UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs,
with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
|
| UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) |
|
ISO: AUT
************************************************************************
The electronic preparation of this document has been done by the
Population Information Network(POPIN) of the United Nations Population
Division in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme
************************************************************************
AS WRITTEN
STATEMENT
OF THE AUSTRIAN DELEGATION
TO THE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
BY
MS.MARIA RAUCH-KALLAT
FEDERAL MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT,
YOUTH AND FAMILY AFFAIRS
MS. JOHANNA DOHNAL
FEDERAL MINISTER
FOR WOMEN'S AFFAIRS
CAIRO, 6TH SEPTEMBER. 1994
MR. PRESIDENT,
EXCELLENCIES
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
FIRST OF ALL LET ME CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ELECTION AND WISH YOU BEST
SUCCESS IN YOUR DIFFICULT TASK OF STEERING THIS CONFERENCE TO A
SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. OUR THANKS GO TO THE ORGANIZERS OF THE
CONFERENCE, ESPECIALLY TO MS. SADIK, TO THE HOST COUNTRY AND PRESIDENT
MUBARAK WHOSE INITIATIVE TO INVITE THIS CONFERENCE TO CAIRO WE HIGHLY
APPRECIATE.
MR. PRESIDENT, SINCE AGAIN A PROBLEM OF GLOBAL PROPORTIONS HAS BROUGHT
TOGETHER THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. TO REACH
COMMON UNDERSTANDING ON THE PROPER WAY T0 DEAL WITH POPULATION ISSUES
DURING THE COMING YEARS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. WE SHOULD THEREFORE
MAKE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT T0 ARRIVE AT A CONSENSUS TEXT WHICH CAN SERVE
AS A GUIDELINE TO GOVERNMENTS, PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
WE ARE NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH. RATHER CAN WE BASE OURSELVES UPON THE
VALUABLE WORK DONE AT THE PREVIOUS POPULATION CONFERENCES OF BUCHAREST
AND MEXICO. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF EXPERIENCE SINCE MADE WE HAVE NOW
ARRIVED AT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF POPULATION
ISSUES AND HAVE, THEREFORE, BEEN ABLE TO GO SIGNIFICANTLY BEYOND THE
DOCUMENTS ADOPTED BY THE TWO PREVIOUS CONFERENCES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY
TRUE OF THE INTEGRATED APPROACH TO POPULATION ISSUES REFLECTED IN THE
DRAFT PLAN OF ACTION IN FRONT OF US. POPULATION ISSUES ARE NOT DEALT
WITH AS AN ISOLATED PHENOMENON. BUT IN COHERENCE WITH THE OVERALL
PROCESS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
THE KEY CONCEPT THAT COUPLES AND INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE IN A POSITION TO
DECIDE FREELY AND RESPONSIBLY THE NUMBER AND SPACING OF THEIR CHILDREN
IS NOT NEW. IT REMAINS AS VALID AS BEFORE. TO DECIDE FREELY MEANS THAT
THERE SHOULD BE NO COERCION WHICH AGAIN MEANS THAT POPULATION POLICIES
MUST BE FULLY CONSISTENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS. THIS HOLDS PARTICULARLY TRUE
FOR THE STATUS AND RIGHTS OF WOMEN WHO OBVIOUSLY PLAY A DECISIVE ROLE IN
QUESTIONS OF HUMAN PROCREATION. I THEREFORE WELCOME THE FACT THAT THE
PLAN OF ACTION TO BE ADOPTED BY US PAYS FULL ATTENTION TO THE ROLE AND
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN. SIMILAR CONCEPTS HAVE, BY THE WAY, FOUND
EXPRESSION IN THE FINAL DOCUMENT OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
WHICH TOOK PLACE IN VIENNA LAST YEAR
TO DECIDE FREELY DOES NOT ONLY IMPLY THE RIGHT TO DO SO BUT ALSO THAT
THE MEANS SHOULD BE AT THE DISPOSAL OF EVERYBODY CONCERNED. THIS ENTAILS
THE NECESSITY TO GREATLY INCREASE OUR EFFORTS WITH REGARD TO
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INCLUDING FAMILY PLANNING SO THAT MEN AND WOMEN IN
ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD FIND THEMSELVES IN A POSITION TO DETERMINE
THE NUMBER OF THEIR CHILDREN. WE BELIEVE THAT SLOWING THE GROWTH OF
POPULATION IN POOR COUNTRIES WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO COMBAT POVERTY AND
ACHIEVE CONTINUOUS ECONOMIC GROWTH. AT THE SAME TIME WE BELIEVE
THAT POPULATION PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR EACH
COUNTRY. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE SET UP UNDER THE AUTHORITY AND FULL
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED.
THE REPRODUCTIVE DECISIONS OF HUMAN BEINGS SHOULD NOT ONLY BE MADE
FREELY BUT ALSO RESPONSIBLY. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO OUR CHILDREN WHO
SHOULD BE GIVEN THE BEST POSSIBLE STARTING CONDITIONS IN LIVE. THE
EROSIVE EFFECTS OF FAST GROWING POPULATIONS ON ATTEMPTS OF GOVERNMENTS
TO PROVIDE THEIR CITIZENS WITH BETTER HEALTH CARE, BETTER EDUCATION AND
A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING ARE WELL DOCUMENTED. THERE IS ALSO A
RESPONSIBILITY TO FUTURE GENERATIONS WHOSE SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON A
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES OF OUR PLANET.
