Permanent Mission of

The Republic of Angola to the United Nations

STATEMENT BY

H.E. DR. JOAO BERNARDO DE MIRANDA

MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS

OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA

AT THE TWENTY-THIRD SPECIAL SESSION

OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

"WOMEN 2000: GENDER EQUALITY,

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE FOR

THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY"

AT THE UNITED NATIONS

NEW YORK, 5 JUNE 2000

125 East 73rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10021

MR. PRESIDENT,

EXCELLENCIES,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT IS AN HONOUR AND A PERSONAL SATISFACTION TO ADDRESS THIS SPECIAL SESSION DEDICATED TO WOMEN. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF MY GOVERNMENT AND MYSELF, FOR THE WISE AND ABLE MANNER IN WHICH YOU HAVE DIRECTED THE EFFORTS OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

ANGOLA CONCURS WITH THE STATEMENT OF THE PREVIOUS AFRICAN DELEGATIONS WHICH RAISED CONCERNS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN OUR REGION RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS THAT MOSTLY AFFLICT WOMEN.

IN THE COUNTRIES OF OUR REGION, WOMEN OCCUPY A FUNDAMENTAL SOCIAL ROLE IN THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES, AND THE EDUCATION OF NEW GENERATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, WOMEN ARE ALSO THE MOST AFFECTED BY THE DISTORTIONS IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF NATIONAL WEALTH.

DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE

PLAYED BY WOMEN IN SOCIETY, THEY CONTINUE, HOWEVER, TO BE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE CENTERS OF POLITICAL DECISIONS. THESE AREAS ARE STILL CONTROLLED BY MEN WHO IN GENERAL HAVE MORE TIME FOR SPEECHES THAN TO LOOK AFTER THE KIDS.

IN OUR COUNTRIES, IF IT IS TRUE THAT WE DO NOT ABIDE BY FULLY WITH THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL WOMEN AND MEN ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW, IT IS NOT LESS TRUE THAT OUR GOVERNMENTS DO NOT COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE NEED TO GIVE TO WOMEN A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN OUR SOCIETIES.

OUR COUNTRIES ARE SHOWING THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN THE BUILDING OF DEMOCRACIES WITH DEEDS, RATHER THAN MERELY INVOKING FREEDOMS AND THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN. IN ANGOLA FOR INSTANCE, 16% OF THE DEPUTIES TO THE PARLIAMENT ARE WOMEN, WHILE IN GOVERNMENT, THEY REPRESENT 13% OF ITS MEMBERS. WOMEN ARE REPRESENTED IN THE ARMY. THEY ARE CEOs OF COMPANIES, HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS. THIS IS A SMALL STEP FORWARD, BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED, IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF PEACE AND SOCIAL STABILITY, TO DO MORE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A BETTER REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL FIELDS.

MR: PRESIDENT,

EXCELLENCIES,

THIS SESSION SHOULD DEDICATE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN AFRICA. THERE, THE PROLIFERATION OF ARMED CONFLICTS, NATURAL DISASTERS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/AIDS AND MALARIA HAVE ACCELERATED THE DECAY OF ITS SOCIAL AND HUMAN FABRIC AND COMPROMISED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJORITY OF ITS COUNTRIES.

OUR CONTINENT CONTINUES TO SHOW THE LOWEST RATES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORLD - DESPITE BEING POTENTIALLY WEALTHY. THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN THE SOCIAL AREA IS INSUFFICIENT. GOVERNMENTS, ARE STRUGGLING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WITH POLITICAL INSTABILITY, THE BURDEN OF EXTERNAL DEBT, AND THE WEAKNESS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ECONOMIES.

THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE THE MORAL AND POLITICAL OBLIGATION TO ASSIST AFRICA IN FACING AND OVERCOMING THESE CHALLENGES.

THE SPATE OF BRUTAL AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE CONFLICTS WHICH RAVAGES AFRICA REPRESENT A SERIOUS OBSTACLE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EITHER THE BEIJING PLATFORM OR OTHER MEASURES AND STRATEGIES THAT MAY BE ADOPTED IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN.

THEY ARE THE MAIN VICTIMS OF THESE CALAMITIES, REPRESENTING THE PREPONDENCE OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE AND REFUGEES FORCED TO LIVE OFF INTERNATIONAL CHARITY.

