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DEC-06-92 05:38 PM
P.01
FAX Cover Sheet
PHYSICIANS
for
HUMAN
RIGHTS
Washington Office
Holly Burkhalter, Advocacy Director
phone: 202-547-9881
fax: 202-547-9050
6 Days
e-mail: [email protected]
Date:
No. of Pages (incl. cover):
To: Chisty may
Fax Number:
From: HofPu-Khalt
Message:
DEC-06-92 05:38 PM
02
PHYSICIANS
WASHINGTON
OFFICE
for
110 Maryland Ave. NE
Suite 511
HUMAN
Washington, DC 20002
USA
RIGHTS
(202) 547-9881
Fax (202) 547-9050
12/7/98
E-mail: [email protected]
Christy Macy
The White House
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dear Christy:
PRESIDENT
Charles Clements. M.D.. M.B.H.
How nice that somebody I know is working on this important speech for 12/10.
Santa IV. NM
Len Rubenstein, my boss, told me that you'd had a chance to talk about it, I had
VICE PRESIDENT
Carola Enenherg, M.D.
lunch with Theresa Loar, the Women's Rights Coordinator, and she also
Harred Metual School
encouraged me to get in touch with the White House about the issues.
Hally G. Arkinsun, M.D.
Reuter Health Information Services In.
I am told by Len that you won't be doing hard policy recommendations, but if it is
Regina Benjamin. M D. M 11A.
American Not. at American
possible to stress the following themes, it would be great:
M. Grugg Bloche. M.D.. ID.
Genegement Law Centre
1. Women's most fundamental human rights are being violated in Afghanistan by
Tom Crane, M.D.
and Have 1.4
the Taliban. The discrimination is so intense they can't work or go to school or
11 lash Geiger, M.D., M.I.H.
have access to medical care -- that it is life threatening. Kabul is a city of widows,
(PN) Malual School
Pedro Jose Given 11.. M.D.
and they have been denied their very means of providing for themselves and their
Contersin "If Miami
children by being prohibited from working.
Howard Hian. M.D.
Hand Mahul School
Lana Lound Lynn. M.BA.. R.N.
2. Discrimination against women has created a health and human rights crisis for
MANAGE app Fundres Halland
them. Physicians for Human Rights's women's health survey found that a
Victor R. Benchavadch. M.D.
Albert Forgeon Callers of Medicine
shocking 97% of those we interviewed met the diagnostic criteria for clinical
Chester M. Puene, MD.
depression. When women are deeply depressed (over their enforced idleness, their
Hurrord University
P. Preston Reynolds M.D., Philo
worry over providing for their kids, their terror of human rights violations) they
than % Come. AID
are sick and their kids are, too.
M. Roy Schware, MD
American Medical Asociation
Nini Thorbarn, M.D.
3. The world must recognize the gravity of Afghanistan's human rights crisis and
Convern of Handir School of Medicine
take immediate steps to address it. The U.S. should come up with funding for
Alicia Ely Yamin. I.D. M.D.LL
School ") Pable Health
health care and schooling for women and girls both in the Afghan refugee camps in
Pakistan and within Afghanistan itself, working through local humanitarian groups
STAFF
which provide services directly to women and girls. The U.S. could start by
Leonard S. Rubensiein, J.D.
Exceptive Director
offering to build a first rate women's hospital, to be run and staffed by Afghan
Susannah Sukin
women themselves, and then pressure the Taliban to accept it.
Deputy Discons
Charlone Mc Cormick
1986
Decision of Finance et Administration
Len said that you were also interested in Zohra Rasekh, my PHR colleague who
Barbara Ayotte
None Program American
carried out our work in Afghanistan. She is an Afghan-American who came to the
10.
Natalie Schnipper
U.S. as a teenager. She is an American citizen and public health expert who
Services Deselopment
1996
conducted this survey in Farsi. She is brilliant, beautiful, and brave. I would like it
Vincent lacopino. M.D. Ph.D.
Wistern Regional Prices
very much if she could be included in any event involving the First Lady, as a way CORGANIZATION
OPHEATH
Robert Ft. Kirschner, M.D.
of dramatizing Afghanistan's human rights and women's health crisis.
Director, Inconstional Been i. /hegram
AND
CON
National Office: 100 Boylston Street, Suite 702, Boston, MA 02116. USA
(617) 695-0041
Fax (617) 695-0307
F.-mail: [email protected]
BOSTON
SAN FRANCISCO
CHICAGO
WASHINGTON
DEC-06-92 05:38 PM
P.03
Thanks for your interest. If you'd like to discuss this further, please call me at
547-9881.
All best wishes,
B Holly Burkhalter
DEC-06-92 05:39 PM
04
PHYSICIANS
FOUNDING MEMBER,
INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN
for
TO BAN LANDMINES:
CO-RECIMENT OF THE
HUMAN
Strictly Embargoed for Release, 12:30 am EST. Wednesday August 5, '98''
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
RIGHTS
Contact: Barbara Ayotte, 695-0041, Day (617) 776-8020,1
In
Holly Burkhalter, (202) 547-9881, Day (202) 547-8394,
Mobilicing the health
professions and mluring
public impport LO project
PHYSICIAN GROUP'S UNPRECEDENTED STUDY CALLS
and promote the Immun
rights of all people
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TALIBAN WAR ON WOMEN A HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS
PRESIDENT
CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN
Charles Clements. M.D.. M.P.H.
Was Same Fe. NM
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today released a report of a survey that
VICE PRESIDENT
Carola Eisenberg, M.D.
documents for the first time the widespread physical and psychological suffering
Harvend Midical School
inflicted on the women of Afghanistan by the Taliban regime. The survey of 160
Holly C. Atkinion. M.D.
women and accompanying in-depth interviews with 40 women show how a
Brann Health Information Senaces /mr.
society in which women played a prominent role in the health professions, in
Regina Benjamin. M.D., M.B.A.
American Medical Ameriation
government, and in teaching, has been replaced by one where:
M. Cregg Bloche, M.D., J.D.
Gragarous University Law CMAP
women are regularly and brutally beaten for walking on the street without a
Tom Crane, M.D.
Seam Row. CA
male chaperone or without a garment (burqa) that covers their bodies from
Felson Earls. M.D.
Harward School of Malk Hralth
head to toe;
Howard Histt. M.D.
Humard Medical show
women who once contributed to the support of their families have become
Robert Lawrence, M.D.
jahn Hophins School of Public Health
destitute, and must now beg because they are forbidden from working:
Jennifer Leaning, M.D.
Harward Cream p. and
Development Seadies
women cannot obtain health care from many facilities and cannot be
Lana Louise Lynn, M.P.A., RN.
examined by a male doctor without a chaperone; yet female doctors and
Natividad Medical Center
nurses are severely restricted from practicing, and many have fled the country;
Victor B. Penchartadch. M.D.
Albert Einure College of Medicine
and
Irwin Redlever. M.D. F.A.A.P.
Children) Medical Craw. NY
schools for women and girls have closed their doors, with the exception of
R. Presson Reynolds. M.D.. Ph.O.
Hower do Grare MD
Qur'anic training for girls under eight, leaving the female population hopeless
VIn Ryan
about their futures.
School Capital Corporation
Kim Thorburn. M.D. M.B.H.
Spokane. WA
The report provides the first-ever opportunity for a broad range of Afghan
Alicia Ely Yamin. J.D.. M.P.H.
women, whose voices have been silenced by the regime, to describe in detail their
Columble School of Mobber Health
health and human rights concerns under Taliban rule since September 1996 when
STAFF
the group's forces took control of Kabul. The 109-page report, The Taliban's
Leonard S. Rubensicin. J.D.
War on Women: A Health and Human Rights Crisis in Afghanistan, is being
Executive Director
Susannah Sirkin
published to coincide with an article summarizing the health findings of the PHR
Deputy Director
survey in the August 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
Holly Burkhalter
Adverce Chrecter
(JAMA)
Richard Sollum
Serior Program AMOUNT
PHR's health and human rights survey revealed that seventy-one percent of
Barbara Ayorre
Director of Communications
participants experienced a decline in their physical health over the past two years
Since Brown
87% percent of the forty women interviewed in-depth reported a decrease in their
Development Condinator
access to health services, citing reasons such as: economic hardship (61%), no
Cina Cummings
Compater and Education Cuardinate
female doctor available (48%), restrictions in women's mobility (36%), no
Vincent Incoping. M.D., Ch.D.
- more -
Senior Medical Consultant
100 Boylston Street, Suite 702, Boston, MA 02116, USA
(617) 695-0041
Fax (617) 695-0307
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.phrusa.org
BOSTON
WASHINGTON
DEC-06-92 05:39 PM
P.05
chaperone available (27%), hospital refused to provide care (21%), and not owning a burqa
(6%). In addition, 53% of women described occasions in which they were seriously ill and
71
unable to seek medical care.
Participants in the health and human rights survey also reported extraordinarily high levels of
mental stress and depression, with 81% reporting a decline in their mental condition over the past
It
two years. 42% met the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 97%
exhibited major depression and 86% demonstrated significant symptoms of anxiety. 21%
indicated that they had suicidal thoughts "extremely often" or "quite often".
The survey demonstrates that harassment and physical abuse of Afghan women and their family
members by Taliban officials is extremely common in Kabul. 69% of women reported that they
or a family member had been detained in Kabul by Taliban religious police or security forces.
Of the respondents who were detained, 72% followed non-adherence to the Taliban's dress code
for women.
A physician interviewed by PHR said, "[The Taliban] beat my husband and myself, because we
were working in the same clinic, and they wanted me to shut down the clinic and not work.
When I tried 10 reason with them, they beat me and told me that they would hang me if I showed
Ln
up again in the clinic."
While the Taliban regime claims that their restrictions on women are mandated by a strict
interpretation of Islamic law, neither Muslim scholars, nor the women themselves agree. More
than 95% of survey respondents stated that women should have equal access to education, equal
work, and freedom of expression and movement. More than 95% disagreed with Taliban dress
codes and did not believe that the teachings of Islam mandated such restrictions.
Women's fear of being publicly beaten or arrested by the Taliban for being on the street or for
not wearing the all-enveloping burqa, discourages many of them from even attempting to seek
health care. One woman interviewed by PHR was mourning the recent death of her 20-year-old
daughter, who had suffered stomach pains for days but could not be taken out because her
X
mother did not possess a burqa. Another study participant related how her mother's elderly aunt,
was flogged by Taliban police because her ankle was showing from under the burqa. She was
]
beaten with a metal cable and her ankle was broken.
According to one of the doctors PHR interviewed, the wearing of the burqa itself may contribute
to health problems, such as poor vision and hearing, skin rash, headaches, asthma, alopecia (hair
loss) and depression.
PHR learned that the Taliban requirement that male physicians may not treat women
unaccompanied by close male relatives, has wreaked havoc on the lives of women who do not
have male relatives to play this role, particularly for the more than 30,000 widows in Kabul. One
woman interviewed by PHR stated: "I can't see a male doctor since I don't have a chaperone 10
accompany me; my brother is too young and my father is ill." Widows and unaccompanied
women are also gravely affected by a Taliban decree of July 20, 1997, which states that women
can not pick up food or other aid from distribution centers unless accompanied by a male
relative.
- more .
JA
DEC-06-92 05:40 PM
P.06
nett generation
An Afghan physician described declining nutrition in children, an increasing rate of tuberculosis,
and a high prevalence of other infectious diseases among women and children. A 35-year-old
3t
professional woman told PHR, "There are no qualified doctors, no medication, and no medical
equipment. The patients are not treated properly." An Afghan pharmacist told PHR that most
experienced and qualified physicians have left the country and that many medicines are
adulterated. A female physician stated, "The training of female physicians has been halted
completely so there is no way there will be women doctors for future generations."
] &
Study participants told PHR how male physicians cannot properly examine women patients
because of prohibitions on touching them or looking at their bodies. A dentist said he only
examined a woman's teeth if a lookout was posted at the door while he lifted her veil. He told
PHR that if he were caught treating a woman, he and his patient would be beaten, and the
authorities would likely close his office and throw him in jail. The PHR researcher learned that
Taliban guards are ever present in medical facilities and may beat female health personnel who
are not covered completely.
Afghanistan's history of civil war and anarchy has contributed to the perception outside
Afghanistan that while the Taliban is repressive, at least it has stopped the war and ended violent
crimes in the capital. PHR strongly rejects this assessment "That Taliban officials now claim 10
be 'restoring peace' to Afghanistan is perhaps one of the cruelest ironies of our time, as they
have virtually imprisoned Afghan women in their homes and threatened their very survival", said
PHR Executive Director Leonard Rubenstein.
The PHR report calls on the international community to reconsider the situation of Afghanistan
and take action aimed at securing a representative government, which is committed to
international human rights standards, including the equal rights of women. The organization
states that those governments that support the Taliban, notably Pakistan, should be publicly
called upon to end their support for the regime. PHR also urges a moratorium on corporate
investment in the country, including by the consortium of companies who are proposing a major
oil and gas pipeline there. PHR calls on the U.S. to oppose a claim by the Taliban for a seat at
the United Nations as the government of Afghanistan. PHR also criticizes the UN's
Memorandum of Understanding with the Taliban, which acknowledges that access for women to
health care and education in Afghanistan must be "gradual".
The Boston-based medical human rights group undertook the three-month study of women's
health and human rights concerns and conditions in Afghanistan at the beginning of 1998. PHR
health researcher, Zohra Rasekh, interviewed 160 Afghan women living in the Afghan capital of
Kabul and in refugee settings in Pakistan, using a 101-question survey instrument developed
with PHR Senior Medical Consultant, Vincent Iacopino, M.D., Ph.D. The researcher also
conducted in-depth interviews with 40 Afghan women and interviewed humanitarian assistance
providers, health personnel and other experts.
###
]
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is an organization of health professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens
that uses the knowledge and skills of the medical and forensic sciences 10 investigate and prevent violations of
international human rights and humanitarian law. Since its founding in 1986, PHR has conducted dozens of
Investigations in countries throughout the world into torture, political killings, prison conditions and the health
consequences of armed conflict. As a founding member of the International Campaign 10 Ban Landmines, PHR
shared in the 1997 NobelBeace Prize.
Katharine Button
12/07/98 12:39:55 PM
Record Type:
Record
To:
Christine N. Macy/WHO/EOP
CC:
Subject: DRAFT Citations
Forwarded by Katharine Button/WHO/EOP on 12/07/98 12:40 PM
Steven J. Naplan
12/07/98 12:38:49 PM
Record Type:
Record
To:
Phillip Caplan/WHO/EOP, Sean P. Maloney/WHO/EOP
CC:
Katharine Button/WHO/EOP, Ann F. Lewis/WHO/EOP, George G. Caudill/WHO/EOP
Subject: DRAFT Citations
Below, please find DRAFT citations, approved by Eric Schwartz and
Tony Blinken for the NSC.
All of the facts and dates come from open-source, public
information. These facts and dates, per Sean Maloney, should not
and will not be vetted with the awardees We will only ask the
awardees how they'd like their names printed on the certificates.
Please share whatever final language you use for the actual
certificates so that I may put that very same language into the
Fact Sheet that will be released after the event. Also, George
Caudill will need to share the final language you choose to use
with the mil aid who will read the actual citations at the event.
Also, please advise once WH counsel has formally vetted and
approved the awardees.
Robert Bernstein has dedicated his life to giving voice to the
voiceless. His human rights activism began in 1971, when he
traveled to the Soviet Union as the head of Random House. As a
result of that trip, he began publishing banned works from all
over the world. He subsequently founded the Association of
American Publishers' International Freedom to Publish Committee
and the Fund for Free Expression. In 1978, he founded Helsinki
Watch to monitor human rights in the USSR and Eastern Europe.
Americas Watch followed in 1981, and other Watch committees were
organized to cover every region of the globe. In 1987, Mr.
Bernstein brought these groups together to form Human Rights
Watch, which has grown from a small group of concerned citizens
to a large professional organization determined to oppose human
rights violations wherever they occur. We honor him today for a
life devoted to the active defense of freedom throughout the
world.
For forty years John Lewis has been at the vanguard of civil
rights activism in the United States. As a leader of
organizations like the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
and the Voter Education Program, and later as a member of the
Atlanta City Council and the U.S. House of Representatives, he
has educated and mobilized generations of young Americans in the
crusade against injustice. Through sit-ins, freedom rides,
protest marches and voter registration drives in the 1960s, he
came to symbolize the courage and dedication of thousands of
activists fighting for equal rights under the law. He often did
so at no small personal risk, suffering more than forty arrests,
physical attacks, and severe injuries in the course of his
activism. Yet he never deviated from his firm commitment to
peaceful change through non-violent direct action, and his
perseverance led to a sea change in the way Americans treat each
other. We honor him today for his uncompromising heroism in the
face of bigotry, and his unswerving commitment to the principles
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Born in China, raised in the United States, Bette Bao Lord has
dedicated her life to the defense of liberty. Since 1991, she
has served as Chairman of Freedom House, which was founded by
Eleanor Roosevelt and others to serve as "freedom's advocate
around the world." Her leadership has revitalized and expanded
the work of Freedom House, in the process strengthening the
democratic revolution that has swept the world over the past ten
years. Her vigorous support for democracy has brought together
non-governmental and governmental leaders, leaders of political
parties and grassroots activists in the common struggle for
freedom. Somehow, she has also found time to author five books,
including Legacies: A Chinese Mosaic, the story of the time she
spent in China in the years leading to the Tiananmen Spring of
1989. In that work, Mrs. Lord tells of a boy who flies a
vermilion kite each day SO that his imprisoned father will not
lose hope. Her work has similarly sustained countless others.
We honor her today not just for her own activism but for raising
a high standard for thousands of other human rights and democracy
activists around the world.
Active on the national scene as a writer and lecturer, Dorothy Q.
Thomas has played a leading role in efforts to define and defend
women's rights around the world. In 1990, she founded the Women'
S Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, where she raised
international awareness of state-sponsored violence and
discrimination against women. The horrors she helped to uncover
and document - forced prostitution, female genital mutilation,
and the use of systematic rape as a weapon in war - forced the
international community to rethink its conception of human
rights. At the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna,
her leadership forced new recognition of women's rights and
secured the inclusion of crimes against women in emerging
conceptions of international humanitarian law. More recently,
she has pushed for the application of international standards to
women's rights in the United States. We honor her today for her
courageous advocacy of women's rights as basic human rights.
12/07/98 MON 13:46 FAX
November 4, 1998
Office of the Senior Coordinator
for International Women's Issues
WOMEN AND GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN
Taliban restrictions
There has been rapid deterioration of the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan
since the Taliban became a military and political force in late 1994. In the 1980s, a
growing number of Afghan women, particularly in urban areas, worked outside the
home in nontraditional roles. There were female lawyers, judges and doctors in Kabul.
This trend was reversed in 1992. This backward trend significantly intensified with the
Taliban takeover of Kabul in the fall of 1996. Women and schoolgirls were compelled
to stay at home. Women's public bathhouses, which served an important social
function as a gathering place for women as well as the chief means of maintaining
personal hygiene, were shut down. As a result, women and girls became, and remain
today, virtually invisible.
When the Taliban took control of Kabul in September 1996, they immediately issued
edicts forbidding women to work, including female doctors and nurses in hospitals.
They later relented on female health women allowing doctors and nurses to work but
under extremely restricted circumstances. Women were discouraged from going
outside the home unaccompanied by a male relative. If they did appear in public, they
were required to wear a traditional long robe called the "burqa" covering them from
head to toe. A small mesh covered opening about three inches square provides the
only means to see. A number of women have been struck and killed by cars because
of their restricted vision under the burqa. Women have been targeted by the Taliban
"religious police" and often beaten, sometimes brutally, on the street for failure to
wear the burqa; for allowing a bit of ankle to show under the burqa; or for making
noise when they walk Women who do not have a burqa have had to buy one. This
imposes an additional punishment on women who have already lost their jobs for
simply being women.
Before the Taliban, women in Kabul worked as teachers, nurses, physicians,
pharmacists, judges and other jobs in society. Since the Taliban have forbidden almost
all of them to work outside the home, except for a few health care professionals, they
are now relegated to unemployment, destitution and begging.
The Taliban closed all schools for girls. Despite this, home-based schools were quietly
operated by female teachers who lost their jobs in the Taliban crackdown. The Taliban
earlier this year, however, ordered closure of all private home-based schools for girls
in Kabul, though we understand some were allowed to reopen. We are deeply
disturbed by the Taliban's restrictions on girls' education and have made our feelings
003
12/07/98 MON 13:46 FAX
clear, both through diplomatic channels and publicly via a VOA editorial, urging that
the girls' schools be speedily allowed to reopen.
The impact of Taliban restrictions on women is most acutely felt in cities such as Herat
and Kabul where there are numbers of educated and professional women, compared
with rural areas where women do chores, tend animals, get water and fire wood and,
when in the fields, do not wear burqas. At one time before the Taliban takeover,
Kabul University reportedly had about 8,000 women students while thousands of
professional women worked in different capacities in the city. In Herat, about 3,000
women reportedly lost their jobs after the Taliban took control.
The Taliban edicts have been especially hard on war widows (there are over 30,000 in
Kabul). Some of them are the sole providers of the family. They now cannot work
and many are reduced to begging on the streets to feed their children.
Women's access to medical services and hospitals has been drastically reduced.
Taliban authorities initially directed hospitals to cease services to women and
discharge female staff. This order was later modified to allow for emergency care for
women in all Kabul hospitals and non-emergency care in only a few hospitals.
However, in one instance, a woman burn victim died after Taliban authorities would
not allow her to be treated by a male doctor.
Under the Taliban regime in Kabul, women and girls cannot visit a doctor unless a
male relative accompanies them. They may only be seen by female doctors. Even if a
woman is accompanied by a male relative, treatment is limited. Male doctors are not
allowed to do surgical procedures, even if a female patient's life is at stake.
There are credible reports of women severely injured in a car accident being refused
treatment in five hospitals because they were females; a woman dying from
appendicitis after being turned away by two hospitals because she was a woman;
women with diabetes being turned away in an effort to obtain insulin at clinics and
dying shortly thereafter; and a young woman dying at home without being taken to see
a doctor because her mother did not possess a burqa for her to wear and could not
afford to buy one.
Taliban authorities have forbidden landmine awareness instruction for women and
older girls. Young girls and boys are requested to teach their mothers and sisters at
home. Landmine injuries for women and girls have increased.
In summing up the hopelessness felt by the Afghan women, one woman reportedly
said that she preferred the rocket attacks and the fighting to the current situation under
Taliban, because a rocket or a bomb may kill all members of a family at once, but life
under the Taliban is a slow death, which is more painful.
2
004
12/07/98 MON 13:47 FAX
Women are not merely discriminated against in Afghanistan. They are being brutalized
and made invisible by the edicts and punishment inflicted on them simply for being
women.
At the time women are moving forward in most other countries of the world, the
Taliban have pushed Afghan women backwards. Since the 1995 United Nations
Fourth World Conference on Wornen, there has been increasing agreement in the
international community on the importance of women's human rights. The situation in
Afghanistan presents us with a test of this principle. This is a pivotal moment for
human rights. If the international community is steadfast and united in its resolve, the
human rights of women will prevail and the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan
will go forward.
United States diplomatic efforts.
Promoting the observance of human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls,
is one of our highest foreign policy priorities in Afghanistan. We continue to press
the Taliban and its supporters in public and private, at senior levels to extend equitable
and humanitarian treatment to women and girls.
We call upon the Taliban to lift its restrictions on the mobility and employment of
women, the schooling of girls and access to medical facilities and medical care. We
also call upon the Taliban and all factions to abide by internationally-accepted norms
of human rights. We consult with other interested governments and continually raise
this issue in international fora - UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights
Commission, UN Commission on the Status of Women, etc.
The United States is neutral toward the various Afghan factions fighting in that
country, but our neutrality does not extend to violations of international norms of
behavior. We condemn Taliban human rights violations, particularly against women
and girls. We do not plan to recognize any government unless it is broad-based,
representative of all Afghans and respects international norms of behavior in human
rights, including the human rights of women and girls and minorities.
In our efforts to promote peace in Afghanistan, the United States has taken a
leadership role in the region and in the United Nations.
We believe the United Nations is central to the peace process and we support the
efforts of the Secretary General's Special Envoy, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, and
the work of the UN Special Mission to Afghanistan. We participate in the Group of
Six Plus Two (the six countries bordering Afghanistan: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China, plus the U.S. and Russia) in a serious attempt to see
how progress can be made toward a peaceful negotiated settlement.
We have actively worked with the UN humanitarian agencies to ensure access to these
programs by women and girls.
3
005
12/07/98 MON 13:47 FAX
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright attended a special Ministerial-level of the Six
Plus Two at the United Nations on September 21 to emphasize our commitment to
this process. The points of common understanding call on the Taliban to fully respect
human rights, including the rights of women and girls.
We have raised the situation in Afghanistan with countries that have indicated support
for the Taliban such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Our message to all factions within Afghanistan is the same: cease fire, negotiate, work
with the UN and respect international norms of behavior, including the rights of
women and girls.
Lois Gochnauer Nov. 4, 1998
4
006
12/07/98 MON 13:47 FAX
htp://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?TS=.=I&Did-0000000326330552Mtd=1&Fnt=3
Wretched Art They Amongst Women
The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.; Aug 5, 1998; Nora Boustany;
Sub Title:
[FINAL Edition]
Column Name:
DIPLOMATIC DISPATCHES
Start Page:
A15
ISSN:
01908286
Subject Terms:
Human rights
Women
Sex discrimination
Geographic Names: Afghanistan
Companies:
Taliban-Afghanistan
Abstract:
There can be few greater injustices than denying to human beings in the abyss of despair the opportunity to help
themselves. In the case of the wornen under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, many of them widowed or otherwise left
to their own devices because of the continuing civil war there, this is an understatement.
In one of the most disturbing and extensive surveys of the plight of women yet to emerge from that troubled nation,
a report released today by the group Physicians for Human Rights exposes the punitive measures inflicted on
Afghan women of all ages. Entitled "The Taliban's War on Women," the report includes firsthand accounts and
interviews detailing the everyday impact of the conservative Islamic movement's policies of discrimination that
undermine the health, well-being and economic survival of their female citizens. The Taliban has imposed what
they characterize as a strict version of Islamic law in the 80 percent of the country they control.
Despite international admonishment, requests by U.S. officials to the Taliban to ease its suppression of women,
the group ordered on June 16 the closing of more than 100 privately funded schools and projects at which
thousands of young women and girls were receiving training that would have helped them support their families
and themselves. The prohibition against women working with the exception of health care personnel employed
by international organizations -- has driven many to destitution and begging, the report noted.
Full Text:
Copyright The Washington Post Company Aug 5, 1998
There can be few greater injustices than denying to human beings in the abyss of despair the opportunity
to help themselves. In the case of the women under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, many of them widowed
or otherwise left to their own devices because of the continuing civil war there, this is an
understatement.
In one of the most disturbing and extensive surveys of the plight of women yet to emerge from that
troubled nation, a report released today by the group Physicians for Human Rights exposes the punitive
measures inflicted on Afghan women of all ages. Entitled "The Taliban's War on Women," the report
includes firsthand accounts and interviews detailing the everyday impact of the conservative Islamic
movement's policies of discrimination that undermine the health, well-being and economic survival of
their female citizens. The Taliban has imposed what they characterize as a strict version of Islamic law
in the 80 percent of the country they control.
Despite international admonishment, requests by U.S. officials to the Taliban to ease its suppression of
women, the group ordered on June 16 the closing of more than 100 privately funded schools and projects
at which thousands of young women and girls were receiving training that would have helped them
support their families and themselves. The prohibition against women working - with the exception of
health care personnel employed by international organizations has driven many to destitution and
begging, the report noted.
"As a widow, I have no support system in this society, and I am about to lose my mind," said one
woman interviewed for the report. "I barely survive without any support or income. There are beatings
for showing up in public without a male chaperon or {for} showing your face." Worst of all is not being
allowed to work, she added. Physicians for Human Rights researcher Zohra Rasekh said she witnessed
two public beatings of women in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
Another widow interviewed, now a refugee in Pakistan, said she preferred the rocket attacks of the civil
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war to life under the Taliban: "A rocket or a bomb may kill all members of a family at once, but this is a
slow death, which is more painful."
Another woman whose husband died in the factional fighting had this to say: "This was the most bitter
part of my life, losing the man of my life. I wanted to die too. But because of my child, I had to live to
take care of him. {The Taliban} took away the only thing that kept me from losing my mind - my
job and my income. I lost my income, my future and almost my sanity."
Said yet another: "My mother's aunt, an elderly woman, was flogged by a Taliban militia member
because her ankle was showing. She was beaten with a metal cable, and her leg was broken."
Taliban officials who come to Washington and New York to lobby for diplomatic recognition and aid
deny that women under their control are held to inflexible rules of dress. But Afghan women told
researchers that they cannot go out shopping or even to a doctor without being covered from head to toe
and without a male chaperon. "Any slight divergence from the dress code results in beating," the report
quoted one woman as saying. "We live in terror."
The report stresses that women's fear of being publicly beaten or arrested on the street by Taliban
enforcers discourages many of them from seeking health care. One woman interviewed was mourning
her 20-year-old daughter, who had suffered stomach pains for days before she died. She said she was
unable to take the young woman for treatment because she herself did not own a burqa, a head-to-toe
covering with a mesh cloth through which to sce and breathe.
Windows of houses and buildings in public view must be painted over if females are present in the
household, according to Taliban edicts, and women are not allowed to wear white socks or shoes, the
color of the Taliban flag, or shoes that make noise.
In September of last year, all hospitals in Kabul were ordered to suspend medical services to the city's
half-million women, except for one poorly equipped clinic. At the time, the temporary Rabia Balhi
facility had 35 beds, no clean water, no electricity, surgical equipment or X-ray machines, no suction
devices or oxygen. Two months later, after negotiations with the International Committee of the Red
Cross, the Taliban partially rescinded the directive and reopened some hospitals to women with a limited
number of beds. But their regulations still prohibit women from moving about freely and interfere with
the delivery of health services, the report noted.
At the only maternity hospital in Kabul, Maiwand, Rasekh saw seven to eight beds to a room, and in one
room two patients shared one bed. Women housed at Rabia Balkhi clinic said they had received no
medical attention, and one told her she had not been attended to for 10 days.
Physicians for Human Rights recommended that a U.N. Memorandum of Understanding with the
Taliban be rescinded and renegotiated. The group also urged humanitarian aid providers to reconsider
their priorities with respect to women's health and human rights issues and to make every effort to
overcome barriers to humanitarian aid for women.
The group also called for a moratorium on investment in Afghanistan, which is directly and indirectly
assisting the Taliban regime. This includes oil and gas pipelines projects proposed by a consortium of
multinational corporations among them UNOCAL, based in California, and Bridas of Argentina.
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Half a Nation, Condemned
New York Times; New York; Oct 8, 1998; Bob Herbert;
Sub Title:
[Op-Ed]
Edition:
Late Edition (East Coast)
Column Name:
In America
Start Page:
35
ISSN:
03624331
Subject Terms:
Sex discrimination
Health care
Women
Civil rights
Geographic Names: Afghanistan
Companies:
Taliban-Afghanistan
Abstract:
Consider this fatal catch-22. By order of the Taliban, the extremist Islamic movement that controls most of the
country, Afghan women are not allowed to work or go to school. That means female doctors, with very few
exceptions, cannot practice, and women who want to be doctors cannot be trained. But male doctors are not
allowed to see or touch the bodies of female patients. Thus, health care for most women has effectively vanished.
