RURAL WOMEN FACE PROBLEMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND MANIFOLD DISADVANTAGES

Sixty-second General Assembly

Third Committee

11^th & 12^th Meetings (AM & PM)

RURAL WOMEN FACE PROBLEMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND MANIFOLD DISADVANTAGES

Prioritizing Rural Development Fundamental to Advancement of Women

The manifold disadvantages and discrimination which continue to plague rural women in many parts of the world was an issue voiced by many speakers as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its discussion today on the advancement of women with close to 50 speakers taking the floor.

Pointing to the 85 per cent of her country’s population who lived in rural areas, the representative of Ethiopia underscored that prioritizing rural development was fundamental to the advancement of women.

The advancement of women had been one of the most important items on the Third Committee’s agenda, Indonesia’s representative said, highlighting that violence against women was still one of the most persistent human rights violations today.  It was distressing that a culture of impunity still existed in many parts of the world, he added.

While addressing the issue of sexual exploitation of women and girls, Myanmar’s representative said that accusations of gang rape levelled at his country’s military personnel were “far fetched” and based on unfounded reports by “expatriate” groups, who were part of a disinformation campaign against a sovereign country.

Education was key to promoting women’s rights, said Saudatu Usman Bungudu, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development of Nigeria.  The Nigerian government was determined to enhance the enrolment and retention rates of girls in rural areas through increased educational infrastructure and special incentives.

Brazil also saw education as the correct way towards promoting equal conditions between men and women.  In schools there, policies were aimed at encouraging non-discriminatory practices, respect for diversity and sexual orientation, as well as encouraging the interests of girls in non-traditional disciplines, the representative said.

The representative of Poland supported Portugal’s statement (on behalf of the European Union) and stressed that any reference that statement made to the sexual and reproductive rights of women did not constitute an encouragement for the promotion of abortion as a means of achieving the advancement of women. 

Statements were also made by the representatives of New Zealand, the Russian Federation, Turkey, India, Senegal, Malawi, Yemen, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Egypt, Malta, Burkina Faso, Moldova, the United States, Mozambique, Israel, Armenia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Kenya, Tunisia, Republic of Korea, Ghana, Nicaragua, Namibia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Singapore, Morocco, Sierra Leone, and El Salvador.

The Observer for Palestine also made a statement.

The representatives of the Council of Europe, International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Committee of the Red Cross, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, International Labour Organization and Inter-Parliamentary Union also spoke.

The representatives of Israel, Sudan, Japan, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea spoke in exercise of the right of reply.  The Observer for Palestine also spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 17 October, to conclude its discussion on the advancement of women. 

Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to continue its general discussion on the advancement of women.

For more background information, please see Press Release GA/SHC/3886 of 15 October 2007.

JANET LOWE ( New Zealand) made her statement on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.  All the countries were committed to working with the international community to uphold women’s rights, she said, and also recognized the importance of addressing those issues within the United Nations itself.

Urging States to continue to work towards effective gender mainstreaming across the United Nations system, she said the international standards of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Beijing Declaration were standards that provided the international community with a constant benchmark for the fulfillment of women’s rights.  Welcoming progress that had been made on Security Council resolution 1325, on Women, Peace and Security, she urged States to continue to work to implement this important text.

GALINA KHVAN ( Russian Federation) said her country supported the United Nations approach to gender equality and improving the status of women.  It wished, however, to see more priority given to addressing economic and political discrimination.  The Russian Federation also agreed with the view of the high-level panel on system-wide coherence, supported by the Secretary-General, that the current gender architecture of the Organization was not effective, shown by the duplication of work and decrease in results.  There was need for more discussion on proposals for replacing the existing gender architecture with a single body.  A final decision could only be taken on the basis of broad intergovernmental consultations that took the potential consequences into account.

The Russian Federation was pleased that dialogue between States on the advancement of women had been conducted with mutual respect, even when such sensitive topics as violence against women were raised.  Women’s rights, improving the status of women, and promoting women into leadership posts were relevant issues all over the world, including in his country.  Women there held a number of senior posts.  The federal ministers of health care and economic development, as well as trade, were women, as was the Governor of Saint Petersburg city.  On the whole, women made up a majority of civil servants.  Genuine gender equality was a priority for Russian policy today, and last year a government committee on equality between women and men was set up to chart a national strategy for equal rights.  To develop gender education, the Academy of Civil Servants had developed a project to introduce gender approaches.  The Russian Federation thanked all States that had supported its candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

RAMIS SEM ( Turkey) said the elimination of discrimination against women and the strengthening of gender equality were among the Government’s main priorities.  Turkey had taken a number of steps since the mid-1990s, including the approval of the Ninth National Development Plan for 2007-2013, which emphasized education, training and employment opportunities for women, and underlined the determination to continue the fight against domestic violence.

The 48 women elected to the Turkish Parliament in the last general elections reflected an increase of female representation from the previous term, a trend the Government would like to see continue.  To further promote women’s rights, Turkey hosted two meetings in November 2006.  The first, the Special Ministerial Conference on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society, held in cooperation with the European Union Presidency and the European Union Commission, culminated with the adoption of the Istanbul Framework of Action.  During the second, the Ministerial Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), member States took important steps towards developing common strategies, criteria and programmes, and realizing women’s potential to contribute to the development of their societies.

PRASANNA ACHARYA (India), associating himself with the statement made by the chair of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said the focus after the 2005 World Summit -- High-Level Plenary Meeting of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly -- had rightly shifted to identifying sources to finance gender and, while the primary responsibility rested with the country concerned, the international community should match its commitments by providing additional financial resources as well as technology transfer, and by sharing experiences, expertise, information and data, technical cooperation and capacity-building.  Despite recent advances in the rights of women, the gap between de jure and de facto equality remained in much of the world.  Speedy implementation of legislative and policy measures for greater empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming on all levels was needed.  While addressing the vulnerabilities of the girl child, he said that the international community should advocate protection, welfare and development measures characterized by four “E”s:  equality, education, enabling environment and empowerment.

