ISO: ANT
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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.
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AS WRITTEN


ADDRESS BY THE HONORABLE MRS. DRS. EDITH STRAUSS-MARSERA
MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FAMILY AND HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES


BEIJING, CHINA, SEPTEMBER 8, 1995.
MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

IT IS REALLY A PRIVILEDGE AND AN HONOUR TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON, ESPECIALLY SINCE TODAY THE 8 OF SEPTEMBER IS THE
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LITERACY. IT IS A DAY, THAT MY COUNTRY YEARLY
COMMEMORATES. LIKE THE REST OF THE CARIBBEAN, THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON LITERACY AND EDUCATION. THE DEVELOPMENT OF
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION HAVE
RESULTED ALL AROUND THE CARIBBEAN REGION IN IMPORTANT ADVANCEMENTS IN
THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY.

IN MY COUNTRY IN THE PERIOD AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR WOMEN WERE ABLE
TO MAKE IMPORTANT PROGRESS IN THE PROFESSIONS, IN POLITICS AND IN
GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION MAINLY DUE TO THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, TO
WHICH THEY HAD FREE AND EQUAL ACCESS. THE AREA OF DECISION-MAKING IS AT
THE PRESENT TIME WORTHY OF NOTE AS THE LAST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS HELD
IN MAY OF THIS YEAR RESULTED IN A 30% FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN THE
ISLAND COUNCIL OF THE LARGEST ISLAND OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKING IS CRUCIAL TO A BALANCED AND EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD. HOWEVER IN ORDER FOR
WOMEN, AND MEN FOR THAT MATTER, TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE EFFECTIVELY TO
THE PROCESS OF SHAPING THE SOCIETIES THEY LIVE IN, NOT ONLY MUST THEY
SHARE EQUALLY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PUBLIC LIFE, BUT THE JOYS AND
BURDENS OF THE FAMILY MUST BE CARRIED EQUALLY.

IN THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN REGION THE ISSUE OF SHARED FAMILY
RESPONSIBILITIES HAS BEEN DEALT WITH EXTENSIVELY. OUR REGIONAL DOCUMENT
FOR THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN HIGHLIGHTS THE PAST PROGRESS AS
WELL AS THE PRESENT OBSTACLES AND FUTURE OBJECTIVES OF THE REGION IN
THIS AREA.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

THE FAMILY IN ALL ITS DIVERSITIES CONSTITUTES THE BACKBONE AND MAINSTAY
OF ANY GIVEN SOCIETY. MY GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR IS COMMITTED TO THE
EMPOWERMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF FAMILIES. FOR THIS REASON THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES IS ABOUT TO INSTITUTE A MINISTRY
OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FAMILY AND HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS.

IN VIEW OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES, THAT OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
FACE IN A HIGHLY GLOBALIZED AND TECHNOLOGICAL AGE, IT IS IMPERATIVE,
THAT THEY ARE GUIDED BY SOUND AND TIME WORN VALUES, SUCH AS THOSE THAT A
HEALTHY FAMILY LIFE FOSTERS. VALUES, SUCH AS FOR EXAMPLE: HONESTY,
MUTUAL RESPECT, INDUSTRY AND SOLIDARITY, NOT ONLY GUARANTEE A HEALTHY
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT ARE NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR THE
CREATION OF GENDER EQUALITY.

AT THE PRESENT TIME FAMILIES IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES AND IN THE
CARIBBEAN AS ELSEWHERE ARE FACING TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES. GLOBAL
UNEMPLOYMENT, ECONOMIC RECESSION, DRUG ABUSE AND MIGRATION ARE BUT A FEW
OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING FAMILY LIFE IN OUR REGION. THE SMALL SIZES OF
OUR ISLANDS RENDER THEM QUITE VULNERABLE TO BOTH NATURAL DISASTERS AS
WELL AS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, THAT ORIGINATE BOTH WITHIN AS
WELL AS OUTSIDE THE REGION. THE RECENT DEVASTATIONS ON OUR SISTER
ISLANDS OF ST. KITTS, NEVIS, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA BY HURRICANE LUIS ARE A
SAD AND TRAGIC AFFIRMATION OF THIS FACT. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO OFFER MORAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS THE
ALLEVIATION OF THE PLIGHT OF THE INHABITANTS OF THESE ISLANDS.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

COMPARED TO OUR HOST COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE
ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN REGION COMPRISE NO MORE THAN MERE SPECKS ON THE
WORLD MAP. YET OUR REGION BOASTS A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLES, CULTURES,
RELIGIONS AND GEOGRAPHY, THAT IS UNPARALLELED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE
WORLD, GIVEN THE LIMITED PHYSICAL SCOPE OF THE REGION. DESPITE OUR
DIFFERENCES IN RACIAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AS WELL AS IDIOMATIC
BACKGROUNDS, THE PEOPLES OF THE CARIBBEAN HAVE SUCCEEDED IN WORKING AND
LIVING TOGETHER IN A PEACEFUL SETTING, WHERE NON-VIOLENT FORMS OF
CONFLICT RESOLUTION AMONG AND WITHIN COUNTRIES IS MORE OF A RULE THAN AN
EXCEPTION.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

ALLOW ME TO OFFER THIS CARIBBEAN MODEL OF DIVERSITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT
BASED ON A POLITICS OF TOLERANCE AND INCLUSION TO THE REST OF THE WORLD,
AS A VIABLE FORM OF COEXISTENCE FOR NATIONS OF DIVERSE ETHNIC, CULTURAL
AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON,

IN CLOSING, ON BEHALF OF MY GOVERNMENT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE WOMEN
OF THE WORLD FOR ENABLING MY COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE AS AN OBSERVER AT
THE FOURTH UN WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN. ALSO SPECIAL GRATITUDE IS
OFFERED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FOR ITS WARM
HOSPITALITY. FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
OF THE CONFERENCE, MRS. GERTRUDE MONGELLA ON THE SUCCESSFUL PREPARATIONS
FOR THIS GATHERING AND CONVEY TO HER WARMEST FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE FROM
THE CARIBBEAN FOR HER PARTICULAR INTEREST AND CARE FOR THE REGION DURING
THE PREPARATIONS FOR BEIJING. AS WE SAY IN OUR NATIVE TONGUE: "MASHA,
MASHA DANKI Y DIOS BENDISHONA BOSO TUR". THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH AND
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRPERSON.