CALLS TO STRENGTHEN MANDATE OF COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN MADE IN DISCUSSION ON FOLLOW-UP TO BEIJING CONFERENCE
Press Release
WOM/906
CALLS TO STRENGTHEN MANDATE OF COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN MADE IN DISCUSSION ON FOLLOW-UP TO BEIJING CONFERENCE
19960312 Calls to strengthen the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women and provide it with adequate means to follow up on the decisions taken at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) were made this morning, as the Commission continued its general discussion.The representative of Algeria was among several speakers stressing that the political momentum generated in Beijing must be sustained. As the central body charged with follow-up to the Conference, the Commission's mandate must be reviewed and strengthened, she said, adding that any such review must be accompanied by the provision of adequate means to carry out its tasks.
The representative of the Philippines said that the Commission had to spell out in detail its mandates, methods of work and a multi-year programme in its primary role in policy-making and follow-up to the Conference. A more explicit system of reporting by Member States on national implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action should be developed. There had been some positive indications that gender concerns were being mainstreamed in the United Nations system. "A Beijing hangover" was evident, which should help in integrating the concerns of the Platform into the work of the system.
The Commission must function as a forum for the exchange of national experiences in the application of the Platform, said the representative of Mexico, stressing that the multi-year work programme of the Commission must be based on the structure of the Platform, covering each of its critical areas of concern in an integrated fashion.
A standing mechanism should be established which could meet in between the Commission's sessions to follow up on agreements reached, suggested the representative of Cuba, who was one of several participants emphasizing the need for an ongoing examination of the problem of poverty.
Action to realize the global objectives for gender equality reached at recent major United Nations conferences should be coordinated, the representative of Canada said. The upcoming Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements would provide an opportunity to utilize the concepts of gender analysis in formulating a plan of action on shelter, sustainable development and poverty, she added.
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Also participating in the discussion were the representatives of Ghana, China, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Japan, Ecuador, Austria, Pakistan, Canada and Honduras. The observer for Palestine also spoke, as did representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the Organization of American States (OAS). In addition, statements were made by representatives of the International Council for Women and the Inter- Parliamentary Union.
The Commission will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its general discussion on follow-up to the Beijing Conference.
Commission Work Programme
The Commission on the Status of Women met this morning to continue its general discussion on follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace (Beijing, 1995). (For detailed background, see Press Release WOM/904 of 11 March).
Statements
ROSINA WILTSHIRE, Manager of the Gender and Development Programme, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said UNDP had made it a priority to join with its development partners to eradicate poverty and promote the advancement of women, and its Executive Board had strengthened the mandate in affirming that "poverty eradication is job one of UNDP". It was known that when women shared power, they gave priority to social development, poverty elimination and peace. The UNDP sought to promote gender equality in decision-making, build gender sensitive legal and policy frameworks and improve women's access to economic resources. It will consult women on national programme priorities and would work closely wit the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in lending support to resident coordinators.
The recently concluded agreement for the harmonization of programming procedures to develop a "common country assessment" was an important step in enabling joint planning and programming formulation with national partners and the donor community. There was also greater consultation and coordination with the donor community for Beijing follow-up actions.
The defining concern of international affairs in the decades ahead might well be the struggle for growth and equity, she continued. Without sustained progress to a more equitable world the objective of poverty elimination and women's empowerment would not be achieved. The quest for growth with equity, essential for poverty eradication, demanded the participation of all members of society in decision-making processes. In almost all countries women were marginalized in decision-making processes which affected their lives. As emphasized in UNDP's 1995 Human Development Report, equal access to social and productive resources and opportunities to participate in decision-making processes were fundamental to the empowerment agenda. The UNDP has adopted a dual strategy of gender mainstreaming and the advancement of women. It had established a Gender Advisory Committee, of gender focal points from each Regional Bureau and major divisions including finance, governance and the Division for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries. The UNIFEM also sat on the body.
At the country level, UNDP was collaborating with governments, donors and non-governmental organizations to facilitate the formulation and
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implementation of national anti-poverty strategies with particular attention to ending the feminization of poverty. It has begun baseline assessments in approximately 20 countries which would allow it to document successes and obstacles to gender mainstreaming, identify models, share lessons across regions and develop indicators, guidelines and benchmarks for future programming.
