Palestinian women – ECOSOC draft resolution – CSW report (excerpts)

Commission on the Status of Women

Report on the forty-fourth session

(28 February-2 March 2000)

Chapter I

Matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council or brought to its attention

A. Draft resolutions for adoption by the Council

1. The Commission on the Status of Women recommends to the Economic and Social Council the adoption of the following draft resolutions:

/…

Draft resolution II

Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women*

The Economic and Social Council,

Having considered with appreciation the section concerning the situation of Palestinian women and assistance provided by organizations of the United Nations system of the report of the Secretary-General 1/ on follow-up to and implementation of the Beijing Declaration 2/ and Platform for Action, 3/

Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 4/ in particular paragraph 260 concerning Palestinian women and children, and the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women,

Also recalling its resolution 1999/15 of 28 July 1999 and other relevant United Nations resolutions,

Further recalling the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women 5/ as it concerns the protection of civilian populations,

Stressing the need for full implementation of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum of 4 September 1999 and full compliance with the existing agreements, as well as the need for the conclusion of the final settlement by the agreed time of September 2000,

Concerned about the continuing difficult situation of Palestinian women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and about the severe consequences of continuous illegal Israeli settlement activities, as well as the harsh economic conditions and other consequences for the situation of Palestinian women and their families resulting from the frequent closures and isolation of the occupied territory,

1. Calls upon the concerned parties, as well as the entire international community, to exert all the necessary efforts to ensure the continuity and success of the peace process and its conclusion by the agreed time of September 2000 and the achievement of tangible progress in the improvement of the situation of Palestinian women and their families;

2. Reaffirms that the Israeli occupation remains a major obstacle for Palestinian women with regard to their advancement, self-reliance and integration in the development planning of their society;

3. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 6/ the Regulations annexed to the Hague Convention of 1907 7/ and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 8/ in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families;

4. Calls upon Israel to facilitate the return of all refugees and displaced Palestinian women and children to their homes and properties, in compliance with the relevant United Nations resolutions;

5. Urges Member States, financial organizations of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions to intensify their efforts to provide financial and technical assistance to Palestinian women, especially during the transitional period;

6. Requests the Commission on the Status of Women to continue to monitor and take action with regard to the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraph 260 concerning Palestinian women and children, and the Beijing Platform for Action;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to review the situation and to assist Palestinian women by all available means, and to submit to the Commission on the Status of Women at its forty-fifth session a report on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution.

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*For the discussion, see chap. II.

Notes

1/ E/CN.6/2000/2, sect. III. A.

2/ Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex I.

3/ Ibid., annex II.

4/ Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, Nairobi, 15-26 July 1985 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.85.IV.10), chap. I, sect. A.

5/ General Assembly resolution 48/104.

6/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).

7/ See Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Hague Conventions and Declarations of 1899 and 1907 (New York, Oxford University Press, 1915).

8/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973.

/…

Action taken by the Commission

The situation of and assistance to Palestinian women

37. At the 6th meeting, on 1 March, the observer for Nigeria, on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women” (E/CN.6/2000/L.5).

38. At the 8th meeting, on 2 March, the Commission approved the draft resolution by a recorded vote of 35 to 1 and recommended it to the Economic and Social Council for adoption (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution II). The voting was as follows:*

In favour:

Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Against:

United States of America.

39. Before the draft resolution was adopted, the observer for Israel made a statement; after it was adopted, statements in explanation of vote were made by the representatives of the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation. The observers for the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon also made statements. The observer for Palestine made a statement. Subsequently, the representative of the Sudan made a statement.

/…

____________

*The delegation of Malaysia subsequently stated that, had they been present during the vote, they would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.


Document symbol: E/2000/27|E/CN.6/2000/9
Document Type: Report
Document Sources: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Subject: Economic issues, Settlements, Social issues, Women
Publication Date: 02/03/2000
2019-03-11T20:27:27-04:00

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