*************************************************************************** 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 INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY) Speech delivered on behalf of the Inter-Parliamentary Union by the President of the IPU Council, Dr. Ahmed Fathy Sorour MADAM CHAIRPERSON, MADAM SECRETARY GENERAL, EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES, LADES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO ADDRESS THIS DISTINGUISHED AUDIENCE. THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION HELD YESTERDAY A PARLIAMENTARIANS' DAY AT WHICH SOME FIVE HUNDRED MPS FROM ONE HUNDRED AND TWO COUNTRIES PARTICIPATED. THE SESSION WAS HELD IN THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE OF CHINA UNDER YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND I WISH TO REITERATE TO THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF CHINA AND YOURSELF OUR DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THIS IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS TO GATHER AND MAKE THEIR PRESENCE FELT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS CONFERENCE. PARLIAMENTS ARE INSTITUTIONS OF THE STATE AND, AS THEIR WORLD ORGANIZATION, THE IPU FEELS THAT THEY SHOULD BE CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AT ANY GLOBAL CONFERENCE WHERE GOVERNMENTS COMMIT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE. IT IS UP TO PARLIAMENTS TO ADOPT LEGISLATION CONSISTENT WITH SUCH COMMITMENTS, TO VOTE NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMMES AND BUDGETS, AND IN GENERAL TO OVERSEE THAT GOVERNMENTS MEET THESE COMMITMENTS. IT IS ALSO THE TASK OF INDIVIDUAL PARLIAMENTARIANS TO CONVEY AND EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE THE CONCEPTS AND IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE PLATFORM FOR ACTION. IT IS WITH THIS APPROACH IN MIND -- OF PARTNERSHIP AT THE LEVEL OF STATE -THAT PARLIAMENTARIANS' DAY WAS HELD AND IT CONCLUDED WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE BEIJING PARLIAMENTARY DECLARATION. THIS DOCUMENT ENSHRINES THE VISION AND PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THEIR COMMITMENTS TO PERFORM THEIR SHARE OF THE FOLLOW-UP WORK. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT. MADAM CHAIRPERSON, TRUE DEMOCRACY REQUIRES MORE WOMEN BECOMING POLITICAL ACTORS. THE IPU BELIEVES THAT THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY WILL TRULY COME INTO ITS OWN WHEN MAJOR POLICY OBJECTIVES AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION ARE DECIDED UPON JOINTLY BY MEN AND WOMEN WITH EQUAL REGARD FOR THE SPECIFIC INTERESTS AND APTITUDES OF EACH HALF OF THE POPULATION. SUCH AN ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP OF BOTH ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY IS INDEED ONE OF THE SUREST, MOST LASTING FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT. IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT, NO COUNTRY CAN ANY LONGER AFFORD TO OVERLOOK ANY PORTION OF ITS HUMAN RESOURCES. YET, IPU SURVEYS SHOW THAT, TO-DAY, WOMEN STILL OCCUPY ONLY 11.3 PER CENT OF SEATS IN THE WORLD'S PARLIAMENTS. IPU HAS A PLAN OF .ACTION TO CORRECT PRESENT IMBALANCES IN THE PARTICIPATION OF MEN [AND WOMEN IN POLITICAL LIFE. IT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR STRATEGIES WHICH, IN OUR OWN PARTICULAR CONTEXTS AND WITHOUT DISCLAIMING OUR TRADITIONAL VALUES, CAN REMEDY THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS WHICH HAS HAD DISASTROUS EFFECTS ON OUR SOCIETIES. WE CONSIDER THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN TO BE JUST A SINGLE STEP, ONE THAT MUST SET OFF A LONG-TERM PROCESS AIMED AT AN IN- DEPTH REBALANCING OF SOCIETY AND INDEED AT DEMOCRACY. AS PARLIAMENTARIANS, WE FORTHWITH UNDERTAKE TO FOLLOW UP THE BEIJING GLOBAL ACTION PLATFORM THE REGIONAL PLATFORMS AND THE IPU PLAN OF ACTION IN WHAT WE DEEM TO BE THE MOST FITTING AND EFFECTIVE MANNER AND WITH THE GREATEST POSSIBLE DISPATCH. ONE OF OUR UNDERTAKINGS IS TO WORK FOR THE UNIVERSAL RATIFICATION OF CEDAW AND TO EXAMINE THE VALIDITY OF ANY RESERVATIONS OR INTERPRETATIVE STATEMENTS PLACED ON RATIFICATION WITH A VIEW TO THEIR EARLIEST LIFTING. WE FURTHER CONSIDER THAT EACH COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE A MECHANISM FOR MEASURING THE IMPACT ON THE SITUATION OF WOMEN OF ANY DRAFT LAW OR BILL AND ANY RELATED PROVISIONS, AND INTEND TO TAKE MEASURES FOR ITS ESTABLISHMENT. ALLOW ME HOWEVER TO UNDERLINE THAT OUR PARLIAMENTS WOULD FEEL ALL THE MORE COMMITTED TO ENSURE THAT MEASURES ARE TAKEN AND ADEQUATE RESOURCES ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR CARRYING OUT ACTION RECOMMENDED BY THIS CONFERENCE IF ITS CONCLUDING DOCUMENTS WERE TO INCLUDE A DIRECT APPEAL TO THEM TO THAT EFFECT. I AM PROUD TO ADD THAT, FOR ITS PART, THE IPU HAS ALREADY FORESEEN STEPS FOR FOLLOWING-UP THIS CONFERENCE. WE WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS. THANK YOU