ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS 26 TEXTS ON WOMEN, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, CRIME PREVENTION, NARCOTIC DRUGS

28 July 1998

Press Release
ECOSOC/5793

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS 26 TEXTS ON WOMEN, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, CRIME PREVENTION, NARCOTIC DRUGS

19980728 By Vote of 40-1-2, Calls on Israel to Facilitate Return Of All Refugees and Displaced Palestinian Women and Children

The Economic and Social Council this morning demanded that Israel, as the occupying Power, comply fully with provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, regulations annexed to the 1907 Hague Convention and the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families.

By a recorded vote of 40 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 2 abstentions (Colombia and Iceland), the Council called upon Israel to facilitate the return of all refugees and displaced Palestinian women and children to their homes and properties in the occupied Palestinian territory, in compliance with relevant United Nations resolutions. (See annex for details of vote.) The Council took that action as it considered the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its forty-second session. Speaking before the vote, the representative of the United States said the text was one-sided and could not help Palestinian women.

In other action this morning, the Council adopted a total of 18 draft resolutions and seven draft decisions, all without a vote, contained in the reports of the Commission on the Status of Women (documents E/1998/27 and Corr.1), the Commission for Social Development (document E/1998/26), the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (documents E/1998/30 and Corr.1), and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its forty-fourth session (document E/1998/28). Also by consensus, it adopted two other draft resolutions on operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation covering the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (document E/1998/L.20) and the reports of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Food Programme (WFP) (document E/1998/L.19).

The draft resolutions are on the following:

-- Situation of women and children in Afghanistan, which condemned the continuing violations of the human rights of women and girls in all areas of

Afghanistan, and strongly urged all Afghan factions to end discriminatory policies, and to recognize, protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of women and men.

-- Mid-term review of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, including the status of women in the Secretariat, which stressed the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective into the formulation and implementation of operational activities of the United Nations system and urged Member States to fully integrate a gender policy into considerations of the triennial policy review.

-- Conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women on critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Action, namely, violence against women, women in armed conflict, human rights of women, and the girl child.

-- Preparations for the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, by which the Council decided that the Congress should be held from 10 to 17 April 2000 in Austria, with pre-Congress consultations to take place on 9 April.

-- Transnational organized crime, by which the Council decided to establish an open-ended ad hoc committee for the purpose of elaborating a comprehensive international convention against transnational organized crime.

-- Mutual assistance and international cooperation in criminal matters, by whose terms the Council requested the Secretary-General to elaborate, in consultation with Member States, model legislation on the subject to enhance effective cooperation between States.

-- Action against corruption, by which the Council decided to convene an open-ended meeting of governmental experts to ensure that an appropriate international strategy against corruption is formulated in consultations with other concerned intergovernmental organizations.

-- Regulation of explosives for the purpose of crime prevention and public health and safety, by which the Council decided that a study should be initiated on illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in explosives by criminals and on their abuse and misuse for criminal purposes.

-- Measures to regulate firearms for the purpose of combating illicit trafficking in firearms, by which it decided that the proposed ad hoc committee on the elaboration of a international convention against transnational organized crime should discuss the elaboration an international instrument to combat illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, including, inter alia, effective methods of identifying and tracing firearms.

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-- Action against illegal trafficking in migrants, including by sea, by which the Council decided that discussions on the elaboration of an international instrument against illegal trafficking in and transporting of migrants, including by sea, should be carried out by the proposed ad hoc committee on the elaboration of a comprehensive international convention against transnational organized crime.

-- Action to combat international trafficking in women and children, by which the Council decided that the proposed ad hoc committee should also look at possible elaboration of an international instrument addressing trafficking in women and children.

-- United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, by which it recommended that the relevant national authorities promote the use and application of those guidelines.

-- Status of foreign citizens in criminal proceedings, by which the Council urged Member States to adopt a number of measures, including ensuring that individuals are not subjected to more severe custodial penalties or inferior prison conditions in a State solely because they are not nationals of that State.

-- International cooperation aimed at the reduction of prison overcrowding and the promotion of alternative sentencing, by which the Council urged member States to consider introducing alternatives to imprisonment in their criminal justice systems and to consider adopting effective measures to reduce pre-trial detention.

