UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 15) The Ministry of Justice and Police is in the process of drafting legislation to revise the Civil Code to address the situation in which women employed by companies in the private sector without the benefit of a Collective Labor Agreement, have no legal coverage for maternity leave services by their employers. Paid maternity leave for the private sector has been added to the draft Civil Code. Some companies have included paid maternity leave in their Collective Labor Agreement. For civil servants, paid maternity leave is covered by law.

Para 27) The Gender Work Plan has been formulated and contains six priority areas: decision-making, education, health, labor, income and poverty, and violence (domestic violence and sexual violence). The Gender Work Plan 2013 is currently being evaluated

Para 29) In February and June of 2012, the National Assembly organized round table discussions aimed at sensitizing members of parliament and leaders and representatives of political parties, including women representatives, on the empowerment of women in political parties and the involvement of women in decision-making structures and at mobilizing commitment to the candidacy of women in the general elections of 2015. As an outcome of both workshops, the Speaker of the House, a female herself, commissioned the political parties to develop an action plan.

Para 30) In 2014, the National Assembly carried out the project 'More women in decision-making 2015'. The purpose of the project was to mobilize commitments from political parties to nominate more women as candidates for parliament, in management positions or political administrative positions; to strengthen self-confidence and self-awareness of politically active women within political parties or potential female candidates (how to present yourself); increase awareness on the importance of having more women in politics. The activities in this regard included roundtable discussions on 'Gender and Politics' with political parties represented in parliament; training sessions with politically active women and potential female candidates; and exposure of female candidates for parliament.

Para 31) The major aim of the activities was to strengthen the capacity of women within the political parties and to increase the number of women in decision-making bodies after the elections in 2015. In the period 2014-2015, the project 'More female leadership in 2015', aimed at encouraging the increase of female leadership at the political administrative level, and in the private sector, was carried out by STAS International (NGO), supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The development of a database of highly educated women was part of this project.

Para 32) As a result of above-mentioned activities, parliament saw an increase of female members as follows. At the 2010 general elections, the number of women elected to the National Assembly was 5 out of 51 seats (10% female, 90% male). After the general elections held in May 2015, 13 women were elected out of 51 seats (25% female, 75% male).

Para 33) After the elections of May 2015, the Bureau for Gender Affairs sent an open letter to the media, calling upon the new government to nominate and appoint women on equal terms with men to various public decision-making positions, in view of the principles of democracy.

Para 34) In the public sector a fixed salary is maintained for officials with similar job functions and positions as mandated by the Functie Informatie Systeem Overheid (FISO). Private companies with a Collective Labor Agreement also have wage ranges. With regard to small companies, mostly family-owned, it is unclear how the wage structure looks like. Measures to increase employment opportunities are directly related to poverty reduction. To eradicate poverty and strengthen social protection, a national social security system has been established through the adoption and implementation, in 2014, of three (3) social laws, namely the Minimum Hour Wage Act, the National Pension Benefits Act and the National Basic Health Insurance Act. Major beneficiaries of these interventions are women, considering they are over-represented in lower income groups, and considering the growing number of female heads of households.

National Report:
Para 12) Suriname acceded to the CRPD on 29 March, 2017.

National Report:
Para 133) In Suriname a study showed that, 62 maternal deaths and recorded 48,881 live births (maternal mortality ratio, 127/100,000 live births) between 2015-2019 were identified. Of the women who died, 14 of 62 (23%) were in poor condition when entering a health facility, whereas 11 of 62 (18%) died at home or during transportation. The maternal mortality ratio decreased over the years, (226 [n=64]; 130 [n=65]; and 127 [n=62]), with underreporting rates of 62%, 26%, and 24%, respectively in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure I, II and III (see Annex 3). Of the women deceased, 36 (56%), 37 (57%), and 40 (63%) were of African descent; 46 (72%), 45 (69%), and 47 (76%) died after birth; and 47 (73%), 55 (84%), and 48 (77%) died in the hospital, respectively, in confidential enquiries into maternal deaths Figure I, II, and III. Significantly more women were uninsured in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure III (15 of 59 [25%,]) than in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure II (0%) and Figure I (6 of 64 [9%]). Obstetrical hemorrhage was less often the underlying cause of death over the years (19 of 64 [30%], vs 13 of 65 [20%], vs 7 of 62 [11%]), whereas all other obstetrical causes occurred more often in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure III (eg, suicide [0; 1 of 65 (2%); 5 of 62 (8%)]) and unspecified deaths (1 of 64 [2%]; 3 of 65 [5%]; and 11 of 62 [18%] in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure I, II and III respectively). Maternal deaths were preventable in nearly half of the cases in confidential enquiry into maternal deaths Figure II (28 of 65) and Figure III (29 of 62). Delay in quality of care occurred in at least two-thirds of cases (41 of 62 [65%], 47 of 59 [80%], and 47 of 61 [77%]) over the years.
Para 134) Suriname's maternal mortality rate has decreased throughout the past 3 decades, yet the trend is too slow to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3.1. Preventable maternal deaths can be reduced by ensuring high-quality facility-based obstetrical and postpartum care, universal access to care especially for vulnerable women (of African descent and low socioeconomic class), and by addressing specific underlying causes of maternal deaths. Maternal Mortality Ratio per 100.000 was 51.10 in 2017 and 61.17 in 2018.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 50) JS1 stated that Suriname was one of the top five countries with the highest maternal mortality ratio, and that the rural interior had the highest ratio. The highest percentage of deaths was among Maroon women and women in poverty. It noted substandard care in health facilities and a lack of postnatal care.

National Report:
Para 72) On September 25th, 2015 the National Assembly approved the accession of Suriname to the CRPD ...