TEXTS RELATED TO WOMEN AND HIV/AIDS, RELEASE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TAKEN HOSTAGE IN ARMED CONFLICTS, INTRODUCED IN COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN

11 March 1999

Press Release
WOM/1115

TEXTS RELATED TO WOMEN AND HIV/AIDS, RELEASE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TAKEN HOSTAGE IN ARMED CONFLICTS, INTRODUCED IN COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN

19990311 Commission Hears Introduction of Seven Texts

The Commission on the Status of Women would urge governments to take all necessary measures to strengthen women's economic independence, to protect and promote their human rights and fundamental freedoms in order to allow them to better protect themselves from HIV infection, by the terms of a draft resolution introduced this afternoon by Zambia, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

By other terms of the text, one of seven introduced this afternoon, the Commission would stress that every effort should be made by governments, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to make combating HIV/AIDS a priority on the development agenda and to implement effective prevention strategies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women and young girls.

Further by the text, the Commission would urge Governments to take steps to: create an environment that promotes compassion and support for those infected with HIV; provide the legal framework that will protect the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS; enable those who are vulnerable to have access to appropriate voluntary counselling services; and encourage efforts to reduce discrimination and stigmatization in relation to HIV/AIDS.

By the provisions of another draft introduced today, the Commission would condemn violent acts in contravention of international humanitarian law against civilian women and children in areas of armed conflict, and call for an effective response to such acts, including the immediate release of such women and children taken hostage in conflict situations. That draft would also strongly urge all parties to armed conflicts to respect fully the norms

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* The 12th meeting was closed.

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of international humanitarian law in armed conflict and to take all necessary measures for the protection of these women and children and for their immediate release.

Other texts introduced today were related to women and mental health, with emphasis on special groups; the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan; Palestinian women; and a system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2000-2005; and enabling the Commission to continue to carry out its work.

Also this afternoon, statements were heard from representatives of the following non-governmental organizations who had not yet addressed the Commission: the Transnational Radical Party, on behalf of the non- governmental organization Committee on the Status of Women Health Caucus; OXFAM UK, on behalf of the non-governmental organization Committee on the Status of Women Health Caucus; International Right to Life, on behalf of the non-governmental organization Caucus on Women, Children and Family; International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development, on behalf of the non-governmental organization Asian Caucus; and the National Action Committee on the Status of Women - Canada, the Congress of Black Women of Canada, MATCH International and Women's Health in Women's Hands.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 12 March, to consider the draft texts.

Commission Work Programme

The Commission on the Status of Women met this afternoon to hear the introduction of draft resolutions on a number of issues it considered during the current session.

The draft texts are on the following issues: release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts; women, the girl child and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; situation of women and girls in Afghanistan; women and mental health, with emphasis on special groups; Palestinian women; and the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002-2005.

The draft resolution on release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts (document E.CN.6/1999/L.5) would have the Commission condemn violent acts in contravention of international humanitarian law against civilian women and children in areas of armed conflict, and call for an effective response to such acts, including the immediate release of such women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts.

Also by the text, the Commission would strongly urge all parties to armed conflicts to respect fully the norms of international humanitarian law in armed conflict and to take all necessary measures for the protection of these women and children and for their immediate release. It would also urge all parties to conflicts to provide unimpeded access to specialized humanitarian assistance for these women and children.

The Commission would request the Secretary-General and all relevant international organizations to use their capabilities and efforts to facilitate the release of these women and children and it would request him to prepare, taking into account the information provided by States and relevant international organizations, a report on the implementation of the present resolution, for submission to the Commission on the Status of Women at its forty-fourth session.

The draft resolution is co-sponsored by Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.

The draft text on women, the girl child and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (document E/CN.6/1999/L.6) would have the Commission urge governments to take all necessary measures to strengthen women's economic independence and to protect and promote their human rights and fundamental freedoms in order to allow them to better protect themselves from HIV infection.

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Also by the text, the Commission would emphasize that the advancement and empowerment of women is critical to increasing the ability of women and young girls to protect themselves from HIV infection. It would stress that every effort should be made by governments, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental agencies and non-governmental organizations to place combating HIV/AIDS as a priority on the development agenda and to implement effective prevention strategies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women and young girls.

The Commission would call upon the international community to intensify its support of national efforts against HIV/AIDS, particularly in favour of women and young girls, in the worst-hit regions of Africa and where the epidemic is severely setting back national development gains.

Further by the text, the Commission would urge governments to take steps to: create an environment that promotes compassion and support for those infected with HIV; provide the legal framework that will protect the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS; enable those who are vulnerable to have access to appropriate voluntary counselling services; and encourage efforts to reduce discrimination and stigmatization. It would also urge governments, with the assistance of relevant United Nations bodies and others, to create an environment and conditions that will take care of and support children orphaned by AIDS.

