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11 April 2000
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Commission on Human Rights
56th session
11 April 2000
Morning
Takes Up Discussion on Rights of the Child, Hears Statement from
Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
The Commission on Human Rights this morning concluded its debate on the integration of the human rights of women and the gender perspective, with special emphasis on violence perpetrated against women.
Several non-governmental organizations denounced violence against women in many parts of the world. The cause of such violence was attributed to the lack of legislation protecting the rights of women in some countries and the absence of mechanisms to promote the status of women in societies. Poverty and armed conflictS were also underlined as being detrimental to female citizens in many countries.
Introducing his report, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu, said that the international community should call on all warring factions in all on-going conflicts to stop fighting for one week so that relief and vaccination could be provided to war-affected children. This should also be a period to undertake various cultural and educational activities in all countries, and to promote peace, in particular activities for and by young people.
Mr. Otunnu affirmed that until now the international community had had some success, on an ad hoc basis, in negotiating temporary cease-fires with warring parties for various humanitarian purposes. He said he was delighted that consensus agreement had finally been reached on raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in conflict. The raising of the age limit for participation in hostilities from 15 to 18 was a victory for children who were exposed to cynical exploitation in situations of armed conflict.
Representatives of the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Development Fund for Women spoke on the topic of violence against women as did the following non-governmental organizations: Survival International; the Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace; the African Commission for Health and Human Rights Promoters; International Fellowship of Reconciliation; the International Council of Women; the World Muslim Congress; Pax Romana; the All China Women's Federation; the Muslim World League; the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation; the International Institute for Peace; the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization; and Interfaith International.
Also, the International Union of Socialist Youth; the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies; the Transnational Radical Party; the Association of World Citizens; the Association of World Education; the Asian Women Human Rights Council; the American Association of Jurists; Centro de Estudios Sobre la Juventud; the Women's International Democratic Federation; the China Society for Human Rights; the Federation of Cuban Women; the Indian Council of Education; the World Federation of Trade Unions; Union National de la Femme Tunisienne; and the World Organization of Former Students of Catholic Education.
China exercised its right of reply.
In the beginning of the meeting, the Chairperson of the Commission, Shambhu Ram Simkhada, announced that the East Timorese leader, Jose Ramos Horta, would address the Commission on Wednesday 12 April at 3.30 p.m. The Commission was also scheduled to be addressed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, at the beginning of the afternoon meeting today.
When the Commission reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will resume its discussion on the rights of the child. At 3:30 p.m., it will hold a debate on the situation in Chechnya, the Russian Federation, based on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, who recently visited the region.
Rights of the Child
Under this agenda item, there is a report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu (E/CN.4/2000/71), which contains chapters on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and war-affected children; curbing child soldiering; eliciting and monitoring commitments from parties to conflict; addressing impunity; the role of the Commission on Human Rights; the role of mechanisms of the Commission; the role of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; the role of the Committee on the Rights of the Child; Security Council Resolution 1261; and integrating child protection into United Nations peace operations.
There is an annex on a visit by the Special Representative to Sierra Leone and Guinea which recommends, among other things, an 'Agenda for Action for the Children of Sierra Leone', including establishment of a national commission for children to ensure that their protection and welfare is a central concern in the aftermath of the conflict; that there is a need to establish confidence in the peace process; that a credible level of security must be re-established in the country; and that disarmament must be carried out in an effective manner. Annex II reviews a visit by the Special Rapporteur to Colombia which contends, among other things, that more must be done to address the situation of internally displaced communities; to protect the civilian population and humanitarian workers; to end political abductions; to address the needs of children in situations of protracted conflict; and to end conflict and achieve social justice in the country.
Statements
OLARA A. OTUNNU, Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said that in his report to the Commission, he had highlighted developments and issues that were of particular concern to the Commission and to the broader human rights community. Two primary goals had guided his advocacy work. The first goal was to build a worldwide social and political movement for the protection of war-affected children -- a movement to repudiate and reverse the present trends of widespread abuse and brutalization of children in armed conflict. The second major objective was to instigate a critical mass of activities and initiatives for the benefit of children -- in the midst and in the aftermath of armed conflict -- measures, practices and attitudes that would become self-sustaining beyond the lifetime of the mandate.
Until now the international community had had some success, on an ad hoc basis, in negotiating temporary cease-fires with warring parties for various humanitarian purposes. In particular, UNICEF and WHO had undertaken a number of successful vaccination campaigns during such days of tranquillity, the most recent being the polio vaccination campaign conducted last year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That experience had to be built on and more had to be done. The international community should call on all warring factions in all on-going conflicts to stop fighting, for the sake of children, at the same time, for a period of one week in the calendar. That week would be devoted to the protection of children and would be more than symbolic. It would enable the international community to provide relief and vaccination to war-affected children. That should also be a period to undertake various cultural and educational activities in all countries, and to promote peace, in particular activities for and by young people.
It was delighting that consensus agreement had finally been reached on raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in conflict. The raising of the age limit for participation in hostilities from 15 to 18 was a victory for children exposed to cynical exploitation in situations of armed conflict. While the new consensus did not go as far as he would have liked, it was a most important step towards eliminating the use of children as soldiers and their participation in hostilities.
Conclusion of debate on integrating the human rights of women and the gender perspective, including violence against women
JANE ZHANG, of the International Labour Organization, said that equality was at the core of the rights-based approach which should go hand in hand with the development-based approach, as sound development was based on social progress and economic growth. In June 1998, the ILO reaffirmed its belief in the indivisibility of women's rights as part of human rights by adopting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The core issues contained in the Declaration included the freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour and the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation, applied equally to men and women. Two Conventions were of particular interest to the rights of women, one aiming to overcome wage discrimination and the one prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.
The ILO had given special importance to protecting the rights of workers who fell outside the formal labour protection system, promoting partnership and empowering women themselves to determine their needs, promoting a more equitable representation in decision-making and creating a more enabling environment to combine work and family life. To meet the challenges of globalization, the ILO had developed a strategic global programme on decent work, promoting equal opportunities for women and men in obtaining decent work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
ROXANNA CARILLO, of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, said the successful integration of women's rights into all United Nations activities required substantive programming and research initiatives as well as institutional reform. The Fund's work on mainstreaming the human rights of women had been characterized by its contributions to a substantive analysis of women's human rights and of the gender-specific dimensions of human rights; cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; development and consolidation of expertise concerning women's human rights; training and capacity building for women's human rights; and advocacy for procedures to ensure accountability for the integration of the human rights of women into the work of the United Nations.
The Fund's experience at the national level and within the UN indicated that women's groups and other non-governmental organizations played a central role in advocacy for the full integration of women's human rights into human rights activities at all levels. It noted in particular the critical role played by NGOs.
LEONIE TANGGAAMA, of Survival International, said the Indonesian military had been committing violence against women in West Papua for 30 years, including rape, torture, killings, punishment by hard labour, arbitrary detention, and mental oppression. The women-victims were treated like animals. The perpetrators had not been brought to trial, victims and their children had not been compensated, and abuses continued to occur. In fact, it appeared that if nothing was done such abuses would continue indefinitely. One unresolved case dated from 1998 when, following a peaceful demonstration, women were taken out to sea on Indonesian navy ships, raped, sexually mutilated, and thrown overboard.
