GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW 1994 CAIRO CONFERENCE PROGRAMME OF ACTION OPENS AT HEADQUARTERS
Press Release
GA/9570
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW 1994 CAIRO CONFERENCE PROGRAMME OF ACTION OPENS AT HEADQUARTERS
19990630 Secretary-General Says Conference Recommendations Not Fully Realized; President of Session Stresses Need for Resources To Implement Cairo AgreementsToday, all States understood that providing for the future health and education of their citizens required the incorporation of population policies into development strategies, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the twenty- first special session of the General Assembly this morning.
As the Assembly began its review and appraisal of implementation of the Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994), the Secretary-General said recommendations formulated five years ago had not been fully realized. Developing countries had proven their commitment, but were cruelly limited in what they could achieve without outside help. They often had to deal with the debilitating effects of conflicts and too often had to give priority to debt servicing, or implement draconian budgetary austerity measures. They were entitled to expect better treatment from countries which are more fortunate. What could be more important than helping the world's people control their numbers through greater prosperity and wider choice? he asked.
Following his election by acclamation as President of the special session, Didier Opertti (Uruguay), who is also the President of the Assembly's fifty-third session, said that, while all countries were challenged by the demands of development, they should review their capabilities to provide resources for implementing the agreements made at Cairo. Worldwide, serious problems remained regarding social integration and marginality, which were embedded in cultural, political and economic factors.
The President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, said that women could not be seen solely in terms of their reproductive function. They had the right to their own development. Given timely and appropriate education, individuals would become genuine agents of change for development. Rational action must be taken to break the vicious circle of poverty and children, and create a "virtuous circle" of well-being and family.
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Also this morning, the Chairman of the Commission on Population and Development acting as the preparatory committee for the special session, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury (Bangladesh), introduced the committee's report.
Statements were also made this morning by the Vice-President of Colombia, Gustavo Bell; the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko; the State Counsellor of China, Wang Zhongyu; the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development of Ghana, Kwamena Ahwoi; Minister and Member of the Council of Ministers of Poland, Jerzy Kropiwnicki; Vice-Minister, Federal Ministry of the Interior of Germany, Brigitte Zypries (on behalf of the European Union); the Vice-Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania, Vilija Blinkeviciute; and the Federal Minister for the Environment, Youth and Family Affairs of Austria, Martin Bartenstein. The representatives of Iraq, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Côte d'Ivoire and Belgium also spoke.
The Assembly also decided this morning that the following organizational arrangements apply to the special session: the Credentials Committee of the special session should have the same membership as that of the Assembly's fifty-third regular session; the Vice-Presidents of the special session are the same as those of the Assembly's fifty-third regular session; the Chairmen of the Main Committees of the regular fifty-third session are the Chairmen of the Main Committees of the special session; and Mr. Chowdhury (Bangladesh) will also serve as the Chairman of the ad hoc committee of the whole of the twenty-first special session. The Assembly also decided upon the participation of observers, representatives of the United Nations system, non- governmental organizations and Palestine.
The Assembly was informed this morning that 32 Member States are in arrears in the payment of their financial contributions to the United Nations within the terms of Article 19 of the Charter. [Article 19 -- A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years.]
The Assembly's twenty-first special session will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its review of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the Cairo Conference.
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning in its twenty-first special session for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994).
Statements
DIDIER OPERTTI (Uruguay), President of the General Assembly at its twenty-first special session: The special session is being convened at a double turning point in world history. We are on the brink of a new century and a new millennium, and we are poised to welcome the 6 billionth citizen of the world. As we pass 6 billion, there are some reasons to think that the new baby is more fortunate than his predecessors. Infant mortality has never been lower; life expectancy has never been longer; there has never been so much wealth in the world; and never have so many people shared in it. Never have so many people been so well educated, well fed or well housed.
However, despite all these advances, we do face serious problems of social integration and marginality that are embedded in cultural, political and economic factors. The inequality gap seems to increase in objective and subjective terms, followed by a wide sense of deprivation. We are here today in the interest of closing this gap, and to make a contribution to that end. Our first and foremost concern is for economic and social development for all countries, on a basis of gender equity and equality, of human rights and social justice.
