DRAFT TEXT ON STANDARD RULES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES APPROVED BY THIRD COMMITTEE

16 November 1995

Press Release
GA/SHC/3323

DRAFT TEXT ON STANDARD RULES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES APPROVED BY THIRD COMMITTEE

19951116 Committee Also Hears 15 Speakers on Advancement of Women

The General Assembly would urge all governments and organizations to strengthen efforts to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the Assembly in 1993, by legal, administrative and all other appropriate measures, under the terms of a draft resolution approved this afternoon in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).

By the text, approved without a vote, the Assembly would also call upon governments to implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond by taking into account the Long-term Strategy. In addition, governments of Member States would be encouraged to respond to the questionnaire sent by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development, intended to monitor implementation of the Standard Rules. Furthermore, Member States would be encouraged to make voluntary contributions to the Disability Fund to support initiatives on disability, including the work of the Special Rapporteur.

Also this afternoon, in concluding the Committee's consideration of social development questions, the Chairman, Ugyen Tshering (Bhutan), announced that the Committee recommended that the General Assembly take note of the report of the Secretary-General containing the interim reports on the world social situation (document A/50/84-E/1995/12), and the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons.

The Committee also heard 15 speakers this afternoon, as it continued its consideration of the advancement of women and the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Several speakers called for the strengthening of United Nations bodies as essential for the effective implementation of the Platform for Action of the World Women's Conference. The representative of Japan said the Commission on the

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Status of Women should have a central role in monitoring implementation and assisting the Economic and Social Council in coordinating reporting on the progress that was being made. The representative of Jamaica said that if the United Nations was serious about follow-up action, then UNIFEM and INSTRAW should be strengthened and refined.

Statements were also made by the representatives of India, Kenya, Colombia, Liechtenstein, Pakistan, Ghana, Malta, Belarus, Iran and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The observers of the Holy See and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) also made statements, as did the representative of the International Organization for Migration.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 17 November, to continue its consideration of the advancement of women and the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the advancement of women, as well as implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace. The Committee is also expected to take action on a draft resolution on social development questions.

The Committee has before it the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (document A/50/38); a report on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (document A/50/346); the Secretary-General's report on the improvement of the situation of women in rural areas (document A/50/257/Rev. 1); the Secretary-General's report on the activities of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) (document A/50/538); another Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the Year 2000 (document A/49/398); and a Secretary-General's report on traffic in women and girls (document A/50/369). (For background information on those reports, see Press Release GA/SHC/3317 of 10 November.)

Also before the Committee are reports on the Fourth World Conference on Women (document A/CONF.177/20), implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women (document A/50/744), the merger of INSTRAW with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) (document A/50/747-E/1995/126), the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (document A/50/691), and the activities of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (document A/50/410). (For background information see Press Release GA/SHC/3319 of 14 November.)

Under the terms of a draft resolution before the Committee, the Assembly would urge all governments and organizations to strengthen their efforts to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with disabilities by legal, administrative and all other appropriate measures (document A/C.3/50/L.12/Rev.1). Also, governments would be called upon to implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond by implementation of the Long-term Strategy. In addition, the Secretary-General would be requested to support the effective implementation of the Long-Term Strategy. Also, governments of Member States would be encouraged to respond to the questionnaire sent by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development. Furthermore, Member States would be encouraged to make voluntary contributions to the Disability Fund.

That draft resolution is sponsored by Armenia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Guinea, Kenya, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Turkey and Zaire.

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KAMALUDDIN AHMED (India) urged that all countries implement the Platform for Action of the Beijing Conference without reservation. India was committed to such implementation. Women in India had obtained the right to vote at the same time as men and women had been at the helm of India's affairs.

Affirmative action had been used by India for the empowerment of women, he said. One third of all elected seats had been reserved for women. In some states, women had captured 40 per cent of the political seats. India's strategy for the empowerment of women took into consideration the fact that 90 per cent of working women in the country were in the informal sector. Under India's Integrated Rural Development Programme, 40 per cent of all assistance had been earmarked for women and thus far 6.2 million women had received income generating assets.