The Commission must pressure the Indonesian Government to end such abuses and to bring those responsible to trial. To prevent further violence, Indonesia should enter into genuine dialogue with the people of West Papua on the question of self-determination.
UBALDA FELIPE ALVES, of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, said that East Timorese women had lost their freedom since the Indonesian occupation of East Timor in 1975. The destruction and violence carried out by the Indonesian military forces and its backed militias in the months towards and after the August 1999 referendum had caused great suffering among East Timorese women. Harassment and sexual violence continued in the refugee camps. The United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor had largely ignored the role of women, they were under represented in decision-making at national and district levels.
The Commission was called upon to ensure that the UN established the appropriate mechanisms to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed in East Timor before and during the August 1999 referendum. The Commission was also urged to put a stop to the ongoing violations against East Timorese women taking place in the refugee camps.
BINETA DIOP, of the African Commission of Health and Human Rights Promoters, said that the HIV/AIDS pandemic was today widely recognized within national, regional and international bodies as a serious threat to the peace, security and development of the African continent. Alarming as the high rates of HIV infections in Africa were, what was more alarming was the disproportionately high number of women becoming infected by the deadly virus compared to other regions of the world. In Sub-Sahara Africa, women accounted for 55 per cent of HIV/AIDS infections and African women accounted for close to 80 per cent of women infected worldwide.
Why were African women so vulnerable to HIV/AIDS? Ultimately, failure to realize some of their most basic rights was undermining the ability of African women to protect themselves in the fight against AIDS. Global effort was strongly advocated to inform, educate and arm the people of Africa in battling the AIDS epidemic and to incorporate a gender perspective if they were to adequately address the current situation of HIV/AIDS transmission in Africa
JONATHAN SISSON, of International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), said that despite various activities undertaken by the Japanese Government to meet its moral responsibility for wartime sexual slavery during World War II, post-war Japan had a moral and a legal responsibility to publicly apologize and to compensate the victims. IFOR regretted that the Government of Japan had failed to respond positively to relevant reports by Special Rapporteurs and to a resolution passed by the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
In view of these developments, IFOR proposed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission be established with an international membership and mandate, its members to be chosen jointly by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Japanese Government. The group would address four issues involving the 'comfort women': public disclosure of official documents related to military sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Government; public testimony of victims and accountability on the part of the perpetrators; official apology and admission of moral and legal responsibility by the Japanese Government; and financial compensation for the surviving victims.
BRIGITTE POLONOVSKI-VAUCLAIR, of the International Council of Women, said that women were suffering from violence which was even more incremental when it was performed on the basis of race and religion. The women in Afghanistan and Bosnia were cited as examples. In such situations, forced sterilization, contraception and abortion, including late-term abortions were commonplace. Penalties for resisting abortion included the loss of employment and for the child, loss of the right to health care, food and education. Violence against women extended to women detainees, for example Tibetan women, who were suffering long prison sentences without trial, beatings, poor medical care and forced exercise regimens. The organization called upon the Commission to resolve to take the appropriate steps to end all violence against women, and to appoint a Special Rapporteur who would address these issues.
ASHRAF SARAF, of the World Muslim Congress, said women continued to suffer discrimination and violence at home and in society. A majority of them were victims of domestic violence irrespective of class, religion and national or ethnic origin. In many societies, violence in the family was not reported because of social and cultural reasons or the taboos surrounding it so as to save the honour of the family. Since law provided them with inadequate protection, women bore in silence the violence against them. Rape, forced prostitution, forced marriages and trafficking in women and girls were only a few forms of violence against them in the society. In some extreme cases, violence manifested itself in situations of armed conflicts, where women were used as an object of inflicting punishment on the opposing forces. Women in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Kashmir and Chechnya had been victims of that deplorable practice.
ADA MARGHETICI, of Pax Romana, said that in Equatorial Guinea women could be imprisoned for failure to return dowries if marriage bonds were dissolved, and that there was education discrimination, as the rate of illiteracy for women in the country was three times that of men. The Commission must urge the Government of Equatorial Guinea to end such discrimination and should extend the mandate of the Special Representative on the country for a further year. Pax Romana supported the recommendations of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace regarding the grave violence committed against women and girls in East Timor.
Girls from Asia, Africa and Central America were being increasingly trafficked by their relatives at low prices and brought to the United States, Europe and the Middle East, where they were forced into sexual servitude. Perpetrators were almost never punished. Authorities in destination countries must pass more restrictive legislation to protect victims of trafficking, and in countries where prostitution was authorized, they must ensure that none of those so employed had been trafficked.
SONG WENYAN, of the All-China Women's Federation, said that women had not received adequate protection and violence of women's human rights continued through discrimination against women, unequal pay for equal work, violence against women, trafficking in women, deprivation of girl's access to education, to name but a few. The organization wished to inform the Commission that the Falun Gong case had shocked all Chinese people. Women, as a result of belonging to Falun Gong, had committed suicide after their refusal to receive medical treatment for illnesses, had left their jobs, and had regarded family members as devils, thus inflicting enormous agony on them. The NGOs speaking on behalf of Falun Gong had highly exaggerated the number of followers, in actuality there were no more than 2 million practitioners in China, not 70 to 100 million.
The Commission was urged to see the Falun Gong for what it really was and all Governments and the international community were appealed to renew their commitment and provide effective and practical measures in their follow-up for the promotion of women's human rights.
SAEEDAH SHAH, of the Muslim World League, recalled that five years ago the international community had made a commitment at Beijing to ensure the full implementation of the human rights of women and girls as an inalienable and integral part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It was also pledged to taken effective action against violations of those rights and freedoms. While impressive progress had been made in that direction, the Commission and the other human rights mechanisms were yet to focus on human rights abuses against women and girls in a number of regions and areas around the world. In the recent past, the women of Chechnya, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, Kosovo and Kashmir had been victims of severe brutalities influenced by policies of ethnic cleansing; and rape had been used as a weapon of war against them. In addition, the valley of Kashmir resonated with tales of torture and violence, rape and sexual abuse against the female population of the valley. Rape in the Indian-held Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces was committed with impunity.
K. WARIKOO, of the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, said Islamist extremists were still forcing medievalist practices upon women, keeping them under the veil, stoning them to death, subjecting them to 'honour killings', depriving them of education, and using them as sex objects. The situation in Afghanistan was absolutely unacceptable.
Similarly, Islamist extremists and militants were committing inhuman atrocities in Kashmir, using rape, kidnapping and murder as weapons to subjugate the people to their will. Against Muslim Kashmiri tradition, women were being forced to adopt the fundamentalist way of life, including wearing the veil and leading lives of seclusion. Women also were killed or seriously injured by militants as a way of frightening or disciplining male members of their families; four women in one family had had their throats slit on 1 April 1999 as a lesson to the males of the family, who were not following the diktats of the terrorists. Marriage at gunpoint was also frequent. The Commission and the international community must take steps to end such atrocities.