Women and girls, including babies, are dying needlessly from illnesses that are left untreated.
Physicians for Human Rights, which shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its role in the International Campaign
to Ban Landmines, recently concluded a study of the conditions confronting the women of Afghanistan under the
rule of the Taliban.
Full Text:
Copyright New York Times Company Oct 8, 1998
Even as we overdose on the coverage of the frenzied, sex-based madness in Washington, the tragic
subjugation of nearly the entire female population of Afghanistan goes scarcely noticed.
Consider this fatal catch-22. By order of the Taliban, the extremist Islamic movement that controls most
of the country, Afghan women are not allowed to work or go to school. That means female doctors, with
very few exceptions, cannot practice, and women who want to be doctors cannot be trained. But male
doctors are not allowed to see or touch the bodies of female patients. Thus, health care for most women
has effectively vanished. Women and girls, including babies, are dying needlessly from illnesses that are
left untreated.
Physicians for Human Rights, which shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its role in the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines, recently concluded a study of the conditions confronting the women of
Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban.
The executive director, Leonard Rubenstein, said in an interview yesterday, "We are not aware of any
place in the world in recent history where women have so systematically been deprived of every
opportunity to survive in the society from working to getting an education to walking on the street to
getting health care."
The researchers, in their report, described Kabul, the Afghan capital, as a city of beggars, with "women
who had once been teachers and nurses now moving in the streets like ghosts under their enveloping
burqas, selling every possession and begging so as to feed their children."
They said the restrictions on the examination and treatment of sick and injured women had reached
"extreme dimensions." They wrote:
"[Physicians for Human Rights] interviewed a male physician and asked how he would treat an ailing
woman patient. He indicated that in some cases a male relative could point on his own body to places
where the patient felt pain, and he would prescribe medication for the male relative to procure for her."
A woman who ran a clinic with her husband was ordered by the Taliban to shut it down. She told a
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Physicians for Human Rights researcher: "When I tried to reason with them, they beat me and told me
that they would hang me if I showed up again at the clinic."
The clinic was closed "within 24 hours."
Zohra Rasekh, a senior health researcher and one of the authors of the report, was chased by a young
man wielding a metal cable because her wrists had been exposed in public. She said she narrowly
escaped a beating.
Inevitably, large numbers of women and girls are finding themselves in desperately poor health. A
woman was reported to have died of appendicitis after she was turned away from two hospitals.
Researchers were told in separate interviews of two women who had diabetes and were denied insulin at
a clinic. Both were reported to have died.
A nurse told researchers that many women were dying at home during labor. A pharmacist said, "It is
very difficult for pregnant women since male doctors are prohibited from seeing pregnant women and
performing delivery. A lot of pregnant women die at home and in hospitals and clinics."
Major depression and other psychiatric disorders are widespread. A sense of hopelessness prevails, and
suicide is a growing problem.
Said one young woman: "Two years ago I graduated from Kabul University, but now the university door
is closed to all female students. Afghan women have no rights today. They are all walking deads."
Women's rights groups in the United States, led by the Feminist Majority Foundation, are trying to
mount a campaign on behalf of the women in Afghanistan. They are modeling the campaign on the
worldwide effort that helped bring down the system of racial apartheid in South Africa.
"It's so horrific," said Eleanor Smeal, president of the foundation. "We thought that as a group if we
could not arouse the public on this, then what are we talking about when we say that women are going
forward?
"We have to care about this. I mean, to what level can women be reduced? What's O.K.? If this is O.K.,
it means we become this class of people that you can do anything to."
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Washington Post, The (DC), September 27, 1998, p. A1.
Into the Land of the Taliban
From Kabul to Kandahar, Militia Inspires Devotion -- and Fear
Edition: L
Section: A Section
Author: Pamela Constable
Dateline: KANDAHAR, Afghanistan
Topics:
Islamic law
rebel militias
journalists
personal narratives
Afghanistan
Taliban
Estimated printed pages: 11
Article Text:
"Are you sure you want to take the risk?" The Pakistani border official, about to stamp the exit
visa, stops with his hand in midair. "Those people are not educated. They may act before they
think. And you might suffocate under one of those veils." He grins darkly, then tosses back the
stamped passport.
Across the border lies Afghanistan, a country nearly destroyed by two decades of warfare, sunk in
such primitive poverty that the World Bank no longer attempts to measure its economy and ruled
by the Taliban, a puritanical Islamic militia. The Taliban, recognized by only three nations as a
government, has provoked widespread international outrage by its Draconian enforcement of its
version of Islamic law.
Few Westerners are allowed in Afghanistan today, and all but a handful of foreign relief workers
have been evacuated since August, when terrorists suspected of operating from Afghanistan
bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania -- and the United States struck back with cruise
missile attacks on suspected terrorist camps in the Afghan hills.
An American reporter and a Pakistani photographer are about to embark on a 500-mile journey
through Taliban territory that will reveal why many Afghans have welcomed the country's radical
new rulers -- and why many others have come to fear them.
In Jalalabad, a devout Muslim physician secretly arranges tutoring for his daughter, banned from
school by the Taliban. Kabul, the once-cosmopolitan capital, seems like an Orwellian ghost town
where no woman's face is ever seen and no man dares appear beardless. Along the desert highway,
cars proceed at a camel's pace around endless bomb craters, the legacy of two decades of war
against Soviet invaders and among rival Afghan militias. And in Kandahar, local ethnic traditions
are so conservative that the Taliban's medieval ethos seems right at home.
The famed Khyber Pass is a crowded, muddy footpath, and no one notices us in the two-way
stream of traffic: donkeys laden with grapes, children bent under loads of scrap metal, hustlers and
herders and holy men.
The assuring sense of anonymity does not last long, however.
Not 15 minutes after we climb into a taxi driven by a jovial, chattering man named Habib, we reach
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the first Taliban checkpoint. Habib yanks a Muslim skullcap onto his head as a stem young man in
a black turban approaches us, a Kalashnikov rifle across his shoulder. He peers at our faces,
examines our documents, roughly rummages through the glove compartment and back seat. Finally
he waves us on with his rifle.
Long Black Ribbons
As we pull away, we notice a cluster of long black ribbons waving prettily from a utility pole. It is
a decoration we are to see at dozens of Taliban checkpoints along the road. We ask Habib what the
turbaned man was looking for. "Music cassettes," he explains. "If they find any, they rip them apart
right there and hang them from the poles."
The other passengers are a shoemaker from Jalalabad, a city about 50 miles ahead, and a doctor
visiting his family in a village along the way. Their responses to questions about the Taliban are
much like those we will hear from many ordinary Afghans, at first.
"They have brought us peace and security," says the cobbler. "The people are happy. Islamic law is
so beautiful. There is no more corruption."
The doctor says he was once a soldier in the jihad, or holy war, against Soviet occupation in the
1980s. "We had to walk hundreds of miles, there were no beds and little food, but we were glad to
do it for Islam," he says. "And now, praise Allah, we finally have an Islamic state."
The Taliban -- a home-grown religious militia that seized Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, two years
ago this week has vowed to create a pure Islamic society free from crime, vice and Western
influence. After years of civil war, many Afghans welcomed them and the sense of order they
brought to the country. But for many middle-class Afghans teachers who are no longer allowed
to teach, doctors who have no place to practice medicine, women who never wore a burqa veil and
men who never grew a beard the Taliban's harsh restrictions have begun to chafe, especially
since economic and social conditions also have continued to deteriorate.
Even some devout Muslims who conscientiously follow sharia, or Islamic law, are spooked by the
Taliban's totalitarian means of enforcing it. Once they feel comfortable with a foreigner, they
bring out their hidden Hindi music tapes or shortwave radios, complain bitterly that their daughters
are prohibited from attending school, or confide that they are in desperate need and feel abandoned
by the authorities.
At dusk we reach Jalalabad, where the physician and the shoemaker bid a polite farewell. Habib,
taking a deep breath, turns and asks if we would "like to meet some other people." Soon we are
entering a refugee camp at the edge of town, a maze of mud huts where ragged children swarm
around the car. Many have sores on their faces and arms.
In a small, cave-like room, a gaunt young doctor named Abdul sits at a table with his only
equipment: scissors, gauze, iodine and a dusty microscope. He says there are 50,000 refugees from
civil conflict zones in the camp, that many have eye diseases and almost half the children have
malaria, but that few families can afford treatment.
"The children have nothing to do all day but run in the streets. There is no school, no clinic, no
work," the doctor says. "Nobody cares about these people, and most of the foreign aid groups have
gone away."
Later, over rice and kebabs in a restaurant swarming with flies, the doctor confides that he is also
worried about his own family. He earns the equivalent of only $6 a month, and the school his sons
were attending has closed. His daughter is being taught secretly by a woman in her home.
"Look, I am Muslim, everyone in this country is Muslim by birth. We go to the mosque because
we want to," Abdul says. "If people think the Taliban have brought Islam to Afghanistan, they are
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wrong. They have brought something else, and they are implementing it by force."
Asked about his beard, he says he never wore one until 1996. "If I were to cut it off now," he adds,
"they would throw me in prison until it grew back."
As we drive toward Kabul the next day, the desert begins and the highway becomes increasingly
pockmarked with craters. One-legged beggars, maimed by land mines, stand by the roadside with
arms outstretched. Every few miles, the overturned hulks of Russian tanks litter the stony slopes
like the carcasses of huge horseshoe crabs. In every village, warnings with crude depictions of
mines are painted on every building.
The entry to the capital is another checkpoint festooned with black ribbons. As ordered, we report
directly to the Foreign Ministry, where an official ticks off a list of rules for foreign journalists: no
photographs of people, no interviews with women, no visits to private homes. We must stay in a
government-run hotel and be accompanied at all times by a government driver and interpreter. The
total cost for their services is about $100 per day, payable only in cash dollars.
Once a cosmopolitan capital, Kabul lies in ruins from years of bombing and shelling. Half the
population, once more than a million, has fled to other parts of the country or across the borders as
refugees. The Taliban, preoccupied with fighting its armed opponents in the countryside and
disdainful of the "foreign influence" that once pervaded Kabul, has done almost nothing to rebuild
the city. The government is virtually dysfunctional except for the Taliban moral police who cruise
the streets in pickup trucks, detaining men whose beards are too short and women whose faces are
not covered.
Even at midday, the city seems oddly silent. There is little traffic; teams of donkeys or men strain
to pull heavily laden carts. There is a 10 p.m. curfew, but by nightfall almost every shop will be
shuttered, every street empty except for Taliban police pickup trucks. With television, movies and
music banned, only the soft sounds of muezzins' voices calling worshipers to prayer disturb the
night.
'Please Be Careful'
The hotel is a haunted 500-room hilltop palace in which we are the only guests. Once it was the
city's social center. Now the carpet and jewelry boutiques are long closed, the grand salons locked.
The "staff members" follow our every move, lingering outside our rooms and surprising us around
corners.
At one point we try to leave for dinner in Habib's car, but a guard runs after us, shouting that we
are forbidden to do so. The next morning, the driver appears in the lobby, badly shaken. He tells us
he was taken to the hotel basement by two men and questioned closely about us, our drive from the
border, whom we met and what they told us. Reluctantly we agree to let him go, feeling as if we
have lost our only friend in Taliban territory.
For the rest of our stay in Kabul, we play cat-and-mouse with our interpreter, a pleasant medical
student named Sayed who confides that the Taliban police don't like his longish haircut, but who
quickly insinuates himself into every conversation we strike up and who periodically reminds us in
a gentle voice that if we don't follow the rules, we can be immediately escorted to the border.
Despite his presence, however, a number of Afghans are willing to express their frustrations with
Taliban rule - and to confess certain surreptitious deviations from the official line. In a
once-popular appliance shop, the manager complains that a recent government order required him
to remove all stereo equipment; in the last week, he says, he has sold only one tea flask. In a
school-supply store, where slide rules and notebooks are gathering dust, the owner complains
mildly that he must walk far, several times a day, to find a mosque. Then he frowns and adds,
"Please be careful what you write. If you say I ani unhappy, the Taliban won't like it."
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In a market stall that sells cassettes of Koran recitations and Taliban political chants (the latter
invariably decorated with drawings of rifles or rocket launchers), a question about Western music
draws a swift array of responses. "It's a sin," declares one teenager. "I like Michael Jackson," says
his friend, and they both giggle.
And in the office of an agency whose job is to clear minefields and warn the populace about the
dangers of thousands of land mines still buried across the country, the director confesses his
frustration that women are not permitted to attend public mine-awareness lectures with men. "The
only way we can reach them in some areas is to drive by apartment buildings with loudspcakers,"
he says with a brief frown. "But we try our best."
The only opportunity to speak with women comes at a hospital run by the International Committee
of the Red Cross, where war-disabled workers make thousands of artificial limbs for mine victims
and other handicapped Afghans. In the women's ward, patients and staff members remove their
burqas upon entering, with evident relief.
A beautiful young woman named Suhaila, waiting for her nephew to be treated, says she was an
elementary school teacher before the Taliban came, and misses it very much. "Now we have only
my husband's income, and I am forgetting a lot of my lessons," she says. "People without education
might as well be blind." She never wore a burqa before 1996, she says, but has since gotten used to
the stifling garment. "If we don't wear it, they will beat us," she points out matter-of-factly.
"They" are the police agents of the Amar-bil-Maroof Nahi-anil-Munker, the Ministry for the
Propagation of Islamic Orders and the Discouragement of Islamic Prohibitions informally known
as the department of virtue and vice. The deputy minister is a mullah in a black turban with
ham-size hands named Maulwi Qalmuddin, who answers a foreigner's questions with polite
contempt.
"The burqa is very, very important to maintain a society that is free of corruption," he says, and his
ministry seeks to promote "dignity" for women by sheltering them from men in public. The
practice is nothing new in rural areas, where, he notes, "we couldn't detach women from their
burqas." The only problem is in Kabul, where certain "foreign influences" once were allowed to
infect the culture.
On the other hand, Qalmuddin asserts, the ban on women's education and work is only a temporary
measure that will end once the Taliban has defeated its internal armed enemies and can devote its
energy to social issues. But Afghan women will clearly continue to be "protected" from the world
of men. In Western societies, he lectures, women are used by men when young and discarded when
old. "In Islam," the stem mullah declares with pride, "we shelter women for life."
Grit, Jolts and Sun
Heat and dust, heat and dust. The road rises and falls; the car lurches upward and plummets into
impossible gullies of frozen sand. The 300-mile highway leading south from Kabul to Kandahar,
once a model of American engineering that could be traveled in five hours, is now an agonizing
obstacle course that the most seasoned Afghan truckers can barely navigate in 22 hours.
Short stretches of pavement sheer off abruptly into jagged craters gouged by Russian bombs and
Afghan antitank mines. In many spots, so many alternative tracks have been forged alongside that
the road loses itself in the wasteland. The taxi driver swerves and brakes, dodges and skids. For
two days with one three-hour napping break on a hard cafe floor time passes in a haze of fine
grit, nauseating jolts and blinding sun.
The landscape is barren and empty, except for periodic clusters of tents pinioned to the rocky
slopes: the camps of nomadic shepherds. Their flocks amble along the silent highway, followed by
small boys with wooden staffs. From nowhere appears an turbaned old man on a bicycle, or a
caravan of camels led by women with deeply creased faces and swirling, filthy skirts.
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It is on this part of the journey that the depth of Afghanistan's economic exhaustion and despair
sinks in. In villages along the way, people draw water by hand from wells, plow behind cattle with
wooden blades, stand by the highway smoothing holes with a shovel and hoping travelers will pay
them a few cents. Small children work all day herding goats, washing dishes, selling fruit. Families
walk dozens of miles in a day, looking for a few shrubs for their emaciated animals to graze.
It is also along this tortuous stretch of road that the Afghan tradition of hospitality seems most
poignant. At every stop to wash off the dust, people invariably offer cups of tea and dishes of
sweets. At a roadside cafe in the town of Kalat, the owner refuses to let us pay for lunch. He shows
us his prized shortwave radio, then points with distaste to a handwritten sign taped to the wall. It is
a notice advising women to wear veils, men to wear beards and all Afghans to avoid music and
drugs. It is signed by the local chief of the Amar-bil-Maroof. "I had to grow a beard too, but my
wife doesn't like it," he says with a laugh.
His name is Zaher, and he was once a teacher. Now there are no public schools, so he bought the
cafe and reluctantly enrolled his 10-year-old son in a madrassa, or Islamic studies center, because it
is "the only place he can go." The local Taliban authorities are "well-behaved" in the area, he says,
"but they cannot meet the people's real demand - to end this terrible poverty. We all try to be good
Muslims, but that is something not even Islam can cure."
Birthplace of the Taliban
Late at night, grimy and bleary-eyed, we reach the city of Kandahar. To our astonishment, the
bazaars are teeming with customers, bright with lantern light and bursting with produce. Melons
and pomegranates are neatly piled, lamb carcasses swing from ropes, flats of just-baked roti bread
are spread out invitingly.
Compared with the paranoia and ghostliness of Kabul, the first impression of Kandahar is one of
freewheeling, relaxed urbanity. The impression is dead wrong.
Kandahar is the birthplace and headquarters of the Taliban movement, and within two days it
becomes easy to understand why. To a large extent, the city's more modern and educated residents
fled long ago, across the border with Pakistan to the city of Quetta or beyond. To a large extent,
those who remained are not only Muslims, they are ethnic Pashtun folk of rural origins like the
Taliban, deeply conservative in their social values and behavior. The large majority are illiterate.
Here, there is no need for a curfew, and it is fashionable among young men to adopt the Taliban
mode of dress: black or white turbans, baggy trousers and robes, casually slung rifles. The day
before we arrived, we are told, two murderers were executed by a Taliban firing squad in a local
stadium, and several thousand people came to watch.
Women, of course, are rarely seen and never heard; on brief shopping excursions they scurry
quietly along the sidewalks, anonymous behind billowing sky-blue or pine-green burqas.
"Our traditions are even more strict than Islam," explains a young man named Abdullah, who sells
burqas in a shop that his grandfather opened 70 years ago. "Our women like to wear the burqa
because every glance has a cost."
Abdullah, 21, was married in 1996 to a girl who was chosen by his parents. In accordance with
local custom, they first met on their wedding night. They are very happy, he says, and have a
1-year-old son.
"Every people should live in accordance with their own customs, and the Taliban are the system
we want," he said. "If you have a tradition of so-called freedom in your country, that's fine, but we
have our own traditions."
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In another bazaar, our interpreter locates a cousin named Said who sells shampoo and tomato paste;
the man promptly invites us for lunch at his modest, mud-walled home. In a cool room lined with
rugs, we eat rice and vegetables with his father and sons, talking about duck hunting and
pilgrimages to Mecca. When we have finished, the leftovers are gathered up in the tablecloth and
taken outside for the women to eat.
"Our life hasn't changed at all since the Taliban came," says Said. "It has always been our habit to
wear turbans; without them we feel naked. About 90 percent of us wore beards; now the other 10
percent wear them too. And our women have traditionally been at home. So you see there was little
that needed to be changed."
The Taliban officials we meet are less formal than their counterparts in Kabul; their offices are
moldy and collapsing after years of urban warfare, but their manner is casual and open. We are
quickly granted interviews with two chief Taliban spokesmen, who answer questions with
soft-spoken patience. At the local Foreign Ministry office, an aide repeatedly assures us we are
welcome in the city.
In the bazaars, we approach several different rank-and-file Taliban members, who seem surprised
but happy to talk. One describes himself as an "ordinary soldier. I patrol the streets looking for
criminals and making sure other Taliban deal with the people correctly. We are very proud to
serve the people, and we don't want any member to discredit us."
Still, it is hard to ignore the stares in the street, or the knowledge that only two weeks ago,
hundreds of thousands of ordinary people mobbed the streets here after a U.S. missile attack on
alleged terrorist camps in Afghanistan, chanting anti-American slogans and calling for the death of
President Clinton.
On our way out of the country, when we spot the green and white Pakistani flag at Chaman we are
suddenly flooded with relief. Night is falling fast, and we have another three hours' drive before
reaching Quetta. But when the dapper, officious Pakistani immigration official invites us in for tea
while he inspects our passports, we accept without a moment's hesitation.
Graphic:
B& W PHOTO SHABBIR HUSSAIN IMAM FOR TWP
Caption:
A woman in Kabul, the capital, wears the burqa veil required under the strict interpretation of
Islamic law imposed by the Taliban, which controls most of Afghanistan.
A Kandahar shopkeeper sells Iranian food, offered at many Afghan markets.
Abdul, a physician, serves refugees in a camp at the edge of Jalalabad. Many of the refugees have
eye diseases and almost half the children have malaria.
A woman leads a camel caravan along a stretch of the Kabul-Kandahar highway where the extent
of Afghanistan's poverty and despair is most noticeable.
Copyright (c) 1998, 1997 The Washington Post
Record Number: 008670D83F9E580B4FF35
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10/20/98 9:04 PM
Rentarks by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.tml/generalspeches/1997/unspeeches.hfml
Remarks by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Plaza
New York, New York
December 10, 1997
Thank you. Mr. President, your excellencies. I welcome this opportunity to be
here as we begin this yearlong commemoration, which is not just a
commemoration of the universality of human rights; it is a celebration of the
United Nations. I am especially pleased that we are able to gather this morning
in the Economic and Social Council, which at its first session in February of
1946, established the Commission on Human Rights.
Forty-nine winters ago the world acknowledged the new common standard for
human dignity, a code for the peoples and governments of the world to live by.
One of the people who labored to create that code was Eleanor Roosevelt, then
the United States representative to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. The
place was Paris. The delegates who came together to craft the language hailed
from countries as diverse as Lebanon, Chile, France, China, and Ukraine. The
dream was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first international
agreement on the rights of humankind.
Some of humanity S greatest lessons emerge only after the deepest tragedies.
This Declaration took shape in a world ravaged by the horrors of militarism and
fascism. In the wake of the most violent revelations of the depths to which
human beings can dehumanize one another, the world as a whole was ready at
last to agree upon these standards for human rights.
Let me read a passage from that document:
Disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in
barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind.
The advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom
of speech and belief, and freedom from fear and want, have been
proclaimed as the highest aspirations of the common people.
Therefore, the General Assembly proclaims this Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of
achievement for all peoples and nations.
The document goes on to state what should be obvious, but too often is not:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience, and should act
toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
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Remarks by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.tml/generalspeeches/1997/unspeches.htm
How radically idealistic an act it was at first for the nations of the world to
subscribe publicly to this Declaration.
That act did not, however, take place in a vacuum. It was a response to evil, and
I use that word deliberately. Those who study the Holocaust know that the
Nazis were able to pursue their crimes precisely because they were able
progressively to constrict the circle of those defined as humans. From the
moment they came to power, they proceeded step by step to dehumanize,
through laws and propaganda, the mentally ill, the infirm, gypsies, homosexuals,
Jews those whom they identified as life unworthy of life.
This cold, dark region of the human soul, where people withdraw first
understanding, then empathy, and finally even the designation of personhood
from another human being, is not, of course, unique to Nazi Germany. This
device, this ability to dehumanize, has been witnessed in all times and places. It
is precisely this device that the Declaration attempted to help us resist.
Thankfully, in the half-century since the birth of the Declaration, we have, as a
global people, managed progressively to expand the circle of full human dignity.
Because of this document, individuals and nations alike have a standard by
which to measure fundamental rights. Many of the countries that have emerged
in the last 50 years have drawn inspiration from the Declaration in their own
constitutions. Courts of law look to the Declaration. It has laid the groundwork
for the world S war crimes tribunals. It has prompted governments to set up
their own commissions to safeguard basic liberties.
At the United Nations Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993, it was
the power of the Declaration that inspired the establishment of a High
Commissioner on Human Rights. Let me add, how lucky the United Nations
and, indeed, the world is that Mary Robinson fills that post.
At the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, it was the
strength of this Declaration that enabled us to say for all the world to hear that
human rights are women S rights, and that women S rights are human rights.
And yet, in spite of this half-century of progress, we have not expanded the
circle of human dignity far enough. There are still too many of our fellow men
and women excluded from the fundamental rights proclaimed in the Declaration,
too many whom we have hardened our hearts against those whose human
suffering we fail fully to see, to hear, and to feel.
Any look back at history shows that every nation has had its blind spots that
have kept people out of the promised circle of full humanity. Take the example
of my own country. We in the United States have had our own difficult
experiences with the selective or unequal application of the rights established in
the American Constitution. Even the founding fathers, whose ideas of human
dignity were so far ahead of their time, proclaiming that all men are created
equal in the Declaration of Independence, inscribed slavery in our Constitution.
It has taken most of our 220 years, some of them bloody, few of them easy, to
2 of 6
12/7/98 2:27 PM
Remarks by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.tml/generalspeeches/1997/unspecches.html
extend the benefits of citizenship to African Americans, to those without
property, and to women. Eleanor Roosevelt herself was 35 years old before she
could vote.
Even today, we circumscribe the circle in what we choose not to see. Black
South Africans described what it was like to work all day in white environments
in which one was literally not seen. In the Balkans, people have willed
themselves not to see the humanity of those whose heritage is different from
their own. We ourselves in the industrialized world often choose not to see the
child labor that goes into our beautiful carpets or our comfortable shoes.
In too many places today what we fail to see are the injustices done to women.
We choose not to see the injustice of legal systems around the world that
continue to treat women as less than complete citizens. In too many places,
female heirs are seeing less inheritance than male heirs. Inequitable divorce laws
compel women to remain in cruel marriages. And some courts of law require the
testimony of two women to equal that of a solitary man.
Our vision is limited in other areas as well. We choose not to see the
contribution of women to the economic lives of their families and countries. In
too many places, women are discriminated against for bank loans and credit,
first jobs and promotions. They are denied pay equal to that of men, or any pay
at all. They live disproportionately in poverty, making up 70 percent of the
world S poor.
We also circumscribe the circle by what we choose not to hear. Freedom and
equality for all depend first on whether a citizen truly has a voice. It is telling
that even in the drafting of the Universal Declaration, there was a debate about
women S voices. The initial version of the first article stated, All men are created
equal. It took women members of the Commission, led by Hansa Mehta of
India, to point out that all men might be interpreted to exclude women. Only
after long debate was the language changed to say, All human beings are born
free and equal.
Today, we still choose not to hear the voices of many women. In too many
places women are blocked from participating in the political lives of their
countries. Just nine days ago in Sudan, 36 women were arrested while
attempting to deliver a petition to the United Nations office there in protest of
human rights violations in their country. They were arrested, fined, and at least
one woman received 40 lashes.
In too many places girls and women never even learn to project their voices.
Two-thirds of the 130 million school-age children out of school are girls.
Two-thirds of the 96 million people worldwide who can neither read nor write
are women. Even now the Taliban in Afghanistan are blocking girls from
attending school. Not only that, they are blocking those like Emma Bonino, the
European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, who would speak out
against this injustice.
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, the rights to petition the
3 of 6
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Remarks-by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.tml/generalspceches/1997/unspeeches.html
government and to assemble all these are essential. Just think how much weaker
these rights are in a nation where the majority of young women are illiterate.
Rights on paper that are not protected and implemented are not really rights at
all.
We further constrict the circle of human rights through what we choose not to
feel. As Eleanor Roosevelt put it, When will our conscience grow so tender that
we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
In too many places, the suffering of women is defined as trivial, explained away
as a cultural phenomenon. Perhaps it is for this reason that women do not
receive proper health care, including access to family planning. Perhaps that is
why, in some countries where more than 90 percent of women have undergone
genital cutting, the practice continues. Perhaps that is why domestic and sexual
violence remains the most serious under-reported and widespread human rights
violation in the world.
In almost every country of the world, domestic violence is one of the leading
causes of injury and death to women. In my country, 30 percent of female
murder victims are killed by current or former partners. As Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright has said, domestic violence can never again be dismissed, as
it often has in the past, as part of a country S norm or as a set of private
assumptions about family life. Let us say it loudly for the entire world to hear
us: We do not believe that violence against women is simply cultural; we believe
it is simply criminal.
Perhaps that is why rape and sexual assault continue to be tactics of war. It is
the cruelest injustice that so many wars end not in peace for women and their
families, but in refugee crises that trap women and children in lives that go from
bad to worse. Women and children make up 80 percent of the world S 23 million
refugees.
The full enfranchisement of the rights of women is unfinished business in this
turbulent century. What meaning does the language of freedom and human
rights have for a young woman forced into prostitution and traffic in the
commercial sex trade? What meaning can it have for women forced into
involuntary servitude as sweat- shop workers or domestic servants? What
meaning can it have for a woman forced either to bear a child or abort one?
What about the very ingrained practices that undermine the growth and
development of girls from their very first years, such as the common practice of
feeding them last or less?
As I have been privileged to travel around the world, I have met countless
women who know nothing of this Declaration and its promises. They are,
however, eloquent in their belief that they deserve respect and better treatment
in their families, workplaces, and societies.
Yet some critics continue to dismiss women S sufferings as minor. But are they?
In 1958 Eleanor Roosevelt wrote:
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12/7/98 2:27 PM
Remarks by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.iml/generalspeeches/1997/unspeeches.html
Where do human rights begin? In small places, close to home, so close and so
small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world
of the individual person the neighborhood he lives in, the factory, farm, or office
where he worked. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks
equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless
these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.
Other critics dismiss human rights violations as harmless. A report released this
week by the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict proves
otherwise. According to the report, an upsurge of egregious human rights
violations is almost always a powerful warning of dire events to come, including
massive refugee flows and civil wars.
Still others say that human rights are a Westerner S luxury not inalienable, but
alien. I believe, and the women I ve listened to believe, that human rights are as
essential to life as air or water, that they are felt beyond culture and tradition as
innate. The women I have met do not feel that human rights are a foreign
concept invented by purists. Rather they know in their very hearts and souls, in
spite of everything they are told by culture and tradition, that these are
God-given rights that they were born with as surely as they were born into the
human family.
For if they are not innate, how have people throughout history known to fight
for them so valiantly? Paradoxically, the proof of universality lies with the
perpetrators of human rights violations themselves. Why would those who have
dishonored humanity run to cover their tracks were it not for the knowledge that
wrong had been done? The Nazis tried to hide their concentration camps.
Communism kept its terrors in the shadow of the Iron Curtain. Scores of bodies
are hidden in the hard ground of places like Bosnia and deep in the forests of
places like Rwanda.
Throughout my hemisphere, people have disappeared. Why go to the trouble?
Because human rights transcend individual regimes and customs. The beliefs
inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were not invented 50
years ago. They are not the work of a single culture or country. They have been
with us forever from civilization S first light.
Sophocles wrote about them 2,500 years ago when he had Antigone declare that
there were ethical laws higher than the laws of even kings. P.C. Chang, who
helped draft the Universal Declaration, pointed out that Confucious articulated
them in ancient China. The belief that we must respect our neighbors as we
would respect ourselves resides in the core of the teachings of all the major
faiths of this world.