In the years since 1994, countries have made excellent progress towards the Cairo goals. Policies have been reviewed and changed, and new policies have been adopted. The legal framework has been examined and new laws passed to remove obstacles to implementation. There is more enthusiasm for enforcing existing constitutional and legal protections, notably, in the area of gender equity and equality. Existing partnerships between governments and civil society have been strengthened and new ones formed. Existing resources have been redeployed and new resources have been found.
There is discussion about the best way to proceed, while preserving and protecting the values and principles enshrined in the Programme of Action. In particular, there is discussion concerning the resources necessary for full implementation of the Programme of Action. We know that all countries are challenged by the demands of development, but we also know that the agreements made at Cairo, at the World Summit for Social Development, and at the Fourth World Conference on Women cannot be fully implemented without your full cooperation. Therefore, I call on all countries to review their capabilities to provide resources for implementing the agreements of these conferences.
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KOFI ANNAN, Secretary-General of the United Nations: The series of great conferences held by the United Nations in the 1990s were all distinct topics, but all related to each other, and to one central overarching aim: development -- the development of nations and of people. All those conferences aimed to reach that goal through an organized, yet voluntary effort; a collective effort on a global scale; an effort by sovereign States and civil society working together; and an effort guided by a common approach, based on universal values and principles which we could all accept.
Cairo was not just a population conference. It was a conference on population and development. It was part of a process going back 25 years or more, during which we have all learned that every society's hopes of social and economic development are intimately linked to its demography. All States now understand that, if they are to provide adequately for the future health and education of their citizens, they need to incorporate population policies into their development strategies.
Abundant research has shown us that economic growth and development have profound effects on fertility, on the size of families, on the age pyramid, and on patterns of migration. In other words, demography and development are constantly interacting. Since Cairo, the world understands that we have to stabilize the population of this planet. There is a limit to the pressures our global environment can stand. Patterns of consumption are one form of pressure. Another is the sheer size of the world's population, and a third is the way it is distributed around the globe. There is also the individual dimension. Every human being aspires to health, security and dignity. Now, we realize that sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of those rights.
We are still adding 78 million to our numbers every year, but that figure too should decline, first slowly and, then, in the second decade of the century, quite steeply. States have acted on internationally agreed principles and on their own national priorities and values. Most of them have achieved slower, more balanced population growth, not by coercion, but by enhancing individual freedom. We should, however, acknowledge that it was not done by States alone, but also through the contributions of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other parts of civil society. They spread the word, lobbied for policy changes and mobilized people to support national initiatives.
Have we done all that the Cairo Conference recommended? No. There is still much to do. In too many countries, girls still do not have the same chance to education as boys. Too many women still cannot choose when or whether to become pregnant. Too many are victims of sexual violence, especially during conflict. Too many resort to abortions that are not safe. Too many are subjected to genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices. Too many men also remain ignorant of, or indifferent to, their
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responsibility for their family and its reproductive health. People in developing countries still die too young. The stakes could hardly be higher. If only we could implement the Cairo Programme in full, we could make a tremendous difference to human rights, to hopes of prosperity, and to the sustainable use of natural resources. What could be more important than the chance to help the world's people control their numbers through greater prosperity and wider choice. We can do it. Thanks to Cairo, we know how to do it. Let us affirm the pledges we made at that Conference.
ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Chairman of the Commission on Population and Development, which acted as the preparatory committee for the twenty-first special session, in presenting the Committee's report: The Committee mostly devoted its time in negotiating the main substantive document on the basis of a working paper submitted by the Chairman, which contained proposals for key future actions for further implementation of the Programme of Action. The outcome has been very positive. There has been substantial progress achieved as reflected in our documents.