TATIANA SHUMIAN, of the International Institute for Peace, said that the social processes based on putative qualities of the maleness and femaleness were not conductive for genuine equality between the sexes. The organization was concerned about the practice of honour killings of women. The perpetrators of these crimes went unpunished or received reduced sentences. The honour killings took many forms, forced suicide, denunciation of the behaviour and open threats to their lives, acid burns. The organization recognized that these honour killings were prevalent in Jordan and Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan had refused to condemn these killings despite public protest against the decision of the Senate. A comprehensive policy had to be drawn up to abolish practices which impinged upon the life of any person purely because of sexual distinction. It was pointed out that refugee women were often twice as vulnerable to violence, rape, sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence.
MASOOMA R. ALI, of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, said that in the remote district of Mugu in Nepal, there was still a practice of keeping pregnant women in buffalo sheds. Even after delivery, the mother and the newly born child had to stay and sleep in the same buffalo shed for about a month. The women in Iraq suffered from lack of food, shelter and medicine for their children. It was estimated that about 95 per cent of the pregnant women in Iraq suffered from malnutrition and anaemia at present. They gave birth to malnourished children, most of whom would be ill physically and mentally if they survived. Also, the lives of Bhutanese women were full of discrimination. They were discriminated against in terms of poverty and illiteracy, particularly in eastern and southern Bhutan. In practice, Bhutan was a male-dominated society and for that reason men usually kept two to three wives under suppression. A man was officially entitled to keep three wives, however, in practice they kept up to seven wives unofficially.
GENEVA BERRYMAN ARIF, of Interfaith International, said violence, or fear of violence, was one of the crucial factors which forced women into a subservient position to men; traditions in various countries continued or exacerbated such tendencies. In some countries, women were not allowed to leave their homes without male escort, or could not hold religious positions. In some countries mere physical force was enough to subjugate women; in Pakistan, up to 80 per cent of women were reportedly subject to domestic violence. Honour killings in Pakistan and other countries were also a grave problem. If, as claimed, honour killings were not related to religion but were a matter of tribal and community custom, why did one not hear of local religious authorities speaking out against these murders?
Iraqi women ten years after the Gulf War were still suffering from the effects of depleted-uranium weapons, and frequently suffered spontaneous abortions because of this radiation. Abductions and rape of women in Sudan must end, as must violence and rape committed against Kurdish women by Turkish armed forces and authorities.
TSERING JAMPA, of the International Union of Socialist Youth, said that Tibetan women were subjected to systematic violence in the form of forced or coerced sterilization, contraception and abortion, including late-term abortion. This went against article 1 and 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and contradicted the Declaration of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. Considering the relatively sparse population in Tibet, the illegal and violent methods of birth control imposed on Tibetan women had to be viewed as an attempt to reduce the Tibetan population along with simultaneous transferral of Chinese settlers. The systematic violence against Tibetan women demanded international action. The Commission was called upon to take steps to stop all forms of violence against women, and to intervene on behalf of the Tibetan women subjected to systematic torture and violations of their reproductive rights. The Commission was urged to adopt a resolution censuring China for its human rights violations in China and Tibet.
PRAMILA SRIVASTAVA, of the International Institute for Non-Allied Studies, stressed that the human rights of women could be best guaranteed by protecting their freedoms: the freedom of choice, of activity, and of thought. It was unfortunate that such a simple thing was denied to women in many societies, resulting in their becoming non-participants in the process of modern development. The restrictions imposed on women were largely the result of the stereotypes developed over centuries and, in some cases, the result of economic imperatives. Patriarchal systems where the girls child had little value in terms of property and was in fact a burden on the family which had to pay a dowry for her wedding were prevalent in most developing countries and such systems were designed to discriminate against women. The weaker sex, a definition used for women, was belied when one saw women soldiers in armies in developed countries and women doing manual and agricultural labour in others.
HUANG CIPING, of the Transnational Radical Party, said that under the Chinese Communist Party, women had seen their relative status practically equal to that of men, but to little effect, since it only meant that, like men, women in China were sentenced or even executed for speaking their minds, were handcuffed and tortured in prison cells, were exploited financially, were not allowed to organize themselves, were locked in factories and not allowed to return home, and were harassed for exercising their religious beliefs. They lived like slaves.
Meanwhile, there also was sexual violence and discrimination. Women were chased and caught by perverse Government officials and afterwards taken to hospitals for abortions and sterilizations; millions of baby girls were aborted or abandoned; women in the countryside were sold as brides. The Chinese Government, which had so many laws and policies, had no law against sex discrimination and did not really mean to stop it. Discrimination in fact was part of a Government pattern or policy. The world had a responsibility to listen to the stories of Chinese women and to care about their pain and suffering.
YUHONG SHI, of the Association of World Citizens, highlighted three important elements in the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese authorities. First, the violence against female Falun Gong practitioners was widespread and systematic, reflecting the deliberate policy of the Chinese authorities. Second, violence was not limited to prison conditions but was also found in reform through labour camps, mental institutions and police posts. Thirdly, the reaction of the women to this systematic violence had been compassion, in keeping with the principles of Falun Gong.
The organization said that the Commission had two tasks to fulfill, the establishment of equal relations between men and women, and the investigation of country-specific situations and the precise socio-economic and political context. The Government of China was urged to revise its ban of Falun Gong practice as the ban opened the door to violence against women.
DAVID LITTMAN,of the Association for World Education, referring to 'honour killings' in Pakistan, which he said his organization referred to last Thursday, said he had watched a remarkable film on the BBC that documented the background to such killings, and showed how and why tribal custom was upheld by Pakistan's judicial system -- even the legislature -- which condoned it all, often under the cloak of religion. Last year, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan had led the Organization of Islamic Organization's campaign for the 'Defamation of Islam' resolution, which, as 1999/82, was renamed: 'Defamation of religions'. Paragraph 2 said: 'Also expresses deep concern that Islam was frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and with terrorism'. Explanations were given by those murderers, their male relatives, members of their village -- as well as many religious and parliamentary dignitaries -- to justify or condone on religious grounds those killings. These practices should be condemned, there and elsewhere, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as an unacceptable 'defamation of Islam'.
The Association appealed that the Government of Sudan cease all aerial bombings of civilians and also to cease the trafficking of women and children obtained through 'traditional slavery' practices carried out in a jihad war by its armed murahaleen and People's Democratic Front forces, explicitly enshrined in Sudan's 1998 Constitution.
KEN ARIMITSU, of the Asian Women's Human Rights Council, said that despite clear recommendations that the Japanese Government make an official apology for sexual slavery by its armed forces during World War II, and that it offer State compensation to individual victims, there had been no such policy developed by Japan. A number of ex-'comfort women' had urged these steps as a way of recovering their dignity and attaining justice. An important proposed bill concerning such issues had just been introduced to the Senate of the Japanese Diet; the Commission should support the proposed bill. A committee of the Philippines Parliament had passed a resolution to support responsible action by the Japanese Government on the comfort-women issue.
All the victims were quite old now, and many had passed away. Many more were in ill health. It was urgent for the Commission to act quickly.
ADA BERAUN, of the American Association of Jurists, said the optional protocol to the Convention Against Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which would allow for the consideration of communications considered only human rights violations committed by State-parties and excluded non-state actors such as individuals, private institutions etc. The complainant had to be under the jurisdiction of the State complained about, this requirement would severely hinder the progress in the struggle against the trafficking in women. Furthermore, there were no standards nor norms mentioned protecting the physical integrity, security and safety of prostitutes, single mothers and female migrant workers. The organization pointed out that the Commission was still silent regarding the right to rest, and non-paid work days for women. The Commission was urged to consider these limitations in the optional protocol and to ensure the return to Cuba of Elian Gonzales.