It would urge governments to adopt a long-term, timely, coherent and integrated AIDS prevention policy and to support women's groups and community organizations in changing harmful traditions and practices affecting the health of women and girls and to take steps to eliminate all forms of violence against women.

The Commission, by the draft, would encourage accelerated research on vaccine development and intensified additional research on promotion of the female condom, microbicides and other options that offer women more control for the protection of their reproductive and sexual health. It would also request governments to ensure that condoms and care for sexually transmitted diseases are available in places accessible and affordable to women while ensuring their privacy.

The Joint United Nations Programme and its co-sponsors would be urged to intensify their efforts in assisting governments to determine the best policies and programmes to prevent women and young girls from becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. And, it would request the Joint Programme and its co-sponsors, bilateral and multilateral donors, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to give urgent and priority attention to the situation of women and girls in Africa.

Further by the text, the Commission would invite the relevant entities of the United Nations system, including agencies, funds and programmes, to

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mainstream gender policies and programmes integrating HIV/AIDS activities. The Secretary-General would be invited to report to the forty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women on the implementation of the present resolution.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Zambia.

The draft resolution on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan (document E/CN.6/1999/L.7) would have the Commission condemn the grave violations of the human rights of women and girls, including all forms of discrimination and violence against them, in all areas of Afghanistan, particularly those under Taliban control. It would also condemn the Taliban's denial of women's access to health care and the systematic violation of the human rights of women, including the denial of access to education and employment, freedom of movement, and from intimidation, harassment and violence. The Commission would urge the Taliban and other Afghan parties to recognize, protect, promote and act in accordance with all human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion, in accordance with international human rights instruments, and to respect international humanitarian law;

Further, the Commission would urge all Afghan parties, in particular the Taliban, to end all human rights violations against women and girls and to take urgent measures to ensure: the repeal of all legislative and other measures that discriminate against women; the effective participation of women in civil, cultural, economic, political and social life; respect for the equal right of women to work and their reintegration in employment; the equal right of women and girls to education without discrimination, the reopening of schools and the admission of women and girls to all levels of education; respect for the right of women to security of person and that those responsible for physical attacks on women are brought to justice; respect for freedom of movement for women; and respect for women's and girls' equal access to health care.

The Commission would also urge States to continue to give special attention to the promotion and protection of human rights of women in Afghanistan and to mainstream a gender perspective into all aspects of their policies and actions related to Afghanistan. It would ask the Secretary-General, as well, to ensure that all United Nations activities in Afghanistan are carried out according to the principle of non-discrimination against women and girls and that a gender perspective and special attention to the human rights of women and girls are fully incorporated into the work of the civil affairs unit established within the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan.

The Commission would stress the importance of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan giving special attention to the human rights of women and girls and fully incorporating a gender perspective in his work. It would appeal to States and the international community to implement the recommendations of the inter-agency

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gender mission to Afghanistan under the leadership of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. It would urge all Afghan factions, in particular the Taliban, to ensure the safety and protection of all United Nations and humanitarian workers in Afghanistan and to allow them, regardless of gender, to carry out their work unhindered.

The resolution is co-sponsored by: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

A draft resolution on women and mental health, with emphasis on special groups (document E/CN.6/1999/L.8) would have the Commission call for the urgent implementation of the health objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action and other relevant international agreements. It would request governments to include specific measures in their national policies and plans of action for women, that address the mental health needs of women and girls. It would call upon governments to take steps to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in mental health care and to provide access to appropriate treatment responsive to women's mental health needs at all ages.

The Commission would urge governments to develop and implement public awareness campaigns on mental health and education and public health policies that are gender-sensitive and focus on women and girls most in need of psychological support. It would request governments to provide or enhance mental health education and both pre-service and in-service training to primary health care workers, social service professionals, teachers and other educators, and community workers. It would call upon governments to develop and implement legislation and comprehensive social and economic policies that address the mental health needs of women and girls. It would also request pharmaceutical companies to donate medicines for the treatment of mental disorders, or to make them more affordable in areas where psychological/psychiatric problems are prevalent.

The Commission would call upon the United Nations to develop and disseminate a training manual designed to provide primary health care workers, social service professionals, and other community workers with the appropriate skills for assisting women and girls who are experiencing problems and mental disorders as a result of trauma, all forms of discrimination, exploitation, abuse and oppression. It would also urge the Secretary-General to find ways to organize regional expert group meetings with a view to developing gender- and age-disaggregated and gender-sensitive psychosocial and mental health situation analyses and indicators as bases for determining progress in women's and girls emotional well-being and mental health, for submission to the Commission at its forty-seventh session.