Gender equity and equality had been a key guiding principle of his Government’s Common Minimum Programme, he said.  Over 1 million women at the grassroots level had been brought into political decision-making after India reserved one-third of urban and local government seats for women 12 years ago.  A similar measure was being considered for India’s Parliament.  His country had also initiated a number of result-oriented programmes, including a National Rural Employment Guarantee and vocational training programmes.  Gender-sensitive budgeting had also been institutionalized, and Parliament had enacted the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in 2005.   India had provided the first ever Female Police Unit, which had recently joined the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNIMIL).  His country was ready to work with the international community to realize the Millennium Development Goals through effective implementation of gender empowerment and mainstreaming within and outside the United Nations.

ADE PETRANTO ( Indonesia) said the advancement of women had been one of the most important items on the agenda of the Third Committee.  Violence against women remained one of the most persistent human rights violations today, and it was distressing that a culture of impunity still existed in many parts of the world, he said.

Poverty could be more effectively tackled by integrating social dimensions into economic policies, he noted, but such policies had not been well implemented.  It was only recently that the issues faced by women migrant workers –- who made up nearly half of the global migrant labor workforce -- had been recognized by policymakers, he said.  Cooperative measures between sending and receiving countries must be revisited and renewed in order to ensure the protection of women migrant workers’ rights.  In conclusion, he reminded delegates of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Bali (3–14 December 2007), and added that it was important to enhance coherency among the Organization’s agencies and bodies at the country level.

REDA ABDELHADY NASSER, Observer of Palestine, said that 2007 marked the fortieth anniversary of the Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, during which time Israel had violated international law.  The occupation had placed a huge burden on Palestinian women, who faced a unique and tragic situation that needed international attention.  How could the rights of Palestinian women advance, and how could they be empowered, when they had been denied basic rights?  The safety and well-being of Palestinian women and families had been seriously threatened by Israeli military operations.  Difficulties had been exacerbated by Israeli settlements, the ongoing illegal construction of the Wall, and more than 550 checkpoints as well as a racist permit regime on the West Bank.

The situation in the Gaza Strip was dire, resembling an open-air prison, with poverty rife, she said.  Somewhere in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a Palestinian woman was suffering, watching her home being demolished or her land being confiscated, or grieving the loss of a family member.  Somewhere, she either dreamed of returning to her homeland, awaited release from jail to rejoin her family, or was asking how much more pain and hardship she and her family had to endure.  Palestinians wanted peace and they hoped that current peace efforts would bear fruit, resulting in an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.  Israel had to cease its illegal policies and practices.  The international community had to ensure that Israel complied with its obligations under international law.  Palestine was grateful to the United Nations and other international organizations for the valuable assistance they had given to Palestinian women and their families.

LEYSA SOW ( Senegal) said there was a common view that poverty was becoming feminized in developing countries, particularly in Africa.  In families, women and children suffered the most from financial delinquency.  Women were sometimes deprived of the right to property because of degrading stereotypes of them.  Although some improvements had been made vis-à-vislegal status, those only affected an educated minority, she noted.  Among other problems women encountered were persistent sexist stereotypes, the conservatism of families, the problem of employment, violence and abuse, poverty and the tendency of families to marginalize pregnant young women.

For all these reasons, Senegal had been putting strategies into place to advance women.  Notable measures were the protection of pregnant teenagers, fighting factors that made women vulnerable to HIV, the promotion of productive savings, protection of women and children against sexual abuse and violence, and promotion of the rights of women within families.  To succeed in the undertaking of social development and responsiveness to social needs, Senegal was counting on development partners in implementing policies and programmes, she said.  Without ongoing political will, political stability and solidarity, Senegal would not achieve progress, she warned.  But with political engagement of all African leaders, the effective promotion of gender equality could be achieved.

ROSELYNN MAKHUMULA ( Malawi) aligned herself with the statements delivered by Pakistan and the United Republic of Tanzania on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), respectively.  She said that in her country, over 70 per cent of all agricultural work was done by women, and their empowerment, particularly in rural areas, was a strong factor in poverty reduction programmes.  The full elimination of all forms of discrimination against women was a prerequisite for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in her country.

She said that the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) was in a unique position to conduct research and provide data on the situation of rural women, and she requested that it step up its efforts.  In addition, she said there was a need to maintain sustained action and develop more innovative strategies to attract more young women to decision-making positions.  In that endeavour, education was key.  Other priorities for her country were women’s health and combating violence against women.  She reiterated Malawi’s commitment to the full implementation of all internationally and nationally agreed goals on women, and looked forward to increased partnerships and international cooperation on the advancement of women and gender equality.

THIDAR MYO (Myanmar), associating himself with Pakistan’s statement on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action continued to provide a global framework for gender equality and the empowerment of women.  The equal participation of women and girls in political, social, cultural and economic life was indispensable for sustainable development, he said.  Despite progress, however, women and girls still did not enjoy the full benefits of economic and social development, and violence against women persisted.  As long as that was the case, he agreed that no claims could be made of real progress towards equality, development and peace.

He said education was essential to breaking the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, adding that in Myanmar, the enrolment rate of women in tertiary level education had surpassed that of men.  In the health sector, the “Prevention of Mother-to—Child Transmission Programme” was launched with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations to combat HIV/AIDS.  On trafficking in persons, he noted that in 2005, an anti-trafficking law had been promulgated which covered sexual exploitation, forced labour and slavery.  At an international level, Myanmar had participated in various regional efforts and, in July, had submitted its combined second and third report on its implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Turning to the sexual exploitation of women and girls, he explained that when his Government received accusations of torture and sexual violence against women, an investigation was carried out and perpetrators were prosecuted according to the Penal Code.  Calling accusations of gang rape levelled against Myanmar’s military personnel “far fetched” and based on unfounded reports of “expatriate” groups, he stressed that they had been part of a disinformation campaign against a sovereign country.  In closing, he called on the international community to fulfil its commitment to increase official development assistance (ODA) to developing countries, particularly in the areas of health and education.  Myanmar would continue to strive to promote and protect the rights of women and girls.

LIZA AL-KASADI ( Yemen ) said that the need to follow up the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was supported by her delegation.  Today, Yemeni women enjoyed more rights and freedoms; since the founding of the Yemeni republic in 1990, many political, economic, social and cultural changes had taken place that helped the advancement of women.  The Constitution guaranteed the equality of rights for both women and men, including the right to participate in decision-making and policy-making.  In Parliament and in municipal councils, elected seats for women had also been allocated.

