ISO: NAM *************************************************************************** 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 BY HONOURABLE NETUMBO NANDI-NDAITWAH DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS oREPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN5 SEPTEMBER 1995 BEIJING, CHINA Madam Chairperson, The Secretary General of the Conference, Excellencies Ladies and gentlemen Ten years ago women from all walks of life gathered on the African continent in Nairobi to map out strategies for the advancement of women. Though not independent, Namibian women and youth were a part of that historic gathering. Today Namibia is proud to contribute to this process as a sovereign and independent country for the first time. Our own resolve to break the chains of apartheid and colonialism, complemented by your support during those difficult years, has born fruit. An atmosphere conducive to the empowerment of Namibian women has been established. To all those who stood with us during those difficult times, we remain indebted. To us, the most suitable means of expressing our appreciation will be a tireless commitment to the advancement of women. Allow me Madam Chairperson, to thank the government and people of the People's Republic of China for having offered to host this conference. Thank-you for your hospitality, organisation and for the facilities that you have placed at our disposal. At the same time, I should like to congratulate you Madam Chairperson, on your election to this position. We feel sure that under your guidance and other bureau members we will make tangible progress towards formulating plans of action that will bring meaningful change to the lives of women worldwide. Thank-you also for the confidence the delegates have displayed in Namibia and myself by entrusting us with the task of being rapporteur for this milestone gathering. I hope that your confidence in Namibia will be fully vindicated. I would also like to thank the Secretary General of the Conference, Ms Gertrude Mongella, for all her efforts towards making this conference a success. During the Nairobi Conference, when certain doors were closed to us due to our status at the time, you spoke for us. How fitting then that today when Namibia is participating in this conference as a nation, you, a daughter of Africa heads the Conference. Namibia congratulates you Madam Mongella. Madam Chairperson, Today we gather in Beijing to examine both the progress we have made in advancing the status of women, and the obstacles that remain. In a few weeks, world leaders will come together to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Organisation to evaluate the activities of the organisation. It is therefore timely that we are holding the Fourth World Conference on Women now. In our view, gender equality must form part of the criteria against which the achievements of the United Nations should be measured. Madam Chairperson, Perpetuating the feminisation of poverty, depriving women of education and health care, excluding women from decision making, economic structures and the productive process, subjecting women and girls to violence, denying women of ownership of land - all these are violations of women's human rights. The Platform for Action is clearly about equal rights between women and men and between girls and boys. Having said that, it is indeed disheartening to note that while some nations have made significant progress in the advancement of women in the last ten years, many goals of the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies have yet to be implemented. Despite the level of awareness about gender inequality as well as the well-articulated programmes we have put in place at national and international levels, we have to ask ourselves why gender inequality remains widespread. This question will lead us to evaluating the relevance of our tactics. It seems to me that we have to refocus our attention, since condoning discrimination between girls and boys is tantamount to perpetuating inequality between men and women, and is an impediment to the implementation of the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies. The cry of the girl child against education and health deprivation, early marriage, economic exploitation, prostitution, and female genital mutilation, rings continuously in our ears. We must not abandon her. If we provide girls with equal opportunities, we enable them to become the leaders of the twenty first century. The problems identified in the draft Platform for Action in the critical areas of concern, are global and require dedication and sustained effort by us all if we are to solve them. It is against this background that Namibia fully supports the proposal to make this a Conference of Commitments. If we are to make the Fourth World Conference on Women different from others, then as member states of the United nations, we must pledge ourselves to the implementation of the Platform for Action. In Namibia, the National Planning Commission has recently published a booklet on statistics on Women and men in Namibia and covers areas such as education, health, employment, and politics. This booklet reflects the true status of women in Namibia and enables us to develop appropriate and sustainable programmes for the future. The Namibian National Policy on Women will be finalised by early next year. It will be accompanied by the National Programme of Action that is aimed at implementing the Platform of Action. In the agricultural sector Namibia commits itself to help increase subsistence agricultural output, labour productivity and non-traditional crop and livestock output by 10 percent by the year 2000. Namibia also plans to provide potable water to 80 percent of rural areas. Gender sensitisation is a priority for Namibia. The Ministry of Basic Education and Culture has committed itself to eradicating all forms of discrimination based on gender. By the year 2000 Namibia also aims to have 94 percent of all primary school age children attending school. The target of our literacy programme is to attain 80 percent literacy by the same year. Madam Chairperson, The Platform for Action is about solidarity among women at various levels of development. As long as millions of women continue to live in poverty, the achievements that some women have made will be meaningless. Changes of attitude at national and international levels, thus need to be one of the primary goals of this conference. International cooperation is indispensable for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Women in developed countries must demonstrate their solidarity with their sisters in developing countries. Women in urban centres have to reach out to those in rural areas. In fact, all agents of society must be involved in the advancement of women. Implementation of the Platform for Action is the prime responsibility of governments. This requires resources, both human and material. We thus call on our development partners to complement our efforts by supporting national plans for the advancement of women. The Namibian delegation is pleased to note that the draft Platform for Action identifies the private sector as one of the actors that should work in partnership with the government. Thus private sector must be mobilised with vigour to become a full partner in the process of women's empowerment. Finally, Madam Chairperson, the struggle for gender equality is a global problem. If equality between men and women is to be realised fully, men and women, nationally and internationally, need to stand together and contribute equally towards the transformation of our societies. I thank you.