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ECOSOC/5927

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, CONTINUING GENERAL SEGMENT OF 2000 SESSION, DISCUSSES DEMOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS OF GENDER INEQUALITY

27 July 2000


Press Release
ECOSOC/5927


ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, CONTINUING GENERAL SEGMENT OF 2000 SESSION, DISCUSSES DEMOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS OF GENDER INEQUALITY

20000727

Population, gender and development were three closely linked factors, the representative of France said this morning as the Economic and Social Council adopted a decision taking note of the report by the Commission on Population and Development during its thirty-third session (27-30 March). That decision was one of three adopted by the Council as it continued the general segment of its 2000 substantive session, concluding consideration of economic and environmental questions before taking up the Declaration on decolonization and the repercussions of Israeli occupation.

Also adopted without a vote this morning were eight recommendations in a report on the fifteenth meeting of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance. The Council thereby approved the Programme’s medium-term plan and the decision to hold the sixteenth meeting in the first quarter of 2002. Also approved were budget and coordination recommendations in a report on the ninth meeting of the ad hoc Group of Experts on International Tax Matters.

With regard to the theme of population, gender and development, the representative of France, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, said the Commission should do more statistical work on the demographic implications of gender inequality. There should be no discrimination against women in the workplace. The feminization of poverty must be ended through education, and by providing health services to women and girls to correct sexually-based social imbalances.

The representative of Nigeria, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77”developing countries and China, approved the theme of population, education and development for the Commission’s next session. She said the key to development was education. People with more education had fewer children and provided more satisfyingly for them. However, those children’s rights should not be placed above those of their parents.

Two drafts were introduced this morning, one on the implementation of the Declaration on colonial countries and peoples, the other on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territory.

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Statements this morning were made by the representatives of Bulgaria, Ukraine, Morocco, Honduras, Japan, Nigeria, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, Egypt, Israel, Nigeria and Indonesia. The observer of Palestine also addressed the Council.

In addition, the observer for the Food and Agricultural Organization addressed the Council. Also addressing it were the Acting Chairman of the Special Committee on Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, the Director of the Asia and Pacific Division of the Department of Political Affairs, the Director of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Chief of the Population Studies Branch of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The Council will meet again at 3:30 p.m. to continue the general segment of its 2000 session.

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Council Work Programme

The Economic and Social Council met this morning to continue the general segment of its 2000 substantive session by resuming its debate on economic and environmental questions. It was first expected to go on with its consideration of issues related to public administration and finance, water supply and sanitation, population and development, as well as international cooperation on tax matters. (For background, see Press Release ECOSOC/5925, dated 26 July.)

The Council was then expected to take up the coordination programme and other questions by considering reports of the coordination bodies. It was also expected to take up coordination of the specialized agencies and other bodies related to the theme of assessing progress and promoting implementation of conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields. Also on the agenda was the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations. Economic and social repercussions of Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territory was also expected to be taken up, along with international cooperation in the field of informatics with regard to the coordination programme and other questions. Finally, action was expected to be taken on available Vice-Presidents’ draft proposals.

For its consideration of these issues, the Council had before it a number of documents:

-- The annual overview report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) for 1999 (document E/2000/53);

-- Report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on the first part of its fortieth session (5 June-1 July 2000) (Document A/55/16, Part 1 and Corr. 1); -- report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (document A/55/72 and Corr.1);

-- letter dated 3 July 2000 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, addressed to the Secretary-General and containing the Report of the United Nations Seminar on Prospects for Palestinian Economic Development and the Middle East Peace Process, held at Cairo on 20 and 21 June 2000 (document A/55/144-E/2000/87);

-- information submitted by the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system on their activities with regard to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (document 2000/68); and

-- a note by the Secretary-General conveying a report prepared by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan (document A/55/84-E/2000/16).

