Message from
H.E. MR. HARRI HOLKERI
President of the General Assembly
in support of the
World March of Women 2000
17 October 2000
I should like to greet
you, distinguished women from all over the world, on this International Day
to Eradicate Poverty. You have gathered here at the United Nations to deliver
your powerful message to end violence and discrimination against women, be it
physical, psychological or lack of opportunities and assets. I congratulate
the organizers of the World March of Women 2000, which started on the 8th of
March 2000, International Women's Day, for the courageous effort and contribution
you are making to advocate the need for action.
The Beijing Platform of Action states that "Violence against women is an obstacle
to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace. Violence
against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women
of their human rights and fundamental freedoms." Extreme poverty and denial
of development opportunities, are severe violations of basic human rights. Women
constitute more than 70% of the world's poorest. A key entry point to poverty
eradication lies in addressing women's needs, including the necessity to make
available economic opportunities, political empowerment and education. The literacy
rate of women in developing countries is 39%, against 58% for men. Out of 960
million illiterate adults, two-thirds are women. However, women and girls represent
half of the population of the world and should have equal opportunities with
men and boys.
Physical abuse and violence is a matter of concern for all of us, no matter
whether we come from east, west, north or south. Discrimination and violence
against women may be also race and minority-related. Women of minority groups,
migrant and refugee women and indigenous women are more vulnerable than other
women.
Statistics on physical violence and sexual abuse are chilling. During the time
it takes to read this note, hundreds of women and girls are abused, violated,
raped, mutilated, humiliated - their human dignity nullified. And only a small
proportion of rape and other forms of physical violence are ever reported and
get into these statistics. Sexual violence and rape not only damage psychologically,
but also endanger women's health. HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
are spreading with alarming speed among women and young girls, including children
below 18 years of age. The abuser, most frequently, is someone the woman knows:
husband, male companion, uncle, cousin, a friend of the family or someone in
the neighbourhood, someone whom the girls and the woman should be able to trust
and to turn to for help. Within families, girls are more often victims of family
violence than boys.
To accomplish true development we need to end discrimination, denial and violence
of women and girls.