*************************************************************************** The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Secretariat. *************************************************************************** AS WRITTEN United Nations Children's Fund 3 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York 10017, 212 326-7000 Telex: 175989 Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing- 5 September 1995 Statement by Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund I am very pleased that the first major international conference which I am attending in my new role as UNICEF's Executive Director is this conference which has the potential of shaping the lives of women and girls. Considerable progress has been made in the twenty years since the United Nations began to review the situation of women at fora such as this one. But I am sure all of us here in Beijing will agree that progress has been far too slow and its benefits have been distributed far too unevenly. Inequality, discrimination and violence still cast a long shadow over the lives, livelihoods, minds and bodies of women and girls everywhere - even where laws have been passed, even where doors and minds have been opened. That shadow is darkest for the girls and women who constitute 70 per cent of the world's poor. Women and girls are disadvantaged throughout their lives. It is estimated that there are some 100 million fewer women alive today than could be expected through the natural pattern of birth and survival in infancy. Deep prejudices against girls mean that many are never even born because of pre-natal sex selection. Others are either killed as infants or die of neglect. In many parts of the world, girls continue to face discrimination throughout their lives. They are often breastfed for shorter periods, taken less often to health centres, have lower immunization rates and receive less nurture than boys. A broad strong coalition of governments and people every where is needed to break the barriers and uproot the prejudices and stereotypes. This task must attack the problem at its roots -- in the lives of girls and continue through their adolescence and womanhood. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women provide a bill of rights for women and girls. I urge governments which have not yet ratified the two conventions to do so as soon as possible. It is vital that these instruments be implemented in order to bring about change in the lives of girls and women. The draft Platform for Action for this conference acknowledges the importance of these two conventions. It also builds on -- rather than retreats from -- the breakthroughs of previous global conferences, and it includes commitments to provide the support and resources necessary for its universal implementation. One of the essential ways to give women equal rights and opportunities is to arm them with knowledge -- knowledge which gives them control over their lives and allows them to participate in all spheres on an equal footing. In order to accomplish this, one of the most important outcomes of this conference must be a full commitment to basic education for all girls. UNICEF believes that the goals of the conference will not be achieved without a serious commitment to education for girls. Over the past several decades, the education gap between girls and boys has been reduced. However, much more needs to be done. Among the world's 130 million out-of-school children, girls still outnumber boys two to one; and women still account for two-thirds of the world's nearly one billion illiterate adults. We cannot explain away, forgive or avert our eyes from this monumental violation of human rights. We cannot afford this massive waste of individual, social and economic potential. Education is a lifeline to a girl's future; a girl in school is a lifeline to development. Education changes a woman's life forever. It is a woman's strongest ticket to a healthier and better life. An educated woman has skills and self-confidence that make her a better parent, worker and citizen. A woman who has had a basic education is more likely than a non-educated one to marry at a later age, have fewer, healthier and better-educated children and take more advantage of her community's social services. She is also likely to be more productive at home and on the job and get better pay for her work. But ensuring access to education is only half the battle; special efforts are needed, as well, to attract and keep girls in school. Experience in scores of countries has shown that girls do best when: * parents become involved in their children's education in a setting of decentralization and local planning and management of schools; * basic education is free or affordably low-cost, and, where possible, stipends and scholarships are offered to compensate families for the loss of the girl's household labour; * girls have access to early childhood care, education and development programmes that enhance their self-esteem and preparedness for school; * schools are close to home and the workplace and that girls can take advantage of non-formal or alternative schools that offer flexible schedules, where appropriate -- provided these schools give them the opportunity to enter the formal school system when they are ready; * teenage girls, who have missed regular primary school or have dropped out early, have a "second chance" consisting of non-formal education that is equivalent in quality and content to primary schooling and includes, where appropriate, income-generating and practical skills; * learning materials and methods relate to girls' backgrounds and experiences and lessons are taught in local languages; * curriculum and textbooks do not reproduce negative stereotypes and girls can find female role models among teachers and supervisors; * schools take all steps necessary to ensure that girls are not denied an education because the arrangements for classes, recreation and personal hygiene ignore cultural norms. Will it cost too much? Every one agrees that education is a basic right and is vital for all development -- human, social and economic development. Yet, so far the world has failed to make the investment needed. It is unconscionable that a world which is able to spend approximately $800 billion dollars a year on weapons believes that it cannot find the money needed for basic education. An extra U.S. $5-ó billion is needed annually to achieve primary education for all. It must be found. Here in Beijing, we can decide to make this happen. The goals for girls' and women's education are contained in the draft Platform for Action. These goals, which draw on the global consensus that has emerged since the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All in 1990, deserve your full and enthusiastic support. In order to make this happen: * Governments of both developing and donor countries can restructure their budgets to mobilize the amount of money it will take to achieve basic education for all worldwide. * Parliamentarians can pass laws that ensure compulsory, universal education, eliminate discrimination based on sex, and set minimum ages for marriage and work that would make it illegal to engage children in any occupation that would deprive them of their basic schooling. * Parents can make all the difference in the world, by making it possible for their daughters to get an education and by becoming involved in the schools their children attend. * NGOs can both provide innovative educational opportunities for girls, and also create the grassroots demand for access to quality learning. * Community leaders can demand more programmes that help girls and sensitize key groups, especially brothers and fathers to the importance of girls' education. * Media can play an important role in mobilizing support for girls' education by bringing instruction and education messages to communities everywhere. * United Nations agencies can form stronger alliances on behalf of girls and women to work for the year 2000 goal of providing universal basic education to all. We also need to work out ways of supporting countries effectively to achieve the further goals set at the International Conference on Population and Development and the World Summit for Social Development. For our part, UNICEF plans to more than double its resources for basic education over the decade -- giving special attention to girls' schooling. Working closely with UNESCO, UNDP, the World Bank, bilateral agencies and others, UNICEF is committed to promoting basic education for all with priority to girls' education. UNICEF will strengthen further its efforts to help countries throughout the world set and implement targets beyond the year 2000 and mobilize resources to eliminate gender disparity. Additionally, as part of the Secretary-General's new Initiative for Africa, UNICEF will, throughout sub-Saharan Africa, emphasize its commitment to education for all through additional resources - human and financial. We who have had the advantages of education and take for granted the education of our children and their children, know that a girl's education is not a luxury -- it is a human right and an urgent development priority. We all agree that this is so. Let us now move to make it happen. Thank you.