Women played an active part in development in Yemen, she said.  They held key positions in all State bodies, including Government ministries; they worked as judges and ambassadors, as well as in the military and the police.  Special attention to the status of working women was featured in labour legislation, and the proportion of women in the workforce was expected to rise to 27 per cent.  Violence against women had been outlawed, while a decree had been issued to ban female genital mutilation.  Following a cabinet decision in 2006, there was now free education for girls.  Legislation had been introduced to set 18 as the minimum age when a girl could get married.  With education and knowledge, Yemeni women had proven their worth; they were one of “the wings of a bird of progress that would otherwise not take flight and soar”.  In conclusion, Yemen expressed solidarity with Palestinian women living under Israeli occupation.

VIENGSAVANH SIPRASEUTH (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) said that globalization and the resulting transformations in the world economy had made a deep impact on the livelihood of women.  In many instances, such transformations had worsened the conditions in which millions of people around the world lived, especially in developing countries.  Women, particularly rural women, often suffered the brunt of these conditions, with poverty being increasingly feminized, she said.

But in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, she said no effort had been spared to promote gender equality.  Along with the Lao Women’s Union, women had been encouraged to take part in the national defence as well as in socio-economic development.  Lao women had occupied leadership positions at all levels, from central to local, she said.  In conclusion, she thanked the “friendly countries” and international organizations which had provided assistance to her country in promoting the cause of national development and the advancement of women.

RASHA HAMDY ( Egypt) said the international community was compelled to exert double efforts in order to help women to attain their legitimate rights.  Gender equality and empowerment of women was the third Millennium Development Goal.  A woman was the nucleus of the family, and therefore of the whole society, she said.  Egypt believed in the role of women in development, and in an attempt to empower them politically, economically and socially, had established specialized institutions to achieve those goals.

Egypt believed in supporting Arab women’s issues and in women’s distinctive contribution to solving regional problems, she said.  In this context, her country had pushed for the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Women under the umbrella of the League of Arab States.  She mentioned Egypt’s support for Arab women suffering under foreign occupation in Palestine, Lebanon and the Syrian Golan.  The ancient Egyptians regarded women highly, and many Egyptian queens and prominent women’s names were remembered throughout the ages.  Gender equality and the empowerment of women was the purpose of today’s discussions, which the Egyptian Government supported.

H.J. BONAVIA (Malta), aligning itself with the European Union statement, said that no position taken or recommendation made regarding the advancement of women should in any way create an obligation for any party to consider abortion as a legitimate form of reproductive health rights or services.  Gender equality in Malta had advanced through legislative and procedural measures as well as legal enforcement.

In addition, he said, an array of initiatives to promote work-life balance as well as gender equality was put into action within the public service, the liberal professions, the judiciary and elsewhere.  His country intended to work within the European Union and with other United Nations Member States towards the advancement of women in all spheres.

MARCELINE TIENDREBEOGO ( Burkina Faso) said that a five-year plan of action to reinforce the role of women in her country’s development had been adopted on 12 April 2006.  It aimed to improve the social and judicial status of women; promote women’s access to decision-making; promote education for women; better health care for mothers and children; less poverty among women; and reinforce the framework and institutional mechanisms for promoting the status of women.  Burkina Faso had ratified a number of international conventions concerning women, demonstrating its commitment to gender equity and equality.  It had also submitted its fourth and fifth periodic reports to the Committee on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Studies had shown that 52 per cent of Burkina Faso’s population lived in the most extreme poverty, she said.  But multiple actions had been taken by the authorities to reduce that phenomenon.  Forty homes for women had been built in Burkina Faso, where women could come up with projects to generate income.  In July this year, a forum took place in Burkina Faso to discuss the promotion of women entrepreneurs.  In the Government, Burkina Faso had three female regional governors (out of a total of 13), five women Government ministers (out of a total of 34) and 17 female Members of Parliament (out of a total of 111).  Several obstacles stood in the way of higher numbers, such as socio-economic factors, an insufficient level of education and the weight of family responsibilities on women.

ANA RADU (Moldova) said while the importance of gender equality was underscored as one of the eight Millennium Development Goals, discrimination against women and girls was still the most pervasive and persistent form of inequality.  The Government of Moldova had adopted a range of national programmes, including national plans for promoting gender equality for the period 2006 to 2009; and for preventing and combating human trafficking; as well as a national system for protection and social assistance for victims of trafficking.

But a lot remained to be done.  In Moldova, which depended on remittances that accounted for 27 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), the feminization of migration represented a dangerous and unsafe experience, with migrant women disproportionately affected by risks arising from their mobility.  Migrant women often fell victim to trafficking, and even those who avoided trafficking networks were not exempt from vulnerabilities arising from employment.  In 2006, Moldova was the first country among other European States that ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and now called on all European Countries to join.  In addition, Moldova supported the idea of strengthening the United Nations gender architecture and the establishment of a new gender entity.

KELLY KNIGHT ( United States) said her country had recently hosted a working group which had put forward several initiatives, including urging “the Government of Burma” to resume a path of dialogue and democracy.  Sexual violence in conflict situations was an issue that deserved more attention, she said, so the United States had introduced a draft resolution entitled “Condemning the Use of Rape as an Instrument of State Policy”.  She then listed numerous causes to which the United States had contributed millions of dollars in aid.

On trafficking in persons, she said that although there was widespread awareness of trafficking for sexual exploitation, many Governments did not have the means to address trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation.  In conclusion, she quoted the United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2006 said that there was still much to be done before women took their rightful place in society, with full access to basic liberties.

The representative of Myanmar asked the Chair to remind delegations to refer to his country by its official name.

FILIPE CHIDUMO ( Mozambique) said his country was fully committed to the creation of a society guided by social justice, where women and men enjoyed equal rights and opportunities at all levels.  Concrete steps towards this goal had been taken by drafting new laws concerning family, the labor market and land possession, he said.  The police were being trained in women’s rights and in providing assistance to the victims of violence.