The principles inscribed in the document whose birth we mark today are not
constructed, but revealed. Every great religion exposed and taught their truth. If
I were to tear up this declaration, its values would abide. If I were to burn this
document, its meaning would remain. If I were to forbid someone from hearing
its words, they would still ring as loudly as ever in the hearts of men and
women.
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Remarks by the First Lady
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_L.tml/generalspecches/1997/unspecles.htm
It is because every era has its blind spots that we must see to our own unfinished
business with even greater urgency now while we stand on the threshold of a
new millennium. We must rededicate ourselves to completing the circle of
human rights once and for all. We must challenge ourselves to see more sharply,
to hear more clearly, to feel more fully.
And we must do something else. We must support democracies new and old
that work to fulfill the aspirations of this Declaration. As my husband, the
President, said last night: Democracy, the rule of law, civil society those things
are the best guarantees of human rights over the long run.
It is time for us as a global community to commit ourselves. We have run out of
excuses not to. Here we are at the very close of the 20th century, a century that
has been scorched by war time and time again. If the history of this century
teaches us anything, it is that whenever the dignity of any individual or group is
compromised by the derogation of who they are, of some essential attribute they
possess, then we all leave ourselves open to nightmares to come.
Conversely, if the century has a lesson for us that is redeeming, it is that by
extending the circle of citizenship and human dignity to include everyone
without exception, then we have the basis where new worlds of hope can
flourish.
So, let us in this year of commemoration walk toward those new worlds. Let us
do so knowing that the path will never be easy. These rights may be eternal, but
so too is the struggle to attain them. Though the darkness of the human heart
may recede, it will never go away. It must be with realistic eyes that we look for
human rights. And it must be with open hearts that in this, the 50th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, we rededicate ourselves to its
fulfillment.
Thank you very much.
Read our Privacy Policy
6 of 6
12/7/98 2:27 PM
Dani, Copy of PRM Breakdown. DD.
Ghadiali, Durriya R.
From:
McKelvey, Margaret J
Sent:
Monday, December 07, 1998 3:24 PM
To:
Ghadiali, Durriya R.; Loar, Theresa A.
Cc:
HUSHEK, TOM J.; Jury, Allan G; Arriaga, Alexandra M; Gregory, Liza B; McKelvey, Margaret J
Subject:
Support for Afghan Women and Girls
Durriya/Theresa Per the hallway discussion after today's Open Forum, here is an updated version of a
memo we thought we had sent you earlier outlining our FY98 funding.
--Margaret
cc: DRL, SA/PAB
December 7, 1998
MEMORANDUM
TO:
S/PICW - Theresa Loar
FROM:
PRM/AAA Margaret McKelvey
SUBJECT:
Status of Funding for Afghan Women and Girls
In FY1998 State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and USAID's Office of U.S.
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) provided $3.9 million for projects in health and education for
Afghan women and girls. PRM made five contributions totaling $1.4 million specifically targeted at
meeting Women's Day commitments. Despite the disruptions caused by Taliban advances and
restrictions and by the strikes at Bin Laden, these five projects began in September.
It is our understanding that humanitarian assistance grants such as those provided by PRM and OFDA
would provide roughly $2.0 million of the $2.5 million announced on International Women's Day by the
Secretary and First Lady with the remaining $500,000 to come from the Regional Democracy Fund for
South Asia or other USG funding resources.
I am providing an attachment which lists the organizations that received funding under this initiative.
We would be happy to provide you with additional information about the individual projects if this
would be helpful.
Page 1
cc:
AID/BHR/OFDA - Sheldon Schwartz
SA/PAB - Tom Hushek
DRL - Lisa Gregory/Alexandra Arriaga
PROJECTS FOR AFGHAN WOMEN AND GIRLS
FY 1998
Organization
Amount ($)
Program
Funder
Save the Children
733,556
Health/educ
PRM*
Intl Rescue Committee
131,311
Health/educ
PRM*
Church World Service
22,900
Health
PRM
UNHCR
896,280
Health/educ
PRM
Save the Children
595,500
Education
PRM
Intl Rescue Committee
279,374
Health ed
PRM
CWS (Shuhada)
33,752
Health training
PRM
OCHA
73,442
Afghan NGO, health training PRM
MCI
426,432
Health
PRM
UNICEF
150,000
Education
PRM
Sub-total PRM
3,342,547
Save the Children
360,000
Health
OFDA
PARSA
71,515
Comm. Development
OFDA
Shuhada
90,000
Health training
OFDA
Sub-total OFDA
521,515
TOTAL
3,864,062
*two cooperative agreements
Page 2
Drafted: PRM/AAA:JDMueller:MMcKelvey (12/07/98)
(PRM/Offices/AAA/SA/WomenGirls/Women's) Day) 11/4/98
Page 3
The Universal
Declaration
of Human Rights
1948-1998
Human Rights Year why we celebrate
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the fundamental
and inalienable rights of all members of the human family. It was the
first comprehensive agreement among nations as to the specific rights
and freedoms of all human beings. Among others, these include freedom
from torture and slavery, freedom of religion, expression and assembly as
well as the rights to education, social security and medical care, the right
to vote, and the right to a fair trial.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration without
dissent at 3:00 a.m. on December 10, 1948. Accordingly, we celebrate
this date as Human Rights Day - not only to mark human rights
achievements, but also to strengthen our common commitment to the
Universal Declaration, which stands as the radiant banner of today's
movement to end human rights abuses.
Each year on Human Rights Day, people around the globe affirm their
pledge to a world defined by the equal and inalienable rights of all
human beings. Through teaching and education they promote the rights
and freedoms set forth, helping successive generations to embrace the
Universal Declaration with a renewed sense of responsibility. These
efforts are crucial to the protection of human rights.
Destiny of Human Rights is
Because December 10, 1998 marks the 50th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, 1998 will be celebrated as Human Rights
Year. Over the last fifty years, the Declaration has grown in stature. What
began as a statement of shared values bearing moral weight has become a
living document that demands the respect of all nations and all people.
Throughout history, men, women and children have given their lives in a
long struggle for rights and freedoms. One of humanity's most enduring
achievements in that long struggle is the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
"The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute
801 Second Avenue. 2nd tl.
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212 907 1332
Fax: 212 682 9185
Email: [email protected]
341
www.udhr50.org
Michael D. Cooper Franklin and Eleanor
Director Roosevelt Institute
Human Rights Office 801 Second Avenue, 2nd fl.
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212 907 1343
Fax: 212 682 9185
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.udhr50.org
The Universal
Declaration
of Human Rights
1948 1998
PHOTOCOPY
PRESERVATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Roberta Sklar, 212-907-1331
December 4, 1998
S
THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ACROSS U.S. TO CELEBRATE
The Universal
A
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
Declaration
OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON DECEMBER 10th
of Human Rights
1948-1998
Caroline Kennedy to Open New York City Town Hall Meeting
National IN YOUR HANDS Campaign Generates
Franklin and Eleanor
Commemorative Activities from Albany to San Diego
Roosevelt Institute
801 Second Avenue, 2nd fl.
On December 10th, thousands of concerned citizens around the country will mark
New York, NY 10017
the 50th Anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Phone: 212 907 1332
From Hawaii to Bangor, Maine, Americans will demonstrate their strong support
Fax: 212 682 9185
for human rights by participating in citizen actions, community dialogue and
E-mail: [email protected]
celebration.
http://www.udhr50.org
R
An historic national celebration to be held in New York City will be at the center
of the day. A national Town Hall Meeting will take place at the Community
Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, NYC, on Thursday, December 10 from
2:30 to 4:00 P.M. Human rights defenders from throughout the United States
will join nationally recognized leaders to speak out at the meeting on key human
rights concerns. Caroline Kennedy will open the program. Other noted
S
spokespeople who will participate include William J. vanden Heuvel, President
of the Roosevelt Institute, John Sweeney, Pres. AFL-CIO; Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (invited); Felice Gaer,
S
Director, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Advancement of Human Rights;
Charlotte Bunch, Director of the Center for Women's Global Leadership,
and Roosevelt family members. Personal testimonies about violence against
women, hate crimes, discrimination and immigration issues, women's rights,
workers rights and freedom of expression, will highlight the ongoing effort to
advance human rights protections at home and abroad.
R
The New York City Town Hall Meeting will be broadcast live via satellite to
Town Hall meetings and gatherings around the nation. In addition, several cities
accessing the meeting will then conduct inter-city, interactive discussion through
cyberspace.
Many exciting activities -- from vigils and town hall meetings to tributes and
interactive video teleconferences -- have been planned by widely diverse
organizations with the support of a broad array of sponsors. Taking place
(More)
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
Page 2 of 2
throughout this anniversary week, these events represent a high point of the IN YOUR HANDS
campaign, launched December 1997 and sponsored by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
Institute. These events present Americans across the social spectrum opportunities to take actions
that will help eradicate human rights violations where they live and around the globe.
William J. vanden Heuvel, President of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute said, "On the
50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we rededicate ourselves to the
protection of human rights. As Americans we have a responsibility to help end human rights
abuses at home and abroad. Each person can make a difference. As Eleanor Roosevelt stated: The
destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
The 50th anniversary celebration extends to the international level. On December 10th Anne
Roosevelt, the granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt, will lead a commemorative event in Paris,
which is where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted.
Completed in 1948 as a response to the atrocities of World War II, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights outlined for the first time a clear and comprehensive vision of the basic human
rights that all people have, simply because they are human. The human rights expressed in the
Universal Declaration encompass the rights of women, children and workers; freedom from
discrimination, torture, political imprisonment, and religious persecution; freedom from want, the
right to a fair trial and freedom of expression.
Important human rights issues affecting a wide range of communities will be confronted at local
town hall meetings. Human rights concerns in the United States include racial and other forms of
discrimination, hate crimes and violence against women among others. The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights is still vitally important for advancing and protecting human rights
today. Across the nation the IN YOUR HANDS campaign calls for:
President Clinton to convene a White House Conference on Human Rights in 1999.
U.S. Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW).
The arrest and prosecution of indicted war criminals worldwide.
Strengthening U.S. support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
A summary of local events is attached.
For more information, visit the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute web site at
www.udhr50.org.
To arrange interviews or attend the New York City event contact
Roberta Sklar at 212-907-1331.
"The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
Eleanor Roosevelt
###
Press Release
Contact: Roberta Sklar
212-907-1331
FACT SHEET
Communities all across the United States will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10th. Here is a summary of the
many exciting events that are planned and supported by a broad array of organizations and
sponsors. Thousands of Americans will participate.
These significant activities, taking place simultaneously, represent the culmination of the
extensive, year-long IN YOUR HANDS campaign, sponsored by the Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute. The extent of these celebrations demonstrates the strong commitment
millions of Americans have to diverse human rights issues and to eradicating violations of
human rights at home and around the globe.
Albany, NY Town Hall Meeting/Annual Human Rights Day Dinner. Featuring Father Peter G.
Young, founder of innovative prisoner treatment program, speeches from Eleanor Roosevelt, a
"Tell the President" bulletin board, and discussion groups. Contact: Dennis Karius, United
Nations Association, 518-456-5791.
Bend, OR Rally, march and celebration featuring candlelight walk from City Hall to Riverfront
Plaza. Contact: Phil Randall, Amnesty International Chapter #610, 541-388-1793.
Boston, MA Town Hall Meeting, "50 Years of Human Rights: Has the United States Kept its
Promise?" highlighting women's rights, health care, and child labor. Speakers include former
Ambassador Dessima Williams, Professor Emeritus at CUNY Jack Geiger, and International
Labor Rights Fund Executive Director Pharis Harvey. Contact: Barbara Ayotte, Physicians for
Human Rights, 617-695-0041.
Calabasas, CA Educational program will feature the grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi and Rita
Maran, head of Human Rights Advocates. Contact: Deborah diCesare, Soka University of
America, 818-878-3778.
Coeur d'Alene, ID Signing ceremony with local leaders and rededication of the UDHR. Keynote
speaker is Bill Wassmuth, a leader in the fight to end hate crimes in the Pacific Northwest. A
response panel of activists will discuss Mr. Wassmuth's presentation. Contact: D. Tony Stewart,
North Idaho College Lecture Series, 208-769-3325.
Denver, CO Live video of national New York Town Hall Meeting, panel discussions of local
human rights themes moderated by representatives of PeaceJam, the Colorado Lawyers
Association, Metropolitan State College of Denver, and the NAACP. Contact: Julie Imada,
PeaceJam Foundation, 303-455-2099.
lowa City, IA Readings, music, a panel of speakers on the theme, "What the UDHR Means to
their Community," and a tribute, "About Eleanor Roosevelt. Contact: Dorothy Paul, lowa
Division, United Nations Association, 319-337-7290.
Janesville, WI Town Hall meeting with keynote address "Protecting Children's Rights" by Susan
Kilbourne, Public Interest Law Scholar and activist with Childrights International Research
Institute and the American Bar Association. "Rights Expo" will offer displays presented by
children's rights groups. Allied events will be broadcast on local public access TV channel.
Contact: Judi Kneece, Hedberg Public Library, 608-758-6612.
Page 1 of 2
Lincoln, NE Town Hall Meeting, all day December 5 carries the theme, "Get Up, Stand Up for
Human Rights." Keynote address by Lennox Hines, legal representative in the U.S. for Nelson
Mandela, and workshops on political prisoners, women's rights, children's rights, sexual
orientation rights, workers' rights, and human rights education. On Dec. 10 there will be a
viewing of the national New York Town Hall Meeting. Contact: Don Tilley, Prairie Peace Park,
402-466-6622.
Montclair, NJ Town Hall Meeting with the theme, "Violence and Human Rights." Letter-writing
campaign for ratification of the Women's Rights Convention and the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, and proclamations from the Governor and from the Montclair Town Council. Contact:
R. Lawrence Turnipseed, Montclair Chapter, United Nations Association, 973-235-0261.
New York, NY National centerpiece event of IN YOUR HANDS campaign, sponsored by the
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. Event will be broadcast live via satellite to dozens of
other town hall meeting sites. Participants include United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights Mary Robinson (invited), President John Sweeny of the AFL-CIO, Caroline
Kennedy, Jonathan Demme, and other notables from arts, entertainment, labor, and politics.
Contact: Michael Cooper, Roosevelt Institute, 212-907-1343.
Oakland, CA Town Hall Meeting presenting many prominent guest speakers, including
Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Readings of UDHR Articles by Girls Scouts, and a
commemoration of the life and work of the late John George, a local African-American activist
for human rights. Contact: Lee Ratcliff, Oakland Human Relations Commission, 650-871-5855.
Philadelphia, PA Town Hall Meeting featuring interactive video conference with other U.S.
cities, proclamation ceremony honoring U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, and panel discussions on
torture, war crimes and genocide, persecution of Christian minorities, and the rights of women
and children. Large attendance expected. Contact: Wayne Jacoby, Global Education
Motivators, 215-248-1150.
Portland, ME Two vigils, a dramatic presentation and a reception. Allied activities are planned
for Augusta and Bangor; a coalition of groups will hold press conferences announcing an
"Economic Bill of Rights" for Maine. Contact: Thesil Morlan, Amnesty International USA, 207-
832-6863. Portland, OR. Town Hall Meeting featuring resolutions and endorsements, music by
Simmons Rose and Emilio Zapata, grandson of Mexican land reform leader Emiliano Zapata, an
interactive play by students, speeches by human rights leaders, and an online signing of
Amnesty International's "World's Biggest Book." Contact: Steve Freedman, City of Portland,
503-823-5136.
Poughkeepsie, NY Town Hall Meeting, December 9. Themes include racial equality, violence
against women, environmental rights, and welfare reform. Contact: Daniel A. Strasser, Eleanor
Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, 914-229-5302.
St. Petersburg, FL Town Hall Meeting focusing on freedom from discrimination. Dr. William
Jones of the Florida Commission on Human Relations will be the keynote speaker. Many
mayors will be asked to sign proclamations honoring the UDHR. Contact: Paul V. Yingst, Tampa
Bay Chapter, United Nations Association, 727-345-4280.
San Diego, CA Town Hall Meeting with guests including Gracia Pick, American Jewish
Committee and Dr. Alice Hayes, President of the University of San Diego. Breakout sessions,
videos, readings, workshops, an interactive video teleconference linked with other town
meetings, and a local issues panel. Contact: Gary Rotto, American Jewish Committee, 619-546-
8777.
For more information, contact Roberta Sklar
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, 212-907-1331.
Page 2 of 2
Press Advisory/Human Rights Resources
contact: Roberta Sklar ( 212 ) 907-1331
50th Anniversary Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Key Resources
Roosevelt Family members
Anne Roosevelt - grandchild, in Paris 12/10 for Univerasal Declaration Ceremony
Mr. James Roosevelt -grandchild
Ms. Tracy Roosevelt -great grandchild, daughter of James
Curtis Roosevelt -lives in Spain/ in London 12/10
Margie Roosevelt -great grandchild, Anne's daughter
Chris Roosevelt - great grandchild
Sarah Roosevelt- great grandchild
Other: Molly Bruce worked with ER at the UN Secretariat when UDHR was formulated.
Liaison - Roberta Sklar
212-970-1331
Human Rights Overview
Amb. William J. vanden Heuvel President, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
Spokesperson: United Nations, History, Roosevelts
212-339-2579
Ms. Felice D. Gaer, Director Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human
Rights Spokesperson: "In Your Hands," Human Rights field
212-751-4000 x314
David Hinkley, Director, national "In Your Hands" campaign, Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute. Spokesperson/Resource: National Town Hall meetings, actions,
activists
415-561-6820
Dr. John F. Sears, Executive Director, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute;
Historian, Roosevelt/Human Rights
914-229-5321
Mr. Michael D. Cooper, Director, Human Rights Office Franklin and Eleanor Roosvelt
Institute
212-907-1343
United Nations Human Rights Representatives
Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
contact: Dzidek Kedzia, Special Representative
011-4122-917-9137
U.S. Representative to the UN Commission for Human Rights
Ms. Nancy Rubin Current -
202-244-8247
Ms. Geraldine Ferraro Former -
212-226-2965
Human Rights Historians / Eleanor Roosevelt Biographers
Ms. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Biographer No Ordinary Time
508-369-5488
Ms. Allida K. Black, Biographer, Casting Her Own Shadow
703-536-6058
Dr. M. Glen Johnson, Vassar College, Historian
914-437-7200
Press Advisory/Human Rights Resources
contact: Roberta Sklar I 212 ) 907-1331 (2)
Specialists: Specific Categories of Human Rights
Childrens Rights
Dorrianne Beyer, Esq., General Counsel, Nat'l Child Labor Committee 212-228-4773
Ms. Ellen B. Jeronimo Dir., National & Internat'l Relations, Girl Scouts of the USA
212-852-8660
Discrimination
Mr. Richard Foltin American Jewish Committee, Spokesperson: U.S. Human Rights
policy, hate crimes, immigration, gay, lesbian, and racial discrimination, non-
discrimination policies.
202-785-4200
Women's Rights
Ms. Charlotte Bunch, Exec. Dir., Center for Women's Global Leadership 732-932-8782
Torture and Killing
Mr. John Heffernan Executive Director, Coalition for International Justice
Spokesperson: International Tribunals
202-662-1595
Ms. Joanna Weschler, Representative to the United Nations, Human Rights Watch
Spokesperson: Torture and Political Killing
212-290-4700
Workers Rights
Ms. Barbara Shailor, Director, International Affairs, AFL-CIO
202-835-8230
Freedom of Expression
Ms. Kathy Garmezy, Artists Rights Foundation
323-436-5061
Ms. Cathy Fitzpatrick, Exec.Dir., Internat'l League for Human Rights
212-684-1221
Religious Persecution
Ms. Felice D. Gaer, Director, Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human
Rights
212-751-4000 x314
Freedom from Want
Ms. Suzannah Sirkin, Deputy Director, Physicians for Human Rights
617-695-0041
Protecting Human Rights Defenders
Mr. John Heffernan, Exec. Dir., Coalition for International Justice
202-662-1595
Mr. Reed Brody, Human Rights Watch
212-290-4700
Some National Organizations with on-going Human Rights Projects:
Resource: David Hinkley. Director, National In Your Hands Campiagn
415-561-6820
Dr. Diane Loughran, American Association of Retired Persons
212-407-3733
Dr. Prema Mathai-Davis, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA of theUSA
212-273-7800
December 4, 1998
Contact: Roberta Sklar 212-907-1331
Messages "In Your Hands" Campaign
The "In Your Hands" Campaign has four goals which every citizen can support:
We call for:
1. President Clinton to convene a White House Conference on Human Rights in 1999.
2. U.S. Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW).
3. The Arrest and Prosecution of indicted war criminals worldwide.
4. Strengthening support for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
Today on the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we
rededicate ourselves to the protection of human rights for everyone, everywhere.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948.
It is still vitally important for advancing and protecting human rights today.
It is a tool that can be used everywhere:
to educate the public and to move public officials into action.
We have made many important gains, but there are still far too many abuses of the basic
human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration.
We must protect human rights for our children and for future generations.
As Americans we have a responsibility to help end human rights abuses
everywhere - at home and abroad.
The American Bill of Rights helped set the standard for the Universal Declaration.
Continuing human rights concerns here in the United States include racial and other forms of
discrimination, hate crimes, and violence against women among others.
Too many Americans are complacent about protecting their own rights as well as those of
neighbors and fellow citizens who are "different."
The rights of many Americans are trampled upon today. This can and must be stopped.
Each person, each citizen can make a difference.
Today citizens across the nation are gathering to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights - but the work does not end there.
Individuals and organizations across the nation have launched campaigns to end human rights
abuses. We must all participate in advancing human rights protections.
Eleanor Roosevelt said: The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our
citizens in all our communities." - The destiny of human rights is in your hands!
National Coordinating Committee
For the 50ᵗʰ Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
A growing coalition of over 120 organizations working to mark the Anniversary with
special human rights programs.
Among the coalition members who might serve as resources to you are:
American Association of Retired
Maryknoll Mission Association of the
Persons
Faithful
(Washington, DC)
(Maryknoll, New York)
American Federation of Teachers
National Child Labor Committee
(New York, New York)
(New York, New York)
American Jewish Committee
National Council of Churches in the
(New York, New York)
USA
(New York, New York)
Amnesty International USA
(New York, New York)
National Council of La Raza
(Washington D.C)
Carter Center
(Atlanta, GA)
National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha'is of the USA
Center For Women's Global
(Washington, DC)
Leadership
(New Brunswick, New Jersey)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
(Louisville, Kentucky)
Church Women United
(New York, New York)
United Nations Association of the USA
(New York, New York)
Committee to Protect Journalists
(New York, New York)
US Committee for UNICEF
(New York, New York)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America
Writers Guild of America, East
(Chicago, Illinois)
(New York, New York)
Girl Scouts of the USA
YMCA of the USA
(New York, New York)
(Chicago, Illinois)
Human Rights Watch
YWCA of the USA
(New York, New York)
(New York, New York)
In Your Hands
http://udhr50.org/history/inyour.htm
In Your Hands
Eleanor Roosevelt
I am here in behalf of thirty-two national organizations representing millions of citizens -- of
all faiths; of every complexion; in all parts of the United States. The devotion of so many
Americans to human rights is symbolized by this booklet, IN YOUR HANDS. It is a guide to
community action. It is a spontaneous and resounding answer to the United Nations' call for
world-wide, year-long observances of the Tenth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close
and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the
individual person: the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory,
farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks
equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights
have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to
uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.
Thus we believe that the destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our
communities. That is why we have called this guidebook IN YOUR HANDS. We shall do
our utmost, in the coming months, to put it in the hands of individuals and groups across the
land.
It is our hope that this book may inspire them to strengthen their relations with one another;
to acquaint themselves with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; to discuss it with
their neighbors; to examine their own practices in the light of the standard it has raised; and
to improve these practices wherever improvement is needed. In so doing, all of us together
can make a vital and enduring contribution to this Tenth Anniversary observance.
I now have the honor, as spokesman for the organization joined in this effort, to present to
you and your colleagues in the Commission on Human Rights these 18 copies of IN YOUR
HANDS, one for each commission member -- a token of our faith that, under your
leadership, the communities of every country will bring human rights to full reality in the
community of the world.
Eleanor Roosevelt at the presentation of "IN YOUR HANDS: A Guide for Community Action
for the Tenth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
Thursday, March 27, 1958 10:00 a.m. United Nations, New York
1 of 1
11/30/98 09:50:59
National Coordinating Committee
for the 50th anniversary of the
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
AFL-CIO
Human Rights Internet
Albert Schweitzer Institute for the Humanities
Human Rights USA
Alliance for Justice - First Monday 1998
Human Rights Watch
American Association for the International Commission of Jurists
Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy
American Association of Retired Persons
Institute for Business and Professional Ethics
American Jewish Committee
Institute for Food and Development Policy
Americans for Democratic Action
International Association for Religious Freedom in North America
Amigos de los Sobrevivientes. Inc.
International Federation of Settlements & Neighbourhood Centres
Amnesty International USA
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
Anti-Defamation League
International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Artists Rights Foundation
International Human Rights Law Group
Asia Pacific Center for Justice and Peace
International Human Rights Law Institute, DePaul University
Association for Childhood Education International
International Labor Rights Education and Research Funds
B'nai B'rith International
International League for Human Rights
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
International Service for Human Rights
Bread and Roses
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Bread for the World
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
Business Council for the United Nations
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights
Business, Labor & Community Coalition of NYC
Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful
Campaign for UN Reform
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
Carter Center at Emory University
National Association of Arab Americans
Center for Constitutional Rights
National Child Labor Committee
Center for Global Community & World Law
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
Center for Human Rights Education
National Council of La Raza
Center for Immigrants Rights
National Hospice Foundation
Center for Strategic Change
National Labor Committee
Center for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the USA
Center for Women Policy Studies
National Trust for the Development of African American Men
Center for Women's Global Leadership
National Youth Leadership Council
ChildRights International Research Institute
Natural Child Project Society
Church Women United
PeaceJam
City of Eugene. Oregon - Human Rights Program
People Organized to Win Employment Rights (P.O.W.E.R)
Collaborative for Community Trust
People's Decade for Human Rights Education
Columban Fathers' Justice and Peace Office
Physicians for Human Rights
Commission to Study the Organization of Peace
Prairie Peace Park
Committee to Protect Journalists
Puffin Foundation Ltd.
Congressional Hunger Center
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Consortium for Health and Human Rights
Resource Center for the United Nations
Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights
Council on Economic Priorities
Soka Gakkai International-United Nations Liasion Office
Disabled Peoples' International
Soka University of America-Pacific Basin Research Center
Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill
The Millenium Monument
Equality Now
The Trinitarians
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
U.S. Committee for UNICEF
Fordham Institute for Innovation in Social Policy
U.S. Committee for UNIFEM
Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights
Union of Needletrades. Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE)
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
Unitarian Universalist Association
Free Speech TV
Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office
Free the Children
United Federation of Teachers
Freedom House
United Nations Association of the U.S.A.
Fund for Peace
University of lowa, International and Comparative Law Program
Girl Scouts of the USA
W.E. A.R.E. for Human Rights
Global Education Associates
Women's Rights Network
Global FreedomArts Education Association
World Federalist Association
Global Lawyers and Physicians
World Federalist Movement
Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children
World Jurist Association
Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
World Organization Against Torture USA
Human Rights Access
World Policy Institute
Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota
Writers Guild of America, East
Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina
YMCA of the USA
Human Rights Education Associates
YWCA of the USA
Visit www.udhr50.org for a current list or contact the Roosevelt Institute at 212-907-1332.
IN YOUR HANDS Web Site (http://www.udhr50.org/)
Members of the National
Provides specific
Provides the
Users can directly post
advocacy activities under
An interactive,
Coordinating Committee for
information,
detailed event
each of ten human rights
historical narrative
networking tools
information into an
UDHR50 are profiled with a
catagories. Actions are
includes a timeline
brief description, contact
and resources
interactive UDHR50
based on the campaign's
source documents, an
needed to organize
calender that can be
info and web link. The
coalition's structure and
Community Action Guide
extensive bibliography,
a successful
sorted by date, sponsor,
and profiles of key
leadership are outlined.
human rights Town
issue area, etc.
contributers such as
Hall meeting in
Eleanor Roosevelt.
your community
Who We Are
Action
History
Town Hall
Calendar
Introduces visitors to the
50th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration and
Home
Navigation
the IN YOUR HANDS
Frame
campaign.
Resources
Education
Library
Related Site
United Nations
Includes curricula
sharing resources
for K-12 teachers
Provides direct links to the
along with training
Includes UN documents,
tools you need to generate
materials for
bibliographies, essays,
Human rights links are
Relevant links to
educational and advocacy
community groups.
articles, speeches, etc.
categorized under
the UN's website
activities in your community
issue areas that
along with a collection of
are annotated,
including a down-loadable
documents influenced by
roughly follow the
including a link to
logo, email list-serve,
outline of the Universal
the UDHR (e.g. various
the High
historic photos and
national constitutions).
Declaration's thirty
Commissioner for
publications you can order
articles.
Human Rights'
with a credit card.
UDHR50 site.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:
Contact: Michael Cooper
Phone: (212) 907-1332
10:45 AM EST, DECEMBER Backgrounder
S
The Universal
NATIONAL COALITION REPRESENTING 90 MILLION AMERICANS
A
Declaration
LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO END HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
of Human Rights
Hillary Clinton salutes citizen action for the 50th anniversary
1948-1998
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
New York, NY, December 10, 1997. More than eighty American organizations today
Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute
announced formation of a national coalition that will conduct a yearlong campaign
801 Second Avenue, 2nd fl.
aimed at ending human rights violations worldwide. Representing a constituency of
New York, NY 10017
some 90 million Americans, William vanden Heuvel, chair of the coalition, announced
Phone: 212 1332
a national "action agenda" to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal
Fax: 212 682 9185
Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1998.
E-mail: [email protected]
The coalition. the National Coordinating Committee for the fiftieth anniversary. called
http://www.udhr50.org
R
for US ratification of the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination against Women,
arrest of indicted war criminals and establishment of a permanent International
Criminal Court to prosecute perpetrators of genocide, stronger protection for the rights
of children throughout the world, and a White House Conference on Human Rights in
1998.
S
Mrs. Clinton saluted the coalition for taking "exactly the right approach" to marking
the Declaration's fiftieth anniversary. "Certainly governments can play a critical role
in promoting human rights, but the real battle that must be waged is carried out in
S
human hearts and minds, and every one of us must be vigilant," she said, adding that
the coalition's efforts to "reach deep into communities" would make the words of the
Declaration live "here at home and around the world."
Convened by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, the coalition includes all
the major US-based human rights organizations including Amnesty International and
Human Rights Watch, as well as labor unions, religious groups, women's groups and
R
service organizations such as the American Association of Retired Persons, YWCA,
United Nations Association of the USA. National Council of La Raza and the Girl
Scouts.
P
William J. vanden Heuvel, President of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
and chair of the coalition. noted that the Declaration's fiftieth anniversary was "an
important opportunity to engage a new generation in promoting human rights." Felice
D. Gaer, chair of the coalition's executive committee added, "core tools developed by
the coalition for the 50th anniversary offer opportunities for continuous citizen action
throughout the year to educate, to advocate, and to confront human rights abuses
wherever and whenever they occur."