MARY GRANT, Member of the Council of State of Ghana, said that while her country had achieved some progress in raising the status of women, much remained to be done. De jure equality had not been accompanied by de facto changes. Women must be empowered through access to education, economic opportunities, financial resources and training for more effective productivity. The realization of those objectives would help break the cycle of poverty. In Ghana, with the support of the First Lady, the national machinery had cooperated with non-governmental organizations to set up a number of committees to deal with the cross-cutting issues of equality, development and peace. To facilitate access to credit for women, plans to create a women's bank were in the making. "In addition to these efforts, we have resolved to launch a campaign to throw away the age-old negative cultural, traditional and religious tendencies and practices which pose obstacles to women's advancement."
BOUKADOUM SABRIA (Algeria) said no social progress could be achieved without the full participation of women and men on an equal footing. "We have to change our values, our attitudes and our practices, as well as our priorities at all levels." Now that the Conference was over, efforts must be made to sustain the political momentum which it had generated. Over and above the impact of national policies, the United Nations had a critical role to play in realizing the goals set at Beijing. The Commission was the central body charged with follow-up to the Conference. As such, its mandate should be strengthened, taking account of the need for synergy to prevail with the other functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council. Any review of the Commission's mandate must be accompanied by adequate means to carry out its tasks.
Noting that the Commission would be discussing the issue of women in the media, she paid tribute to the female Algerian journalists who had stood up against terrorism with only their pens to defend themselves. She then announced that Algeria would accede to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
WANG SHUXIAN (China), said the key to whether the Women's Conference could truly advance women's status on a global scale was in the follow-up. Governments could respond to the appeal of the Beijing Declaration and carry out the Platform for Action earnestly, acting up to their commitments. Strengthen international cooperation was important to the effective
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implementation of the Declaration and Platform. The international community should focus its work on developing countries when making detailed plans for the implementation of the Declaration and Platform and allocate new and additional resources to accelerate the advancement of women in those countries. The United Nations system should readjust its programmes according to the Platform and carry out follow-up activities, and avoid duplication in its work.
The Commission should play a central role in monitoring the implementation of the Platform within the United Nations system, bearing in mind the original functions of various United Nations organizations. It should make substantive recommendations to the Economic and Social Council in light of newly emerging trends and issues. The tentative arrangements in the report about the Commission's multi-year work programme and its organization of work were feasible.
In accordance with the critical areas of concerns defined in the Platform, China would actively help women to alleviate poverty. It would provide training to 10 million women in poor areas to help them acquire at least one kind of practical skill, including specialized professional training. It would enhance the degree of women's participation in decision- making and management of State and social affairs. China would also promote education of women. It would seek to wipe out illiteracy among 3 million women each year and strive to eliminate illiteracy by the end of this century among young and middle-aged women. It would improve women's health and guarantee their right to family planning.
JOSE LAMEGO, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, said Portugal had achieved some measure of progress in achieving equality between women and men but more remained to be done. Focus must be placed on equal rights legislation, which allowed for the provision of equality in practically all areas. It was worth noting that women represented about two thirds of all graduates of universities in Portugal. Women's health indicators had shown improvement, and women were increasingly participating in the labour force. Difficulties arose regarding the sharing of power and women's access to decision-making. Following the elections in Portugal last October, the new Government had created a high-level post of High Commissioner for the Promotion of Equality and Family Issues. It had also consolidated mechanisms for equality within the Prime Minister's office. Portugal was committed to, among others, reinforcing government mechanisms for equality.
JANG-SOOK KIM, Minister for Political Affairs of the Republic of Korea, said, as a follow-up to the Beijing Conference, her Government formulated 10 medium- and long-term policy priorities for women. They would construct the framework for a national plan of action to facilitate the participation and advancement of women in all areas of Korean society.
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A "Women's Development Act" was enacted last December, which stipulated basic guidelines for policies supporting women's advancement and provided the legal basis for rectifying gender discrimination in employment, education, social welfare and human rights, she said. To promote women's involvement in public service, her Government had a goal of a 20 per cent ratio of women in senior-level government positions by the year 2000 and an incentive system for employing more women in public enterprises. In order to provide women with greater opportunities outside the home, the Government planned to expand after-school care and school meal programmes to all primary schools nationwide.