NATIVADAD GUERRERO, of Centro de Estudios Sobre la Juventud, said there were many examples of respect and equality between boys and girls in Cuba; Cuban girls grew up with full rights. Violence against women was not an issue, which was not to say that violence was not a problem in Cuban life -- the economic embargo against the country committed great violence against its girls and women. Institutions, meanwhile, constantly analysed the situations of girls and women in Cuba. Cuban boys and girls grew up with the guarantees that had always been offered to Cuban children, despite the blockade. The few prostitutes in the country, who had no effect on other children, were encouraged and persuaded to reform.
Cuban young people grew up with few resources but much love. Much attention was given to the problems of young women and young men, and the Centre acted as the situation merited to prevent situations of violence. The level of sexual violations against women was not high, and perpetrators of such acts were punished. However, the problems that remained involving girls and women could not be resolved without an end to the international blockade imposed against Cuba by its neighbour to the north.
DORA CARCANO, of the Women's International Democratic Federation, said that human rights meant human dignity, security, peace, democracy, non-violence, non-discrimination in workplace, in the society and family, and improvement of the quality of life within a given society. She said that one of the organizations affiliated to the Federation was the Federation of Cuban Women, which had been struggling for the last 40 years for the rights of Cuban women to participate in the economic, social, political, cultural and political programmes of the country. The Special Rapporteur's report did not reflect the realities of the Cuban society. Since the report did not reflect the real situation of Cuba, it could have been written by the Special Rapporteur without travelling to Cuba. Women in situations of conflict and blockade had been suffering in all circumstances.
LU XINGCHONG, of the China Society for Human Rights, said he was the husband of a women victim of the evil cult Falun Gong. She had been infatuated by the evil cult and had not dared to take her medicine. He called upon the Commission to pay special attention to all women victims of evil cults. More than 1,000 people in China had died after committing suicide or refusing medical treatment due to Falun Gong. Women constituted the overwhelming majority of the victims. Evil cults were posing real threats to women's rights, including the right to life and the right to health.
The representative of the organization could not understand why certain NGOs made incitements with distorted facts and shameless slander in the name of protecting human rights. The United States not only sheltered Li Hongzhi, the leader of the cult, but used such an evil cult as an excuse to attack China. This had undignified 1.2 billion Chinese people. The representative asked the NGO Freedom House how it could have the human conscience to absolve the evil cult from blame.
MAGALYS AROCHA, of the Federation of Cuban Women, said the organization had held its seventh congress last month at which it had noted the unarguable progress achieved by women in the economic, social and political life of Cuba. Women occupied a high percentage of jobs in all Government, professional, and other educated professions. The congress had called for further action by the Government to further improve the situation of women, but had also offered much praise for the Government for its fair and thorough efforts to enhance women's rights.
The congress of the Federation was concerned and upset by the unfair, biased, and misleading report and conclusions offered by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women on her visit to Cuba. Conduct such as hers, which was based on false and misleading attitudes and opinions voiced by opponents of Cuba, should not be allowed; Special Rapporteurs should be impartial and well-meaning. Cuba did not need Special Rapporteurs, it needed an end to the international economic blockade against the country, which was having an immense negative effect on women in Cuba.
AMARJITS NARANG, of the Indian Council of Education, said the international women's human rights movement had raised the visibility of abuses against women, and the international community had made welcome statements supporting women's human rights. But the gap between rhetoric and reality remained vast. At the turn of the century, 1.5 billion people lived in poverty, of whom 70 per cent were women. They were the majority of the world's illiterates; the participation of women in economic and political decision making remained very limited; and women occupied only 10 per cent of parliamentary debates and made up less than 5 per cent of the world's heads of state. It was particularly intolerable that in some countries women and girls were denied even their basic rights to health care, education, work and participation in public life in the name of religion. They were not treated as equals to men whether in property rights, rights of inheritance, laws related to marriage and divorce.
KAREN TALBOT, of the World Federation of Trade Unions, said that even in the most advanced countries, women were treated as less valuable than men and as sex objects. The redeeming factor was the development of the State structure providing the necessary avenues for redress. The problem had its roots in the conditioning to which women had been subjected over the ages to consider themselves as inferior, even when they were fully aware of their own true potential. The organization made specific reference to the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The organization urged the Commission to end violence through the sanctioning of terrorist violence, the spread of enlightened education, the creation of legal and institutional structures protecting women's human rights and the setting up of a global women's organization to examine the behaviour of States towards women.
AZOUZ FAIZA, of the National Union of Tunisian Women, said the Union had been in existence since 1956; it continued to work for the cause of women and lauded the work of the United Nations in this field. Tunisians had a Constitution that ensured equality between the sexes. Equality, development and peace were three key words for all Tunisian women. The objectives of the Union had 'equality' right at the head of the list. The Union sought removal of the vow of obedience from the marriage ceremony and tougher sentences for those who committed acts of violence against women.
Tunisia historically had not been a land of confrontation. Peace was a major basis of the Government and culture, and the Union and Tunisian women supported peace as a building block of development within the country and internationally. For women to play a major role in peace-making in the world, they should hold their share of decision-making positions. Jobs in those and other fields should be 50-50 between the sexes.
NANCY DARGEL, of the World Organization of Former Pupils of Catholic Education, said that States signatory to the human rights instruments and committed to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the various covenants and conventions remained unsatisfied as to the overall enforcement of human rights. The organization reminded the Commission of the Secretary-General's statement a few years ago, which called for the obvious mainstreaming of human rights throughout the United Nations system, and similarly women and children, without gender specificity, were automatically included under every human rights heading.
The United Nations had created institutions for the setting up of a world community, not only of alliances, blocks and coalitions.
Right of Reply
The representative of China, speaking in right of reply, said some NGOs had levelled groundless accusations against China; the Chinese delegation had already elaborated on the Falun Gong cult and so further explanation and rejection of baseless allegations related to Falun Gong were not worth the effort. As for other matters, since the establishment of the 'new China', millions of Chinese women had become masters of the country and society; like Chinese men, they enjoyed all human rights and freedoms. The Dalai Lama, who had engaged in subversive activities, was not even qualified to talk of women's rights. Under the Dalai Lama, people had lived in a dark period; the Dalai Lama could not disguise himself as a human-rights figure and talk here about human rights; it was absurd.
CORRIGENDUM
In press release HR/CN/00/31 of 6 April, the statement of Jordan on page 2 should read as follows:
SHEHAB MADI (Jordan) said his country believed that no effort should be spared in strengthening its human-rights system and in implementing international human-rights standards at the national level where all action should be taken to enhance the democratization processes as well as the rule of law. Jordanian criminal law, like Jordanian civil law, was based largely on the code of Napoleon. It covered all crimes and was enforced comprehensively by State authorities. No one was beyond the law or was immune from prosecution when having committed a crime, irrespective of gender.
However, in certain circumstances, as in many other legal systems, there was allowance for extenuating circumstances; in such situations, sentences might be reduced or persons might be exempted from liability or punishment. Islam, however, had no relation to honour killings. Islam did not oppress women but treated them with the same respect accorded to men.