IT IS IMPORTANT BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO CREATE THE NECESSARY LEGAL AND
MATERIAL PRECONDITIONS FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO EXERCISE THEIR REPRODUCTIVE
RIGHTS IN A MANNER CONDUCIVE TO THEIR WELL-BEING. HOWEVER, OUR EFFORTS
WILL REMAIN INCOMPLETE UNLESS WE SUCCEED IN FULLY INTEGRATING THE
RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE IN OUR THINKING AND ACTING. THIS APPLIES TO THE
UNBORN AS WELL AS TO THE DISABLED OR THE AGED.
MR. PRESIDENT, AS MINISTER NOT ONLY IN CHARGE OF FAMILY AND YOUTH
AFFAIRS BUT ALSO OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSIDER IT A DUTY TO SAY A WORD ON
THE THREATS OF UNCHECKED POPULATION GROWTH FOR THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT.
ALTHOUGH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CALCULATE THE POTENTIAL CARRYING CAPACITY
OF THE EARTH FOR HUMAN ACTIVITY, WE WOULD BE WELL ADVISED NOT TO TEST
THE LIMITS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENDURANCE. IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES OF THE
NORTH THE ENVIRONMENT IS UNDER TREMENDOUS STRESS DUE TO PREVAILING
PATTERNS OF PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION URGENT SOLUTIONS ARE CALLED FOR.
THE CHANGE OF LIFE-STYLES IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES IS OF
PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE BUT IT IS NOT A SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS CONFERENCE.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION DUE TO POVERTY AND RAPID POPULATION
GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES MAY BE OF A COMPARATIVELY LESSER PROPORTION
AT THIS STAGE. BUT IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES THE ALARM BELLS ARE ALREADY
RINGING. COMPLACENCY IS OUT OF PLACE. THE INTERLINKAGES BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENT AND A SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE BASE TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF
THE LIVING AND OF FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE WELL KNOWN. THEY SHOULD
MOTIVATE GOVERNMENTS TO ADOPT MEASURES AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, WE NEED TO APPLY A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WHICH
SIMULTANEOUSLY ADDRESSES THE QUESTIONS OF POPULATION GROWTH, POVERTY
AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. ONLY IF THESE ISSUES ARE DEALT WITH IN A
COHERENT MANNER CAN WE HOPE TO DEAL SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE CHALLENGES IN
FRONT OF US. THIS CONFERENCE IS AN IMPORTANT, I WOULD HOPE, A DECISIVE
STEP IN THIS PROCESS. MY DELEGATION WILL DO ITS UTMOST TO BRING IT TO A
SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.
MR. PRESIDENT, WITH YOUR PERMISSION I SHOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK MY
COLLEAGUE MRS. JOHANNA DOHNAL, AUSTRIA'S MINISTER OF WOMEN'S AFFAIRS, TO
MAKE USE OF THE REMAINING SPEAKING TIME ASSIGNED TO US AND TAKE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT,
EXCELLENCIES
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT IS FACED WITH
AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE: KEY PROBLEMS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS
WELL AS OF MEN AND WOMEN AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ARE TO BE TACKLED: THE
NEED TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THE NEED TO BREAK THE VICIOUS
CIRCLE OF POVERTY AND THE NEED TO GIVE WOMEN MORE POWER. POPULATION AND
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES ARE DECISIVE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD.
I WISH TO CONGRATULATE MS NAFIS SADIK ON HER EXCELLENT PREPARATION OF
THE CONFERENCE. ALSO, I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE UNMENTIONED THIS YEAR'S
WORLD POPULATION REPORT, WHICH - UNDER THE EXPERT GUIDANCE OF MS SADIK -
PROVIDES US WITH WELL-FOUNDED ANALYSES AND DATA FOR OUR DELIBERATIONS.
THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE WORLD POPULATION REPORT ARE CLEAR CUT: THE
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IS THE KEY TO POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN MEANS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
BETWEEN THE GENDERS FROM BIRTH ONWARDS. IT MEANS EXTENDING CHOICES:
CHOICES ABOUT IF AND WHEN TO GET MARRIED; CHOICES ABOUT EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; CHOICES ABOUT THEIR OWN LIVES.
EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN MEANS MORE THAN JUST THE RIGHT TO
BIRTH CONTROL IT MEANS POWER-SHARING, IT MEANS BETTER ACCESS TO
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, IT MEANS ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE OF WOMEN. WOMEN
WANT RE-DISTRIBUTION IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE. WOMEN WANT TO DECIDE ON
THEIR FUTURE BY THEMSELVES.
MR. PRESIDENT,
THIS CONFERENCE HAS THE AIM TO REALIZE THE RIGHTS, NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS
OF WOMEN AND MEN WITH RESPECT TO POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.
