*************************************************************************** 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 INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION STATEMENT BY INGAR BRUEGGEMANN, SECRETARY GENERAL AT THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN: EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE BEIJING, 7 SEPTEMBER, 1995 Madame President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. May I first express my congratulations to you, Madame President, on the assumption of your important role at this historic Conference. I would also like to thank the Secretary General of the United Nations Mr Boutros Boutros Ghali and the Secretary General of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Mrs. Gertrude Mongella, for her tenacity in preparing this Conference. Madams President, I take it as a good omen that I have the chance to address this audience during the first week of my new position as Secretary-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), which I have the honour to represent at this Conference. The International Planned Parenthood Federation, founded by women for women's concern in 1952 in India, has grown into t40 national voluntary and autonomous family planning associations. It takes its legitimacy from this build up at the grassroots level, strengthened by regional networks and linked by its International Federation, with its Secretariat placed in London. The International Planned Parenthood Federation, with its commitment to promoting the right of and possibility for women and men to decide freely the number and spacing of their children, has taken up the challenge to broaden its functions to create awareness for the proper understanding of reproductive health in everyone's life cycle. We particularly wish to concentrate on informing the young on the basic elements for a responsible and healthy sexual behaviour. We are obliged to continue the sad, yet intensive task to struggle against unsafe abortion, which still causes unforgivable numbers of deaths of women, every day It should and could be reduced and eventually eliminated only if we, as responsible societies, would provide all the relevant information and services needed to avoid unwanted pregnancies, which would be the only way to reduce a need for abortion to a minimum. In this context, policies and programmes of IPPF have been developed to reflect our concern with regard to the sexual and reproductive decision- making of individuals. This approach is embodied in our Strategic Plan "Vision 2000,” which was adopted by the t40 members of the IPPF in 1992 and intended to form the basis of work for all our family planning associations This “Vision 2000,” challenging to achieve women's equal rights commits us to promoting and monitoring gender equality at all levels of our activities. It provides an ethical framework for family planning and reproductive health. In these efforts to reach out to improve conditions for women and men, IPPF is in the process of developing a comprehensive Charter on Reproductive and Sexual Rights, intended to raise awareness that sexual and reproductive health, particularly affecting women, is recognised as part of human rights! expressed in the right to individual decisions, to privacy dignity, and confidentiality. This draft still requires discussion and debate, and will be reviewed by representatives of all IPPF's 140 members in a few months time. As befits the conscience of IPPF, the Charter will set our principles relevant for everyone in their personal life. Member associations will base their standards for providing services and caring for users on these principles Madame President, in short, IPPF contributes through its volunteers and services to achieving a healthier and thus more productive and happier life for individuals and families by meeting family planning needs, by promoting sexual and reproductive health for women and men, by eliminating unsafe abortion and by taking affirmative action to gain equality and empowerment of women, by helping young people to understand their sexuality and thus enable them to prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. We trust that the enthusiasm generated by the participants of this Conference as well as by all those participating in the NGO Forum of Women will create the necessary political will as well as the commitment to provide the resources for turning the decisions to be taken by this Conference into worldwide action. IPPF commits itself to undertake its share of the tasks ahead together with you, politicians governments, and the many other partners in development Thank you.