The coalition also introduced its interactive web site for the fiftieth anniversary. The site
offers information, news, a calendar of activities, and opportunities for advocacy
throughout the anniversary year. An interactive, historical overview of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights is provided for educators, organizers, activists and students.
The site also profiles each member of the coalition and provides a web link. A human
rights education section, complete with a document library, adds to the site's extensive
resources.
Web Magazine recently identified the coalition's web site as the "Editor's Choice" -
awarding the site a perfect score across the board for content, design and links.
A coalition member, the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights,
American Jewish Committee, has prepared a community action guide called "IN YOUR
HANDS" for the anniversary. "The guide offers 'fifty actions for the fiftieth' - based on
the coalition's action agenda," said Felice Gaer, Director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute.
"These activities, aimed at ending human rights violations, can be undertaken by local
chapters of national organizations, by schools, churches and other community groups."
The booklet will be distributed to community organizations throughout the United States.
"While each can stand alone, the fiftieth anniversary web site and community action
guide are designed to complement one another," said Michael Cooper, Director of the
Human Rights Office at the Roosevelt Institute. "The Institute will begin distributing the
community action guide in January," Cooper said. The Roosevelt Institute is acting as
secretariat for the coalition.
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at 3:00 a.m. on December 10, 1948,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the fundamental and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family. It was the first comprehensive agreement
among nations on the specific rights and freedoms of all human beings. Among others,
these include freedom from torture and slavery, freedom of religion, expression and
assembly as well as the rights to education, social security and medical care, the right to
vote, and the right to a fair trial.
Eleanor Roosevelt served as the first Chairman of the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights, which drafted the Universal Declaration. She regarded her contribution to
the Declaration as her "most important public achievement," and called its adoption "a
great event in the life of mankind." The coalition's campaign theme - IN YOUR
HANDS - was inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt's statement that "the destiny of human
rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
"We're helping American citizens prepare for the Universal Declaration's fiftieth
anniversary, because like Eleanor Roosevelt, we're optimistic about the future of human
rights," Mr. vanden Heuvel said. For more information, call (212) 907-1332 or visit the
Roosevelt Institute's web site for the fiftieth anniversary at "www.udhr50.org."
###
THE NEWSLETTER OFTHEROOSEVELTINSTITUTEAND LIBRARY
THE VIEW FROM HYDE PARK
The Universal
Declaration
of Human Rights
19
WINTER 1998
Vol 12, No.1
HILLARY CLINTON HELPS LAUNCH 50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
n December 10, Human Rights
Agenda. "The guide offers 'fifty actions for the
O
Day, First Lady Hillary Rodham
fiftieth," Ms. Gaer said. "These activities, which
Clinton joined the Roosevelt
are aimed at ending a broad array of human
Institute and a coalition of eighty
rights violations, can be undertaken by local
The UDHR50 Web site
other national organizations in launching In Your
chapters of national organizations, by schools,
and Community Action
Hands, a campaign to mark the fiftieth
churches and other community groups." The
Guide will offer
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
booklet will be distributed to community
opportunities for citizens
Human Rights. William J. vanden Heuvel,
organizations throughout the United States.
to educate, advocate, and
President of the Roosevelt Institute, noted that
Michael Cooper, Director of FERI's Human
confront human rights
abuses throughout the
the coalition represents a constituency of some
Rights Office which serves as the secretariat for
year.
ninety million Americans. Under the direction
the coalition, introduced the interactive web site
of a National Coordinating Committee which
which FERI has created for the fiftieth
Ambassador vanden Heuvel chairs, the
anniversary (www.udhr50.org). The site offers
UDHR50 coalition will conduct a yearlong
information, news, a calendar of activities, and
campaign aimed at implementing a national
opportunities for advocacy throughout the
human rights "Action Agenda" adopted by the
anniversary year. An interactive, historical
members of the coalition.
overview of the Universal Declaration of Human
Speaking at the United States Mission to the
Rights is provided for educators, organizers,
United Nations where the campaign was
activists and students. The site also profiles all
launched, Mrs. Clinton saluted the UDHR50
the members of the coalition and provides web
coalition for taking "exactly the right approach"
links to their home pages. A human rights
to marking the Declaration's fiftieth anniversary.
education section, complete with a document
"Certainly governments can play a critical role in
library, adds to the site's extensive resources.
(Cover)
promoting human rights, but the real battle that
Mr. Cooper noted that Web Magazine
Hillary Rodham
must be waged is carried out in human hearts
recently featured the Institute's web site as the
Clinton speaking at the
and minds, and every one of us must be
"Editor's Choice" in both its print and on-line
launch of "In Your
vigilant," she said, adding that the coalition's
versions. The magazine awarded the site a
Hands," a campaign to
efforts to "reach deep into communities" would
perfect score across the board for content, design
implement a national
make the words of the Declaration live "here at
human rights agenda.
and links. To date, the site has logged hundreds
home and around the world."
of thousands of hits from more than seventy
The coalition's Action Agenda calls for US
countries, including such "far away" places as
ratification of the Convention to Eliminate
Malaysia, Romania, and South Africa.
Discrimination against Women; the arrest of
"The web site and community action guide
indicted war criminals and establishment of a
are the core tools with which we plan to
permanent International Criminal Court to
accomplish the goals of the Action Agenda," Ms.
prosecute perpetrators of genocide, war crimes,
Gaer said. "They will offer opportunities for
and other crimes against humanity; stronger
continuous citizen action throughout the year -
protection for the rights of children throughout
to educate, advocate, and confront human rights
the world; and a White House Conference on
abuses wherever and whenever they occur."
Human Rights in 1998.
Convened by the Roosevelt Institute, the
Felice Gaer, Director of the Jacob Blaustein
UDHR50 coalition's National Coordinating
Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
Committee includes representatives from all the
and Chairperson of the UDHR50 Steering
major US-based human rights organizations
Committee, presented to Mrs. Clinton a copy of
including Amnesty International and Human
"IN YOUR HANDS," a community action
Rights Watch, as well as labor unions, religious
guide, prepared by the Blaustein Institute as a
groups, women's groups and service
tool for implementing the coalition's Action
organizations such as the American Association
of Retired Persons, YWCA, National Council of
Roosevelt served as the first Chairman of the
La Raza and the Girl Scouts. The United
United Nations Commission on Human Rights,
Nations Association USA, which provides office
which drafted the Universal Declaration. She
support and services for the UDHR50
called the Declaration's adoption "a great event
secretariat, is a major partner in the project.
in the life of mankind." The coalition's
Ambassador Bill Richardson and US
campaign theme - IN YOUR HANDS - was
Representative to the UN Commission on
inspired by Mrs. Roosevelt's belief that "the
Human Rights, Nancy Rubin, attended the
destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our
launching of UDHR50, as did Assistant
citizens in all our communities."
Secretary of State for Human Rights, Democracy
Adopted by the UN General Assembly on
and Labor, John Shattuck. Other guests included
December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration
key leaders in the Institute's national coalition,
of Human Rights was the first agreement
students from the Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary
among nations on the specific rights and
School (PS 151) in Manhattan, Roosevelt family
freedoms of all human beings. Among others,
members and representatives of the major
these include freedom from torture and slavery,
papers, wire services and networks including
freedom of religion, expression and assembly as
ABC, NBC, CNN and Fox News.
well as the rights to education, social security
President Clinton, in a major human rights
and medical care, the right to vote, and the
address at the Museum of Jewish Heritage the
right to a fair trial.
evening before the launch, commended the
"We are helping American citizens prepare
Roosevelt Institute for its "efforts to teach a new
for the Universal Declaration's fiftieth
generation of Americans that the future of
anniversary, because, like Eleanor Roosevelt, we
human rights is 'in their hands."
are optimistic about the future of human
James Roosevelt, a grandson of Franklin and
rights," Mr. vanden Heuvel said. For more
Eleanor Roosevelt, reminded the audience that
information, call (212) 907-1332 or visit the
Eleanor Roosevelt regarded her work on the
UDHR50 web site at "www.udhr50.org."
Declaration as the most important
accomplishment of her public life. Mrs.
Hillary Rodham
The Universal Declaration of
Huma
Clinton, William
vanden Heuvel, and
Felice Gaer at the
launching of "In
1948-1998
Your Hands."
United
All Human Righ
LIFTING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO A HIGHER STANDARD
OF LIFE AND TO A GREATER ENJOYMENT OF FREEDOM
CUNIVERSALDECLARATION
Human Rights
We stand today at the threshold of a great event, both in the life of the
United Nations and in the life of mankind. This Universal Declaration of Human
Rights may well become the international magna carta of all men everywhere. We
hope its proclamation by the General Assembly will be an event comparable to the
proclamation of the declaration of the rights of man by the French people in 1789,
the adoption of the bill of rights by the people of the United States and the adoption
of comparable declarations at different times in other countries. At a time when
there are so many issues on which we find it difficult to reach a common basis of
agreement, it is a significant fact that 58 states have found such a large measure of
agreement in the complex field of human rights. This must be taken as testimony of
our common aspiration first voiced in the Charter of the United Nations "to lift men
everywhere to a higher standard of life and to a greater enjoyment of freedom."
- Eleanor Roosevelt, addressing the United Nations General Assembly
December 9, 1948
Social Education Human Rights Series
Social Education 62(5) 1998, pp. 302-305
1998 National Council for the Social Studies
The Birth of the
Universal Declaration of
The Universal
Declaration
of Human Rights
Human Rights
1948.1998
MICHAEL COOPER
"Natural Law" and Other Precedents
1998 is a year of celebration for advocates of
As individual human beings, we each
The concept of human rights manifests
human rights worldwide. It marks the 50th
have an innate sense of the basic rights
itself in the literary, artistic, religious,
anniversary of the adoption of the Universal
and freedoms that belong to us and can-
legal, and political structures of all soci-
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the
not be denied by any government. The
eties. Attempts to articulate this innate
General Assembly of the United Nations. In
Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
understanding can be traced from
recognition of this milestone, Social Education
signed on December 10, 1948, is the pri-
ancient laws and Greco-Roman doc-
will feature a series of articles on human rights
mary international statement of the fun-
trines through the works of such
during the 1998-1999 school year. We begin
damental and inalienable rights of all
philosophers as Aquinas, Spinoza, Leib-
with the accompanying article on the creation
members of the human family. As such,
niz, Grotius, Locke, and Rousseau.
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
it represents one of humanity's greatest
Many have contributed to the concept
written by Michael Cooper of the Franklin and
achievements.
of "natural law" based on the belief that
Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.
Prior to the creation of the Universal
people are born innately "good" and
The United Nations is honoring the 50th
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),
supporting the notion that fundamental
anniversary with Human Rights in Action. a
such a powerful and unequivocal instru-
rights can be reasonably deduced from
global teach-in project of the UN Cyber-
ment for the protection of individual
this law.
SchoolBus. This project introduces students
rights and freedoms had never existed.
Although the philosophy of natural
to the Universal Deciaration of Human Rights
The promise made when UN member
law lent much to the conceptual basis
with an interactive declaration and a series of
states pledged to "achieve, in coopera-
for human rights, it became increasing-
questions and answers about how the UDHR
tion with the United Nations. the pro-
lv important to translate vague concepts
undergirds worldwide efforts to improve
motion of universal respect for and obser-
of rights derived from nature into spe-
human rights. For younger students, it offers
vance of human rights and fundamental
cific written laws that would protect
plain language versions of both the Universal
freedoms," can never be retracted.
individuals within the larger framework
Declaration of Human Rights and the more
The Universal Declaration of
of society. Great precedents in the
recent Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
Human Rights has proved to be a "liv-
acknowledgment of human rights lie in
The heart of the Human Rights in Action
ing document." as Eleanor Roosevelt
such documents as the British Magna
project is an invitation to schools to partici-
called it, in that it has grown in stature
Carta, the United States Bill of Rights,
pate in the creation of a Global Atlas of Stu-
and respect over the past 50 years. What
and the French Declaration of the Rights
dent Action containing descriptions of actions
began as an articulation of shared val-
of Man.
taken by students in the field of human rights.
ues bearing moral weight on UN mem-
Other important precedents are
There are two parts of the project, though
ber states has become a primary build-
found in two 19th century develop-
schools can choose to participate in only one:
ing block of customary international
ments: the anti-slavery movement and
Part 1. We Have Rights focuses on rights that
law that demands respect from the
the growth of a body of humanitarian
are well-respected in the community. Students
entire world community. Direct refer-
law represented by international con-
will provide a brief example of such a right based
ence to the UDHR is made in the
ventions. The latter include such exam-
on guidelines provided by the project.
national constitutions of numerous
ples as the Geneva Convention of 1864,
Part 2: Taking Action! requires students to
countries. and human rights advocates
which protected medical workers and
carry out a community-based human rights proj-
worldwide invoke its principles.
installations during war, and the Hague
ect. Schools that already have such a project in
The UDHR has also provided the
Convention of 1899, which established
action can describe it: others are encouraged to
framework for the adoption of the UN
humanitarian rules for naval warfare.
undertake such a project in the coming months.
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cul-
The concept of a state's responsibility
The deadline for submissions to theGlobal Atlas
tural Rights; the UN Covenant on Civil
to treat foreigners in a just manner also
of Student Action is November 1998.
and Political Rights; and many other
helped advance human rights norms.
Students and teachers who wish to take
legally binding international human
Nevertheless, these emerging inter-
part in this project or to make use of other
rights treaties. It represents at once
national standards did little to stop the
materials on human rights should visit the UN
humanity's minimal expectations and its
inhumanity of World War I, with its poi-
CyberSchoolBus on the World Wide Web at
greatest hopes for upholding the inher-
son gas and extended trench warfare.
http://www.un.org/pubs/cyberscholbus.
ent dignity of all human beings.
Moreover, the nature of modern
302
September 1998
SocialEducation
weaponry and the "total warfare" pro-
duced by it all but destroyed the tradi-
tional distinctions between soldiers and
civilians in wartime. Many people came
to believe in the need for an interna-
tional organization that could protect
inidividuals and ensure peace.
The League of Nations, established
shortly after World War I, was the first
attempt to bring together the world's
nations in an organization meant to
pights
prevent future wars. The League's
Institute
Covenant created a "mandates system"
that obliged its more powerful mem-
ber nations to promote the "well-being
and development" of peoples in the ter-
ritories over which they had jurisdic-
tion. It also called for "fair and human
conditions of labour for men. women
and children. a provision which led to
the creation of the International Labor
Organization in 1920.
These were. indeed. important inter-
Eleanor Roosevelt holding a Declaration of Human Rights poster in English.
national developments. But apprecia-
tion of human rights as the very foun-
dation of a free. just. and peaceful world
with a struggle to make human rights
A Promise to Humanity
was immature. and commitment to
a universal concern. And. as a fuller
The Allied countries began planning for
these values was thin. The League of
understanding of the extent of the
peace well before the end of World War
Nations proved an ineffective organiza-
atrocities emerged after the war. lead-
II. One important event was a confer-
tion and eventually collapsed in the face
ers and citizens throughout all cultures
ence held at the Dumbarton Oaks estate
of the ruthless dictatorships that
and societies were galvanized to action
outside Washington. D.C.. in 1944.
emerged in post-WWI Europe.
by what Winston Churchill called the
Here. the Big Four discussed proposals
"crime without a name."
about how to maintain peace in the
Cataclysm and World Response
During the war. the momentum
post-war world. Their ultimate goal was
Although great progress in defining
toward the universal recognition of
to create an international organization
human rights had been made. events of
human rights was propelled by Presi-
that would have the power to preserve
the late 1930s and early 1940s threat-
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech on
security and foster prosperity. Because
ened humanity's most firmly held moral
the Four Freedoms before the United
much of the negotiations was driven by
convictions. By the end of World War
States Congress in 1941. and. subse-
other geopolitical concerns. this con-
II. the Nazis had killed six million Jews.
quently. by the Atlantic Charter. In his
ference produced only modest com-
and enslaved or destroyed countless
address to Congress. Roosevelt pro-
mitments to human rights. However. as
other groups-including Poles. gypsies.
claimed four basic freedoms that could
the Big Four would soon discover. the
homosexuals. the mentally and physi-
never be legitimately abridged: free-
world expected more.
cally handicapped, political opponents.
dom of speech and expression. freedom
The creation of the Universal Dec-
and Soviet prisoners of war. In the mid-
of worship, freedom from want, and
laration of Human Rights was largely
dle of the 20th century-at the hands of
freedom from fear. British Prime Min-
due to the efforts of a multitude of non-
an educated and technologically-
ister Winston Churchill echoed the
governmental organizations (NGOs)
advanced nation-the idea of human
American president by asserting that
along with some of the world's less
rights was simply extinguished.
an Allied victory would be marked by
powerful countries. A Pan-American
The Holocaust altered forever the
the "enthronement of human rights."
conference held in Mexico City in early
way in which people considered
This message was communicated to
1945 consolidated Latin American
human rights. Prior to World War II.
people very explicitly in wartime
determination to see human rights
the prevalent attitude had been that
statements like the "United Nations
included in the charter of any new inter-
protecting human rights was primarily
Declaration" and pamphlets like the
national organization. At the same
a concern of sovereign governments.
"United Nations Fight for the Four
time. over 1.300 American NGOs
For many people, however, efforts to
Freedoms."
organized to place newspaper ads call-
defeat the Axis became synonymous
Social
September 1998 303
es, the American Bar Association, the
Women's Trade Union League, and var-
ious ad hoc citizen groups. In addition,
private citizens from nine countries,
along with several international NGOs,
offered their own versions.
What put an international bill of
rights on the UN's official agenda was
a particular document representing the
combined efforts of many organizations
and nations. It was prepared at an inter-
national conference of NGOs, submit-
Courters " Institute
ted by the American Law Institute, and
introduced by the Panamanian delega-
tion at the first session of the UN Gen-
eral Assembly. In order to fulfill the man-
date spelled out in the UN Charter,
however. the United Nations first need-
ed to organize its human rights deci-
sion-making machinerv.
Based on the recommendations of a
"nuclear commission" chaired by
Eleanor Roosevelt. Chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights, seated with (right) France's René
Eleanor Roosevelt, the UN's Economic
Cassin, Vice-Chairman and author of the draft declaration, and (left) Georges Day, UN Radio Commenta-
and Social Council established the offi-
101 The photo was taken at Lake Success. N.Y., in June 1947.
cial UN Commission on Human Rights
ing for human rights to be an integral
guage or religion." Article 55 declares
in June 1946. The Council chose eight-
part of such an organization.
that the UN will promote "universal
een members to sit on the Commission.
When representatives of 46 nations
respect for, and observance of. human
U.S. Delegate Eleanor Roosevelt was
met in San Francisco in April 1945 to
rights and fundamental freedoms" and
elected chairperson, China's P.C. Chang
form the United Nations. they brought
Article 56 asserts that members "pledge
and France's René Cassin were elected
with them a hatred of war combined
themselves to take joint and separate
as vice-chairmen. and Lebanon's
with a spirit of respect for human dig-
action" to achieve that respect.
Charles Malik was named rapporteur
nity. Still. their work threatened to fall
Finally. Article 68 mandates that the
(secretary). The UN Secretariat sup-
short of the concrete protections of
UN Economic and Social Council set
ported the Commission's work through
human rights that many people sought.
up a commission "for the promotion of
its Human Rights Division under the
It was the concerted pressure from 42
human rights." This newlv created
direction of John P. Humphrey:
American organizations, acting as con-
"Commission on Human Rights"-the
The Commission's principal tasks
sultants to the U.S. delegation. that was
only such subsidiary body specified in
were (1) to define what human rights
most instrumental in convincing the
the Charter-would spend the next
should be enumerated. (2) in a docu-
world's nations of the need for clear pro-
three vears drafting the Universal Dec-
ment whose nature was yet to be deter-
tection of individual human rights. And.
laration of Human Rights.
mined. Thus, its members embarked on
while many advocates hoped to see a
an arduous journey that lasted almost
specific "bill of rights" included in the
The Force of World Opinion
three years and involved thousands of
UN Charter. they were pleased overall
An event concurrent with the formation
hours of intensive study, heated debate,
with the initial commitments made.
of the United Nations-the Nuremburg
and delicate negotiation. The men and
Human rights were given a new inter-
trials of Axis war criminals-did much
women of the Commission on Human
national legal status through being men-
to prepare the intellectual climate for
Rights strove to forge a declaration that
tioned five times in the UN Charter. In
the Universal Declaration of Human
might successfully encompass the
the Preamble. human rights are identi-
Rights. Many American organizations
hopes, beliefs, and aspirations of people
fied as one of the four founding purposes
responded to the pending trials by
throughout the world.
of the United Nations. Article 1 of the
preparing drafts of an international bill
The Commission first met during a
Charter declares that member states
of rights.¹ These included the Commis-
two-week period from January 27 to Feb-
must work to "achieve international
sion to Study the Organization of Peace.
ruary 10. 1947. After defining its mission
cooperation
in promoting and
the American Jewish Committee, the
as the preparation of a draft International
encouraging respect for human rights
American Federation of Labor, the
Bill of Rights, it decided to form a small-
and for fundamental freedoms for all
American Association of the United
er working group. This drafting com-
without distinction as to race. sex, lan-
Nations. the Federal Council of Church-
mittee consisted of Roosevelt (U.S.),
304
September 1998
SocialEducation
Chang (China), Malik (Lebanon), John
A New Standard of Humanity
Humphrey (UN Secretariat). represen-
Now the final process began. In the sec-
SPINDLE STORIES UNITS
tatives from Australia. Chile, France, the
ond half of 1948, the General Assem-
Each reproducible unit begins with 1 storv highlighting the
female experience in: Ancient Exypt. Classical Athens. Roman
Philippines. the Soviet Union. the
bly's Third Committee held 81 meetings
Pomperi. Tung Drassry China Earn Feudal England Feudai Jupan.
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. the
and considered 168 formal resolutions
Mayan Guatemaia Renaissance Florence. Songhar & Hausa African
Kingdoms. Ottoman Turker. Follow-up lessons. critical thinking
United Kingdom, Uruguay, and
on the draft declaration. General debate
questions. background and 1 selected bibliography. Anciens Near
Yugoslavia.
East available winter 1999
was followed by detailed negotiations
(6th-9th grade level $10.00 each
over each article and the order of arti-
Drafting the Declaration
cles in the declaration. There was even
I WILL NOT BOW MY HEAD
The first meeting of the drafting com-
a sub-committee to make sure that the
Documenting Women's Political
Resistance in World History
mittee took place on June 9, 1947, in
meaning of every word in the document
Over sixty student-accessible primary sources ranging from the
Lake Success, N.Y. Its primary task was
was clearly translatable into all the offi-
defiance of the Trung sisters in 40 A.D. Vietnam to women who
rook a stand against rascism in World War II. Background
to contemplate a 408-page outline of
cial languages of the United Nations. On
information. critical chinking questions. and 1 selected
human rights prepared by the UN Sec-
December 6, 1948, the Third Commit-
bibliography.
(Junior High-College level) $19.95
retariat. This outline included blueprints
tee adopted the declaration and sent it
presented by the governments of Chile.
to the General Assembly.
WOMEN IN THE MUSLIM WORLD
Cuba, Panama, the United Kingdom.
Personalities and Perspectives from the Past
A final heroic debate in the General
Biographies of influential women from Indonesia to Muslim
and the United States: elements drawn
Assembly lasted into the early hours of
Spain linked to major giobal history topics. Background material.
from the constitutions of 55 nations: and
discussion questions and 1 selected bibliography.
December 10. 1948. At 3:00 a.m., the
(Junior High College level) $19.95
recommendations from many non-gov-
call was made to vote on the adoption
WOMEN IN WORLD HISTORY CURRICULUM
ernmental human rights organizations
of the Universal Declaration of Human
1030 Spruce Street
and private citizens. A summary of this
Rights. Forty-eight nations voted for the
Berkeley, CA 94707
outline. prepared by Rene Cassin.
Declaration. eight countries abstained
Phone: 510-524-0304
became the working draft for the Uni-
(the Soviet bloc countries. South Africa.
Fax 510-524-0112
versal Declaration of Human Rights.
and Saudi Arabia) and two countries
Email: [email protected]
Before creating the final document.
absented themselves-thus allowing for
Checkout our Great Website!
the drafting committee had to address
the community of nations to adopt the
http://home.earthlink.net/-wonenwhist,
its legal nature. Certain nations-includ-
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Request a Free 16-page catalog!
ing the United States (which wanted to
without recorded dissent.
avoid the Senate approval needed for
At the center of the document was
U.S. endorsement of any international
the belief of its tramers that "recognition
of the American Jewish Committee. It hon-
ors the 50th anniversary of the Universal Dec-
treaty)-favored a morally persuasive
of the inherent dignity and of the equal
laration of Human Rights by outlining ideas
declaration. Other countries preferred a
and inalienable rights of all members of
for 50 actions to take in support of human
legally binding treaty. It was Eleanor
the human family is the foundation of
rights globally. For information on how to
obtain the guide. contact:
Roosevelt's political pragmatism that
freedom. justice and peace in the world."
prevailed in the committee's decision to
And. they affirmed that "it is essential.
The Jacob Blaustein Institute
draft both.
if man is not to be compelled to have
165 East 56th Street
The Commission on Human Rights
recourse. as a last resort, to rebellion
New York, NY 10022
met again from December 2-17. 1947.
against tyranny and oppression. that
Tel. (212) 751-400
Although there was still discussion of
human rights should be protected by
Fax (212) 751-4017
the legal form. negotiations now focused
the rule of law."
on the actual content of the document.
The efforts of the Commission on
The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
At the end of the two weeks, 1 draft Dec-
Human Rights had no parallel in world
Human Rights Office
laration of Human Rights was forward-
history. Although attempts to describe
801 Second Avenue
ed to all UN member states for com-
and protect human rights had been
New York. NY 10017
ment. With their responses in hand. the
undertaken in many times and places.
Tel. (212) 907-1332
drafting committee worked on a second
the outcomes-even at their most inclu-
Fax (212) 682-9185
draft in May 1948.
sive-applied only to members of a par-
Website: http://www.udhr50.org
With the completion of a third draft
ticular society. Never before had the
on June 18, the Commission on Human
community of nations identified those
Michael Cooper is director of the Human
Rights declared its work done. and
rights and freedoms to be enjoyed by all
Rights Office at The Franklin and Eleanor
passed its report along with the pro-
people of the world for all time.
Roosevelt Institute in New York City. He wish-
posed declaration to the UN's Eco-
es to acknowledge invaluable assistance
nomic and Social Council. After invit-
Teaching Resources
from members of the National Coordinating
ing yet further comment from member
In Your Hands: .t Community Action Guide is a
Committee for UDHR50.
states, the Council forwarded it to the
resource prepared by the Jacob Blaustein Insti-
General Assembly.
tute for the Advancement of Human Rights
Social
September 1998 305
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Roberta Sklar, 212-907-1331
December 4, 1998
S
THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ACROSS U.S. TO CELEBRATE
The Universal
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
A
OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON DECEMBER 10th
Declaration
of Human Rights
National IN YOUR HANDS Campaign Generates
1948-1998
New York City Town Hall Meeting
and Scores of Commemorative Activities from Albany to San Diego
Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute
On December 10th, thousands of concerned citizens around the country will mark
the 50th Anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
801 Second Avenue, 2nd fl.
New York, NY 10017
From Hawaii to Bangor, Maine, Americans will demonstrate their strong support
for human rights by participating in citizen actions, community dialogue and
Phone: 212 907 1332
celebration.
Fax: 212 682 9185
E-mail: [email protected]
Many exciting activities -- from vigils and town hall meetings to tributes and
http://www.udhr50.org
R
interactive video teleconferences -- have been planned by widely diverse
organizations with the support of a broad array of sponsors. Taking place
throughout this anniversary week, these events represent a high point of the IN
YOUR HANDS campaign, launched December 1997 and sponsored by the
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. These events present Americans across
the social spectrum opportunities to take actions that will help eradicate human
rights violations where they live and around the globe.
S
William J. vanden Heuvel, President of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
Institute said, "On the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
S
Rights, we rededicate ourselves to the protection of human rights. As Americans
we have a responsibility to help end human rights abuses at home and abroad.
Each person can make a difference. As Eleanor Roosevelt stated: The destiny of
human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
An historic national celebration to be held in New York City will be at the center
of the day. A national Town Hall Meeting will take place at the Community
R
Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, NYC, on Thursday, December 10 from
2:30 to 4:00 P.M. Human rights defenders from throughout the United States
will join nationally recognized leaders to speak out at the meeting on key human
rights concerns. Caroline Kennedy will open the program. Other noted
spokespeople who will participate include William J. vanden Heuvel, President
of the Roosevelt Institute; John Sweeney, Pres. AFL-CIO; Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (invited); Felice Gaer,
Director, Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights;
Charlotte Bunch, Director, Center for Women's Global Leadership; and
(More)
TALKING POINTS FOR ANN ROOSEVELT
1. It is fitting that we mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights by rededicating ourselves to increasing human rights protections
around the world.
K
While the Declaration was signed on December 10, 1948, it is still vitally
important for advancing and protecting human rights today.
K
In the spirit of my grandmother Eleanor Roosevelt, who always kept future
generations in mind, we must protect human rights for the sake of our children
and their children who will inherit our planet.
K
We have made many important gains. Around the world, every leader and
every government is now expected to observe human rights. Those who do
not suffer international condemnation. That by itself is an important advance of
the last half-century.
K
Even so, every day brings word of some new abuse. Just in the past two
weeks we have seen the arrest of more dissidents in China, the murder of a
Russian defender of freedom, and more abuses in the former Yugoslavia.
2. That is why we must remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said: "The destiny of
human rights is in the hands of all of our citizens in all our communities." That
means human rights are in OUR hands.
K The American Bill of Rights helped to set the standard for the Universal
Declaration. It drew from the American Four Freedoms--freedom from fear,
freedom from want, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship. So as
Americans, we have a special responsibility to help end human rights abuses
everywhere.
K
Too many Americans are complacent about human rights. But even in
America we have human rights abuses: people who are somehow "different"
are made to suffer. Discrimination, violence against women, rape and hate
crimes are forms of human rights abuses.
K
We now recognize that human rights means more than the rights of political
prisoners or freedom from torture.
- Human rights also means the rights of children, the rights of women, and
the rights of workers to be free of abuse.
- Human rights also means freedom from want, freedom from discrimination,
and freedom from religious persecution, and freedom of expression.
- Human rights means the right to a fair trial.
- And human rights also means the safety of human rights defenders.
3. In preserving these rights, individuals CAN make a difference.
K Thousands of individual letters and purchasing decisions helped end apartheid
in South Africa. Personal letters have stopped the torture of thousands of
political prisoners. They have forced the release of many, many others.
K Today, Americans in 50 cities across the country will gather to mark the 50th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
K
Human rights are your rights, and my rights too. Human rights are universal.
Here are some things we can do as individuals:.
- We can call upon heads of state around the world, including President
Clinton, to launch national dialogues in every country on human rights, and
to take these commitments seriously.
- In the United States, we are calling for ratification of the Convention to
Eliminate Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, and the Convention on
the Rights of Children. We urge President Clinton to hold a White House
Conference on Human Rights.
- We call for more arrests of top leaders by the international tribunals on war
crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia and more support of efforts to
investigate alleged abuses.
