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10 October 2000
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Fifty-fifth General Assembly
Third Committee
17th Meeting (PM)
10 October 2000
Concludes Discussion of Advancement of Women;
Hears Statement by Special Adviser to Secretary-General on Gender Issues
The Second World Assembly on Ageing will be held in Madrid from 8 to 12 April in 2002, according to a draft resolution approved this afternoon by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).
Introduced by the representative of Spain, the draft resolution would include the Assembly on Ageing as part of the follow-up to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons. Member States would be invited to participate in preparations and regional commissions would be invited to hold activities. The Department of Public Information would launch an information campaign in cooperation with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and with the host country.
Also approved by the Committee this afternoon was a draft resolution on the 2001 International Year of Volunteers, recommended by the Economic and Social Council for adoption by the General Assembly. The text would have the Assembly decide to devote two plenary meetings of its fifty-sixth session to the question of volunteering. That would coincide with the close of the International Year of Volunteers on 5 December 2001.
Also today, the representative of Lesotho introduced a text on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders on behalf of the Member States that are members of the Group of African States. The representative of Mexico made a procedural announcement about a draft he would introduce.
Also this afternoon, the Committee concluded its discussion on the advancement of women, including implementation of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women and the five-year follow-up special session of the General Assembly held earlier this year.
The representative of Saudi Araba said values must be preserved in line with cultural heritage. All societies had a unique character laid down by generations of predecessors. Saudi women had the right to participate with men in all aspects of life, and all forms of discrimination had been prohibited.
It had become fashionable to decry certain countries and particular regions for crimes committed against women, the representative of Jordan said. Uni-dimensional media reports presented an unbalanced picture to hundreds of millions of people. Facts were misrepresented and taken out of their cultural context. Constructive dialogue was needed to deal with the question effectively.
Development of a country and advancement of its women went together, the representative of Mali said. Education was the key to development. The more educated the woman, the better fed and more healthy she was. Educated women were more willing to delay marriage, take part in development activities, pursue economic growth and take on decision-making roles in their societies.
Violence against women in any form was intolerable, the representative of Bhutan said. Domestic violence, rape, forced prostitution or female genital mutilation were all wholly unacceptable. The gender dimension of poverty, income inequality and unemployment must be addressed, especially in the case of rural women. Concerted efforts to stop the crime of trafficking in women must focus on uplifting woman's condition since extreme poverty was the root cause of the crime.
In a closing statement, Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues, said the aims expressed at Beijing had been reaffirmed by the Committee's statements, which had demonstrated a new dedication to the advancement of women. She noted the support expressed for the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), saying, "let's hope the good wishes turn into dollars, francs, pesos and other kinds of currency".
Also speaking this afternoon were the representatives of Croatia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Bahrain, Guatemala, Congo, Armenia, Iceland, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Liberia, Libya, Guinea, Cameroon, Botswana, Jamaica, Malaysia and Quatar.
A representative of the Organization of the Islamic Conference also spoke.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 11 October, to begin its deliberations on the promotion and protection of the rights of children.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue considering issues related to the advancement of women and to implementation of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, including the 2000 five-year review at a special session of the General Assembly. (For background see Press Release GA/SHC/3583 of 6 October.)
The Committee also had before it a number of draft resolutions for introduction or action.
A draft on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI) (document A/C.3/55/L.7*) is sponsored by Lesotho on behalf of the Member States that are members of the Group of African States. By that draft, the Assembly would reiterate the need to strengthen the capacity of the Institute to support national mechanisms for crime prevention and criminal justice in African countries. It would urge States who are members of the Institute to meet their obligations and would call for the adoption of concrete practical measures to support the Institute in developing its capacity and implementing programmes. It would call upon the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to work with the Institute, and would request the Secretary-General to deploy efforts to mobilize resources and promote regional cooperation in the fight against crime, especially in its transnational dimension, against which national action alone was inadequate.
A resolution on the 2001 International Year of Volunteers (document A/C.3/55/L.2) has been recommended by the Economic and Social Council for adoption by the General Assembly. The resolution would have the Assembly decide to devote two plenary meetings of its fifty-sixth session to the question of volunteering, at a time coinciding with the close of the International Year of Volunteers on 5 December 2001.
Also recommended for adoption by the Council is a draft resolution on the 2002 Second World Assembly on Ageing as a follow-up to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (document A/C.3/55/L.6). By that resolution, the Assembly would decide that the Second World Assembly will be held from 8 to 12 April 2002, in Madrid. It would invite regional commissions and Member States to participate in preparations for the Second World Assembly. It would invite the Department of Public Information to launch an information campaign in cooperation with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and with the host country. Finally, it would welcome the establishment and continued development of an Internet-accessible database on ageing by the United Nations programme on ageing.
Action on Drafts
The Committee took up the draft on the International Year of Volunteers (document A/C.3/55/L.2), which the Economic and Social Council had recommended for adoption by the Assembly. The draft was approved without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft on the Second World Assembly on Ageing, related to follow-up of to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (document A/C.3/55/L.6), which had been introduced by Spain.
The following countries became co-sponsors: Algeria, Morocco, Panama, New Zealand, Macedonia, Czech Republic, Iran, Norway, Cape Verde, Malta, Guatemala, Poland, Argentina, Iceland, Ukraine, Belarus, Côte d'Ivoire, Congo, China, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, Armenia, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
The draft was approved without a vote.
Introduction of Draft
The representative of Lesotho introduced the draft on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI) (document A/C.3/55/L.7*).
Statements on Women
DUBRAVKA SIMONOVIC (Croatia) said that human rights treaty organizations should follow the example of the Human Rights Committee and its general comment number 28 on the equality of rights between Men and Women. In other words, they should integrate the gender perspective into the human rights assessment of States parties. Last week, she said, she attended a national conference in Croatia which evaluated implementation of the national policy on gender equality. It was concluded that even though some progress had been achieved, a lot remained to be done. It was the view of all present that the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome document of the special session should serve as guidelines for the new national policy, which should include time-bound targets and realistic goals. The newly established National Committee for Gender Equality would follow up on implementation of those goals.
ILDA RAIVOSO (Mozambique) said that globalization presented significant challenges to the advancement of women. In order to address those negative trends, her Government had adopted a political, social and economic framework, with a view to implementing the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action at regional, national and international levels. Moreover, Mozambique had ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and had acceded to other regional arrangements, namely the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Declaration on Gender, and the Commonwealth Plan on Gender and Development, whose main aspects were reflected in the national Plan of Action.
Turning to the implementation of the Platform’s 12 “critical areas of concern”, she said that Mozambique’s Government had identified and concentrated its efforts on seven priority issues it viewed as crucial to the advancement of women, including poverty and employment, health, violence and education. In order to eradicate the feminization of poverty, the Government had adopted a socio-economic, political and economic framework which gave special status to women, particularly in areas of employment, property rights and access to credit. Efforts had also been aimed at enhancing women’s involvement in sustainable agricultural development. In the area of education, a national strategic plan had been successfully implemented.
DAW THAN THAN HTAY (Myanmar) said that while his country was heartened that efforts had been sustained, it was important to avoid complacency about what had been achieved. In that spirit, Myanmar had stepped up its efforts in recent years to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of women. He informed the Committee about the status of women in Myanmar society. Equality with men had been bestowed upon women as an inherent right. There was no discrimination against women in Myanmar, and they legally enjoyed the same rights as men in the political, economic, administrative and social spheres. The Government had set up a national machinery for the advancement of women, especially those at the grass-roots level, and had established working committees up to the township level, in all the states and divisions of the country. Women and girls enjoyed full protection in Myanmar, not only by tradition but also by law. The Government of Myanmar fully recognized the important role of women in building the country, and thus national programmes for promoting the survival, protection and development of women and children were being undertaken, and their progress was being closely monitored.
