WOMEN’S COMMISSION HEARS INTRODUCTION OF FIVE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON HOSTAGES, PALESTINIAN WOMEN, AFGHAN WOMEN, HIV/AIDS, COMMUNICATIONS

Commission on the Status of Women                          

Forty-eighth Session                                       

12^th Meeting (PM)

WOMEN’S COMMISSION HEARS INTRODUCTION OF FIVE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON HOSTAGES,

PALESTINIAN WOMEN, AFGHAN WOMEN, HIV/AIDS, COMMUNICATIONS

The Commission on the Status of Women this afternoon heard the introduction of five draft resolutions to be considered for action during the final meeting of its forty-eighth session on Friday.

A draft on “release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts” (document E/CN.6/2004/L.5), introduced and orally amended by the representative of Azerbaijan, would condemn violent acts in contravention of international humanitarian law, as well as the consequences of hostage taking, in particular, torture, murder, rape, slavery, and trafficking in women and children.  It would call for the immediate release of women and children taken hostage in armed conflict.

The representative of Qatar, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, introduced a draft resolution, including oral amendments, on the “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women” (document E/CN.6/2004/L.2), by which the Economic and Social Council would, among other things, call upon the concerned parties to ensure the immediate resumption of the peace process and for tangible improvement of the difficult situation and living conditions of Palestinian women and their families.  It would also call upon Israel to facilitate the return of all refugees and displaced Palestinian women and children to their homes and properties.

A draft text on the “situation of women and girls in Afghanistan” (document E/CN.6/2004/L.1), introduced by the representative of Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, would have the Economic and Social Council urge the Afghan Transitional Administration and future Government to ensure that any legislative, administrative and other measures support the full enjoyment by women and girls of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including by mainstreaming gender issues into its activities, and to fully implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.  It would also urge authorities to strengthen efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women by using legislative measures and to bring to justice those responsible for violence against women and girls.

The draft text on “women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS” (document E/CN.6/2004/L.4), introduced by the representative of Angola, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), would call upon governments to intensify efforts to challenge gender stereotypes, stigmatization, attitudes and gender inequalities in relation to HIV/AIDS and encourage the active involvement of men and boys.

The representative of Guatemala introduced a draft text on “communications concerning the status of women” (document E/CN.6/2004/L.7), by which the Economic and Social Council would request the Secretary-General to renew efforts to actively seek information and communications on the status of women received by the specialized agencies, regional commission and other United Nations bodies -– including human rights treaty bodies and special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights -- and to include parts of reports of treaty bodies and special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights in his annual report on confidential and non-confidential communications to the Commission on the Status of Women.

The representatives of Chile, Andorra, Nigeria, Guinea, Thailand, Canada, Croatia, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Algeria, Cape Verde, China, Sudan and the Russian Federation made brief remarks.

The Commission on the Status of Women will meet again tomorrow, Wednesday, 10 March, at 10 a.m.

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