- We can call for arrest and prosecution of human rights violators who are
still at large worldwide.
- We can ask for more support for the UN High Commissioner on Human
Rights.
- And we can point out again and again that it is up to every one of us to
make sure human rights are preserved. If we don't do it for others, who will
do it for us? On this special day let us remember: The destiny of human
rights is truly in our hands.
2
OP ED FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
Page One
By Felice Gaer
It is appropriate this week, and a little startling, to step back from the daily news and
notice how much of it involves human rights. The fate of former Chilean dictator
Augusto Pinochet hangs in the balance. Two dissidents are arrested for speaking out in
China, while a Bosnian Serb general is arrested and charged in the Srebenica
massacres. A human rights activist legislator is murdered in Russia.
Fifty years ago the world would hardly have noticed these situations. But this week
[Dec. 10] marks the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
and that has changed our public discourse.
Public awareness of human rights has changed too. At first, attention focused mainly
on the torture and jailing of political dissidents. But now the murder of a young gay man
in Wyoming is condemned as a hate crime. The Taliban in Afghanistan are denounced
as violators of women's human rights, creators of gender apartheid. When journalists
are silenced in Colombia, Argentina, Serbia, and Burma, we say the right to free
expression has been violated. Those who harness children to looms in Pakistan are
accused of breaking global standards. Corporations that run sweatshops in Malaysia
and China and New York are condemned for violating the human rights of their
workers.
Signed on Dec. 10, 1948, after nearly two years of grueling negotiation over every word
and semicolon, the Universal Declaration's fundamental concept--that every human
being has certain inalienable rights from the mere fact of being human--has come to
permeate world affairs. Where international law once concerned only the rights of
states, it now also protects the rights of individuals.
That good news might be the one undeniable proof of progress in human history.
Despots once slaughtered unnamed millions in erecting colossal monuments to
themselves, and even in the 20th century, hate-driven ideologies of fascism,
communism and extreme nationalism have taken the lives of millions.
Now, however, individuals worldwide have come to understand the truth stated by
Eleanor Roosevelt, who chaired and guided the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights when it adopted the Declaration: "The destiny of human rights is in the hands of
all of our citizens in all our communities." That is, individuals struggling for their rights
under the Declaration are the only real mechanism for enforcing it.
We have moved, therefore, from the Declaration's vague "standard of achievement"
toward legally binding treaties: the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights
and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These cover human rights in many
categories: the rights of children, women, and workers; the freedoms from want,
discrimination, religious persecution, and torture and political killings; freedom of
expression; fair trials; and protection for human rights defenders.
Felice Gaer Op-Ed
Page Two
No category is more important than any other, for they are interlinked. During the Cold
War, for example, western governments said political rights were required before
economic and social rights (which they called "needs") could be implemented. The
former Soviet Union took the opposite view.
The truth is that people denied one of their rights are often denied other rights too.
Where women, for example, are denied the right to education, they have trouble
reading ballots or newspapers, finding work, maintaining a standard of living and
engaging in political life. People denied free assembly lose their rights to worship with
others, to organize labor unions, and to form political groups.
Recognizing this, at least 90 national constitutions drafted since 1948 have included
provisions from the Universal Declaration. Court decisions in 28 nations refer to it, 85
cases in the United States alone. And although many nations did and still do claim to
honor the Declaration in the breach or without ratifying it, its language has proved
incandescent, igniting outrage and indignation that make human rights abuses more
and more costly to the violators.
That was the idea--to awaken individual action. When demonstrators stand in the cold
outside Pinochet's hospital in London, they are doing what Eleanor Roosevelt and her
colleagues hoped.
Today, thousands of non-governmental organizations, campus groups and
church-based fellowships are pressing local and national governments worldwide to
prevent and stop human rights abuses--even in places never shown on American
television. Guarantees begin with public pressure; abuses cease when they get public
scrutiny. What nations do to their own people is no longer solely their own affair.
That is why hundreds of groups are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Declaration
this week by reaching out to individuals with Eleanor Roosevelt's message: "It's in your
hands."
Much remains to be done. The United States has yet to ratify two vital international
compacts, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The international
tribunals struggling with those responsible for genocidal acts in the former Yugoslavia
and Rwanda need strong support, as does the UN High Commissioner on Human
Rights. The 50th anniversary objectives include a White House summit on human
rights to reinvigorate the U.S. commitment and focus public attention.
And that is why Pinochet's case has sparked such public debate. Its various
governmental and court decisions will have worldwide repercussions, embedding
human rights standards further into international law and practice. For the millions who
are yearning for relief from oppression as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the attention couldn't come at a better time.
December 7, 1998
Melanne Verveer
Chief of Staff
The Universal
Office of the First Lady
Declaration
Old Executive Office Building, Rm. 100
of Human Rights
Washington, DC 20500
1948-1998
Dear Melanne,
William J. vanden Heuvel
Chair. National Coordinating
We are very pleased that Mrs. Clinton has taken interest in this week's
Committee for UDHR50
observance of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on
Felice D. Gaer
Chair. Steering Committee
Human Rights. Many thanks for all your efforts. As a special request,
for UDHR50
would it be possible for her regular column to be on the Universal
John F. Sears
Declaration of Human Rights, with mention of the "In Your Hands" human
Executive Director,
rights campaign?
Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute
Also, we would like to open our town meeting in New York with a video
Michael D. Cooper
clip from the morning White House event. This will be sent by satellite to
Director.
our 30-plus events around the country. We obviously are hoping the
Human Rights Office
President and the First Lady will mention the "In Your Hands" campaign in
their remarks. Any help your office could provide would be greatly
Franklin and Eleanor
appreciated. Kathy Bonk has spoken to Ann Lewis about this as well.
Roosevelt Institute
She is also helping to get a copy of the video opening.
801 Second Avenue, 2nd fl.
New York, NY 10017
Enclosed is a copy of the "In Your Hands" Community Action guide; Ann
Phone: 212 907 1332
Roosevelt's talking points for the anniversary address in Paris; an editorial
Fax: 212 682 9185
submitted to the New York Times by Felice Gaer; and our kit including a
E-mail: [email protected]
list of the town meetings taking place across the country on this topic.
http://www.udhr50.org
Please call me with any questions at 212/907-1343.
Sincerely,
Michael
Michael Cooper
National Coordinating Committee
from for all your help you 're terrific.
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places. close to home Eleanor Roosevelt
THE
1000000
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OF Human DECLARATION Rights
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It's In Your Hands
TAKE ACTION - AND MAKE IT COUNT
Human rights - in your hands and at your fing
The official web site for the 50th anniversary of the
"In Your Hands" - a Community Action Guide
Won't you help:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides
information, news, ideas and opportunities for mean
One person can make a difference - especially when
Protect Children's Rights
action to protect and promote human rights.
that one person is joined by thousands of other
Stop Torture and Political Killings
people in communities across the country! When you
Fight Discrimination
Highlights include:
Act
work with the "In Your Hands" community action
Advance the Human Rights of Women
Act
Act
Act
Act
Act
guide, your efforts are echoed by others throughout
Reinforce Workers' Rights
Action - specific advocacy ideas and activities (ba:
Act
Act
America. You know you're part of a growing human
Spread the Word about Free Expression
the "In Your Hands" community action guide)
Act
rights movement that's making a difference.
Halt Religious Persecution
History - photos, essays, bibliographies and analy
Advocate Fair Trials
the Universal Declaration in an interactive overvie
"In Your Hands" gives you 50 actions for the 50th
Secure "Freedom from Want"
Calendar - an international database of events an-
Defend Human Rights Defenders
activities marking Human Rights Year
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Who We Are - profiles of national coalition mem
Rights - with additional resources to help you
For each issue, "In Your Hands" gives you five actions:
organizations with email and web links
mobilize your community. To order, call the Franklin
News a searchable database for human-rights-rel
and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute at 212 907 1332.
announcements from around the world
Request and Read (directs you to relevant books, articles,
United Nations - links to relevant areas of the UI
documents and on-line resources)
Act Locally (gives you concrete things you can do to
including the High Commissioner for Human Ri,
OR THE 50TH
promote human rights in your own community)
Education curriculum guides and resources for
ANNIVERSARY
teachers, students and activists
Act Nationally or Internationally (helps you persuade
political leaders to strengthen respect for human rights)
Related Sites - links to dozens of human rights ai
OF THE UNIVERSAL
social justice organizations
Grab a Partner (connects you to a national organization
Library - a collection of human rights treaties and
with an ongoing campaign or program)
relevant documents
DECLARATION OF
Raise Your Voice (urges you to speak up for specific
individuals suffering from aross human rights violations)
THE UNIVERSAL
Declaration of
HUMAN
RIGHTS
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
12/08/98 TUE 13:31 FAX
001
The President's Interagency Council on Women
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Honorary Chair
Chair
Donna Shalala. Immediate Past Chair
DATE: 12/8/96
TO: Ann Lewis
ORGANIZATION: WH
PHONE: 456-2640
FAX: 456-1213
FROM: Dani per Theresa Loar
PHONE: 647-6269
FAX:
MESSAGE:
Here is some information about
youth leaders. it would be great IF
They could be acknowledged at
Thursdays event
Eva Morales spoke before HRC in uruguay.
ac: KRisty Macy 456-5709
NUMBER OF PAGES (INCLUDING COVER SHEET):
United States Department of State
2201 C St., NW
Room 2906
Washington, D.C. 20520
Telephone (202)647-6227
Fax (202)647-5337
http://secretary.state.gov/www/iacv/index.html
12/08/98 TUE 13:32 FAX
002
Language on Young Human Rights Leaders
for International Human Rights Day Event at the White House
Today we honor the past fifty years of work to protect human rights around the world.
But, as we approach a new millennium I would also like to give special recognition to the
young people who will continue this work into the next century. I am pleased we have
with us today six young emerging leaders from around the world, each of whom are
working in their own countries to advocate for human rights and democracy. Recently,
they forged a partnership to work together through their organization YouthConnect to
support young leaders, raise youth awareness about human rights, and through their
stories of reliance and strength mobilize young people around the world to take action. I
would like to take a few minutes to recognize these young leaders.
Hafsat Abiola from Nigeria
Arn Chorn Pond from Cambodia
Miki Jacevic from Bosnia
Shamir Khan from Guyana
Marc Kielburger from Canada
Eva Morales from Guatemala
Thank you for the work that you have already done and the work we know you will
continue to do in the future. We will all be looking for great things from you.
12/08/98 TUE 13:32 FAX
003
Biographies for Young Human Rights Leaders
for International Human Rights Day
These young leaders and their newly formed organization, YouthConnect will be featured
in Parade magazine in the coming months.
Hafsat Abiola, 24 - Nigeria
Hafsat is a human rights and democracy organizer. Her father, Moshood, won the
Presidential election held in Nigeria in 1993 but served out his term in solitary
confinement, incarcerated by the military. He died in prison on the eve of his release on
July 8, 1998. Her mother, Kudirat, was also a democracy leader who was assassinated in
1996 in the streets of Lagos. Hafsat established and directs the Kudirat Institute for
Democracy (KIND). KIND seeks to promote the development of women and youth as
change-makers She is also the co-founder and first President of the International African
Student Association, a Fetzer Fellow, a Board Member of the State of the World Forum,
and a speaker for Amnesty International.
Arn Chorn Pond, 26 - Cambodia
Arn grew up in the killing fields of Cambodia and was able to survive the Khmer Rouge
occupation by learning to play the flute for generals. Am is the co-founder of Children of
War and over the past 15 years he has led numerous initiatives to improve the rights of
Children, especially in war-torn areas and regions faced with oppression and poverty. Am
is currently both running a project for gang members of Asian origin in Massachusetts and
building a center in Cambodia where young people will preserve musical traditions
damaged by genocide and upheaval.
Miki Jacevic, 28 - Bosnia
Miki is the Coordinator for the Academic LifeLine for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the
National Conference for Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution. Currently, he is
organizing the First World Summit for Youth Peacemakers and Democracy Builders.
Miki is a Member of the Board of the State of the World Forum, a Fetzer Fellow, and a
founding member of the Institute for New Leaders. Miki coordinated the First Candle
Campaign, an effort to support the non-violent student movement in Kosovo. He holds a
Ph.D. in Conflict Resolution Studies.
Shamir Khan, 24 - Guyana
Shamir is a recipient of the Raoul Wallenberg Fellowship at the Hebrew University in
Jerusalem which focuses on leadership in democracies. Shamir lived and worked on
various youth human rights and conflict resolution projects in Turkey, India, Northern
Ireland, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Ayodhya/Varnassi. Currently, he is a clinical
electrophysiology research coordinator at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. He
plans to start his doctorate in clinical child psychology in 1999 focusing on the emotional
and psychological development of young people from conflicted regions of the world.
12/08/98 TUE 13:32 FAX
4.
004
Marc Kielburger, 20 - Canada
Marc Co-founded Free the Children with his brother Craig. Free the Children is an
international organization with thousands of members worldwide. The organization has
two main purposes: to work towards ending exploitation and abuse of children and
promote children's rights; and to give youth a voice and develop youth leaders. This past
year, Marc spent seven months living and working in the Klong Toey slums of Bangkok,
Thailand, where he helped to set up a hospice for mothers and their babies with
HIV/AIDS. He has also set up organizations and worked with young people in Africa.
Eva Morales, 29 - Guatemala
Eva is one of the leading human rights activists from Guatemala and has spent the majority
of her past seven years in exile in the United States. At thirteen, many of her family
members were killed and she was imprisoned for her work to build democracy and peace.
Eva was the youngest founder of the first organization for peace and democracy in
Guatemala, GAM, when she was just sixteen. In March of 1998, Eva returned to
Guatemala and founded the Institute for New Leaders - Guatemala. The organization
brings young survivors of the war from 22 different ethnic groups in Guatemala together
for the first time. Currently these young people are working in partnership in the
community to rebuild their country.
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The hidden suffering of women in
COLUMNS
Afghanistan
John Ellis
Ellen Goodman
Derrick Z Jackson
By Ellen Goodman, Globe Columnist, 12/06/98
Jeff Jacoby
Robert Jordan
Z
ohra Rasekh spreads her snapshots before me as if she were a
Martin F. Nolan
tourist and these were pictures she'd taken of the colorful natives.
David Nyhan
"This is a doctor," she tells me, "and this is a teacher."
Thomas Oliphant
Jack Thomas
I nod, although it is hard to tell one of these women from another. They
YOUR VIEWS
are covered from head to toe under a heavy black burka, looking at the
Write a letter to the
world out of a rectangle of thick netting.
editor
It wasn't always like this. Forty percent of Afghan doctors were once
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women; more than half the teachers were women. But in 1996 the
PAGE ONE
Taliban took over, and in one day with one stroke they flipped the
NATION WORLD
switch off.
METRO REGION
BUSINESS
Under the guise of Islamic law they declared a state of gender apartheid.
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SPORTS
Women can no longer hold jobs. They can no longer go out in public
LIVING ARTS
without a burka and a male relative. They can no longer go to school. A
EDITORIALS OP-ED
bare ankle or wrist is cause for a public beating. The teacher in the
photograph became a beggar.
Weekly
Health I Science (Mon.)
Food (Wed.)
So earlier this year, Rasekh, a young Afghan-born public health
Calendar (Thu.)
researcher for Physicians for Human Rights, traveled to the refugee
At Home (Thu.)
camps in Pakistan and then into Afghanistan to talk to women. She
went with her questionnaire and her daring to document what it's like
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for half the population living under virtual house arrest. For two
Learning
clandestine months she took first-time, firsthand testimony to document
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the state of women's health when male doctors are not allowed to treat
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women, and women are not allowed to be doctors.
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City Weekly
On Dec. 10 we will celebrate - if celebrate is the right word - the 50th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The
Features
cornerstone document of human rights was forged under Eleanor
Archives
Roosevelt's guiding hand in 1948. Back then the world was painfully
Book Reviews
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aware of how quickly an entire population - the Jews of Europe - could
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be reduced from citizen to murder victim. It was aware of what happens
Crossword
when other nations just watch.
Horoscopes
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Today we also know how easy it is to roll back rights in places such as
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Movie Reviews
Yugoslavia, where assimilation disintegrated into ethnic cleansing. But
Music Reviews
in no other place has the reel reversed itself so brutally for women.
Obituaries
Forbidden to work or learn, with only one primitive hospital allotted for
Today's stories A-Z
their sex, Kabul makes Margaret Atwood's darkest fantasy of "The
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Handmaid's Tale" look like a feminist utopia. It is this bleakness that has
made groups like Physicians for Human Rights and the Feminist
Classifieds
Majority take on the world's compassion fatigue.
Autos
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The statistics that Rasekh brought home about the consequences for
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women's health seem coolly academic: Of the 160 women from all
walks of life she surveyed, 71 percent had experienced a decline in their
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physical health, 87 percent a decrease in access to a doctor, and 97
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percent exhibited major depression. One-fifth considered suicide.
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Alternative views
These figures and the stories behind them debunk the myth that women
Low-graphics version
are content, or at least safe, under the Taliban. Safe? Tell that to the
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educated woman, an amputee, beaten and jailed because she stepped on
the bus through the front door reserved for men, not the back door
relegated to women. Content? Tell it to the woman whose daughter
died because she couldn't afford a burka to leave home in search of
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medical care.
Today
Tell it, for that matter, to Rasekh. One day on her rounds, a Taliban
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It IS not just women who are suffering numan rights violations under the
SEARCH
Taliban. Men are also punished for breaking the rules of the Islamic
absolutists down to the smallest detail of the length of their beards.
Nevertheless, many foreign policy-makers have closed their eyes to
Afghanistan, writing it off as an international basket case or declaring
that at least there is peace under the Taliban. Even in the United
Nations, some have declared that the "cultural" matters of burka and
gender inequality will take a long time to change.
But if we have learned anything in 50 years, it's the difference between
"culture" and politics, between peace and the eerie quiet of hopelessness
and oppression.
Today, Rasekh still has one memory that overwhelms the snapshots and
statistics. "Day after day for two months I didn't hear a woman happy,"
she says softly. "I didn't hear a woman talk about her hair or if she
wanted to get married. Day after day, I didn't hear a woman laugh."
Fifty years after the world declared human rights for all, the silence of
these women is almost as searing as the silence of the world.
This story ran on page D07 of the Boston Globe on 12/06/98.
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12/7/98 6:22 PM
18:51
DRL/IRFA
202 647 4501 P.01/09
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION
BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR
DATE:
FROM:
NO. OF PAGES:
(including cover)
FAX NO. 456-5709
TO:
Christy Macy
MESSAGE:
-ER. quotes
- Declaration
- Background an In your Hands
DEC-08-1998 18:51
DRL/IRFA
202 647 4501
P.02/09
The Quotable Eleanor Roosevelt
"Are we so weak in the United Nations, are we as individual nations so weak that we are going to forbid human
beings to say what they think and fear whatever their friends and their particular type of mind happens to believe
in?
They may even say things against the United States, but I still think it is their right to say them
I am not always sure my Government or my nation will be right. I hope it will be and I shall do my best to keep it
as right as I can keep it, and so, I am sure, will every other nation. But there are people who are going to disagree
and I think we aim to reach a point where we on whole are so right that the majority of our people will be with us
and we can always stand having among us the people who do not agree, because we are sure that the right is so
carefully guarded among us and the freedom of people is so carefully guarded that we will always have the
majority with us."
From a debate between ER and Soviet delegate Andrei Vishinsky, UN General Assembly. 1946
"We must not be deluded by the forces of reaction to prostitute the great words of our free traditions and thereby
to confuse the struggle. 'Democracy,' 'freedom,' 'human rights' have come to have a definite meaning to the
people of the world which we must not allow any nation to so change that they are made synonymous with
suppression and dictatorship"
From a speech to the UN General Assembly. 1948
"[T]hroughout the world there are many people who do not enjoy the basic rights which have come to be accepted
in many other parts of the world as inherent rights of all individuals, without which no one can live in dignity and
freedom
[The] lack of standards for human rights the world over was one of the greatest causes of friction among nations,
and
recognition of human rights might become one of the cornerstones of which peace could eventually be
based
Three Articles in the Declaration seem to me to be of vital importance. Article 15 provides that everyone has the
right to a nationality,; that is all persons are entitled to the protection of some government, and those who are
without shall be protected by the United Nations. Article 16 says that individual freedom of thought and
conscience, to hold and change beliefs, is an absolute and sacred right. Included in this Article is a declaration of
the right to manifest these beliefs, in the form of worship, observance, teaching and practice. Article 21 declares
that everyone, without discrimination, has the right to take an effective part in the government of his country.
This aims to give assurance that governments of states will bend and change according to the will of the people as
shown in elections, which shall be periodic, free, fair, and by secret ballot
[W]e have put into words some inherent rights
[W]e have found that the conditions of our contemporary
world require the enumeration of certain protections which the individual must have if he is to acquire a sense of
security and dignity in his own person
It seems to me most important the Declaration be accepted by all
member nations, not because they will immediately live up to all of its provisions, but because they ought to
support the standards toward which the nations must henceforward aim."
From "The Promise of Human Rights," Foreign Affairs 26 (April 1948): 470-477
"In giving our approval to the declaration today, it is of primary importance that we keep clearly in mind the basic
character of the document.
It is a declaration of basic principles of human rights and freedoms, to be stamped
with the approval of the General Assembly by formal vote of its members, and to serve as a common standard of
achievement for all peoples of all nations.
1
DEC-08-1998 18:51
DRL/IRFA
202 647 4501 P.03/09
We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the united Nations and in the life of mankind,
that is the approval by the General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recommended by the
Third Committee. This declaration may well become the international Magna Carta of all men everywhere. We
hope its proclamation by the General Assembly will be an event comparable to the proclamation of the
Declaration of the Rights of the Man by the French people in 1789, the adoption of the Bill of Rights by the
people of the United States, and the adoption of comparable declarations at different times in other countries.
At a time when there are so many issues on which we find it difficult to reach a common basis of agreement, it is
a significant fact that 58 states have found such a large measure of agreement in the complex field of human
rights. This must be taken as a testimony of our common aspiration first voiced in the Charter of the United
Nations to lift men everywhere to a higher standard of life and to a greater enjoyment of freedom
This declaration is based upon the spiritual fact that man must have freedom in which to develop his full stature
and through common effort to raise the level of human dignity. We have much to do to fully achieve and to
assure the rights set forth in this declaration. But having them put before us with the moral backing of 58 nations
will be a great step forward."
Speech to the UNGA on adoption of the UDHR. 1948
"[T]he United States, the United Kingdom, the other democracies, they are all open to inspection, so it is very
easy to find out what actually goes on and that is one of the reasons why it is so important that we in the
democracies make human rights and freedom a reality
[W]e can know about our failures and those of us who
care can work to improve our democracy!
All freedom is conditioned by the freedom of other people, but nevertheless there is for human beings
something very precious, which we know as freedom, the freedom to help govern ourselves, the freedom to help
develop the future
[W]e are determined that all human beings shall eventually have the rights and freedoms
set forth in this document, and that we are not going to be intimidate; neither are we going to be despondent."
[T]he challenge of today is the ability to stay in the United nations and watch ourselves as the leading
democratic nation of the world, a nation which all the world watches. If they can see that our beliefs are as strong
as theirs and that we are not going backward, they might begin to live in the same world with us and make some
compromises. That is almost as important as to have more military power and more economic power."
"Making Human Rights Come Alive, Speech to Pi Lambda Theta, Columbia University, March 1949
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that
they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person: the neighborhood
he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where
every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless
these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold
them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. Thus we believe that the destiny of
human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities."
Speech on occasion of tenth anniversary year of UDHR, March 1958
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DRAFT U.N. DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the importance of the observance of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations
for the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons in all countries of the
world,
Reaffirming the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on
Human Rights as basic elements of international efforts to promote universal respect for and observance of human
rights and fundamental freedoms and the importance of other human rights instruments adopted within the United
Nations system, as well as those at the regional level,
Stressing that all members of the international community shall fulfill, jointly and separately, their solemn
obligation to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction
of any kind, including distinctions based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or other status, and reaffirming the particular importance of achieving international
cooperation to fulfill this obligation according to the Charter of the United Nations,
Acknowledging the important role of international cooperation for and the valuable work of individuals, groups and
associations in contributing to the effective elimination of all violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms
of peoples and individuals, including in relation to mass, flagrant or systematic violations such as those resulting
from apartheid, all forms of racial discrimination, colonialism, foreign domination or occupation, aggression or
threats to national sovereignty, national unity or territorial integrity, and from refusal to recognize the right of
peoples to self-determination and the right of every people to exercise full sovereignty over its wealth and natural
resources,
Recognizing the relationship between international peace and security and the enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, and mindful that the absence of international peace and security does not excuse non-
compliance,
Reiterating that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal, indivisible and interdependent and
interrelated, and should be promoted and implemented in a fair and equitable manner, without prejudice to the
implementation of each of these rights and freedoms,
Stressing that the primary responsibility and duty to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms
lie with the State,
Recognizing the right and the responsibility of individuals, groups and associations to promote respect for, and
foster knowledge of, human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels,
DECLARES
Article 1. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for
the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international
levels.
Article 2. Each State has a prime responsibility and duty to protect, promote and implement all human
rights and fundamental freedoms, inter alia by adopting such steps as may be necessary to create all
conditions necessary in the social, economic, political as well as other fields and the legal guarantees
required to ensure that all persons under its jurisdiction, individually and in association with others, are
able to enjoy all these rights and freedoms in practice. Each State shall adopt such legislative,
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administrative and other steps as may be necessary to ensure that the rights and freedoms referred to in
this Declaration are effectively guaranteed.
Article 3. Domestic law consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and other international
obligations of the State in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the juridical framework
within which human rights and fundamental freedoms should be implemented and enjoyed, and within
which all activities referred to in this Declaration for the promotion, protection and effective realization of
those rights and freedoms should be conducted.
Article 4. Nothing in the present Declaration shall be construed as impairing or contradicting the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations nor as restricting or derogating from the
provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights
and other international instruments and commitments applicable in this field.
Article 5. For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms,
everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels:
(a) to meet or assemble peacefully; (b) to form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations,
associations or groups; (c) to communicate with non-governmental or inter-governmental organizations.
Article 6. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to know, seek, obtain,
receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access
to information as to how these rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic legislative, judicial or
administrative systems; as provided in human rights and other applicable international instruments, freely
to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms; to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and
practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means,
to draw public attention to these matters.
Article 7. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to develop. and discuss new
human rights ideas and principles, and to advocate their acceptance.
Article 8. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to have effective access, on
a non-discriminatory basis, to participation in the government of one's country and in the conduct of
public affairs. This includes, inter alia, the right, individually and in association with others, to submit to
governmental bodies and agencies and organizations concerned with public affairs, criticism and
proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work which may
hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Article 9. In the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the promotion and
protection of human rights as referred to in this Declaration, everyone has the right, individually and in
association with others, to benefit from an effective remedy and to be protected in the event of violation
of these rights. To this end, everyone whose rights or freedoms are allegedly violated, has the right, either
in person or through legally authorized representation, to complain to and have that complaint promptly
reviewed in a public hearing before an independent, impartial and competent judicial or other authority
established by law, and to obtain from such an authority a decision, in accordance with law, providing
redress, including any compensation due, where there has been a violation of that person's rights or
freedoms; as well as enforcement of the eventual decision and award; all without undue delay. To the
same end, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, inter alia: (a) to complain
about the policies and actions of individual officials and governmental bodies with regard to violations of
human rights and fundamental freedoms by petitions or other appropriate means to competent domestic
judicial, administrative or legislative authorities or any other competent authority provided for by the
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legal system of the State, which should render their decision on the complaint without undue delay; (b) to
attend public hearings, proceedings and trials, to form an opinion on their compliance with national law
and applicable international obligations and commitments; (c) to offer and provide professionally
qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and
fundamental freedoms. To the same end, and in accordance with applicable international instruments and
procedures, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to unhindered access to
and communication with international bodies with general or special competence to receive and consider
communications on matters of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The State shall conduct a prompt
and impartial investigation or ensure that an inquiry takes place whenever there is reasonable ground to
believe that a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms has occurred in any territory under its
jurisdiction.
Article 10. No one shall participate, by act or failure to act where required, in violating human rights and
fundamental freedoms, and no one shall be subjected to punishment of adverse action of any kind for
refusing to do so.
Article 11. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of
his or her occupation or profession. Everyone who, as a result of his or her profession, can affect the
human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of others should respect those rights and
freedoms and comply with relevant national and international standards of occupational and professional
conduct or ethics.
Article 12. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful
activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The State shall take all
necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in
association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse
discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate exercise of the
rights referred to in this Declaration. In this connection, everyone is entitled, individually and in
association with others, to be effectively protected under national law in reacting against or opposing,
through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States which
result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as acts of violence perpetrated by
groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Article 13. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to solicit, receive and
utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms, through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of this Declaration.
Article 14. The State has the responsibility to take legislative, judicial, administrative or other appropriate
measures to promote the understanding by all persons under its jurisdiction of their civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights. Such measures shall include, inter alia: (a) the publication and
widespread availability of national laws and regulations and of applicable basic international human
rights instruments; (b) Full and equal access to international documents in the field of human rights,
including the State's periodic reports to the bodies established by the international human rights treaties to
which it is a party, as well as the summary records of discussions and the official reports of these bodies.
The State shall ensure and support, where appropriate, the creation and development of further
independent national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental
freedoms in all territory under its jurisdiction, whether they be ombudsmen, human rights commissions or
any other form of national institutions.
Article 15. The State has the responsibility to promote and facilitate the teaching of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at all levels of education, and to ensure that all those responsible for training
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lawyers, law enforcement officers, the personnel of the armed forces and public officials include
appropriate elements of human rights teaching in their training program.
Article 16. Individuals, non-governmental organizations and relevant institutions have an important role
in contributing to making the public more aware of questions relating to all human rights and fundamental
freedoms through activities such as education, training and research in these areas to further strengthen,
inter alia, understanding, tolerance, peace and friendly relations among nations and amongst all racial and
religious groups, bearing in mind the various backgrounds of societies and communities, in which they
carry out their activities.
Article 17. In the exercise of the rights and freedoms referred to in this Declaration, everyone, acting
individually and in association with others, shall be subject only to such limitations as are in accordance
with applicable international obligations and are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due
recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of
morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
Article 18. Everyone has duties towards and within the community in which alone the free and full
development of his or her personality is possible. Individuals, groups, institutions and non-governmental
organizations have an important role to play and a responsibility in safeguarding democracy, promoting
human rights and fundamental freedoms and contributing to the promotion and advancement of
democratic societies, institutions and processes. Likewise, they have an important role and a
responsibility in contributing, as appropriate, to the promotion of the right of everyone to a social and
international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and other human rights instruments can be fully realized.
Article 19. Nothing in the present Declaration shall be interpreted as implying for any individual, group
or organ of society or any State the right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the
destruction of the rights and freedoms referred to in this Declaration.
Article 20. Nor shall anything in the present Declaration be interpreted as permitting States to support
and promote activities of individuals, groups of individuals, institutions or non-governmental
organizations contrary to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
- 2 -
persecution, end child exploitation, promote democratic
governance, and urge compliance with international human rights
instruments.