KULKUMUT SINGHARA NA AYUDHAYA (Thailand) said that a major focus of any discussion and debate on women’s issues should be that they were an inseparable part of all global issues. Women played an important part in development, and therefore any attempt to promote human rights must be seen from the point of view of both sexes. In that regard, Thailand’s Government had seen the need to foster a legal atmosphere that was open to differences between the sexes and able to address the specific needs of both men and women while promoting gender equality. He said that the international community must take advantage of legal instruments such as the Convention in order to further protect and advance the rights of women. The international community could not consider itself compassionate and egalitarian unless it worked tirelessly to achieve equity between the sexes.
He went on to say that although the international community had tried to promote the advancement of women, certain problems still persisted, including poverty, unemployment, low income and fewer opportunities for education. In order to eliminate many of those obstacles, it was vital to consider women’s important role in the economic, social and political areas. The laws of Thailand ensured equality for all people, and the Government considered that the development of women was a major part of the development of the country as a whole. Development plans, therefore, emphasized the impact of poverty on women and identified programmes aimed at changing women’s lives through skills training and education. Finally, he was concerned at the seeming inability of the international community to deal with all forms of trafficking. It was important to realize that the issue was not merely a problem for governments, it was a vital human rights issue.
HYO-EUN JENNY KIM (Republic of Korea) said that the biggest obstacles governments faced in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action was the persistence of gender-related traditional beliefs and practices. The significance of such regional particularities should not be underestimated; but neither should they become grounds for the violation of women's rights. When traditions were permissive of such injustices, States had a strong duty to promote change in the mindset of their people and to redress violations. In that respect, her delegation was of the view that all forms of violence against women should be eradicated immediately. The threat of HIV/AIDS to young women, in addition, was so urgent that a special session of the General Assembly on the issue should be held as soon as possible. And she hoped that international measures against trafficking in women and children would be adopted. In all gender-related issues, however, international instruments were not enough. National will was essential. The Republic of Korea was in the process of reforming the present Presidential Commission on Women's Affairs to create a Ministry of Women, which would have more resources and a more comprehensive approach.
MUHAMED AL SUWAIDI (Bahrain) said that even though women constituted more than half of society, their contributions were incalculable since the responsibilities for caring for -- and in some instances even educating -- the other half of society fell to them. That simple fact made it clear that the development of all societies would suffer severe negative consequences if women were held back or discriminated against in any way. Bahrain, fully aware of the importance of the equitable treatment of women, had therefore given high priority to issues related to their advancement. State laws had been enacted to increase opportunities and equal rights for women at all levels. Moreover, State legislative foundations ensured both equality and sustainable development. Women were clearly mentioned in all legislative directives. Currently under consideration was a draft law that would give women the right to vote or to stand as candidates for election. There were already women on advisory councils to ensure their involvement in the decision-making process.
Women’s participation at all levels of society had increased over the last 20 years, he continued. National machineries for elaborating plans for global development and encouraging women’s advancement had been established. Women’s associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also played a major role in consolidating women’s positions, through awareness-raising and training programmes for girls and mothers. Many other effective measures had been enacted to ensure equitable treatment in all fields of employment and fair inheritance practices. As his Gulf region was witnessing rapid changes, he looked forward to the completion of an information centre that had established a database to track the situation of women and children in the region. Finally, he noted that the situation of Palestinian women had deteriorated due to the most recent outbreak of violence there. He called on the concerted effort of the international community to help the parties find a peaceful solution to their dispute.
FAWZI BIN ABDUL MAJEED SHOBOKSHI (Saudi Arabia) said the preservation of inherited cultural values was a necessary component of the approach to any issue. All societies had a unique character laid down by generations of predecessors. Thus, Saudi women had rights and they enjoyed the protection of their society. They had the right to participate in social life according to their needs, while the raising of their social and educational position enabled them to participate with men in all aspects of life.
His country took every opportunity to promote women's participation, he continued. Women’s education was at the highest level, and women could enter the working world on the strength of their ability and their need. The State had opened up areas of work for women, including a part-time work arrangement providing full benefits. Women could own property and businesses. They were eligible for State funds and grants, awarded without interest being charged. Under Islamic law, women had always enjoyed legal rights and were financially independent on an equal footing with men. They received State health assistance, just as everyone did, and were guaranteed a livelihood if they lost their father or husband.
Along with ensuring women's rights, however, the dignity of a society's women had also to be protected. That was why all forms of discrimination against women had been prohibited legislatively in Saudi Arabia. But in the Palestinian territory, the dignity of women was violated after already having suffered the most terrible forms of violence. The occupying authorities should respect Palestinian women's rights, and the world community should find a just solution to their situation.
NOUHOUM SANGARE (Mali) said development could not occur independently of women. Education had been at the forefront of his country's development programme that was being implemented with the involvement of women. Women had achieved economic rights, including the rights to land ownership. Traditional practices such as genital mutilation were disappearing. Despite continued difficulties, women's economic advancement was proceeding hand in hand with the economic development of the country. Implementing the Convention had played a role in those developments.
Advancing women's rights was a challenge, he said. The advancement of women's rights in developing countries was a challenge to the international conscience, because women suffered most from the adverse effects of phenomena such as economic transitions and readjustments. It would therefore be a great disservice to allow the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) to disappear. Education was the key to development. The more educated the woman, the better fed and healthier she was. Educated women were more willing to delay marriage, take part in development activities, pursue economic growth and take on decision-making roles in their societies.
LUIS CARRANZA-CIFUENTES (Guatemala) said that the ethnic diversity of Guatemalan society meant that the situation of women in that country was often determined by mutually interactive variables. The Government had therefore approved a public policy document which contained a chapter recognizing universal human rights. That policy also recognized sexual and reproductive rights, and the need to ensure that legal mechanisms promoted those rights, particularly those of indigenous women. His Government had also approved the creation of an Office for Women which would coordinate all public State policies geared to women’s advancement. A further aspect of his country’s human rights framework had been the signature of the Optional Protocol to the anti-discrimination Convention. Guatemala had ratified the Convention in 1982. The Protocol, he said, would give women an instrument that would strengthen their defences against human rights violations in all areas.
He said that the General Assembly special session on women had brought about an important coordination of action on the part of Latin American delegations. The commitment of those delegations to share their regional experiences in dealing with the issue of gender equality must not be seen as a promotion of “isolated objectives”. Indeed, it should serve to show what could be achieved through innovative commitment to a cause. The task of such broad coordination had not been easy, but the experience had taught a great lesson to participating delegations: protection of human rights for women was now a clear commitment that brought together diverse members of the international community in a concerted effort to identify creative ways to face challenges.
BASILE IKOUEBE (Congo) said that the question of women and the girl child remained at the centre of discussions among actors in the international community, and broad participation in the General Assembly special session on women had reaffirmed international commitment to achieving gender equality. It was important to note that Congo, like other developing countries, faced many difficulties that could hinder the advancement of women, notably its debt burden. That, along with low production, had contributed to increased poverty within the country.
