Fourth World Conference WOM/BEI/23 on Women 7 September 1995 7th Meeting (PM) WOMEN'S CONFERENCE HEARS RWANDA APPEAL FOR 'SPECIAL ATTENTION' IN AFTERMATH OF GENOCIDE IN THE COUNTRY Beijing Meeting Hears 33 Speakers in General Exchange of Views as Conference Concludes Fourth Day Rwanda's Minister for the Promotion of Women appealed this afternoon to the international community to give special attention and practical support to address the unique situation in her country, as the World Conference on Women continued its general exchange of views. No one here knows what it is like to live in Rwanda in the aftermath of genocide, she said. There were 500,000 widows and 400,000 orphans, who had no food or shelter and lacked the basic necessities. The killing fields and mass graves were still fresh in their minds. She also appealed for support for the International Tribunal on Rwanda, which was facing significant financial constraints. Cameroon's Minister for Social Affairs and the Status of Women stressed the need to break the vicious cycle of debt and underdevelopment. Today, the debt-burden stymied any development for women, she said. Establishment of a special fund in which payments due would be returned to projects benefitting women would halt the hemorrhage of money out of the developing countries. "Women throughout the world have their eyes on us", Cote d'Ivoire's Minister for the Family and for the Promotion of Women told the Conference. Will we be satisfied to diagnose the problems of women without resolving the controversial question of how to obtain the means needed to implement corrective action? Unless the needs of the heavily indebted countries are addressed, plans to improve the status of women there would have no effect. Although women comprise two thirds of those living in poverty, they are the most excluded from control over productive resources and from the political systems which set (more) Conference on Women - 2 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 the path for their societies, the Executive Director of Nicaragua's Institute for Women said. The old paradigm has failed; the new paradigm must focus on the needs of women and their children. There must be a new development ethic, based on the principle of equality. Good motherhood and good careers are not incompatible, Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho of Tonga told the Conference. However, successful careers could not substitute for happy homes, and lucrative professions could not be substitute parents for our children. The most profitable investment for governments would be to strengthen the family, both financially and technically, she said. Statements were also made by the Secretary-General of Equality at the Ministry to the Presidency of Greece; the Minister of Justice and Public Order of Cyprus; the Federal Counselor and Head of the Federal Department of the Interior of Switzerland; the Minister of Health of Bulgaria; the President of the National Counsel of Women of Venezuela; the Minister for Community Development, Culture and Women's Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago; and the Minister for Women of Paraguay. Also speaking were the Minister for the Promotion of Women and National Solidarity of the Central African Republic; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice, Culture and Women's Affairs of Vanuatu; the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic; the Minister for Social Development, Population and the Advancement of Women of Niger; the Acting Minister for Labour and Social Affairs of Bahrain; the Secretary for Health and Social Affairs of Macau; the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia; and the Observer for Palestine. In addition, the Secretary-General for Social Affairs of the League of Arab States; the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe; and the President of the Permanent Council of the Francophonie of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation made statements. Also: the Rector of the United Nations University; the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe; and the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II). The Conference also heard statements by representatives of the following non-governmental organizations: the International Cooperative Alliance; the International Coalition on Women and Credit; Accion Familiar; the Women's International Democratic Federation; International Right to Life Federation; and the Network for Women in Development, Europe. The Conference will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 8 September, to continue its general exchange of views. (more) Conference on Women - 3 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 CONSTANTINA PANTAZI, Secretary-General of Equality, Ministry of the President to the Government of Greece: In implementing international conventions, the Greek Government has enacted a number of laws which have brought about significant changes in the status of women. The new socialist leadership has promoted the issue of gender equality, establishing the appropriate institutional framework together with a governmental body to implement gender equality. Greece fully supports all actions promoting equal opportunities between men and women in employment, development, social and political life. Although most indicators of women's participation have improved, gender inequality continues to persist in everyday life. Established attitudes are reinforced by mass media and men continue to hold the majority of positions of authority. The Government has appointed a Secretary of State responsible for gender issues to promote better and more effective policies to further the status of women. Emphasis is given to the development of specific support structures within the context of such policies. AHMED KADRY ABD EL MEGID, Secretary-General for Social Affairs of the League of Arab States: To consider the issue of women is to consider the whole issue of human society. It is woman who brings up the family and takes care of its health and education. The deliberations of the Conference should include a reappraisal of the results achieved thus far in implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies. Sustained efforts must be exerted