Non-governmental organizations were vital actors in the follow-up of the Beijing Conference, and more attention should be given to their capability to help implement the outcome of the Conference. Beijing clearly reaffirmed that women's rights were an integral part of human rights. However, it was deplorable that so many women in virtually every corner of the globe still faced serious obstacles to the full enjoyment of their fundamental human rights. The most critical issue was violence against women, and it was regrettable that such violence persisted as a major impediment to women's advancement.
AIDA GONZALEZ MARTINEZ (Mexico) said her country had recently approved a national programme for women which aimed to promote equality. The elimination of violence against women and discriminatory educational texts were among the programme's goals. The Commission must function as a forum for the exchange of national experiences in the application of the Platform for Action. The multi-year work programme of the Commission must be based on the structure of the Platform, covering each of its critical areas of concern. Analysis of those areas must be carried out in an integrated manner. Particular attention should be paid to the issue of education.
LLUDMILA F. BEZLEPINKA, Minister for Social Protection of the Population, Russian Federation, said her country was focusing its efforts on enhancing the status of women by raising awareness of the need for women's participation in decision-making at all levels; establishing equal access to the labour market for women and men; improving women's health and creating conditions for them to exercise their reproductive rights; and ending violence against women. Unfortunately, the country faced acute economic problems. Pensions for the elderly had been reduced. Since women had a considerably higher life expectancy than men, that affected them disproportionately. The Government was taking a number of measures to provide social services and protect the rights of individuals. The reform process involved providing women with equal opportunities.
MAKIKO SAKAI (Japan) said Japan was aware that governments had the primary responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action. It would
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formulate a new plan that takes into account the outcome of the Beijing Conference. A Council for Gender Equality, established in 1995 as an advisory body to the Prime Minister, was responsible for formulating an "overall vision of a gender-equal society towards the twenty-first century". Its report, expected this summer, solicited the opinions of non-governmental organizations, local government and other actors in civil society.
She said Japan had submitted a draft resolution to the General Assembly last year on the role of UNIFEM in eliminating violence against women, which the Platform identified as a critical area of concern. Japan welcomed initial steps by UNIFEM and UNDP to comply with the resolution, and would like to reconfirm its intention to contribute to the trust fund on the elimination of violence against women. Since the Beijing Conference, Japan had been disseminating as widely as possible the Beijing Declaration, Platform for Action and the outcome of the Conference through videos, pamphlets and via the Internet. As for women and the media, Japan attached importance to the promotion of a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women consistent with freedom of expression.
In June 1995, Japan ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 156, the Convention concerning Equal Opportunities and Equal Treatment for Men and Women: Workers with Family Responsibilities, she said. It was also taking various integrated measures in support of the reconciliation of women's work and family responsibilities through child-care and family-care schemes and other programmes. It was trying to encourage Japanese men to participate more in the family responsibilities.
YOLANDA FERRER (Cuba) said the Commission must discuss issues which were basic to its future work, particularly strengthening the mandate. The Commission should be the focal point for the United Nations follow-up to agreements adopted. Consideration should be given to establishing a standing mechanism which could meet in between the Commission's sessions to follow-up on agreements reached. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and other bodies for the advancement of women must be strengthened, and that would require further additional resources. Discussions on reform should be transparent and must enjoy the wide participation of Member States. The issue of poverty must receive as much attention as possible. New and additional resources were needed to finance social development focused on the human being. Governments must fully assume their responsibilities in that regard.
Cuba had long linked social development and the full integration of women in the development process, she said. For more than three decades, solid steps had been taken to raise the quality of life of the population, particularly women, and to eliminate gender stereotypes. "It is our will to
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continue moving forward." None the less, Cuba had faced complex circumstances in the unipolar world where the relations of cooperation and economic ties that had contributed to its development had disappeared. If Cuba had been able to move forward to achieve equality, it was precisely because the Cuban women were acting in solid unity out of love for their homeland, never yielding to pressures. The United States aggression against Cuba was aimed at keeping the latter as the colony of the former. That economic aggression, which had violated the rights of women, had been taken to the extreme in the Helms-Burton law. That law constituted a supranational legislation which flouted the sovereign equality and self-determination of peoples, thus making it a law against humanity.
XIMENA MARTINEZ PEREZ (Ecuador) said that her Government's recent legislation to deal with violence against women was a direct result of the Beijing Conference, which had called for such laws. The new law had been unanimously approved by all women's groups. It dealt with family violence, including sexual and psychological abuse. It also included measures to remove the aggressor from the home and prevent him from returning.