In Mozambique’s political sphere, more than 30 per cent of parliamentarians were women, he said, adding that Prime Minister Luísa Dias Diogo was a woman, too.  This made Mozambique another Southern African Development Community (SADC) country to successfully achieve the target of women’s participation in all areas of decision-making.  The role of women in the development process remained as vital as ever in the overall struggle for a better world, he said, and for this reason, appropriate measures had to be taken at all levels to promote women’s equal access to and full participation in decision-making.

MEIROV EILON-SHAHAR ( Israel) said that, nearly 60 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaimed gender equality as an international standard, it was unfortunate that so much remained to be done.  The participation of women in electoral processes and in Government lagged far behind that of men across much of the globe and that should be addressed.  Israel’s International Centre for Cooperation played an integral part in the movement towards global gender equality.  Last year, it was active in 108 countries.  Women in rural areas faced particular difficulties, and in some countries there were more cases of HIV/AIDS among young women than among young men.  The ideal of women’s equality was enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence nearly 60 years ago.  It was a work in progress, but the issue had been kept front-and-centre on the national agenda.

Legislation to combat human trafficking was enacted last year, she said, providing stiffer sentences for traffickers, seizure of their assets and more international cooperation.  Israel was situated in a region that remained in turmoil, with women the primary victims.  Israel had been implementing various provisions of Security Council resolution 1325, which called for women to play a greater role in negotiations to end conflict and in post-conflict situations.  It was her country’s hope that such an increased role for women would foster greater understanding and, ultimately, reconciliation with and between all of its neighbours.  The current dialogue for regional peace was a real opportunity for more inclusive input.  Achieving gender equality was not simple; cultural inertia and competing priorities tended to sideline the issue.  But equality for all was a right and we should demand nothing less, she said.

The representative of Armenia said his country associated itself with the statement made by Portugal on behalf of the European Union, and elaborated on developments in Armenia, where the Government had been implementing a national programme to improve the status of women.  Adopted in 2004, it was based on constitutional norms, and aimed to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action.  It set priorities and directions leading to gender equality and the advancement of women, and contemplated the extension of opportunities for women and men in the political and social domains.

Changes to the electoral code ensured that one in 10 names on political party electoral lists were women, he said.  The results of that amendment were evident at this year’s parliamentary elections, when the number of women Members of Parliament doubled to 12.  That was a small number, but it was hoped that the trend would continue.  In the executive branch, the pace of change had been slow, with only one female Government minister and three deputy ministers.  However, women had been most active in non-governmental organizations (NGOs); their role in the development of civil society was undeniable.  It would take time to fully develop the advancement of women in Armenia, but the change was positive.

SALAH AL-SAIF ( Kuwait) said his delegation was proud to say that women in Kuwait had improved their status.  According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Kuwaiti women enjoyed a secure life.  With regard to the main topic, he noted Kuwaiti women’s lack of suffrage but said that, following amendments to Kuwait’s constitution, women in his country had participated in elections.

Kuwait did not claim that there were no shortcomings to the situation of women in his country, but he said those shortcomings would be dealt with in a way that took the culture of Kuwait into consideration, among other things.  Kuwaiti women held high posts in Government, he said, adding that there were several women Kuwaiti diplomats working both outside and inside the country.  In conclusion, he observed that the continuation of conflicts around the world was a major contributor to violence, and added Kuwait’s objection to women’s suffering under occupation both in the Syrian Golan and in other places of the world.

ASEIL AL-SHEHAIL ( Saudi Arabia) said that steps had been taken by her country for the advancement of women, with special attention being attached to the status of women based on the principles of Shari’a law, which set out the rights and duties of women.  All the rules, laws and regulations in Saudi Arabia, including the Bill of Rights, emanated from the Holy Koran and the Prophet Mohammed.  Saudi Arabia put great importance on the role of family, and great attention was being given to ensure the advancement of women.  Government ministries had been instructed to help create jobs for women.  In terms of education, 57.6 per cent of graduates were women.  Higher levels of education meant that women were playing a bigger role in society, the labour market and, especially, in business.  Saudi Arabia signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 2000; its content was in line with the Kingdom’s policy of preserving women’s rights. 

Saudi Arabia was determined to care for the human rights of women, she said.  Intensive measures had been undertaken to reinforce the participation of women in development projects.  In the economic sector, some 14 per cent of the labour force was female, while the participation rate of women in the public sector was 30 per cent, and in education 80 per cent.  Saudi Arabia’s march to advance the status of its women continued in line with the values of its Holy Religion.

JAN KLEIJSSEN, Director of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe, said progress had been made towards fulfilling last year’s General Assembly resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe, particularly in the fight against human trafficking, violence against women and protecting the rights of the child.  The 47-nation Council had launched a campaign to combat trafficking in human beings, which highlighted how this new form of slavery could be prevented, the victims’ human rights protected and the traffickers prosecuted.  It also promoted the widest possible signature and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking Human Beings, the first European treaty in this field.  This comprehensive treaty focused on protecting victims, preventing trafficking, prosecuting traffickers, and setting up an effective and independent monitoring mechanism to ensure the instrument’s obligations were implemented.  He expressed the belief that no country could defeat trafficking alone, and the new European Convention provided a tool to prevent and combat it more effectively.

Violence against women -– including domestic violence -– was one of the most serious forms of gender-based violations because it deprived women of their ability to enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms, he said.  According to a recent study published by the Council of Europe, the majority of violent acts against women were carried out by men in their immediate social environment, and 12 to 15 per cent of all women had been in a relationship of domestic abuse after the age of 16.  His organization had improved the protection of women against violence through a series of initiatives, including the Recommendation (2002) 5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States, which spelled out a State’s obligation to prevent, investigate and punish acts of violence.  Yet, sadly, violence against women was still widespread in Europe, where it was too often seen as an issue of the private sphere and explained as a private family matter.  Women were victims not only of abuse, but of silence, indifference and neglect, he added.

The protection of children from all forms of violence, especially sexual violence, was a top priority for the Council, he said.  In this, the adoption in July 2007 of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was a major step forward.  It was the first instrument to establish the various forms of sexual abuse of children as criminal offences, whether they were committed in the home or in the family, and with the use of force, coercion and threats.  It would be opened for signature later this month.  Children were not mini human beings with mini human rights, he said.