to meet the basic and urgent needs of the Arab women. Matters requiring attention include the elimination of impoverishment, the provision of additional health services, and the correction of women's image in the media in a manner that does not contradict Islamic or other divine laws. Arab women speak one language and share one civilization and culture, marked by internal harmony. Some civilizations have harboured erroneous images of Arab women. Despite such inexact images, Arab women have made outstanding accomplishments. Health conditions for Arab women have improved. Women in Arab countries have had access to judicial and decision-making posts, including as cabinet members and members of parliament. Attention must be given to the issues of violence against women, illiteracy, seeing women's rights as an indivisible part of human rights, poverty, and environmental issues. The League attaches great hope to the outcome of the current Conference. MARIA AUXILIADORA PEREZ DE MATUS, Executive Director of the Institute for Women of Nicaragua: The Conference is important in defining the strategic road humanity must follow to convert into action the commitments to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. There is growing international awareness of the importance of the role of women. However, although the question of women is on the (more) Conference on Women - 4 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 public agenda in every country, what has been done so far is not enough. Women comprise two thirds of those living in poverty and are most excluded from control over productive resources and from the political system which sets the path for their societies. The old paradigm has failed. The new paradigm must focus on the needs of women and their children. Development should be an egalitarian process. There must be a new development ethic, based on the principle of equality. The draft platform of action represents a decisive chapter in setting priorities for the world agenda. Gender-sensitive planning must become the norm, and inequalities between men and women eliminated. The Nicaraguan Government has made decisive progress in ensuring equal opportunity for Nicaraguan men and women. Women were direct beneficiaries of the land, of which they own 30 per cent. Discrimination cannot be discussed without addressing the latent discrimination which affects the girl-child. HEPIE ALBERTINE GNANAZAN, Minister for the Family and for the Promotion of Women of Cote d'Ivoire: To achieve peace and development, equality of rights must be recognized. It has been recognized that women have a right to play a major role in the design and implementation of development strategies. Although some progress has been achieved in the economic and social integration of women, in most cases -- particularly in Africa -- women have seen their living conditions worsen. Women in Africa constitute the bulk of displaced persons. Women throughout the world have their eyes on us. Will we be satisfied with diagnosing the problems of women without resolving the controversial question of how to obtain the means to implement corrective action? Unless the needs of the heavily indebted countries are addressed, plans to improve the status of women in such nations will have no effect. A bank for women is now being established in Cote d'Ivoire. Despite its difficult economic situation, the nation is making efforts to help women in the coming century. Textbooks have been distributed to girls free of charge and their tuition fees reduced, in order to meet the goal of education for all girls by the year 2000. Women should be involved in all conflict resolution. The expenditures on armaments should be redeployed to financed social development, where women are the driving force. HALAEVALU MATA'AHO, Queen of Tonga: In Tongan tradition, men are the family heads, landowners and political leaders. Within the family, however, sisters are superior to their brothers, outranking their brothers' wives and their children, as well as their mother's brothers and their children. When brothers become more successful, it is their sisters who become more powerful. In the last century, under Western influence, males were the first to receive education, its empowerment and benefits. By the early (more) Conference on Women - 5 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 1990s, however, the percentage of educated females had outstripped that of men. In the next 10 years, women will hold the same percentage of leadership positions as men. The moral of the story is: never rig a gender race against Tongan women. The priority issue for Tongan women is the family, which is the master key to the well-being of all nations. Although they believe that women are the basic homemakers for the human race, they also believe that females, like males, deserve the best education and career opportunities. Good motherhood and good careers are not incompatible, but successful careers cannot substitute for happy homes and lucrative professions cannot be substitute parents for our children. The most profitable investment for governments would be to strengthen the family, both financially and technically. RAIJA ITKONEN, International Co-operative Alliance: Co-operatives as member-run and financed, self-help enterprises can improve the economic and social conditions of women worldwide. They can play a key role in responding to women's physical and strategic needs by providing worker- owners with access to income-generating activities and essential services such as health-care, child-care and consumer goods. By forming into co- operatives, women can also benefit from the economies of scale and improve their access to opening markets. The Conference's draft Platform of Action notes that co-operatives can assist poor women and facilitate their equal access to resources, employment, markets and trade. They can also strengthen women's economic capacity, change institutional biases and improve women's self esteem and leadership capabilities. The Alliance, which held its first congress in 1895, groups over 200 member organizations from 101 countries, representing 765 million individuals. It disseminates information and material on women's important contribution to development and the need