He said that India's national policy on education enjoined that the national education system should play a positive role in empowering women. In elementary education, the policy required that greater support and emphasis be given to the girl child and to closing the gender gap. He also stressed the need to strengthen such institutions as INSTRAW, which had done commendable research in women's issues, particularly in the developing world.

ADAM ADAWA (Kenya) said some of the gains that his country had accomplished during the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies had been eroded by the adverse effects of structural adjustment programmes, the debt burden and unfavourable global terms of trade. Cooperation between governments, non-governmental organizations, the donor community and the United Nations system in supporting women programmes in his country could ensure that women progressed.

The eradication of poverty, based on sustained economic growth, social development and protection of human rights and social justice, were prerequisite requirements for achieving political, social, economic and cultural equality among all peoples, especially women. With regard to the merger of INSTRAW and UNIFEM, his Government opposed it. Both INSTRAW and UNIFEM had important roles to play in the follow-up to the implementation of the Platform for Action. He called for strengthening already existing United Nations bodies dealing with women's issues, instead of creating new ones.

CLARA INES VARGAS DE LOSADA (Colombia) said the most significant change in the advancement of women in her country had been in education. The numbers of educated women had greatly increased and that increase had translated itself into the workforce. For example, from 1970 to 1990, the number of women in the workforce had increased by 168.1 per cent, while that of men had only increased by 61.6 per cent. A national plan to improve the situation of women in her country had been created, with goals that included improving the situation of women in poverty.

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CLAUDIA FRITSCHE (Liechtenstein) said that her country had concluded the internal proceedings for its accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It would be in a position to deposit the instrument of accession before the end of the year.

She said that her Government had decided to create an additional mechanism to serve as a focal point for all issues related to equality of women and men. That mechanism would coordinate efforts being undertaken in that area and support government-wide mainstreaming of a gender equality perspective in all policy areas. It also had the task of maintaining contact with non-governmental organizations active in the field.

She said that the follow-up to the Beijing Conference needed to be based on an integrated approach to questions related to women's issues. It should also be undertaken within the framework of a coordinated follow-up and implementation of the major international conferences that had taken place over the past few years, since those conferences had brought about major achievements for the advancement of women.

CHERRYL GORDON (Jamaica) said that more than one third of Jamaican and Caribbean households were headed by women. Her country's national plan in the follow-up to the Beijing Conference focused mainly on the issues of poverty, violence against women and children, education and training, as well as employment and inequality in decision-making.

Even in the current atmosphere of leaner State resources, countries like Jamaica were committed to maintaining the momentum and spirit of Beijing, she went on. Jamaica viewed UNIFEM and INSTRAW as separate and distinct, with two very different mandates that needed to be maintained. If the United Nations was really serious about follow-up action, then the international community needed those two bodies strengthened and refined to deal with the new agenda as outlined in Beijing.

She said that UNIFEM should retain its role as an innovative fund supporting projects to bring women directly into the development process in their countries. It should continue its autonomous relationship with UNDP and should not be merged with any other agency. The INSTRAW, in a strengthened form, was even more relevant now, as the international community moved into a new era of the women's struggle. She endorsed the view in the Platform for Action that INSTRAW should be strengthened to cope with the revitalized agenda of Beijing. Some of the research and training projects on women currently being undertaken by other United Nations bodies could be placed under the purview of the re- invigorated INSTRAW.

SAMIYA WAHEED-JUNEJO (Pakistan) said it was the responsibility of the international community to better focus its policies for the advancement of women. The Economic and Social Council could take the lead in ensuring

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implementation of the commitments made in Beijing. Also, the overall costs and benefit of a high-level adviser and board, as proposed by the Secretary-General, needed to be further examined.

The Secretary-General's report on the follow-up did not have ample information on the availability of financial resources, she said. As for INSTRAW and UNIFEM, they had separate and distinct mandates and their proposed merger would not benefit women.