Also before the Council were a number of draft resolutions and decisions. Document E/2000/L.10 contains the draft agreed conclusions submitted by the Vice-President of the Council concerning the segment: assessment of the progress made within the United Nations system, through the conference reviews, in the promotion of an integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields.

According to the draft agreed conclusions, the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s have contributed towards the development of an integrated framework and a global partnership for development. Governments have the primary responsibility for implementing mechanisms for bringing together priorities in the social, economic and environmental areas. International cooperation is crucial for the implementation of conference outcomes.

By the terms of the draft agreed conclusions, the Council would reiterate the importance of relevant, accurate and timely statistics and indicators for evaluating the implementation of outcomes of the major conferences at all levels. In that context, indicators should be developed with the full participation of all countries and approved by the relevant intergovernmental bodies.

By the same terms, the Council would request each preparatory body to examine ways and means to improve participation of relevant actors of civil society in the conference review process.

Further to the terms, the Council would encourage the building of partnerships and networks among national Governments, international organizations, civil society and private sector organizations in pursuit of conference goals.

The draft agreed conclusions would have the Council call on all Governments to undertake measures, at the national and international levels, to promote the effective mobilization of resources for implementing major United Nations conference and summit goals. In this regard, the Council would urge donor countries to strive to fulfil the internationally agreed target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) for overall official development assistance as soon as possible.

Before the Council was a draft resolution, submitted by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and the Observer Mission of Palestine, concerning economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Observer Mission of Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan (document E/2000/L.16).

By the terms of the draft, the Council would call upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease its measures against the Palestinian people, in particular the closure of the occupied Palestinian territory, the enforced isolation of Palestinian towns, the destruction of homes and the isolation of Jerusalem.

The Council would urge Member States to encourage private foreign investment in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, in infrastructure, job-creation projects and social development, in order to alleviate the hardship of the Palestinian people and improve living conditions.

According to the draft, the Council would request the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to continue to include, in the report of the United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories, an update on the living conditions of the Palestinian people, in collaboration with relevant United Nations agencies.

By the same terms, the Council would decide to include the item entitled “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan” in the agenda of its substantive session of 2001.

Also before the Council was a resolution submitted by Antigua and Barbuda, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mali, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Syria, concerning implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (document E/2000/L.17).

According to the draft, the Council would request the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and international and regional organizations to examine and review conditions in each Territory, so as to take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of the Territories.

The Council would request the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations systems and regional organizations to strengthen existing measures of support and formulate appropriate programmes of assistance to the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories in order to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of those Territories.

By the same terms, the Council would request the administering Powers concerned to facilitate, when appropriate, the participation of appointed and elected representatives of Non-Self-Governing Territories in the relevant meetings and conferences of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions, so that the Territories may benefit from the related activities of those agencies and organizations.

Also before the Council was a draft decision, submitted by the Vice- President of the Council, Felix Mbayu (Cameroon), on the basis of informal consultations, concerning the long-term programme of support for Haiti (document E/2000/L.18).

According to that draft, the Economic and Social Council, taking note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General on the elaboration and implementation of the long-term programme of support for Haiti (document E/2000/63), would request the Secretary-General to report to the Council at its next substantive session on steps taken by the Haitian Government, the United Nations system and the international community towards the elaboration of a long- term programme of support for Haiti and on practical modalities for its implementation.

According to another draft decision submitted by the Vice-President of the Council, Felix Mbayu (Cameroon) (document E/2000/L.19), the Economic and Social Council, having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Tobacco Control, would decide to request that the Secretary-General submit a report on the continuing work of the Ad Hoc Inter- Agency Task Force to the Council at its substantive session of 2002.

Statements

RAIKO RAICHEV (Bulgaria) said his country had been affected by the sanctions against the former Yugoslavia. The issue of sanctions had received considerable attention at the United Nations. The recommendations of the ad hoc expert group, among others, had gone far to clarify the effects of sanctions. He endorsed the General Assembly resolution on the issue, 54/107, adopted during the last session. However, more should be done to implement recommendations on sanctions. He would be submitting a resolution on the matter to the Council.

