Palestinian women – CSW 38th report (excerpts) – resolutions

 REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

 ON ITS THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION*

(New York, 7-18 March 1994)

SUMMARY

At its thirty-eighth session, the Commission on the Status of Women recommended to the Economic and Social Council the adoption of three draft resolutions and one draft decision.  In addition, it adopted a resolution on the preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women that included recommendations for action by the Economic and Social Council and nine other resolutions on various subjects.

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The Commission adopted nine other resolutions on other matters.

In resolution 38/1 (Integration of women in the Middle East peace process) the Commission urges Governments,

intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to include women in the peace process, and to assist the Palestinian people in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements so as to ensure Palestinian women's political development and participation.

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Chapter I

MATTERS CALLING FOR ACTION BY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

OR BROUGHT TO ITS ATTENTION

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4. The attention of the Council is also drawn to the following resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission:

Resolution 38/1.  Integration of women in the Middle East peace process*

The Commission on the Status of Women,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 48/58 of 14 December 1993 on the Middle East peace process,

Recalling also the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in June 1993, 9/

Stressing that the achievement of a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict will constitute a significant contribution to the strengthening of international peace and security and is an indispensable condition for the furthering of human rights in the region,

Recalling the convening of the Peace Conference on the Middle East at Madrid on 30 October 1991, on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, and the subsequent bilateral negotiations, as well as the meetings of the multilateral working groups, and noting with satisfaction the broad international support for the peace process,

Noting the continuing positive participation of the United Nations as a full extraregional participant in the work of the multilateral working groups,

Bearing in mind the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, 11/

1. Stresses just and lasting peace in the Middle East;

2. Emphasizes that the achievement of such a peace is vital for the full implementation of human rights in the area;

3. Welcomes the peace process started at Madrid and supports the subsequent bilateral negotiations;

4. Expresses its full support for the achievements of the peace process thus far, in particular the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Agreement between Israel and Jordan on the Common Agenda, which constitute an important initial step in achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and urges all parties to implement agreements reached;

5. Considers that an active United Nations role in the Middle East peace process and in assisting in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles can make a positive contribution;

6. Urges Governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to include women in the peace process as facilitators and mediators, and in any other roles that may enhance the peace process;

7. Urges Governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to assist the Palestinian people in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles in order to ensure Palestinian women's political development and participation.

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     *   For the discussion, see chap. III.

11/ A/48/486-S/26560, annex.

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Resolution 38/4.  Palestinian women*

The Commission on the Status of Women,

Having considered with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, 16/

Recalling Women, 1/ in particular paragraph 260 concerning Palestinian women and children,

Recalling also its resolution 1993/15 of 27 July 1993 and other relevant United Nations resolutions,

Recalling the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women 13/ as it concerns the protection of civilian populations,

Welcoming the signing by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Government of Israel of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, 11/

Deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of all aspects of the situation of the Palestinian women in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem,

Gravely concerned about the severe consequences of the massacre carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinian worshippers in Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron on 25 February 1994 for the situation of Palestinian women and their families,

1. Reaffirms that the Israeli occupation constitutes the basic obstacle for Palestinian women with regard to their advancement, self-reliance and integration in the development plan of their society;

2. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 17/ the Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 18/ in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families;

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

4. Urges Member States, international financial organizations of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions to intensify their efforts to provide financial assistance to Palestinian women for the creation of projects responding to their needs, especially during the transitional period;

5. 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;

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

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     *   For the discussion, see chap. III.

16/ E/CN.6/1994/6.

17/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).

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

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Chapter III

MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NAIROBI

FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

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Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women

4. While regretting the shortcomings of the note prepared by the Division for the Advancement of Women on the subject (E/CN.6/1994/6), a few representatives referred to the difficult living conditions of Palestinian women and children in the occupied territories still under military occupation.  One representative urged the international community not to allow such living conditions to continue, whereas another representative expressed concern about the difficult new phase that Palestinian women and children might enter if the issue of continuous occupation was not properly addressed.

5. One representative of a specialized agency reported on its activities, including a multidisciplinary mission to the occupied Palestinian territories, entitled "Capacity-building for social development:  a programme of action for transition in the occupied Palestinian territories", and a forthcoming workshop in the occupied Palestinian territories on the question of employment and equality of women in the process of transition towards autonomy.

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ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION

Integration of women in the Middle East peace process

27. At the 14th meeting, on 16 March 1994, the representative of the United States of America, on behalf of Norway, 42/ the Russian Federation and the United States of America introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1994/L.7) entitled "Integration of women in the Middle East peace process".  Subsequently, Bulgaria joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.

28. At the 16th meeting, on 18 March, the representative of the United States of America orally revised the draft resolution as follows:

 (a)  Operative paragraph 7, which had read:

"7. Urges Governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to ensure that women's political development and participation are integrated into all efforts evolving from the Declaration of Principles, including legislative reform, institution-building and political processes",

was replaced by the following text:

 "7. Urges Governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to assist the Palestinian people in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles in order to ensure Palestinian women's political development and participation";

(b)  Operative paragraph 8, which had read:

"8. Urges Governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations to ensure that women are included in the design and implementation of all policies and programmes evolving from the Declaration of Principles, with a special emphasis on women's interests in those programmes related to environment, democracy, health, population, education and employment",

was deleted.

29. At the same meeting, the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran made a statement.

30. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 38/1).

31. After the adoption of the draft resolution, statements were made by the representatives of Bangladesh, France, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia and Pakistan and the observers for Israel, Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic.

32. The observer for Palestine also made a statement.

33. At the 17th meeting, on 18 March, the observer for the Syrian Arab Republic made a statement with regard to the draft resolution.

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Palestinian women

45. At the 14th meeting, on 16 March 1994, the representative of Algeria, on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1994/L.13) entitled "Palestinian women".

46. At the 17th meeting, on 18 March, the Chairperson informed the Commission that the sponsors had revised operative paragraph 3 by deleting the word "immediately" after the words "to facilitate".

47. At the same meeting, the representative of Algeria, on behalf of the sponsors, further orally revised the draft

resolution as follows:

(a) In the seventh preambular paragraph, the words "in Al-Ibrahimi mosque in Al-Khalil (Hebron)" were replaced by the words "in Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron";

(b) In operative paragraph 1, the word "national" before the words "development plan" was deleted;

(c) Operative paragraph 2, which had read:

"2. Considers the illegal Israeli policy of settlements, displacement of the Palestinian people, denial of Palestinian family reunification and closure and isolation of Palestinian communities to be a violation of the inalienable rights of Palestinian women guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949",

was replaced by the following text:

"2. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of      Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families".

48. At the same meeting, the representative of the United States of America requested a vote on the draft resolution, as orally revised.

49. The representative of Algeria requested that the vote be by roll call.

50. The Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised, by a vote of 38 to 1, with 3 abstentions (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 38/4).  The voting was as follows:

  In favour:   Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahamas,

               Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia,

               Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Finland,

               France, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iran

               (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Japan, Libyan Arab

               Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia,

               Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea,

               Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sudan,

               Thailand, Tunisia, Venezuela, Zambia.

  Against:     United States of America.

  Abstaining:  Belarus, Kenya, Netherlands.

51. After the draft resolution was adopted, statements were made by the representatives of the United States of America, Australia, the Netherlands and the Islamic Republic of Iran and the observers for Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic.

52. The observer for Palestine made a statement.

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     *   The present document is a mimeographed version of the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its thirty-eighth session.  The final report has been issued as Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1994, Supplement No. 7 (E/1994/27).