-- Technical cooperation and advisory services in crime prevention and criminal justice, by which it called upon potential donors and relevant funding agencies to make significant and regular financial or other contributions for the formulation, coordination and implementation of technical assistance projects.

-- Demand for and supply of opiates for medical and scientific needs, by which the Council urged Governments to continue to contribute to the maintenance of a balance between the licit supply of and demand for opiates for medical and scientific needs, the achievement of which would be facilitated by maintaining, in so far as their constitutional and legal systems permit, support to the traditional supplier countries, and to cooperate in preventing the proliferation of sources of production and manufacture for export.

-- Advancement of women: implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the role of operational activities in promoting, in particular, capacity-building and resource mobilization for enhancing the participation of women in development. By that resolution, the Council called upon the United

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Nations system to fully incorporate a gender perspective into the coordinated and integrated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, and to continue to strengthen its capacity to support and implement world conference commitments, in particular, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (document E/1998/L.20).

-- Reporting of the United Nations funds and programmes to the Economic and Social Council, by which the Council requested the Executive Boards of the United Nations funds and programmes to ensure a thorough analysis of problems encountered and lessons learned, with emphasis of issues arising from the Secretary-General's reform programmes, the triennial policy review and the follow-up to conferences to allow the Council to fulfil its coordinating role (document E.1998/L.19).

By two draft decisions, the Council decided to change the name of the ad hoc open-ended support group to a consultative group for the International Year of Older Persons, keeping its informal and open-ended nature, and endorsed the appointment by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice of Setsuo Miyazawa and Alejandro Reyes Posada to the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

In other decisions, the Council took note of the reports and approved the agendas and documentation of the following bodies:

-- Commission on the Status of Women on its forty-second session and provisional agenda and documentation for its forty-third session;

-- Commission for Social Development on its thirty-sixth session and provisional agenda and documentation for its thirty-seventh session;

-- Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its seventh session and provisional agenda and documentation for its eighth session;

-- Provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs; and

-- Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

Also this morning, the Council heard the introduction by the representative of Indonesia, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, of draft resolutions on malaria and diarrhoeal diseases, in particular cholera; declaration of the year 2002 as international year of ecotourism; and protection against products harmful to health and the environment. The representative of Bangladesh introduced the draft on International Year for the Culture of Peace, 2000.

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As the Council began considering social and human rights questions, it heard statements made by the representatives Indonesia (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China), Austria (on behalf of the European Union), Dominican Republic, Turkey, Japan, Mexico, El Salvador and Bolivia.

Angela King, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, introduced reports on women. Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, introduced a report of her Office.

Other statements were made by Yakin Ertürk, Director of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW); Vincent McClean, of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Hamid Ghodse, President of the International Narcotics Control Board; Nina Sibal, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and Esther Ashton, President of INSTRAW Board of Trustees.

Representatives of the following non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also spoke: International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers; International Movement ATD Fourth World; International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations; International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; the World Federation of Trade Unions; and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

The Council will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 29 July, to begin its consideration of the item on NGOs.

Introduction of Drafts

SIDHARTO REZA SURYO-DI-PURO (Indonesia), on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, introduced the draft resolution on malarial and diarrhoeal diseases, in particular cholera (document E/1998/L.30).

By the terms of that draft, the Economic and Social Council would urge the international development partners, with private industry, to intensify efforts to develop and distribute vaccines and other remedies against such diseases. It would stress the importance of adopting national plans of action in conformity with the Global Malaria Control Strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO) in countries where malaria is endemic.

The Council would also urge the Director-General of the WHO to continue providing, with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), other United Nations bodies and international organizations such as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research and the International Vaccine Institute, technical expertise and support to endemic countries. The Council would endorse the Roll Back Malaria initiative of the WHO, in support of the existing African initiative on malaria.

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CECEP HERAWAN (Indonesia), on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, introduced the draft resolutions on declaring the year 2002 as the international year of ecotourism (document E/1998/L.28), and on protection against products harmful to health and the environment (document E/1998/L.29).

By the terms of the first draft, the Economic and Social Council would recommend to the General Assembly to make that declaration. It would request the Commission on Sustainable Development, in the framework of its discussion of tourism during its seventh session, to recommend to the Assembly, through the Council, supportive measures and activities which would contribute to a successful ecotourism year. The Secretary-General would be requested to provide necessary support to ensure the success of the year, including widespread dissemination of pertinent information.