VALERI KUCHYNSKI (Ukraine) said his country was most seriously affected by the sanctions against the former Yugoslavia. The losses were exacerbated by the later destruction of bridges used for transportation. The report of the ad hoc expert group mentioned by the Secretary-General did much to elucidate the impact of sanctions. The General Assembly had passed resolutions 53/107 and 54/107 on sanctions. The Council should now look at the resolutions and provide the General Assembly with a clear mandate. The resolution before the Council was largely procedural. It took into consideration the latest thinking on sanctions and should be adopted by consensus.

AHMED AMAZIANE (Morocco) said the issue of the relationship between globalization and states was of great importance, as was the report on that subject. His country had hosted two African conferences at ministerial level to study the establishment of good governance within the administrations of states. The report’s recommendation on supporting African countries was particularly significant. It was important to educate international public opinion regarding issues of administration.

YVES DOUTRIAUX (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries of Eastern and Central Europe as well as other associated states, said population, gender and development were three closely linked factors. Much remained to be done to implement the rights set forth for women and girls at the relevant conferences.

More statistical work should be done on the demographic implications of gender inequality, he said. The United Nations Population Division had a major role to play in studying the statistical impact of sexual inequality. Women should suffer no discrimination in the professions. The feminization of poverty had to be ended through education. Providing health services to women and girls would help correct sexually based social imbalances and inequalities.

FREDERICK WEIBGEN, Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), said there was competition for water within sectoral uses. Agricultural sectors needed to work with municipalities, local authorities and traditional communities to maintain essential water and sanitation levels, minimize externalities and realize economic opportunities.

MARCO ANTONIO SUAZO (Honduras) noted the report of the Expert Group on public administration, and said he supported the recommendation in the report calling for strengthening United Nations relationships to make optimal use of experts. He had been part of the expert group, and had found the idea of a United Nations On-line Network of Regional Institutions for Capacity-Building in Public Administration and Finance of particular importance. When would it be up and running? The Council should make sure its interest was known so that the on-line programme could be made operative.

KENJI HIRATA (Japan), speaking on the report regarding tax matters, said paragraph 40 of the report cited by the Secretary-General was factually incorrect. Reports should reflect the latest facts.

L. ONOH (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said she welcomed the theme of population, education and development for the next session of the Population Commission. The key to development was education. People with more education had fewer children and provided more satisfyingly for them. However, those children’s rights should not be placed above those of their parents. Without education, every society suffered.

GUIDO BERTUCCI, Director of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the Public Administration Network would be operational in September. With regard to the report on tax matters, it would be noted that the report had been adopted while full account was taken to the fact that some members had expressed their desire for the report be as accurate as possible.

LARRY HELIGMAN, Chief of the Population Studies Branch, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), said he was pleased to be working with the Council. He welcomed better coordination, particularly the grouping of the functional divisions under Mr. Desai. Considering the issues of population, environment and development together was very timely. His branch was enhancing its work on HIV/AIDS

Action on Drafts

The Council took up the Secretary-General’s report on the fifteenth meeting of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance (document E/2000/66). It adopted without a vote the eight recommendations in the report. Included in those recommendations were the adoption of the proposed medium-term plan and the decision to hold the sixteenth meeting during the first quarter of the year 2002.

The Council then took up the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report on the ninth meeting of the ad hoc Group of Experts on International Tax Matters (document E/1999/84 and Corr.1). The Council adopted the recommendations concerning budget and coordination.

Next, the Council took up the report of the Commission on Population and Development on its thirty-third session (document E/2000/25). It adopted the draft decision that took note of the report and approved the Commission’s provisional agenda for its thirty-fourth session.

BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARILLA, Acting Chairman of the Special Committee on Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, in introductory remarks, reiterated the need of the Council to continue fostering assistance to the Non-Self-Governing Territories. The Committee had taken stock of the work done over the year and made recommendations. This year brought the conclusion of the Decade of Decolonization. There should be a second decade. He addressed achievements and concerns in several Non-Self- Governing Territories, paying particular attention to Puerto Rico, on which the Special Committee had unanimously adopted a resolution.

LISETTE PEREZ PEREZ (Cuba), in introducing draft resolution E/2000/L.17 in the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, on behalf of the Committee of 24, announced that China, Bolivia, Benin, Algeria, Colombia, Fiji, Indonesia, Libya, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Viet Nam, Burkina Faso and Nigeria had joined the list of sponsors. The resolution was an updated version of resolutions earlier adopted by the Economic and Social Council.

IBRAHIM AWAD, Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), introducing document A/55/84-E/2000/16 containing the report on economic and social repercussion of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, said the delays in the implementation of the agreements reached between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) continued to aggravate the living conditions of the Palestinian people. He said it was important in considering the issue to bear in mind all relevant resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978) and the principle of land for peace, as well as the implementation of agreements reached between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The report was based on different sources, primarily from the Israeli and Palestinian press. The continued situation threatened not only the Palestinian people, but peace and security of the whole world at large. The only solution was to have lasting peace.

JOHN RENNINGER, Director, Asia and Pacific Division, Department of Political Affairs, submitting the report contained in document A/55/-E/2000/95 on assistance to the Palestinian people, said he hoped that the report would assist the international community in providing an effective response to the real needs of the Palestinian people. Donor assistance and unmet needs of the Palestinian people had been put in a broader framework. The report provided updated information on basic public needs in infrastructure and natural resources management, institutional capacity-building, human resources and social development, and in productive sectors.

He said considerable assistance had been provided by the international community. There was however a declining trend of both new commitments and disbursements for development cooperation. The Secretary-General called upon the international community to provide the necessary resources, and to demonstrate flexibility in their support for the development programmes of the Palestinian people.

The United Nations Special Coordinator and his office in Gaza maintained their efforts to ensure better coordination between the relevant institutions of the Palestinian Authority and United Nations agencies, as well as the donor community, he said. In order to continue to increase the impact and effectiveness of the substantial aid to address the unmet needs of the Palestinian people, the Secretary-General encouraged relevant partners to continue to utilize those coordination mechanisms.

FAWZI BIN ABDUL MAJEED SHOBOKSHI (Saudi Arabia), introducing draft resolution E/2000/L.16 on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, announced that Indonesia, Libya and Qatar had joined the sponsors of the resolution, and urged Council Members to adopt the resolution by consensus.

HUSSAM-EDIN A’ALA (Syria) said he would have preferred the report to deal in more detail with the suffering of the people in the Golan Heights. Many issues had not been dealt with. The occupation was one of the serious phenomena carried over to the new century. There was only one conclusion to be derived from the report: the Israeli occupation had continued to take more land and water and to deprive the people of the Syrian Golan and the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories of their basic rights.

Israel had followed a policy of isolating the Syrian Golan from Syria in order to annex it. Ninety-six per cent of the Syrian Golan was occupied; land and houses were destroyed in order to establish settlements. By expanding the number of settlements, Israel was continuing its colonial policies despite the beginning of the peace process, he said.

It was clear that the colonialist and imperialist occupation was a trend not in accordance with the hope of maintaining peace. Israel's illegal policy was a hindrance to maintaining peace in the region. A comprehensive and just peace was the option Syria adhered to, he said.

ZAID AL-HADIDI (Jordan) said the Israeli Government’s aim was to expand its settlements. It therefore violated United Nations resolutions. Israel should be called upon to cease its expansion of settlements. They were a hindrance to peace. Further, Israel’s policies had negatively impacted on others in the region, particularly the Palestinian people. Israel usurped water from the Palestinian people and impeded employment of others in the region. All people should have equality of economic opportunity so as to foster regional stability.