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The Commission would decide to include in the framework of the review process for the special session of the General Assembly to appraise and assess progress achieved in implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, the emerging issue of mental health of girls and women, so that further initiatives and action can be undertaken.

The text is co-sponsored by Kenya, Panama, Philippines, Thailand and Zambia.

A draft resolution on Palestinian women (document E/CN.6/1999/L.9) would have the Commission stress its support for the Middle East peace process and the need for speedy and full implementation of the agreements already reached between the parties. It would demand that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the regulations annexed to The Hague Convention of 1907 and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949, in order to protect the rights of the Palestinian women and their families. It would call 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.

By the text, the Commission would also urge Member States, financial organizations of the United Nation system, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions to intensify their efforts to provide financial and technical assistance to Palestinian women for the creation of projects responding to their needs, especially during the transitional period. It would also request the Commission on the Status of Women to continue to monitor and take action with regard to the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraph 260 concerning Palestinian women and children, and the Beijing Platform for Action.

The draft text is sponsored by Guyana on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China.

A draft resolution on the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002-2005 (document E/CN.6/1999/L.10) would have the Economic and Social Council invite the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, to formulate the plan for 2002-2005 in two phases -- a first phase consisting of an assessment of activities undertaken by the United Nations system and of obstacles encountered and lessons learned from the present plan and the system-wide process of its implementation; and the second phase consisting of a new plan that reflects the growing emphasis on action and delivery.

The Council would also decide that the assessment should be submitted to the Council through the Commission on the Status of Women in the year 2000 and

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that the new plan for 2002-2005 should be submitted to the Council through the Commission in 2001.

The draft text was submitted by the Chairperson of the Commission, Patricia Flor (Germany).

Introduction of Draft Texts

FIKRET PASHEYEV (Azerbaijan) introduced the draft resolution on the release of women and children taken hostage (document E/CN.6/1999/L.5), including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts. Italy and Côte D'Ivoire were added to the list of co-sponsors for the draft.

LINDA TARR-WHELAN (United States) introduced the draft resolution on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan (document E/CN.6/1999/L.7). The following States were added to the list of co-sponsors: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa and Thailand.

RUTH S. LIMJUCO (Philippines) introduced the draft resolution on women and mental health, with emphasis on special groups (document E/CN.6/1999/L.8). The following States were added to the list of co-sponsors: Ghana, Peru, Ecuador, Indonesia, Senegal, Namibia, Guatemala, Georgia, Venezuela, Chile, Ukraine, Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, Namibia, Botswana and Rwanda. She also made changes to a number of operative paragraphs of the draft text. Those changes include:

-- operative paragraph 3 should now read: Calls upon Governments to take all possible steps to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in mental health care where it exists and to provide access to appropriate treatment that is responsive to women's mental health needs at all ages.

-- operative paragraph 7 should now read: "Encourages non-government organizations, private funding institutions, and individual donors to organize and support, with the consent of governments concerned, and complementary to their own efforts, humanitarian missions to areas where psychological/psychiatric problems are prevalent among the population, in particular among poor urban and rural women, with the view not only to providing primary treatment but also training for family members and/or other persons who may take over care of the afflicted persons."

-- operative paragraph 8: "Requests pharmaceutical companies to donate approved and unexpired medicines for the treatment of mental disorders, or to make them more affordable to areas where psychological/psychiatric problems are prevalent."

-- operative paragraph 10: "Calls upon the United Nations, particularly its agencies and bodies concerned with health and research, to develop and

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disseminate a training manual designed to provide primary health care workers, social service professionals, and other community workers with the appropriate skills for assisting women and girls who are experiencing problems and mental disorders as a result of trauma, all forms of discrimination, exploitation, abuse and oppression."

-- operative paragraph 11: "Urges the Secretary-General to find ways within the United Nations and in coordination with regional commissions and other relevant agencies to organize regional expert groups with a view to developing gender and age-disaggregated and gender-sensitive psychosocial and mental health situation analyses and indicators as bases for determining progress in women's and girls emotional well-being and mental health, for submission to the Commission at its forty-seventh session."

-- operative paragraph 12: "Invites concerned non-governmental organizations, funding sources and the private sector, in coordination with national authorities concerned, to support and develop a programme that will bring a wide range of expertise and proven interventions, including healthful indigenous practices in dealing with psychological crisis, to train local community workers, teachers and primary health care staff, and to provide appropriate interventions for stress related disorders to girls and women in crisis."

-- operative paragraph 14: "Invites the States Members, as well as United Nations agencies concerned, to make available, for the above purpose, existing measures relevant to, and/or taken to implement, the present resolution, for consideration by the Commission at its forty-fourth session."

