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First ladres
Conferences
Background
Back to Nicole
BA CONFERENCIA DE
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
REMARKS TO THE FIRST LADY'S CONFERENCE
SANTIAGO, CHILE
SEPTEMBER 30, 1998
GABINETE DE LA SEÑORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / vmunoz@ presidencia.cl
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago Chile
84 CONFERENCIA DE
Thank you, Veronica (Baraona) for your kind introduction -- and for the
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
remarkable job you've done to pull this Conference together. My friend, Mrs. Frei;
First Ladies; special envoys of the hemisphere; distinguished guests; members of
the US delegation - including Aida Alvarez -- Administrator of the Small Business
Administration. It's a pleasure to be back here in Chile -- and to join all of you for
the eighth Conference of Wives of Heads of States and Governments of the
Americas. It is particularly fitting that we meet here in Santiago -- the site of the
Second Summit of the Americas - which I attended with my husband only a few
months ago. Many of you helped define the Summits's priorities on women and
children -- and it's those commitments -- made by our nations' leaders -- that we
seek to reinforce here today.
Before I begin -- I would like to say to our friends in the Caribbean how our
thoughts and prayers have been with you, as you deal with the terrible aftermath of
Hurricane Georges.. I have just come from a relief mission in Puerto Rico, and saw
how communities are already rebuilding their lives and their homes. And I'm
pleased that my government has been able to contribute to relief efforts there and
throughout the Caribbean.
This is the fourth Conference of First Ladies of the Americas I've had the
honor to attend. And I'm pleased to see so many familiar faces -- and many new
ones. And as always, I'm reminded that no matter what country we're from; or what
beliefs we hold; or what language we speak -- that we all share common concerns --
and common hopes for the future.
That belief in the power of women to make a difference was at the heart of
the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing -- which I
attended in 1995. There, women from every corner of the globe came together to
draw attention to the plight of women and children. And what that Conference made
undeniably clear -- and what we all know from experience and history -- is that
democracy and prosperity cannot be attained -- or sustained - in countries that do
not value women as full and equal partners in society.
GABINETE DE LA SENORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) - 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 - Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / [email protected]
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago - Chile
84 CONFERENCIA DE
The wave of energy and optimism released at that meeting has begun to
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
transform lives everywhere. Governments are being held to the commitments they
made, and grassroots action is igniting reform in every corner of the globe. I have
seen these changes occurring first hand, from Senegal to South Africa, from
America to Australia, from Eastern Europe to China. And I have seen the
impressive progress being made here in the Americas.
This morning, throughout the Americas, there are more girls sitting at their
desks in a classroom; more mothers visiting health care clinics, and getting the care
they need for themselves and their babies; more women running their own
businesses, and gaining greater economic independence; more children who are
growing up healthy and strong; more women who are now protected against
violence in their homes --- than ever before in our history.
I have also watched democracy taking hold throughout the hemisphere -- as
every country but one has embraced the democratic ideals that we all aspire to. And
women have played significant roles in those hard-fought victories as well. Yet as
you heard from the distinguished speakers over the past two days, we must still
overcome great obstacies to ensure every one of our citizens has access to health
care, and education, and economic opportunities, and is able to participate fully in
the political life of their nations. And one of the greatest barriers in our path to
equality is that women still do not hold enough positions of authority, and
leadership, and power.
Women's participation in decision making lags behind their gains in
education, their contributions to the workforce; and their participation in grassroots
organizations. Yet we can see - all around us -- the positive impact that women
leaders can have on the everyday lives of citizens.
There are many such examples throughout our hemisphere. A woman mayor
in a small town in Peru, who has promoted projects to protect children's rights, and
created occupational workshops to encourage women to increase their family
incomes without leaving their homes. A woman senator in the Dominican
Republic -- whose courageous voice helped pass a strong law against domestic
violence in 1997. A young woman from Colombia, who ran for mayor on a peace
platform in one of the most violent areas of her country -- and is now helping to heal
those divisions.