Women and girls in the disputed areas of Jammu and Kashmir continued to be victims of rape and sexual abuse by the Indian security forces. According to Amnesty International, gang rapes and rapes in front of families had taken place, of women from 13 to 80 years of age.

RENATO R. MARTINO, observer of the Holy See, said that the attention provided to the girl-child at the Beijing Conference served to address the often ignored fact that the status and well-being of women depended upon the status they were accorded from the earliest stages of life. Education had been affirmed as an essential tool for achieving the goal of the Conference. The success of the numerous other provisions in the Platform for Action would depend on whether the actions to provide all girl-children and women with at least basic education were taken seriously.

He said that governments should be encouraged to back up the actions proposed in the Platform for Action with the necessary financial resources, to compensate for the unfortunate absence of such a commitment in the document itself. He endorsed measures to prevent violence against women, to alleviate the suffering of those who had been victims of violence and to take effective action against the perpetrators.

While the human dignity inherent in women as well as men was reaffirmed in the Declaration, he was surprised at the strong opposition encountered when attempts were made to state that obvious truth in the Platform for Action. To expressly fail to recognize the importance of human dignity was to threaten the very basis upon which human rights were founded, as well as the conceptual basis for actions against unjust discrimination and sexual, economic and other forms of human exploitation.

He expressed concern about the ambiguous terminology in the Programme for Action that could imply endorsement of certain sexual and reproductive practices. Those would have been unacceptable to a very large number of delegations, if stated explicitly, he said. Effective follow-up was needed to ensure the right of women to enjoy equal opportunities and conditions with men in the workplace, as well as in other structures of society.

YURIKO MEGURO (Japan) said women were vulnerable because they were made vulnerable in structural and cultural contexts. For that reason, they needed to

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move from the periphery to the centre of society. That did not mean reversing the position of women and men, or inviting women to the centre of the male- centred structure, but rather redesigning the structure of gender relations. In order to ensure the effective implementation of the Platform for Action, it was of great importance to mainstream the gender perspective into all policies and programmes at the community, national, regional and international levels, she continued.

To better implement the Platform for Action, governments, who were most responsible for its implementation, needed to take a leading role in coordinating, monitoring and assessing progress in the advancement of women. However, the need for assistance to developing countries by the international community could not be ignored. In addition, the role of the United Nations could not be overlooked. All United Nations organs needed to deal with gender issues.

The Commission on the Status of Women should have a central role in monitoring implementation and assisting the Economic and Social Council in coordinating reporting on the progress that was being made, she said. In addition, the Economic and Social Council needed to incorporate gender issues into its discussions of all policy questions. Furthermore, emphasis should be placed on both the establishment of an effective focal point and a revised system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1995-2000.

GEORGE O. LAMPTEY (Ghana) said that women remained the primary victims of poverty, sickness, discrimination, unemployment, marginalization, violence and armed conflict, due to entrenched traditions, attitudes and practices. Much was expected from the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the accompanying commitments.

He said national machineries must be established or improved for the advancement of women at the highest political level. Also, other institutions must be established with the mandate and capacity to broaden women's participation and integrate gender analysis into policies and programmes, as envisaged in the Platform for Action. In Ghana, the implementation of the outcome of the Beijing Conference had become a priority issue. A number of committees had been set up to empower women in the socio-economic and political fields.

Certain proposals in the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the outcome of the Beijing Conference raised doubts about the mode and manner with which he intended to implement the Conference recommendations. For example, he indicated that he did not consider it appropriate to request an appropriation for an additional high-level post and its

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related requirement. However, at the same time, he proposed to establish a high- level board of 15 to 20 eminent persons on the advancement of women. Those signals were not reassuring.

VICTOR PACE (Malta) said that women were entering the labour market in unprecedented numbers and were pursuing a greater role at all levels of public life. Despite that, however, women continued to face disadvantages and, at times, discrimination in social, economic, political and cultural spheres. In some cases, sexual disparities started at the earliest stages of life.

He said equality between men and women was achieved only when it permeated the broad areas of employment and income, marriage and family life, as well as decision-making. A meaningful, equitable partnership between men and women required more than mere commitments at world conferences. Much more needed to be done to change persistent attitudes and to improve the conditions of women around the world to promote and defend their human rights and dignity.

