Fourth World Conference WOM/BEI/32 on Women 13 September 1995 14th Meeting (AM) NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESS BEIJING WORLD WOMEN'S CONFERENCE AT CONCLUSION OF GENERAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS Recognition of women's unpaid work, their right to control their bodies, the needs of rural women and their problems in specific regions, older women's needs, violence and discrimination against lesbian women, and gender balance within the United Nations system were among the issues raised this morning by non-governmental organizations, as the Fourth World Conference on Women concluded its general exchange of views. Women have the right to control their bodies and to choose whether or not they want to be mothers, the President of Choose the Cause of Women (Choisir) told the Conference. Women were neither breeding animals nor parameters on population curves whose behaviour must be regulated. Giving life was an act of responsibility and clear thinking and one does not reproduce or abort at the order of governments. The intrusion of religious dictates into this debate must be rejected as a matter of principle. The most serious problem facing the countries in transition in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union was the consistent and drastic decline in the status of women, a representative of the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning said. The most pressing concern for women in the region was the restriction or threatened restriction on the right to legal and accessible abortion. Governments were urged to develop a plan for regional cooperation and allocate appropriate resources to implement the Conference's draft platform. The Network of African Rural Women's Associations stressed that rural women produced most of the food, managed most of the earth's natural resources, and created most of the jobs in rural areas. Despite that, they remained unrecognized and impoverished. (more) Conference on Women - 2 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 Arab women were victims of backwardness, discrimination, inequality before the law, and unequal opportunities, the Chairperson of the Arab Organization for Human Rights said. They faced obstacles in the form of norms and traditions which made legal progress only theoretical and also led to acts of violence. The situation was beyond endurance in certain parts of the Arab world. She appealed to the Arab Governments to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to ensure that their legislation on women was in line with the Convention. Citing the contribution made by women's unpaid work, the President of the European Federation of Women Working in the Home said that, for the most part, such women were excluded from social protection schemes and training programmes. She demanded the recognition of a specific social status for women who work at home which guaranteed access to health care and retirement benefits, as well as training, to allow entry or reentry into the labour market. A representative of the International Gay and Lesbian Rights Commission declared that every day, around the world, lesbians suffered violence, harassment and discrimination because of their sexual orientation. They were fired from their jobs, forced into marriages, beaten and murdered in their homes and on the streets and had their children taken away by hostile courts. The Conference, she said, must recognize that such discrimination was a violation of basic human rights. The draft platform for action did not adequately address certain areas of critical concern to older women, a representative of the Older Women's Network of Australia said. Such concerns related primarily to discrimination, which was particularly pervasive in the issues of employment, education and training; the elimination of poverty;, the social integration of older women; and their access to health care. One very specific issue which was not addressed in the draft platform was violence and abuse of older women. The following non-governmental organzations also addressed the Conference: Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); InterAction; Coordinator of non-governmental organizations for the Latin American and Caribbean region; the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations; the Caucus of African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET); the Australian Girl Guides and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts; the International Human Rights Law Group; the Centre for Women's Global Leadership; the Anglican Communion; Education International; the World Federation of United Nations Associations; and the International Federation of University Women. (more) Conference on Women - 3 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 Statements were also made by the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs of Palau, and the Deputy to the Assistant Secretary-General in the United Nations Office of Human Resources. The representatives of Greece and Armenia spoke in exercise of the right of reply. During the Conference's general exchange of views, which began on 5 September, speakers stressed such issues as the need to enhance women's participation in decision-making, to include gender-sensitivity in the formulation of public policy, to protect the health of women and children, to ensure women's economic, social and political rights and to provide family planning services. Emphasizing the importance of education, speakers called for efforts to increase women's literacy and to combat the tendency of girl-children in some regions to drop out of school. The overall needs of the girl-child were also highlighted, as was the need to combat violence against women, address the impact of poverty on women and alleviate the problems of rural women. The need to foster a realistic image of woman in the media and combat traditional stereotypes and biases which hold women back was stressed, as was the traditional role of women as mothers and their unique role in humanizing society was also stressed. Speakers highlighted the need for efforts to ameliorate the effects on women and children of the crushing debt burden of many countries, the impact of armed conflict and civil war on women, the role of women in maintaining peace, the plight of women and children refugees, and women's role in development and environment. A number of speakers drew attention to the specific difficulties facing women in societies which are undergoing the transition to a market economy. The Conference plenary will meet again on a date to be announced. (more) Conference on Women - 4 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 RIOSANG SALVADOR, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs, of Palau: As members of a matrilineal society, Palauan women are accustomed to decision-making in all spheres of life. Women's organizations are at the core of the socio-political fabric of Palauan society. However, this institutionalized power has been challenged since contact with Palauan colonizers. Like their sisters in other Pacific countries, Palauan women are at the crossroads of economic, social, political and cultural changes. Varying degrees of violence, inequality and degradation of indigenous peoples still exist. The Government is concerned with the impact of the fast growing tourist industry on the country's natural and cultural resources. In solidarity with other Pacific nations, Palau strongly condemns nuclear testing and the dumping of hazardous, toxic and radioactive materials in the region. The country depends on its marine resources and blatant disregard for the environment threatens its livelihood. Palau fully endorses the theme of the Conference as a way to facilitate women's active participation in nation building. The Government pledges its support and commitment for the advancement of Palauan women and others in the Pacific region, as reflected in the draft Platform of Action and the Jakarta Declaration. ANGELA KING, Deputy to the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Human Resources: There is a critical link between the infusion of women's contribution to leadership in the United Nations in terms of fresh managerial styles, perspectives and approaches. Obstacles to the advancement of women in the Secretariat are unmet targets; slow promotion; lack of high- level appointments; lack of attention to the General Service and related categories; uneven distribution of senior women in the various departments; and poor representation of women from Member States. Some progress has been made. The target of 25 per cent in decision-making and policy making positions may yet be reached by 1997. In August 1995, the percentage was 16.9 per cent. Since January 1994, over 50 per cent of all promotions have gone to women staff and 45 per cent of all those recruited over the same period were women. The Strategic Plan of Action for the Improvement of the Status of Women in the Secretariat (1995-2000) covers goals and objectives for meeting targets and enunciates the goal of reaching 50 per cent by the year 2000. To reach the goals between now and the year 2000, commitment must come from the top and attitudes at all levels must change . Managerial accountability must be a reality and sanctions for non-compliance must be applied. Women within the Organization must be responsible for charting their own careers and strengthening support systems for other women. Women outside the United Nations actively apply for vacancies. Male staff should no longer feel challenged. The most important requirement is for governments to supply the United Nations with equal or greater number of women candidates. (more) Conference on Women - 5 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 VIVIENNE WEE, Research Coordinator of Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN): Problems of ecological sustainability, human rights, population and poverty can only be solved by taking account of women's concerns. The women of the world, seeking commitments by the global community of nations, call for a Declaration and Platform for Action that are responsive to women's realities, effective implementation of the Conference's recommendations and universal ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. There must be an allocation of substantial resources to improve women's lives, for the strengthening of the United Nations Fund for Women, and for a new development agenda to address the causes of our global unsustainability and poverty. All governments should work towards the elimination of all violence against women and all forms of prejudice and bigotry that deprive women of their rights. KARI HAMMERSCHLAG, of InterAction: InterAction is a coalition of 165 United States non-governmental organizations working on international development, disaster relief and refugee assistance. It advocates reform in United States foreign aid, the World Bank and United Nations programmes to make them more equitable and effective. It includes men and women from the South and the North, from executive directors to grass roots activists, many of whom are not members of women's organizations. New partnerships between governments and non-governmental organizations will play a key role in implementing the Platform of Action. Gender balance in economic and political decision-making bodies must be a concrete goal and economic opportunities for girls and women expanded. The weakest sections of the Platform are those dealing with commitments of resources. It cannot be implemented "within existing resources". Financing strategies must be identified in national post-Beijing activities. Some recommendations can be implemented through policy changes, others require financial resources. VIRGINIA VARGAS, Coordinator of non-governmental organizations for the Latin American and Caribbean region: During the general debate, everything has been said except what mechanisms and resources will be used to implement the platform. She then held up a sign which read: "Justice, Mechanisms, Resources". HARRIS O. SCHOENBERG, Director, Coordinating Board, Jewish Organizations: History's most famous exponents of liberty have rarely understood their task to include the liberation of women as well as men. It is the women from those countries, whose spokesperson claims precedence over universal norms of human rights for historical, cultural, or religious traditions that are said to protect their women, who cries out that they are the most unprotected. The true