ISO: ROM
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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


STATEMENT by H.E. Mr. Dan Mircea POPESCU
Minister of State Minister of Labour and Social Protection

The Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women
Beijing, 4-15 September 1995


Madame Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Romanian delegation I am very pleased to express my
great appreciation to the United Nations Organisation for having
initiated the Fourth World Conference on Women. This outstanding event
provides the best framework for a comprehensive approach, on a global
scale, of the status and role of women in society by the end of this
century and in the perspective of the third millennium.

I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to address sincere
thanks to the Government and the nation of the People' s Republic of
China, as host country, for the excellent conditions provided for the
Conference and for their hospitality. At the same time we appreciate the
hard work of the Secretary General of the Conference, Ms. Gertrude
Mongella, for the outstanding organization of this major World Assembly.

The Fourth World Conference on Women, which will be recorded in the
history as the Beijing Conference, ranges among the endeavours of the
United Nations Organisation aiming at enhancing the sensitivity of the
international public opinion and encouraging the member states to
approach, with maximum responsibility, the most important social,
economic and humanitarian problems confronting mankind. This Conference
is called upon to review and appraise the global implementation of the
Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies focusing upon the general goals of
equality, development and peace and to identify specific solutions for
the new situations, mainly for those which have occurred over the past
decade. Therefore, we deem it necessary that the working out of medium
and long term strategies has to take into account the outcomes of the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de
Janeiro, of the Vienna Conference on Human Rights, of the Cairo
International Conference on Population and Development and of the World
Summit on Social Development, held in Copenhagen.

Madame Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over the last years Romania has deeply embarked upon the process of
democratization of its entire economic and social life, of integration
into the world economy, first and foremost, into the European economic
structures. Certainly, Romania has also experienced the difficulties of
the transition to market economy which are often accompanied by complex
social problems.

Strengthening the democratic processes, through the observance of the
constitutional and other legal provisions, as well as by manifesting a
wide opening and receptivity to other countries' experiences, represents
in our view - the best way to ensure the necessary environment and
conditions for the achievement of fundamental human rights and freedoms
for all citizens.

The Romanian Government addresses women' s human rights as an integral
part of the universal human rights, in the spirit of the provisions laid
down in the United Nations Charter and Vienna Declaration, as well as
stipulated under the national legislation: in the Constitution, Family
Code, Labour Code, etc.

We consider that a democratic society, based on the rule of law and the
promotion of human rights, has to ensure the necessary conditions for
women' s development, their equal access to employment, education and
heath, to stimulate their participation in the economic, social and
political life and to recognize their contribution to development.
Obviously, there is still much to be done until these objectives are
fully achieved. Therefore the Romanian Government is committed to take
suitable actions in order to ensure full equality between men and women
and to contribute to the creation of a gender based " partnership" in
terms of empowerment and responsibility in the civil, political,
economic, social and cultural life.

The structural changes started in Romania after December 1989 have had
unexpected social, political and economic implications for the entire
population of our country, in particular for women, in terms of decline
of the living standards and a higher rate of unemployment. That is why
the social protection has become a major dimension of the reform
programme.

In Romania, as it is stated in the National Report on the Condition of
Women, the access of women to education and health is not restricted at
all. Moreover, the high percentage of women employers in the private
sector, amounting to 27,8%, represents a convincing proof for the
women's creativity, for their managerial and entrepreneurial abilities.
Accordingly, we think that the gender based analysis on women's position
in economy and their access to employment, including to managerial jobs,
are very important for our social, economic and cultural policies.

From among the objectives standing before the Romanian governmental and
non-governmental organisations with respect to the status of women, the
following ones are of special relevance: reducing and stopping women's
unemployment; ensuring appropriate employment for women ; changing the
outlook on women's role for making gender equality effective; promoting
an active social policy, in particular for the vulnerable categories of
women; upgrading women to senior management and decision-making
positions; assisting the organizing of womanhood movement and non-
governmental bodies, etc.

In order to find appropriate and concrete answers to the Romanian
women's problems and to identify solutions for the future, the Romanian
Government is concerned to set up a representative body which will
coordinate the strategies regarding women' s advancement and to ensure
equal opportunities for men and women in all fields of activity.

In our view, Romania' s endeavours relating to the advancement of women,
alongside with similar efforts of other states, are reflected, in a
general way, in the " Declaration" and " Platform for Action".
Therefore, it is of utmost importance, from now on, to focus our
attention on the implementation of the commitments included in these
documents.

Madame Chairperson,

Romania is aware of the need for a grass roots approach to women' s
issues and convinced that the objectives of the Beijing Conference will
be achieved only through the joint efforts of international,
governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as individual
persons. That is why the Romanian delegation supports the idea, brought
up at the Vienna Regional Preparatory Meeting, concerning the setting up
of an International Centre for Non-Governmental Organisations for
countries from Central and Eastern Europe.

Along the same lines of the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on
Women, the Romanian Government would be pleased to organize, in
Bucharest, in cooperation with the United Nations a regional Conference
for the Central and Eastern European countries, assessing the
implementation of the provisions under the Beijing documents.

Allow me, in concluding, to express the confidence of our delegation
that the outcomes of this Conference will contribute to the improvement
of the status of women all over the world, on the eve of a new
millennium which we wish to be a real millennium of equality,
development and peace.

Thank you.