for concrete measures in each co- operative to advance women. Co-operatives are a models of how men and women can collaborate to pool resources and convert individual potential into a socio-economic force. They serve communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. ALECOS EVANGELOU, Minister of Justice and Public Order of Cyprus: In situations of armed conflict, women are among the most vulnerable groups, suffering grave violations of their human rights. Cyprus, a victim of abhorrent practices, particularly against women and children, as a result of the 1974 invasion, the continuing military occupation of 37 per cent of its territory and the forcible uprooting of one-third of its population, is particularly sensitive to the issue of peace. During the last 20 years, there has been a growing political and social awareness among Cypriot women, demonstrated by their struggle not only for equality and partnership but also to protest the illegal occupation of their country and to promote a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem. (more) Conference on Women - 6 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 Although there are no legal barriers to prevent women from participating in power-sharing and decision-making, the traditional position of women affects their participation in political and public life. Cyprus will pursue the policies and programmes to ensure that women enjoy their human rights as equal partners in shaping the economic, political, social and cultural development of their country. To that end it is committed to reinforce the national machinery for women's rights; study the possibility of creating an equal opportunity commission; encourage and promote full and active participation of women at all levels of the political decision-making process; and cooperate closely with the European Union on women's issues. RUTH DREIFUSS, Chief of the Federal Department of the Interior of Switzerland: All acts of violence are not at the same level. Governments should ensure respect for international humanitarian law. Women endure particularly grave violations of their rights in times of armed conflict. Other grave violations include sexual mutilations, pre-natal sex selection, forced abortion and forced sterilization. Women and children are also victims of domestic violence. Many also suffer from economic violence. Almost everywhere, there is a serious increase in the gap between rich and poor, from which women suffer in particular. The Beijing Conference stands for equality, development and peace. It promotes the participation of women at all levels of society, and the transformation of the relationship between men and women. Since the Nairobi Conference, progress has been made in several countries in several fields. However, respect for fundamental rights is still not guaranteed to women to the same extent as they are to men. There remains many areas of resistance. Governments have a chief role to play in promoting women's human rights. Non-governmental organizations also play an important role. Such organizations which wish to participate in the Fourth World Conference must benefit from non-discriminatory treatment, according to United Nations principles. MIMI VITKOVA, Minister of Health of Bulgaria: Bulgaria hopes the Conference will adopt a final document which will meet the interests of women worldwide and which will serve as a code of conduct for Member States of the United Nations. It also hopes it will contribute to the strengthening of peace and security. The process of democratization and transition to a market economy opened many opportunities for women, in theory. Many women have taken the risks involved, but not all have been successful, for economic, social and psychological reasons. Bulgaria was observing the United Nations sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), which has an impact on its economy. (more) Conference on Women - 7 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 Bulgaria intends to develop a network of services to provide training for women returning to the work-force after a long absence. The Government will also promote the development of a national strategy to improve the health of women and others. The main responsibility for carrying out the plans to enhance the status of women resides with States. Bulgaria supports those paragraphs of the draft platform of action which concern countries in transition. MARIA BELLO DE GUZMAN, President of the National Counsel of Women of Venezuela: The Conference's platform of action should promote improved standards of living for women and, consequently for families; eradication of poverty and violence; access to education on equal terms with men; access to jobs and housing; and equal participation in the world's economic, social and cultural development. The advancement of women must be seen as indispensable for development programmes. The problem of poverty, which affects women in particular, is a priority concern for Venezuela. Violence, a worldwide social evil, is an obstacle to world peace. This includes domestic and sexual violence against women, with its profound physical and psychological effects. Venezuela is committed to designing and carrying out programmes to identify the causes and origins of such violence -- programmes aimed at prevention rather than punishment. Venezuela is also committed, as a matter of priority, to developing education programmes to provide equal opportunities for women and men. HEITOR GURGULINO DE SOUZA, Rector, United Nations University (UNU): The UNU's concern with improving women's daily lives has spanned a variety of scientific and scholarly efforts for the past 20 years, coordinated through the UNU Headquarters in Tokyo, and a global network. Two endeavors have provided scholarly and scientific data for this Conference: the research being carried out at the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research in Helsinki, and the investigations at the UNU Institute for New Technologies at Maastricht in the Netherlands. At the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research, work has focused on how the process of globalization affects female labour. While the number of jobs for women may have increased, their working conditions may be