Fourth World Conference WOM/BEI/36 on Women 15 September 1995 15th Meeting (AM) WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMIES 'DECISIVE FOR GROWTH, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT', DECLARES NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER BRUNDTLAND President Fujimori States that Peruvian Women Will Not Be Constrained by Intransigence of Ultra-Conservative Mentalities The Fourth World Conference on Women, beginning the closing day of its two-week session in Beijing, heard Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland declare that women would no longer accept the role of second class citizens. "When I first became Prime Minister 15 years ago, it was a cultural shock to many Norwegians. Today, four-year-olds ask their mommies: 'but can a man be Prime Minister?'" Women's contribution to economies were decisive for growth and social development, the Prime Minister continued. However, poverty increasingly discriminated between men and women. To meet people's aspirations, at least 20 per cent of national budgets must be allocated for basic services, and that amount must be genderized. President Alberto Fujimori of Peru stated that family planning methods were now legally available in Peru for all to use them or not, according to their beliefs. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church was trying to prevent the State from carrying out a modern and rational policy of family planning. Peruvian women were not going to remain confined or constrained by the intransigence of ultra-conservative mentalities that pretended to turn into dogma their incapacity to accept social change. The President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn, invited governments, non-governmental organizations and civil society to work together with the Bank -- as the largest donor to issues relating to women -- to develop more effective mechanisms to meet the objectives being sought by the Conference. The Bank had been described as unfeeling and its efforts to alleviate poverty were perceived as exactly the reverse. It might well be that, in (more) Conference on Women - 2 - Press Release WOM/BEI/36 15 September 1995 that past, there were things the Bank did wrong and that there were paradigms of development that were not effective. However, the Bank welcomed dialogue and was committed to working as a partner. Mr. Wolfensohn also said that the Bank expected to increase its annual education lending by about 20 per cent to $2.5 billion over the next five years, with $1.5 billion per year going to primary and secondary education. Sixty per cent of that amount -- about $900 million per year -- would go for girls education. The Bank had also established a new micro- enterprise facility of about $200 million, which would provide small loans to poor women entrepreneurs. Over a 10-year period, it would help nearly 8 million women and their families. A representative of the Coalition of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations, Sara Ramamonjiosa, said youth's vision was for a future where every girl and young woman would have access and a right to education free of discrimination; a future where all women, young and old, would have full access to health care, related information and complete control of their bodies; a future when women and men would share equally in the sense of ownership of the achievements of their countries. In a special appeal voiced at the conclusion of the meeting, Conference Secretary-General Gertrude Mongella exhorted participants to "demand peace as part of our struggle for equality". Women became the sufferers when war struck. They made do when electricity and water supplies were destroyed, and they sought food when none was available. They were victims of torture, plunder and rape. Today, brothers fought brothers, leaving widows with children -- forced into refugee camps. "Peace costs nothing" she declared. "Let there be peace, peace, peace!" Participants observed a moment of silence, with flashlights lit, for peace. The Conference will meet again at 4 p.m. today when it is expected to adopt its Platform of Action and Final Declaration and conclude its work. (more) Conference on Women - 3 - Press Release WOM/BEI/36 15th Meeting (AM) 15 September 1995 SARA RAMAMONJIOSA, Coalition of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations: Without the participation of young women in the Conference, discussion of education, poverty, health and access to resources as they relate to young women would not have have taken place or would have been theoretical at best. Because of their presence, the discussion has became informed, passionate and realistic. This was vital in creating a Platform for Action with which millions of young women can identify, and marks their readiness to act as partners in implementing the outcome of Beijing. Sixty-four countries included young women in their delegations. All 189 Member States are encouraged to do so at future world conferences. The United Nations is urged to continue this commitment to youth by ensuring youth consultations at every stage of the preparatory process for conferences and to address the special needs of women. The Organization is urged to reactivate and strengthen its existing youth programme. Youth's vision is for a future where every girl and young woman will have access and a right to education free of discrimination. A future where all women, young and old, will have full access to health care, related information and complete control of their bodies. A future when women and men will share equally in the sense of ownership of the achievements of their countries. JAMES D. WOLFENSOHN, President of the World Bank: It is difficult to ignore the importance of the arguments on structural adjustment, and the notion that we apply preconceived models, to the detriment, particularly, of disadvantaged women. Our efforts to alleviate poverty appear to be perceived as exactly the reverse. The World Bank seeks to promote sustainable development and to recognize the position of women in that model. We are committed to work with you. It may well be that, in the past, there are examples of things we have done wrong, and that paradigms of development have not been effective. I have been told how unfeeling the Bank is, and how inappropriate our actions. However, the Bank is currently the largest donor to issues relating to women. If we're doing it wrong, we welcome a dialogue. We want to be partners with the governments we serve, the non-governmental organizations and the civil society, in order to develop more effective mechanisms to meet the objectives being sought in Beijing. The Bank is a partner that is committed to the same objectives to which the Conference is committed. We are dealing with the 1.3 billion people who earn under a dollar a day, of whom 70 per cent are women. These are the women who benefit primarily from the International Development Association (IDA). We are facing a challenge to the very existence of IDA, through the withdrawal of some countries from the commitments they have made. I would like you to return and tell your governments that IDA is central to efforts in support of education, health, nutrition, agricultural extension, control of AIDS and other issues that are central to development and to the role of women. (more) Conference on Women - 4 - Press Release WOM/BEI/36 15th Meeting (AM) 15 September 1995 Improving opportunities for women is not enough; there must also be a change in