SONIA ELLIOTT (Guyana), on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, introduced the draft resolution on Palestinian women (document E/CN.6/1999/L.9). She also made an oral revision of operative paragraph 2 of the draft. It would read:

"Affirms that, in spite of the actual deterioration of the Middle East peace process as a result of the lack of compliance by the Government of Israel with the existing agreements, increased efforts must be exerted to bring the peace process back on track towards the achievement of tangible results towards the improvement of the situation of Palestinian women and their families".

MWILA GRACE BANDA CHIGAGA (Zambia), on behalf of Southern African Development Community (SADC), introduced the draft resolution on women, the girl child and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (document E/CN.6/1999/L.6). Thailand and Norway were added to the list of co- sponsors. She also made an oral revision to operative paragraph 1 of the text. That paragraph should read:

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"Reaffirms the rights of women and the girl child infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to have access to health, education and social services and to be protected form all forms of discrimination, stigma, abuse and neglect."

Vice-Chairperson of the Commission, NONHLANHLA MLANGENI (Swaziland), introduced the draft resolution on the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002-2005 (document E/CN.6/1999/L.10). She also introduced a draft decision on enabling the Commission on the Status of Women to continue to carry out its mandate (document E/CN.6/1999/L.11). By that draft, the Economic and Social Council would decide that the Commission should hold its annual 10-day sessions in accordance with its resolution 1987/21 of 26 May 1987.

Statements

LOSANG RABGEY, Transnational Radical Party, and on behalf of the non- governmental organization Committee on the Status of Women's Health Caucus, thanked the United Nations for its apology and said that her Committee looked forward to discussing future non-governmental organization participation with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women. She also thanked the delegations of Canada and the United States for their efforts.

MOGHA KAMAL SMITH, OXFAM UK, and on behalf of the non-governmental organization Committee on the Status of Women's Health Caucus, said she urged the United Nations, governments, international financial institutions, non- governmental organizations and health services providers to take a human rights- based approach in raising the standard of health for women. In doing so, they should provide mechanisms for women to participate fully in decision-making and provide ongoing training and education for women, from basic literacy to higher education. She also urged the adoption of affirmative action measures to increase the number of women in policy-making positions and to provide mechanisms for the equal participation of women in research, planning, policy making, implementation and evaluation.

In addition, she urged the establishment of a social pact between governments and all interested parties to guarantee a minimum package of services to cover the health care of all women, particularly marginalized indigenous, poor, minority, elderly and disabled women and girls. It should also be ensured that females of all ages have access to high quality comprehensive physical and mental health services, including prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes. Health services must be accessible, affordable and appropriate to the needs of women.

JEANNE HEAD, International Right to Life Federation, Inc., and on behalf of the non-governmental organization Caucus on Women, Children and Family, said her organization was committed to ensuring respect and protection for women during the later years of their lives when they were most vulnerable to abandonment by families or society, to securing protection and appropriate

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assistance for young women and their children who were subject to social neglect, and to the full protection of the girl child from the very beginning of her life in here mother's womb. She expressed grave concern about the false and dangerous claims that the way to reduce maternal mortality in the developing world was to legalize abortion.

Women suffered serious physical, emotional and psychological damage and even death from so-called "safe legal abortions", she continued. Making abortion legal in the developing countries would result in increased maternal deaths and injuries. The key to reduction in maternal mortality rates from all causes, including abortion, was the improvement of maternal health care, not the legalization of abortion. In the developing world -- where medical care, antibiotics, and even basic asepsis were scarce or absent -- promoting abortion would increase, not decrease, maternal mortality.

ANJANA SHAKYA, Asia Pacific Watch, on behalf of the Asian Caucus, said it was of critical concern to protect indigenous medicine and knowledge while prohibiting the export and use of un-approved drugs in Third World countries. She called on Member States to monitor, denounce and condemn apartheid systems implemented by fundamentalism, communalism and traditional value systems. Those impacted negatively on women's lives and their status.

She said governments should ensure accountability and transparency to non- governmental organizations and the public. Reports and other relevant information on the status of women should be made freely available in a timely manner that allowed for substantial participation of civil society. She also called on all Member States to include non-governmental organization representatives in their national machineries.

JOAN GRANT-CUMMINGS, on behalf of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women - Canada; the Congress of Black Women of Canada; MATCH International; and Women's Health in Women's Hands, said women all over the world had watched a number of provisions of the optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women be weakened within the current negotiations on it. That weakening was indicative of the value placed on women in the world.

She said her organizations supported broad standing and a wide scope for the protocol. Governments should resist attempts to weaken the complaints mechanism within the protocol. The most vulnerable women should be able to use the protocol to protect their rights, because they were most in need of it. Ethnic minorities, migrant workers and others should not have their rights negotiated away. She strongly urged all Governments to ensure that the protocol was given full effect.

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