We were able to reach consensus on most of the text, including sections dealing with vitally important issues like gender equality and empowerment of women, the need for a gender perspective, reproductive health, maternal mortality and morbidity, HIV/AIDS issues, resources, partnerships and collaborations, and macroeconomic issues. Despite efforts, a few paragraphs still remain outstanding. We are working on them, and this will continue in the committee of the whole of the session. Please note that the decisions adopted by the preparatory committee (document A/S-21/2/Add.2, paragraphs 53 and 54), which concern adolescent health, have been agreed upon since the document was adopted by the preparatory committee last night. We have not only reviewed the implementation of the Programme of Action of Cairo, but we have substantially enriched the understanding and broadened the consensus through a process of prolonged and constructive engagement.
ALBERTO FUJIMORI, President of Peru: The closely linked issues of population and development are of great importance to all developing countries, and especially to the poor. The gap between poor and rich countries continues to increase, and it is prudent to be alert to the implications of economic globalization on the people of the world. The non- developed world is witnessing the vicious circle of unwanted children and poverty. That cycle must be broken through realistic economic policies with a macroeconomic basis, enabling stability and national development. The best approach is to use scarce resources productively to achieve national objectives. That will result in a "virtuous circle" of well-being and family.
In developing countries, basic services such as health and social security are limited and inadequate. Couples must be given information so they can freely decide on the size of their families, in keeping with their
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resources, and practice responsible parenthood. Peru has had explicit population policies for years, but since the Cairo Conference, the coverage and quality of reproductive services has increased. In 1993, 340,000 couples chose methods of protection. Three years later, with the initiating of the national reproductive health programme, that number increased to 600,000 and, in 1998, almost 1 million couples had access to the programme.
If such a large number of couples are asking for information and State support, should the State stand back from its citizenry to spare itself from criticism? Clearly, the answer is no. It is the State's responsibility to provide assistance. In Peru, 30 years ago, the average woman had six children; now the number is three. Infant mortality is falling, while population growth is decreasing. In Peru, 64 per cent of women in relationships do not want more children, and 23 per cent want to space their births. Why should access to relevant information be prevented, if it is desired?
Unmet demand results in abortions, which is prohibited in Peru. According to conservative estimates, some 250,000 abortions are performed per year, compared to 610,000 births. Many of those abortions led to complications and even the death of women -- all because of unwanted pregnancies. That situation is repeated in other countries. Therefore, contraceptive methods -- both natural and artificial -- are an important element to prevent maternal mortality. Such programmes work, despite detractors and obstacles, and the obstacles did not only include entrenched customs and the positions of conservative sectors. Even some NGOs acted to counter reproductive health programmes. There had been talk of mass sterilizations and an uproar at purported attempts to eliminate Indians and the poor. Yet, the percentages of maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from those surgical contraceptives are within international standards.
Positive results can be seen in terms of gender equity and the State's consideration of policies to promote and improve the situation of women, including their access to education and economic activity, increased participation in political life and improved health. It almost seems that the concept of globalization did not apply to women. It is as if women are supposed to live isolated from the course of history. While the Cairo Programme of Action is the basis of international population policy, each country determines its path on the basis of national laws. Effective programmes will mean greater levels of well-being. Women cannot be seen solely in the context of their reproductive function. They have the right to their own development. Rational action must be taken to break the vicious circle of poverty and children, and create a virtuous circle of well-being and family.
GUSTAVO BELL, Vice-President of Colombia: While the universal principles and values that inspired the Cairo Conference are a guide for action, a new political impulse is now needed to ensure that the ideals shared by the
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international community are translated into practical results and better living conditions for the world's population. Colombia has had significant achievements in terms of population stabilization. Its infant mortality rate is lower than the world average. Such accomplishments are due, in part, to the increased provision of reproductive health services and collaboration between Government and NGOs.
The challenges ahead require not only domestic efforts, but also support from the international community, especially regarding mobilizing financial resources and building capacity. The document to be adopted at the end of the Assembly session will be an important means to deepen political will towards the fulfilment of the goals in the Cairo Programme of Action. To ensure successful implementation of the Programme, several considerations are essential. Population must be a basic component of development strategies. Actions aimed at compensating for the social impact of the recent international financial crisis -- particularly in the fields of education, health and population programmes -- demand the highest priority. Also, legitimate and universally accepted results cannot be achieved without clear policies and concrete results on international migration.