liberation of women cannot take place without the liberation of men. For too long, the United Nations has kept women's rights and human rights apart, not (more) Conference on Women - 6 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 only bureaucratically, but geographically, with secretariats in different countries. Is it not time to acknowledge, as part of the thrust towards United Nations reform, that rights for women belong under human rights and bring the two bureaucracies together? NJOKI WAINAINA, of the Caucus of African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET): We will reclaim, reconstruct and transform Africa, based on the principles of gender equality, democracy and human rights. The high expectations raised at the Nairobi Conference have not been realized. Well intentioned resolutions and declarations are meaningless unless they are backed by concrete actions and commitments. FEMNET will provide guidelines to its members to help them develop action plans which will spell out specific strategies for implementing and developing measurable gender-based indicators. African women demand to be recognized as the most important resource the continent has, and appeal for support in their struggle to transform Africa. MARGARET PRESCOD, of Housewives in Dialogue: Our focus is race and community relations from the standpoint of women. Governments' measuring the unwaged work of women, South and North, is emerging as a major concern. Since 1980, we have focused on the work of getting women's unpaid work counted. Women's unpaid contribution worldwide has been estimated at $11 trillion annually. Those nations which stand up for the women of the South are standing up for all women, North and South. REMEDIOS RIKKEN, Board member, Global Network of Women in Politics: The goals of the global network include identifying obstacles to women's political empowerment and adoption of a platform of action. The United Nations should make a clear commitment to gender balance in politics and decision-making by targeting 50 per cent representation of women in its member countries and within United Nations structures by the year 2005. The United Nations should declare 1995 to 2005 as the decade for gender equality in politics. It should establish a Commission drawn from women in the women's movement, various organizations of civil society and development organizations, to monitor progress in achieving gender equity in decision-making structures and processes. The Platform of Action must include electoral reforms by governments to reach gender equality. The United Nations should organize periodic regional conferences to evaluate and monitor the political status of women in their respective countries. Women are the key to this process of redefining politics. PALESA BEVERLEY DITSIE, International Gay and Lesbian Rights Commission: Every day, around the world, lesbians suffer violence, harassment and discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Their basic rights -- such as the right to life, to bodily integrity, freedom of association and expression -- are violated. Women who love women are fired from their jobs, forced into marriages, beaten and murdered in their homes and on the streets and have their children taken away by hostile courts. (more) Conference on Women - 7 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 Some commit suicide due to isolation and the stigma they experience within their families, religious institutions and the community. The Conference must recognize that discrimination based on sexual orientation is a violation of basic human rights. The draft Platform for Action recognizes that women face particular barriers in their lives because of many factors, including sexual orientation. However, the term "sexual orientation" is in brackets. If these words are removed, the Platform will be one more symbol of the discrimination lesbians face and the lack of recognition of our very existence. BETTY JOHNSON, of Older Women Network Australia: Because of increasing life expectancy, our numbers are growing steadily everywhere, and most rapidly in developing countries. In developing countries, over one third of older women are illiterate. Many women are discriminated against on the basis of age. The draft Platform for Action does not adequately address certain areas of critical concern to older women. These relate, first and foremost, to discrimination, which is particularly pervasive in the issues of employment, education and training, the elimination of poverty, the social integration of all older women and older women's access to appropriate health care. One very specific issue which is not addressed in the draft platform is violence and abuse of older women. CAROLYN WATT, Australian Girl Guides, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts: The Association urges governments to promote the participation of girls and young women in decision-making processes and positions by supporting the training of girls and young women as decision- makers. Governments must legislate for equality through the encouragement of education materials which foster equality and secure women's rights; the sharing of decision-making in the family; the development of training programmes and structures open to all, enabling participation in all areas of management and decision; and the provision of adequate and sustained financial support, by releasing the resources to invest in the advancement of girls and young women. Chief BISI OGUNLEYE, of the Network of African Rural Women's Associations: Rural women are knowledgeable and endowed with skills, talents and creativity. They produce most of the food, manage most of the earth's natural resources, create most of the jobs in rural areas and care for most of the next generation. Despite this, they remain unrecognized and impoverished. We call for cancellation of the debt that is killing women in the rural world. We have a vision of establishing 15 October as World Rural Women's Day -- the day before World Food Day -- to acknowledge rural women as the world's main food providers. Rural women, who contribute 60 to 80 per cent of the world's wealth, are now asking for only 1 per cent of every annual budget as a token contribution to the implementation of the