GABINETE DE LA SENORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) - 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 - Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / vmunoz@ presidencia.cl
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago - Chile
84 CONFERENCIA DE
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
And we all know about the extraordinary leadership roles that Janet Jagan
and Violeta Chamorro have played in improving the lives of women and children in
their nations, and opening up greater freedoms and opportunities to all their citizens.
Today, more and more governments here and around the world are coming to
realize that democracy can't succeed unless women's voices are heard; unless
women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives; unless all
citizens are able to participate fully in the life of their countries. More and more
leaders now understand that investing in the health, education and the empowerment
of women is as critical to a vibrant democracy as are issues like trade, diplomacy,
and national security.
As a result, governments across our hemisphere have begun to unlock the
once closed doors of decision making and elected leadership that have constrained
women's progress and potential for so long. Today, a growing number of countries
require a minimum level of women's participation in local and national elections.
Others -- particularly since the Beijing conference -- have created agencies to
promote women and family public policies. Some programs are now seeking to
increase the pool of qualified women to compete for leadership positions -- while
others help women exercise effective leadership once they are elected or promoted.
The impact of these new laws -- combined with a greater political will -- are
even now being felt at every level of government. And I must admit -- many
countries have gone much farther than my own to boost the percentage of women
representatives and leaders.
By 1996 -- all but two countries in Latin America had at least one woman
cabinet member. (In Colombia -- over a third of the Cabinet positions are held by
women.) And while women are still vastly under represented in legislative
assemblies -- there are signs of progress. In the Bahamas -- women fill as many as
33 percent of the senate seats. In Argentina -- as a result of a new law -- women's
representation in the lower house of congress is 28% -- the eighth highest in the
world. The numbers of women mayors is also growing -- and throughout the
hemisphere -- more women are serving as judges, and agency heads, and in other
leadership roles in government.
GABINETE DE LA SEÑORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) - 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 . Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / [email protected]
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago - Chile
8A CONFERENCIA DE
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
Such progress reflects not only new laws -- but important social changes as
well: more women are getting an education, and joining the workforce. And deeply-
held attitudes against women's participation in public life are changing, slowly but
surely.
I am pleased that my country is working with all of you to further this
progress. After this session -- I'm joining Mrs. Frei in a signing ceremony of two
programs -- funded by USAID -- that will support initiatives across the Americas
to nurture strong local leadership - including women -- and will help countries
more effectively pursue the goals of the Summit -- through joint training programs
here in Chile. These partnerships - as well as a major donation by Merck
Pharmaceutical company - that will donate 5,000 medical guides and help educate
rural women about their health -- are proof that the commitments made at the
Summit of the Americas and reiterated here are being taken seriously.
Even as we celebrate these steps forward -- and the remarkable
accomplishments of the women who have gained those positions of power and
influence -- we know how far we have yet to go. When women are elected -- they
still tend to exercise leadership at the outskirts of the centers of power. They are not
adequately represented in party leadership positions. And while women make up
one third of the formal labor force in this region -- they are not adequately
represented in union leadership -- or in the corporate boardrooms.
As we all know, building a better future for women, men, children and
families is not just the opportunity of governments -- it is the responsibility of all of
us. Today -- [ will travel to Montevideo, Uruguay, and participate in the "Vital
Voices" conference -- where women representing grass roots organizations from
across the Americas are coming together to build networks; learn lessons; and lift
up their voices -- and their power -- on behalf of these same priorities we are
speaking about here, at this conference.
GABINETE DE LA SEÑORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) - 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 - Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / [email protected]
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago . Chile
BACONFERENCIA DE
ESPOSAS DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO DE LAS AMERICAS
Today -- our work together is more urgent than ever before. We live in an
increasingly interdependent world -- where our economies -- our security -- our very
futures -- are inextricably tied to each other. It's a time of unparalleled opportunity
-- but also of great risk. Those among us who enjoy the opportunities of education,
health care, jobs, credit, and legal and political rights are flourishing in this new
global economy. Those without such opportunities -- too often women and children
-- are lagging further and further behind.
It's up to all of us to eliminate those inequities -- and bridge those gaps.
This year, we commit ourselves to continue the work we have begun -- such
as eradicating measles, and reducing still too high rates of maternal mortality
throughout the hemisphere -- and working with our partners in international
organizations like PAHO. But we also commit ourselves to new initiatives -- such
as efforts to make our region's schools places to promote child and family health; to
ensure rural women are not left behind; and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights by joining the UN campaign to denounce all
forms of violence against women -- including domestic violence.
One of Chile's great novelists, Maria Louisa Bombal -- once said: "What is
difficult is not to conceive of a work, but rather to build and elaborate upon it." I
want to thank all of you here today for what you have already done -- and will
continue to do -- to build and elaborate upon our nations' commitments to lift up the
lives of women and children throughout our hemisphere.
GABINETE DE LA SEÑORA DEL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPUBLICA DE CHILE
Teléfonos (56-2) - 6904207 / 6904470 / 6904955 - Fax (56-2) 6904969 / 6904783 E-mail: plagos@ presidencia.cl / vmunoz@ presidencia.cl
Palacio de La Moneda - Santiago - Chile
As delivered
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
REMARKS TO THE SIXTH CONFERENCE OF
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND OF GOVERNMENTS OF THE AMERICAS
LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
DECEMBER 3, 1996
President and Mrs. Sanchez de Lozada, First Ladies and
special envoys representing the nations of the Western
Hemisphere, and distinguished guests:
It is a great pleasure for me to be in La Paz and to join
you for this annual conference. I particularly want to thank
Mrs. Sanchez de Lozada for her leadership on behalf of women
especially her work to promote safe motherhood, education, and to
reduce domestic violence -- and for extending to all of us a warm
welcome this week.
I know that, as in the past, this gathering will provide new
insights and fresh inspiration as we work to expand opportunities
for women, children, and families in North, Central, South
America and the Caribbean region. I am also pleased to note that
Vice President Gore will be in Santa Cruz in a few days
representing the United States government at what promises to be
a significant hemispheric meeting on sustainable development.
This is my first trip to Bolivia, but I have long felt a
special connection to this country. Little Rock, the capital of
my home state of Arkansas, is a sister city of Santa Cruz in what
is called the Eastern Bolivia-Arkansas partnership. This
partnership has initiated cultural, professional and health
exchanges that have benefitted the people in both of our
countries. So I am especially delighted finally to be in Bolivia
after all these years.
Many Bolivians have made their mark on my country. I am
proud to say that President Clinton named a woman who was born
and raised here in La Paz, Maria Otero, to be the Chair of the
1
Board of the Inter-American Foundation. That foundation funds
grassroots development in the region, and Maria is with me today.
I'm also pleased to be here at a time of such hope and
promise for women, children and families across the Americas and
around the world. A few days ago, I returned from a trip with my
husband to Australia, the Philippines and Thailand, and at each
stop I had the chance to talk to diverse groups of women from
government leaders to grassroots activists to teenage school
girls. And I was reminded once again, no matter where we find
ourselves in the world today, our aspirations and concerns are
fundamentally the same.
Thanks in part to the agenda set at the United Nations Fourth
World Conference on Women in Beijing, as well as the conferences
of this group in Miami, and Asuncion and elsewhere, the status of
women is improving in many countries.
In the Philippines last week, I had the opportunity along
with Mrs. Frei to speak to 15,000 women and girls in Manila.
Some had traveled for days by boat and car to celebrate the
Beijing Agenda and just as we are doing today, they came together
to renew their commitment to women's rights and to ensure that
every woman and girl has access to the tools of opportunity:
health care, education, jobs and credit, legal protections and
the right to participate fully in the political life of their
countries.
In the 15 months since Beijing, we have seen advances on
every continent. In country after country, governments, non-
governmental organizations, businesses and corporations, and
individual citizens are beginning to recognize that elevating the
status of women and girls in society is essential to progress and
prosperity. That is the same whether we are talking about the
East, the West, the North or the South; there is a growing
appreciation of women's contributions inside and outside of the
home - and a greater understanding that everyone in society
benefits when women are allowed to claim the political, economic,
social, and civic power they are due.
The Western Hemisphere is no exception. In Panama, the
family code has been reformed, giving women more say in alimony,
child support and child custody cases. The country's new Law 27
2
on Intra-Family Violence criminalizes certain forms of domestic
violence. In Colombia, men and women now have equal weight in
determining divorce. In El Salvador and Peru, new institutions
have been established to address issues relating to women's
development. In Guatemala, a national university has created
scholarships for indigenous women to study political science.
Jamaica's Gold Street Program, which addresses teen violence
and adolescent pregnancy, has become a model that the United
States is using to confront the same issues in the city of
Baltimore. In Brazil, women are now entitled to free breast and
uterine exams. And in Chile, the government has committed itself
to tackling AIDS and adolescent pregnancies and to expanding
educational opportunities for girls. And here in Bolivia, as
part of the President's plans, the Plan de Todos, special efforts
are being made to reach out to the indigenous population.
From the northernmost reaches of Canada to the southern tip
of South America, women are pushing governments to lift the veil
of secrecy that for too long has concealed the tragic crime of
domestic violence. I mentioned the legal advances in Panama.
Another ground-breaking domestic violence law was passed in
Ecuador, creating Family Courts that are empowered to separate an
abusive spouse from the home. In Costa Rica, police officers
receive special training on how to handle domestic violence
cases. In my own country we recently launched a national hotline
for victims of domestic violence which has already received
50,000 calls.
Looking across our region, we also see progress on the goals
that this group outlined at our previous meetings. Those goals
to eliminate measles from the hemisphere, reduce maternal
mortality, and promote education reform are making progress.
Since 1995, our region has witnessed a 63 percent decline in
measles. We have seen the Partnership for the Revitalization of
Education in the Americas launch new efforts to expand
educational opportunities in six countries. And while the tragic
problem of maternal mortality continues to haunt us, we know that
progress will come if we focus more energy and resources on this
issue.
It is clear that pioneering efforts are underway across the
Americas to improve conditions for women and girls. Earlier
3
today in La Paz, I visited with Ximena, Banco Sol, the only
commercial bank in the world and the largest that specializes in
microenterprise right here. I spoke to women whose lives had
been transformed because they had received a modest loan to start
selling vegetables in the market, to start making skirts. Not
only had they become economically self-sufficient, they had begun
to lift their families out of poverty and improve the economies
of their communities. We met one woman in the market who is
caring for her six orphan grandchildren because of the loans that
she had received. I have seen the same encouraging results at
FINCA, a micro-lending enterprise that I visited in Managua,
Nicaragua. I've visited a comparable enterprise in Santiago and
I have seen it in my own country.
In La Paz today I also visited new and expectant mothers at
a primary health care center run by an NGO, PROSALUD. The 28
PROSALUD clinics offer prenatal care and family planning services
that have resulted in safer pregnancies and deliveries and, in
some cases, have saved lives.
This is but one piece of the nationwide effort here in
Bolivia to promote safe motherhood and family planning so that
women and girls are educated about their own health and their own
reproductive options.
Although the rate is far too high, Bolivia's success over the
past five years at reducing maternal mortality offers a model for
the world of how one nation has responded to a serious health
crisis and galvanized the government, non-governmental
organizations, and the medical communities. I wish to commend
the President and the Vice President for their leadership in
this very important effort.
It is worth noting that Bolivia undertook this campaign not
only as a way to reduce maternal mortality, but also to reduce
the increasing rate of abortion. Without access to family
planning, women often turn in desperation to illegal, unsafe
abortion procedures that account for half of all maternal deaths
in this country. Deaths from abortion complications are
responsible for from 30 to 70 percent of maternal mortality in
our hemisphere, depending on the country.
4
Here, in Brazil, and in other places around the globe, I have
seen examples of how investments in family planning improve
maternal health and the well-being of families as well as reduce
the number of abortions. The United States has supported family
planning efforts, including Bolivia's. However, as you may know,
some members of the United States Congress have voted to limit
American support for family planning initiatives. My husband's
Administration remains committed to encouraging a continuation of
these investments, which represent a sensible, cost-effective and
long-range strategy for improving women's health and for lowering
the rate of abortion. And for my part, I will certainly remember
and share the powerful stories I have heard around the world to
explain why these programs are critical.
Education is also critical. It is inextricably tied to how
women and children achieve progress. Children of illiterate
mothers are twice as likely to die as those with mothers who are
educated. So our efforts across the Western Hemisphere to
educate girls and mothers will have a profound and concrete
effect on women's health. The better educated a girl or woman
is, the healthier she is. The healthier she is, the healthier
her family is. And all of society stands to gain.
While some may dismiss the achievements of this conference
and the conferences before or of the Beijing Agenda as merely
"women's issues" that have no place on the front-burner of global
politics, I believe that you here in Bolivia, and certainly your
President and Vice President understand how they are part of
sustainable development and progress. They represent a balancing
of power that is just as crucial to the endurance of democracy as
issues like trade, diplomacy and national security. Democracy,
after all, requires the full participation of all citizens,
including women.
And today, we can take heart knowing that democracy has
replaced dictatorship around the world and virtually throughout
our own hemisphere. Building and sustaining democracy has always
required a balance of power, a balance of public power, private
economic power, and the power of civic society, those formal and
informal networks that bring people together. It is the balance
of power that Bolivia has incorporated into its Popular
Participation Law, and by doing so, insured the further success
of democracy. Whether we succeed at achieving the balance of
5
power is particularly important for women who despite the strides
we have made, still find their voices silenced and their
potential stymied in too many parts of the world. In country
after country from the most advanced democracies to those
newly emerging, from the most dynamic free market economies to
those struggling in the face of rapid global change women are
still striving to define and attain their rightful place in
government, the economy, the civil society and throughout their
lives.
Women are seeking balance in their lives and in their
societies, and I am heartened that civic education is on the
agenda of this conference. Teaching people about democratic
values and the importance of their participation in the political
process is critical to sustaining democracy. When we look at
what is happening in our hemisphere, when I look at what is
happening in my own country, I see that the voices and votes of
women can make a difference. If all of us believe in the God-
given potential of each human being, then all of us should do
what we can in our own ways and our own roles to further those
voices and that potential.
For all of the challenges that confront us on the eve of
this new century I am optimistic about our future. I am
optimistic about our hemisphere and about our capacity to meet
those challenges. And certainly, if there is one vision that
should guide us, it is that of the young people who rely on us to
leave them a world that encourages their dreams, nurtures their
talents and respects their choices. That is really why we are
gathered today -- most of us in this auditorium have made most of
the choices we will make that will determine the course of our
lives. It is up to us to determine how we provide the same
opportunities for all of our sons and daughters.
Building a better future for children, women, men, and
families in the Western Hemisphere is not just the opportunity of
government, it is the responsibility of all of us. And I thank
you very much for being part of meeting that responsibility and
challenge.
6
1
UNCLEARED TRANSCRIPT
Address by Hillary Rodham Clinton
October 2, 1998
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. I feel like I am sure many of
you do, that we have had such a rich morning already hearing from our conference
participants, and others who have inspired us, and motivated us, and educated us.
It is a great honor and privilege for me to be here in Uruguay, and to join all of you - the
vital voices of the Americas. The voices of the four conference participants that we have
just heard represent the extraordinary intelligence, enthusiasm and diversity of the people
who have come together for this third historic Vital Voices Conference.