It is necessary to remove the economic and social barriers that prevent the full enjoyment of reproductive and sexual rights and of sexual health. Doing so is indispensable to guaranteeing effective population policies based on gender equality and equity. Also, more decisive measures are needed in favour of adolescents and elderly people. Young people constitute a powerful resource for future development. The future of the world's reproductive health is in their hands. Elderly people are an increasing portion of the world's population and require greater attention and social sensibility than before.
Reducing maternal mortality rates requires decisive collective commitment and wide international support. Urgent actions are needed to improve the health and nutrition conditions of women, reduce the numbers of unwanted pregnancies, and guarantee safe and effective family-planning methods. Cooperation between governmental and non-governmental actors should be reinforced. The active participation of NGOs is increasingly important to achieving successful results in implementing the Programme of Action. The international community must give greater support to South-South cooperation efforts. Lastly, credibility of the Cairo Programme of Action should be restored in the area of mobilizing international financial resources. Results fall short of expectations in that regard.
VALENTINA L. MATVIENKO, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation: Five years after Cairo, certain results have been achieved at the global scale in such key areas as reduction of maternal and infant mortality, improvements in reproductive health and better access to education. In this process, we recognize a significant and important role of the United Nations Population
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Fund (UNFPA) as a central body in United Nations activities in this area. However, it is obvious that, for a number of goals, the pace of progress achieved remains unsatisfactory. In our view, to a great extent, this is directly linked to other unsolved problems in the world, including the social costs of macroeconomic reforms and the negative global impact of the financial crises in Asia, Latin America and Russia. The complexity of the globalization phenomenon and insufficient resource mobilization for population activities jeopardize the achievement of the Cairo goals.
Under these circumstances, it is important to increase the attention to the social components of economic development and to put the human person -- its dignity, rights, economic and spiritual potential -- in the centre of national and international policies. These crucial important elements should become a part of a "concept of peace in the twenty-first century" that the President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, proposed to elaborate. We are convinced that the preservation of peace for development is the sine qua non for progress in the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action.
Russia is fully committed to the spirit and goals of the Cairo Conference. Guided by the Cairo principles, the Government has consistently pursued its policy in the field of population. The authorities have seriously revised the approach to demographic problems. Our main priorities are to reduce mortality, improve health services, provide acceptable living standards, and ensure social protection. The national policies on women, children and the family have been carried out in a consistent manner. One of the major difficulties in implementation of population and development policies is the lack of public funds.
We attach great importance to the growing cooperation with the UNFPA. It is important to ensure that the cooperation with multilateral organizations be based on broad partnerships with civil society, including NGOs, the private sector, academia and local authorities in the Russian regions.
WANG ZHONGYU, Secretary-General of the State Council of China: Since the Cairo Conference five years ago, the international community and various governments have made relentless efforts for the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action. Encouraging progress has been made in improving women's status, promoting gender equality, making education universal, improving reproductive health and family-planning services, and lowering birth, maternal mortality and infant mortality rates. All these efforts have contributed to promoting socio-economic development and improving people's health and welfare.
In the meantime, we still have a long way to go before reaching the goals defined in the Programme of Action. In some countries and regions, economic crisis and natural disasters have seriously hindered progress in implementing the Programme. Regional wars and conflicts are posing grave challenges to
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world peace and development. Equity and social justice are overshadowed by the threat of power politics and hegemonism. Now, the basic reproductive health and family planning of many couples and individuals worldwide are yet to be gratified. Environmental degradation in some countries and areas is undermining people's health, especially the reproductive health of women.
There is a severe shortage of funds for implementing the Programme of Action, and the commitment for international assistance was far from being fulfilled. Official development assistance (ODA) for population-related projects has been drastically cut back, instead of increased at a time when Asian countries are in financial crises, Latin American countries are burdened with external debt, and African countries are increasingly marginalized in economic globalization.