Announcement of Human Rights Initiatives ("Deliverables")
The President would then announce new human rights
initiatives to be implemented by various agencies. Currently,
the NSC is considering the following: (1) Human Rights Executive
Order directing federal agencies to implement U.S. obligations
under the international human rights treaties (DOS, DOJ, HHS,
NSC, others) ; (2) Early Warning task force that would expand and
coordinate the identification of potential and occurring genocide
and mass abuses (DOS, DOD, CIA) ; (3) "On the Ground" Attention to
Sexual Violence and Genocide, funding local NGOs in the
prevention of sexual violence and the rehabilitation of victims
of genocide or other mass abuses (DOS, AID) ; (4) Rapid Response
to Human Rights Emergencies, facilitating NGO presence in crisis
situations (DOS, AID) ; and (5) Child Asylum Claims, to improve
the adjudication of children's cases (DOJ). The NSC may also
consider deliverables on the right to democracy and on human
rights education.
Eleanor Roosevelt Medal
The President would honor up to five Americans with an
Eleanor Roosevelt Medal in recognition of Americans who have made
significant contributions to human rights either at home or
abroad. Their human rights work would be emphasized as an
example of the work of so many Americans promoting the many
rights of the UDHR. Details on the creation of this award are
being submitted in a separate memorandum.
Guests
The White House gathering would include 200 guests, such as
Members of Congress, congressional staff, human rights advocates,
religious leaders, women's rights advocates, minority leaders,
and others who have worked, for example, to uphold the rights of
women and minorities, fight for religious freedom, combat racism,
or oppose child exploitation. The audience would also include
immigrants and refugees who arrived in the U.S. in search of
freedom and whose stories the President would cite to highlight
the importance of the freedoms enjoyed in the U.S. In addition,
other Administration principals could include the Vice President,
cabinet officials, and relevant Assistant Secretaries.
Press Coverage and Video to Town Meetings
In addition to receiving coverage by the White House Press
Corp, the event would be telecast to up to fifty town meetings
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scheduled across the country the week of December 10. These town
meetings are part of the "In Your Hands" campaign, organized by
The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Human Rights and
The Jacob Blaustein Institute for Human Rights of the American
Jewish Committee. "In Your Hands" is comprised of over 90
organizations, including the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., American
Association of Retired Persons, American Federation of Teachers,
Amnesty International, Center for Women's Global Leadership,
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, National
Council of Churches, National Council of La Raza, YMCA and YWCA.
The President's statement either could be broadcast live or
recorded and distributed by video to the town hall meetings. The
Secretary of State, other cabinet officials, relevant Assistant
Secretaries and Administration officials could attend town
meetings in various states as locations might fit into schedules.
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
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The Quotable K. Annan - Human Rights
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THE QUOTABLE KOFI ANNAN
Human Rights
*
I am aware of the fact that some view [the concern of human rights] as a luxury of the rich countries for which
Africa is not ready. I know that others treat it as an imposition, if not a plot, by the industrialized West. I find these
thoughts truly demeaning, demeaning of the yearning for human dignity that resides in every African heart.
Address to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity,
Harare, 2 June 1997 (SG/SM/6245)
*
Do not African mothers weep when their sons or daughters are killed or maimed by agents of repressive rule? Are
not African fathers saddened when their children are unjustly jailed or tortured? Is not Africa as a whole impoverished
when even one of its brilliant voices is silenced?
Address to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity,
Harare, 2 June 1997 (SG/SM/6245)
Freedom knows no borders a fiery voice of liberty in one country can raise the spirits of another far away.
]
Address at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston, 6 June 1997 (SG/SM/6249)
*
Many thought that the horrors of the Second World War could never happen again. And yet they have - in
Cambodia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Rwanda. Our time has shown us that man's capacity for evil knows no
limits.
Address to the International Bar Association, New York, 11 June 1997 (SG/SM/6257)
*
We are dealing with a situation [in Algeria] which for a long time has been treated as an internal affair, and yet as
the killing goes on and the numbers of victims rise, it is extremely difficult for all of us to pretend that it is not
happening, that we do not know about it and that we should leave the Algerian population to their lot. I think that as
compassionate human beings, as people with conscience and moral concerns, I think we all are moved and concerned
by what is happening in Algeria. Words may not be enough, but it is a beginning to let the victims know that third
parties care, and sometimes it gives them courage.
Press conference at the Venice Film Festival. Italy. 30 August 1997
*
Violence against women has become the most pervasive human rights violation, respecting no distinction of
geography, culture or wealth.
Address to the General Assembly on the opening of the fifty-second session, New York. 22 September 1997
(SG/SM/6334)
*
Let there be no doubt: there are some very basic standards of human behaviour, violations of which are simply
unacceptable. Fundamental human rights are a product of human nature - indeed human life - itself.
Address to the Facing History and Ourselves benefit, New York, 14 October 1997 (SG/SM/6359)
*
Raoul [Wallenberg]'s life and achievements highlighted the vital role of the bystander, of the third party amidst
conflict and suffering. His intervention gave hope to victims, encouraged them to fight and resist, to hang on and bear
witness. It aroused our collective consciousness. The mystery remains, however: why were there so few Raouls?
Address to the Facing History and Ourselves benefit, New York, 14 October 1997 (SG/SM/6359)
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*
Where slavery exists, human dignity itself is denied, and brings shame to all who claim to be compassionate or
committed to the weak and the vulnerable of our world. Human rights are nothing if not the insistence on freedom
from bondage and coercion in all aspects of life. And yet, on the threshold of a new millennium, we still find the old
and, sadly, also new forms of slavery. Hundreds of thousands of people the world over live and die as slaves in one
form or another.
Message on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December 1997 (SG/SM/6411)
*
Allow me to pay tribute to the great faith and civilization of Islam. It has ennobled and enriched humanity
throughout its history. Today, it inspires the belief of almost a billion men and women, and is a universal spiritual
force for mankind. This fact makes it all the more distressing to witness the increasing resort to violence and terror by
extremist groups in the name of Islam. They are sullying the image of a religion whose very name signifies peace and
whose Almighty is the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Address to the Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Tehran, 9 December 1997 (SG/SM/6418)
Human rights are the foundation of human existence Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent
Human rights are what make us human. They are the principles by which we create the sacred home for human
dignity It is the universality of human rights that gives them their strength. It endows them with the power to cross
any border, climb any wall, defy any force.
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day, 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
When we speak of the right to life, or development, or to dissent and diversity, we are speaking of tolerance.
Tolerance promoted, protected and enshrined will ensure all freedoms. Without it, we can be certain of none. In the
words of one wise man: "Faith elicits respect, and fanaticism provokes hate."
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day, 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
Human rights are the expression of those traditions of tolerance in all cultures that are the basis of peace and
progress Human rights are foreign to no culture and native to all nations Tolerance and mercy have always and
in all cultures been ideals of government rule and human behaviour. Today, we call these values human rights.
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day. 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
Human rights are what reason requires and conscience commands. They are us and we are them. Human rights are
rights that any person has as a human being. We are all human beings; we are all deserving of human rights. One
cannot be true without the other One cannot pick and choose among human rights, ignoring some while insisting on
others. Only as rights equally applied can they be rights universally accepted. Nor can they be applied selectively or
relatively, or as a weapon with which to punish others. Their purity is their eternal strength.
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day. 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
*
Who can deny that we all share the same horror of violence? Who can deny that we all seek lives free of fear,
torture and discrimination? Who can deny that we all seek to express ourselves freely and pursue our aims in life?
When have you heard a free voice demand an end to freedom? Where have you heard a slave argue for slavery? When
have you heard a victim of torture endorse the ways of the torturer? Where have you heard the tolerant cry out for
intolerance?
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day. 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
*
There is no single model of democracy, or of human rights or of cultural expression for all the world. But for all
the world, there must be democracy, human rights and free cultural expression.
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Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day. 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
*
Human rights are your rights. Seize them. Defend them. Promote them. Understand them and insist on them.
Nourish and enrich them They are the best in us. Give them life.
Address at the University of Tehran on Human Rights Day, 10 December 1997 (SG/SM/6419)
*
When we talk of human rights being a Western concept, doesn't the Iranian mother or the African mother cry
when their son or daughter is tortured? Don't we all feel when one of our leaders is unjustly imprisoned? Don't we all
suffer from the lack of the rule of law and from arbitrariness? What is foreign about that? What is Western about
that? And when we talk of the right to development; the need to live their lives to the fullest and to be able to live their
dreams, it is universal When you talk to the individuals, have you ever come across a victim, somebody who has
been tortured, talking against human rights? Do you hear the people generally rejecting human rights which are
intended to protect them? Everything we do, whether it is economic development, whether it is security or whatever, it
is a human being that is at the centre. And that is what we mean when we talk about human rights, when we talk about
cultural expression, political rights, economic rights.
Press conference at the Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Tehran, 11 December 1997
*
We should reaffirm the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and get the public to understand, the individual to
understand, that those rights are his. It is not something that is given to him by a government, like a subsidy that can
be taken away. It is intrinsic, it is inherent, and [I hope] we can really use this fiftieth anniversary to get that message
across.
Press conference at UN Headquarters after briefing the Security Council on the Memoramdum of
Understanding signed in Baghdad, 24 February 1998 (SG/SM/6470)
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The Quotable K. Annan - Development
http://www.un.org/Docs/SG/quotable/dev.1htm
THE QUOTABLE KOFI ANNAN
D
evelopment
GLOBALIZATION
BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT
AFRICA
WOMEN & DEVELOPMENT
AIDS
EDUCATION
*
The South is the driving force of economic change Today, there is a clear and demonstrated link between
profitability and raising living standards for the world's poorest people.
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 1 February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
In every country of the North, there is a bit of the South; in every "South" there is a "North".
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos. Switzerland. / February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
There is a growing compelling evidence that the poor can solve their own problems if only they are given fair
access to financial and business development services.
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland. 1 February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
Today, market capitalism has no major ideological rival; its biggest threat is from within itself. If it cannot
promote both prosperity and justice, it will not have succeeded.
Address to the World Economic Forum. Davos, Switzerland. / February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
We must bury the myth that development cooperation is no longer needed in light of private sector flows, trade
opportunities and other benefits of globalization. Eighty per cent of direct foreign investment in the developing world
goes to only a dozen countries - all middle-income countries with the exception of China. Just 5 per cent goes to
Africa and 1 per cent to the 48 least developed countries. By contrast, United Nations assistance goes predominantly
to low-income countries, where it can pave the way for private sector development.
Address to the World Economic Forum. Davos. Switzerland. / February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
The United Nations has played its part in creating special economic zones, removing trade barriers, supporting
entrepreneurs, and in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. In all of these areas. we have a proud
record. The United Nations system has often been the principal, if not the sole, source of financial and technical
support to over 100 States since the end of the Second World War. Our record is clear; we have made a difference by
helping to build new societies, by acting to cease human misery, and by contributing to the peaceful transition from
repressive to free and democratic societies.
Address to the World Economic Forum. Davos, Switzerland. / February 1997 (SG/SM/6153)
*
Today, development is a global concern that transcends ideology and immediate interest. It is now as much a
moral as a political challenge proving that stability and prosperity are indivisible.
Address to the Council on Foreign Relations, New York, 22 April 1997 (SG/SM/6218)
*
South-South cooperation should be more than a slogan It should be not only a source of solidarity and strength
but also a powerful force for development.
Address to the Academy of Social Sciences and Institute of International Relations, Shanghai. 10 May 1997
(SG/SM/6234)
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*
With curiosity comes concern, and with concern comes the desire to right the wrongs of oppression and reverse the
tide of poverty throughout the world.
Address at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston, 6 June 1997
*
We are all here because we believe poverty to be intolerable in a world of plenty. And we are all here because
we are convinced indeed we know that this poverty can be ended in our lifetime, with our own hands, with our
own minds.
Address to the World Bank Conference on "Global Knowledge '97". Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
*
We know that the global dilemma of squalor amid splendor is a creature of human agency, and that it can be
reversed by human agency.
Address to the World Bank Conference on "Global Knowledge '97". Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
*
The same technological means that foster globalization and the transnational expansion of civil society also
provide the infrastructure for expanding global networkds of "uncivil society" -- organized crime, drug traffickers,
money launderers and terrorists.
Renewal Amid Transition: Annual Report on the Work of the Organization, 3 September 1997 (A/52/1)
*
The world has enough food. What it lacks is the political will to ensure that all people have access to this bounty,
that all people enjoy food security.
Statement on World Food Day. 16 October 1997 (SG/SM/6362)
*
So long as every fifth inhabitant of our planet lives in absolute poverty, there can be no real stability in the world.
Video message on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17 October 1997
*
In today's world, the profit motive and the development motive go hand in hand. They have become two sides of
the same coin.
Address at the Chicago World Trade Centre, 20 October 1997 (SG/SM/6365)
*
There is a new universal understanding that market forces are essential for sustainable development.
Address at the Chicago World Trade Centre, 20 October 1997 (SG/SM/6365)
GLOBALIZATION
We live in an era of realignment As is true of all transitional periods, very different expressions of the human
predicament coexist in uneasy tension today: globalization envelops the world even as fragmentation and the assertion
of differences are on the rise; zones of peace expand while outbursts of horrific violence intensify; unprecedented
wealth is being created but large pockets of poverty remain endemic; the will of the people and their integral rights are
both celebrated and violated; science and technology enhance human life at the same time as their by-products
threaten planetary life-support systems. It is not beyond the powers of political volition to tip the scale in this
transition, towards a more secure and predictable peace, greater economic well-being, social justice and environmental
sustainability. No country can achieve these global public goods on its own, however, just as none is exempt from the
risks and costs of doing without them.
Renewal Amid Transition: Annual Report on the Work of the Organization. 3 September 1997 (A/52/1)
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Globalization is perhaps the most profound source of international transformation since the industrial
revolution The adjective "global" refers less to a place than to a space defined by electronic flows and a state of
+
mind.
Renewal Amid Transition: Annual Report on the Work of the Organization, 3 September 1997 (A/52/1)
*
In an age of globalization, the United States needs the United Nations, and the United Nations needs the United
States. This is one of the pivotal relationships of our day.
Address at Princeton University, 24 November 1997 (SG/SM/6404)
*
Economic interdependence among nations places a premium on frameworks and institutions. I am sure we would
all prefer the rule of law over the law of the jungle. I am confident that we would choose sustainable gains, within a-
stable and predictable system, over an unstructured and unregulated global environment. We need rules of the road
and norms to guide relations between individuals and communities. This is as true of the global village as it is of the
village each of us may have come from Technical standard-setting, for example, in areas such as aviation, shipping
and telecommunication, provides the very foundation for international transactions: the system's "soft infrastructure"
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 31 January 1998 (SG/SM/6448)
*
Every society, from Asia to the Americas, is the product of values, of shared bonds and ideals. Global society, if it
is to flourish, must also work from shared norms and objectives. Fortunately, the basis of that common understanding
already exists; it is found in the United Nations Charter.
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 31 January 1998 (SG/SM/6448)
*
Without rules governing property rights and contracts, without confidence based on the rule of law, without an
overall sense of direction and a fair degree of equity and transparency, there could be no well-functioning markets,
domestic or global. The United Nations system provides such a global framework - an agreed set of standards and
objectives that enjoy worldwide acceptance, and within which markets are able to function.
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 31 January 1998 (SG/SM/6448)
BUSINESS
*
Business and the United Nations are natural partners.
Address to the Business Council for the UN, New York. 23 April 1997 (SG/SM/6220)
*
A true partnership between governments, the private sector and the international community holds great promise.
Address to the Business Council for the UN. New York, 23 April 1997 (SG/SM/6220)
*
Our untiring efforts to codify international law, and build societies based on the rule of law, also promote
regulatory consistency and peaceful change. International law also has a strong preventive aspect: the Law of the Sea,
for example, was put in place before the unbridled exploitation of the world's marine resources could occur.
Address to the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 31 January 1998 (SG/SM/6448)
*
Leaders of government and business continue to have choices. So let us choose to unite the power of markets with
the authority of universal ideals. Let us choose to reconcile the creative forces of private entrepreneurship with the
needs of the disadvantaged and the requirements of future generations. Let us ensure that prosperity reaches the poor.
Let us choose an enlightened way forward towards our ultimate, shared goal: a global market place that is open to all
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and benefits all.
Address to the World Economic Forum. Davos, Switzerland, 31 January 1998 (SG/SM/6448)
ENVIRONMENT
*
Safeguarding the environment is a guiding principle of all our work in support of sustainable development; it is
an essential component of poverty eradication and one of the foundations for peace.
Message to the high-level segment of the nineteenth session of the Governing Council of the United Nations
Environment Programme, Nairobi, 5 February 1997 (SG/SM/6155)
*
The threat to our environment has taught us that privilege and prosperity cannot protect any nation if poverty and
pollution are destroying another.
Toast at the luncheon for heads of State and Government attending the nineteenth special session of the
General Assembly, New York, 23 June 1997 (SG/SM/6270)
*
Nearly one half the world's population now lives in urban areas Increasingly, in terms of the problems they
face, the world's cities are becoming more alike than not.
Message on World Habitat Day, 6 October 1997 (SG/SM/6350)
*
Effective, transparent, accountable and responsive government, subject to the rule of law, is the very foundation
for sustainable development, not the result of it.
Address at the University of Chile, Santiago, 6 November 1997 (SG/SM/6384)
*
Considering the environmental consequences of our actions must become second nature to us all, in every choice
and every decision we make; if it does not, all the laws and regulations, government programmes and market
incentives in the world will not be enough to save us from environmental disaster.
Address at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa Environment Prize Ceremony. New
York, 12 November 1997 (SG/SM/6390)
*
The risks of climate change pose the most critical and pervasive environmental threats ever to the security of the
human community and to life on Earth as we know it On an issue that could have such a decisive effect on the
future of humanity, we must act on the principle that precaution now is wiser than panic later.
Message to the third session of the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Kyoto, 8 December 1997 (SG/SM/6415)
AFRICA
*
When Africa speaks with one voice, the world listens, but if Africa speaks with a cacophony of confused
messages, few will listen and no one will hear.
Address to the Central Organ of the Organization of African Unity Mechanism for Conflict Prevention,
Management and Resolution, Lomé. 26 March 1997 (SG/SM/6192)
*
Africa has, in the past five decades, been through a series of momentous changes: first came decolonization and
the struggle against apartheid, then came a second wave, too often marked by civil wars, the tyranny of military rule
and economic stagnation A new era is now in prospect, Africa's third wave. Let us make [it] one of lasting peace,
based on democracy, human rights and sustainable development.
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--- Address to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity
Harare, 2 June 1997 (SG/SM/6245)
*
Africa is the only region of the world where - if present trends continue - poverty is expected to increase in the
next century. We have dissected and debated Africa, and studied and summarized its challenges, for decades. Now is
the time for action. We - and I speak not only of [the Security] Council, but of the United Nations and the
international community generally - must respond promptly and effectively to Africa's call.
Statement delivered at the Security Council's ministerial meeting on the situation in Africa, 25 September 1997
(SG/SM/6335)
*
Because the best way of ensuring peace and security in Africa is to promote sustainable development, I urge you
to do all in your power to increase official development assistance to African countries Another urgent priority is to
relieve African countries of their heavy debt-service burden. The initiative of Bretton Woods institutions for the
Highly-Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) is a step in the right direction. But more needs to be done.
Statement delivered at the Security Council's ministerial meeting on the situation in Africa, 25 September 1997
(SG/SM/6335)
*
Despite progress, performance in industry has been weak. Africa continues to be constrained by poor physical
infrastructure, weak institutional capacity, inadequate regulatory and incentive systems, and a widening technology
gap among nations. Thus it has been difficult for Africa to benefit fully from globalization and from the liberalization
of trade, and to integrate fully into the world economy.
Statement on Africa Industrialization Day, 20 November 1997 (SG/SM/6402)
*
My programme of reform, my "quiet revolution" of change and transformation at the United Nations, should be
judged in part on how well it enables the Organization to respond to the needs of the poorest people in Africa and
elsewhere.
Message on the occasion of the second anniversary of the United Nations System-wide Initiative on Africa,
March 1998
WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT
*
Full equality [for women] means more than the accomplishment of statistical objectives: the culture has to change.
Address to the Group on Equal Rights for Women in the United Nations, New York, 7 March 1997
(SG/SM/6178)
*
Women's equality must be a central component of any attempt to solve the world's social, economic and political
problems.
Message on International Women's Day, 8 March 1997 (SG/SM/6176)
*
In war-torn societies, women often keep society going They are often the prime advocates of peace.
Address to the forty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women. New York, 10 March 1997
(SG/SM/6179)
AIDS
*
New therapies and drugs offer hope for fighting and living with HIV and full-scale AIDS. But the costs are often
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exorbitant, and access to care and support remains all too limited, especially in the developing world. This must
change, for it is within human capacity and ingenuity to ensure that treatment is available to all.
Message on World AIDS Day. / December 1997 (SG/SM/6400)
*
Children with HIV/AIDS and children orphaned by the disease are often stigmatized, and denied services,
education and care Poverty fuels the spread of the virus even as it undermines efforts to cope with its repercussions.
Children may be vulnerable, but they are neither helpless nor beyond help. Children themselves are effective
communicators, not only among their peers but within their families. Indeed, education and information are among our
most powerful weapons in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Message on World AIDS Day, / December 1997 (SG/SM/6400)
AIDS has changed the world for children. We must now change the world for them.
Message on World AIDS Day, / December 1997 (SG/SM/6400)
EDUCATION
*
Many years of service in the world Organization have convinced me that the first ingredient of political stability is
an informed citizen; the first ingredient of economic progress is a skilled worker, and the first ingredient of social
justice is an enlightened society. Education is the key to global peace and well-being.
Address to the American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 24 February 1997 (SG/SM/6165)
*
Education not only enriches a culture it is the first condition for freedom, democracy and sustainable
development.
Address on receiving an honorary degree from Chuo University, Tokyo, 14 May 1997 (SG/SM/6239)
*
Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every
family.
Address to the World Bank conference "Global Knowledge '97". Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
*
An educated electorate is a powerful electorate An informed citizenry is the greatest defender of freedom
An
enlightened government is a democratizing government.
Address to the World Bank conference "Global Knowledge '97". Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
*
Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against
poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and
factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national identity.
Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is,
along with education in general, a basic human right Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means
through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.
Message on International Literacy Day, 8 September 1997 (SG/SM/6316)
*
Once, I remember, Reverend Branful took out a large white sheet with a black dot in the middle, draped it over the
blackboard and asked us: "What do you see?" We all answered: "The black dot.' "Why only the black dot", he
responded, "why only the negative? What about the vast white spaces around?" He was reminding us to always look
beyond the obvious and beneath the surface, to bear in mind the larger picture, not to focus just on the blemishes. He
was teaching us also to remember that there is more than one side to a story, and more than one answer to a question.
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--- Message to Mfanstipim Secondary School. Ghana, 25 October 1997
*
The different, the displaced, the refugees are the ones who enrich all our lives, and your tolerance and openness
towards them will open new worlds for you, and make you welcome wherever you go.
--- Message to Mfanstipim Secondary School, Ghana, 25 October 1997
*
Without education, we cannot see beyond ourselves and our narrow surroundings to the reality of global
interdependence. Without education, we cannot realize how peoples of other races and religions share the same
dreams, the same hopes. Without education, we cannot recognize the universality of human aims and aspirations.
--- Address at the University of Chile, Santiago, 5 November 1997 (SG/SM/6384)
*
Education is one of the most effective forms of defence spending there is.
--- Address at Kuwait University, 13 December 1997 (SG/SM/6421)
I
Top Page I UN Secretaries-General I UN Home
I
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The Quotable K. Annan - Democracy and Good Governance
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THE QUOTABLE KOFI ANNAN
D
emocracy and Good Governance
INFORMATION
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
*
Some may argue that military regimes bring stability and predictability, that they are helpful to economic
development. That is a delusion.
Address to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity.
Harare, 2 June 1997 (SG/SM/6245)
*
Africa can no longer tolerate, and accept as faits accomplis, coups against elected governments, and the illegal
seizure of power by military cliques Armies exist to protect national sovereignty, not to train their guns on their
own people.
Address to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity.
Harare, 2 June 1997 (SG/SM/6245)
*
Crucial to the new politics is a redefinition of the role of the State. The State, it is increasingly understood, is not a
creator of wealth, but a facilitator and catalyst of development. An essential function of the State is to provide an
enabling environment in which investment can take place, wealth can be created, and individuals can prosper and
grow. Civil society can then form and express itself, involving individuals in decisions affecting their own lives.
--- Address to the International Conference on Governance for Sustainable Growth and Equity, New York. 28 July
1997 (SG/SM/6291)
*
The will of the people must be the basis of governmental authority. That is the foundation of democracy. That is
the foundation of good governance. Good governance will give every citizen a real and lasting stake in the future of
their societies - politically, economically and socially.
Address to the International Conference on Governance for Sustainable Growth and Equity, New York, 28 July
1997 (SG/SM/6291)
*
You have understood - and more importantly you have demonstrated - that good governance must be built from
the ground up. It cannot be imposed, either by national authorities or by international agencies. It cannot be created
overnight, nor can it take root in one day. Good governance is an accomplishment. It is the fruit of true dedication,
selfless leadership and a politics of integrity.
Address to the International Conference on Governance for Sustainable Growth and Equity. New York, 28 July
1997 (SG/SM/6291)
*
No country is immune from corruption, and many are especially vulnerable because of their weak laws and
institutions. Corruption also has an international dimension. The same open borders, technological advances,
transnational communications and commercial transactions that are the hallmark of today's global society can also
allow corruption to take root and flourish. International cooperation - among governments, the private sector and civil
society - is thus essential if we are to defeat this menace.
-- Message to the Eighth International Anti-Corruption Conference. Lima, 7-11 September 1997 (SG/SM/6318)
*
The future well-being of humankind rests increasingly on the courage and foresight of its leaders to realize the full
meaning of interdependence, and to translate it into practical actions.
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Address to the Second Committee of the General Assembly. New York, 1 December 1997 (SG/SM/6409)
*
Without good governance - without the rule of law, predictable administration, legitimate power and responsive
regulation - no amount of funding, no short-term economic miracle will set the developing world on the path to
prosperity. Without good governance, the foundations of society - both national and international - are built on sand.
(Original in French)
Address to the United Nations Association of Canada, Toronto, 3 December 1997 (SG/SM/6412)
*
Our duty is not only to make talented and courageous people believe that their contribution to public service
will make a difference; it is to make them understand that without them, the mission of good governance will fail.
Address to the United Nations Association of Canada, Toronto, 3 December 1997 (SG/SM/6412)
INFORMATION
*
No democratic society can exist without a free, independent and pluralistic press.
Address on World Press Freedom Day. New York, 2 May 1997 (SG/SM/6229/Rev.1)
*
Information and freedom are indivisible. The information revolution is unthinkable without democracy and true
democracy is unimaginable without freedom of information.
Address to the World Bank conference "Global Knowledge '97", Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
*
If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are the conditions for development.
Address to the World Bank conference "Global Knowledge '97". Toronto, 22 June 1997 (SG/SM/6268)
We at the United Nations are convinced that information has a great liberating power waiting to be harnessed to
our global struggle for peace, development and human rights. We believe this because we are convinced that it is
ignorance, not knowledge, that makes enemies of men. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes fighters of children.
It is ignorance, not knowledge, that leads some to advocate tyranny over democracy. It is ignorance, not knowledge,
that makes some argue that human conflict is inevitable. It is ignorance, not knowledge, that makes others say that
there are many worlds, when we know that there is one. Ours.
Address to the Communications Conference at the Aspen Institute, Colorado, 18 October 1997 (SG/SM/6366)
*
With the help of television, we can shine a light into ever more pockets of intolerance; there is nothing those dark
recesses fear more than light. Through television, the world can be brought alive, so that we may care about it enough
to help make it a better place. With the power of television, we can help ensure that our young are the first to benefit
from this knowledge, and to make it their partner in the pursuit of a better future. Help us to use your power to achieve
a better world for them, and for those who come after them.
Address to the Second United Nations World TV Forum, New York, 19 November 1997 (SG/SM/6401)
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
*
There can be no global justice unless the worst of crimes - crimes against humanity - are subject to the law. In
this age more than ever do we recognize that the crime of genocide against one people truly is an assault on us all - a
crime against humanity The international criminal court is the symbol of our highest hopes for this unity of peace
and justice. It is a vital part of an emerging system of international human rights protection. It will ensure that indicted
criminals suspected of genocide in any country can be tried and convicted.
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Chinese Poems with English Translation
751
When a son is born,
22
He is cradled in the bed,
122
He is clothed in robes,
22
Given a jade sceptre as toy.
THE
His lusty cries portend his vigor,
***
He shall wear bright, red knee-caps,
EXEE
Shall be the lord of a hereditary house.
BELT
When a daughter is born,
2
She is cradled on the floor,
<<<
She is clothed in swaddling-bands,
22
Given a loom-whorf as toy,
E
She shall wear no badges of honor,
Shall only take care of food and drink,
And not cause trouble to her parents.
Book of Songs
Cirrity maybe 9 found useful This amidet for China my speech? fils
provably not?
jue
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The Washington Post
OUTLOOK
Village by Village,
SUNDAY, JUNE 7. 1998
Circumcising a Ritual
By VIVIENNE WALT
a razor blade to perform the procedure on
about 200 girls every rainy season. She
DIABOUGOU, Senegal
learned the trade from her grandmother,
who had circumcised her at 15 and, in turn,
A
issa Tou Sarr thought she would
never see the dreaded moment.
had excised the genitals of her daughters,
Then late last year, from a far-off
granddaughters and great-grandaughters.
village, came an old Muslim priest.
Initially, Sarr feared she would not have
He had walked for days in his rubber thongs
the emotional resilence to do the job. Not
and white robe to urge the
everyone, abe said, has the
community to stop Sarr
stamina to do it. Not only is
from doing her life's work:
she proud of her skill, it has
cutting out the genitals of
provided her with a decent
young girls.
living: about $8.60, lunch
"In the beginning, people
and a bar of scap for each
were shocked, and shouted
operation. 1 couldn't stop
in anger," said Sarr. "This
thinking, How am I. going
was our tradition! Some
to take care of my family?
walked out of the meeting."
What am I going to do?
Sarr was about to get
she said.
caught up in a small revolu-
After weeks of litter at-
tion that has gusted
LAURI IM - mg WASHINGTON
gument, the villagets girth-
through rural Senegal like a
ered in February and vowed
hot dust storm. In the past
never again to circumcise
year, village after village has declared an end
their girls. Kept alive through wars, migra-
to female circumcision, a practice that has
tion and slavery, 8 centuries old tradition
existed in parts of Africa since the pharachs.
was abolished within minutes. And Sarr,
Serr, in her fifties, had been the ritual
who now depends B her brothers' charity,
circumciser for the village for decades, using
resigned herself to near-destitution.
Sarr's hardship is just one of the conse-
Vivienne Walt has written about Afria
quences of this quiet rebellion. Since last
for Newsday and U.S. News & World
Report.
See CIRCUMCISION, C2 Col. 1
It Takes Many Villages to Stop This Ritual
CIRCUMCISION, From CI
At left: Alsaa Tom
Sarr, center, sitting
July, 29 Senegalese communities have de-
with friends, lest a
clared an end to female circumcision, and
job when her
begun pressing others to join them. In the
village did away
process, their leaders have become local
with circumcision.
legends-even Hillary Rodham Clinton
Right: Malmouna
hailed them during her visit here in April.