AUSTRIA UNDERLINES THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT FACTORS
RELATING TO POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT. THE AUSTRIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IS CONVINCED THAT ONLY A COMBINED PACKAGE FOR WOMEN, INCLUDING
REPRODUCTIVE AND HEALTH-CARE SERVICES, EDUCATION, THE MEETING OF BASIC
NEEDS (WATER, FOOD AND HOUSING)WILL MEET THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF
WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD.
ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE AND INFORMATION ON AND ACCESS TO DIFFERENT
EFFECTIVE METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL STRENGTHEN WOMEN IN THEIR
DEVELOPMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT,
WOMEN HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE DISCUSSION OF
THESE QUESTIONS.
IN THE NAME OF "POPULATION CONTROL", MUCH HARM HAS BEEN DONE TO WOMEN IN
THE PAST IN SOME REGIONS OF THE WORLD. THE AUSTRIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS EXPLICITLY VOICED ITS REJECTION OF FORCED BIRTH CONTROL PROGRAMMES.
ACCORDING TO OUR UNDERSTANDING, ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON WOMEN TO PRACTICE
FAMILY PLANNING IS ALSO A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
AUSTRIA THEREFORE WELCOMES PRINCIPLE 8 OF THE FINAL DOCUMENT WHICH
STATES CLEARLY THAT COERCION IN SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-CARE
PROGRAMMES IS A BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
THIS CONFERENCE ATTRIBUTES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE
STATE OF HEALTH OF WOMEN WITH RESPECT TO THEIR REPRODUCTIVE SITUATION.
IN MANY REGIONS OF OUR WORLD, WOMEN HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
CENTERS. HEALTH RISKS FOR WOMEN ARE INCREASED BY PREGNANCY,
MALNUTRITION, HARD LABOR AND BY MUTILATING PRACTICES.
THE HEALTH PROBLEM HAS REACHED ALARMING PROPORTIONS. I THEREFORE
UNDERLINE THE EFFORTS OF THIS CONFERENCE TO ENSURE WOMEN ACCESS TO
HEALTH-CARE SERVICES. THESE SERVICES NEED TO INCLUDE SEXUAL AND
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-CARE MEASURES. THEY NEED TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE
COUNSELING SERVICES IN ORDER TO FIND THE CONTRACEPTIVE METHOD
APPROPRIATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL'S WOMEN'S NEED.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BROUGHT
THE PROBLEM OF MATERNAL MORTALITY TO GLOBAL ATTENTION. AT LEAST HALF A
MILLION WOMEN DIE EACH YEAR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
PROBLEMS. AS THE FINAL DOCUMENT STATES, IN SOME COUNTRIES AS MANY AS
HALF OF MATERNAL DEATHS ARE PROBABLY THE RESULT OF UNSAFE ABORTIONS.
AUSTRIA EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. WOMEN SHOULD BE
PROVIDED WITH A LEGAL FRAMEWORK WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM TO TERMINATE
UNWANTED PREGNANCIES WITHOUT RESORT TO DANGEROUS METHODS.
IN THIS CONTEXT, WE UNDERLINE THE NEED FOR WOMEN AND MEN TO GET ADEQUATE
INFORMATION ABOUT DIFFERENT METHODS OF FERTILITY CONTROL. ACCESS TO
THESE METHODS HAS TO BE AFFORDABLE AND ACCEPTABLE. IT IS ESPECIALLY
YOUNG WOMEN WHO NEED TO KNOW HOW TO AVOID UNWANTED PREGNANCIES. FOR
YOUNG WOMEN, CHILDBIRTH HAS TO BECOME A MATTER OF CHOICE RATHER THAN OF
CHANCE.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IS A POSITIVE PHYSICAL STATE, NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE
OF A DISEASE. GOOD REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ALSO IMPLIES KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN
SEXUALITY AND THE AVOIDANCE OF HIGH-RISK SEXUAL BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO
AIDS.
WOMEN HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE LIVES
THEMSELVES. ALL OVER THE WORLD, WOMEN ARE SEXUALLY HARASSED, RAPED AND
BEATEN BY MEN.
EMPOWERING WOMEN MEANS HELPING THEM IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES. IT MEANS THAT WOMEN ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO A SATISFYING
AND SAFE SEX LIFE. IT MEANS THAT WOMEN OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY SEXUAL
RELATIONS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF VIOLENCE, INFECTION OR UNWANTED PREGNANCY
IT IS IN THIS RESPECT THAT MANY ISSUES DISCUSSED AT THIS CONFERENCE WILL
BE TAKEN UP AGAIN BOTH AT THE WORLD SOCIAL SUMMIT AS WELL AS AT THE 4TH
WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN. IT IS OUR COMMON UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IS THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT. IT IS THE KEY TO
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. IT IS INDISPENSABLE FOR OUR FUTURE.
THIS CONFERENCE CAN BE A MAJOR STEP ON OUR WAY TO GUARANTEE WOMEN AND
MEN A LIFE IN DIGNITY AND SELF-DETERMINATION. LET US LIVE UP TO THE
ASPIRATIONS AND NEEDS OF WOMEN AND MEN IN THE WORK THAT IS BEFORE US.
THANK YOU.