initiatives they have put before the Conference. Rural women challenge the Conference to lobby hard for the inclusion of the 1 per cent request in their governments' 1996-1997 budgets. (more) Conference on Women - 8 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 WANDA NOWICKA, of the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning: The most serious problem facing the countries in transition in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union is the consistent and drastic decline in the status of women. The East European Caucus has some reservations about the draft platform of action. It disagrees that the feminization of poverty is a short-term consequence of political, economic and social transformation -- a statement which minimizes its long-term impact on women. We are concerned about the statement that the transition to parliamentary democracy has been rapid and relatively peaceful. We disagree with the analysis of reproductive health issues regarding our countries. The most pressing concern for women in our region is the restriction or threatened restriction on the right to legal and accessible abortion. However, the platform can be a powerful tool for change. We urge our Governments to develop a plan for regional cooperation and allocate appropriate resources to implement the platform. HINA JILANI, International Human Rights Law Group: Religion and culture can never be used to justify discrimination or other violations of women's human rights. Urgent steps which must be taken include the ratification, without reservations, and implementation of all international and regional human rights instruments; international action to mainstream women's human rights into the work of the United Nations; the adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, creating a right of petition; the allocation of additional human resources to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women; cooperation with the ad hoc war crimes tribunals and the establishment of a permanent international criminal court, which will integrate gender-based violations into its operations. Governments must review and revise national and customary laws to comply with their international human rights obligations. ALDA FACIO, Director, Centre for Women's Global Leadership: The challenge to the Conference is to demonstrate how it will concretely realize women's promotion and protection. In every region, a fundamental obstacle to women's enjoyment of their human rights is violence against them. The Centre for Global Leadership, speaking on behalf of 69 non- governmental organizations, calls on Governments, United Nations agencies and international organizations to join the campaign to eradicate violence against women by making concrete plans, in consultation with non- governmental organizations, at both the national and international level. It urges them not to lose the opportunity to make this a conference of commitments to the realization of the human rights of women. BRIGITTE DE GOUIS, President of the European Federation of Women Working in the Home: Through their unpaid work, women contribute to the growth of their countries' economies. However, they are excluded, for the most part, from social protection schemes and training programmes. This is unacceptable discrimination. We demand analysis, assessment and specific statistics on unwaged work done by women at home. We demand the recognition of a specific social status which guarantees access to (more) Conference on Women - 9 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 health care and retirement benefits, as well as training to allow entry or reentry into the labour market. We demand recognition of the knowledge accumulated by a woman working in the home rearing children and in day-to- day management. These should be recognized as professional skills and open the way to political and economic decision-making. We demand the reconciliation of women's work and family lives. Women's lives must not be modeled on those of men. They must be free to choose flexible working hours without penalty. Reverend JAMES HAMILTON OTTLEY, Anglican Communion: The World Council of Churches believes that economic, political and social justice are prerequisites for the empowerment of women. It affirms the positive role that churches and other religious institutions can play in standing in solidarity with those women who have to make ethical choices and decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive rights. As members of a global community which is increasingly interdependent, the crises that disrupt the political, social, religious, economic life of one, affect the life of all. If we are to grow and to thrive and enjoy the blessings of this life, then we must treat all members of the human family with love, respect and dignity. Men, women and children, must be afforded equal human rights, privileges and opportunities to become the best they can be. The Member States of the United Nations are called on to consider the necessity to make strong and firm commitments at this Conference. AMAL MAHMOUD FAYED, Chairperson of the Arab Organization for Human Rights: There is a double inequity in Arab women's rights. They are victims of various forms of backwardness, discrimination and inequality before the law, as well as unequal opportunities. In some Arab countries, there are debates on how free women are to demand certain basic rights, such as the right to vote. There is also discussion of keeping women in the home. There is a long list of violations of Arab women's rights, in contradiction of Islamic law. Women face obstacles in the form of norms and traditions, which make legal progress only theoretical and also lead to acts of violence. The situation is beyond endurance in certain parts of the Arab world. There is a need to confront fundamentalist efforts to reinterpret the role of women in society. However important the role of Governments, it is no substitute for progressive efforts at the non- governmental level. We appeal to the Arab Governments to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to ensure that their legislation on women is in line with the provisions of the Convention. SHEENE HANLEY, Deputy Secretary-General, Education International: The