By the terms of the second draft, the Council would request the Secretary-General to continue to prepare the Consolidated List focusing on chemicals and pharmaceutical products in alternate years, while publishing it in each official language with the same frequency as envisioned in General Assembly resolutions 39/229 and 44/226. He would also be asked to provide the technical assistance to developing countries, at their request, for the establishment or strengthening of national capacity for managing hazardous chemicals and pharmaceutical products. By other provisions of the draft, the Council would urge the adoption of the text of the convention on the application of the prior informed consent procedure at the diplomatic conference to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and a speedy ratification thereafter.

ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) introduced the draft resolution on the International Year for the Culture of Peace, 2000 (document E/1998/L.31), which he hoped would be adopted by consensus. He said the following countries were co-sponsors of the text: Bangladesh, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Togo and Turkey.

By the terms of that draft, the Council would request the General Assembly to adopt a programme of action for the year 2000. It would stress that since the year served as the end of one millennium and the eve of another, the transition from a culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and non-violence was a process of great historic significance. It would also recognize that the promotion of a culture of peace should be a high- profile theme in the several mobilizing events and evaluations being planned for the year 2000 at the national, regional and international levels.

The Dominican Republic, Panama, Mali, Uruguay, United Republic of Tanzania and Paraguay also joined as co-sponsors of the text after its introduction.

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Explanation of Vote

DAVID M. SHAPIRO (United States), speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, said that the draft resolution on Palestinian women was unacceptable to his delegation. Among other things, the language was one-sided and not objective. His country felt that the resolution would not advance the status of women and would consequently vote against it.

Reports on Advancement of Women, Narcotic Drugs, Refugees

The report on follow-up to the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action (document E/1998/53) contains information on the relevant work of subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council. The report contains information to facilitate the Council in coordinating future work. It focuses on developments related to the implementation of the Platform for Action in the intergovernmental forums reporting to the Council, by the regional commissions and in the Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality. Specifically, the report contains information on the efforts of the Commissions on the Status of Women; for Social Development; on Narcotic Drugs; on Human Rights; on Sustainable Development; on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; and on Science and Technology for Development.

The report of the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) (document E/1998/46) states that in approving the programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999, the Board notes the difficulties imposed on INSTRAW by its current financial situation and the limitations of human resources. The Board urges flexible management of resources and programmes on the part of the Director. The Board recommends that all decisions regarding the functions of the New York Liaison Office be left to the judgement of the Director. In expressing its position on the future of the Institute, the Board reiterates that the autonomous status of INSTRAW should be maintained. The Economic and Social Council is called on to make that recommendation to the General Assembly at its next regular session.

(For background information on the Secretary-General's report on the mid-term review of the implementation of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 1996-2001 (document E/CN.6/1998/3) and the Secretary-General's report on the revised medium-term plan (document E/1998/10), see Press Release ECOSOC/5768 of 9 July.)

The report of the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control (document E/1998/58) contains information on the development of a plan of action in support of a multi-agency sectoral and subsectoral plans of actions. It states that the dedication of some agencies to the principles of inter-agency coordination has been manifested through the process of elaborating the new System-Wide Action Plan to date. However, it is clear

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that the lack of participation by key agencies and subcommittees significantly reduced the system-wide nature of the exercise and the product. Despite the recognized value of inter-agency coordination by the intergovernmental bodies, the same level of priority has not been reflected in the level of resources made available.

The report notes the addition of two plans to the overall plan of action, as follows: drugs, imprisonment and alternative sentencing; and drug abuse and trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations. The rehabilitation and social reintegration of drug offenders and drug-abusing offenders is noted as a fundamental tool in the effort to control the use of illicit drugs. To that end, the United Nations system should establish a number of interrelated activities aimed at developing strategic alliances with the maximum number of Member States and other organizations.