deteriorating. Layoffs due to restructuring or downsizing inevitably hit women first. Structural readjustments in developing countries and marketization in former socialist States have been detrimental for women. Cutbacks in social services for working mothers, have left many unable to cope with their dual responsibilities and put them at an unfair advantage with men in the labour market. Governments must create a more level playing field for men and women by enacting anti- discrimination laws and providing working mothers with child-care, maternity leave and health care. Research at the Institute for New Technologies has focussed on how new information technologies affect women's job opportunities, especially in Asia and Latin (more) Conference on Women - 8 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 America. Advances in banking, finance and home work technologies have created new jobs for women but their limited political and economic power must be taken into account when shaping national technology plans and human resource strategies. Women need greater access to decision-making on health and safety measures, technical training and computer-related vocational and business education. Women's organizations can play a crucial watchdog role and must be closely involved in decision-making within government. YVES BERTHELOT, Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE): The ECE member States have formulated a common platform for action, both to contribute to the Conference and to guide their future policies and cooperation. The Commission reaffirms the principle that the fundamental rights of women are an "inalienable, integral and indivisible part of human rights". It endorses sanctions against those who use women as "weapons against war". The Commission also demands that women's reproductive rights be fully recognized and respected. It calls for a new gender contract for sharing work and family responsibilities on an equal basis as a prerequisite for changing behaviour and attitudes. Member States stress the need for gender disaggregated data and new statistical methodologies to highlight women's contribution to the economy, raise awareness of unequal treatment and analyze the differential impact of economic and social policies now being implemented or in the planning stages. The ECE Secretariat is prepared to mainstream women's issues into all aspects of its work, and particularly in its analyses and statistics. It will give highest priority to the follow-up of the Beijing Conference and to the implementation of the Vienna Platform. In particular, it could assist in the formulation of a regional plan for implementation of the measures recommended by both platforms. The Commission cannot, however, carry out this work without the necessary resources. YAO AISSATOU, Minister for Social Affairs and the Status of Women of Cameroon: We are here in Beijing to advance a society in which men and women are equal partners in rights as well as duties. Nearly all countries have made some progress in the advancement of women. In Cameroon, women have made significant progress, thanks to her President and thanks to the women themselves, through non-governmental organizations. To align domestic legislation with international conventions ratified by Cameroon, the legislature has enacted texts governing the fundamental rights of women. A married woman no longer needs the approval of her husband to live national territory, as was the case in the past. The presence of women in responsible positions in the parliament, government and corporations enabled Cameroon to be given an honourable position in UNDP's 1995 World Development Report. Nevertheless, serious discrimination against women persisted in the political, economic and social areas. It was important to establish a partnership for development (more) Conference on Women - 9 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 which involves shared responsibility for results. Debt was a responsibility shared by lenders and the indebted countries. Today, the debt-burden stymied any development for women. It is necessary to break the vicious cycle of debt and underdevelopment. Establishment of a special fund in which payments due would be returned to projects benefitting women would halt the haemorrhagia of money out of the developing countries. Women's role in the labour force deserves special attention. Special attention must be given to their reproductive health. Everything must be done to ensure that women enjoy good physical and mental health. Attention must be given to family planning and care. In a continent such as Africa, the action of women who cultivate crops, are in business, who carry firewood in food, who are experts in traditional medicine, affect the environment. Women must be involved in action to support the environment. Women must be involved in the search for peace and the resolution of armed conflict. JOAN YUELLE-WILLIAMS, Minister for Community Development, Culture and Women's Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago: The country is one of fewer than 25 in which women comprise more than 15 per cent of the parliamentarians. There are four female ministers in cabinet and two of the four mayors are women. Women comprise 33 per cent of the House of Assembly in Tobago and hold 40 per cent of the senior public service positions. Although women have broken through the "glass ceiling" in the public service, much remains to be done in the trade unions and private sector. The Government has identified four areas where it will commit itself to removing obstacles to women's advancement: alleviating poverty among women; valuing their unpaid work; providing affordable health care and eliminating violence against women. The Government recognizes that during the current period of financial hardship and economic readjustment in much of the Caribbean, women have been disproportionately affected. Policies to overcome this include protection of disadvantaged groups; improved access to quality educational services and training; enhanced health services and an improved social security system. Evaluating unrenumerated work in the home and community is a strategy for equity and increases the self-esteem of a large section of society. Legislation was