DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

STATEMENT BY

HER EXCELLENCY

MRS. GLADYS GUTIERREZ

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR

WOMEN'S AFFAIRS OF THE

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

TO THE TWENTY-THIRD SPECIAL SESSION OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY "WOMEN 2000: GENDER

EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE FOR THE

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK 8 JUNE 2000

Undeniably, the Beijing Platform for Action has opened the doors toward mechanisms of articulations between society and States. Simultaneously it is starting a process of auspicious results.

In that context, we are obtaining conquests in the long run to overcome the obstacles that prevent the development of women and their equal presence in the public life.

In most Latin America and Caribbean, significant changes have been carried out like the adoption of laws against family violence. It has also been essential the important work carried out by the special rapporteur in this matter. A remarkable conquest achieved has been the approval of affirmative action laws guaranteeing a larger participation of women in congressional elections as well as administrative positions. Such vital changes are also happening in the labor and civil fields.

In the international arena, it is also important to highlight the adoption of the facultative Protocol of the CEDAW and its signature by many States. Also important has been the adoption by the International Penal Court of an article regarding the gender, and its signing and ratification by most States Parties.

Women's human rights is a frame in which remarkable achievements have been obtained including recognition of sexual and reproductive rights.

In the last five-year period, our unity had helped us in the achievement of important changes, like the consolidation of advances through the approval, promulgation and application of laws favoring women's rights. In 1999, a remarkable step was made with the creation of the Secretary of State for Women's Affairs, the highest level of the State politics toward women in charge for coordinating fairness in laws applications.

Those achievements, are the result of the joint work of the three powers composing the Dominican State (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) for women participating in political parties and non governmental organizations.

The growing participation of non-governmental organizations within the Dominican public life has been reflected positively on basic issues. Thus, NGOs activities has contributed in the last years to improve vital issues like health attention and education.

Another fundamental advance that we have accomplished, is the elaboration of the National Plan for Justness of Gender (PLANED) that encompassed the creation of indicators and concrete results that will serve as a ground for its execution and permanent pursuit.

Among other of our significant accomplishments is the reduction of maternal mortality, better access of maternal and infant services. Also, have to be considered as important positive steps, the application of reforms, and the development of a new model for health issues.

In the Dominican Republic, we also have succeeded in increasing awareness of violence against women, domestic violence, and other specific mechanisms for fighting it.

Regarding the economic field, Dominican women register a remarkable advance through their incorporation into productive areas in the financial sector, food production, breeding of farm animals, small business, and by working at the specialized duty free zones.

Nevertheless, we still have some challenges to face up. The revision of the accomplishments and the obstacles of the last five years, shows that frequently, the former encompasses legislative advancements, while the latter encompass application problems.

Our present task is to optimize the coordination and the follow up of the application of laws, specially those related to labor and women's services. Indeed, most women still get lower paid jobs. Such a trend persists through political parties regarding gender equality, in spite of that women have a predominance in all levels of education.

Moreover, it satisfies us to rely on legislation that guarantee 33% of Congress a d other elected positions to women. This conquest has been reached thanks to the determination of women within those political parties and the non governmental organization's activities.

In spite o such conquests, prevailing problems still have to be approached through training state officials, both for men and women.

To overcome our difficulties, we need to keep counting in the political will and commitment with changes from the relevant authorities, regarding omen's rights.

These facto's would be essential to the strengthening of the application and coordination of the politics addressed to support a larger development for women.

To set new goals following up the Beijing Platform for Action, it should be n unavoidable objective for the Dominican Republic. Thanks to he current Government, our country has improved its integration within the global work. It has also taken encouraging measures toward the full development of human being and the equality of gender.

In the international level, it is important to move forward to the universal ratification of the CEDAW, by lifting of reserves regarding it, and to the ratification of its facultative protocol. We also support the ratification of the statute of the International Criminal Court and the strengthening of local and international women's tools, particularly the INSTRAW.

It is very important to keep a link between the World Platform for Action and the programs derived from other world wide conferences that have improved the women's movement. Among the most important of such events it must be mentioned the Cairo Conference, The Vienna Conference and the Summit for Social Development.

Besides, we need the unity of all political will to face up the poverty in the world. To defeat it, it is an essential requirement to equally allow women to reach the benefits of development.

The difficulties and obstacles which we have confronted in this process of five-years period since Beijing, are valuable tools for the definition of strategies toward the future of women issues in the new millennium.