The population issue goes hand in hand with development and should be considered and addressed in light of a country's national conditions and socio-economic development. Efforts should be made to develop a coordinated relationship between population growth and socio-economic development, resource utilization and environmental protection, so as to achieve sustainable development. The right to subsistence and the right to development of all nations and peoples are the first of all human rights. Development is the basis without which human rights will be devoid of real meaning. While implementing the Programme of Action, the differences in economic development levels, history, cultural traditions, religious beliefs and moral values of each country should be taken into full consideration. Overlooking them will make the Programme's goals unattainable.
KWAMENA AHWOI, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development of Ghana: The general policy environment within which we are implementing our Revised Population Policy and the Cairo Programme of Action has been considerably enhanced by the Government's blueprint for socio-economic transformation entitled, "Vision 2020: The First Step". This sets out the medium- and long-term goals, targets and strategies required to transform Ghana into a middle-income economy by 2020. To achieve the desired change in behaviour, attitudes and practice, we will continue to engage in constant advocacy and consensus-building by fostering and maintaining strategic partnerships and functional linkages with NGOs, youth and women's groups, community leaders, especially traditional rulers, religious leaders and the private sector.
Appropriate policy guidelines have been developed to guide programme implementors in the field of reproductive and sexual health, as well as reproductive rights. We have integrated reproductive health into our primary health care and referral systems, and a full range of basic reproductive health services is provided at these levels. Ghana is determined to continue to implement the Programme of Action to the letter and is committing as much
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resources as it can to the social sector. However, like many other developing countries, we face serious resource constraints as a result of policies we are having to implement to ensure macroeconomic stability and, more significantly, the unsustainable external debt repayment terms and diminished economic potential arising from problems of market access.
The impact of these is to further constrain our ability to deal with problems encountered in the implementation of the Programme of Action. These problems include shortage of trained manpower, inequitable distribution of health service staff, inadequate access to services, especially in rural areas, and negative socio-cultural beliefs and practices. Without significant improvement in the external environment for trade and debt servicing and repayments, our efforts will not lead to the agreed targets in the Programme of Action, even if our partners did more to meet the agreed ODA targets and their commitments in the Programme of Action.
JERZY KROPIWNICKI, Minister and Head of the Government Centre for Strategic Studies of Poland: The session is an important world event, as it is the evidence of the international community's appreciation of the activities aimed at the versatile development of nations and States. The present debate will create the possibility of assessing the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action and specify methods of further activity without altering the Programme's wording. Poland is guided by the universal values contained in the Programme of Action -- in its efforts towards dynamic economic development and social transformations. With reference to these values and its Constitution, Poland has undertaken complex social reforms designed to tackle the tasks of the twenty-first century.
In 1998, the Government of Poland adopted a report on the situation of Polish families, which states that only the family can secure the optimal conditions for generational renewal and that the consolidation of the foundations of the family is the duty of the State. Efforts to implement a pro-family State policy embraces such issues as: strengthening the material foundation of family functioning; protecting motherhood, the health of infants and children in the growing stage; bringing up a young generation to respect the right to life and social human rights; and promoting a culture of responsible procreation.
Women and mothers have a special role in the family. Women devoted to motherhood and family life should have the opportunity to materialize their own social aspirations, and those choosing a professional career the possibility of squaring it with family life and motherhood. The equal rights of women and men are guaranteed by the Constitution of Poland. Non-governmental women's organizations have been operating on a broad scale.
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BRIGITTE ZYPRIES, Vice-Minister, Federal Ministry of the Interior of Germany, on behalf of the European Union and the associated countries of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Cyprus: One of the major achievements of the Cairo consensus is the recognition that measures and policies in connection with population issues have to be based on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and guided by the well-being of people.
Although the concept of reproductive rights and reproductive and sexual health is by now firmly installed and widely acknowledged, much still needs to be done to create an environment enabling people not only to make free and informed choices, but also to act upon them. The European Union puts priority on stronger action in the field of HIV/AIDS; the particular needs of adolescents for confidential and comprehensive services in sexual and reproductive health and sex education; stronger action to reduce maternal mortality; and gender equality and equity. Attention should also be paid to migration and refugees, population ageing and resources.
