ISO: GHA *************************************************************************** The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Secretariat. *************************************************************************** AS WRITTEN STATEMENT DELIVERED BY H.E. NANA KONADU AGYEMAN RAWLINGS, FIRST LADY OF GHANA AND LEADER OF THE GHANA DELEGATION TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN.BEIJING, CHINA TUESDAY, 5TH SEPTEMBER, 1995 MADAM CHAIRPERSON, MR. SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, MADAM SECRETARY-GENERAL OF CONFERENCE, EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Our presence here today, in this historic capital, Beijing, is a fitting tribute to the remarkable achievements, and the vital contribution of, the People's Republic of China to international affairs and to the progress of mankind. Chinese civilization and culture have taught the world many important lessons, and today Chinese industrial and economic achievements are setting an example to all of us, as to what hard work and commitment can achieve. We salute, Madam Chairperson, your great country's remarkable attainments in precisely those social areas which will be the focus of our deliberations at this gathering. We also salute China for its steadfast solidarity with and support for our countries throughout the national liberation struggle and the continuing fight for greater justice and equity in international affairs. It is, therefore, with genuine pleasure that I convey to you, Madam Chairperson, the warm fraternal greetings and congratulations of the People and Government of Ghana on your election to chair this important gathering. May I, at the same time, express our sincere thanks for the warm hospitality extended to my delegation. A well known Chinese proverb says that a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Today, we remember with pride the first major steps in the empowerment of women - the ideals and principles of equality of men and women in the United Nations Charter of 1945, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. We also recall with satisfaction the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the respective Declarations and Programmes of Action adopted at the three earlier World Summits on Women - each of which added something important in the empowerment of Women. We have had Summits on the Child, on Human Rights, on the Environment, Population, and most recently, on Social Development. Each gathering highlighted women's dimension, perspective, relevance and involvement. In every instance, women were actually identified as crucial actors. How can we build on what has been achieved? That is why we are gathered here today. Today, notwithstanding the progress that has been made - in terms of global blueprints for promoting women's welfare, the plight of women worldwide remains, in many respects, a tragedy. The raw statistics are stark, bleak and painful. Measured by almost all criteria, in practically all areas of human endeavor, women remain the most deprived, most discriminated against, the most powerless in each society. In every conflict situation, be it Angola, Bosnia Herzegovina or Somalia, Rwanda or Liberia, it is always the women who bear the brunt the suffering. The legacies of cruel socio-cultural practices and prejudices which humiliate women and deny them their most basic rights, worsen the situation. It is in the small towns and villages of the rural areas, within developing countries that the plight of women, can be seen most vividly. The ravages of malnutrition, disease, illiteracy, unemployment and absolute poverty, take a heavy toll. All these heavy burdens, must be set in the national, regional, and global context- of a world where countries like mine, produce more, only to earn less, while what we earn, buys less and less. We are running faster, and harder, only to stand still; sometimes, even to slip further backwards. This is why we assert that, unless developing countries earn fairer prices for their primary commodity exports, have easier access to the markets of the developed countries, and are given substantial relief from the crushing burden of external indebtedness all the measures we take at the national, sub-regional and regional levels to improve women's welfare, can only achieve limited success. Structural adjustment at the national level must be complemented by appropriate structural adjustment at the level of the global economy. In Ghana, we started by carrying out far-reaching structural reforms, not only in the national economy, but also in the administration, the educational system, the legal set-up, and especially in the local government structure. The aim of the reforms was to enhance efficiency and relevance while empowering people to take the crucial decisions that would affect their welfare. The people, especially at the grass roots, were actively encouraged to take and exercise control over their affairs. Central government powers are increasingly being devolved to the district and local level, where our women are making their presence felt more and more everyday. Among the specific measures to enhance the status of women are: - legislation to protect women's property rights; - establishment of cottage industries to provide them opportunities for work; - setting up of adult education classes to enhance functional literacy, and - establishment of day care centers where infants could be cared for, so that their mothers could go to work. We are now trying to establish new financial institutions to provide credit to small scale businesses - which are predominantly operated by women. In our medium to longer-term development agenda, called Vision 2020, our targets in the area of women's issues include: - improving the health and nutritional status of women - enhancing women's access to productive resources such as capital and technology, and - increasing female enrollment and achievement at all levels of education, especially in the rural areas. In the belief that empowerment of women is the key to the achievement of results, we are encouraging women in all walks of life: - to participate actively in politics, to seek elective office, - to serve on the executive bodies of important state institutions, and - to make a full contribution to national affairs. We are encouraging more girls to study science and to pursue higher academic studies. Our experience suggests that because the barriers to women's progress include deep seated prejudices and long-standing practices, it is only where there is strong, high-level political commitment and involvement that real progress is possible. That is why many of us are trying to make a vigorous, sustained contribution to the effort. For us in Africa, the girl child is a special concern. Hers is the future that is often negated right from birth. And hers is therefore the life that must be salvaged. We must therefore give her education that empowers; education which gives skills; education which builds self-confidence. We must make her healthy, meet her basic needs, then we can expect her to grow and blossom into a confident woman who can sustain herself and her children, and contribute to her nation's welfare. It is my hope and expectation that this conference will come out with specific and practical commitments by all our countries in the areas of Poverty Alleviation, Education, Health, Peace and the Girl Child. The hopes and dreams of tens of millions of women worldwide are with us here in Beijing. We cannot, indeed we must not, disappoint them. I thank you for your gracious attention. I thank you Madam Chairperson.