I want to begin by thanking our hostess, Mrs. Sanguinetti - for your warm hospitality and
for that fascinating archeological education. That 1 will immediately go and read about.
This is my first visit to your beautiful country, and both you and the President have made
me feel so much at home even in these few short days that I cannot wait to return. And I
look forward to a time when I can do that in the very near future.
I also want to express my great appreciation to the Conference's co-sponsor, the Inter-
American Development Bank. Now we have heard from the President, who is our great
friend. Who I believe said again today how committed the bank is to all these projects. I
have had the great honor of working with the bank and I've seen how hard he has worked
to promote micro-credit, working against domestic violence, doing everything that the
bank could do to make clear to everyone who would listen that it is not just a bank, it is an
instrument of social justice, social investment and transformation of the Americas and I
thank you for that Enrique.
I too want to thank Mayra for her work. She has been a powerful and effective advocate
at the Bank for women.
And I want to thank Theresa for your efforts leading our U.S. government team to make
"Vital Voices" an effective instrument of American foreign policy.
This is the third Vital Voices Conference. The purpose of these conferences is to give
women from various parts of the world the opportunity to come together as you all have to
share experiences, to build stronger networks and partnerships, to look for ways that we
can introduce new and effective strategy in our common search for ways that will enable
women to take their rightful places in all of our societies.
At this particular conference we brought together women leaders from all the democracies
of the Western Hemisphere. Leaders in business, non-governmental organizations, trade
unions, from small villages and from very large cities, mayors and cabinet officials. We
2
have also brought together and we have heard eloquently expressed today from our panel
many who suffered under brutal dictatorships, many who lost family members to terrorism,
people who have been in the forefront of the struggles to end repression, protect human
rights, and restore democracy. This is a critical moment in history because so many of you
have struggled so long to bring us to it. I want to begin by thanking you. You have set an
example, you have served as a model, and you have given heart to literally millions of
peoples throughout the Americas because you have never given up on yourselves and your
future. And yet I know that with the coming of democracy, with the spread of the global
economy, we face new challenges. How do we ensure that democracy and free market
economies produce better lives for all people, especially the poor and the marginalized?
How do we create conditions in which women are equipped with the tools of opportunity
to become full participants in their societies? How do we bolster civil society and its
institutions?
The countries represented here may be at different stages of political and economic
development, but we are all searching for answers to basic questions such as those. And
we share a common belief: we believe that a nation's progress depends on the progress of
women; that the strength of democracy depends on the inclusion of women; that the
vibrancy of an economy depends on the hard work of women; that the richness of civil
society depends on the full participation of women; and that human rights are women's
rights; and women's rights are human rights from one end of this hemisphere to the other.
I've heard reports how at this conference - in workshops, over coffee, in hallways - you've
been gathering and talking with one another about how to achieve progress. You've been
learning from each other. And you have been focussing on three broad areas: First how do
we expand political participation for women in public life? Second how do we strengthen
the rule of law? And third, how do we promote women's access to economic
opportunities?
If this were only a conference where we came together and we met one another, and we
heard speeches and we shared ideas, that would be a good thing, but it would not be
enough. It would disappoint all of us who are here because it would not fulfill the promise
that such an extraordinary gathering holds for us. What we have to think through is how
we will, from this point, create those strategies and support one another within our nations
and across our hemisphere to see that they are fulfilled. How will we answer the questions
we have been asking ourselves? How will we reach progress in the three areas you have
been focussing on? Let me take them one by one.
We have seen the fruits of the efforts that have gone into creating political opportunities for
women in public life. Throughout the Americas, because we have obtained peace and
stability that so many of you have fought for so long, we now have democratic
governments that are open to debate, and free speech and association that were not there
before. We hope we will never, ever see in our hemisphere again a young women driven
3
from her own country because she stood up for the human rights of her fellow citizens.
We hope that we will never hear the heart-wrenching emotion that we heard in the voice
from our mayor from Peru when she talked about terrorism. We must never, ever allow
terrorism to have a grip in this hemisphere again.
