Advancement of women/statement of Palestine – GA Third Cttee debate – Press release (excerpts)

Third Committee

10^th & 11^th Meetings (AM & PM)

THIRD COMMITTEE SPEAKERS SAY 2010 'GROUNDBREAKING YEAR' FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT,

WITH CREATION OF UN WOMEN, WHILE UNDERLINING MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD

Hears 46 Speakers in Second Day of Debate on Advancement of Women;

Stress Women’s Equality Fundamental Prerequisite for Development, Human Rights

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Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to continue its debate on the advancement of women.  For more information, please see Press Release GA/SHC/3977.

Introduction of Draft Resolutions

The Committee began the meeting by hearing the introduction of several draft resolutions on social development.

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SAMIRA ABUBAKAR ( Libya) …

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Libya was concerned about the humanitarian situation of Palestinian women and the grave violation of human rights committed by the Israeli occupation authorities, he said.  …

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Mrs. BARGHOUTI, the observer for Palestine, reaffirming the country’s commitment to work on the advancement of women and welcoming the establishment of UN Women, said that Palestine had hoped to highlight progress in its report; however, it had been unable to do so, because the current situation facing women in Palestine remained critical, particularly in the Gaza Strip.  The situation required not only special attention, but urgent action by the international community.  To address the harsh reality facing Palestinian women and to understand their achievements, it was necessary to state that the myriad of constraints that women living under Israeli occupation faced could not be separated from the issues they faced as women.  In order to achieve genuine improvement, prevailing norms of peace, freedom, equality and democracy had to be in place, for which Palestinian women had been striving too long.

Due to continued Israeli occupation for more than four decades and policies against the whole population, there was a deterioration of the situation in Palestine, which had an impact on women in particular.  Women received the brunt of the crisis, especially in the Gaza Strip, as their rights to life, homes and property, food, housing, education, health, development, and freedom of movement had been breached by Israel in a violent and brutal manner.  For example, the launch of the attack by Israel on 22 December 2008 had killed more than 1,400 people, including women and children, and had injured more than 5,500 people.  At the same time, life in the West Bank remained intolerable, as land was seized for construction and illegal settlement was expanded.  Home demolition, obstruction of freedom of movement and terror continued to have vicious consequences on the advancement of women.  Palestinian women strove to live in an independent, free Palestine, in a secure life that enabled them to focus on issues related to their advancement and empowerment; however, they would not be able to achieve these goals alone and, thus, continued to call on the international community to compel Israel to end its occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people and their land.

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For information media • not an official record