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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


UN FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN 
BEIJING, CHINA 
September,1995 

INDIAN NGOS INTERVENTION 
A statement on behalf of seven Indian National Women's Organisations 
with an overall membership of nearly eight million women.

Shobhana Ranade 
President 
All India Women's 
Conference (AIWC)


 i) With two thirds of the world's population dependant on agriculture, 
there is no mention in the draft platform of action of land reform and 
the need for distribution of land with ownership rights (not just 
access) to poor women. This should be rectified.

 ii) The goal of all programmes undertaken should be total eradication 
of poverty, instead of alleviation of poverby.

 iii) We draw attention to the fact that privatisation of education 
turns this human right into a profit making industry, further 
marginalising women.

 iv) We oppose the primacy given to population reduction through the 
control of women's fertility by the use of harmful contraceptives in 
programmes, often through coercive methods.

 v) We appeal for comprehensive legislation against domestic violence to 
be enacted by member states of the U.N through a bill of rights.

 vi) We deplore the use of violence by the state or dominant classes 
including the use of rape as a weapon against women of oppressed 
communities.

 vii) We oppose the huge growth of the arms industry in G-7 countries 
recognising that excessive military spending is one of the main 
constraints for development. Maintenance of national security and peace 
is essential for economic growth and development and the empowerment of 
women.

 viii) While recognising that economic independence is the pre-requisite 
for women's equality, we condemn the devastation caused by structural 
adjustment prowrammes in the field of employment for women.

 ix) We re-affirm the need to safeguard women's interest and 
participation in decision making at all levels by reserving seats for 
women in all elected bodies.

 x) We appeal for the establishment of autonomous bodies to monitor 
government policies and make recommendations binding for the governments 
which will be held accountable to elected legislatures.

 xi) We appeal to this conference to use every affirmative action 
possible to narrow the gender gap in all important spheres.

 xii) We call upon every government to ratify CEDAW (Convention Against 
Eradication if all forms of Discrimination Against Women) and submit 
annual progress reports to the CEDAW monitoring committees set up by the 
U.N.

 xiii) We ask for the acknowledgement of the linkages between easily 
accessilbe pornography and increasing violence against women and appeal 
to the media, audio-visual and electronic, to halt the commodification 
of the female body.

 iv) We urge this conference to confirm that the basic human rights are 
the right to food, employment, housing, clothing and health services and 
that the index of human rights has to be related to the quality of life.


1. All India Women's Conference
2. All India Democratic Women's Association
3. Centre for Women's Development Studies
4. Joint women's Programme
5. Young women’s Christian Association of India
6. National Federation of Indian women
7. Mahila Dakshata Samiti