia, the share of
countries with high economic discrimination increased
from 33 per cent to 44 per cent in the corresponding
period.
2.3 Economic and social rights are poor
An assessment of upholding economic and social rights
for women overall indicates that between 2004 and 2007,
discrimination has increased in developing countries
of Asia-Pacific. The percentage of countries with high
discrimination in one or other category increased. In
East Asia and the Pacific, the percentage which was zero
in 2004, increased to seven in respect of high economic
10
The social rights situation in Asia-Pacific is worse than
that of economic rights, and is observed to be declining.
The share of countries with high social discrimination
increased overall. In South Asia, the figures increased
from 33 per cent in 2004 to 56 per cent in 2007. In East
Asia and Pacific, while the share of countries with high
social discrimination increased marginally, the share with
medium to high discrimination rose from 52 per cent in
2004 to 62 per cent in 2007 (Figure 4). 11
1.16
1.14
World
1.10
Eastern Asia
Europe
1.12
Oceania
1.08
India
Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
1.06
1.04
Latin America and
the Caribbean
1.02
1.00
1980–85 1985–1990 1990–95 1995–2000 2000–05
1000.0
Maternal Mortality Ratio (per 100,000 live births)
900.0
1990 2005
800.0
700.0
600.0
500.0
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
East Asia &
Paci�c
Europe &
Central Asia
Latin America
& Caribbean
Middle East &
North Africa
South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa World
Figure 4: Discrimination in Women’s Social Rights
2004
Developed regions
2007
2004
East Asia & Paci�c
2007
Latin America
& Caribbean
Middle East
& North Africa
Source: UNDP 2010.
2004
2007
2004
2007
2004
South Asia
2007
Sub-Saharan
Africa
8 Enforcing Rights and Correcting Wrongs
Cambodia
China
Indonesia
High
Medium Low Negligible
10.5% 10.5%
57.9% 21%
7.4% 18.5% 74%
20% 32% 32% 16%
23.1%
38.5%
34.6%
9.4% 15.6% 53.1% 22%
6.9%
34.5%
41.4%
17%
75% 12.5% 12.5%
87.5%
12.5%
33% 55.6% 11.1%
55.6%
33.3%
11.1%
2004
40.4% 48.9% 10.6%
2007
42.6%
48.9%
8.5%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
4%