SECRETARY-GENERAL NOTES PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS ON SPECIAL SESSION FINAL OUTCOME

Press Release
SG/SM/7438
WOM/1212

SECRETARY-GENERAL NOTES PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS ON SPECIAL SESSION FINAL OUTCOME

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General notes that there has been some progress overnight towards finalizing the outcome of the Beijing plus five process. He welcomes the spirit of cooperation shown by delegations.

The Department and Platform for Action of the Beijing Conference marked a major step forward in the advancement of women, particularly in the developing world. They provide principles, goals and policy approaches that women in all parts of the world find of great value in their daily struggle to improve their lives. It is important that the outcome document for Beijing plus five maintains in full all of the commitments in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Every major United Nations event on the advancement of women has marked some further forward movement on earlier events. The Secretary-General hopes that the final outcome of the Beijing plus five will maintain this tradition and be seen by women around the world as an important step forward for the full implementation of the Beijing consensus.

The Secretary-General urges all Member States to work together in a spirit of cooperation to ensure that the gains made by women in Beijing five years ago are consolidated, protected and advanced further.

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