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56th session
11 April 2000
Morning
Takes Up Discussion on Rights of the Child, Hears Statement from
Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
The Commission on Human Rights this morning concluded its debate on the integration of the human rights of women and the gender perspective, with special emphasis on violence perpetrated against women.
Several non-governmental organizations denounced violence against women in many parts of the world. The cause of such violence was attributed to the lack of legislation protecting the rights of women in some countries and the absence of mechanisms to promote the status of women in societies. Poverty and armed conflictS were also underlined as being detrimental to female citizens in many countries.
Introducing his report, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu, said that the international community should call on all warring factions in all on-going conflicts to stop fighting for one week so that relief and vaccination could be provided to war-affected children. This should also be a period to undertake various cultural and educational activities in all countries, and to promote peace, in particular activities for and by young people.
Mr. Otunnu affirmed that until now the international community had had some success, on an ad hoc basis, in negotiating temporary cease-fires with warring parties for various humanitarian purposes. He said he was delighted that consensus agreement had finally been reached on raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in conflict. The raising of the age limit for participation in hostilities from 15 to 18 was a victory for children who were exposed to cynical exploitation in situations of armed conflict.
Representatives of the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Development Fund for Women spoke on the topic of violence against women as did the following non-governmental organizations: Survival International; the Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace; the African Commission for Health and Human Rights Promoters; International Fellowship of Reconciliation; the International Council of Women; the World Muslim Congress; Pax Romana; the All China Women's Federation; the Muslim World League; the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation; the International Institute for Peace; the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization; and Interfaith International.
Also, the International Union of Socialist Youth; the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies; the Transnational Radical Party; the Association of World Citizens; the Association of World Education; the Asian Women Human Rights Council; the American Association of Jurists; Centro de Estudios Sobre la Juventud; the Women's International Democratic Federation; the China Society for Human Rights; the Federation of Cuban Women; the Indian Council of Education; the World Federation of Trade Unions; Union National de la Femme Tunisienne; and the World Organization of Former Students of Catholic Education.
China exercised its right of reply.
In the beginning of the meeting, the Chairperson of the Commission, Shambhu Ram Simkhada, announced that the East Timorese leader, Jose Ramos Horta, would address the Commission on Wednesday 12 April at 3.30 p.m. The Commission was also scheduled to be addressed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, at the beginning of the afternoon meeting today.
When the Commission reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will resume its discussion on the rights of the child. At 3:30 p.m., it will hold a debate on the situation in Chechnya, the Russian Federation, based on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, who recently visited the region.
Rights of the Child
Under this agenda item, there is a report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu (E/CN.4/2000/71), which contains chapters on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and war-affected children; curbing child soldiering; eliciting and monitoring commitments from parties to conflict; addressing impunity; the role of the Commission on Human Rights; the role of mechanisms of the Commission; the role of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; the role of the Committee on the Rights of the Child; Security Council Resolution 1261; and integrating child protection into United Nations peace operations.
There is an annex on a visit by the Special Representative to Sierra Leone and Guinea which recommends, among other things, an 'Agenda for Action for the Children of Sierra Leone', including establishment of a national commission for children to ensure that their protection and welfare is a central concern in the aftermath of the conflict; that there is a need to establish confidence in the peace process; that a credible level of security must be re-established in the country; and that disarmament must be carried out in an effective manner. Annex II reviews a visit by the Special Rapporteur to Colombia which contends, among other things, that more must be done to address the situation of internally displaced communities; to protect the civilian population and humanitarian workers; to end political abductions; to address the needs of children in situations of protracted conflict; and to end conflict and achieve social justice in the country.
Statements
OLARA A. OTUNNU, Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, said that in his report to the Commission, he had highlighted developments and issues that were of particular concern to the Commission and to the broader human rights community. Two primary goals had guided his advocacy work. The first goal was to build a worldwide social and political movement for the protection of war-affected children -- a movement to repudiate and reverse the present trends of widespread abuse and brutalization of children in armed conflict. The second major objective was to instigate a critical mass of activities and initiatives for the benefit of children -- in the midst and in the aftermath of armed conflict -- measures, practices and attitudes that would become self-sustaining beyond the lifetime of the mandate.
Until now the international community had had some success, on an ad hoc basis, in negotiating temporary cease-fires with warring parties for various humanitarian purposes. In particular, UNICEF and WHO had undertaken a number of successful vaccination campaigns during such days of tranquillity, the most recent being the polio vaccination campaign conducted last year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That experience had to be built on and more had to be done. The international community should call on all warring factions in all on-going conflicts to stop fighting, for the sake of children, at the same time, for a period of one week in the calendar. That week would be devoted to the protection of children and would be more than symbolic. It would enable the international community to provide relief and vaccination to war-affected children. That should also be a period to undertake various cultural and educational activities in all countries, and to promote peace, in particular activities for and by young people.
It was delighting that consensus agreement had finally been reached on raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in conflict. The raising of the age limit for participation in hostilities from 15 to 18 was a victory for children exposed to cynical exploitation in situations of armed conflict. While the new consensus did not go as far as he would have liked, it was a most important step towards eliminating the use of children as soldiers and their participation in hostilities.
Conclusion of debate on integrating the human rights of women and the gender perspective, including violence against women
JANE ZHANG, of the International Labour Organization, said that equality was at the core of the rights-based approach which should go hand in hand with the development-based approach, as sound development was based on social progress and economic growth. In June 1998, the ILO reaffirmed its belief in the indivisibility of women's rights as part of human rights by adopting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The core issues contained in the Declaration included the freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour and the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation, applied equally to men and women. Two Conventions were of particular interest to the rights of women, one aiming to overcome wage discrimination and the one prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.
The ILO had given special importance to protecting the rights of workers who fell outside the formal labour protection system, promoting partnership and empowering women themselves to determine their needs, promoting a more equitable representation in decision-making and creating a more enabling environment to combine work and family life. To meet the challenges of globalization, the ILO had developed a strategic global programme on decent work, promoting equal opportunities for women and men in obtaining decent work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
ROXANNA CARILLO, of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, said the successful integration of women's rights into all United Nations activities required substantive programming and research initiatives as well as institutional reform. The Fund's work on mainstreaming the human rights of women had been characterized by its contributions to a substantive analysis of women's human rights and of the gender-specific dimensions of human rights; cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; development and consolidation of expertise concerning women's human rights; training and capacity building for women's human rights; and advocacy for procedures to ensure accountability for the integration of the human rights of women into the work of the United Nations.
The Fund's experience at the national level and within the UN indicated that women's groups and other non-governmental organizations played a central role in advocacy for the full integration of women's human rights into human rights activities at all levels. It noted in particular the critical role played by NGOs.
LEONIE TANGGAAMA, of Survival International, said the Indonesian military had been committing violence against women in West Papua for 30 years, including rape, torture, killings, punishment by hard labour, arbitrary detention, and mental oppression. The women-victims were treated like animals. The perpetrators had not been brought to trial, victims and their children had not been compensated, and abuses continued to occur. In fact, it appeared that if nothing was done such abuses would continue indefinitely. One unresolved case dated from 1998 when, following a peaceful demonstration, women were taken out to sea on Indonesian navy ships, raped, sexually mutilated, and thrown overboard.