The Council also had before it the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (document E/1998/7) which contains information on the main activities of the Office to benefit refugees and displaced persons. Such activities include international protection, emergency relief and the achievement of durable solutions. The report also contains information on cooperation with other United Nations bodies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The overall number of persons of concern to the UNHCR in 1997 stood at 21 million, the report states. The figure represents some 12 million refugees, 3.3 million repatriating refugees in the early stages of their reintegration, 3.6 million internally displaced persons, and 1.2 million other humanitarian concerns, for the most part victims of conflict. Over 676,000 refugees returned voluntarily to their countries of origin in 1997, highlighting the fact that repatriation is the preferred solution for many of the world's refugees.

In the past several years, the report notes, there has been a distinct reduction in the number and scale of refugee-producing conflicts around the world. Nonetheless, the potential for large-scale displacement remains ever present in several regions of the world, and the increase in the number and intensity of ethnically based conflict within States continues to be the subject of concern.

In regard to capacity-building, the Office continues to develop its institutional capacity to manage voluntary repatriation, seeking to ensure the stable reintegration of returnees and facilitation of peace and reconciliation. In that regard, the UNHCR has advocated for the creation of conditions conducive to return and reintegration through United Nations system-wide efforts, which include institution-building, the strengthening of civil society, the promotion of equity, the elimination of landmines, and more effective control of the proliferation of small arms.

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In 1997, the UNHCR received some $806 million in voluntary contributions towards its General and Special Programmes. By 31 March, a total of $298 million had been received against General and Special Programmes requirements in 1998 which amounted to $1 billion.

Regarding follow-up to United Nations reform, the UNHCR had adopted new management tools proposed by the Secretary-General. Participating in Executive Committees established by the Secretary-General, the UNHCR had frequent meetings which allowed for improved coordination of United Nations initiatives, particularly where there was an interface between political, peacekeeping and humanitarian activities. On the implementation of reform in the humanitarian sector, the UNHCR had participated in drafting relevant recommendations to the new Emergency Relief Coordinator. The UNHCR looked forward to development of a clear system-wide policy on field coordination options for complex emergencies, namely: combined roles of the resident coordinator and the humanitarian coordinator, lead agency, and the placing of a humanitarian coordinator within the administrative framework of one of the operational agencies.

During the reporting period, the UNHCR continued to maintain, consolidate and develop linkages with other United Nations bodies, as well as with regional and intergovernmental agencies. During 1997, the UNHCR concluded 931 implementing agreements with 443 NGOs covering operational activities with refugee and other populations of concern to the UNHCR in 131 countries.

Statements

ANGELA E.V. KING, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, introduced the reports on the mid-term review of efforts undertaken by the United Nations system for the advancement of women; and on follow-up to, and implementation of, the Beijing Platform for Action.

She said that gender mainstreaming as a major cross-cutting issue throughout all sectors had received considerable attention in the Economic and Social Council. The various stands on that issue indicated that Member States and the United Nations continued to apply a dual strategy for realizing the Beijing Platform for Action's goal of gender equality and women's empowerment. Targeted actions and measures were being taken to achieve concrete objectives in critical areas of concern. All actors were highlighting the importance of using gender mainstreaming strategies so that women's concerns were addressed specifically and systematically in all sectoral areas.

YAKIN ERTÜRK, Director, International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), introduced the report of its Board of Trustees. She said, given the critical issues that confronted the Institute, she feared that efforts undertaken would not produce the impetus necessary to bring it to a state of sustainable productivity.

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Fundamental issues continued to challenge the very existence of INSTRAW, she said. Those issues were the nature and level of funding, and the comparative advantage of the work of the Institute within the United Nations system. The Institute was funded only through voluntary contributions of Member States. Contributions to its trust fund had systematically decreased over the years, and it was facing a serious financial crisis. There was a need to re-examine the commitments that led to the creation of INSTRAW, and ask what was needed to strengthen the capacity of the Institute to perform as a productive member of the United Nations system.

ESTI ANDAYANI (Indonesia), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said there was concern over the financial situation of INSTRAW which was negatively affecting its potential to implement programmes. Increasing its resource base would have a positive impact on its performance. While INSTRAW must continue to search for new sources of funding, it could, at the same time, increase its performance through cooperation with United Nations agencies. It was hoped that new strategies could be translated into comprehensive work plans. The Institute needed to inform the donor community about its good work if it hoped to increase voluntary contributions to its trust fund. The Institute's activities were important to developing countries. A draft resolution on the Institute would be submitted to the Council.