adopted last June, which recognizes unpaid work done in and around dwellings, in the care of children, the handicapped and the elderly, agricultural labour, food production and family business as well as volunteer and community work. The Government is deeply concerned with the level of gender based violence and is actively engaged in eradicating it. Public education programmes will be instituted to counteract such violence and encourage non-violent forms of conflict resolution. The Sexual Offenses Act and Domestic violence Act are among several pieces of legislation which aim to protect the women's rights and provide them with swift due process. (more) Conference on Women - 10 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 INYUMBA ALOYSIN, Minister of the Promotion of Women of Rwanda: We have come to Beijing as survivors of the most brutal genocide. No one here knows what it is like to live in Rwanda in the aftermath of genocide. There are 500,000 women who are widows. There are 400,000 orphans, who have no food or shelter and lack the basic necessities. The killing fields and mass graves are still fresh in their minds. We hope to benefit from international support. We hope to benefit from the World Conference. Promised international assistance has not been received. In Kigali, there are 9,000 prisoners awaiting trial in a prison built to hold only 2,000. Before the war, there were 600 magistrates; only 230 remain. These are just some examples of the enormous problems facing Rwanda today. We need international support to help the refugees return home. Yet despite the problems it faces, Rwanda has formed a Government of national unity. It has set up a programme for trauma victims, as well as for the legal empowerment of women and children. It has set up an educational system. Please do not forget Rwanda, now that we have buried our dead. More are still alive and need assistance. We need the international community to recognize that the situation in Rwanda is unique and requires special attention. We ask you to give practical support to the women victims of genocide. We should also support the International Tribunal on Rwanda, which is facing significant financial constraints. DANIEL TARSCHYS, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe: The Council reiterates its commitment to the principle of equality between women and men as a fundamental principle of human rights. States cannot afford to use poverty, overpopulation and insufficient degree of development as pretexts for postponing, neglecting or denying the enjoyment of human rights by persons within their jurisdiction. It is the disregard for human rights that constitutes the obstacle to a more peaceful, just and developed world. The principle that the human rights of women are inalienable, integral, interdependent, and indivisible part of universal human rights must be unambiguously reaffirmed by the Conference. It is unacceptable that in the name of cultural tradition, religion, regional particularities or level of development, women continue to be denied their fundamental rights and freedoms, self-determination and the right to exercise their citizenship. The international community must consider how mainstream human rights enforcement mechanisms can be enhanced and made more workable for women. Non-governmental organizations are essential in encouraging women to become engaged in politics and in community activities, to develop leadership skills and to exercise fully their citizenship rights. Equality must be seen not as the power struggle between men and women but in terms of what each sex can contribute to the functioning of society and what society can gain from it. There should be a new social contract in which women can assert themselves, based on solidarity between women and men, partnership and parity of the two components of humankind. (more) Conference on Women - 11 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 CRISTINA MUNOZ, Minister for Women of Paraguay: In the past five years, Paraguay has taken decisive steps to regain its place in the international community. In 1993, Paraguay promulgated a new labour code, with equal rights for men and women in the workplace. Despite legislation, some obstacles remained in the implementation of women's rights in rural areas. A network of political women has proposed the setting of quotas for women's participation in the electoral system. That bill is currently being studied. Faced with a growth rate of 3.2 per cent annually, which results in economic and social equilibrium, the Government is carrying out activities in the areas of health, education and employment. Paraguay is currently involved in far-reaching educational reform, which offers bilingual education and supports equal opportunity for women. The Conference's plan of action should be binding and make it possible for women's needs to be met. MARIE-NOELLE KOYARA, Minister for the Promotion of Women and National Solidarity of Central African Republic: Despite economic, social and political changes in today's world, the problems facing women remain the same. Many constraints obstruct the full flourishing of women for sustainable development. The Central African Republic's law guarantees men and women equal rights in all areas. Nevertheless, there is a 24 per cent gap between boy-children and girl-children in school enrolment. School attendance for girl-children is a necessary condition for the participation of women in sustainable development. Health is the Republic's first priority, and a number of programmes are under way. In the area of preventive health, technical ministries and non-governmental organizations have taken measures relating to family planning and compulsory pre-marital examinations, and the strengthening of structures for persons living with HIV, in order to promote awareness and prevention. The Republic is currently developing a course of action against poverty. It attaches particular importance to preserving priority spending for health and education in the allocation of public expenditure. It is indispensable that the terms of trade be improved, so that developing countries may get a fair price for their exports. SETHY J. REGENVANU, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Culture, Religion and