The Commission must pressure the Indonesian Government to end such abuses and to bring those responsible to trial. To prevent further violence, Indonesia should enter into genuine dialogue with the people of West Papua on the question of self-determination.
UBALDA FELIPE ALVES, of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, said that East Timorese women had lost their freedom since the Indonesian occupation of East Timor in 1975. The destruction and violence carried out by the Indonesian military forces and its backed militias in the months towards and after the August 1999 referendum had caused great suffering among East Timorese women. Harassment and sexual violence continued in the refugee camps. The United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor had largely ignored the role of women, they were under represented in decision-making at national and district levels.
The Commission was called upon to ensure that the UN established the appropriate mechanisms to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed in East Timor before and during the August 1999 referendum. The Commission was also urged to put a stop to the ongoing violations against East Timorese women taking place in the refugee camps.
BINETA DIOP, of the African Commission of Health and Human Rights Promoters, said that the HIV/AIDS pandemic was today widely recognized within national, regional and international bodies as a serious threat to the peace, security and development of the African continent. Alarming as the high rates of HIV infections in Africa were, what was more alarming was the disproportionately high number of women becoming infected by the deadly virus compared to other regions of the world. In Sub-Sahara Africa, women accounted for 55 per cent of HIV/AIDS infections and African women accounted for close to 80 per cent of women infected worldwide.
Why were African women so vulnerable to HIV/AIDS? Ultimately, failure to realize some of their most basic rights was undermining the ability of African women to protect themselves in the fight against AIDS. Global effort was strongly advocated to inform, educate and arm the people of Africa in battling the AIDS epidemic and to incorporate a gender perspective if they were to adequately address the current situation of HIV/AIDS transmission in Africa
JONATHAN SISSON, of International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), said that despite various activities undertaken by the Japanese Government to meet its moral responsibility for wartime sexual slavery during World War II, post-war Japan had a moral and a legal responsibility to publicly apologize and to compensate the victims. IFOR regretted that the Government of Japan had failed to respond positively to relevant reports by Special Rapporteurs and to a resolution passed by the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
In view of these developments, IFOR proposed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission be established with an international membership and mandate, its members to be chosen jointly by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Japanese Government. The group would address four issues involving the 'comfort women': public disclosure of official documents related to military sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Government; public testimony of victims and accountability on the part of the perpetrators; official apology and admission of moral and legal responsibility by the Japanese Government; and financial compensation for the surviving victims.
BRIGITTE POLONOVSKI-VAUCLAIR, of the International Council of Women, said that women were suffering from violence which was even more incremental when it was performed on the basis of race and religion. The women in Afghanistan and Bosnia were cited as examples. In such situations, forced sterilization, contraception and abortion, including late-term abortions were commonplace. Penalties for resisting abortion included the loss of employment and for the child, loss of the right to health care, food and education. Violence against women extended to women detainees, for example Tibetan women, who were suffering long prison sentences without trial, beatings, poor medical care and forced exercise regimens. The organization called upon the Commission to resolve to take the appropriate steps to end all violence against women, and to appoint a Special Rapporteur who would address these issues.
ASHRAF SARAF, of the World Muslim Congress, said women continued to suffer discrimination and violence at home and in society. A majority of them were victims of domestic violence irrespective of class, religion and national or ethnic origin. In many societies, violence in the family was not reported because of social and cultural reasons or the taboos surrounding it so as to save the honour of the family. Since law provided them with inadequate protection, women bore in silence the violence against them. Rape, forced prostitution, forced marriages and trafficking in women and girls were only a few forms of violence against them in the society. In some extreme cases, violence manifested itself in situations of armed conflicts, where women were used as an object of inflicting punishment on the opposing forces. Women in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Kashmir and Chechnya had been victims of that deplorable practice.
ADA MARGHETICI, of Pax Romana, said that in Equatorial Guinea women could be imprisoned for failure to return dowries if marriage bonds were dissolved, and that there was education discrimination, as the rate of illiteracy for women in the country was three times that of men. The Commission must urge the Government of Equatorial Guinea to end such discrimination and should extend the mandate of the Special Representative on the country for a further year. Pax Romana supported the recommendations of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace regarding the grave violence committed against women and girls in East Timor.
Girls from Asia, Africa and Central America were being increasingly trafficked by their relatives at low prices and brought to the United States, Europe and the Middle East, where they were forced into sexual servitude. Perpetrators were almost never punished. Authorities in destination countries must pass more restrictive legislation to protect victims of trafficking, and in countries where prostitution was authorized, they must ensure that none of those so employed had been trafficked.
SONG WENYAN, of the All-China Women's Federation, said that women had not received adequate protection and violence of women's human rights continued through discrimination against women, unequal pay for equal work, violence against women, trafficking in women, deprivation of girl's access to education, to name but a few. The organization wished to inform the Commission that the Falun Gong case had shocked all Chinese people. Women, as a result of belonging to Falun Gong, had committed suicide after their refusal to receive medical treatment for illnesses, had left their jobs, and had regarded family members as devils, thus inflicting enormous agony on them. The NGOs speaking on behalf of Falun Gong had highly exaggerated the number of followers, in actuality there were no more than 2 million practitioners in China, not 70 to 100 million.
The Commission was urged to see the Falun Gong for what it really was and all Governments and the international community were appealed to renew their commitment and provide effective and practical measures in their follow-up for the promotion of women's human rights.
SAEEDAH SHAH, of the Muslim World League, recalled that five years ago the international community had made a commitment at Beijing to ensure the full implementation of the human rights of women and girls as an inalienable and integral part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It was also pledged to taken effective action against violations of those rights and freedoms. While impressive progress had been made in that direction, the Commission and the other human rights mechanisms were yet to focus on human rights abuses against women and girls in a number of regions and areas around the world. In the recent past, the women of Chechnya, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, Kosovo and Kashmir had been victims of severe brutalities influenced by policies of ethnic cleansing; and rape had been used as a weapon of war against them. In addition, the valley of Kashmir resonated with tales of torture and violence, rape and sexual abuse against the female population of the valley. Rape in the Indian-held Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces was committed with impunity.
K. WARIKOO, of the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, said Islamist extremists were still forcing medievalist practices upon women, keeping them under the veil, stoning them to death, subjecting them to 'honour killings', depriving them of education, and using them as sex objects. The situation in Afghanistan was absolutely unacceptable.
Similarly, Islamist extremists and militants were committing inhuman atrocities in Kashmir, using rape, kidnapping and murder as weapons to subjugate the people to their will. Against Muslim Kashmiri tradition, women were being forced to adopt the fundamentalist way of life, including wearing the veil and leading lives of seclusion. Women also were killed or seriously injured by militants as a way of frightening or disciplining male members of their families; four women in one family had had their throats slit on 1 April 1999 as a lesson to the males of the family, who were not following the diktats of the terrorists. Marriage at gunpoint was also frequent. The Commission and the international community must take steps to end such atrocities.
