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ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS ON MAINSTREAMING A GENDER PERSPECTIVE IN ALL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IN THE UN SYSTEM
Discusses Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in All Policies and Programmes in the United Nations System; Women and Development; and Advancement of Women
The Economic and Social Council this afternoon discussed issues relating to mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system; women and development; and the advancement of women, and then adopted a series of resolutions and decisions on these themes.
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Concerning the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, adopted by a vote of 23 in favour, five against, and 16 abstentions, the Economic and Social Council demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Regulations annexed to the Hague Convention IV of 18 October 1907, the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949, and all other relevant rules, principles and instruments of international law, including the international human rights Covenants, in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families. It also called 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.
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Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective in Policies and Programmes in the UN System; Women and Development; and Advancement of Women
Reports
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The Council has before it the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-third session, contained in (E/2009/27), which notes matters calling for action by the Economic and Social Council or brought to its attention, including agreed conclusions on the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS; the gender perspectives on global public health: implementing the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals; draft resolutions for adoption by the Council on future operation of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women; the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women; the future organization and methods of work of the Commission on the Status of Women; the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women of the Commission on the Status of Women; a draft decision for adoption by the Council on the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-third session and provisional agenda and documentation for the fifty-fourth session of the Commission; matters brought to the attention of the Council: resolution 53/1 on the preparations for the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women; resolution 53/2 on women, the girl child and HIV and AIDS; and decision 53/101 on documents considered by the Commission on the Status of Women. The report also notes the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”; communications concerning the status of women; follow-up to Economic and Social Council resolutions and decisions; the provisional agenda for the fifty-fourth session of the Commission; the adoption of the report of the Commission on its fifty-third session; organization of the session; agenda and organization of work; and the appointment of the members of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women.
The Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution contained in the report of the Commission on the Status of Women (E/2009/27) entitled situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, by a vote with 23 in favour, five against, and 16 abstaining, in which the Council urges the international community to continue to give special attention to the promotion and protection of the human rights of Palestinian women and girls and to intensify its measures to improve the difficult conditions being faced by Palestinian women and their families living under Israeli occupation; demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Regulations annexed to the Hague Convention IV of 18 October 1907, the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949, and all other relevant rules, principles and instruments of international law, including the international human rights Covenants, in order to protect the rights of Palestinian women and their families; 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; calls upon the international community to continue to provide urgently needed assistance, especially emergency assistance, and services in an effort to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis being faced by Palestinian women and their families and to help in the reconstruction of relevant Palestinian institutions, with the integration of a gender perspective into all of its international assistance programmes; 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, the Beijing Platform for Action8 and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”; requests the Secretary-General to continue to review the situation, to assist Palestinian women by all available means, including those set out in the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, and to submit to the Commission on the Status of Women at its fifty-fourth session a report, including information provided by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution.
JOHN SAMMIS (United States) said the United States went to the meeting on the Commission of the Status of Women this year, and repealed the Mexico City Fund and supported the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which were just a few examples of the United States commitment to women’s rights. They were faced, however, with another debate on an unbalanced resolution on assistance to Palestinian women. The United States would continue to play a role in providing assistance to the Palestinian people. The United States donated $900,000 for support to the people in Gaza including to the United Nations consolidated fund. The focus of the international community should be about the shared progress of both the Israelis and Palestinians towards viable peace. The draft did not provide a balanced perspective and for that reason the United States would not vote in favour of the draft resolution and called on States to join them in this move.
SAMAH ATOUT (Palestine) said Palestine wished to recall the substantive discussions at the Commission on the Status of Women with regards to the situation of Palestinian women. Women had borne disproportionate amounts of suffering, and the Palestinian prospects for development would only be possible if the special needs and circumstances of Palestinian women were recognised and met. The resolution just adopted by the Council reflected this.
TONY FAUTUA (New Zealand) said New Zealand was deeply concerned by the plight of Palestinian women, which had been unjustly exacerbated by the recent conflict. Israel had to meet its commitments with regards to Palestinian civilians, including women and children. However, Israeli women were also suffering from the conflict – a more balanced resolution would call on all parties to make sustained steps towards peace. The Commission on the Status of Women and the Economic and Social Council were not the right fora for this resolution – it was more a subject fit for the General Assembly.
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For use of the information media; not an official record
ECOSOC09034E
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