PRESS BRIEFING ON OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING ON OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

The new Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women could become a useful and effective addition to the available inventory of tools for the protection and promotion of women's human rights, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women Angela King told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this morning.

Presenting a joint statement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, on the occasion of the new Protocol's opening for signature, she said that the principle of equal rights of women and men was one of the pillars of the United Nations. It was reflected in the Organization's Charter, as well as in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all subsequent major international human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Also speaking at the press briefing were the Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bacre Waly Ndiaye, and the Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Aida Gonzalez Martinez. The event was moderated by the Director of the United Nations Public Affairs Division, Thérèse Gastaut.

Continuing, Ms. King said that several international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, had procedures for submission of claims of alleged violations to independent expert bodies, once domestic remedies had been exhausted. Procedures for expert bodies to undertake inquiries into situations of alleged grave or serious violations also existed. While those mechanisms were available to women and men alike, women had rarely used them to seek redress for violations of their rights.

At the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna (1993) and the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995), she continued, governments had made a commitment to establish a mechanism to ensure the right to petition under the Women's Anti-Discrimination Convention. The Optional Protocol, which was being opened for signature on Human Rights Day today, was the concrete realization of that promise to promote and protect human rights of women around the world.

The significance of the new document could not be overestimated, she said. The Convention had now joined the ranks of those instruments that offered victims of human rights violations an international forum to seek redress for their grievances. The Optional Protocol would provide an international remedy for violations of women's rights, and act as an incentive for governments to take a fresh look at the means currently available to women at the domestic level. That was perhaps the most Women Convention Press Briefing - 2 - 10 December 1999

important contribution of the Optional Protocol. Action at the national level would create an environment for women and girls to fully enjoy all their human rights. It would also allow their grievances to be addressed with the efficiency and speed they deserved.

It was very encouraging that the Optional Protocol had been adopted by consensus after only four negotiation sessions, she continued. That signalled the governments' acceptance of the vision of universal human rights for women and men. Also invaluable for the successful conclusion of the process had been the firm positions of non-governmental organizations from around the world, which insisted that the Vienna and Beijing commitments be honoured.

In conclusion, she urged governments to ratify the Optional Protocol without delay, so that the 10 ratifications required for its entry into force could be obtained.

Also highlighting the importance of the new Protocol as a tool to improve the position of women, Mr. Ndiaye said that it allowed them direct access to the United Nations human rights mechanisms. Although a number of countries were now taking measures towards gender equality, it was necessary to remember that gender discrimination still existed in every society. Women were still discriminated against in their workplace, at home and in the society, in general. It was important to remember that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women had the highest number of reservations. He hoped that the Protocol would draw public attention to those problems and that, in the new century, women would no longer constitute the bulk of the poor, the illiterate and the discriminated against in the world. It was symbolic that the signing was taking place on the last Human Rights Day of the century.

Ms. Gonzalez Martinez stressed the significance of non-governmental organizations involvement in the development of the Protocol. Those organizations had helped to mobilize the political will of a number of States parties to the Convention. The Protocol would promote better knowledge of women's problems and awareness of existing legislative measures for protection of women, both on national and international levels. With the Protocol, there would be not only international, but also national remedies for women's problems and for the violations of the Convention.

She said that since its establishment in 1982, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women had been committed to the effective implementation of the Convention. In its report to the Preparatory Committee for the special sessions of the General Assembly on Beijing+5, the Committee had noted that provisions guaranteeing the enjoyment of human rights without discrimination on the basis of sex had been included in several constitutions, and legislation on women's social and political rights had been adopted.

Unfortunately, much still remained to be done, particularly in terms of equality within the family and in the areas of health and political rights, she continued. The Committee was deeply concerned about high rates of abortion, HIV infection and teenage pregnancy in many countries. Also Women Convention Press Briefing - 3 - 10 December 1999

troubling were the persistence of violence against women and the fact that domestic violence was still considered a private issue in many countries.

The Committee was also committed to the goal of universal ratification of the Convention. To date, there were 165 ratifications. Two more were expected soon. Attention should be paid not only to the quantity of ratifications, but also to the sincerity of countries' commitment to the practical implementation of the Convention.

Before opening the floor to questions, Ms. Gastaut reminded correspondents that the Optional Protocol would enter into force three months after 10 States parties to the Convention had acceded to it. Twenty-one to 23 Member States were expected to sign the Protocol at noon today. However, the exact number would be made available after the signing ceremony.

Asked about the signing ceremony, Ms. Gastaut said that it would be open to the press. It would take place at the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

A correspondent inquired about reports that today an organization of African Americans would be presenting a petition on human rights violations to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Ms. King said that such a petition had not been received.

Ms. Gonzalez Martinez added that, in any case, the Committee could not take such an item, as the United States was not a party to the Women's Convention. There were other remedies, of course, including the Human Rights Commission, and the United States was a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In conclusion, Ms. Gonzalez Martinez said that upon reviewing 214 national reports from States parties over the years, the Committee was concerned over a number of problems, including civil rights violations of women. Women often did not have the same working conditions as men. Persistence of traditional stereotypes was also disturbing, as well as the problems of genital mutilation and sexual tourism. Social education was needed to change the role of women in society.

Ms. King reiterated that everybody, and particularly the press, must feel very conscious of their obligations in the new century in order to overcome discrimination against women. There were basic freedoms, such as the right of assembly and the right of movement, which women in countries like Afghanistan did not have.

Mr. Ndiaye added that the Optional Protocol would strengthen the legal basis of the Convention on discrimination against women. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other existing human rights bodies were prepared to share their experiences with those responsible for the implementation of the new Protocol.

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