ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS MEASURES OF GENDER PERSPECTIVE, COOPERATION IN INFORMATICS
Press Release
ECOSOC/5730
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS MEASURES OF GENDER PERSPECTIVE, COOPERATION IN INFORMATICS
19970718 (Reissued as received.)The Economic and Social Council recommended this morning that the General Assembly draw the attention of the United Nations system to the need to mainstream a gender perspective in all areas of work, particularly those related to macroeconomic questions, operational activities for development, poverty eradication, human rights, humanitarian assistance, budgeting, disarmament, peace and security, and legal and political matters.
The call came in a set of agreed conclusions adopted following extensive debate on the issue earlier in the session. The conclusions were the first text approved at this substantive session of one of the United Nations main organs.
Voting on the question of mainstreaming was followed by action on a draft resolution on harmonizing and improving United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States. That text, was also adopted by consensus, reiterated the high priority attached to easy, economical, uncomplicated and unhindered access to the growing number of computerized databases and information systems and services of the United Nations. The resolution requested the President of the Council to convene the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics for one more year, from within existing resources.
Prior to the vote, the Chairman of that Working Group, Ahmad Kamal of Pakistan, recalled that the Council had established the Working Group in 1995 with the mandate of ensuring that Member States benefited fully from the informatics revolution in meeting the challenges of development. He said the potential of the informatics revolution was phenomenal and that recent developments would impact the fortunes of many nations. But, he added, their implications for the developing countries were particularly serious because of existing maldistribution of resources and poor access to modern information and communication technology. He called for concerted efforts had to be carried out to raise awareness in the developing countries of that technology.
Also taking the floor on the question of international cooperation in the field of informatics were the representatives of the United States, the International Telecommunications Union, Morocco, the Philippines, Chile, China, Turkey, Malaysia, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, South Africa, the Russian Federation and Luxembourg (on behalf of the European Union).
The Council also heard the introduction of a draft proposal on coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations system related to fresh water, including a clean and safe water supply and sanitation. Action on that topic is scheduled for Monday. In addition, drafts were presented on coordination, programme and other questions as they relate to multisectoral collaboration on tobacco or health; the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome, and regional cooperation.
Action on Proposals
The Council adopted agreed conclusions on the subject of mainstreaming the gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system (see document E/1997/L.28). The conclusions, among other things, recommended that the General Assembly draw the attention of the United Nations system to the need for such mainstreaming in all areas of work, in particular the areas of macroeconomic questions, operational activities for development, poverty eradication, human rights, humanitarian assistance, budgeting, disarmament, peace and security, and legal and political matters. It recommended that intergovernmental bodies with similar responsibilities in the system should monitor the way in which agencies, funds and programmes implemented mainstreaming in their medium-term plans and programme budgets, including at the field level. It determined to take steps to strengthen the harmonization and coordination of work programmes of functional commissions and other subsidiary bodies on ways to accelerate gender mainstreaming, and called upon such groups to make maximum use of the agreed conclusions on the Subject of the Commission on the Status of Women, including the 12 critical areas of concern cited. The Commission on the Status of Women was urged to provide suggestions to other functional commissions and the Council on gender mainstreaming. The heads of the specialized agencies were encouraged to establish accountability of senior managers for mainstreaming; and all United Nations entities were encouraged, among other things, to use institutional directives rather than discretionary guidelines for mainstreaming, to improve tools for mainstreaming, and to create accountability mechanisms in the field. Gender units and focal points were called upon to support the development of gender-sensitive policies and programme strategies and to develop tools and methodologies. The United Nations system was encouraged, among other things, to integrate a gender perspective into all training programmes and to provide continuous gender training for all staff, including those at the highest
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levels. And application of a gender perspective was urged in all efforts at follow-up to United Nations conferences.
In a resolution on international cooperation in the field of informatics (document E/1997/L.28), the Council reiterated the high priority it attached to easy, economical, uncomplicated and unhindered access to the growing number of computerized databases and information systems and services of the United Nations; called for the urgent and continued implementation of measures required to achieve those objectives; decided that the action programme to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems should continue to be implemented within existing resources; requested the President of the Council to convene the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics for one more year, from within existing resources, for the fulfilment of Council resolutions in the item; and requested the Working Group to design an overall information management strategy for the United Nations system.
Speaking before action was taken on the proposals, AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan), introducing the report of the Secretary-General on international cooperation in the field of informatics (document E/1997/88), said the Council had established the Working Group in 1995 with the mandate of ensuring that Member States benefited fully from the informatics revolution in meeting the challenges of development. The Working Group focused on connectivity between the Permanent Missions and the United Nations system; training in the use of Internet for the officials of the Missions; and removing impediments in the way of access to the United Nations databases. The Working Group had accomplished much more than what had been expected at the time of its creation.