On 12 October this year, the world population will reach 6 billion people. Irrespective of future population trends, the decisive action of all concerned is still needed to help us cope with the challenges before the global community in the approaching century.
VILIJA BLINKEVICIUTE, Vice-Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania: The goals and undertakings of the International Conference on Population and Development are integrated into the national strategy of our Government and are reflected in the objectives of social policy. In Lithuania, the ever-decreasing birth rate has a major influence on the ageing of the population, which has become a very urgent issue. After the United Nations declared the year 1999 as the Year of Older Persons, Lithuania adopted a programme of action to deal with the problems of senior citizens. Over the years, Lithuania also faced the new challenge of increased migration. One of our priority tasks is, on the one hand, to combat illegal migration and, on the other, to provide the legal and social basis for refugee and asylum seekers. Recently, a special programme on migration control prepared in accordance with the relevant European Union regulations was adopted.
Lately every effort is being made to develop the Social Budget Model of the International Labour Organization (ILO), on which social expenditures -- retirement benefits, relief, employment, health and other expenditures -- should be included. This allows us to define a social security level that the country may achieve, as well as to forecast indicators. The results of this model may be used to make social policy decisions. The elaboration of the concept of Lithuania family policy was started shortly after the Cairo Conference and the programme on Family Policy adopted in 1996.
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The content of the Family Policy programme was greatly enhanced by the recommendations of the European Population Conference, held in Geneva, and by the Cairo Programme of Action. Taking into account the principles of equal opportunities for both sexes underlined at the Cairo Conference, the Parliament of Lithuania adopted the law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in 1998. This law requires establishment of the Ombudsman Institution to monitor equal opportunities for both sexes. Lithuania also supports the goals formulated in the Cairo Programme, especially those aimed at: decreasing the mortality rate among mothers, infants and children; and providing reproductive health care services and sexual education programmes. We agree that abortion is not a method of family planning. Therefore, women attending women's consultation clinics are consulted on this issue and introduced to contraceptive means and methods.
MARTIN BARTENSTEIN, Federal Minister of Environment, Youth and Family Affairs of Austria: One goal of the Cairo Conference was to slow down the dynamics of population growth. This year the global population will cross the six billion threshold. In the future, the population growth in developing countries will be abated, while that of industrialized countries will stagnate. In Europe, the population is expected to decline by 10 to 14 per cent before 2050. In Austria, which more or less reflects other European Union member States, there will be a steady growth in the number of older people. The ratio of people over 60-years-old to those under 15-years- old will shift from 1:1 today to 3:1 in the year 2030.
A family policy geared towards the future has to focus on improving the conditions that allow families to decide in favour of having children. Austria has taken many steps to create an environment enabling couples to realize their desire to have children. On a global scale, concrete goals include the fight against maternal, infant and child mortality; taking preventive approaches in sexual and reproductive health to avoid unwanted pregnancies and protect against HIV/AIDS; and, of greatest concern to Austria, curbing the increase in trafficking of migrants, particularly women and children, who are subjected to violence, forced labour or sexual exploitation.
Every year, 70 to 80 million women become pregnant against their will, 600,000 die of pregnancy-related consequences and 80,000 die as a result of unsafe abortions. These facts demonstrate the need for action at the global level, because the challenges surpass the solving capacities of States. The joint efforts of developing and industrialized countries alike are needed, and funding for population and development programmes needs to be increased. Austria will review its funding for implementing the Cairo Programme of Action, with a greater emphasis on bilateral projects promoting sexual and reproductive health. There is a link between population, development and sustainability. The fight against poverty checks population dynamics and sustains the planet's ecological balance.
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SAEED HASAN (Iraq): The programme of work of the Cairo Conference in 1994 ushered in a new era in the United Nations efforts to achieve sustainable development, human rights and the right to development. The other major conferences of the 1990s reinforced the programme of work and the objectives of that conference. Now, the objectives of the Cairo Conference must be translated into concrete steps. Regrettably, there is some reluctance, however, by the wealthier countries in implementing their part of the Programme. This hampers developing countries seeking to address issues such as population, reproduction and family planning.
