*************************************************************************** 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 to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women by Women's International League for Peace and Freedom on Behalf of the NGO Peace Caucus Thank you Madam Chair for giving us the floor. I speak on behalf of representatives of many organizations who are participating in the NGO Peace Caucus. We are concerned that the Platform for Action undervalues the role of peace in advancing equality and development There is solid reference in the document to protection of women victims of war. While we support all possible assistance given to such victims, we ask that more attention be given to prevention of war and making the conditions for a lasting peace possible. Women offer solutions towards sustainable peace. This is not reflected in the Platform for Action. The world military sector and trafficking in arms consume vast financial, human, technological, and natural resources, which are diverted from socially equitable and ecologically sustainable development. In 1981, the United Nations passed Resolution 36/82 on "Reduction of Military Budgets" to freeze these budgets, yet military budgets worldwide have doubled. To achieve the goals of equality, development and peace, the financial resources needed must be taken from those now given over to military activities. Peace is a prerequisite to the goals set by the Forward Looking Strategies for equality and sustainable development, which are currently at risk. Already at the regional preparatory conferences and again in the eight days of the NGO Forum, women from all over the world, particularly from Africa and Asia, made a strong demand for halting the conflict and genocide with which they live. Following the horror caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first act of the General Assembly was to establish mechanisms for controlling and eliminating nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons and nuclear energy production remains a deadly threat to people and to the environment. Why does nuclear testing continue even while this conference is going an despite the strong opposition everywhere? Why has the call of women worldwide for halting the production, stockpiling and of testing these weapons gone unheeded? Is it not time to acknowledge that women are the missing link in building peace? Equality is one of the most important though less acknowledged prerequisites to peace. Therefore, women must participate fully in all stages of peace processes and negotiations. From peace education, preventive diplomacy, non-violent peace building and peacekeeping to post-conflict peace building, women's skills and experience as mediators and conciliators in all spheres of society will make a qualitative difference in the effectiveness of these activities. The interests of common security can best be served by transforming the culture of violence into a culture of peace. Peace is more than an absence of war. It is an environment, within which every individual can realize her or his fullest creative potential, within which technological achievements are balanced by complementary, moral and ethical advancements. We call on this World Conference on Women to fulfill the expectations of women worldwide and to make the following commitments: 1. To call for measures to halt research, production, sale, international trade and trafficking of all weapons. 2. To call for the following: - banning the development, production, storage and deployment of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. - banning the production, sale and use of landmines. - banning the production, sale and use of laser weapons which cause instant and permanent blindness. -the immediate dismantling of existing landmines. 3. To call for the reduction of military budgets by half to meet the goals of the resolution adopted by the UN more than 15 years ago in order to finance the necessary structures to meet the goals of the Forward Looking Strategies. 4. To call for the establishment of conflict prevention, conflict management and resolution centres with a balanced presence of women and with funds provided by the United Nations in areas where conflicts are likely to erupt or where peace is particularly fragile. 5. To call for the development and implementation of peace education curricula in all educational institutions. 6. To call for the provision for training of women, men and children at all levels worldwide in the skills of non-violent peacemaking and conflict resolution. 7. To call for the full democratization of the UN Security Council and take steps to allow the voice of women of all regions of the world to be heard. The culture of peace for which we all long requires enlightened and courageous legislation. It also requires a transformation of heart and mind in individuals worldwide - especially decision makers. Women, as channels of life and culture throughout the ages, are ideally equipped to show the way. Are the governments here represented willing to care enough and dare enough to create this needed legislation and embrace and commit to this essential transformation? Thank you.