So this hard-fought-for peace and stability, these democracies, these free-market
economies, they're an enormous step forward. But they are also not enough if they do not
give people the belief that they have a stake in the future and do not provide opportunities
for participation.
But think about some of the women who are here amongst us. Women who have pushed
open the doors of political leadership. Some of them are known, so many others are
unknown, but they lifted their vital voices when others were silent. They organized their
work places, often at great risk to themselves, and they have been willing to run for office
and accept appointed office when still there are so many attitudes that argue against a
woman doing that in public life. Their voices should inspire us. Think of just a few
examples.
A senator from Brazil - the granddaughter of a slave - who worked within the Catholic
church on behalf of workers - and who became her country's first black woman senator.
A mother from a small town in Peru who, when elected mayor, developed projects to
protect women's rights and created training workshops for women so they could increase
their family incomes without leaving their homes.
A grandmother in Argentina who refused to bend under the brutality of the generals and
who kept her eyes on the plight of her nation's grandchildren.
There are thousands of examples like that. Each of us could stand and tell them. But they
should serve the purpose of reminding and inspiring us, of the price that has been paid to
open those doors to democracy, and how disappointed all those who sacrificed would be
if now women did not assume their rightful position and walk through those doors to make
contributions to their families, to their communities, and their nations.
Today, more than at any other time in history, women have the opportunity and the
responsibility not only to raise our own voices but to empower others to raise theirs as
well. The women gathered here, we are among the blessed. Even though many have
suffered, the spirit was not broken. And you are here as testimony to resilience and
determination.
But think of the thousands and thousands and thousands of women throughout the
Americas for whom no one speaks. Who believe they are not worth anything. Who have
been denied education and even sometimes fundamental health care. What will we do to
4
raise our vital voices for them? And among the many reasons why women must participate
in the political process and must take the risks of putting themselves forward on behalf of
issues of concern to us all, is because all of those women and their children need our
voices.
There is a very important report that was completed recently by the Women's Leadership
Conference of the Americas which details all of the progress and the obstacles that still
face women in the Americas. This report confirms what we all know: that while many
governments, organizations, and individual citizens acknowledge the importance of
women's participation in both formal and informal ways, women are still blocked from
realizing their own positions, from going as far as their talents would take them.
Yesterday I was privileged to meet with the Women's Political Network here in
Montevideo. I want to thank all of the women who came together to educate me about
what they are doing here. They were a remarkable group of women leaders. A cabinet
minister, a city council member, others who hold elective office, others who were very
prominent in their parties. One of them said: "We grew to realize that what unites us is far
more important than what differentiates us." For the women from different parties who
honestly hold different philosophical and ideological positions understand that they can
cross party lines to work on behalf of issues in common. And I have heard that Paraguay is
doing the same. This is one very important idea that can come out of this conference: that
there must be ways for women in political life to support each other across party and
ideological lines when it comes to fundamental women's rights and children's needs. And
this political network can serve as an example for us all. And I would include my own
country in that example.
If one reviews the progress that has been made, you can see that the once closed doors
have been pried open. More and more countries require a minimum level of women's
participation in local and national elections. Others have created agencies to promote
women and family policies. Some programs are now seeking to increase the pool of
qualified women to compete for leadership positions, and others help women exercise
effective leadership once they are elected or promoted.
These changes are having an impact. By 1996 - all but two countries in Latin America had
at least one woman cabinet member. In Colombia, over a third of the cabinet positions are
now held by women. And while women are still vastly under-represented in legislative
assemblies, there are signs of progress. In the Bahamas, women fill as many as 33 percent
of the senate seats. And in Argentina, as a result of their new law, women's representation
in the lower house of congress is 28 percent, the eighth highest in the world.
If those nations can assure women that level of women's participation, then we all must do
better to make sure that parties are fair to women and include them in electoral lists, that
governments seek out qualified women and give them opportunities to serve. Because we
5
will all benefit if more women assume positions of political responsibility. And I hope that
one result of this conference will be very specific ways we can all participate in bringing
that about.