MOHAMMED SALEH MOHAMMED SALEH (Bahrain) summarized the effects of Israel’s occupation on the region, and said that country’s policies were a violation of human rights and an assault on the environment. There were enormous problems in the Palestinian territories. The United Nations should call on Israel to stop its practices. Also, an end must be put to Israel’s occupation of Arab lands. The right of return should be guaranteed to all Palestinian people.

MUBARAK HUSSEIN RAHMTALLA (Sudan) said he would become a cosponsor of the draft on implementing the Declaration on granting independence to colonial countries and peoples. Israel’s occupation of Arab lands was as frustrating for him as for his neighbours. Israel allowed work only for unskilled people, with resultant disparities in wages.

IHAB GAMALELDIN (Egypt) said peace was the strategic objective for all people of his region. That peace must be based on respect, the principle of land for peace, and equality in an environment of peaceful coexistence.

MARWAN JILANI, Observer for Palestine, said the peace summit at Camp David in the United States had ended two days ago in failure because of Israel’s intransigence. The issues at the heart of the negotiations had been simple. People had been illegally displaced and others were forced to live as refugees. Those issues affected every aspect of the Palestinian people’s rights, including their right to existence. The right of the Palestinian people to determine their own fate was a fundamental principle. For decades, Israel had defied all laws. It had attempted to alter the city of Jerusalem, including by changing its demographic makeup. The Palestinian people would pursue a peaceful settlement of their status toward the agreed target of 13 September. Lasting peace should be based on international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. The United States President deserved thanks for his tireless efforts.

RON ADAM, Observer of Israel, noted the forward strides the Council had taken during its current substantive session. Discussions had echoed with a promise of a new direction, aimed at addressing problems in a professional, global and action-oriented manner.

Today, however, that movement had been derailed. He regretted that members were being dragged into the trenches of a partisan political attack against a particular Member State. It was the only time this year that a political issue had been allowed to dominate the discussion. The draft resolution did not belong in the Council’s forum. The framework for resolving the very specific issues between Israel and the Palestinians had always been direct negotiations. As the two sides embarked on the critical stage of reaching a final agreement, it was more essential than ever to preserve the integrity of that framework.

The economic situation among the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza had been misrepresented, he said. Statistics from the Report on the Palestinian Economy, April 2000, by the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator, and from a book published by the Palestinian Authority, entitled "Palestine in Figures", offered a more positive and accurate portrayal. Progress included a 9 per cent increase in the value of registered Israeli-Palestinian trade, and a 12 per cent increase in donor assistance. The unexpected surge in the Palestinian economy had created a better way of life for the Palestinians.

He hoped that the improved economic conditions of the Palestinian people -- rising employment, the growing corporate sector, the enhanced opportunities, the increasing salaries -- would lead to a new spirit of goodwill and cooperation between the parties of the peace process.

MICHAEL GALLAGHER (United States) said until peace was realized, the issues under consideration would continue to be troubling. The parties themselves were in negotiations, and the discussion in the Council could have an adverse effect on those negotiations. He therefore urged that action on the item be deferred.

LILIAN ONOH (Nigeria) expressed her regret that in the new millennium the issue of granting independence to colonial Countries and Peoples still demanded attention. All people should be granted their right to self-determination.

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Nigeria had therefore joined the list of sponsors of the resolution introduced by Cuba.

BALI MONIAGA (Indonesia) said the Palestinian people continued to suffer from high levels of unemployment and poverty, and the settlements issue continued to disrupt progress. Despite difficult conditions, however, he was optimistic that peace could be achieved. He emphasized the importance of construction of the seaport of Gaza. The return of the parties to Camp David had brought the region closer to lasting peace, and had brought the parties closer together in a number of areas. He hoped that the breakdown of those negotiations would not lead to a new cycle of violence and that a peace agreement could be reached shortly.

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For information media. Not an official record.