Iraq is one of the pioneers in achieving scientific planning and realizing goals to raise the prosperity of human beings. There is free education at all levels in the country. Primary education is also compulsory, while there is a policy to address illiteracy which received the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) award. There is also free health care, which led to a significant decline in infant mortality and in endemic and contagious diseases. Special care is provided to rural areas and specific socio-economic measures assist in limiting urban migration. Iraq has also adopted many laws that aim at providing equal treatment for women.
Economic sanctions imposed on the developing countries are a phenomenon of the 1990s and the new millennium. Sanctions have destroyed most of Iraq's plans to address population and development. A structural destruction of the cultural, social and economic fabric of the people of Iraq now exists. Children suffer from severe malnutrition and several thousand die monthly because of the lack of medication. The school drop-out rate is also high and the health and environmental situation deteriorating. The elderly are also being affected. More than 1 million people have died because of sanctions. The imposition of the blockade is a genocide and a violation of all human rights. This conference could be an opportunity to call for the lifting of sanctions that not only hinder development, but kill human beings collectively.
DUMISANI S. KUMALO (South Africa): South Africa strongly supports the objectives of the Cairo Programme of Action. However, we believe it does not suffice to focus only on reproductive health and rights. We need to also create enabling socio-economic conditions for individuals to exercise their rights. In addition to numerous sectoral policies and legislation aimed at transforming the delivery system, South Africa is allocating nearly two-thirds of its national budget to the social sector. Particular actions aimed at empowering women include the improvement of women's access to credit, the removal of discriminatory customary legislation, and facilitating women's involvement in small and medium enterprises.
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Recognizing that unsafe abortion is a major public health hazard, and in compliance with the constitutional right to reproductive health, the Government passed the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, which removes barriers to women's right to choose. In addition, HIV/AIDS is an essentially gender equality and rights issue. The fight against HIV/AIDS brings the question of human rights into the terrain of sexuality, since one of the major causes is the lack of empowerment of women to negotiate safer sex, and the frequency of violence within sexual relationships.
Also, South Africa's demographic profile is expected to be severely affected by the HIV/AIDS onslaught, which will also have devastating socio- economic consequences. The HIV/AIDS campaign is a national political priority, led at the Presidential level and aimed at changing behaviour and attitudes. A major stumbling block is the high cost of anti-AIDS drugs, which requires a commitment to address the price structures established by major multinational pharmaceutical companies, as well as the mobilization and provision of new and additional resources to assist developing countries.
PAOLO FULCI (Italy), on behalf of the Minister of Social Solidarity of Italy, LIVIA TURCO: The population problem has shifted from being simply a demographic matter to one with economic and social dimensions. In Cairo, women became central actors in the development process and in the control of population growth. Thanks to the intensified actions of NGOs, there is a growing awareness of the problems of gender equality and the empowerment of women. In addition, the high-level segment of the upcoming Economic and Social Council session in Geneva will discuss the advancement and the empowerment of women in the framework of the role of work and employment in poverty eradication. The empowerment of women has also led to a rapid decrease in fertility and sharp downturn in demographic growth.
As a consequence of the behaviour of individuals and couples, on the one hand, and of political and government action, on the other, population trends in Italy make it unique in the world. Italy has the oldest population in the world. In 1998, according to the latest estimates and projections of the United Nations Population Division, the country had the world's highest rate of people aged 60 and over -- 24 per cent --- and the lowest rate of youths under the age of 15 -- 14 per cent. Italian women and couples have one of the lowest fertility rates in the world and in the history of humankind -- 1.19 children per woman in 1996. The Italian law on the voluntary interruption of pregnancy, introduced in 1978, is not meant as a birth control method and is sensitive to women's needs.