ALOISIA WORGETTER (Austria), speaking on behalf of the European Union, expressed the hope that the Institute could be put on a new footing to increase its performance. The Union was concerned with its output, and believed that it was connected to the lack of funds. Collective efforts by INSTRAW, the United Nations system and donor agencies were needed to put the Institute back on track. The Union supported the introduction of a resolution on the Institute and hoped that its donor base would be broadened. The current staffing level of the Institute was also of concern to the Union.

VINCENT McCLEAN, of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control.

HAMID GHODSE, President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), introducing the 1997 report of the Board, said follow-up to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem would be crucial. Governments now had the opportunity to show their commitment by implementing the action plans adopted at the session fully and conscientiously. Those laudable plans should not lead to a situation where essential treaty functions were neglected, he said. Decisive and concerted action was necessary for success in the achievement of a society free of drug abuse. The Board had instituted an internal procedure which would guarantee its members' disinterest in new candidates throughout their membership of the Board.

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JULIA TAVARES DE ALVAREZ (Dominican Republic), expressing support for the statement made for the Group of 77 and China, said as the host country, it had always been aware of INSTRAW's work. The Dominican Republic had already informed the Secretary-General of its financial support for the Institute and reiterated that support publicly. She appealed to Member States to equally support the Institute.

AHMET ARDA (Turkey) said his delegation expected the Institute to come up with projects to ensure support from Member States. Increasing visibility of the Institute would be helpful to ensure its viability.

TOSHIYUKI TAKAHASHI (Japan) said that in implementing the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control, careful thought should be given to the fact that punishments and sentences varied from country to country. Appropriate balance was required between suppression of drug abuse by punishment and social reintegration through treatment and rehabilitation.

MARIA ANTONIETA MONROY (Mexico) commended the work of the INCB. Work on follow-up to the goals of the Political Declaration adopted at the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem was important. She hoped the plans of action would be implemented in a more balanced way. She expressed concern about the lack of resources for implementation of earlier plans of the Board, and welcomed plans to carry out new projects, despite of scarcity of resources.

CARLOS ENRIQUE GARCIA GONZALEZ (El Salvador) commended the work of INSTRAW. He reiterated his delegation's support for the draft resolution to be introduced by the representative of Indonesia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

PEGGY MALDONADO RISS (Bolivia) expressed her delegation's support for INSTRAW's activities and noted with concern the financial crisis it faced. Donor countries must increase their resources to enable the Institute to continue with its work, which was in the interest of all.

NINA SIBAL, of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that in the observance of the International Year of the Culture of Peace, the situation of women in armed conflict would be taken into account. The culture of peace was essential in the eradication of poverty. She hoped the General Assembly, in its proposed review, would take note of the proposals made by the Women's Commission, and include those on women and armed conflict, and on women and the culture of peace.

ESTHER ASHTON, President of the Board of Trustees of INSTRAW, said the Board would continue to coordinate with the Director of the Institute in seeking new donors. Board members were committed to supporting the Director. The INSTRAW needed financial and political support of Member States. She made

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a special appeal for consideration to be given to the crisis it faced. The Board would cooperate with the Director in implementing any new mandate that would emanate from the Council.

Ms. ERTÜRK, INSTRAW Director, said what was needed now was to turn the support shown today for the Institute into financial and political commitments. Responding to questions on the visibility of the Institute, she said that while there was currently a programme to overcome that deficiency, given the present budget, there were no means to implement it. The Institute had, however, developed a number of extrabudgetary activities to promote visibility, including regional conferences. While it had not received any support as yet for those projects, it still hoped to be able to carry out some of them.

Internet access at the INSTRAW headquarters was still limited, she said. However, efforts to expand its outreach programme were still being pursued. The New York office was important in integrating the work of INSTRAW into the rest of the United Nations system and in reaching the world at large. Inter- agency collaboration was another identifiable way of enhancing visibility that was being looked into. She reiterated the request for further financial support.

A representative of the International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers drew attention to the emphasis placed on health and education as the priority needs of vulnerable people, and of society in general. The Federation felt that, in the long and medium term, adequate food, appropriate shelter, care for children and the elderly, and social and psychological support, among other services, constituted the pillars on which a healthy and educated society must rest. They should be given "equal treatment" in the formulation of a United Nations social development policy.