Women's Affairs of Vanuatu: Vanuatu condemns France's resumption this week of nuclear tests in the South Pacific. Since 1980, when Vanuatu became independent, women have worked alongside male leaders to promote a better life for all. They have been at the forefront in promoting education and health and also in continuing to denounce threats to the environment like continued nuclear testing. The overall goal for women in Vanuatu is to realize their potential as partners and beneficiaries in the development process and work towards their full and equal participation in local, national and international affairs. (more) Conference on Women - 12 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 Vanuatu's third National Development Plan sets out the following objectives: incorporate women's issues in mainstream development planning; increase women's participation in economic activities; encourage active cooperation between organizations working with women; strengthen the network of island and area councils of women and improve the health of women and their families. In other areas, the differences between the numbers of boys and girls attending school are being reduced. However, the Government is trying to counteract traditional pressures which still keep girls from progressing to higher education. Overseas tertiary scholarships must now be awarded in equal numbers to men and women. Health education and family planning programmes are aimed at women. Men's attitudes must be changed to counteract the alarming increase in violence against women. Although women do at least half the agricultural work, most training is given to men. Women agricultural advisors will be provided to encourage rural women in the diversification of crops and in environmentally sustainable methods of farming. JIRINA VONKOVA, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Czech Republic: Women are known to be more emotional and their vision of the world and more sensitive to the moral and human dimension of politics, civic life and inter-human relations. Even a partial absence of this dimension may result in passivity, formality and even a refusal by woman to participate in public life. Equal rights and freedom of choice about one's destiny are a fundamental starting-point for improving women's status in society. The Czech Republic rejects directive, shallow and formal support, just as it does not interfere in the intimate private and social life of women. On the other hand, society must at all levels continuously support a harmonizatiom of women's role in the family with her social and professional interests. Women's associations and organizations should be the ones to indicate the current problems and interests of women. Many women's movements and initiatives have focused on those spheres where women are mostly involved, such as social policy, family assistance, educational policy, health care and environmental issues. Women who are active in economic life show an increase in expertise, in their drive for attaining higher education and a natural yearning for self-realization. The number of Czech women entrepreneurs quadrupled between 1990 and 1994. INTISAR EL WAZIR, Observer from Palestine: Throughout the stages of the Palestinian struggle, Palestinian women have supported the battle to secure a future for their children and families, to obtain their national rights, including the right to return to their homeland, and to self- determination. Although they have accomplished a number of political, social and cultural achievements, the military occupation has obstructed their development. Twenty-eight years have deepened their social crisis and deprived them of political and judicial freedom, destroying their family life and economic status. Israel has delayed the implementation of the peace process by refusing to release Palestinian prisoners and detainees, especially women and children, and by confiscating land and (more) Conference on Women - 13 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 water. The Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian National Authority work to establish a political, social and economic system to ensure equal rights to Palestinian women and men. Palestinian women urge the Conference to implement the 1985 Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies, especially the unimplemented paragraph pertaining to the Palestinian woman and child; implement the Economic and Social Council resolution on the Palestinian woman; pressure Israel to release all prisoners, end land confiscation and the building of settlements; end the sufferings of women, who are the victims of armed conflicts, occupation, ethnic extermination and economic embargo in Palestine and Bosnia-Herzegovina; lift the embargo on the women and children of Iraq and Libya and to stop Israeli air raids on South Lebanon. They ask the conference to help them reunite with their dispersed families. WALLY N'DOW, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II): Mutual concerns make it logical for Habitat II to follow this Conference. The world is urbanizing at an alarming rate. The global population in urban areas is growing two and a half times faster than in rural areas -- from 2.4 billion this year to 5 billion in 2025. Urban and rural households headed by women are likely to be poorer than those headed by men and their poverty is compounded by limited opportunities. The feminization of poverty will be one of the main issues before the "City Summit". As the numbers of poor increase, providing adequate shelter for everyone is increasingly difficult, and beyond the resources of many national and local governments. Women have unequal access to human settlement resources and own only a fraction of the world's property. It matters little to women whether they are denied their rights in rural areas or cities, in a stagnating countryside or overcrowded urban centres, or are forced to live in dehumanizing slums and shanty towns that are an insult to the environment and the twentieth century. Habitat II's mandate is to find solutions to problems which are common to all towns and cities -- decaying infrastructures, paralyzing traffic, growing crime, inadequate and unsafe housing, rampant homelessness, a growing scarcity of clean