TATIANA SHUMIAN, of the International Institute for Peace, said that the social processes based on putative qualities of the maleness and femaleness were not conductive for genuine equality between the sexes. The organization was concerned about the practice of honour killings of women. The perpetrators of these crimes went unpunished or received reduced sentences. The honour killings took many forms, forced suicide, denunciation of the behaviour and open threats to their lives, acid burns. The organization recognized that these honour killings were prevalent in Jordan and Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan had refused to condemn these killings despite public protest against the decision of the Senate. A comprehensive policy had to be drawn up to abolish practices which impinged upon the life of any person purely because of sexual distinction. It was pointed out that refugee women were often twice as vulnerable to violence, rape, sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence.
MASOOMA R. ALI, of the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, said that in the remote district of Mugu in Nepal, there was still a practice of keeping pregnant women in buffalo sheds. Even after delivery, the mother and the newly born child had to stay and sleep in the same buffalo shed for about a month. The women in Iraq suffered from lack of food, shelter and medicine for their children. It was estimated that about 95 per cent of the pregnant women in Iraq suffered from malnutrition and anaemia at present. They gave birth to malnourished children, most of whom would be ill physically and mentally if they survived. Also, the lives of Bhutanese women were full of discrimination. They were discriminated against in terms of poverty and illiteracy, particularly in eastern and southern Bhutan. In practice, Bhutan was a male-dominated society and for that reason men usually kept two to three wives under suppression. A man was officially entitled to keep three wives, however, in practice they kept up to seven wives unofficially.
GENEVA BERRYMAN ARIF, of Interfaith International, said violence, or fear of violence, was one of the crucial factors which forced women into a subservient position to men; traditions in various countries continued or exacerbated such tendencies. In some countries, women were not allowed to leave their homes without male escort, or could not hold religious positions. In some countries mere physical force was enough to subjugate women; in Pakistan, up to 80 per cent of women were reportedly subject to domestic violence. Honour killings in Pakistan and other countries were also a grave problem. If, as claimed, honour killings were not related to religion but were a matter of tribal and community custom, why did one not hear of local religious authorities speaking out against these murders?
Iraqi women ten years after the Gulf War were still suffering from the effects of depleted-uranium weapons, and frequently suffered spontaneous abortions because of this radiation. Abductions and rape of women in Sudan must end, as must violence and rape committed against Kurdish women by Turkish armed forces and authorities.
TSERING JAMPA, of the International Union of Socialist Youth, said that Tibetan women were subjected to systematic violence in the form of forced or coerced sterilization, contraception and abortion, including late-term abortion. This went against article 1 and 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and contradicted the Declaration of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. Considering the relatively sparse population in Tibet, the illegal and violent methods of birth control imposed on Tibetan women had to be viewed as an attempt to reduce the Tibetan population along with simultaneous transferral of Chinese settlers. The systematic violence against Tibetan women demanded international action. The Commission was called upon to take steps to stop all forms of violence against women, and to intervene on behalf of the Tibetan women subjected to systematic torture and violations of their reproductive rights. The Commission was urged to adopt a resolution censuring China for its human rights violations in China and Tibet.
PRAMILA SRIVASTAVA, of the International Institute for Non-Allied Studies, stressed that the human rights of women could be best guaranteed by protecting their freedoms: the freedom of choice, of activity, and of thought. It was unfortunate that such a simple thing was denied to women in many societies, resulting in their becoming non-participants in the process of modern development. The restrictions imposed on women were largely the result of the stereotypes developed over centuries and, in some cases, the result of economic imperatives. Patriarchal systems where the girls child had little value in terms of property and was in fact a burden on the family which had to pay a dowry for her wedding were prevalent in most developing countries and such systems were designed to discriminate against women. The weaker sex, a definition used for women, was belied when one saw women soldiers in armies in developed countries and women doing manual and agricultural labour in others.
HUANG CIPING, of the Transnational Radical Party, said that under the Chinese Communist Party, women had seen their relative status practically equal to that of men, but to little effect, since it only meant that, like men, women in China were sentenced or even executed for speaking their minds, were handcuffed and tortured in prison cells, were exploited financially, were not allowed to organize themselves, were locked in factories and not allowed to return home, and were harassed for exercising their religious beliefs. They lived like slaves.
Meanwhile, there also was sexual violence and discrimination. Women were chased and caught by perverse Government officials and afterwards taken to hospitals for abortions and sterilizations; millions of baby girls were aborted or abandoned; women in the countryside were sold as brides. The Chinese Government, which had so many laws and policies, had no law against sex discrimination and did not really mean to stop it. Discrimination in fact was part of a Government pattern or policy. The world had a responsibility to listen to the stories of Chinese women and to care about their pain and suffering.
YUHONG SHI, of the Association of World Citizens, highlighted three important elements in the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese authorities. First, the violence against female Falun Gong practitioners was widespread and systematic, reflecting the deliberate policy of the Chinese authorities. Second, violence was not limited to prison conditions but was also found in reform through labour camps, mental institutions and police posts. Thirdly, the reaction of the women to this systematic violence had been compassion, in keeping with the principles of Falun Gong.
The organization said that the Commission had two tasks to fulfill, the establishment of equal relations between men and women, and the investigation of country-specific situations and the precise socio-economic and political context. The Government of China was urged to revise its ban of Falun Gong practice as the ban opened the door to violence against women.
DAVID LITTMAN,of the Association for World Education, referring to 'honour killings' in Pakistan, which he said his organization referred to last Thursday, said he had watched a remarkable film on the BBC that documented the background to such killings, and showed how and why tribal custom was upheld by Pakistan's judicial system -- even the legislature -- which condoned it all, often under the cloak of religion. Last year, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan had led the Organization of Islamic Organization's campaign for the 'Defamation of Islam' resolution, which, as 1999/82, was renamed: 'Defamation of religions'. Paragraph 2 said: 'Also expresses deep concern that Islam was frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and with terrorism'. Explanations were given by those murderers, their male relatives, members of their village -- as well as many religious and parliamentary dignitaries -- to justify or condone on religious grounds those killings. These practices should be condemned, there and elsewhere, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as an unacceptable 'defamation of Islam'.
The Association appealed that the Government of Sudan cease all aerial bombings of civilians and also to cease the trafficking of women and children obtained through 'traditional slavery' practices carried out in a jihad war by its armed murahaleen and People's Democratic Front forces, explicitly enshrined in Sudan's 1998 Constitution.
KEN ARIMITSU, of the Asian Women's Human Rights Council, said that despite clear recommendations that the Japanese Government make an official apology for sexual slavery by its armed forces during World War II, and that it offer State compensation to individual victims, there had been no such policy developed by Japan. A number of ex-'comfort women' had urged these steps as a way of recovering their dignity and attaining justice. An important proposed bill concerning such issues had just been introduced to the Senate of the Japanese Diet; the Commission should support the proposed bill. A committee of the Philippines Parliament had passed a resolution to support responsible action by the Japanese Government on the comfort-women issue.
All the victims were quite old now, and many had passed away. Many more were in ill health. It was urgent for the Commission to act quickly.
ADA BERAUN, of the American Association of Jurists, said the optional protocol to the Convention Against Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which would allow for the consideration of communications considered only human rights violations committed by State-parties and excluded non-state actors such as individuals, private institutions etc. The complainant had to be under the jurisdiction of the State complained about, this requirement would severely hinder the progress in the struggle against the trafficking in women. Furthermore, there were no standards nor norms mentioned protecting the physical integrity, security and safety of prostitutes, single mothers and female migrant workers. The organization pointed out that the Commission was still silent regarding the right to rest, and non-paid work days for women. The Commission was urged to consider these limitations in the optional protocol and to ensure the return to Cuba of Elian Gonzales.