She said that Congo had noted the relationship between poverty, education and health. In that regard, the Government had enacted a policy on compulsory education up to the age of 16. But progress in that area might be offset by an increased dropout rate among young women, due to protracted conflicts and economic crises in the region. That was a serious problem that was being watched closely. Young women, in particular, desperately needed to be represented in all areas, particularly that of new technologies. Finally, she said that the impact of HIV/AIDS had been devastating. The spread of the virus had compromised growth and development efforts and exacerbated the struggle against poverty. To tackle the various negative aspects of that scourge, the Government had created several sensitization campaigns aimed particularly at women of childbearing age. Centres had been created that provided low-cost treatment for those suffering from the disease. She was in favour of convening a special session to deal with the pandemic.
ARMAN AKOPIAN (Armenia) said that achievement of gender equality was possible only within the context of a democratic process and the strengthening of democratic culture. However, transition to a more democratic society and a market economy had had adverse effects on women in the Central and Eastern European countries, including a sharp decline in the number of women in high-level government positions and a disproportionate rise in women's unemployment. In Armenia, the difficulties of economic transition, aggravated by political conflicts, blockades and natural disasters, had created a sort of "defence mentality", which tended to magnify the role of men. Better conditions would create a different psychological environment, one that would encourage a more active involvement of women.
The Armenian Government had initiated a number of programmes for the assistance of women -- especially those in the earthquake area --and refugees. Those had partly relied on assistance from international organizations and individual countries, and Armenia was grateful for the continuation of such aid. The National Plan of Action for the Improvement of Women's Status was adopted in 1998 by Government decree, with local authorities instructed to develop local plans. Those plans focus on wider involvement of women in decision-making at various levels, assistance to female victims of violence, development of a social network for teenage girls, elimination of unemployment among women, and creation of better working conditions. In pursuing those goals, the Government was enjoying close cooperation, at various levels, with the many NGOs dealing with women's issues who were working in Armenia. Armenia remained committed to the principles adopted in Beijing.
THORSTEINN INGOLFSSON (Iceland) said that, as noted in the outcome document of “Beijing +5”, women and girls in many parts of the world continued to forgo their full human rights because of such factors as their race, ethnicity, culture and religion. That should be kept in mind during the discussions later this autumn on racial discrimination and xenophobia, he said, as well as discrimination on the basis of religion. Human rights of women and equality between the sexes were not "women's issues", they concerned men and women alike and were essential for creating prosperous and progressive societies. With increased participation of women in the labour market, mothers and fathers must be offered equal opportunities to be active both within the family and outside. In Iceland, where women constituted 80 per cent of the workforce, it was believed that one step that could twin family life and work outside the home harmoniously was to grant parents equal rights to maternity/paternity leave and parental leave. That enabled both sexes to coordinate their family and working lives in a more effective manner.
HAKAN TEKIN (Turkey) said that his Government continued to take measures to improve the status and rights of women in the country. The Government was also continuing to work on a series of legislative measures aimed at eliminating the last legal vestiges that might be considered as obstacles to full gender equality. Women in Turkey were cognizant of their rights, he said. The secular system in Turkey was both the guarantee and driving force behind the continuous improvement of the status of women. This system had also enabled Turkish women to attain their present state without the need of an affirmative action. The institutionalization process of gender equality issues had gained a new momentum in Turkey, he said. Consequently, mainstreaming gender equality in all Government policies and programmes had now become one of the priority issues of the country’s development agenda. Initiatives taken, both by the Government and NGOs, aimed at establishing and developing mechanisms to enhance the status and rights of women, underpinning the achievements made so far. The Government of Turkey recognized civil society as an important source of support and legitimacy, and continued to strengthen its cooperation with NGOs through regular consultations and programmes, and by including their representatives in official delegations at many international meetings. Equality was not merely a goal in itself: it was a must for a genuine democracy, where full enjoyment of human rights by all citizens was guaranteed.
PEDRO PADILLA TONOS (Dominican Republic) said that according to the report of the Joint Inspection Unit, INSTRAW had achieved remarkable success. It was regrettable that it now found itself in an acute financial crisis which, according to the report of the Secretary-General, could cause it to close down permanently.
He said other small institutions of the United Nations system had, however, overcome similar crises in the past, while other entities which were funded primarily from voluntary contributions by Member States also had access to a subvention from the United Nations regular budget -- as was the case for the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), which had set a precedent for all the voluntarily funded agencies.
The question was, should INSTRAW be saved or not? he said. If the answer was no, the only entity in the United Nations system devoted entirely to research, training and information in the context of the advancement of women in development would be closed. INSTRAW's crisis could be easily remedied if there was the political will to do so.
RUTH CEASAR (Liberia) said the inadequate support base of INSTRAW was an issue of concern to all Member States, particularly developing countries that lacked the analytical technology to effectuate gender mainstreaming processes. Post-war countries, including Liberia, had not benefited fully.
The issue of poverty eradication was paramount to the stability of her country. The civil crises had exacerbated the incidence of illiteracy, unemployment and poor health, as well as the unjust social conditions of women who constituted the poorest of the poor. Debt relief for the heavily indebted poor countries was crucial to the socio-economic development and empowerment programmes that would lead to the achievement of the objectives of the Beijing Plan of Action and the anti-discrimination Convention, she said.
Recent experience had shown that women as victims of various forms of violence must increase their involvement in all areas of livelihood. She therefore welcomed the advocacy initiatives of the Mano River Union Women’s Peace Network, established by women from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The restoration of peaceful coexistence and harmony was a special challenge to the countries of the Mano River Union Basin which shared common boundaries, cultures, family ties and relationships. That fact was underscored in a statement of the Peace Network, which said that "when one mother in Freetown, Conakry, or Monrovia cries for her lost child, husband or brother, every mother in the subregion cries".
YESHEY DORJI (Bhutan) said significant progress had been made since Beijing, but there was still much to be done. Major obstacles persisted in all critical areas of concern, including violence against women, the feminization of poverty and empowerment of women. The compelling forces of globalization continually presented new challenges. Concerted national, international and private-sector efforts were needed to overcome them.
Violence against women in any form was intolerable, he said. Domestic violence, rape, forced prostitution or female genital mutilation were all wholly unacceptable. The gender dimension of poverty, income inequality and unemployment must be addressed, especially in the case of rural women. Concerted efforts to stop the crime of trafficking in women must focus on uplifting women's condition, since extreme poverty was the root cause of the crime.
HANAN ZOGHBIA (Libya) said her country was eager to ensure compliance with the Convention on discrimination again women. Women in her country had achieved leadership positions. Education was open to all on an equal basis. Posts formerly closed to women were now open, including those that represented the Government in the broader world. All women's rights were guaranteed, including their right to take care of children and grandchildren.
However, she said, numerous problems still hindered women's advancement. Colonialism had left adverse effects which only intensive educational measures could reverse. Lack of adequate health care created problems throughout Africa. International support for redressing those social ills would be an investment in global development.
PAUL GOA ZOUMANIGUI (Guinea) said it fell to governments to ensure the promotion of women’s rights. His own Government had drawn up a national action plan and framework for gender and development, education, training, and literacy programs. That action plan involved all sectors of the Government as well as actors from civil society and NGOs. Also, in view of the outcome document of “Women 2000”, the Government had instituted initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty, as well as addressing issues related to violence against women.
Conflicts in neighbouring countries had also affected the women and children of Guinea. Those vulnerable populations now bore the main brunt of attacks. That underscored the notion that no policy for human rights could succeed without paying particular attention to the impact of armed conflict on women. While broad action on the part of the international community was needed to address that problem, he noted that in Guinea, women were mobilizing through various organizations in an attempt to address the problem of armed conflict in their subregion, particularly Sierra Leone. He praised the Security Council’s upcoming debate on women, peace and security.