While Italian women still lag somewhat behind some of their European counterparts in terms of presence in the political arena and gender imbalance in the distribution of work, the situation is improving rapidly, especially for younger women in the areas of education and employment. Between 1994 and 1998,
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the number of employed women increased by 301,000, while the number of employed men decreased by 224,000. In 1998, in the 25 to 30 age group, more women than men held university degrees. In response to these unique trends, the Italian Government has set a number of priorities including: promotion of children's rights and opportunities; prevention and reduction of hardship and want for individuals and families; strengthening the status of women; and strong support for families, including more flexibility in maternity leave, more flexible working hours for parents, and better coordination of working hours and services so as to enrich family life.
INOCENCIO ARIAS (Spain): The special session's significance is underscored by the intensive preparatory process, which had involved a number of civil society groups. The Cairo Programme of Action sought to empower women and adolescents, recognizing their rights in the area of reproductive health. The Programme of Action must be viewed comprehensively, since its objectives are affected by matters as distinct as financial resources and religion. Further, it should be considered in a forward-looking manner, taking into account changes in the global situation that will have repercussions in future years.
Some priorities include: providing adolescents with appropriate education and services and reducing maternal mortality, in particular, by preventing unwanted pregnancies. Where allowed by law, voluntary abortions should take place with the necessary physical and psychological services. Attacks against refugees and displaced persons must be addressed, and the means for reproductive health must be provided in refugee camps.
Financial resources are needed to meet the international community's targets. If the UNFPA lacks resources, there will be negative repercussions. Spain has maintained its contributions to the Fund at the same level since 1995, and is now considering increasing its future contributions. In 1998, Spain's bilateral cooperation was directed towards integrating women, maternal and child health, and comprehensive rural development. Spain has also been focusing on programmes of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) that give priority to women. Much remains to be done at the national and international levels; achieving the objectives set out at the Cairo Conference is a shared responsibility. To meet the challenges ahead, determined action is needed on the part of all parties. Spain is committed to acting responsibly in achieving those joint goals.
CLAUDE STANISLAS BOUAH-KAMON (Côte d'Ivoire): This mid-term review of the Cairo Conference allows me to outline my Government's policies in this area. With a population of 15.5 million, Côte d'Ivoire has the highest population growth rates in the world. This high growth rate is due to a high birth rate, a significant drop in mortality rates, and a relatively large migration influx of foreigners. If this growth rate continues, the population will be 27.5 million by 2015. Côte d'Ivoire has a multi-ethnic, multicultural
General Assembly Plenary - 15 - Press Release GA/9570 Twenty-first Special Session 30 June 1999 1st Meeting (AM)
society. The family, as an institution, has undergone profound changes. The traditionally extended family has grown to be nuclear, especially in the urban areas.
Recently, Côte d'Ivoire has re-embarked on the road to economic growth. Part of the strategy is to develop the private sector, implement measures to alleviate poverty, and secure conditions for a broader participation by the population in society. In March 1997, the Government adopted its National Population Policy, which was designed as one of the main components of a society to which the country aspires. Among its goals is to seek to improve living conditions and preserve the environment.
Among the main objectives of the Policy is to: reduce general and infant mortality rates and strengthen reproductive health care by the year 2000; bring down the overall fertility rate; control migratory movements; meet the requirements to provide equality in access to education and health; improve the economic, social and legal status of women and young people; and provide qualitative improvements in living conditions. Implementation of the Policy is multi-sectoral in nature, requiring cooperation between civil society, NGOs and Government.
ANDRÉ ADAM (Belgium): Since the Cairo Conference, many activities have been conducted by Member States. In terms of population, definite progress has been made, but enormous challenges remain. Growth rates seem to have slowed, but maternal mortality rates remain too high in many countries. Belgium supports gender equality, especially in the area of reproductive and sexual health. Education is vital in that regard, particularly in a world where two demographic trends are emerging -- the ageing of the population and an increase in international migration.
The number of ageing people is increasing, and steps must be taken to guarantee that they have the necessary resources, especially in developing countries. It also requires a well-structured social security system. Migration flows require an international approach to determine its causes. It is better to prevent, rather than to cure, in order to avoid international conflicts. These two issues are also important in addressing the improvement of living conditions. I hope that this special session will provide an opportunity for a new impetus in international cooperation.
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