«Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace in the 21st century»

New York, 6 March 2000
Preparatory committee for the
special session of the General Assembly



Statement by
Mary Robinson
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
and Secretary-General of the World Conference against Racism



Distinguished Delegates,

The Beijing+5 Review process coincides with the start of a new century - a timely moment to assess what has been done and what remains to be done in the movement to advance women’s rights.

As we undertake this review, we can derive satisfaction from the knowledge that important steps have been taken towards the recognition of women’s rights, and we should salute those who have fought so hard to bring that about.

But let us not betray their vision. Let us acknowledge how great a distance there is to go before it can be said that women’s rights are universally respected.

In my work as High Commissioner for Human Rights, I have listened to the voices of women in many countries. What particularly struck me was that – whether they were women leaders or indigenous women, migrant women, women who have been trafficked, women working for peace, or in community development or business women - all raised with me the continuing problem of violence against women. Their concerns ranged from domestic violence to violence against women in conflict, to discrimination and exploitation of vulnerable women. Women have also been concerned over the continuing stereotyping that constitutes discrimination against them, and about new stereotypes that result in increased violence. I believe that tackling the issue of violence against women has to be top of the agenda during this review.

The agenda, however, is broad. The fact is that the rights of millions of women continue to be denied, year after year. The fundamental right to equality has been affirmed and reaffirmed repeatedly in conferences and other public fora in which governments participate. Yet in an overwhelming number of countries, laws remain in force that perpetuate discrimination with regard to personal status, economic status, marital status and recourse against violence. And it is not only the existence of these laws on the statute book that acts against women. Discrimination in the enforcement of the law, denial of equal opportunity in education and employment, denial of property rights, inheritance rights and land rights, exclusion of women from political representation, deprivation of sexual and reproductive rights, and the use of social forces and physical violence to intimidate and subordinate women all constitute fundamental violations of the human right to equality. Governments and societies must respect women’s human rights in all the diverse situations that women live.

The failure to respect the economic and social rights of women causes profound inequality in terms of economic independence and health, and has an inimical effect on the ability to assert other rights; globalization has placed new challenges on women’s economic and social rights; inequality in economic and social rights makes women vulnerable to abuse, particularly violent abuse, and this exacerbates still further the barriers to being able to participate in public and political life. It is clear that all rights are integral, interdependent, indeed; indivisible. The historic division created between them served women badly and we must now ensure that all rights are championed and defended.

Looking back at the Beijing Conference, we can see that it was a landmark event in the fight for women’s rights. It was the culmination of a series of World Conferences which had profound implications for women:

- The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights re-affirmed the principle that all human rights, civil, cultural, economic, political and social, are inter-linked and interdependent and must be exercised and enjoyed by both women and men. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action stated that "The human rights of women and the girl child are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of universal human rights." Furthermore, the Programme of Action established that "the full and equal participation of women in political, civil, economic, social, and cultural life, at the national, regional, and international levels, and the eradication of all forms of discrimination on the grounds of sex are priority objectives of the international community."

- At the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1994, the world's governments validated sexual and reproductive rights for the first time, recognising the right of women to make their own decisions on issues of sexuality and reproduction, as well as the right to information about and access to contraceptive services.

- The Copenhagen Summit also broke new ground in focussing attention on the especially disadvantaged position which women find themselves in when it comes to the fight to eradicate poverty and achieve social justice.

But it was at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing that the crucial links between the advancement of women and social progress around the world were most clearly elaborated. The Beijing Platform for Action highlighted the global nature of human rights issues concerning women and signalled a strong commitment on the part of governments to international norms in gender equality. At Beijing the international community pledged to devise forward-looking strategies to integrate a gender perspective into policies and programmes and to bring about the full participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life. The 12 Critical Areas of Concern covered issues ranging from the right to education, health and reproductive rights to the right to live free of violence and poverty.

The challenge which we face, both at this meeting and at the Special Session of the General Assembly in June, is to build on the achievements of Beijing. We must move the agenda in practical ways. That means setting clear targets, benchmarks and monitoring mechanisms which will enable us to assess rigorously whether governments have lived up to their promises of five years ago. It means taking stock of the pace of ratification of relevant international conventions and treaties, of institutional measures to advance women and remove discrimination, and of steps taken to tackle violence against women and poverty among women. It means looking for new ways to change entrenched sexist attitudes, to ensure gender equality in the workplace, to combat the evil of trafficking and the plight of women in conflict, to produce better healthcare for women. It also means that there should be no dilution of the Beijing commitment on reproductive and sexual rights, land rights and inheritance rights. Last but not least, it means that budgets must be reconsidered by governments to cover the commitments made in Beijing.

The final adoption of the Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, permitting the Committee to consider individual complaints, was an important step which can provide an additional and powerful tool for advancing women’s interests, and for incorporating them into the changing laws and practices in their countries. I warmly welcome the rapid pace of signature and ratification of the Protocol.

Let me underline at this point that the Beijing+5 review presents an opportunity to reflect on how to implement a human rights based approach to women’s issues which requires active participation by women themselves in the process. It is an opportunity to strengthen the language and thinking around the various treaty bodies and their role in monitoring the implementation of women's human rights. It is an opportunity to underscore, within the international community, the importance of developing and implementing systematic performance standards to measure the extent to which states discharge their obligations for the protection and promotion of women's human rights.

We are only now beginning to understand that true freedom is made up of a complex tapestry of rights, all of which must be addressed and protected equally. As the international community gathers here today let us spread the message that women's rights are the responsibility of everyone and let us reaffirm our commitment to moving the agenda forward with the aim of promoting and protecting the human rights enshrined in all twelve critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action.

Thank you.