CATHERINE MAHOUVE SAME (Cameroon) said that the current situation of the world’s women and girl children was a matter of great concern for her delegation. They were the most vulnerable segments of society and were frequently exposed to trafficking, sexual exploitation and traditional cultural practices which affected their health. The spread of the AIDS virus and the increased incidence of violence had further darkened the picture for women today. While the efforts of governments and the United Nations had made progress in health and education, in many sectors the Beijing objectives had not been met due to the paucity of financial resources for social development programs. Much remained to be done, therefore, particularly in the southern hemisphere, to achieve real and concrete progress towards the advancement of women.
She said that implementation of the objectives of the Plan of Action demanded concerted action aimed at building a just, peaceful and humane world. In that regard, the work of the United Nations to integrate gender perspective in all its institutions had proved invaluable. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as well as the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women should also be commended.
TSHENOLO MODISE (Botswana) said that her Government had identified and prioritized six out of the 12 critical areas of concern contained in the Beijing Platform for Action: women and poverty; women in power and decision-making; education and training of women; women and health; violence against women and the girl child. Representation of women in Parliament had increased from 12.5 per cent in 1994 to 18.2 per cent in 1999. The number of women in senior positions in public service had increased significantly, and the National Policy on Education had been revised to make vocational and tertiary education accessible and more attractive to women. Family-life education had been made part of the school curriculum, and family planing guidelines had been revised to include sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS prevention.
In Botswana, violence against women was still a common problem, and the Government had undertaken a study on its socio-economic implications. The Penal Code Act had been amended to firm up laws relating to rape; a shelter for battered women had been established; and a Botswana Police and NGOs task force on domestic violence had been formed. The HIV/AIDS pandemic was threatening to reverse the achievements made so far in the advancement of women. The Government of Botswana had made the fight against the disease central to all development programmes.
DIANE M. QUARLESS (Jamaica) said that whilst much had been achieved in promoting the welfare of women, it remained a matter of concern that women constituted 70 per cent of the world's poor, and that in no region of the developing world were women equal to men in legal, social and economic rights. The political empowerment of women, the provision of equal education, and commitment at the national level to promoting gender equality and women's rights were critical to national progress. Jamaica had undertaken several steps to promote gender mainstreaming and the integration of women into national development. A number of micro-enterprise initiatives had been launched in 1999, in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Agency, to sustain and promote poor women in rural and inner-city communities, as well as programmes to address family planning, HIV/AIDS and parenting.
Efforts were also being made to ensure that a number of Jamaican laws were amended with a view to promoting a more gender-sensitive legal environment and redressing certain imbalances and inequalities affecting women. Training and development initiatives for women and increased focus on all aspects of violence against women by the justice system had also been established. Her delegation was also concerned at the critical financial situation of INSTRAW; and hoped that every effort would be made to avert the Institutes closure.
MOHAMMAD KAMAL YAN YAHAYA (Malaysia) said that although reviews of conferences and declarations indicated that many advances had been made, in many nations the task of promoting the advancement of women was far from complete. Several factors had been identified as obstacles, including lack of national resources, debt, the decline in international funding to implement programmes and the impact of globalization. New concerns over violence against women, trafficking in women and children and the effects of HIV/AIDS also needed to be addressed by the international community. More concerted and comprehensive efforts and cooperation at the national, regional and international level were urgently needed. One important area for the advancement of women was economics. Malaysia would continue to support measures to combat illiteracy among rural women in order to enhance their economic and social advancement.
Another area of concern was the issue of violence against women, he said. Violence against women occurred not only in the family or community but was also perpetuated by the State. Sexual assaults against women were outlawed by international humanitarian law through normative provisions prohibiting violence against the physical integrity, dignity and security of the person. Malaysia condemned the use of rape as assault and violence against women. It had been used as an instrument of war, punishment, torture, coercion and intimidation. In line with its National Policy on Women, Malaysia welcomed the positive contributions of members of civil society, including NGOs, in the advancement of women. His country was also concerned about trafficking of girls and women for sexual exploitation, forced marriages, forced labour, pornography, prostitution and sex tourism.
SAMER NABER (Jordan) said that his comments would be confined to one area of violence that had attracted much attention in recent years: the phenomenon of crimes committed in the name of honour. It had become fashionable to decry certain countries and particular regions for crimes committed against women in the name of honour -- as depicted in certain uni-dimensional media reports. The nature of contemporary worldwide broadcasting meant that dramatized anecdotes or personal stories were produced for effect only, without reasoning, a sense of proportion, statistics or even truth, reaching hundreds of millions of people instantly. The unbalanced picture that had been presented on the issue made it difficult for intellectual debate to remove the dark pall that had been cast on the issue and its causes.
The labeling of crimes committed in the name of honour as “traditional or customary practices” misrepresented facts and reinforced the justification given to those crimes by their few perpetrators –- who were notably ignorant of Islamic law, Bedouin tribal law, and local customs. Social pressure to commit such crimes stemmed from that ignorance, and also from the legal loophole that had hitherto facilitated their existence in Jordan -- in this case, misinterpretation of Article 340 of the Penal Code of Jordan. The campaign to abrogate Article 340 had come as a result of a long campaign to eliminate crimes committed against women in the name of honour. Such crimes had already become more statistically rare, thanks to the efforts of the late King Hussein. He declared his delegation’s willingness to initiate a constructive dialogue on the issue and other related norms in an attempt to increase understanding and henceforth deal with the question effectively. ABDULLAH AL-MUHANANDI (Qatar) said women had once been considered to be citizens who had nothing but duties. Now that they had been empowered to demonstrate their talents, they contributed enormously. In his country, education had been at the forefront of the campaign to raise the role of women to a footing of equality with men. Legislative support was the underpinning for women's participation. That was reinforced by the Emir's directives. Women now contributed to a well-integrated society that made strong sense. Women represented half the population. A society could not ignore half of itself.
However, he pointed out, the situation of women in the occupied territories was not equitable. He asked for support from the international community on their behalf.
S.SHAHID HUSAIN, observer for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, said that the advancement of women was of importance not only because it concerned well over half of the world’s population, but also because it had implications for those who played the pivotal role in the family -- which was the basic social unit of society. It was important to continue to emphasize the need for education and access to social justice and healthcare services. It was equally important to empower women through economic development initiatives that would promote their advancement, but also contribute to the healthy transformation of the very fabric of society.
The Eighth Summit Conference of the Organization of the Islamic Conference had declared its conviction that equality for all human beings could only be achieved through the full participation of women. The Summit requested States members to take appropriate steps to organize women’s activities at national and international levels, consistent with the enormous opportunities available within Islamic law. The Organization’s initiative would develop further as collective experiences provided the avenues and impetus to develop programmes and initiatives, based on States members’ needs and projected targets for the advancement of women.
Closing Address
Angela King, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues, said the aims expressed at Beijing had been reaffirmed by the statements before the Committee, which had demonstrated a new dedication to the advancement of women. She recalled that the race for women's equality had been likened to the Olympic Games, without specifying whether the event was a sprint or a marathon.
The importance of mainstreaming the gender perspective into all sectors had been affirmed during the debate, she continued. During the next few weeks, the resolutions approved by the Committee would carry the good word with regard to such issues as the health, education and social betterment of women. Noting the support expressed for INSTRAW and UNIFEM, she said, "Let's hope the good wishes soon turn into dollars, francs, pesos and other kinds of currency.”