NATIVADAD GUERRERO, of Centro de Estudios Sobre la Juventud, said there were many examples of respect and equality between boys and girls in Cuba; Cuban girls grew up with full rights. Violence against women was not an issue, which was not to say that violence was not a problem in Cuban life -- the economic embargo against the country committed great violence against its girls and women. Institutions, meanwhile, constantly analysed the situations of girls and women in Cuba. Cuban boys and girls grew up with the guarantees that had always been offered to Cuban children, despite the blockade. The few prostitutes in the country, who had no effect on other children, were encouraged and persuaded to reform.
Cuban young people grew up with few resources but much love. Much attention was given to the problems of young women and young men, and the Centre acted as the situation merited to prevent situations of violence. The level of sexual violations against women was not high, and perpetrators of such acts were punished. However, the problems that remained involving girls and women could not be resolved without an end to the international blockade imposed against Cuba by its neighbour to the north.
DORA CARCANO, of the Women's International Democratic Federation, said that human rights meant human dignity, security, peace, democracy, non-violence, non-discrimination in workplace, in the society and family, and improvement of the quality of life within a given society. She said that one of the organizations affiliated to the Federation was the Federation of Cuban Women, which had been struggling for the last 40 years for the rights of Cuban women to participate in the economic, social, political, cultural and political programmes of the country. The Special Rapporteur's report did not reflect the realities of the Cuban society. Since the report did not reflect the real situation of Cuba, it could have been written by the Special Rapporteur without travelling to Cuba. Women in situations of conflict and blockade had been suffering in all circumstances.
LU XINGCHONG, of the China Society for Human Rights, said he was the husband of a women victim of the evil cult Falun Gong. She had been infatuated by the evil cult and had not dared to take her medicine. He called upon the Commission to pay special attention to all women victims of evil cults. More than 1,000 people in China had died after committing suicide or refusing medical treatment due to Falun Gong. Women constituted the overwhelming majority of the victims. Evil cults were posing real threats to women's rights, including the right to life and the right to health.
The representative of the organization could not understand why certain NGOs made incitements with distorted facts and shameless slander in the name of protecting human rights. The United States not only sheltered Li Hongzhi, the leader of the cult, but used such an evil cult as an excuse to attack China. This had undignified 1.2 billion Chinese people. The representative asked the NGO Freedom House how it could have the human conscience to absolve the evil cult from blame.
MAGALYS AROCHA, of the Federation of Cuban Women, said the organization had held its seventh congress last month at which it had noted the unarguable progress achieved by women in the economic, social and political life of Cuba. Women occupied a high percentage of jobs in all Government, professional, and other educated professions. The congress had called for further action by the Government to further improve the situation of women, but had also offered much praise for the Government for its fair and thorough efforts to enhance women's rights.
The congress of the Federation was concerned and upset by the unfair, biased, and misleading report and conclusions offered by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women on her visit to Cuba. Conduct such as hers, which was based on false and misleading attitudes and opinions voiced by opponents of Cuba, should not be allowed; Special Rapporteurs should be impartial and well-meaning. Cuba did not need Special Rapporteurs, it needed an end to the international economic blockade against the country, which was having an immense negative effect on women in Cuba.
AMARJITS NARANG, of the Indian Council of Education, said the international women's human rights movement had raised the visibility of abuses against women, and the international community had made welcome statements supporting women's human rights. But the gap between rhetoric and reality remained vast. At the turn of the century, 1.5 billion people lived in poverty, of whom 70 per cent were women. They were the majority of the world's illiterates; the participation of women in economic and political decision making remained very limited; and women occupied only 10 per cent of parliamentary debates and made up less than 5 per cent of the world's heads of state. It was particularly intolerable that in some countries women and girls were denied even their basic rights to health care, education, work and participation in public life in the name of religion. They were not treated as equals to men whether in property rights, rights of inheritance, laws related to marriage and divorce.
KAREN TALBOT, of the World Federation of Trade Unions, said that even in the most advanced countries, women were treated as less valuable than men and as sex objects. The redeeming factor was the development of the State structure providing the necessary avenues for redress. The problem had its roots in the conditioning to which women had been subjected over the ages to consider themselves as inferior, even when they were fully aware of their own true potential. The organization made specific reference to the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The organization urged the Commission to end violence through the sanctioning of terrorist violence, the spread of enlightened education, the creation of legal and institutional structures protecting women's human rights and the setting up of a global women's organization to examine the behaviour of States towards women.
AZOUZ FAIZA, of the National Union of Tunisian Women, said the Union had been in existence since 1956; it continued to work for the cause of women and lauded the work of the United Nations in this field. Tunisians had a Constitution that ensured equality between the sexes. Equality, development and peace were three key words for all Tunisian women. The objectives of the Union had 'equality' right at the head of the list. The Union sought removal of the vow of obedience from the marriage ceremony and tougher sentences for those who committed acts of violence against women.
Tunisia historically had not been a land of confrontation. Peace was a major basis of the Government and culture, and the Union and Tunisian women supported peace as a building block of development within the country and internationally. For women to play a major role in peace-making in the world, they should hold their share of decision-making positions. Jobs in those and other fields should be 50-50 between the sexes.
NANCY DARGEL, of the World Organization of Former Pupils of Catholic Education, said that States signatory to the human rights instruments and committed to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the various covenants and conventions remained unsatisfied as to the overall enforcement of human rights. The organization reminded the Commission of the Secretary-General's statement a few years ago, which called for the obvious mainstreaming of human rights throughout the United Nations system, and similarly women and children, without gender specificity, were automatically included under every human rights heading.
The United Nations had created institutions for the setting up of a world community, not only of alliances, blocks and coalitions.
Right of Reply
The representative of China, speaking in right of reply, said some NGOs had levelled groundless accusations against China; the Chinese delegation had already elaborated on the Falun Gong cult and so further explanation and rejection of baseless allegations related to Falun Gong were not worth the effort. As for other matters, since the establishment of the 'new China', millions of Chinese women had become masters of the country and society; like Chinese men, they enjoyed all human rights and freedoms. The Dalai Lama, who had engaged in subversive activities, was not even qualified to talk of women's rights. Under the Dalai Lama, people had lived in a dark period; the Dalai Lama could not disguise himself as a human-rights figure and talk here about human rights; it was absurd.
CORRIGENDUM
In press release HR/CN/00/31 of 6 April, the statement of Jordan on page 2 should read as follows:
SHEHAB MADI (Jordan) said his country believed that no effort should be spared in strengthening its human-rights system and in implementing international human-rights standards at the national level where all action should be taken to enhance the democratization processes as well as the rule of law. Jordanian criminal law, like Jordanian civil law, was based largely on the code of Napoleon. It covered all crimes and was enforced comprehensively by State authorities. No one was beyond the law or was immune from prosecution when having committed a crime, irrespective of gender.
However, in certain circumstances, as in many other legal systems, there was allowance for extenuating circumstances; in such situations, sentences might be reduced or persons might be exempted from liability or punishment. Islam, however, had no relation to honour killings. Islam did not oppress women but treated them with the same respect accorded to men.
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