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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


SAARC COLLECTIVE POSITION ON WOMEN
PRESENTATION BY SMT. BASAVARAJESWARI
MINISTER OF STATE FOR WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
ON BEHALF OF SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION (SAARC)

FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, SEPTEMBER 1995 BEIJING


Respected Chairperson,
Excellencies,
distinguished delegates,
ladies and gentlemen.

It is a proud moment for the SAARC nations to collectively voice their
concerns, aspirations and future visions to this august gathering of the
World Conference on Women. I would like to thank the United Nations for
having given our Region this opportunity to articulate the perspectives,
visions and hopes of our women in this historic World Conference.
On behalf of SAARC, I also extend my gratitude to the Government of
People’s Republic of China and the Chinese people for the warm hospitality
that we have been receiving.

For the global community, as for South Asia, the Conference symbolises
tremendous hope and offers a unique opportunity for a profoundly improved
quality of life, based on equality, equity and partnership between men
and women. It is imperative that together we build on the unique
mobilisation and unprecedented momentum that have been created as a
build-up to the Conference, in order to usher in the new millenium.

Women and girl-children of the SAARC Region constitute one fifth of the
world's entire female population. We are bound by striking commonalities,
in spite of our distinct diversities. Our commonalities can be traced to
a shared past and many socio-cultural affinities. As members of SAARC we
are firmly committed to a common approach to our problems, on the basis
of a continuing process of experience sharing and exchange of' ideas. Our
unshakeable goals are women's advancement and women's empowerment.

The SAARC Region mirrors many contrasts in the condition of women. Our
region has been the first to throw up women leaders of world stature. It
has also - time and again - demonstrated successful models of women's
empowerment, replicable in different contexts. Yet, we cannot be blind to
the grim reality that gender inequities are intricately interwoven into
the fabric of our lives. Of the 1.2 billion people living in poverty, a
majority live in our region. Feminisation of poverty is pronounced and
gender discrimination is at its worst under conditions of
institutionalised deprivation. The labour market continues to treat women
and men unequally, not only with regard to employment, hut also with
regard to wages. Whether it is education or health, access to factors of
production, or technological developments, women are marginalised. Our
socialisation processes and economic situations disadvantage women in
myriad ways. The rising trend of atrocities against women and persistent
discrimination against girl-children disturb the collective conscience of
the region.

It is in this backdrop that SAARC reaffirms and reiterates the basic
right to development - the right to develop as individuals and nations.
As you know, in the World Summit for Social Development at Copenhagen we
were successful in getting a global commitment for South Asia where the
largest number of people in poverty live. We continue to emphasise the
centrality of gender perspectives in poverty eradication and in efforts
to create full employment.

We call for strong, vibrant leadership roles for women, for increased
visibility and due acknowledgement of their contribution to national
economies. Reform and effective implementation of laws to secure women's
human rights, dignity and equal access to factors of production are
imperative. Democratic decentralisation and women's participation in
popular and political institutions arc critical to the process of
empowerment, as are effective mainstreaming of gender concerns in macro-
policies, programmes and related institutional structures. Societal
reorientation, positive portrayals of women in media and strengthening of
advocacy efforts to facilitate empowerment are of utmost importance.

A SAARC Workshop on cooperation for the World Conference on Women was
held in Delhi, India, in February, 1994. It adopted the Delhi Declaration
underlining a common position on areas of critical concern in the region.
The eighth SAARC Summit held in Delhi, in May, 1995, endorsed this
position. The culmination of this process was at the SAARC Ministerial
Meeting on Women held at Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 30-31, July, 1995, which
formulated the Dhaka Resolution on Women, calling on the World Conference
to appropriately reflect the SAARC perspectives on women.

The Delhi Declaration and the Dhaka Resolution have urged upon the
International community and this World Conference to focus attention on
the following urgent concerns:

- Eradication of poverty;

- The mainstreaming of gender perspective;

- The Political, Economic and Social Empowerment of Women through
Affirmative Action wherever necessary;

- Access to Health, Education and Nutrition;

- Elimination of violence against Women and Girl Children;

- Survival, Protection and Development of the Girl Child;

These are concerns the redressal of which brooks no delay. It is
imperative that National efforts in these directions are reinforced by a
favourable International environment including access to resources,
markets and technology on equitable terms.

I now have the honour and privilege to table before you the Delhi
Declaration and the Dhaka Resolution on Women.

On behalf of SAARC, I take this opportunity to thank you for your kind
attention. We are confident that you will respond appropriately and give
the perspectives of the women of our region the priority and importance
they deserve. Thank you.