ISO: BTN *************************************************************************** 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 HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS SONAM CHODRON WANGCHUCK LEADER OF THE BHUTANESE DELEGATION AT THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN BEIJING, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Madame Chairperson, Distinguished Delegates Ladies and Gentlemen. I have the honour, today, to bring to you and to this conference the warmest greetings and good wishes of His Majesty, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan. On behalf of the delegation from Bhutan, I would like to wish you, Madame Chairperson, the warmest felicitations on your election to this most important post. It is not only a recognition of your personal wisdom and capability, but an expression of our trust that you will guide this conference with the highest level of skill, intellect, and conviction. My delegation would like to express its appreciation to His Excellency Mr. JIANG Zemin, the President of the People's Republic of China, for his most inspiring inaugural address. I believe that His Excellency has launched this conference on a note of hope and purpose. I also wish to express my deep gratitude to His Excellency for the warm hospitality with which we have been welcomed to this historic and vibrantly modern city. It is, indeed? a fitting venue for a conference of this importance and magnitude. We acknowledge the vital assistance which the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, has given to the organizers of this conference. It is his personal concern for women and his enlightened support which has helped make this conference more meaningful. We would like to pay a special tribute to Madame Gertrude Mongella, Secretary-General of this conference, for the commitment and brilliance with which she has steered the consultations at the regional and international levels, on the path to Beijing. Madame Chairperson, The theme of this conference is relevant to the very essence of human existence. We have long accepted the fact that women have suffered, and continue to suffer, the indignities and humiliation of deprivation and abuse in many regions, nations, communities and even within families. It is the girl child and the woman who is often bypassed by the benefits of development; it is she who often bears the brunt of war, conflict, calamities and disasters. By confronting the problems facing women, at the highest level, this conference represents yet another major step forward by the international community towards our noble goal. We must recognise that, on the threshold of the twenty first century, the world is a far better place for women than it was even a few decades ago. The First World Conference on Women, the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the recent UN conferences on Environment, Human Rights, Population, and Social Development, have all helped accelerate the well being of women around the world. The Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women has given us cause for satisfaction while highlighting critical areas of need and action. Madame Chairperson, I am happy to report that, in Bhutan, we are spared the numerous barriers and disadvantages that often afflict women in society. Bhutanese women have always enjoyed political, economic, and social equality Women are often favoured in terms of inheritance and institutional credit, and play an equal role in all aspects of decision- making within the family. Our age-old traditional values ensure that divorcees and widows are not burdened with any stigma, and re-marriage is an honourable option to both sexes. New and updated legislation on crime against women, especially Of minors, provide additional protection for women. Today, women leaders and professionals are increasingly prominent figures in government and in the private sector. In rural Bhutan, village women enjoy equal influence in decision-making. the proportion of women in elected local bodies; like Block Development Committees and District Development Committees is as high as 70 percent. While our traditional value systems and institutions have ensured the equality of women, development planning and policies reflect a special sensitivity to the needs, role, and potential Of women. The girl child and mother have been the focus of programmes like school enrolment and health activities, with dramatic results. Along with the international goal of Health for All by the Year 2000, Bhutan is on schedule in the implementation of the Plan Of Operations for the Upliftment of Children and Women and the Plan of Action for the Girl Child. In 1981, the National Assembly of Bhutan endorsed the establishment of the National Women's Association of Bhutan to enhance the role of women at all levels of the development process. The Association, with nation- wide chapters, has successfully addressed the critical needs of rural women through a variety of programmes like rural credit, family health, employment skills training, and education. Madame Chairperson, At the regional level, we share the awareness and concerns of the socio- economic problems faced by the women in our region, South Asia. I would like to reaffirm my country's commitment to the common position on women stated in the Dhaka Declaration by the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Bhutan also shares the concern and commitment of the Non Aligned Movement which represents the entire developing world. We endorse the NAM message to this conference. Madame Chairperson, In the ultimate analysis, the success of this conference will depend, not on grand strategies and proclamations of wisdom, but on the genuine understanding and commitment of every nation and every Individual. In this regard, we must appeal to the developed countries, International agencies, and financial institutions to pledge the necessary resources and technology to enable the poorer nations to translate their will into action. Let us part with a unison of mind and resolve. Let our 12 areas of concern be as important as the 12 hours of each day. Like the constant change in time itself, the priorities may vary from nation to nation. But let us remember that there is an urgent task before us every hour of the day. Let us not forget the common concerns and goals. Equality, Development. and Peace are the sacred tenets enshrined in the Beijing Declaration and the Platform of Action which we will adopt as our universal goal. Thank you... Tashi Delek!!!