President of the organization, which represents 25 million teachers and education workers around the world, could not address the Conference because she was refused a visa, despite having the same documents as other members. Education systems, schools and ministries of education are staffed by women and administered by men. The message given to children is that men manage and administer and women work for them. The draft Platform of Action stresses that education is essential to achieve change in many (more) Conference on Women - 10 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 areas, including poverty reduction, health, scientific and technological training, violence against women and peaceful conflict resolution. However, commitments to ensure educational financing are not commensurate with the requirements. Debt swap programmes that allow developing countries to use a high percentage of the funds currently paid to industrialized countries for increasing commitments to education would be a step in the right direction. HIKKA PIETILA, World Federation of United Nations Associations: Through gradual steps, the norms and attitudes towards women have changed within the United Nations system. The United Nations system, though being an instrument of governments, is significantly ahead of all its Member States in respect of attitudes and norms concerning women. There are still too many brackets in the draft platform of action around formulations that have already been adopted in previous conferences. It is totally incomprehensible and unacceptable that some governments still try to reverse the process and to nullify decisions already made. All such brackets should be eliminated without hesitation. Ultimately ,the responsibility for the realization of the resolutions and decisions adopted in the United Nations conferences rests both on the government and the people in the Member States who are the guardians of democracy. BULU ROX CHBOWDHURY, of the World Federation of Trade Unions: Since the last Conference on Women in Nairobi, the tremendous increase in mass unemployed has particularly affected women and there has been a general worsening of their social situation. Structural adjustment programmes have consistently undermined economic and social progress by keeping wages down, undermining the contributions and livelihoods of small producers, and placing social services, particularly health care and education, out of the reach of the poor. Strong measures should be taken to deal with sexual harassment and violence against women in the workplace. Job insecurity and a lack of basic trade union rights have been reported in a number of export processing zones where a large number of women are employed. The Conference should insist that governments and employers, especially transnational corporations, implement international labour standards calling for the elimination of discrimination against women with regard to wages and working conditions. GISELE HALIMI, President of Choose the Cause of Women (Choisir): Historians will wonder why all these brackets and reservations have been expressed regarding the recognition of women's elementary rights. Women have a right to control their bodies and to choose whether or not they want to be mothers. Giving life is an act of responsibility and clear thinking. One does not reproduce or abort at the order of governments. Women are neither breeding animals nor parameters on population curves whose behaviour must be regulated. The intrusion of religious dictates into this debate must be rejected as a matter of principle. Even if the Conference's rules grants specialized privileges to specialized "observer States", that status does not endow them (more) Conference on Women - 11 - Press Release WOM/BEI/32 14th Meeting (AM) 13 September 1995 with knowledge about women's needs. No one can foist on another faith or an absence of faith. This is a principle fought against by fundamentalists in all religions. In some States, it has resulted in the assassination of women who refuse to follow their dictates. ELIZABETH POSKITT, President, International Federation of University Women: Over the past 20 years, there have been considerable advances in many countries towards equality for women, some development and no progress towards sustainable peace. Women have particular skills in peacemaking and conflict resolution. At the grass roots level, they are often the ones who initiate peace movements. Women are needed in United Nations peace-keeping bodies, at decision-making levels in national and international institutions. A gender perspective is needed in the resolution of conflict. The participation of women should be strengthened in the processes of national reconciliation and reconstruction. Non-governmental organizations can commit themselves to working for peace. They cannot commit themselves to national and international decision-making for peace, as this is within the province of governments and international bodies. Let us not have just further paragraphs and platforms for action, but actions on the platform. Rights of Reply The representative of Greece, speaking in his exercise of his right of reply: The representative of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia spoke yesterday using the name of his recently founded country. It is regrettable that his statement was made at a time when the foreign ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are meeting in New York to establish friendly relations. The representative of Armenia: It is inappropriate to disseminate unverified and false information to confuse the audience at this Conference. Armenia is not and has not been at war with any of its neighbours. The existing conflict is only between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karbakh. There are no prisoners of war or women hostages in Armenia, a fact confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on numerous occasions. Since 1988, Armenian people living in major cities of Azerbaijan have been persecuted and massacred. As a result, 350,000 refugees have fled to Armenia. For six years Azerbaijan has imposed a blockade against Armenia. However, Armenia allows all kinds of humanitarian aid to pass through its territory to Azerbaijan. * *** *