Her Government would also combat poverty among women, she said. Priority would be given to reducing poverty among women by 10 per cent. It would implement integral policies to promote equality in distribution of resources. It would also focus on inequality in wages and promote new jobs for women.
The Government would aim for 50 per cent reduction in illiteracy among rural and marginalized women. The Government would also increase their participation in technical training and secondary schools.
PATRICIA B. LICUANAN (Philippines) said the Commission had to spell out in detail its mandate, methods of work and multi-year programme in its "primary role in policy-making and follow-up and in coordinating the implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action". A more explicit system of reporting by Member States on national level implementation of the Platform should be devised. She commended the Women's Environment and Development Organization for its "First Steps: What has happened since Bejing", a preliminary progress report of government efforts to implement the Platform.
She said statements yesterday by various United Nations agencies indicating that perhaps mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the work of the United Nations system might actually become a reality were encouraging. A "Beijing hangover" was evident in the United Nations system that should help in integrating the concerns of the Platform into its work. Regional level follow-up was also important. Regional commissions should be urged to
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continue regional initiatives and to make those efforts visible at the appropriate forums.
BRIGITTE BRENNER (Austria), said in Austria, the equality policy had built up a momentum which was difficult for male policy makers to neglect when collaborating with experts and non-governmental women's organizations. International women's organizations had been successful in lobbying for women's concerns at the last United Nations conferences. By ensuring that all non-governmental organizations active in the Beijing process could participate in the Commission and by integrating their perspective in the panel discussions, their competence and commitment was acknowledged.
She said successful implementation of the Platform needed to be worked out in close conjunction with the follow-up activities to all recent major United Nations conferences to guarantee the mutual enforcement of the gender perspective. Mainstreaming should not be an empty catchphrase, but a vehicle for women's empowerment nationally and internationally. Mainstreaming needed a monitoring body and Austria welcomed new resources for the Division for the Advancement of Women and hoped it would cooperate with the Commission to promote a visible and active policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective at all levels.
There was a similar need for a control mechanism for international conventions, she said. Her Government was looking forward to the working group on the elaboration of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. While three international human rights conventions provided for a complaints procedure, the Convention on Women allowed for a mere communications procedure, which was not comparable to an individual complaints procedure. The drafting of the optional protocol allowed for building on the experiences with the existing complaints procedures in human rights treaties, while aiming at the most advanced and efficient model.
SHAGUFTA ALIZAI (Pakistan) said the international community was able to clinch political commitment for the empowerment of women. The success of Beijing had now to be translated into concrete actions. The Beijing Conference would prove to be a turning point for the women of Pakistan, where the Conference, and the preparatory processes leading up to it, acted as a catalyst in many fields. There was greater awareness about issues concerning women and a large number of non-governmental actors were involved in promoting women's participation in different walks of life. The wide-ranging discussions on the Platform for Action brought together non-governmental organizations, Government, intellectuals, experts and representative of the international community, culminating in the national report which reviewed the status of women in Pakistan and recommended measures for implementation of the Platform. Both governmental and non-governmental delegations to Beijing drew
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upon the expertise of women decision makers and activists from all walks of life. Their participation in the Conference had provided the foundation for effective implementation of the Platform for Action.
She said Pakistan had initiated processes to set up mechanisms for implementing the critical areas of concern and the strategic objectives outlined in the Platform and its national report. Her Government would fulfil those objectives, mainly through its own resources. However, the international donor community and the United Nations must share in the responsibility. Pakistan had acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the instrument of accession was being deposited at the United Nations this week.
HEDY FRY, Secretary of State of Canada for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, said the Commission's mandate must be reviewed and strengthened in light of the decisions taken in Beijing. Efforts should be made to coordinate action on all agreements on global objectives for gender equality reached at recent major United Nations conferences, such as the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993), International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) and the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995). "In fact, the upcoming second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements will give us the opportunity to put into practice the concepts of gender analysis as we formulate a plan of action on shelter, sustainable development and poverty." The success of any policy would depend on cooperation with non-governmental organizations, which must be strengthened.
She went on to say that Canada had made major budgetary reforms to the benefit of women and children. By changing tax laws, the Government was able to increase the actual dollar benefits to children. Government benefits to seniors had also been changed. "We used the same number of dollars, but instead of giving the benefit to all seniors, we targeted only low- and modest-income seniors." Since 60 per cent of all seniors in Canada were women, most of whom had low incomes, that change increased the amount of money to single, senior women. Further, the Government was calculating unpaid work in national statistics.