water, mounting waste and inadequate sewerage. It will also aim to emphasize the positive and help cities make the most of their critical role as the engines of production, catalysts for progress. Nations must recognize that the development and maintenance of the human habitat depends on women and men working together in solidarity or solutions will evade us. Beijing must point the way. DODO AICHATOU MINDAOUDOU, Minister for Social Development, Population and the Promotion of Women of Niger: The women of Niger have become involved in the struggle against inequality and poverty. In economic terms, women in Niger play a major role in the informal sectors, through handicraft activities, small trading and the raising of livestock. They are also involved in the marketing of (more) Conference on Women - 14 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 agricultural products. Unfortunately, adequate account is not taken of those activities. Advances in the status of women can only be achieved through active solidarity among all the women of the world. It must also involve States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. SHAIK AHMED BIN SAQER AL KHALIFA, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Bahrain: Bahrain's constitution is based on the Islamic faith, and as such, it forms the basis for the enjoyment of human rights. It establishes the principles of justice, freedom, equality, knowledge and social solidarity. Based on the belief that the family is the nucleus of society and women are the cornerstone of progress, Bahrain spares no effort to improve women's status, both economically and socially. The Government, along with non-governmental organizations, is making concerted efforts to enable women to play an effective role in the development process. Bahrain's society is currently undergoing changes in its social values, triggered by the influence of openness on culture and traditions. Those changes call for new responsibilities to be shared by women, in view of their unique position of moulding the new generation. Also facing Bahrain is the challenge of enabling a larger percentage of women to participate in the country's workforce. Low rates of such participation create a structural imbalance which needs to be corrected. That would require education campaigns on the one hand and the creation of job opportunities on the other. "Women should be aware that incessant attachment to specific types of jobs and choosy attitudes will not help in the achievement of the goals of development." ANA MARIA PEREZ, Secretary for Health and Social Affairs of Macau: Having considered the universal principle that women and men are equal, it is necessary to promote equal opportunities in the workplace and social life, so that equality in the personal fulfilment can be achieved. Macau is a unique monument, jointly constructed by the Portuguese and the Chinese. It has been a meeting point of Western and Eastern cultures for centuries. It has a population of over 400,000, mostly comprising immigrants from neighbouring countries and areas. Macau has undergone profound transformations in recent years. In response to those changes, social facilities have been set up for youth and the elderly. Maternity is a value protected by law. Family planning, maternal health, pre-natal and post-natal care are provided free of charge. The principle of non-discrimination in employment is enshrined in Macau's law. There is no restriction on the participation of women in political and social life. However, certain attitudes towards women remain. The most difficult obstacle is the innate resistance to change. (more) Conference on Women - 15 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 RUSSUDAN BERIDZE, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia: For 70 years, Georgia had only dreamed of independence. The new Constitution takes the democratic path of development, establishing the rights and freedoms of human beings. A terrorist attack on the President of Georgia took place on the day that Constitution was to be signed. We should raise our voice against violence and terrorism. EMILE DERLIN ZINSOU, President of the Permanent Council of the Francophonie of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation: The Conference will be sterile if it does not find means to implement its ambitions. The Conference should not simply be a matter of appearances. The French-speaking community is committed to cooperation and development. There is growing acceptance of the fact that women's rights and women's issues concern society as a whole. Nevertheless, many women continue to face obstacles owing to their race, culture, religion or ethnic origins. The struggle of women really represents the struggle and dignity of mankind as a whole. ELA BHATT of the International Coalition on Women and Credit: The message of Beijing events should be that low-income women are leading the movement for change by gaining access to finance. They want greater access in order to use their income to change their own realities and create their own safety nets. "If we as women want our values to shape our world, we need economic power. Without economic power, it will be difficult to get political power. We need to take the lead in reshaping our world's financial systems so that they serve the poor majority. No more crying now." The International Coalition on Women and Credit reaches over 4 million women with credit and savings services. Its representatives have come to Beijing to make sure that the Conference adopts a platform for action which will increase the participation of low-income women in economic activity through access to finance. ROSARIO GORTAZAR, of Accion Familiar, a non-governmental organization: The educational role of the family in the furtherance of peace, democracy and progress has been recognized by numerous United Nations documents, including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Economic support should be provided to families. While Governments often say that they can not afford to provide such support, in reality, women living in poverty places a greater burden on their economies. Women bear responsibility for providing health, education and food to children, for caring for the elderly, and numerous other unremunerated