CLAUDE HELLER ( Mexico) said that his country reaffirmed its dedication to the promotion and full implementation of the commitments assumed in the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Declaration.  The application of national strategies could not be achieved without the full participation of women, he said.  Violence against women was a main obstacle in the way, while stereotypes accentuated women’s vulnerability.  The keystone against violence was the strengthening of education based on a gender perspective, he said.

His Government had supported international initiatives with national actions, including strengthening Mexico’s national legal framework, he said.  The goal was to ensure equality in treatment and opportunity, and the elimination of all types of discrimination against women in the quest for social and gender equity.  He expressed concern with the inefficiency and lack of coordination that affected women’s issues at the United Nations, and said that all Member States must carry out an evaluation of the current gender structure and identify the issues to be resolved.

MICHAEL D. KINYANJUI ( Kenya) said that women were critical agents of change, and investing in them would create a multiplier effect that would improve society as a whole.  His country had embarked on a systematic process to re-engineer social attitudes to gender equality.  A comprehensive review of the Constitution provided a unique opportunity to entrench gender equality.  A Ministry of Gender, Sports, Cultural and Social Services had been established, along with a National Commission on Gender and Development, to oversee implementation of a national policy on gender and development.

Kenya abhorred violence against women in all its manifestations, he said.  The Government, civil society and NGOs had been engaged in raising awareness about the dangers of female genital mutilation, which -- together with child marriages -- had been outlawed in the Children Act 2001.  A special unit dealing with trafficking in women had been set up in the police service.  80 per cent of Kenyan women lived in rural areas, but a draft national land policy would outlaw discrimination against women vis-à-vis land ownership.  Regarding education, there was now near parity in the enrolment of boys and girls in primary schools, and from next year, tuition in secondary schools would be abolished.  In rural areas, there had been improvements in health services, as well as more accessibility to tap water and electricity.  The latter developments would ease the burden of domestic work for women, making it easier for them to find paying work and for girls to pursue education.

HABIB MANSOUR ( Tunisia) said that much remained to be done in the area of women.  Women were still affected by problems of poverty and unemployment, not to mention discrimination as well as trafficking, which were obstacles hindering them from self-fulfillment.  He called on the international community to make its efforts to promote women’s rights more effective.  The need for modernity had been the reason for Tunisia to break a number of social taboos, since a country that was a prisoner to archaic views could not develop, he said.  In a break with a model of society which enshrined the inferior status of women, Tunisia had adopted laws which prohibited polygamy and introduced divorce.

By integrating half of its population into development efforts, Tunisia had improved progress towards a society which was open, moderate and balanced, he said.  The integration of gender into the development approach was now seen as a decisive factor in the economic development of the country, in its social cohesion, and stability.  Access to work was one of the most important ways to promote the economic independence of women, he noted.  In conclusion, because of the importance of the internet and communication technology to development, and the complete integration of women into society, he called on the international community to deal with the “digital divide”, particularly in zones where it could have a decisive effect.

PARK HEE-KWON ( Republic of Korea) said women were a vital element in tackling war, terrorism, poverty and environmental degradation.  His Government was deeply concerned with the increasing incidents of sexual violence against women in armed conflicts, particularly systematic rape and sexual slavery -- those were among the most egregious forms of human rights violations.  There were war crimes and, in defined circumstances, crimes against humanity; the United Nations and Member States should do their utmost to address that tragedy, notably by putting an end to impunity.  The gender perspective should be fully integrated in all United Nations agendas.  Strong leadership and coordination was needed.

Remarkable progress had been made by the Republic of Korea towards gender equality in laws and institutions, he said.  The “family headship system”, which discriminated against women in the legal system, had been abolished, marking a drastic change in the family structure, and paving the way for the achievement of gender equality in future generations.  In recent years, the country had its first female Prime Minister as well as its first female Minister of Justice.  There had been a steep rise in international marriages, which had presented new challenges.  Ways were being sought to protect and support female immigrants in such marriages.  Much remained to be done for the full advancement of women in today’s world, and it was hoped that the United Nations would play a crucial role in turning hopes into reality.

LESLIE K. CHRISTIAN ( Ghana) said that, through concrete administrative, legal and constitutional means, his Government had shown its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.  It had demonstrated the political will to confront violence against women by enacting laws to end such atrocities, and ensuring equal rights for women in all aspects of life.  In February 2007, a Domestic Violence Bill was passed by Parliament, and domestic violence units had been set up in the Ghana Police Service.

Rural women made up 47 per cent of the farm labour force in Ghana, and a wide range of measures had been undertaken to address the constraints they faced, he said.  They included more credit facilities, better technological services, and skills upgrading in management and finance.  Night schools had also been organized to make rural women functionally literate.  Moreover, ongoing advocacy was addressing outmoded customary practices that prevented women from owning land and acquiring property.  It was encouraging that several United Nations peace support operations and missions had mandates to monitor and report on human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, but there was nevertheless a need for complementary capacity and leadership at United Nations Headquarters to ensure accountability in the implementation of those mandates.

MARIA ELENA MEDAL ( Nicaragua) said her country’s goal under the new Government was absolute equality between men and women.  A forceful gender policy including affirmative action was necessary in order to consolidate women’s participation in all areas, she said.  This gender policy favoured a well-balanced participation of men and women, including at the executive level, she said.

Addressing conditions, she said Nicaragua had studied the effect of globalization on the economy, and had found that it had resulted in precarious labour conditions.  There was a need to become better acquainted with the restructuring of the economy and how it had affected women’s lives.  In conclusion, she noted that, in seeking to restore women’s role in society, the international community should pay special attention to indigenous women.

KAIRE M. MBUENDE ( Namibia) said that the advancement of women, historically disadvantaged in all cultures, was the benchmark against which the progress of a society could be measured.  Any poverty reduction strategy must address women as a focal point if it were to be successful.  Namibia was focusing on the issue through the promotion of entrepreneurial skills and employment opportunities among women, and improving marketing outlets for those from rural areas.  He appealed to private sector investors to include women as managers or shareholders in local ventures.  Noting advances made by women in politics, he said that they held “the promise of a new political culture of openness, tolerance and accountability”.