* *** *
Third Committee
17th Meeting (PM)
10 October 2000
Concludes Discussion of Advancement of Women;
Hears Statement by Special Adviser to Secretary-General on Gender Issues
The Second World Assembly on Ageing will be held in Madrid from 8 to 12 April in 2002, according to a draft resolution approved this afternoon by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).
Introduced by the representative of Spain, the draft resolution would include the Assembly on Ageing as part of the follow-up to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons. Member States would be invited to participate in preparations and regional commissions would be invited to hold activities. The Department of Public Information would launch an information campaign in cooperation with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and with the host country.
Also approved by the Committee this afternoon was a draft resolution on the 2001 International Year of Volunteers, recommended by the Economic and Social Council for adoption by the General Assembly. The text would have the Assembly decide to devote two plenary meetings of its fifty-sixth session to the question of volunteering. That would coincide with the close of the International Year of Volunteers on 5 December 2001.
Also today, the representative of Lesotho introduced a text on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders on behalf of the Member States that are members of the Group of African States. The representative of Mexico made a procedural announcement about a draft he would introduce.
Also this afternoon, the Committee concluded its discussion on the advancement of women, including implementation of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women and the five-year follow-up special session of the General Assembly held earlier this year.
The representative of Saudi Araba said values must be preserved in line with cultural heritage. All societies had a unique character laid down by generations of predecessors. Saudi women had the right to participate with men in all aspects of life, and all forms of discrimination had been prohibited.
It had become fashionable to decry certain countries and particular regions for crimes committed against women, the representative of Jordan said. Uni-dimensional media reports presented an unbalanced picture to hundreds of millions of people. Facts were misrepresented and taken out of their cultural context. Constructive dialogue was needed to deal with the question effectively.
Development of a country and advancement of its women went together, the representative of Mali said. Education was the key to development. The more educated the woman, the better fed and more healthy she was. Educated women were more willing to delay marriage, take part in development activities, pursue economic growth and take on decision-making roles in their societies.
Violence against women in any form was intolerable, the representative of Bhutan said. Domestic violence, rape, forced prostitution or female genital mutilation were all wholly unacceptable. The gender dimension of poverty, income inequality and unemployment must be addressed, especially in the case of rural women. Concerted efforts to stop the crime of trafficking in women must focus on uplifting woman's condition since extreme poverty was the root cause of the crime.
In a closing statement, Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues, said the aims expressed at Beijing had been reaffirmed by the Committee's statements, which had demonstrated a new dedication to the advancement of women. She noted the support expressed for the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), saying, "let's hope the good wishes turn into dollars, francs, pesos and other kinds of currency".
Also speaking this afternoon were the representatives of Croatia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Bahrain, Guatemala, Congo, Armenia, Iceland, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Liberia, Libya, Guinea, Cameroon, Botswana, Jamaica, Malaysia and Quatar.
A representative of the Organization of the Islamic Conference also spoke.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 11 October, to begin its deliberations on the promotion and protection of the rights of children.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue considering issues related to the advancement of women and to implementation of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, including the 2000 five-year review at a special session of the General Assembly. (For background see Press Release GA/SHC/3583 of 6 October.)
The Committee also had before it a number of draft resolutions for introduction or action.
A draft on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI) (document A/C.3/55/L.7*) is sponsored by Lesotho on behalf of the Member States that are members of the Group of African States. By that draft, the Assembly would reiterate the need to strengthen the capacity of the Institute to support national mechanisms for crime prevention and criminal justice in African countries. It would urge States who are members of the Institute to meet their obligations and would call for the adoption of concrete practical measures to support the Institute in developing its capacity and implementing programmes. It would call upon the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to work with the Institute, and would request the Secretary-General to deploy efforts to mobilize resources and promote regional cooperation in the fight against crime, especially in its transnational dimension, against which national action alone was inadequate.
A resolution on the 2001 International Year of Volunteers (document A/C.3/55/L.2) has been recommended by the Economic and Social Council for adoption by the General Assembly. The resolution would have the Assembly decide to devote two plenary meetings of its fifty-sixth session to the question of volunteering, at a time coinciding with the close of the International Year of Volunteers on 5 December 2001.
Also recommended for adoption by the Council is a draft resolution on the 2002 Second World Assembly on Ageing as a follow-up to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (document A/C.3/55/L.6). By that resolution, the Assembly would decide that the Second World Assembly will be held from 8 to 12 April 2002, in Madrid. It would invite regional commissions and Member States to participate in preparations for the Second World Assembly. It would invite the Department of Public Information to launch an information campaign in cooperation with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and with the host country. Finally, it would welcome the establishment and continued development of an Internet-accessible database on ageing by the United Nations programme on ageing.
Action on Drafts
The Committee took up the draft on the International Year of Volunteers (document A/C.3/55/L.2), which the Economic and Social Council had recommended for adoption by the Assembly. The draft was approved without a vote.
The Committee then took up the draft on the Second World Assembly on Ageing, related to follow-up of to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (document A/C.3/55/L.6), which had been introduced by Spain.
The following countries became co-sponsors: Algeria, Morocco, Panama, New Zealand, Macedonia, Czech Republic, Iran, Norway, Cape Verde, Malta, Guatemala, Poland, Argentina, Iceland, Ukraine, Belarus, Côte d'Ivoire, Congo, China, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, Armenia, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
The draft was approved without a vote.
Introduction of Draft
The representative of Lesotho introduced the draft on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI) (document A/C.3/55/L.7*).
Statements on Women
DUBRAVKA SIMONOVIC (Croatia) said that human rights treaty organizations should follow the example of the Human Rights Committee and its general comment number 28 on the equality of rights between Men and Women. In other words, they should integrate the gender perspective into the human rights assessment of States parties. Last week, she said, she attended a national conference in Croatia which evaluated implementation of the national policy on gender equality. It was concluded that even though some progress had been achieved, a lot remained to be done. It was the view of all present that the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome document of the special session should serve as guidelines for the new national policy, which should include time-bound targets and realistic goals. The newly established National Committee for Gender Equality would follow up on implementation of those goals.
ILDA RAIVOSO (Mozambique) said that globalization presented significant challenges to the advancement of women. In order to address those negative trends, her Government had adopted a political, social and economic framework, with a view to implementing the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action at regional, national and international levels. Moreover, Mozambique had ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and had acceded to other regional arrangements, namely the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Declaration on Gender, and the Commonwealth Plan on Gender and Development, whose main aspects were reflected in the national Plan of Action.
Turning to the implementation of the Platform’s 12 “critical areas of concern”, she said that Mozambique’s Government had identified and concentrated its efforts on seven priority issues it viewed as crucial to the advancement of women, including poverty and employment, health, violence and education. In order to eradicate the feminization of poverty, the Government had adopted a socio-economic, political and economic framework which gave special status to women, particularly in areas of employment, property rights and access to credit. Efforts had also been aimed at enhancing women’s involvement in sustainable agricultural development. In the area of education, a national strategic plan had been successfully implemented.
DAW THAN THAN HTAY (Myanmar) said that while his country was heartened that efforts had been sustained, it was important to avoid complacency about what had been achieved. In that spirit, Myanmar had stepped up its efforts in recent years to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of women. He informed the Committee about the status of women in Myanmar society. Equality with men had been bestowed upon women as an inherent right. There was no discrimination against women in Myanmar, and they legally enjoyed the same rights as men in the political, economic, administrative and social spheres. The Government had set up a national machinery for the advancement of women, especially those at the grass-roots level, and had established working committees up to the township level, in all the states and divisions of the country. Women and girls enjoyed full protection in Myanmar, not only by tradition but also by law. The Government of Myanmar fully recognized the important role of women in building the country, and thus national programmes for promoting the survival, protection and development of women and children were being undertaken, and their progress was being closely monitored.