Treare, head of a
In recent years, Americans have joined an
women's group,
international campaign to end female genital
refused to back
mutilation, as the opponents call the custom,
down the need
in which a girl's clitoris, and sometimes the
to and the practice.
inner and outer vaginal lips, are removed.
The State Department granted asylum last
year to a woman from Togo, now living in
PHOTOS or WITHINE WALT
Alexandria, who had fied her home rather
than undergo circumcision.
About 130 million African women in
published workbooks in local languages.
Tostan's experience shows the movement
about 28 countries are circumcised, and
Rather than confront issues like circum-
gains momentum as news of the villagers'
thousands die each year as a result, in
cision directly, Tostan took several months
decision spreads across the country.
childbirth, or from infections and hemor-
before broaching the subject of women's
Yet, even within villages that have vowed
rhaging, according to the World Health
health. Even then, Melching said: "We
to stop circumcision, it has been a struggle.
Organization. Yet until now, Western exhor-
never spoke about sexuality. We only spoke
In Malicounda, a village of 3,000 located 55
tations have had little effect in Africa. In fact,
about health, and rights." Villagers say
miles southeast of the capital, Dakar, wom-
they have often been met with defensive
months of discussing infections, childbirth
en argued bitterly with men, who feared
hostility by millions who believe the tradi-
and sexual pain inevitably led them to
that their public renunciation of circumci-
tion is required not only by Islam, but for
question circumcision.
sion would deeply embarrass them.
hygiene and sexual prudence, too.
Melching said she's learned from some
"We would not back down," said Mai-
Traveling around Senegal, one still hears
critical mistakes made by international
mouna Troare, 60, an imposingly tall wom-
the traditionalists recite old convictions
organizations and Western feminists.
an who heads Malicounda's women's orga-
identical to those heard across Africa: that
She believes that making a political issue
nization. "We told them we would continue
the clitoris smells bad, that it's unclean and
of female circumcision, or declaring it a
talking against female circumcision." She
grows too large for women to walk comfort-
barbaric act, does not convince many Afri-
advised the village men that "when the
ably, and that uncircumcised girls are likely
cans. "These women really love their chil-
drumbeat changes, the dance has to
to get pregnant before marriage.
dren," said Melching, adding that many
change, too."
But now, in this small West African
Africans counter Western indignation by
In most operations, crude instruments
country, with barely 8 million people, one
likening the pain of circumcision to West-
are used without anesthetic. If the vaginal
education program is having some success,
em women suffering face-lifts and anorexia.
walls are removed, the opening is often
highlighting how other Western campaigns
Although Melching stresses human-rights
sealed, save for a small hole for urine and
might have gone awry. In remote areas with
violations, the health risks are what really
blood. On wedding nights, circumclaers are
neither electricity nor paved roads, the
hit home. "That's something everyone
then summoned to reopen virgin brides for
villagers here have achieved what years of
gets," she said. "Without health, they can't
their husbands. And yet, until recently, a
pleading from international agencies, health
officials-and, more recently, a few African
do anything."
mix of secrecy, discretion and shame kept
Too often, Melching said, Western orga-
women from linking health problems to
governments-bave failed to accomplish.
nizations hope to persuade individuals to
circumcision.
nding female circumcision wasn't on
abandon female circumcision without un-
Until now, the peer pressure supporting
E
the agenda 10 years ago, when Molly
derstanding that such independence could
circumcision has usually been too intense
Melching, an American, founded an
leave an African woman with no marriage
for individuals to resist. In Diawara's vil-
organization called Tostan ("Break-
prospects and expose her family to scorn or
lage, Ker Simbara, about 60 miles from
through"). Melching, who came to Senegal
ostracism. Demba Diawara, the imam, or
Dakar, a woman named Dousu Konate says
in 1975 as an exchange student from the
priest, who arrived in Diabougou to plead
her adopted daughter begged her for
University of Illinois and never left, de-
the case against circumcision, said: "Even if
months to let her undergo the operation.
signed an intensive literacy and skills train-
you learn something is bad, if it's your
"The girls mocked her. The boys said,
ing program for women, built around group
tradition, you can't just get up and stop it."
You'll never find a husband.' The girl was
discussions. Funded largely by UNICEF,
But by getting entire villages to sign on
married last year at 15, shortly after being
ahe hired villagers to teach the classes and
to the plan, no one carries a stigma. Indeed,
circumcised and just before the village
"We would not
back down. We told
them we would
continue talking
against female
circumcision.'
Malmouna Treare,
head of women's organization in Senegal
scrapped the practice.
said you shouldn't do this anymore, that
The people of Ker Simbara needed agree-
those women said they didn't believe in
ment from their clansmen scattered far
circumcision," said Mame Fatou Diatta, 33,
across the area, both to allay their possible
her eyes blazing. "I saw Mrs. Clinton come
fury and to ensure that girls could still find
and denigrate our culturel" she shouted,
husbands.
referring to the first lady's embrace of the
So Diawara walked for three months in
Malicounda women at a televised celebra-
the blistering heat, from village to village.
tion in Dakar.
The fact that be was an older man, and
And near Ker Simbara, a group of elderly
religious, helped sway the other imams,
men sat under a big tree, arguing with
whose consent was crucial-90 percent of
Diawara. "Circumcision is normal, accord-
Senegalese are Muslim. "We went back and
ing to Mohammed," said the local imam,
forth, until everyone agreed," said Diawara,
cross-legged on a mat, with a heavy Koran
who recently learned to read and write in
open on his lap. "We could not stop it"
Tostan's classea.
So, too, thought Sarr, who lost her job as
This grase-roots movement has provided
a circumciser. Yet months of discussion
protection for politicians. One month after
won her over. Now, the same peer pressure
Malicounda's decision was reported in Sen-
that makes scrapping female circumcision
egal, President Abdou Diouf made his
impossible elsewhere makes it equally un-
first-ever declaration against circumcision
tenable to continue it here. As Sarr said:
(after 32 years in power) and is now
"When I learned that this might cause
pushing to make it a crime, punishable by
sterility, infections, I didn't want to be the
cause of all that."
five dure six government years years a prosecutable in in jail of jail. Ivory and a (On Coast crime befty Wednesday, made fine.) carrying the proce- up the to
If the idea is to take hold throughout
Senegal, let alone the rest of Africa, it will
need hundreds more villages to join the
But it won't be easy. The tradition has
fight. But word has already carried clear
defenders everywhere. When Melching
across this country. Last Tuesday, hun-
broached the subject with a group of
dreds of miles south of here, 15 more
women near Malicounda, she immediately
villages gathered in celebration, to declare
got an earful of complaints.
they would never again practice female
"It was only when white people came and
circumcision.
Statement of
The Honorable John Shattuck
Assistant Secretary of State
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
"Organ Harvesting in China"
Before the
House International Relations Committee
and
House Government Reform and Oversight Committee
June 16, 1998
Chairman Burton, Chairman Gilman, and members of the
Committees, thank you for the opportunity to appear today
to address the issue of trafficking in human organs in
China. I welcome the opportunity to appear at this
important hearing to discuss the efforts the Clinton
Administration has undertaken thus far to address this very
serious issue. We also look forward to working with all of
you as we continue our efforts.
Organ harvesting is a serious, disturbing subject that
raises a number of profoundly important human rights
issues. Indeed, as former Secretary of State Christopher
recognized in 1995, the practice of organ harvesting would
be the grossest of human rights violations imaginable.
As you know, reports of this practice in China are not
new. The Hong Kong and London press carried reports as
early as the 1980s. Nor is the concern of the United
States Government. We have been raising our concerns with
high-level Chinese officials for years, pressing for
information about Chinese policy, and pressing for
improvements in China's legal system to better guard
individual rights and due process. We have also regularly
like Congress, are committed to obtaining the information
that would confirm or refute reports that organ harvesting
is practiced in China and to press the Chinese authorities
to take strong action to address this human rights abuse
wherever it occurs.
I would like to use my remaining time to detail for
you the steps that we have taken in recent years to try to
determine exactly what the facts are, what Chinese policy
is, and how effectively Chinese authorities have
implemented existing regulations governing the practice; to
press the Chinese authorities to end all such human rights
abuses; and to investigate and prosecute to the fullest
extent of our own law any criminal acts over which the
United States has jurisdiction.
1995
In January, during the last round of the human
rights dialogue in Beijing, I had extensive
discussions with Ministry of Health officials. I
inquired into the existence of any safeguards in
China that would prevent the removal of organs
without the donor's or the donor's family's consent
as well as prevent prison managers and other non-
and carried out 4,367 executions. A high court nominally
reviews all death sentences, but the time between arrest
and execution is often days, and reviews have consistently
resulted in confirmation of sentence.
The issue of what constitutes meaningful consent also
raises serious concerns. According to Article 3 of China's
Provisional Regulations on the Use of Executed Prisoners'
Corpses or Organs (1984), a corpse may be used for other
purposes if it falls into one of three categories: nobody
claims the body or the family refuses to bury it; the
prisoner voluntarily donates the body for use by medical
facilities; or the inmate's family consents to its use
after death. Many have expressed the view that condemned
prisoners and their families cannot make free and fully-
voluntary decisions on organ donations because of the very
nature of incarceration. Our own laws presume that this is
so and prohibit prisoners from donating organs except in
cases where the recipient is a member of the donor's
family. Other countries have similarly strict laws
regarding organ donations by prisoners to ensure that such
acts are completely voluntary.
Clearly, these issues and the credible reports about
this practice raise serious human rights concerns.
We,
had participated in the execution of Chinese prisoners, on
charges of conspiring to sell organs, including the
kidneys, corneas, livers, skin, pancreases, and lungs for
transplant.
There are also reports, which the Department of State
cannot independently confirm, of other, even more egregious
practices, such as removing organs from still-living
prisoners and scheduling executions to accommodate the need
for particular organs. In addition, allegations have been
made that doctors, in violation of medical ethics codes,
have performed medical procedures to prepare condemned
prisoners for execution and organ removal.
Our concern about the abhorent practice of removing
organs from executed prisoners without consent is
compounded by our concern about the lack of due process in
death penalty cases and the inconsistent and arbitrary
application of the death penalty. A 1995 law raised the
number of capital offenses from 26 to 65, and included
financial crimes. In May 1996, the Chinese Supreme
People's Court ruled that crimes resulting in death should
be punished by death regardless of extenuating
circumstances. According to a 1997 Amnesty International
report China sentenced more that 6,100 convicts to death
and the secrecy that surrounds prison executions and the
removal of organs. Nonetheless, the Department of State
finds credible much of the substantial anecdotal and
circumstantial evidence that organs are removed from
executed prisoners and sold to foreigners and wealthy
Chinese. Credible sources include public statements by
patients who have had transplants in China and testimony by
doctors and former Chinese officials who claim to have
witnessed or taken part in such practices or to have seen
incriminating evidence. The 1997 Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices stated, "credible reports have alleged
that organs from some executed prisoners were removed, sold
and transplanted." Allegations include claims that organs
of executed prisoners are used without their consent.
China's stated policy is that human organs may not be sold
and are transplanted with the consent of donors or their
families.
The credibility of reports or trafficking in organs,
and U.S. actions to address them, were dramatically
illustrated on February 23, 1998, when the United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced
the arrest and indictment of two Chinese nationals,
including a former Chinese official in Hainan Province, who
spotlighted the issue of organ harvesting in our annual
human rights report on China. The problem of organ
harvesting is squarely on our human rights agenda with
China.
Starting in 1994, I have been the first Assistant
Secretary of State to raise the issue repeatedly and at
high levels in the Chinese Ministry of Justice and Ministry
of Health. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and
the Pacific Stanley Roth and his predecessor Winston Lord
also both actively have pursued this issue with the
Chinese, as has our Embassy in Beijing. Secretary
Christopher raised the issue with the Chinese government in
1996. Secretary Albright discussed organ harvesting with
her counterpart during President Jiang's October 1977 state
visit to Washington and during her May 1998 trip to China.
The issue will be raised in the context of our human rights
discussions during the upcoming summit in Beijing.
Despite our best efforts, as well as those of human
rights activists like Harry Wu, human rights organizations,
and concerned medical professionals, there is much that we
do not know and cannot judge conclusively because of the
lack of transparency in the Chinese criminal justice system
family members from benefiting from the sale of
organs. Chinese officials responded that organs for
transplants are not "a commodity to be traded" in
China. The Chinese acknowledged no law governed
organ donation, but maintained that "in accordance
with Chinese tradition and ethics, no organ can be
used without the individual's or family's consent."
In June the director general of the Chinese Ministry
of Health provided an explanation of "stringent
standards" for organ transplants and refuted
allegations made in a BBC documentary in response to
Embassy inquiries.
October 1997
We requested clarification in Washington and Beijing
of Chinese policy on organ transplants. Chinese
unequivocally denied allegations of organ harvesting
and called a "Primetime Live" broadcast a
"fabrication".
Secretary Albright raised the question of the
allegations with then Foreign Minister Qian Qichen.
The Department of Justice referred allegations
raised in "Primetime Live" broadcast to the FBI
Health Care Fraud Unit for investigation.
November 1997
Deputy Secretary Strobe Talbott and A/S Roth raised
allegations with Vice Foreign Minister Liu Huaqiu.
Chinese government provided copies of two 1996
regulations prohibiting the sale and export of human
organs and tissues.
January 1998
Embassy Beijing requested information about whether
any investigations have been conducted regarding
allegations of organ harvesting in China.
February 1998
The Chinese government informed Embassy Beijing that
there have been no investigations and/or arrests for
illegal trafficking in human organs by the People's
Liberation Army or anyone else in China.
The U.S. Attorney in New York arrested two Chinese
nationals, Wang Chengyong and Fu Xingqi, for
conspiracy to sell human organs. Wang claimed that
he had, in his former role as prosecutor in Hainan
Province of China, participated in the execution of
Chinese prisoners.
A/S Roth met with Harry Wu to discuss allegations
about organ harvesting.
March 1998
The Chinese government informed Embassy Beijing that
information in a Xinhua press report about Wang
Chengyong was correct and that Wang formerly worked
at the Office of the Hainan Procuratorate.
Authorities stated that Wang had resigned and
maintained that the Hainan Procuratorate was not
involved in the activities of which Wang stands
accused.
Deputy Assistant Shirk raised the issue in Beijing,
requesting information relating to the arrest of the
former Hainan prosecutor in New York and the
implementation of Chinese regulations.
April 1998
The Embassy conveyed a copy of Senator Jesse Helm's
March 26 letter to the Chinese Government and
requested a response to the questions enumerated in
the letter.
Secretary Albright and Deputy Assistant Secretary
Shirk raised allegations with the Chinese government
and pressed for information on implementation of
Chinese regulations.
June 1998
The Department of State forwarded a formal request
for China's legal cooperation in the case of the
U.S. V. Wang Chengyong et al.
Embassy Beijing again requested information from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on implementation of
Chinese regulations on organ transplants.
Embassy Beijing followed up with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs on the request for answers to
Chairman Helm's letter.
We have actively pursued this issue over an extended
period of time. The Chinese have responded by providing
us with considerable information on their official policy,
including two internal documents on regulations governing
organ donation. As a result, we have a clear picture of
official Chinese policy governing the removal of organs
from executed prisoners. However, the Chinese have not
responded to our inquiries about the extent and scope of
the practice and about Chinese authorities' efforts to
implement regulations are unsatisfactory.
As Assistant Secretary Roth has said on several
occasions, we consider this a very serious issue, and we do
not consider the matter closed. We continue to pursue
answers to unresolved questions, including those we
submitted to the Chinese on behalf of Senator Helms. We
continue to voice our strong opposition to the repugnant
practice of coercive organ harvesting and to press the
Chinese to enforce all laws governing organ transplants and
prosecute those who violate these laws. We will
investigate and prosecute all violaters over whom the
United States has jurisdiction to the fullest extent of the
law. We also will continue to press for and encourage-
continued reform of China's legal system. In the end, such
reforms hold the greatest promise for ensuring and
protecting the individual rights and due process of all
Chinese citizens.
Drafted: DRL/BA: SO'Sullivan x71677
F/Bapublic/O'Sullivan/organ harvesting testimony
Cleared: DRL: JShattuck
EAP: SShirk
EAP/CM: RPatterson
L: SCummins
SP: BWoo
P: DShear
H: SJacobs/DKillion
PA:
G: BNeuling
06/19/98 FRI 14:16 FAX 2026475337
PIACW
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Senior Coordinator for
International Women's Issues
for
Vital Voices: Women in Democracy
(Inisty
The Vital Voices conferences are events in a process
which support Secretary Albright's mandate to actively integrate issues
affecting the lives of women into American foreign policy.
"We know that we cannot build the kind of future we want without the contributions of women.
And we know that around the world, women will only be able to contribute to our full potential if
we have equal access, equal rights, equal protection and a fair chance at the levers of economic
and political power. Advancing the status of women is the right thing to do; and, frankly.
it is the smart thing 10 do."
- Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Vital Voices: Women in Democracy Conference July 9, 1998
"We are here 10 advance the cause of women, to advance the cause of democracy,
and make it absolutely clear that the two are inseparable.
There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard.
There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity
to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens
are able to participate fully in the lives of their country."
- First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Vital Voices: Women in Democracy Conference July 11/1998
Overview
The first Vital Voices: Women in Democracy Conference convened women leaders from
governmental and private sectors of central and eastern Europe, the United States, and the
European Union from July 9 - 11, 1997 in Vienna, Austria. Three hundred participants explored
ways to strengthen the role of women as democracy-builders through three tracks of workshops:
Law and Leadership
Politics and Public Life
Economics and Business
The First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton affirmed the U.S. government's support for
women's role as democracy builders when she announced a USG commitment of three million
dollars for projects that directly support the objectives of the Vital Voices Conference.
The Conference, which built global networks and forged partnerships among women,
serves as a model for future Vital Voices conferences in other regions. As a result of these new
collaborative efforts, U.S. government and private sector support for programs and policies that
support the advancement of women and girls has significantly increased. U.S. follow-up to the
conference is more than just providing assistance to women in the region, it is the process of
integrating these issues into our broader forcign policy agenda.
06/19/98 FRI 14:17 FAX 2026475337
PIACW
003
Vital Voices of the Americas: Women in Democracy
The U.S. government and the Inter-American Development Bank (LADB) will co-sponsor a
hemisphere wide, Vital Voices of the Americas: Women in Democracy conference - to be held in
Montevideo, Uruguay on October 1- 3, 1998 which will bring together women from Latin
America and the Caribbean with women from the United States and Canada. Enrique Iglesias,
President of the Inter-American Development Bank has agreed to speak at the conference. First
Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is exploring the possibility of attending. In addition to the three day
conference, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Information Agency will
co-sponsor pre-conference, hands-on media and political training day.
To ensure effective conference follow through, public and private sector sponsors will
commit to funding or donating in-kind services for democracy building programs for women in
Latin America over the next three years.
Vital Voices of Northern Ireland: Women in Democracy
On May 7, 1998, as part of the U.S. government's new initiatives in support of peace in
Northern Ireland, President Clinton announced that the U.S. government in cooperation with
regional partners will sponsor a Vital Voices conference in Northern Ireland in the Fall of 1998.
"I am pleased to announce a Vital Voices Conference to be held in Belfast in early Fall,
with co-sponsorship from the United States and regional partners. This conference will showcase
and support women's role in the economic and political life of their society. The women of
Northern Ireland wives, mothers and daughters - have borne an enormous share of the
trauma of The Troubles. Now, their participation will be essential to build a future of peace and
reconciliation. I've asked the First Lady to travel to Belfast to take part in this important
conference."
- President Bill Clinton
May 7, 1998
This conference will bring together women from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales,
England, and Ireland, as well as other EU countries and the United States. The conference will
address issues of concern to women in the areas of politics, business, law, and leadership. These
issues will be examined in context of the April 10 political agreement approved in referenda held in
Northern Ireland and Ireland on May 22 and in light of the experience of other relevant post-
conflict societies. Vital Voices will seek to build on existing ties, establish new relationships,
develop mechanisms to sustain and intensify ongoing and new partnerships, and identify and secure
resources to accomplish these goals.
For more information contact:
Theresa Loar
Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St., NW Suite 2906
Washington, DC 20007
Tel: (202) 647-5440 Fax: (202) 647-5337
Represt
tus
VITAL VOICES: Remarks after roundtable discussion in Beijing
I want to thank all of you who have come here today, especially the women who have just
shared with us their stories and worries and plans for the future. You may be only eight women
-- but yours are the vital voices of those who are working tirelessly here and in countries around
the world to improve the status of women and girls. And your voices will echo -- from village to
village, from city to city, and from house to house -- and they will be heard.
As many of you know, I first came to Beijing three years ago, when I had the privilege of
participating, as did many of you, in the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. It
was an extraordinary gathering of women from 180 nations who had come together to discuss
our common concerns, and our common future. And I listened to women like yourselves --
giving voice to the voiceless, and strength to the powerless; and hope to those who have been
marginalized and brutalized in their homes and communities.
And as I think back on that conference, and the Platform of Action that both our
countries joined on to; and as I think about the fact that this year we are celebrating the 50th
anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights -- that both of our countries helped craft and
then signed so many years ago, I think about what is in the minds and the hearts of all of us in
this room. And I'm convinced that while we speak different languages; and live in different
corners of the world, that you and I and women of every country share a common mission to lift
up our families and communities; and we believe in a universal cause: the cause of human rights
-- particularly women's rights.
We know that human progress depends on the often neglected and too often silenced half
of the global population that is women. And we know that such progress depends on women
and girls having life's basic tools of opportunity: health care; education, access to credit; the
freedom to live free of violence; and the freedom to participate fully in the political, social and
economic life of their countries.
When I listened to the women who were speaking with us today, I heard the echoes of the
voices from Beijing, and I felt the energy that is unleashed whenever women find their voices,
and are empowered to use them. And as a result, China and so many other countries have
experienced the flowering of non governmental and other organizations -- that many of you
represent here today -- that are working to secure and support the expanded rights of women.
But what's also clear from our roundtable discussion is that we still have a long way to
go. And in many places, we have just begun. When I was last on this continent three years ago,
I was given a poem by a student who attended the Lady Sri Ram college in New Delhi. And she
began her poem with the words: "Too many women in too many countries speak the same
language -- of silence."
And as a result of that silence, women still make up the vast majority of those who are
illiterate in this world; who are the victims of domestic abuse; who are paid less and fired first;
who are underfed and undernourished; who are victims of rape; who are trafficked and sold; and
who are denied the basic rights of health care, and education, and economic independence.
But the voices of the women here today -- and so many others across China -- have
broken that silence -- by speaking out against conditions that keep women four times more likely
than men to be illiterate; by speaking out against economic and cultural practices that make
women far more likely to commit suicide than men; by speaking out against girls being pulled
out of school early in bad economic times; by speaking out against the continued violence against
women in their homes; by speaking out against coercive abortions and sterilizations. You have
broken that silence by speaking up for valuing the contributions of girls in your society; for
giving women greater equality at the workplace and in the home; for giving women more control
over their bodies and their lives; and for giving women the skills and the opportunities and the
self confidence to move forward.
Today, we meet here in Beijing at a critical time in the history of this nation, and all
others, as the accelerating pace of change around the world hurls us into a new century. The
global economy makes us even more interdependent as individuals and nations -- yet places
greater strains on many of our relationships. And while science and technology are opening up
worlds even our parents could never imagine -- they continue to provide humankind with the
power to destroy itself. And here in China, you are in the midst of a staggering economic and
social transformation. These are times of fear and anxiety. But also a time of extraordinary
opportunities for women and men to fulfill their true potential.
We've heard today about some of the very real challenges facing women in this time of
great change. And we've heard about how you are engaged in finding solutions and meeting
those new challenges head on. And I'm looking forward to the opportunity to see more of your
efforts first hand -- whether it's a woman's legal center; or a job retraining center for women; or
a girls school. And hearing more about how women are being educated about their legal rights
and the rule of law through education campaigns, and about the growing democratization
efforts in the rural areas.
Yet we know that real progress can't be made -- in China or in my country or in any
nation -- until girls are truly valued -- by their families, by society, and by themselves. I've read
about one Chinese girl who said: "I have a father, but I lost his love the day I was born."
Changing minds and deep seeded traditions is one of the most difficult tasks. But every daughter
should be given the same love, support and opportunities afforded to her brother and father.
And no mother should ever be ashamed or blamed for bearing a girl.
We come here today as women who share the same love for our children; who feel the
same joy at seeing them grow and flourish and reach their full potential; and who share the same
deep commitment to building them a better future. But we all know that we can't create the kind
of future we all want to live in -- until we create a world that respects the dignity of every citizen;
and provides the basic tools of opportunity for every individual; that values the contributions of
very girl and boy; that upholds basic freedoms of speech; religion; and political activity; and that
vigorously protests the denial of any of these basic human rights.
Almost eighty years ago, the man who would become the dean of the National University
of Peking -- T'ao Meng-ho -- said that when women were educated, "and the fence is broken,
women will mount society's platform." The voices of the young intellectuals of that May 4th
movement were loud and clear: women must gain equality in the social, economic and political
life of their communities -- if China was to survive and prosper in the 20th century.
We are now at the dawn of a new century. And while real progress is being made -- many
of those fences are still standing, denying women their rightful place as equal partners in the
rebuilding of their communities and in the progress of their nation. So we must continue to work
together, and learn form each other, as women and as nations, to ensure these promises -- still
denied -- are finally fulfilled. And perhaps most importantly, we must continue to be the vital
voices for progress and freedom -- in our own countries, and around the world.
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
U.S. COLLABORATION ON HEALTH
BEIJING MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
JUNE 27, 1998
Thank you, Dr. Zhang, for that kind introduction. I am delighted to join you
and Dr. Berry of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr.
Wang, and all of you today, to witness the signing of a new agreement to
expand U.S. -China cooperation in the areas of medical and scientific research.
I'm also very pleased to have this opportunity to be here at Beijing Medical
University, one of China's great medical institutions. For it is here where you
heal the citizens of this nation, and confront the diseases that plague humanity.
And it is here that today we reaffirm our joint commitment to tackle the neural
birth defects that rob too many children of their health, and their lives.
I was very moved, as I know we all were, to hear the story of [
] And to see her beautiful healthy baby girl. Her story is one that
should be told across China, and around the world. Because until every women
understands the benefits of taking folic acid during the early months of
pregnancy, we will continue to see tragedy and loss of life, instead of hear the
sounds of a healthy, happy baby.
I
As we have heard today, Spina Bifida and other neural tube defects affect
hundreds of thousands of pregnancies - more than 50,000 of them in China
alone. And in many regions of China, these defects are the leading causes of
deaths in infants in the first weeks of life. And as we all know, at least half of
these defects can be prevented if women get enough folic acid before they
become pregnant.
This is message that women need to hear - in your country, in my country, and
in every community around the globe.
Here in China, through this historic collaboration between CDC and this
University, we've learned to put that knowledge into practice. And not only
have you shown that prevention works. You've also discovered that there may
be another health benefit of folic acid - a marked decreased in congenital heart
defects in newborns.
- 2 -
Today, the CDC and the Beijing Medical University come together again to
announce a new and expanded framework for collaboration - that will build on
the progress we've already made.
The signing of this Declaration of Intent calls for collaboration on prevention of
birth defects, disabilities, and health effects resulting from environmental
factors, such as exposure to lead, radiation, and water pollution.
We look forward to the same far-reaching successes from the collaboration
we begin today, as we usher in a new era of cooperation between the U.S.
and China to promote the health of women and children in both of our
countries..
1 Vi)
This unique partnership goes beyond making positive changes to public
health practices in the U.S, China, and around the world. It has also
strengthened goodwill and scientific collaboration between our two
countries. And it has confirmed, once again, that when we lift up women's
health, we lift up the health of families, communities and nations.
I want to commend all of you at the Beijing Medical University and CDC for
all your hard work, and look forward to your future collaboration. By
working together, we are bringing closer the time when our grandchildren
will look to the history books, not to the medical books, to learn about
diseases like spina bifida.
Thank you.
- 4
2 chirty
Feminist Voices
327
where. The examples are too numerous to mention. In 1948, at a confer-
ence on women's work held at Pingshan county in the Xibabo Liberated
District, I had the opportunity to hear with my own ears Comrade Zhou
$ the authors of "To Discriminate Against
Enlai say something like this: How can one discriminate against women?
our Own Mother" and "Four Questions"
Our mothers are women. From now on, if someone looks down on
g the multiple forms of discrimination they
women you can say to him: To discriminate against women is to discrimi-
c in their critiques. For example, the woman
nate against your own mother!
Too Powerful" objects to the increasingly
Those who want to achieve women's liberation-and that includes
sive women were the most desirable wives,
everyone who wants human liberation-should remember Comrade
umitted to their careers were to be avoided.
Zhou Enlai's teaching.
oon" eloquently argues that women should
e them feel successful, but should strive for
SOURCE: Liu Heng, "Qishi funü jiushi qishi ni ziji de muqin" (To discriminate against
alysis of 'Long-Haired, Short-Sighted," a
women is to discriminate against your own mother), Renmin ribao, January 19, 1984, 4.
le the narrowness of their lives, so that they
mes a woman's major obstacle to equality
Four Questions
ncing a husband to respect her career was a
he author of "Discussing Women's Libera-
Times have changed,
Men and women are equal.
Then why, in a certain production brigade,
nen Is to Discriminate Against
Are men and women not treated equally?
They get different pay for the same work.
So men and women are different.
both born of their mother's flesh to be
Times have changed,
girls being killed and abandoned? One
Men and women are equal.
bad habit of looking down on women,
Then why in a certain factory
ot yet been eliminated.
itting students, some places have re-
That is recruiting workers are they not treated equally?
If a man is hired the terms are flexible,
:her exam score than men. In the better
If a woman is hired the terms are strict.
to nurseries and permission to have a
[ allocation of housing, fuel, etc., are
Times have changed,
instance at the Lanzhou Petroleum Ma-
Men and women are equal.
oyees who live in factory housing pay
Then why in a certain family
e given a rent subsidy of 1.5 yuan each
Do they respect boys and look down on girls?
it pay full rent, and those who live out-
If a baby boy is born the mother is happy,
he Electricity Bureau of a certain city,
If a baby girl is born she does not like it.
unit while female employees pay the
Times have changed,
e Zhangyu County Knitting Factory,
ercent of the workforce. Once, when
Men and women are equal.
adership used the excuse that they had
Then why is it that when a certain school
fficulty male workers had finding mates
Admits students they are not treated equally?
ne grade (except for one man,
whose
To admit women they look at the score,
nly a few "particularly outstandin
To admit men the score can go down.
Times have changed,
nation against women happens
Men and women are equal.
328 Feminist Voices
It is natural to have both men and women.
The old feudal thinking
Must be eliminated to the core!
SOURCE: Wang Fuhua, "Si wen" (Four questions), Renmin ribao manhua zengkan, March
5, 1983.
A Reply to "Women Are Too Powerful"
I have heard it said that at present Chinese men admire weak women
who are "meek, submissive, sweet, and neat," and that they are wary of
strong women who have personality, vibrancy, and talent. They are afraid
to marry strong women, fearing damage to their self-respect and prestige.
