PRESS CONFERENCE BY SOUTH AFRICA

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa had come to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly with the goal of building on the achievements of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) and to address new challenges -- not to move back on those commitments, that country’s Minister for Public Service and Administration told correspondents this morning at Headquarters.

Speaking at a press conference to give South Africa’s views on developments in the negotiations at the twenty-third special Assembly session, “Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century”, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said, "It is critical to ensure that the outcome of the conference takes forward what the women of the world have struggled for over centuries, because if we are not able to engage with the new global challenges confronting us, we will not be able to take the empowerment of women and the gender project forward in a real sense".

The press conference was also attended by Baleka Mbethe, Deputy Speaker in the South African Parliament, and Dumasani Kumalo, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations.

Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said South Africa had identified as priorities poverty eradication and the need to examine how the advantages of globalization could benefit women in the developing world and how its dangers for women could be obviated. "But the successes must pull the poor and the marginalized out of the situation they find themselves in and facilitate the closing of the gap between rich and poor", she said.

Certain aspects of information technology were problematic for women -- for example, using the Internet for child pornography. The distortions that had accompanied globalization and had had a negative impact on women must be looked at.

Another issue being closely followed, she continued, was that of women and economy and trade in a globalized world. Women in developing countries had been marginalized in that process and their potential closed out in negotiations.

It had been a long march since Beijing, and the pace should be sped up, Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said. "If we don't have the courage to do that, we are actually doing an injustice for those women who are unable to join us at this conference. We will be doing them an injustice by failing to reflect the courage and leadership required at this time."

A correspondent said the South African Constitution was considered very "gender-friendly" and asked if other countries had been seeking advice. Ms. Mbethe, one of seven members of the South African Parliament present at the conference, said that even before the conference South Africa had been approached by many countries and United Nations agencies and asked to share their experience. "For us, though, it is not just coming to share, but also to learn from others. It's not as though setting up the legislative framework answers all the questions

South Africa Press Conference - 2 - 7 June 2000

that need to be addressed. It's also how do you then deal with the obstacles that stand in the way of what you are trying to achieve."

In response to a follow-up comment that many non-governmental organizations did not consider the final document to be useful and recommended burning it, Ms. Fraser-Moleketi acknowledged that there had been a major problem with the document up until this week where there had been very little movement in the negotiations. However, she understood that there had been some movement in the conference working groups, especially yesterday.

She said, "I hope this is due to the fact that you have a number of delegations from capitals attending the session who can give more direct guidance to the negotiators". There were still two days left and, if need be, negotiations could be carried on through the night. "South Africa, the Southern African Development Community, and even the African Group, will push and say that in terms of our coming to New York, we need to go back with a better product. We don't want something weaker."

Mr. Kumalo added that it was normal in negotiations at the United Nations for issues to go up to the last minute. He expressed confidence that everything would work out.

A correspondent, who said some “hard-line countries” were refusing to allow controversial points to be included in the final document, asked if South Africa intended to play a mediating role. Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said that mediators were approached and appointed, they didn't appoint themselves. "We would like to at least ensure that on issues, especially those concerning reproductive and sexual rights, we have the language that was adopted in Beijing. Our major emphasis is that we must retain what has been decided on, including the definition in paragraph 96 of the Platform for Action. We cannot be bickering over wording and language."

Countries that had difficulties because of religious or other reasons could surely determine how to move towards an incremental situation, she continued. "We need to look at what the required vision is and then say we achieve that in manners that are suited to our national realities. But I don't think we should say 'this is taboo and as a result we want the world to move back on particular questions'."

Asked how the new United States trade bill on Africa would benefit women in Africa, Mr. Kumalo said that it was a comprehensive bill that dealt with reduction of tariffs and the opening of markets in certain areas. South Africa had recently sent a team of experts to study it with the help of Congress and the Clinton administration. Only then would South Africa be able to articulate how it might benefit from the bill.

* *** *