jobs. International institutions, led by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, should, as a matter of priority, attend to the urgent and pressing needs of women. Providing women with access to jobs, dignified working conditions and equal pay are critical to society's development. The Conference should call for experts to examine and quantify women's contribution to the economy. Specific forms of economic (more) Conference on Women - 16 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 assistance for the family should be created or increased. The World Bank should investigate the impact of such assistance on the economy in order to prove its effectiveness so that it would be more widely used. SYLVIE JAN, President of the Women's International Democratic Federation: The Federation was born out of the resistance by women to fascism 50 years ago. Today, there are millions of members on five continents united in defending human rights, liberty and peace. This conference should lead to specific actions, not just express objectives. Regarding the Platform of Action, we cannot accept that our rights will be placed in brackets. The text is weak in denouncing the causes of this. We accuse all the profiteers, exploiters and those who are thinking of becoming rich on the backs of the people, particularly women. We accuse the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, who are strangling the development of countries of the South and the North. We accuse the development of countries of the South and the North. We accuse States who traffic in arms and drugs, and those who proclaim democracy and keep thousands of women in prison. I am thinking of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, of Kurdish prisoners in Turkey and Palestinian prisoners in Israel, of Kurdish prisoners in Turkey and others who are repressed because of their cultural and political identify. Mentioning some does not mean we are forgetting others. We would like to draw international attention to Islamic and Catholic fundamentalists. We are scandalized that they are present at this Conference. Fundamentalism is not an opinion, it is dangerous. I am thinking of Algerians, Sudanese, and Iranians. We ask Governments and the Secretary-General to address the problem of women who have been raped as an instrument of war. There must be assistance for these women and children born of these rapes. The non-governmental forum at this Conference has given us more energy to continue the struggle. Women's resistance has to be reckoned with. JEANNE E. HEARD, International Right to Life: Right to Life is dedicated to the protection of all innocent human life from conception to natural death, including protection for women during their later years, assistance for young women and their children susceptible to social neglect and full protection of the girl child from her beginning in the mother's womb. The overemphasis on "reproductive health" neglects the wider and urgent health and social issues of women everywhere, particularly in the developing world. The draft document before the Conference contains bracketed language referring to so-called "unsafe" abortion with the false and dangerous implication that abortion, if legalized, can be made safe. The key to reduction in maternal mortality rates from all causes is to improve maternal health care. In the developing world -- where medical care, antibiotics and even basic asepsis are scarce or absent -- abortion would increase, not decrease, (more) Conference on Women - 17 - Press Release WOM/BEI/23 7th Meeting (PM) 7 September 1995 maternal mortality. Abortion is never safe for the unborn child. The girl child is in special danger because of the practice of female foeticide as well as female infanticide. Abortion was rejected as a fundamental right and a method of family planning by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. The selective use of the language from the Cairo Conference in the Beijing document seems an attempt to circumvent and undermine national constitutions and laws. Unless is its amended to accurately reflect the language and intent of the Cairo document, it can give license to financially powerful governmental and non-governmental organizations to interfere with the abortion policies of at least 95 sovereign nations. Delegates are urged to stand firm against the cultural imperialistic tactics of the Western world. HELEN O'CONNELL of Network Women and Development Europe: The so- called free market model of economic development promoted by the "Group of Seven" countries and the international financial institutions is increasing poverty and entrenching inequalities between countries, and within countries on the grounds of gender, social group, race and ethnicity. The free market model has little time for social or economic justice or notions of ecologically sound development. Women cannot enjoy equal rights locally in a situation of growing global poverty. The Network functioned on the principles that the well being of people is superior to the maximization of profit; that social policy, personal and cultural life cannot be subordinated to economic policy; and that equality for all people is central to development and peace. Societies must address pressing social issues; political and economic structures must be democratized; transnational corporations must be made to comply with human rights standards; and the United Nations must be reformed so that it can provide democratic and accountable global leadership. HAMID AL RITFAIE, Secretary General of the World Muslim Congress: Both men and women must act on a basis of compassion. To women God has delegated his mission to perpetuate life on earth in two directions, which no man on life can fulfil. God has also ensured that women are the source of love and compassion. Human authorities have tried to encroach on their sacred place, by saying that beings should be eliminated before birth, violating their dignity and raising carnal desire to a pedestal. Women are partners with men in all domains of life. All unsanctioned forms of cohabitation are a violation of the sanctity of life. Any violation of a man or woman is a major crime and constitutes genocide. Anyone guilty of this has no right to life himself. * *** *