To achieve the objectives of equality, development and peace, it was necessary to overcome gender-based violence, he said.  He called Namibia’s statistics on the issue “appalling”, adding that men must play an essential role in bringing it to an end.  The inequality between men and women, which formed the basis of gender-based violence, also inhibited the abilities of individuals, families and nations to realize their full potential.  Further, he called on the United Nations to help mobilize resources to support efforts for women’s empowerment, and to set an example by ensuring that women would occupy senior positions within the Organization.

SAUDATU USMAN BUNGUDU, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development of Nigeria, said that, to give effect to the Beijing Platform for Action and other key instruments, her Government had taken bold steps to create more equitable participation for women at all levels of development.  Gender issues had been brought to the front of the political burner.  Those issues enjoyed tremendous support at the highest levels of Government, and had resulted in the adoption of a national gender policy framework that outlined the overall direction for women’s integration into development.  Meanwhile, an executive bill proposing the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was now before the National Assembly.

Women’s representation in the Federal Executive Council had grown to 19.2 per cent in Nigeria, she said, and women had been appointed to head the finance, foreign affairs and environment ministries.  A woman had also been appointed to head the federal civil service.  Education was key to the promotion of women’s rights; the Government was determined to enhance the enrolment and retention rates of girls in rural areas through increased educational infrastructure and special incentives.  His Government had also been paying particular attention to violence against women and acting in close collaboration with law enforcement agencies.  A temporary shelter had also been set up to alleviate the immediate problems of women who had been victims of violence.

JANG IL HUN (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said that from the time of its founding, his Government had pursued women’s rights and gender equality.  The result today was that women were an equal force in the revolution, and could give full play to their talents and wishes.  As a State party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, his country was making every possible effort to fulfil its international obligations in good faith, and to protect as well as promote the human rights of women.

On this topic, he said, it was necessary to raise the issue of the sexual slavery promulgated by the Japanese Imperial Army, and the impudent attitude of the Japanese authorities who still refused to recognize, apologize or make compensation for those crimes.  He described it as one of the biggest human trafficking and human rights violations of the twentieth century, with 200,000 victims from Korea and several other countries.  That was not an ordinary crime that could be forgotten with time.  Japan should immediately accept its responsibility and fulfil its obligations.

MOHSEN EMADI ( Iran) welcomed the Secretary-General’s recommendations to address the problem of violence against women migrant workers.  Those women were exposed to gender-based violence as well as trafficking, abusive labour practices, racism and discrimination at every stage of the migration cycle.  Iran believed that such a serious issue needed to be tackled in line with the Secretary-General’s suggestions.  His delegation had also taken note of the report’s description of the intensified efforts of the United Nations system to support national initiatives to eliminate all forms of violence against women.  To that end, Iran would call for strengthening of the Organization-wide initiative dealing with sexual violence in armed conflict.

He went on to highlight the “appalling” and degrading treatment women suffered, living under occupation.  They faced equal challenges when dealing with the effects of poverty, which often bred violence.  Since such violence was often a cause and a consequence of violence against women, poverty eradication should be the international community’s priority focus.  Turning to the situation of women in Iran, he said his Government’s policy to broaden women’s roles and enhance their participation in society was guided by the principle of gender justice in all areas, including education, health and employment as well as the political arena.

Currently, women made up some 30 per cent of the work force, and the rate of women’s participation in the economy was nearly 15 per cent, the highest in the country’s history.  Moreover, efforts had been made to enable women to promote their participation not only in the Government and Parliament, but also at local levels.  Finally, he added that the protection of the dignity of women and girls was still a high Government priority, and Iran believed that strengthening the role and status of the family was very important in all policies and plans that were designed to improve the overall situation of women in the country.

NG LI SAN ( Singapore) said his Government had always been committed to providing boys and girls with equal access to education, even if in the past, traditional attitudes towards women had meant it was not the norm.  Primary education was made compulsory by the Government, while secondary education was made easily accessible to all.  Presently, the result was that close to half the students enrolled in tertiary education were women.  In turn, education had paved the way for women to seek gainful and fulfilling employment, and their financial independence had broadened their life options.  Currently, educated Singaporean women were making inroads into leadership positions in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

She said the advancement of women in Singapore had also brought challenges:  the proportion of dual income households had increased to almost one-half, and married couples often found it hard to strike a balance between work and family.  One manifestation of that phenomenon was the country’s falling birth rate.  In response, the Government had set up an inter-ministerial committee, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, to encourage marriage and parenthood.

SHEWAWORK AMIN ( Ethiopia) said that in her country, 85 per cent of the population lived in rural areas.  Therefore, giving priority to rural development was the Government’s policy.  To emphasize the participation of women in the development process of the country, policies and strategies had been formulated to integrate and mainstream gender issues to the economic, social and political agenda of the Government.

The enrolment of girls at primary schools had increased, as had access to health services and contraceptives.  Maternal mortality had decreased, and the situation of HIV-positive pregnant women receiving complete courses of anti-retroviral treatment had improved significantly, she said.  But, these were small achievements next to the many challenges women still faced.  A coordinated approach by national and international actors remained the main prerequisite to reach the desired level of empowerment and emancipation for women.

MAGDALENA GRABIANOWSKA (Poland), noting that her country supported the statement made earlier by Portugal on behalf of the European Union, wished to declare that any reference it contained to the sexual and reproductive rights of women did not constitute an encouragement to the promotion of abortion as a means of achieving the advancement of women.

HAMID CHABAR ( Morocco) said the achievement of equal rights for men and women was a struggle that was indeed not yet won.  It was a struggle that concerned all nations regardless of their culture, religion or level of development.  There was a strong sense in Morocco that no effort at economic and social development could be achieved properly without the equal and active participation of women.

A number of legal initiatives aimed at reforming the institution of marriage had been implemented, he said.  Other initiatives against violence against women had also been implemented.  A special effort had to be made, he said, to reform the social structures to help women and girls in rural environments.  Numerous reforms had been launched in Morocco with the view of improving the conditions of women; that these efforts must continue, he said, was the core of the message he brought to the Committee today.