Therefore some "old maids"
must hide their loneliness and search
for happiness in their profession. Therefore those heroic husbands who
cannot stand the virtue of "being on an equal footing" first quarrel with,
and then leave, their wives. Therefore, "real men" (nanzihan) cry out,
"Women must not be too powerful!" "Return to the stove!" "Men plant,
women weave, this is an unalterable principle!" "You must stand behind
your husband's success!"
Women's liberation is so difficult; being a woman is difficult, and being
a strong woman is even more difficult! How many women, in order to
T
launch a career, have had to worry about all kinds of things, face all kinds
a:
of competition, struggle day and night, and still bear the pressure that
ju
comes from society, home, and even relatives? Imagine if women returned
"I
to the stoves and depended on their husbands-all day following their
et
husbands, waiting on them. Men would still sigh, "Ah, those women,
of
those women."
vir
Of course, I do not agree with the notion of a kind of "manlike
do
woman" or "womanlike man." Strong women are not crude shrews. The
ra
feelings of Eastern women are very introverted and deep. The traditional
pla
virtue of gentleness must still be cultivated. It is not necessary to pit
va
women against men in an antagonistic relationship. In society, women
and men should receive the same pay for the same work; in the family, the
WO
couple should respect and love each other. The duty of being a wife and
wo
mother is also important.
blo
Ho
SOURCE: Chen Bin (female), "Wei 'nüren taiwei' dabian" (A reply to "Women are too
powerful"), Fujian qingnian, 5 (May 1985), 18.
bri
so
Woman Is Not the Moon
198
The play "The Return of an Old Acquaintance on a Rainy Night"
(Fengxue guren lai) contains the following words: "Woman is not the
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
REMARKS AT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
THE WHITE HOUSE
MARCH 11, 1998
Thank you and welcome to the White House. The President and I are very
pleased to be joined today by so many people who have worked tirelessly to lift up
the lives of women and girls. [See Acknowledgment Card]
In honor of International Women's Day, we have come together this
afternoon to celebrate what we've done and what we must still do to ensure that all
over this earth women's rights are protected, women's voices are heard, and
women's full participation is guaranteed.
Next week, the United Nations Human Rights Commission will gather in
Geneva to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and honor those who are fulfilling its promise. Woven into that
Document are timeless beliefs that must always set the standard for how we treat
each other in every home, every community, every pocket of the world.
The Declaration puts it simply: "All human beings are born free and equal in
dignity and rights." Listen very carefully to these words: all human beings. Not
just men. Not just those with particular skin colors or religions. On International
Women's Day and always, we must expand the circle of human dignity to
encompass all human beings -- men and women, boys and girls.
At the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, I remember
looking out at delegates from 189 different countries, all united by a common
vision: that a country's progress, a country's economy, a country's civic life all
depend upon the inclusion of women. That women's rights are human rights and
human rights are women's rights -- once and for all.
Even in the short time since Beijing, governments, non-governmental
organizations, and individuals have made tremendous progress throughout the
world. All around the globe, I have seen women coming together. They want to
become full participants in their societies. They want to build democracy and turn
their lives and communities around. And they are doing it.
In Costa Rica, I met women working to end domestic violence and others
opening an astonishing array of businesses through the magic of microcredit. In
Africa, I saw women beating the odds to bring health care to rural Senegal, to
construct homes in Capetown, and to speak out on women's rights in Zimbabwe,
Tanzania, and Uganda. And in Thailand, I met Dr. Saisuree [Sigh-Soo-Ree] and
learned firsthand about what they're doing to stop girls from being sold and to care
for those -- some as young as 12 -- who are dying of AIDS.
Everywhere I go, I am reminded of how much our nation's assistance -- and
our leadership -- contributes to this progress. I've seen women's health care clinics
opened in Central Asia, women's lives being rebuilt in Rwanda and Bosnia, a joint
campaign to warn women and girls in Ukraine about those who might exploit them
through trafficking -- all, in large part, because our government, universities,
businesses, NGOs, and citizens decided to help.
So on International Women's Day we must not only celebrate, but also
challenge ourselves. For there is more that must be done. If the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights is going to keep its promise to all women, then all
women must live free from the ugly shadow of violence and fear. And today we
take another step forward to ensure that they will.
When I was in New Delhi, a college student named Anasuya Sengupta
[ Anna-Suya Sun-Goop-Ta] gave me a poem she had written. In it, she writes:
"Too many women in too many countries speak the same language, of
silence There must be freedom -- if we are to speak. And, yes, there must be
power -- if we are to be heard."
We must give voice to women in Afghanistan. Where women are brutalized
and silenced by the Taliban. Where girls are barred from school. Where thousands
of women cannot go to work, leave home alone, or get the health care they need.
And where those who don't follow every rule of attire or conduct are punished with
beatings, with whippings, even with death.
We must give voice to more than a million women trafficked every year. In
the former Soviet Union and all over the world, women and girls are desperate for
economic opportunity. They think they're applying for jobs as babysitters,
waitresses, and sales clerks in the U.S. and elsewhere. Many think they're simply
following their dreams. Instead, they find themselves in a nightmare -- sold as part
of an international trade in human beings and forced into modern-day slavery.
Imprisoned by employers, they are often not seen. Scared to come forward, they
are often not heard. Lured by organized crime operations, they represent an
international problem that -- like drug trafficking -- requires an international
solution.
We must give voice to women plagued by violence in all its forms. It doesn't
matter if it's by law or custom, ignorance or inaction. It doesn't matter if it's in war
or peace, in our homes or streets no woman should ever be degraded by violence.
Violence against women must never again be pushed aside as trivial or explained
away as cultural. Let us call it what it is -- a violation of human rights.
And as we work to give voice to all women, let us judge ourselves not only
by what we choose to say. Not only by what we choose to see. But by what we
choose to do -- in our nation and around the world.
No one has done more for women and girls than our next speaker. Through
her words, deeds, and leadership, Secretary Albright has ensured that the issues
affecting women are exactly what they should be -- an international priority. It is
my great honor to introduce Secretary Albright.
INTRODUCTION -- SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN
On this special day, it is a great honor and privilege to be joined by an
international champion of women's rights - UN Secretary General Koffi Annan
[ANN-IN] Because of his leadership, more women than ever as serving the UN at
the highest levels. And because of his leadership, so many steps forward for the
health and dignity of women and children around the world have had one thing in
common: the signature of the UN. It is my great honor to introduce the Secretary
General of the UN and a voice for women and girls everywhere: Koffi Annan.
INTRODUCTION -- DR. SAISUREE CHUTIKUL
I first met our next speaker in Thailand. I remember how passionately Dr.
Saisuree Chutikul [Sigh-Soo-Ree Jew-Dee-Cool] spoke about improving the plight
of women and children in her country. And that's exactly what she's done. As a
Cabinet Minister, the chair of an NGO, and currently a Senator, she has worked to
ensure that women in Thailand get maternity leave. That they participate in every
level of politics. And that more children have access to an education. As a former
educator, she knows how important it is to take these success stories and pass them
on all over the world. She's been in New York attending meetings of the UN
Commission on the Status of Women -- and it is our good fortune to have her here
with us today. It is my great honor to introduce Dr.. Saisuree. [Sigh-Soo-Ree]
3/12/97 Remarks with Mrs. Clinton at International Women's Day
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Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Remarks at special program in honor of International Women's Day
Dean Acheson Auditorium, Department of State
Washington, D.C., March 12, 1997
As released by the Office of the Spokesman
U.S. Department of State
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Tim, for that
exceptionally warm and friendly introduction. Mrs. Clinton, Dame Eugenia Charles,
Geraldine Ferraro, Members of Congress, Excellencies, and Friends:
I am delighted to welcome the First Lady and all of you to the State Department's
observance of International Women's Day.
I also want to thank that really great feminist, Tim Wirth, and Theresa Loar for the
tremendous job they are doing. When the globe is your constituency, you tend to be pretty
busy and no one burns energy more efficiently than our team at Global Affairs.
Let me begin this morning with one very simple statement. Advancing the status of women
is not only a moral imperative; it is being actively integrated into the foreign policy of the
United States. (Applause) It is our mission. It is the right thing to do, and, frankly, it is the
smart thing to do.
The reason is that as we approach the new century, we know that we cannot build the kind
of future we want without the contribution of women. And we know that, around the world,
women will only be able to contribute to their full potential if they have equal access, equal
rights, equal protection and a fair chance at the levers of economic and political power.
Towards these goals, we have made progress. I said once that if I had been born a
generation or two earlier, and if I had wanted to make a definitive statement on American
foreign policy, my only option would have been to enter society and then pour tea into an
offending Ambassador's lap.
Today, women are engaged in every facet of international affairs, from policymaking to
dealmaking, from arms control to trade, from a courtroom of the War Crimes Tribunal to
the farflung operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to the
top floor of the State Department.
So we have much to celebrate. We also have much further to go.
During my recent around-the-world trip, I met with six Presidents, four Prime Ministers,
eight Foreign Ministers, three Defense Ministers, two Premiers, one Chancellor, one
Secretary General and one Trade Minister. And if you put us all in one room, you would
have 26 suits and my skirt.
This lack of representation at the top is mirrored throughout the political and economic
structures of most nations. Whether one is bumping against a glass ceiling or standing on a
dirt floor, equality remains--for most--more aspiration than-reality.
It is in America's interest to change this. Advancing the status of women is directly related
to our foreign policy goals. We want to build peace and expand the circle of democracy. We
want to sustain a growing global economy that creates good jobs for Americans. And we
want to see a future in which the values we cherish are more widely shared.
In each case, we can't get from where we are to where we want to go if women are left on
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In each case, we can't get from where we are to where we want to go if women are left on
the sidelines; women must be integrated at every step of the way.
Consider, for example, the pursuit of peace.
I am not among those who believe that if the world were run solely by women, war would
disappear. The human capacity for folly and miscalculation is widely shared. But the history
of this century tells us that democracy is a parent to peace. And common sense tells us that
true democracy is not possible without the full participation of women.
The Beijing Conference has created new momentum for women to speak out, get involved,
organize, vote and become candidates for office. The vast network of non-governmental
organizations that women have built is focused on these tasks.
Greater participation translates into richer democracy and more representative policies. And
in those regions where democracy makes the greatest difference for peace, women are hard
at work creating and expanding the institutions for freedom.
I have seen in Bosnia the efforts of women's groups to heal the wounds of ethnic division.
The women of that country are determined to build a society in which they--who have paid
a fearful price for wrong decisions in the past--will have a role in making the right decisions
in the future.
I have seen in Central Europe and the New Independent States the birth of movements
designed to give women a real voice in the construction of new democracies. This is crucial,
because women were hardest hit by the economic and social disruptions of recent years.
I have seen in Burundi hundreds of women from the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups working
side by side to prevent in their country the genocidal violence that caused so much suffering
in neighboring Rwanda.
During and since the Women's Conference, I have seen representatives of groups from
around the world--African, Asian, Latin; Jewish, Islamic and Christian--joined in the
common cause of sustaining the global momentum towards more open and representative
political systems.
That is their goal, and as Americans, it is our goal.
So is economic growth.
Since 1993, under President Clinton's leadership, we have negotiated more than 200 trade
agreements, given a tremendous boost to international commerce and created millions of
new jobs.
But for the world's economy to keep growing, women everywhere must have increased
access to the building blocks of economic opportunity and power.
A growing economy requires a modern economy. And as Turkey's Kemal Ataturk said
seven decades ago, you cannot "catch up with the modern world by modernizing only half
the population."
Despite recent gains, women remain an undervalued and underdeveloped human resource.
This is not to say that women have trouble finding work.
In many societies, in addition to bearing the children, women do most of the
non-child-related work. But often, women are barred from owning land, excluded from
schools, provided less nourishment and permitted little or no voice in government.
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It is no accident that most of those in the world who are abjectly poor are women.
Frequently, they are left to care for children without the help of the children's father. Many
are trapped at a young age in a web of ignorance and abuse.
Women are prepared to be full partners in sustainable development, but they need
education, decent health care, access to credit, and protection from violence. They need the
knowledge and the power to make their own choices.
We know from experience that, when that happens, the cycle of poverty can be broken and
birth rates stabilized; environmental awareness increases, the spread of sexually transmitted
disease slows, and socially constructive values are more likely to be passed on to the young.
That is a priceless and lasting gift to the future.
We also serve the future when we stand up for basic values of law and respect for the
dignity of every human being.
A half century ago, a great American First Lady was the driving force behind the adoption
of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. In Beijing, another great First Lady
eloquently reaffirmed America's commitment to that Declaration and to its application to all
people--specifically including women and girls.
Now, I don't know whether this resulted from a conversation between these two First
Ladies.
But I do know that the Universal Declaration reflects spiritual and moral values that are
central to all cultures, respecting both the wondrous diversity that defines us and the
common humanity that binds us.
The Declaration obliges all governments to strive in law and practice to protect the rights of
those under their jurisdiction. And by its very existence, it shows that whether a government
fulfills that obligation is a matter not simply of domestic, but of universal, concern.
Unfortunately, today, around the world, appalling abuses are being committed against
women. There are those who suggest that many of these abuses are cultural and there's
nothing we can do about them. I say they're criminal and it's the responsibility of each and
every one of us to stop them. (Applause)
It is encouraging that in the wake of Beijing, efforts to curb violence against women have
surged. In country after country, we see projects designed to heighten awareness and gain
for women greater protection under the law.
This matters because every time a special police unit is created to ensure a prompt response
to sexual or domestic abuse; every time a cooperative effort is undertaken to end female
genital mutilation; every time a program is launched to halt the exploitation of women and
girls; every time strides are made towards the equal valuation of women as individuals,
family members and citizens--our world is uplifted and we are all enriched.
In the effort to advance the status of women, the United States is a leader; but a leader
cannot--and we are not--standing still. At President Clinton's initiative, we are incorporating
concerns related to women into the mainstream of American foreign policy. What does that
mean?
For one thing, it means that the President's Inter-agency Council on Women, created last
year to implement the Beijing Platform for Action, will be chaired this year by the
Department of State.
It means that our overseas aid programs will continue to emphasize projects that expand the
ability of women to participate economically and politically; to gain access to education and
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health care, including reproductive health care; and to protect themselves against violence
and disease.
It means that we will place special emphasis on the institutions of civil society that include
women and refugee relief that is designed to meet women's needs.
It means that we will continue to report honestly and thoroughly on violations of human
rights, and that we will denounce those violations whether they are sins of omission by
those who refuse to investigate or prosecute domestic abuse, or sins of commission by
dictators such as those in Burma or extremists in Afghanistan.
It means that we will continue to back the international war crimes tribunals, because we
believe that the authors of ethnic cleansing should be held accountable, and those who see
rape as just another weapon of war should pay for their crimes. (Applause)
It means that we will take part in a global effort to crack down on illegal trafficking in
women and girls. And let me say that if those who traffic in drugs should be punished
severely--and they should--so should those who traffic in human beings. (Applause)
Finally, it means, because I said that I would tell it like it is, when I go to North Carolina in
a couple of weeks to speak at the Jesse Helms Center, I will state explicitly that it is long
past time for America to become party to the Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women. (Applause)
As I think many people know now, I have a very good relationship with the Chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee. We agree when we can and we disagree agreeably, when we
don't agree on the subject.
The integration of women into our foreign policy is an active, ongoing, worldwide process.
It requires working not only with other governments, but also with non-governmental
organizations and other agents of progress. It affects everything from the design of AID
programs, to policy decisions made by our bureaus here in Washington, to Embassy
activities around the globe.
And it reflects our understanding that progress requires not simply opening doors, but a
vigorous effort to reach out and spread the word that the old era of injustice and repression
must end so that a new era of opportunity and full participation may dawn.
Before closing, I want to say a few words about our next speaker, for she is certainly one of
the women we have incorporated into the mainstream of our foreign policy.
During the past four years, Hillary Rodham Clinton has become America's most respected
and valued--albeit unofficial--Ambassador.
She has advocated America's agenda of peace, democracy, economic growth and law from
India to Indonesia, from China to Copenhagen, and from Ukraine to a memorable
diplomatic and culinary experience in Ulan Bator.
She brings to her assigned tasks enormous energy, brains, commitment and volumes of
eloquence.
Those of you who have done public speaking know how hard it can be to excite an
audience, at least without getting into trouble. Imagine how hard it is when that audience
comes from 150 different countries and when most of them are sitting there with earphones
on, wires going every way, listening to emotionless and not always accurate translation.
And yet, this woman, the honorary chair of our delegation, electrified precisely that kind of
audience in Beijing.
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Her message still echoes; her contributions to American leadership continue to build; her
wisdom has become an international force for good. All this, and a Grammy Award, too.
(Laughter)
As Secretary of State, I can think of no greater blessing than to have the First Lady at my
side and on America's side.
This weekend, at my request, she will travel to Africa, a region of great importance to the
United States and to the progress of women.
I look forward to hearing about her trip, and I know we all look forward to hearing from her
now.
Please welcome our terrific First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Applause)
MRS. CLINTON: Thank you very much. Thank you so much, Secretary Albright. I still
love to say that. We are gathered today to celebrate International Women's Day in the heart
of the State Department, and we do as Americans have much to celebrate, starting with a
Secretary of State who, yes, broke a barrier by virtue of her own gender; but who much
more importantly is committed to defending the rights not just of Americans but of citizens
around the world regardless of gender.
Not only has Madeleine Albright broken many a glass ceiling, she has brokered many a
peace. Not only has she opened many doors, she has opened many minds. Since she
mentioned it, I would say that in my last conversation with Mrs. Roosevelt - (laughter) - she
told me how pleased she was that her husband had appointed the first woman to the Cabinet
in United States' history, and how pleased she was that my husband had appointed the first
woman Secretary of State. (Applause)
I thank Secretary Albright for her leadership, her courage, and on a personal note her
friendship. I am delighted that she has agreed to serve as the new Chair for the President's
Inter-Agency Council on Women, ably assisted by Theresa Loar and Tim Wirth and others
of you here.
We all know that countless responsibilities face our new Secretary of State and all of us.
Our foreign policy does not lack for challenges. We must continue to reduce weapons of
mass destruction. We must realize the century's dream of a wholly united, democratic, and
peaceful Europe. We must work to capture new opportunities in Asia, to seize opportunities
for peace in the Middle East and other areas that are strategic not only to the United States
but to the entire globe.
We must work with our partners in Latin America, Africa and elsewhere to build an
inclusive and expanding global economy. We must safeguard our people from the threats of
terrorism, extremism, international crime, drugs and environmental degradation.
While all of these require our attention and commitment, today I have come to advance a
simple idea, that is: the seamless inclusion of girls and women's needs in American foreign
policy. Despite the work they do, the families they raise, the communities they hold
together, too many of the world's women, particularly in developing nations, live on the
outskirts of opportunity and equality.
But let me be clear. This challenge is not confined to the developing world. We still have
plenty of work to do here in the United States and in other advanced economies of the world
to ensure that women have a full stake in democracy. One goal in every country should be
to see that all citizens, regardless of race or gender or ethnicity or religion, have a full place
at their society's table.
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If you'll forgive just a slight diversion, yesterday I was in Arkansas. I visited people who
had been hit by a terrible tornado in the morning. Even before that disaster struck, these
were people already working overtime to build good lives to reach their aspirations. The full
benefits of American society were still a long way away for them. After this tornado, all that
they had worked for, all they had hoped for, seems lost.
Later that day, I spoke at an event that helped raise funds to send single parents, primarily
women, to college or vocational school. I heard stories from five women who told us what it
had meant that their society, in the form of those who had raised these funds, reached out
and told them that they could make something of their own lives; they could go to college;
they could support themselves and their children.
They had heard the message that is even still too often conveyed in America: that they
weren't worth very much; that nobody really cared too much about them. As one young
woman said, "Five years ago, I was in a battered woman's shelter in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
I had nothing. I not only didn't have a car, I didn't have a driver's license, and my face
looked as though it had been run over by a truck. All of a sudden there were people there
who convinced me that I could make something of myself and care for my nine-month-old
son. I thought to myself, how can these people believe in me, that I could go to college, that
I could support myself. How could these people care about me when my own husband didn't
care about me."
Those stories as I heard them reminded me of stories that I have heard around the world, as
women in Bangladesh or India or Nicaragua or Chile stood up and told me what it meant to
them to have someone believe that they, too, could make a living for their families; that the
skills they had would be valued in the marketplace; that their children, especially their
daughters, could have a better life.
The women last night were helped to return to school, and today they are citizens of the
United States in the fullest sense of that word. Whatever disparities of wealth exist in our
country and around the world means that people are left by the side of the road, detoured off
the information highway, unable to take advantage of democracy's opportunities. What
America must do for its own sake, as well as for the sake of its leadership in the world we
are in today and that we are entering tomorrow, is to promote democracy and civil society in
every nation, so that all citizens - every man, woman and child - can live up to their
God-given potential.
But one may ask, "Well, it's fine for me to care about the women of Arkansas, but why
should I or any American care about women in developing countries and around the world?"
Why should women, as Secretary Albright just eloquently explained, be a concern of ours
and our foreign policy here in the United States?
What the Secretary said and what this Administration believes is that if half of the world's
citizens are undervalued, underpaid, under-educated, under-represented, fed less, fed worse,
not heard, put down, we cannot sustain the democratic values and the way of life we have
come to cherish. If as a nation Americans care about opening foreign markets for American
goods and services, if we care about making our country secure in the face of new threats, if
we care about widening the circle of peace and prosperity, then we must address the
conditions and circumstances of the world's women.
You in this room know better than anyone else that our world is in a time of great
transformation, heralding ever more democracy, leading, we hope, to ever more peace. But
the great promise of this time is not without its challenges. Global competition, the
information revolution, the rapid pace of change create pressures on every society, from
governments down to families. These pressures pose unavoidable questions for us as we
approach the 21st century. How do we figure out ways to balance individual and community
rights and responsibilities? How do parents raise children in the face of the influences of the
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mass media and consumer culture? What do we make of what seems to be a conflict in
many instances between personal identity and the work available in an age of globalization
and high technology? What about the roles of women in society? How will people preserve
their ethnic pride and value their national citizenship, and how will nations protect their
sovereignty while cooperating regionally and globally with others?
Thinking about these questions and how a free nation like ours will respond to them, we
may need to be reminded that democracy is not just about legally protected rights, elections
or free-market economies. It is about the internalization of democratic values in people's
hearts and minds. It is about how, in the absence of either hot or cold wars, democracy is
rooted in people's everyday lives.
Given the changes that are going on around us, we can no longer gauge our interests around
the world solely through power blocs and vast arsenals. Across the globe, here at home, at
the end of the Cold War, we have been freed to focus on issues that edge right up to our
own front doors. How do we educate our children? How do we insure that families have
proper health care? How do we insure that democracies and free markets produce citizens,
not just consumers?
I have said before that in this time of challenge around the globe, we know we will continue
to cope with what is often thought of as the traditional balance of power among countries.
But I would also argue that we must now add to that balance of power equation, often called
realpolitik, the idea that real life politik may be just as intimately connected with whether or
not democracies survive and flourish.
These issues that we speak of today should not be considered women's issues. But certainly
it is fair to say that women, often by necessity, become the world's experts on the hazards
and vicissitudes of life, and they therefore often understand and appreciate more clearly that
they have a vested interest in insuring that their societies and governments address these real
life challenges.
I have seen for myself on continent after continent the solutions that women are forging.
New mothers in Jakarta, Indonesia, who gather every week to learn about family planning
and better nutrition for their children. Doctors and nurses in Belarus and Ukraine who are
caring for the children of Chernobyl. Women from Santiago to San Diego who are working
on issues as diverse as education, crime and the environment.
These issues are central to our global democratic interests, for what distinguishes
democracy is fair and genuine participation in every aspect of life. It should be too obvious
to point out, but unfortunately it isn't, that giving women a strong voice and fuller say over
their futures is intimately related to the health of democracies, because women are the
majority in most countries and the world over. America's credo should ring clearly: a
democracy without the full participation of women is a contradiction in terms. To reach its
full potential, it must include all of its citizens.
Clearly, whether we succeed in strengthening democratic values around the world is of
special consequence to women, who in our country and elsewhere are still striving to attain
and even define their rightful place in government, the economy and civil society, and to
claim their rightful share of personal, political, economic and civic power. Raising the status
of women and girls and investing in their potential means insuring that they have the tools
of opportunity available to them: education, health care, credit and jobs; legal protection,
and the right to participate fully in the political life of their countries; and that is why the
United States must continue its bipartisan tradition of supporting initiatives that move our
world closer to these goals.
Today, more than 600 million women worldwide are denied the opportunity of an
education. Women make up two-thirds of those who can neither read nor write. Yet the
single most important investment any developing nation can make is in the education of
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girls and women. We are discovering that in country after country the benefits of educating
women go far beyond the classroom and the schoolhouse. They go to stronger families,
better health, nutrition, wages and levels of political participation.
I have seen how the support of the United States for the education of women and girls
worldwide is paying off. I have seen how similar social investments, also many supported
by the United States, can make a difference in countries as diverse as Brazil, the Philippines,
Nepal and Pakistan. Certainly, as I travel around the world and as many of you do likewise,
we have seen with our own eyes that investing in girls and women helps to transform
communities, which in turn can transform society. Women will not flourish and neither will
democracy if they continue to be under-valued inside and outside the home.
I have had many experts in economic development around the world say to me that women's
work is not part of the economies of countries; that women do not participate in the
economic markets of the countries. And yet I have seen with my own eyes as I've traveled
through urban areas and remote rural ones that women are bearing often the bulk of the load
of the work that must be done to plant crops, to harvest them, to make it possible for small
enterprises to flourish in market stalls.
So I know that women are working. Their contributions may not be counted in the gross
domestic product of their societies, but they are of value. If all the women in the world
tomorrow said they would not work outside the home, the economies of every country
would collapse. (Applause)
It is time that we honored and counted the contributions that women make, both in the|home
and outside. Investing in women also means investing in their health and in turn in the
health of their families. I am especially pleased that the United States has provided
assistance through the United States Agency for International Development to assure that
women, children and families have access to a full spectrum of low-cost, high-yield health
care services, from safe birthing kits for expectant mothers, to basic immunizations for
infants, to oral rehydration therapy to treat children suffering from diarrhea.
I want to say a special word about family planning and its importance in this larger effort.
Family planning is fundamental to letting women take responsibility for themselves and
their children. Right now, however, roughly 100 million women worldwide cannot get or
are not using family planning services because they are poor, uneducated or do not have
access to care. Some 20 million women will seek unsafe abortions. Of these women, some
may become disabled for life; some will have other health problems.
But fundamentally, the rate of unsafe abortions is in itself a tragedy. High abortion rates do
not represent women's equality. They represent a failure on all our parts to help women
prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place. If we really care about reducing abortion
and fostering strong families, we must not back away from America's commitment to family
planning efforts overseas. (Applause)
And if we really care about making women equal partners in societies the world over, we
must do everything in our power to fight violence against women, whether it is a hidden
crime of domestic abuse or a blatant tactic of war. No single social investment is a panacea
for women or for developing countries, nor should every just cause in the world be
America's to embrace. But I do believe that as long as discrimination and inequities persists
in a broad-scale way against women, a stable, prosperous world will be far from a reality.
Taken together, our investments in social development are vital to strengthening free market
interests, spreading our democratic ideals, and enhancing our security. Over time, America
has learned that our ideals and interests cannot be divorced from the political, economic,
and social cross-currents swirling around us.
I hope that we have also learned that engagement with the world represents opportunities at
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home as well as obligations abroad.
Let me give you just one modest example. I spoke recently at a conference sponsored by
USAID called "Lessons Without Borders." At the conference, Baltimore's Mayor, Kurt
Schmoke, told how governmental leaders from his city had gone to Africa to learn about
simple, low-cost strategies used on that continent to encourage parents to immunize their
children. Now, similar programs are in place in Baltimore, with community clinics, a
vaccination van, door-to-door visits, and the resulting higher immunization rates for
children under three.
We can learn from our neighbors around the world. Many of the lessons we can learn, we
will find, are lessons that have been helped to be taught by our own foreign policy
engagement. Less than one percent of our budget, yet countless lives can be improved and
we can improve lives here at home.
Before I close, I want to say a word about my forthcoming trip to Africa. I was very
honored to be asked to make this trip because I think America's engagement in the world
must include an engagement with sub-Saharan Africa. Contemporary history is a story that
citizens and countries are writing, and there is a new story that must be told. Every region is
contributing its own chapter. Africa has a remarkable story if we will only pay attention to
it.
It is moving toward democracy. In the last six years, the number of democracies have
jumped from five to 23. Africa is growing economically, moving from suffocating
state-controlled economies to open markets that can give full life and scope to human
endeavor. Last year, 30 countries recorded positive economic growth.
Africa is beginning to forge a new relationship with the United States; one based not just on
aid but on shared ideals, mutual responsibilities, integration into the world economy, and
partnerships designed to resolve conflicts and to meet common challenges. To be sure,
many of the African democracies are new and therefore fragile. Hope remains tenuous. Too
much of the continent continues to be driven by disease, malnutrition, poverty, injustice,
corruption, perilous conflicts, and their terrible aftermath - refugee crisis that trap women
and children especially in lives that go from bad to worse.
And yet - and yet in spite of these challenges, for the first time, we can see that at this
moment in history there are in Africa grounds for far more hope than despair. With the
support of the United States, we can solidify that hope.
I will be privileged to visit Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and
Eritrea. I am pleased that so many of the Ambassadors from those countries and other
countries in Africa are with us today.
I hope to witness firsthand and to highlight each country's efforts to build democracy and a
strong, civil society. I will focus particularly on grassroots initiatives and on efforts that
affect women and children. I hope this trip will give the American people a renewed sense
of the importance of our commitment to Africa. I hope it will lay out exactly why we must
do our utmost to support democracy and social investment in Africa, and to strengthen
Africa's place in the community of nations.
I hope it will show that American engagement must be measured not just in aid dollars or
humanitarian efforts in the wake of tragedy and crisis, but in the democratic values we,
reinforce and the human rights we defend and in the conflicts we help resolve
preventatively.
There are, to be sure, issues of America's national security at stake. Instability in Africa,
whether it is rooted in war, in terrorism, in organized crime, in disease, in environmental
degradation and poverty, touches us, too. There are also economic issues at stake. Right
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now, the United States holds only seven percent of the African market of 600 million
people. By forging stronger economic ties with Africa, we will do much to secure the
prosperity of our own people as well.
But, finally, our greatest reasons for engagement with Africa are built on a positive
foundation. Africa is on the move with a new generation of leaders, the fresh air of political
reform and thriving multi-ethnic societies.
As we look at the future for America's engagement around the world, we can see that
wherever we help to seed the ground for democracy, wherever we reach out to people out of
mutual respect to help them help themselves, wherever we understand clearly that in this
time of inter-dependence and interconnection, we all have a stake in the success of the other.
We will make progress together. Whether it comes to assisting and working with our friends
in the new democracies in Africa or understanding the importance of our commitment to
women and girls, America's interests are at stake.
But far more importantly, America's values are at stake. If we act upon those values, we will
help to lead the world into the kind of new future we envision as possible for our children
and all the children around the globe.
Thank you very much.
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