IN THE CASE OF ANGOLA, FOR EXAMPLE, IT HAS HIGH MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES DUE TO DEFICIENT SANITARY CONDITIONS, AS A RESULT OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GREATER PART OF INFRASTRUCTURE BY WAR, AND THE LACK OF HUMAN AND MATERIAL RESOURCES. THE WAR HAS GIVEN RISE TO THE RAPID CROWDING OF URBAN AREAS AND THE WEAKENING OF THE FAMILY UNIT, FACTORS THAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN POVERTY AND PROSTITUTION.

MY GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SITUATION,

AND THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF FAMILY AND WOMEN'S AFFAIRS, IS

UNDERTAKING ITS IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.

THE DISPLACED AND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM AND ITS INCLUSION IN PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THE MICROCREDIT PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AMONG WOMEN, REPRESENT SOME OF THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. THESE EFFORTS ALREADY HAVE BEGUN TO PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE CREATION OF JOBS.

MR. PRESIDENT,

EXCELLENCIES,

THE UNITED NATIONS AND EACH OF THE STATES PRESENT HERE CAN DO SOMETHING TO PUT AN END TO WAR THAT HAS SPREAD TO VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN OUR CONTINENT. WE BELIEVE THAT IF THERE IS POLITICAL WILL, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO COMPLETELY ISOLATE THE PERPETRATORS OF WAR, CUT OFF THEIR SUPPLY SOURCES AND PROSECUTE THEM JUDICIALLY.

IN ANGOLA, THE GOVERNEMNT IS DETERMINED AND DEEPLY ENGAGED

IN THE SEARCH OF A LASTING SOLUTION TO THE INTERNAL CONFLICT,

WHICH IS CAUSING DRAMATIC CONSEQUENCES UPON ITS POPULATION AND WOMEN IN PARTICULAR.

MR. PRESIDENT,

EXCELLENCIES,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSUME THAT THE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN IS A RESULT, ON THE ONE HAND, OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL FACTOR AND, ON THE OTHER, THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS DELINEATED AT THE NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVELS TO BETTER GUARANTEE WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

THE CURRENT SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY OFFERS US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THESE POLICIES AND SEEK SOLUTIONS THAT CORRESPOND TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM. WE ARE AWARE THAT, SINCE THE LAST WOMEN'S WORLD SUMMIT, SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN RECOGNITION AND PRACTICAL REAFFIRMATION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT SITUATION OF WOMEN IN THE WORLD INDICATES THAT MUCH MORE REMAINS TO BE DONE.

HOW CAN WE SPEAK OF PROMOTING WOMEN'S RIGHTS WHEN MORE THAN HALF OF THE WORLD'S FEMALE POPULATION IS AFFECTED BY POVERTY AND MISERY? AND, IT IS POVERTY THAT HAS BECOME MOST ACUTE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AS A RESULT OF STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT POLICIES AND SOME DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES THAT MARGINALIZE WOMEN IN THE MOST DYNAMIC PRODUCTIVE SECTORS.

HOW CAN WE ASPIRE TO MORE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY WOMEN IN EXERCISING THEIR POLITICAL POWER AND IN PUBLIC LIFE IN GENERAL WHEN THEY CONTINUE TO BE THE SECTOR OF THE POPULATION MOST AFFECTED BY ILLITERACY, LOW LEVELS OF SCHOOLING AND AS A RESULT, UNEMPLOYMENT?

THE URGENT REVERSAL OF THIS TREND IS A FUNDAMENTAL

ASSUMPTION IN GUARANTEEING FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN SOCIO

ECONOMIC LIFE AND IN THE EXERCISE Or THEIR CIVIL AND POLITICAL

RIGHTS. FOR THIS, IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE PROGRAMS AND

STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE AND DEFEND WOMEN'S RIGHTS

BE MORE CONCRETE, PRECISE, AND HAVE THE NECESSARY FINANCIAL

SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK

OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT. IN THIS CONTEXT, MY

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE PRINCIPAL THAT AT LEAST 0.7 PER

CENT OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SHOULD BE CHANNELED TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THE POLITICAL DECLARATION TO BE APPROVED AT THE END OF THIS SESSION OUGHT TO REFLECT THIS COMMITMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENGAGEMENT BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS WITH THE BEIJING PLATFORM AND NAIROBI STRATEGY.

FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE WORK DONE BY THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THIS SPECIAL SESSION, AND PARTICULARLY THAT OF ITS CHAIRPERSON, MS. CHRISTINE KAPALATA. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THIS WILL PERMIT THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS GRAND EVENT TO BE ACHIEVED.

THANK YOU.