the behaviour of men. We in the development institutions can play an important role in investing in women. Funds directed towards women have a very good return. Investments in health and education give strength to the society. The Bank has recently established a new micro-enterprise facility of about $200 million, which will provide small loans to poor women entrepreneurs. Over a 10-year period, it will help nearly 8 million women and their families. By educating girls, the return is not just in reading and writing but in the development of the society. It is in health care, population control and establishing a society which is just. We have committed funds so that by the year 2010 primary school education may reach 100 per cent. Another goal is 60 per cent of all our children receiving a secondary education -- of whom 50 per cent will be boys and 50 per cent girls. We expect to increase our annual education lending by about 20 per cent to $2.5 billion over the next five years, with $1.5 billion per year going to primary and secondary education. We will plan that 60 per cent of that amount -- about $900 million per year -- goes into girls education. ALBERTO FUJIMORI FUJIMORI, President of Peru: I am here against the opinion of my advisers who thought that male Presidents have no place here. But this is a forum of fighters who deserve respect and attention from all States and governments. Any social, cultural or economic transformation can be sustained only if it involves women. Latin America and other parts of the world must abandon the antiquated mental schemes which hinder the full development of women. The Fourth World Conference on Women is an historical opportunity to advance in the right direction and pave the way for full citizenship for women, with the same rights and opportunities that already exist for men -- no more, no less. Peruvian women have played a central role in the fight against hyper-inflation, terrorism, hunger and unemployment. They are the true architects of the Peruvian economic miracle. Peru, with the greatest economic growth in the world of 13 per cent, must now turn the economic miracle into a social miracle. The Government has enacted a law against all forms of violence against women. In an effort to reduce poverty to 50 per cent, it has allocated to women 50 per cent of social expenditures of the national budget. The Government is making efforts to improve the quality of education, and the eradication of illiteracy plays an important role, as it especially affects peasant women. The Government has decided to carry out an integral strategy of family planning that confronts, for the first time, the lack of information and services available on this matter. Unfortunately, while people, and particularly poor women, are receptive, the Church is trying to prevent the Peruvian State from carrying out a modern and rational policy of family planning. There are institutions and forces that resist open and rational discussions on this issue. This is not a call to rise against the Vatican. An open debate (more) Conference on Women - 5 - Press Release WOM/BEI/36 15th Meeting (AM) 15 September 1995 cannot be interpreted as a declaration of war. Peruvian women are not going to remain confined or constrained by the intransigence of ultra- conservative mentalities that pretend to turn into dogma their incapacity to accept social change. These family planning methods are now legally available in Peru for all so that they can use them or not, according to their personal or family beliefs. Peru is not going to stop a vast national campaign and it has made an allocation for family planning in the national budget. GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND, Prime Minister of Norway: Women will no longer accept the role of second class citizens. Let us count our strategic victories not the tactical defeats. What we have achieved is to unbracket the lives of girls and women. Women's contribution to economies is decisive for growth and social development. Today, there is not a single country in the world where men and women enjoy equal opportunities. We must go back to the shantytowns, indigenous communities, boardrooms, suburbia, governments and United Nations Headquarters and change attitudes. When I first became Prime Minister 15 years ago, it was a cultural shock to many Norwegians. Today, four-year-olds ask their mommies: "But can a man be Prime Minister?" Today, there is more mutual respect and understanding of the values of other cultures and religions. But there are limits to the practices that countries can expect the international community to respect or condone even when such practices have deep cultural roots. Violence against women, including domestic violence, is part of a "cultural practice". Freedom from violence and coercion must apply also in the sexual sphere of life. States become accomplices if violence against women is seen as a separate cultural category of behaviour extraneous to justice and law enforcement. Ingrained centuries old attitudes will only be changed by vigorous action by governments, religious groups and private, non-governmental organizations. Gender equality in the family is good for men, women and children. The allegation that this Conference is against motherhood and family is plainly absurd. The myth that men are the economic providers and women are mainly mothers and care-givers in the family has been thoroughly refuted. This family pattern is only the norm in a narrow middle-class segment of society. Women have always worked in all societies, and as a rule, harder than men, without pay and acknowledgement. Women will only become more empowered through legislation, increased information and the redirection of resources. Unleashing women from poverty is sound for economic growth and improved welfare. The "20/20" concept requires mutual commitment, solidarity by the international community and the responsibility of national governments to provide basic national services. People's aspirations can only be met by allocating 20 per cent of national budgets to basic services and it needs to be genderized. (more) Conference on Women - 6 - Press Release WOM/BEI/36 15th Meeting (AM) 15 September 1995 An Appeal for Peace GERTRUDE MONGELLA, Secretary-General of the Conference: Without peace, the platform of action will not see the light of day. In this Conference, we have had to fight back our tears in the face of one consistent message: We cannot ignore the call for peace. War is one of the most costly activities a nation can undertake. Why have nations, and particularly poor nations, decided on war as a method of conflict- resolution? Why have the rich nations consistently continued to manufacture and sell weapons to make money on the blood of poor people? We cannot ignore the tears of the women from Burundi, Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and particularly those from Somalia, who were told "you cannot stand on this podium because you belong to no nation". The women become the sufferers when war strikes. They make do when electricity and water supplies are destroyed, seek food when no food is available. They are victims of torture, plunder and rape. Today, it is brothers fighting brothers, leaving the majority of women, widows with children, forced into refugee camps. "We must demand peace as part of our struggle for equality. Peace costs nothing. Let there be peace, peace, peace." The Conference observed a moment of silence, with flashlights lit, for peace. * *** *