SECRETARY-GENERAL, AT SCREENING OF JANE FONDA FILM, EVOKES GOALS OF BEIJING PLUS FIVE

Press Release
SG/SM/7426

SECRETARY-GENERAL, AT SCREENING OF JANE FONDA FILM, EVOKES GOALS OF BEIJING PLUS FIVE

Following is the text of remarks addressed yesterday, 30 May, by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a reception given by the United Nations Foundation and the International Women's Health Coalition, to mark "Beijing Plus Five" and present a film by Jane Fonda:

Thank you, Tim. I am delighted to welcome to the United Nations dear friends like Jane Fonda, Adrienne Germain and everyone else who has come here to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality, development and peace in the twenty-first century.

Five years ago, Jane and thousands of other women flew to Beijing to show that commitment for all the world to see. The result was the largest United Nations conference the world had seen, and one of the most remarkable documents in the history of the United Nations: The Beijing Platform for Action.

Five years on, as we gather here tonight, the Beijing Plus Five negotiations are entering their crucial stage. They are among the most important negotiations we will undertake in this millennium year.

Their outcome will not only have an impact on the rights and lives of women everywhere; they will be crucial to our achievement of the goals I have asked the world's leaders to adopt at the Millennium Summit on behalf of all the world's peoples.

At its heart, the Beijing Platform is about human rights, alleviation of poverty and better lives for all the peoples of the world. Over the past five years, progress has been made, but we still have a long way to go.

I very much hope that the next week's session will give us clear targets, and decide on concrete actions for achieving them.

I am sure that this evening, and the film Jane is about to show us, will help give us the kind of inspiration we need. Again, thank you all very much for being here.

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