The representative of the International Movement ATD Fourth World said finding solutions to deep poverty was urgent. He recalled that "social development required placing people at the centre of development, based on the inherent dignity and worth of the human person". The Movement felt that as important as it was to build a healthy global economy and to increase employment, current economic thinking found it difficult to go beyond the idea that the solution to unemployment was to create more jobs and to divide them more equally. Microcredit should not be a micro solution; it should be accompanied by complementary programmes in education and health.

The representative of the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations said that, at a time of rapid globalization, humanity faced challenges that could only be solved at the global level. Now was time for more funds to be devoted to global peace and justice, sustained development and growth for the impoverished nations, environmental sustainability, equality, human rights, and the well-being of all. Great potential resources

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existed in a world where wealth was increasingly being accumulated in a few hands. The global economy was also generating more wealth, production, and human labour than ever in history. The means must be found to tap those resources for mankind. Stronger international institutions could address the great problems that beset the world.

A representative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said the organization represented 125 million workers all over the world. In many countries, financial manipulation and speculation, as well as emergency stabilization measures, had reduced production, incomes and employment with serious consequences for working women and men and their families. Social priorities were being sacrificed to the demands of the market, and to the need to remain competitive. Women were particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of market-driven policies that ignored prevailing social inequalities. She welcomed a decision by the President of the World Bank to appoint an official for relations with trade unions.

A representative of the World Federation of Trade Unions, representing more than 130 million workers in more than 100 countries, said there could be no improvement in the quality of life for the 120 million registered as unemployed unless a way was found to provide them with productive, meaningful jobs. The world's more than 1 billion people living in absolute poverty could not even dream of a better life if present trends in economic and social development continued. His organization believed that the current emphasis on deregulation, privatization and devaluing the role of the State sector, while dismantling social security structures, was totally displaced and could only invite repetition of the crisis of the 1930s.

A representative of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies said an estimated 300 million people suffered from mental and neurological disorders, which were the single largest cause of lost years of quality of life. A major initiative to upgrade the quality of mental health services was only possible by the development of an international and regional network of NGOs. She called for the expansion of training programmes of United Nations personnel, with emphasis on trauma treatment. The United Nations should strengthen its emergency preparedness at all levels.

SADAKO OGATA, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, introducing the report of her agency, said she had initiated practical measures to improve staff security, not only within the UNHCR, but also in cooperation with the United Nations Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC). She welcomed the inclusion of violent acts against humanitarian personnel as a war crime in the Statute of the International Criminal Court, adopted in Rome on 17 July.

She said she was extremely concerned about the critical financial situation of UNHCR's operations in the Great Lakes region of Africa, where the humanitarian needs of hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees were

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particularly pressing. The appeal for the Great Lakes operation and for the refugee and returnee operation in Rwanda had so far met with a most discouraging response. In West Africa, the hostilities in Sierra Leone had had devastating humanitarian consequences. Civilians had been subjected to the most horrific atrocities. Large numbers had been displaced within the country.

In the former Yugoslavia, she said the situation in Kosovo was deteriorating, with over 100,000 people being uprooted. The UNHCR had strengthened its presence there and, together with its partners, as well as with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was providing assistance. The humanitarian response had so far been adequate. The departure of NGOs from Kabul would inevitably have serious consequences on the living conditions of the population in the Afghan capital. It might create more displacements and arrivals of new refugees in Pakistan.

She said that, during the past 12 months, over 50 emergency missions were dispatched to at least 11 different operations around the world. Of the current emergency roster members, 65 per cent had been deployed, as opposed to only 20 per cent in the previous two years. It was essential that the UNHCR be given the resources to enable it to carry out its responsibilities.

(annex follows)

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ANNEX

Vote on Draft Resolution on Palestinian Women

The draft resolution on Palestinian women (document E/1998/27) was adopted by a recorded vote of 40 in favour to 1 against, with 2 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, El Salvador, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Guyana, India, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, Viet Nam.

Against: United States.

Abstain: Colombia, Iceland.

Absent: Central African Republic, Comoros, Gambia, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Poland, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia.

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