KULKUMUT SINGHARA NA AYUDHAYA (Thailand) said that a major focus of any discussion and debate on women’s issues should be that they were an inseparable part of all global issues. Women played an important part in development, and therefore any attempt to promote human rights must be seen from the point of view of both sexes. In that regard, Thailand’s Government had seen the need to foster a legal atmosphere that was open to differences between the sexes and able to address the specific needs of both men and women while promoting gender equality. He said that the international community must take advantage of legal instruments such as the Convention in order to further protect and advance the rights of women. The international community could not consider itself compassionate and egalitarian unless it worked tirelessly to achieve equity between the sexes.
He went on to say that although the international community had tried to promote the advancement of women, certain problems still persisted, including poverty, unemployment, low income and fewer opportunities for education. In order to eliminate many of those obstacles, it was vital to consider women’s important role in the economic, social and political areas. The laws of Thailand ensured equality for all people, and the Government considered that the development of women was a major part of the development of the country as a whole. Development plans, therefore, emphasized the impact of poverty on women and identified programmes aimed at changing women’s lives through skills training and education. Finally, he was concerned at the seeming inability of the international community to deal with all forms of trafficking. It was important to realize that the issue was not merely a problem for governments, it was a vital human rights issue.
HYO-EUN JENNY KIM (Republic of Korea) said that the biggest obstacles governments faced in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action was the persistence of gender-related traditional beliefs and practices. The significance of such regional particularities should not be underestimated; but neither should they become grounds for the violation of women's rights. When traditions were permissive of such injustices, States had a strong duty to promote change in the mindset of their people and to redress violations. In that respect, her delegation was of the view that all forms of violence against women should be eradicated immediately. The threat of HIV/AIDS to young women, in addition, was so urgent that a special session of the General Assembly on the issue should be held as soon as possible. And she hoped that international measures against trafficking in women and children would be adopted. In all gender-related issues, however, international instruments were not enough. National will was essential. The Republic of Korea was in the process of reforming the present Presidential Commission on Women's Affairs to create a Ministry of Women, which would have more resources and a more comprehensive approach.
MUHAMED AL SUWAIDI (Bahrain) said that even though women constituted more than half of society, their contributions were incalculable since the responsibilities for caring for -- and in some instances even educating -- the other half of society fell to them. That simple fact made it clear that the development of all societies would suffer severe negative consequences if women were held back or discriminated against in any way. Bahrain, fully aware of the importance of the equitable treatment of women, had therefore given high priority to issues related to their advancement. State laws had been enacted to increase opportunities and equal rights for women at all levels. Moreover, State legislative foundations ensured both equality and sustainable development. Women were clearly mentioned in all legislative directives. Currently under consideration was a draft law that would give women the right to vote or to stand as candidates for election. There were already women on advisory councils to ensure their involvement in the decision-making process.
Women’s participation at all levels of society had increased over the last 20 years, he continued. National machineries for elaborating plans for global development and encouraging women’s advancement had been established. Women’s associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also played a major role in consolidating women’s positions, through awareness-raising and training programmes for girls and mothers. Many other effective measures had been enacted to ensure equitable treatment in all fields of employment and fair inheritance practices. As his Gulf region was witnessing rapid changes, he looked forward to the completion of an information centre that had established a database to track the situation of women and children in the region. Finally, he noted that the situation of Palestinian women had deteriorated due to the most recent outbreak of violence there. He called on the concerted effort of the international community to help the parties find a peaceful solution to their dispute.
FAWZI BIN ABDUL MAJEED SHOBOKSHI (Saudi Arabia) said the preservation of inherited cultural values was a necessary component of the approach to any issue. All societies had a unique character laid down by generations of predecessors. Thus, Saudi women had rights and they enjoyed the protection of their society. They had the right to participate in social life according to their needs, while the raising of their social and educational position enabled them to participate with men in all aspects of life.
His country took every opportunity to promote women's participation, he continued. Women’s education was at the highest level, and women could enter the working world on the strength of their ability and their need. The State had opened up areas of work for women, including a part-time work arrangement providing full benefits. Women could own property and businesses. They were eligible for State funds and grants, awarded without interest being charged. Under Islamic law, women had always enjoyed legal rights and were financially independent on an equal footing with men. They received State health assistance, just as everyone did, and were guaranteed a livelihood if they lost their father or husband.
Along with ensuring women's rights, however, the dignity of a society's women had also to be protected. That was why all forms of discrimination against women had been prohibited legislatively in Saudi Arabia. But in the Palestinian territory, the dignity of women was violated after already having suffered the most terrible forms of violence. The occupying authorities should respect Palestinian women's rights, and the world community should find a just solution to their situation.
NOUHOUM SANGARE (Mali) said development could not occur independently of women. Education had been at the forefront of his country's development programme that was being implemented with the involvement of women. Women had achieved economic rights, including the rights to land ownership. Traditional practices such as genital mutilation were disappearing. Despite continued difficulties, women's economic advancement was proceeding hand in hand with the economic development of the country. Implementing the Convention had played a role in those developments.
Advancing women's rights was a challenge, he said. The advancement of women's rights in developing countries was a challenge to the international conscience, because women suffered most from the adverse effects of phenomena such as economic transitions and readjustments. It would therefore be a great disservice to allow the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) to disappear. Education was the key to development. The more educated the woman, the better fed and healthier she was. Educated women were more willing to delay marriage, take part in development activities, pursue economic growth and take on decision-making roles in their societies.
LUIS CARRANZA-CIFUENTES (Guatemala) said that the ethnic diversity of Guatemalan society meant that the situation of women in that country was often determined by mutually interactive variables. The Government had therefore approved a public policy document which contained a chapter recognizing universal human rights. That policy also recognized sexual and reproductive rights, and the need to ensure that legal mechanisms promoted those rights, particularly those of indigenous women. His Government had also approved the creation of an Office for Women which would coordinate all public State policies geared to women’s advancement. A further aspect of his country’s human rights framework had been the signature of the Optional Protocol to the anti-discrimination Convention. Guatemala had ratified the Convention in 1982. The Protocol, he said, would give women an instrument that would strengthen their defences against human rights violations in all areas.
He said that the General Assembly special session on women had brought about an important coordination of action on the part of Latin American delegations. The commitment of those delegations to share their regional experiences in dealing with the issue of gender equality must not be seen as a promotion of “isolated objectives”. Indeed, it should serve to show what could be achieved through innovative commitment to a cause. The task of such broad coordination had not been easy, but the experience had taught a great lesson to participating delegations: protection of human rights for women was now a clear commitment that brought together diverse members of the international community in a concerted effort to identify creative ways to face challenges.
BASILE IKOUEBE (Congo) said that the question of women and the girl child remained at the centre of discussions among actors in the international community, and broad participation in the General Assembly special session on women had reaffirmed international commitment to achieving gender equality. It was important to note that Congo, like other developing countries, faced many difficulties that could hinder the advancement of women, notably its debt burden. That, along with low production, had contributed to increased poverty within the country.