Mr. KAMAL said the Working Group was now in a position to address the areas which would facilitate the attainment of the ultimate objectives. These areas included ensuring smooth transition in the process of transfer of responsibilities from United Nations Development Programme to the Secretariat for providing support to the Mission in New York; facilitating implementation of the Secretary-General's initiatives with regard to the use of information technology; promoting the use of computer-based technology for drafting of resolutions and documents in ways that would accelerate the reaching of agreements in the process of drafting; designing an overall information management strategy for the United Nations system; and providing support for and enabling member states to benefit from United Nations Development Programme's sustainable development networking programme.
Mr. KAMAL said the potential of the informatics revolution was phenomenal; the trends now being set would have the most profound impact on the area of international economic activities. These developments would impact the fortunes of many nations, but their implications for the developing countries were particularly serious because of existing maldistribution of
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resources and poor access to modern information and communication technology. Concerted efforts had to be carried out to raise awareness in the developing countries of that technology.
SETH WINNICK (United States) said the resolution was an example of the best in a United Nations working group; yet a lot more needed to be done to get people to use the computer terminals provided, especially United Nations senior officials. The linkage between the optical disk system and the Internet was a dramatic advance, making all United Nations documents available to anyone anywhere in the world; this meant that the work had to be shipshape and some of the nonsense now produced would be noticed around the world; in other words the quality of United Nations documents would have to be improved. Some technical improvements in the informatic system still had to be made as well, such as advancing beyond a limitation which allowed downloading of some documents only one page as a time.
VENEN PARATIAN, of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), said that rapid development in telecommunications and information technology were changing the way organizations communicated and conducted their business. Geneva Diplomatic Missions were using the ITU's Telecom Information Exchange Services, or TIES; more than 100 Missions were using electronic mail. TIES was provided free of cost to Permanent Missions. In addition to donating personal computers to Missions of developing countries, ITU also provided Internet-related training to Ambassadors and Mission staff; dial-up Internet connectivity, and e-mail facilities and other services.
LAHCEN ABARTAHIR (Morocco) said the delegation urged all member States and all United Nations entities to cooperate to enable the Working Group on informatics to achieve its aims. Similar computerization of United Nations documents as had been achieved in New York should be made, if possible, in Geneva, and more effort made to take into account the needs of developing countries in the field of informatics.
LIBIAN CABACTULAN (Philippines) said his country encouraged the Working Group on informatics for the leadership it had provided in many areas. None the less, additional efforts were needed. In the area of training, there had been many achievements, but still more were required. There was also a need for technical support to be provided to Missions; and for an expansion of communications capabilities among Missions in New York.
EDUARDO TAPIA (Chile) said the informatics system within the United Nations was remarkable tool that helped decision making and gave a positive picture of the Organization; work must continue in the field so that the United Nations could follow the trends of the day.
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WANG XINXIA (China) said it approved of the efforts of the Working Group on informatics which had improved work at the United Nations. The Working Group had always provided help for Missions and had achieved its goals without increasing costs. However, the United Nations information service still needed to expand its data bank and provide services to the Missions. China also requested the extension of the Working Group's activities for a year.
SHUKIR IBRAHIM (Turkey) said the importance of electronic access to, and storage of, information was becoming more apparent. Information and communications technology was vital to keeping pace with the work of the United Nations; such technology also fit in well with United Nations reforms that called, among other things, for cutting down on the use of paper. Training was a necessary component for using the system, and should be continued for, among other things, personnel of missions to the United Nations.
BURAK OZUGERGIN (Malaysia) was one of 163 countries to co-sponsor the resolution on international cooperation in the field of informatics. The gap between developing and developed countries would continue to widen if the gap between those with access to information technology and those without was not taken into account. The Working Group had allowed Malaysia's Mission to change its work methods.
A. CASSAM, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said the Working Group had done good work; UNESCO was doing a great deal with member States around the world to enhance information and communication technologies. Much was being done in Africa, and a programme had been launched following a coordination meeting last year, and sub-projects had been launched as well with UNESCO participation on a variety of concerns that could help such countries improve information exchange and collaboration and establish and use information computer networks.
OBER HOLZER (South Africa) said there had been real benefits from the activities of the Working Group on informatics. One of the priorities which Geneva and New York needed to look at was to ensure that all Missions had to same access to the system, even a minimum amount of access; the International Telecommunications Union needed to ensure that this happened. If even one country was left out, it decreased the relevance of the system. It was useful for missions to talk together, but the system would be more useful if regional centres and capitals of members states could share in the loop to ensure that missions could effectively communicate with head offices in a short space of time. Another issue which needed to be addressed in connection with the system was the issue of training and equipment, especially for developing and least developed countries.
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I. MOVCHAN (Russian Federation) said informatics work by the United Nations had been very helpful for diplomatic staff at United Nations missions; it was to be hoped that similar groups and similar work could be carried out at other United Nations offices as had occurred at New York. A central area to coordinate such informatics work must be designated for the entire United Nations system, moreover.
HENRI SCHUMACHER (Luxembourg), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the delegation was happy to join in the consensus on the resolution on informatics and stressed that the harmonization of the United Nations informatics system would significantly contribute to the work of the system.
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