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) |
|
"ICPD 94"
March 1994
Number 13
Newsletter of the International Conference on Population and
Development
Cairo, Egypt, 5-13 September 1994
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TAKES UP ICPD ISSUES
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) has made a number of recommendations as a contribution to
ICPD preparations. At CEDAW's Thirteenth Session, from 17 January
to 4 February, a working group was set up to provide follow-up to
the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights and input to ICPD.
The working group's report, adopted by the Committee, asserted
that population and development policies need to address the
"vicious circle of women's illiteracy, poverty, fertility rates and
discrimination in formal and informal employment."
"As women are generally the poorest of the poor," it stated,
"eliminating social, cultural, economic and political
discrimination against women is a prerequisite for ... achieving
sound population policies."
Noting the increase in female-headed households, the report
called for special measures to address their particular needs. It
emphasized that a main objective of ICPD is to eliminate
discrimination against girls, eliminate the causes of
son-preference, strengthen girls' self-esteem and improve their
status, "especially with regard to health, nutrition and
education".
The report recommended that "in the formulation of sustainable
development policies, ... the needs and tasks of women, especially
in terms of their impact on natural resources, should be recognized
and that women should participate in governmental and
non-governmental decision-making processes on these issues."
CEDAW is a 23-member expert committee that reports annually on
countries' progress in implementing the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The
Convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, is a
statement of women's human rights and how to achieve them, as well
as a framework for women's participation in the development
process.
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For printed or electronic copies of the "ICPD 94" newsletter, in
English, French or Spanish, or further information, please contact:
ICPD Secretariat 220 E. 42nd Street, 22nd floor
New York, N.Y. 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 297-5244/5245
Media contact: (212) 297-5023/5030 or 5279
Fax: (212) 297-5250
E-mail: ryanw@unfpa.org or icpd@igc.apc.org
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