She said that Congo had noted the relationship between poverty, education and health. In that regard, the Government had enacted a policy on compulsory education up to the age of 16. But progress in that area might be offset by an increased dropout rate among young women, due to protracted conflicts and economic crises in the region. That was a serious problem that was being watched closely. Young women, in particular, desperately needed to be represented in all areas, particularly that of new technologies. Finally, she said that the impact of HIV/AIDS had been devastating. The spread of the virus had compromised growth and development efforts and exacerbated the struggle against poverty. To tackle the various negative aspects of that scourge, the Government had created several sensitization campaigns aimed particularly at women of childbearing age. Centres had been created that provided low-cost treatment for those suffering from the disease. She was in favour of convening a special session to deal with the pandemic.
ARMAN AKOPIAN (Armenia) said that achievement of gender equality was possible only within the context of a democratic process and the strengthening of democratic culture. However, transition to a more democratic society and a market economy had had adverse effects on women in the Central and Eastern European countries, including a sharp decline in the number of women in high-level government positions and a disproportionate rise in women's unemployment. In Armenia, the difficulties of economic transition, aggravated by political conflicts, blockades and natural disasters, had created a sort of "defence mentality", which tended to magnify the role of men. Better conditions would create a different psychological environment, one that would encourage a more active involvement of women.
The Armenian Government had initiated a number of programmes for the assistance of women -- especially those in the earthquake area --and refugees. Those had partly relied on assistance from international organizations and individual countries, and Armenia was grateful for the continuation of such aid. The National Plan of Action for the Improvement of Women's Status was adopted in 1998 by Government decree, with local authorities instructed to develop local plans. Those plans focus on wider involvement of women in decision-making at various levels, assistance to female victims of violence, development of a social network for teenage girls, elimination of unemployment among women, and creation of better working conditions. In pursuing those goals, the Government was enjoying close cooperation, at various levels, with the many NGOs dealing with women's issues who were working in Armenia. Armenia remained committed to the principles adopted in Beijing.
THORSTEINN INGOLFSSON (Iceland) said that, as noted in the outcome document of “Beijing +5”, women and girls in many parts of the world continued to forgo their full human rights because of such factors as their race, ethnicity, culture and religion. That should be kept in mind during the discussions later this autumn on racial discrimination and xenophobia, he said, as well as discrimination on the basis of religion. Human rights of women and equality between the sexes were not "women's issues", they concerned men and women alike and were essential for creating prosperous and progressive societies. With increased participation of women in the labour market, mothers and fathers must be offered equal opportunities to be active both within the family and outside. In Iceland, where women constituted 80 per cent of the workforce, it was believed that one step that could twin family life and work outside the home harmoniously was to grant parents equal rights to maternity/paternity leave and parental leave. That enabled both sexes to coordinate their family and working lives in a more effective manner.
HAKAN TEKIN (Turkey) said that his Government continued to take measures to improve the status and rights of women in the country. The Government was also continuing to work on a series of legislative measures aimed at eliminating the last legal vestiges that might be considered as obstacles to full gender equality. Women in Turkey were cognizant of their rights, he said. The secular system in Turkey was both the guarantee and driving force behind the continuous improvement of the status of women. This system had also enabled Turkish women to attain their present state without the need of an affirmative action. The institutionalization process of gender equality issues had gained a new momentum in Turkey, he said. Consequently, mainstreaming gender equality in all Government policies and programmes had now become one of the priority issues of the country’s development agenda. Initiatives taken, both by the Government and NGOs, aimed at establishing and developing mechanisms to enhance the status and rights of women, underpinning the achievements made so far. The Government of Turkey recognized civil society as an important source of support and legitimacy, and continued to strengthen its cooperation with NGOs through regular consultations and programmes, and by including their representatives in official delegations at many international meetings. Equality was not merely a goal in itself: it was a must for a genuine democracy, where full enjoyment of human rights by all citizens was guaranteed.
PEDRO PADILLA TONOS (Dominican Republic) said that according to the report of the Joint Inspection Unit, INSTRAW had achieved remarkable success. It was regrettable that it now found itself in an acute financial crisis which, according to the report of the Secretary-General, could cause it to close down permanently.
He said other small institutions of the United Nations system had, however, overcome similar crises in the past, while other entities which were funded primarily from voluntary contributions by Member States also had access to a subvention from the United Nations regular budget -- as was the case for the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), which had set a precedent for all the voluntarily funded agencies.
The question was, should INSTRAW be saved or not? he said. If the answer was no, the only entity in the United Nations system devoted entirely to research, training and information in the context of the advancement of women in development would be closed. INSTRAW's crisis could be easily remedied if there was the political will to do so.
RUTH CEASAR (Liberia) said the inadequate support base of INSTRAW was an issue of concern to all Member States, particularly developing countries that lacked the analytical technology to effectuate gender mainstreaming processes. Post-war countries, including Liberia, had not benefited fully.
The issue of poverty eradication was paramount to the stability of her country. The civil crises had exacerbated the incidence of illiteracy, unemployment and poor health, as well as the unjust social conditions of women who constituted the poorest of the poor. Debt relief for the heavily indebted poor countries was crucial to the socio-economic development and empowerment programmes that would lead to the achievement of the objectives of the Beijing Plan of Action and the anti-discrimination Convention, she said.
Recent experience had shown that women as victims of various forms of violence must increase their involvement in all areas of livelihood. She therefore welcomed the advocacy initiatives of the Mano River Union Women’s Peace Network, established by women from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The restoration of peaceful coexistence and harmony was a special challenge to the countries of the Mano River Union Basin which shared common boundaries, cultures, family ties and relationships. That fact was underscored in a statement of the Peace Network, which said that "when one mother in Freetown, Conakry, or Monrovia cries for her lost child, husband or brother, every mother in the subregion cries".
YESHEY DORJI (Bhutan) said significant progress had been made since Beijing, but there was still much to be done. Major obstacles persisted in all critical areas of concern, including violence against women, the feminization of poverty and empowerment of women. The compelling forces of globalization continually presented new challenges. Concerted national, international and private-sector efforts were needed to overcome them.
Violence against women in any form was intolerable, he said. Domestic violence, rape, forced prostitution or female genital mutilation were all wholly unacceptable. The gender dimension of poverty, income inequality and unemployment must be addressed, especially in the case of rural women. Concerted efforts to stop the crime of trafficking in women must focus on uplifting women's condition, since extreme poverty was the root cause of the crime.
HANAN ZOGHBIA (Libya) said her country was eager to ensure compliance with the Convention on discrimination again women. Women in her country had achieved leadership positions. Education was open to all on an equal basis. Posts formerly closed to women were now open, including those that represented the Government in the broader world. All women's rights were guaranteed, including their right to take care of children and grandchildren.
However, she said, numerous problems still hindered women's advancement. Colonialism had left adverse effects which only intensive educational measures could reverse. Lack of adequate health care created problems throughout Africa. International support for redressing those social ills would be an investment in global development.
PAUL GOA ZOUMANIGUI (Guinea) said it fell to governments to ensure the promotion of women’s rights. His own Government had drawn up a national action plan and framework for gender and development, education, training, and literacy programs. That action plan involved all sectors of the Government as well as actors from civil society and NGOs. Also, in view of the outcome document of “Women 2000”, the Government had instituted initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty, as well as addressing issues related to violence against women.
Conflicts in neighbouring countries had also affected the women and children of Guinea. Those vulnerable populations now bore the main brunt of attacks. That underscored the notion that no policy for human rights could succeed without paying particular attention to the impact of armed conflict on women. While broad action on the part of the international community was needed to address that problem, he noted that in Guinea, women were mobilizing through various organizations in an attempt to address the problem of armed conflict in their subregion, particularly Sierra Leone. He praised the Security Council’s upcoming debate on women, peace and security.