VICTORIA SULIMANI ( Sierra Leone) said her Government was progressively fulfilling its commitments to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, despite various socio-economic constraints.  A national Women’s Bureau and a Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs had already been established, while a variety of programmes as well as policies had been adopted to promote the advancement of women and young girls.

She acknowledged some areas of concern in implementing the Convention, but added that efforts to resolve those issues were already underway.  In particular, her Government had enacted three gender bills to further protect the rights of women in Sierra Leone, especially in rural areas.  Wife battering was now a criminal offence; women could now inherit property; and forcing young women into marriage was becoming a thing of the past.  In the future, health care delivery services for women and children would be improved to help reduce infant and maternal mortality.  Advancing the cause of women in Sierra Leone required not only national efforts, but international support.  As such, she called on the international community to continue to assist her country in all its efforts.

CARMEN MARĪA GALLARDO HERNĀNDEZ ( El Salvador) said that women made up more than 50 per cent of the population in her country and they were stakeholders in its development.  The gender perspective had been enshrined in the Government’s development plan for 2004-2009, and a national policy for women was guiding the State’s action in improving the lives of women in urban and rural areas.  El Salvador had launched efforts at the institutional level to follow-up on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and it had undertaken a political commitment to address the status of women.

She said that, in education, the focus in her country was on equality and non-sexism, as well as promoting peaceful coexistence.  Also fundamental for the advancement of women were microcredit, microfinancing and the consolidation of women’s entrepreneurial capacity.  Women’s centres for training and production had been established to enhance the socio-economic status of women.  El Salvador had enacted provisions against all forms of violence against women, particularly family violence.  A central premise of national policy on women was to foster equality and women’s participation in all aspects of society.  El Salvador was fully committed to all gender equality policies.

LUCIA MAIERÁ ( Brazil) said the advancement of women was a priority for her country’s Government and an integral part of national policies and programmes in the areas of human rights, social inclusion and development.  Brazil was one of the largest and most populous countries in the world, she said.  It was also a developing country with an unequal distribution of income, uneven development and radical contradictions.

It was under that framework that Brazil engaged in promoting equal conditions between men and women, she said.  In schools, policies were aimed at encouraging non-discriminatory practices, respect for diversity, and sexual orientation as well as at the interests of girls in non-traditional disciplines.  Sharing good practices with other States was important to Brazil, so the country had participated in specialized meetings to exchange national experiences and harmonize practices.

XENIA VON LILIEN, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), underlined the key areas that impeded the advancement of rural women which were highlighted in the report:  a lack of infrastructure, basic services and assets.  She said there had been considerable efforts to integrate the concerns of rural women into policies, strategies, legislation and programmes, but stories from the field and research findings indicated there was still a long way to go. 

Significant progress had been made in integrating gender in agricultural research, but women’s pivotal role in food production was still not adequately reflected in agricultural policies or development programmes.  The Fund was preparing with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank a “Gender in Agricultural Livelihoods Sourcebook” to assist development practitioners in integrating gender analysis and pro-poor approaches into sector-based programmes and projects.  The sourcebook’s preparation had revealed important knowledge gaps that required action and attention through studies.

All too often, she said, women farmers were not consulted and involved in community decisions.  Enabling conditions should be created to allow women to use productive resources most effectively.  Projects were most successful when activities aimed at improving women’s economic status and their organizational and decision-making capacities were complemented by investments in water supply, health and functional literacy.  Such investments had given women the necessary time, energy and know-how to become actively involved in economic, social and political arenas.  She said the development community should seek to work within rural women’s own agendas to ensure the Millennium Development Goals became a real-life opportunity to reduce poverty.  Extra efforts should be made to include women in international forums, and the role of rural women should also be afforded explicit attention at the upcoming session of the Commission of Sustainable Development.

DOMINIQUE BUFF, Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said greater efforts were needed to improve respect for international humanitarian law, the protection of women affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence.  Women in those situations faced displacement, loss of family members and loss of income.  While women’s resilience had often disproved the cliché of women’s vulnerability, civilian women must still be protected from dangers, including unlawful killing, ill-treatment, trafficking or abduction.  One of the most frequent and traumatic violations women suffered in wartime was rape and other forms of sexual violence, even though those violations constituted war crimes under international humanitarian law.  In addition, once a conflict ended, many women suffered the loss of loved ones, often becoming the family’s sole breadwinner while lacking clear legal status.  The latter could affect their rights to property, inheritance or the guardianship of children.

Based on its Women Facing War study, the ICRC had tried to ensure that its humanitarian programmes and activities took women’s specific needs into account so they could become self-sufficient.  The ICRC had helped victims of sexual violence, through the provision of medical, psychological, economic and social support.  It also aimed to reduce exposure to the risk of sexual violence as well as to raise awareness of the problem so communities would accept victims and offer them support.  The ICRC urged States to ensure the application of laws to protect women, and to acknowledge in those laws the situation of wives of the missing while providing them with the assistance they needed.

M. J. OMAR, Director A.I. of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) liaison office with the United Nations, said that in spite of international agreements, conferences as well as summits, widespread and serious discrimination against women continued, including gender inequalities in the ownership and inheritance of property.  The threat of climate change had also taken its toll on rural women.  FAO stressed the need to promote the advancement of women.  If rural and agricultural policies were to succeed, social factors would have to be fully integrated into development strategies.

The role of rural women in developing countries was important for the future of the world’s agricultural systems, he said.  If the Millennium Development Goals were to be attained, women’s full participation was needed.  To reduce hunger by half by 2015, FAO and the international community had to enact measures that would promote gender equality.  Immediate and urgent attention had to be given to the significant role that women played in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and to their enormous contribution to household as well as national food security.

AXUMITE GEBRE-EGZIABHER, Director of UN-HABITAT New York Office, said sustainable urbanization was one of the most pressing challenges facing the global community.  Women and men experienced urban life and used urban services differently, and inequalities in access to basic services had resulted in extreme forms of urban poverty.  Women had different access to productive resources such as land, credit and technologies compared with men, and were also the worst-affected during evictions, conflicts, or natural and human-made disasters.  Women migrated from rural to urban areas to escape from domestic violence; discrimination against them often ended up with them in slums and informal settlements with no minimum basic strategies.  They were also increasingly becoming victims of human trafficking and various forms of violence. 