His Government had, in the past decade, adopted legislation and changes in regulations that not only guaranteed the equal participation of women at all levels of society, but encouraged, through incentive and education, actions to promote and consolidate the equal rights and status of women and men.

IGAR GUBAREVICH (Belarus) said the international nature of many of the problems faced by women, as stated in the Platform for Action, required international action and for that reason he encouraged strengthening the role of the Commission on the Status of Women. He also suggested extending UNIFEM's role to countries with economies in transition. Women still did not occupy high managerial positions. Usually, the more demanding and complex the work became, the more women were outnumbered by men. That situation needed to change. The creation of a comprehensive programme of action to help women in countries with economies in transition was imperative.

FROUZANDEH VADIATI (Iran) said the goals set by the Nairobi Conference in 1985 had not been fully achieved. Many women still lived under foreign occupation or in areas of conflict where they were the main victims. As life expectancy increased, the number of women over 65 years of age would increase from 330 million, in 1990 to about 600 million in the year 2015. Therefore, she hoped for the elimination of discrimination against elder women. The situation of rural women in her country had greatly improved and education had been crucial in their advancement. Education had also increased the number of women university professors and professionals.

SOUTHAM SAKONHNINHOM (Lao People's Democratic Republic) said that sustainable development could only be achieved if men and women worked together on an equal footing. Serious violations of the fundamental rights of women in many parts of the world were still taking place. The achievement of equality between men and women in the political arena was still far from being reached.

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His Government was taking measures to promote women's rights and legislation guaranteed the fundamental rights of women. Women in his country had been participating alongside men in the country's national development.

He said that the Union of Lao Women was the only women's organization in his country and it assisted the Government in improving women's quality of life. The Union had set up a strategic programme to follow up the Beijing Conference.

IBRAHIMA SY, observer of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), said civil wars and political instability in Africa, as well as their disproportionate impact on women, continued to be of great concern. "Without peace there can be no sustainable development", he said. He called for the eradication of the existing cultural practices that discriminated against girls and women in Africa.

"Commitments so solemnly made in Beijing cannot be translated into tangible results without available resources", he said. The issues of resources needed to be given serious consideration, especially if the international community considered women's issues as priorities. Africa's external debt stifled any economic and social development prospects in the short-term. Even though Africa remained committed to implementation of the Platform for Action, a meaningful action by the international community on the African debt problem was urgently needed.

STAFFORD MOUSKY, representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that the challenges which confronted migrant women were of deep concern to his organization. The IOM had embraced a three-pronged policy approach to improve awareness and understanding of the conditions and needs of migrant women, the need to promote equal access to projects and services for migrant women, and design and implement women-specific migrant projects and services where and when appropriate. The IOM approach sought to empower migrant women at every step.

The issue of trafficking in women was of particular concern to the IOM, he went on. That problem was specifically identified in the Beijing Conference Platform for Action as one of the gravest forms of violence practiced against women. Numerous cases of such criminal activity and related abuse had been reported from Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and most recently from eastern Europe. To gather firsthand information on victims and mechanisms, IOM's Migration Information Programme carried out a study earlier this year on trafficking in women for prostitution from central and eastern Europe to western Europe. The feedback from governmental and media sources since the study's publication in May appeared to indicate that it had contributed to raising consciousness and understanding of the issues.

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Action on Draft Resolution

The Committee took up the draft resolution on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and of the Long-term Strategy to Implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond.

The representative of the Philippines made oral amendments to operative paragraph eight, which should read:

"Encouraged the Secretary-General, the Department of Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, and the United Nations organizations concerned, particularly UNDP, to continue their efforts to facilitate the collection and transmission of relevant data to be used to finalize, in consultation with Member States, the development of global disability indicators, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on this question to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session."

Cote d'Ivoire, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Iran, Republic of Korea, Iceland, Tunisia, Canada, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Portugal joined in sponsoring the text. The Committee approved the text without a vote.

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