CATHERINE MAHOUVE SAME (Cameroon) said that the current situation of the world’s women and girl children was a matter of great concern for her delegation. They were the most vulnerable segments of society and were frequently exposed to trafficking, sexual exploitation and traditional cultural practices which affected their health. The spread of the AIDS virus and the increased incidence of violence had further darkened the picture for women today. While the efforts of governments and the United Nations had made progress in health and education, in many sectors the Beijing objectives had not been met due to the paucity of financial resources for social development programs. Much remained to be done, therefore, particularly in the southern hemisphere, to achieve real and concrete progress towards the advancement of women.
She said that implementation of the objectives of the Plan of Action demanded concerted action aimed at building a just, peaceful and humane world. In that regard, the work of the United Nations to integrate gender perspective in all its institutions had proved invaluable. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as well as the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women should also be commended.
TSHENOLO MODISE (Botswana) said that her Government had identified and prioritized six out of the 12 critical areas of concern contained in the Beijing Platform for Action: women and poverty; women in power and decision-making; education and training of women; women and health; violence against women and the girl child. Representation of women in Parliament had increased from 12.5 per cent in 1994 to 18.2 per cent in 1999. The number of women in senior positions in public service had increased significantly, and the National Policy on Education had been revised to make vocational and tertiary education accessible and more attractive to women. Family-life education had been made part of the school curriculum, and family planing guidelines had been revised to include sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS prevention.
In Botswana, violence against women was still a common problem, and the Government had undertaken a study on its socio-economic implications. The Penal Code Act had been amended to firm up laws relating to rape; a shelter for battered women had been established; and a Botswana Police and NGOs task force on domestic violence had been formed. The HIV/AIDS pandemic was threatening to reverse the achievements made so far in the advancement of women. The Government of Botswana had made the fight against the disease central to all development programmes.
DIANE M. QUARLESS (Jamaica) said that whilst much had been achieved in promoting the welfare of women, it remained a matter of concern that women constituted 70 per cent of the world's poor, and that in no region of the developing world were women equal to men in legal, social and economic rights. The political empowerment of women, the provision of equal education, and commitment at the national level to promoting gender equality and women's rights were critical to national progress. Jamaica had undertaken several steps to promote gender mainstreaming and the integration of women into national development. A number of micro-enterprise initiatives had been launched in 1999, in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Agency, to sustain and promote poor women in rural and inner-city communities, as well as programmes to address family planning, HIV/AIDS and parenting.
Efforts were also being made to ensure that a number of Jamaican laws were amended with a view to promoting a more gender-sensitive legal environment and redressing certain imbalances and inequalities affecting women. Training and development initiatives for women and increased focus on all aspects of violence against women by the justice system had also been established. Her delegation was also concerned at the critical financial situation of INSTRAW; and hoped that every effort would be made to avert the Institutes closure.
MOHAMMAD KAMAL YAN YAHAYA (Malaysia) said that although reviews of conferences and declarations indicated that many advances had been made, in many nations the task of promoting the advancement of women was far from complete. Several factors had been identified as obstacles, including lack of national resources, debt, the decline in international funding to implement programmes and the impact of globalization. New concerns over violence against women, trafficking in women and children and the effects of HIV/AIDS also needed to be addressed by the international community. More concerted and comprehensive efforts and cooperation at the national, regional and international level were urgently needed. One important area for the advancement of women was economics. Malaysia would continue to support measures to combat illiteracy among rural women in order to enhance their economic and social advancement.
Another area of concern was the issue of violence against women, he said. Violence against women occurred not only in the family or community but was also perpetuated by the State. Sexual assaults against women were outlawed by international humanitarian law through normative provisions prohibiting violence against the physical integrity, dignity and security of the person. Malaysia condemned the use of rape as assault and violence against women. It had been used as an instrument of war, punishment, torture, coercion and intimidation. In line with its National Policy on Women, Malaysia welcomed the positive contributions of members of civil society, including NGOs, in the advancement of women. His country was also concerned about trafficking of girls and women for sexual exploitation, forced marriages, forced labour, pornography, prostitution and sex tourism.
SAMER NABER (Jordan) said that his comments would be confined to one area of violence that had attracted much attention in recent years: the phenomenon of crimes committed in the name of honour. It had become fashionable to decry certain countries and particular regions for crimes committed against women in the name of honour -- as depicted in certain uni-dimensional media reports. The nature of contemporary worldwide broadcasting meant that dramatized anecdotes or personal stories were produced for effect only, without reasoning, a sense of proportion, statistics or even truth, reaching hundreds of millions of people instantly. The unbalanced picture that had been presented on the issue made it difficult for intellectual debate to remove the dark pall that had been cast on the issue and its causes.
The labeling of crimes committed in the name of honour as “traditional or customary practices” misrepresented facts and reinforced the justification given to those crimes by their few perpetrators –- who were notably ignorant of Islamic law, Bedouin tribal law, and local customs. Social pressure to commit such crimes stemmed from that ignorance, and also from the legal loophole that had hitherto facilitated their existence in Jordan -- in this case, misinterpretation of Article 340 of the Penal Code of Jordan. The campaign to abrogate Article 340 had come as a result of a long campaign to eliminate crimes committed against women in the name of honour. Such crimes had already become more statistically rare, thanks to the efforts of the late King Hussein. He declared his delegation’s willingness to initiate a constructive dialogue on the issue and other related norms in an attempt to increase understanding and henceforth deal with the question effectively. ABDULLAH AL-MUHANANDI (Qatar) said women had once been considered to be citizens who had nothing but duties. Now that they had been empowered to demonstrate their talents, they contributed enormously. In his country, education had been at the forefront of the campaign to raise the role of women to a footing of equality with men. Legislative support was the underpinning for women's participation. That was reinforced by the Emir's directives. Women now contributed to a well-integrated society that made strong sense. Women represented half the population. A society could not ignore half of itself.
However, he pointed out, the situation of women in the occupied territories was not equitable. He asked for support from the international community on their behalf.
S.SHAHID HUSAIN, observer for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, said that the advancement of women was of importance not only because it concerned well over half of the world’s population, but also because it had implications for those who played the pivotal role in the family -- which was the basic social unit of society. It was important to continue to emphasize the need for education and access to social justice and healthcare services. It was equally important to empower women through economic development initiatives that would promote their advancement, but also contribute to the healthy transformation of the very fabric of society.
The Eighth Summit Conference of the Organization of the Islamic Conference had declared its conviction that equality for all human beings could only be achieved through the full participation of women. The Summit requested States members to take appropriate steps to organize women’s activities at national and international levels, consistent with the enormous opportunities available within Islamic law. The Organization’s initiative would develop further as collective experiences provided the avenues and impetus to develop programmes and initiatives, based on States members’ needs and projected targets for the advancement of women.
Closing Address
Angela King, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues, said the aims expressed at Beijing had been reaffirmed by the statements before the Committee, which had demonstrated a new dedication to the advancement of women. She recalled that the race for women's equality had been likened to the Olympic Games, without specifying whether the event was a sprint or a marathon.
The importance of mainstreaming the gender perspective into all sectors had been affirmed during the debate, she continued. During the next few weeks, the resolutions approved by the Committee would carry the good word with regard to such issues as the health, education and social betterment of women. Noting the support expressed for INSTRAW and UNIFEM, she said, "Let's hope the good wishes soon turn into dollars, francs, pesos and other kinds of currency.”
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