MARGARITA DUBRON DE GALVES (Honduras) said that although the Platform for Action was ambitious, work must begin to address its priority areas. Honduras had started to implement its national objectives for women, but the economic crisis limited the country's capacity to act. It was critical that the actions of all international and regional organizations be coordinated so as to maximize resources. "We must unify our criteria, define strategies and give priority to the basic needs of each country." Honduran women had placed their hopes in the Platform for Action.
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SOMAIA BARGHOUTI, Observer for Palestine, said the Platform for Action, gave substantial attention to women living under foreign occupation or armed conflict. Translation of the Platform into a meaningful document required the formulation of concrete mechanisms as well as additional resources for implementation of its provisions.
The advancement of women in general, their integration in development and their achievement of full equality could not be realized until peace, freedom and democracy prevailed. Those prerequisites for advancement were most urgent in the case of Palestinian women, who still suffered the burdens and hardships of foreign occupation. However, new hope had emerged that the peace process would help end the suffering and grievances of Palestinian women and children, and help them reap the benefits of peace politically, economically and socially.
A new priority of Palestinian women was the adoption of a declaration of principles on the right of women as part of the Constitution or through legislation by the Palestinian National Authority. They sought to establish a mechanism concerned with following up women's issues linked to the highest decision-making position in the Authority. They had begun by participating in the democratic process, representing 47 per cent of the voters in the recent elections. There were 28 women candidates out of 676 candidates, and five were elected to office.
She commended efforts by the international community to support and assist Palestinian women as they enhanced their status and empowerment. However, there should be more efforts, especially by the United Nations and its specialized agencies and the Commission on the Status of Women, to implement recent recommendations by the Secretary-General. Palestinian women must continue to emphasize the need to address women's rights and full participation at all levels, especially in decision-making.
DILMA QUEZADA, of the Organization of American States (OAS), said the Inter-American Women's Commission was the oldest non-governmental organization promoting women's advancement in the region. It had long-established ties with the Commission on the Status of Women. The difficulties faced at the Beijing Conference had been overcome so that a world women's movement for equal rights could move forward. The Beijing Declaration adopted at the Conference recognized the progress made so far as well as the obstacles posed by continuing inequalities between women and men. The Inter-American Women's Commission had adopted a new strategic action plan which was built on a concrete analysis of prevailing realities. It was fully committed to respect for human rights and the elimination of violence against women. "We cannot speak of peace as long as women continue to be objects of violations."
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NOELEEN HEYZER, Director of UNIFEM, said the Fund had identified the economic and political empowerment of women as the two key areas of priority action to assist countries in the implementation of the Platform for Action. Its programme on economic empowerment focused on globalization with attention on trade and new technologies, women and enterprise development, and natural resource management. It supported and funded catalytic and innovative programmes that made macroeconomic policies more gender-sensitive and assisted women to intervene in the policy-making. The programme enhanced women's access to and control over economic resources, assets, opportunities and benefits on a long-term and sustainable basis. It supported their existing livelihoods and built their leadership and capacity to take advantage of new economic opportunities.
She said the Fund's programme on political empowerment strengthened women's role in governance and decision-making at all levels. It promoted women's leadership and management, strengthened their organizations to advocate for women's human rights at the national and international level, and assisted in the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. The programme promoted a gender-sensitive and development-oriented response to emergency situations, and strengthened the role of women as agents in peace-building and the setting of a peace agenda.
KURESIN SUMHADI, of the International Council for Women, said poverty eradication urgently called for an integrated approach and a closer collaboration among development partners. The International Council had joined with other non-governmental organizations to implement projects aimed at empowering women for their own better self-reliance and for the sake of their families and communities. "Many of these projects have developed further on a self-sustaining basis." Shared responsibilities between women and men in the family and society required not only changes in attitudes but also the support of the international community. That could be fostered through the active support of the media.
CHRISTINE PINTAT, of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said that organization had participated actively in the Beijing Conference and was now concerned with follow-up to the agreements reached there. In particular, efforts were being made to increase the participation of women in public and political life. Women currently comprised 11 per cent of parliaments -- an extremely low figure. Parliaments were central to the decision-making process, and thus must play a key role in implementing international agreements through legislative acts. "Unless laws are passed, even the best commitments could end up as dead letters."
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