To counter those trends, she said, UN-HABITAT had implemented a series of initiatives aimed at supporting women in an urban environment.  Those initiatives included:  the Safer Cities Programme to promote deeper understanding of the phenomenon of violence against women in an urban environment; the local-to-local dialogue to empower women to address gender equality issues with local authorities; the Gender and Global Land Tool Network to develop affordable, pro-poor and gender responsive land tools; and a programme on empowerment of urban women entrepreneurs through housing development and land rights.

DJANKOU NDJONKOU (International Labor Organization) said the persistence of gender gaps in employment and pay was still cause for concern.  It was particularly worrying because data had shown that significant and persistent inequalities in income, assets and opportunities diluted the effectiveness of any action aimed at combating discrimination.  Another area of discrimination for women in the labour force was related to women’s reproductive roles, as they faced hiring inequalities and dismissal on the basis of actual or even potential pregnancy.

On violence against women migrant workers, he said the International Labour Organization (ILO) noted that it was not only their status as female and non-nationals that put them in a vulnerable situation, but also the type of work they engaged in.  Women often went into individual work environments like domestic service, with its attendant isolation and smaller chances of social support compared with migrant men’s group work environments.  As for rural women, he said they faced the highest incidence of poverty and vulnerability.  That, in turn, was one of the determinants of this group’s continued invisibility with policymakers and institutions, at both micro and macro levels.

ANDA FILIP, Observer for the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), said the world average for women in parliament rose to 17.4 per cent in 2007, up from 16 per cent last year.  More was needed, however, to boost that figure.  For more than seven years, the IPU had placed particular emphasis on enhancing national parliaments’ role in the budgetary process and ensuring that those parliaments responded to the needs of men and women.  At the IPU’s seventh regional conference on parliament, budget and gender, she said, participants highlighted the need to consider the overall environment in which budgets and financial allocations were decided, including ensuring gender balance in parliamentary committees, and adequate representation in the civil service, especially in economic as well as finance departments.  At the forthcoming fifty-second session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, discussions on the question of financing for gender equality would be welcomed by the IPU.  This would be a good forum to highlight the central role parliament should play in ensuring financial support for policies aimed at promoting women’s empowerment.

The IPU also looked forward to similar discussions at meetings it had been organizing, she said.  That included a regional conference for women parliamentarians of the Gulf Cooperation Council States, organized with the National Council of the United Arab Emirates, and a parliamentary day, organized with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, on the occasion of the fifty-second session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Right of Reply

The representative of Israel, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, referred to the statement by the Observer for Palestine.  She said that Israel had full sympathy for the suffering of innocent Palestinian women, and that much had to be done to ease their suffering.  Brave leadership, however, was needed by the Palestinians to end terror.  Palestinians, not Israelis, had been killing their own daughters and sisters in the name of family honour.  During clashes between Fatah and Hamas, women and children had been killed.  First and foremost, Palestinian women had been victims of their own society, forced in some cases to carry out terror attacks.  Israel was pleased to hear that the Palestinian people wanted peace, but how did the firing of rockets demonstrate a desire for peace?  But looking at developments on the ground at this moment, there was good reason for optimism, she said, adding that the road to peace would be followed by Israeli and Palestinian women, together.

The representative of Sudan, responding to the statement by the United States, said that a resolution introduced by the United States condemning the use of rape as an instrument of State policy was a pretext for that country to enforce actions in Darfur.  The African Group had unanimously reaffirmed its unanimous rejection of that politicized resolution, which only served the interests of its sponsors.  Sudan appreciated help from all United Nations Members, including the United States, as long as it was provided in a transparent way.  It was hoped that the United States would not persist in presenting facts in an unrealistic fashion.  The Government of Sudan had deployed significant efforts in all areas vis-à-vis women’s capacity-building, empowerment and protection.  Volunteer organizations in Sudan, led by Sudanese women, had also been devoting significant efforts to halting violence against women.  Sudan hoped that the United States and all other States would support those organizations.

The representative of Japan, responding to his counterpart from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said it was unfortunate that this country’s representative had touched upon problems of the past that were not relevant to the item under discussion.  Japan’s position had been set out before, including in the Pyongyang Declaration of 2002.  Regarding comfort women, his country had expressed its sincere apologies and remorse; but the claim that 200,000 women in Korea and elsewhere in Asia had been drafted as comfort women was totally groundless.  Issues of past history should be resolved through consultations which aimed to normalize bilateral relations.  Japan urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to act upon the resolutions on its human rights situation that had been adopted by the General Assembly.  The issue of abductions should be resolved by letting abductees return to their countries of origin.  Based on the outcome of the working group on the normalization of bilateral relations, Japan stood ready to consult with Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on concrete steps leading to normalization.

The Observer for Palestine said the Israeli delegation had attempted to make several arguments that were out of context.  The Palestinian people were undergoing a painful chapter which they sought to overcome.  Palestine recognized the wrongs and had condemned any unlawful actions, she said, especially regarding Palestinian women and their families.

Sixty years of occupation far surpassed any actions committed by Palestinian individuals or groups, she said.  Using terrorism as a pretext to “justify the unjustifiable” was a tactic used by the Israeli occupying Power.  Peace in the region was a vital necessity that all must work for.  Israel must cease its violations of international law and allow people to experience life in peace and security, where all rights were respected.

The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said they had been raising the issue of the comfort women for the past 15 years, but Japan had done nothing so far.  He said that on the abduction issue, his country had done everything it could, but Japan refused to accept its sincerity.  He said he hoped Japan would help to solve the problem in good faith.

The representative of Japan said his country had stated many times that it recognized the issue as one that severely injured women.  Relations had to be normalized between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Japan before all the issues of the past could be dealt with.  He said Japan would deal with the abductions matter, as well as nuclear and missile issues, but there had to be negotiations.  Japan hoped this would settle the matter with sincerity on both sides.  With regard to the abductions, it had not been settled at all.  This was a serious issue that related to the life and security of Japanese citizens.  Moreover, it was not just a national question, since citizens of other countries, such as Thailand and Romania, had been abducted as well.

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For information media • not an official record