The second challenge you have been discussing is strengthening the rule of law. Now
there is, of course, general agreement in polite company that women deserve equal rights
under the law. But there are still laws in the Americas that do not give women equal
rights. And our first order of business should be to change those laws.
There are countries in the Americas that prohibit women from doing certain work: from
working at night; from lifting heavy objects. Now I have always believed that the job
should be suited to the person. And many women could not lift heavy objects, but some
women could. And if they could qualify, they should be permitted to compete for those
jobs, and jobs like them so they can better support their families, and we should change
laws that stop them from doing so.
The larger problem though is that on paper we have equal rights under the law, but they
are not enforced. There is uneven or no enforcement. Or there is enforcement only for
the rich and not for the poor. So we have to do a better job of making all of our laws fairly
enforced and making access to our justice system one that is not in any way prohibited to
people on the basis of their background or their income. We have to do much more to
absolutely institutionalize the rule of law in the Americas. With independent judiciary,
with due-process being respected so that impunity will no longer exist. That the rights of
all citizens will be strengthened. We know we will have achieved that goal when a poor,
indigenous woman somewhere in the Americas is able to walk into a court and demand
that the police stop harassing her, that people in the street stop treating her poorly, and that
she be given the same rights as every other person.
And I would hope that by opening up the legal system to more women judges and women
prosecutors, women will make sure that women's rights are respected and the rule of law
is enshrined in all of our countries.
That is beginning to happen. Again some examples from vital voices that inspire us.
The first woman to sit on Haiti's supreme court helped draft the decree abolishing gender
inequality.
The female director of the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights launched a gender
equity program when she was a leading Costa Rican jurist.
There are many more examples we can point to. But we need more women lawyers, more
women judges, more women prosecutors. And as a lawyer, I hope that more women will
go into the law in the Americas and use the tools of the law to promote social justice
6
throughout our hemisphere.
I also want to say a specific word about something we have seen terrific progress in but
have a long way to go and that is in domestic violence. Many of you have been leaders,
both inside and outside of governments to make it clear that violence between spouses,
between parents and children, in families is not a custom, it is a crime and must be treated
as a crime.
More and more governments throughout the Americas are reforming their penal codes and
passing anti-discrimination legislation. And we see the results. Twelve Latin American
countries have adopted new laws classifying domestic violence finally as a crime, and
enforcement has been stepped up, prison sentences extended. There are now special
police stations for women in many countries, shelters and counseling centers and training
courses for law enforcement officials and judges.
Yesterday I was privileged to meet with professionals here in Montevideo who are working
both with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. And this particular crime is so
important for us to focus on because we know that if women have their spirits broken
inside the family, by the violence that so many face day in and day out, how can they ever
have the confidence to be citizens of a democracy, to participate fully in the life of their
democracy?
The Summit of the Americas which met first in Miami and then in Santiago set a goal of full
equality between men and women by the year 2002. Now I know that is an ambitious
goal. But I like that goal. And I like to remind people that that goal was agreed upon by
all the leaders of our hemisphere. And I believe we must accept nothing less than doing
all that we can to try to reach that goal.
Our third priority, at this conference, is opening up economic opportunities for women.
There are some fundamental issues that we have to address before we can even get to
economic opportunities. One is education and one is health care.
Women cannot earn good income for themselves and their families, and advance to the
fullest of their god-given potential if they are not educated, or if they are held back by
poor, or substandard, or unavailable health care.
So we must continue to do everything we can to ensure access to education, for girls and
women, and to make available quality health care throughout the hemisphere. Because
talking about economic opportunities in the absence of emphasizing education and health
care is an empty promise. Because we certainly know that the economy of the 21st
century will be unforgiving for those who are not educated and not healthy and not able to
make their own way.
7
Now we all know that women contribute enormously to the economic growth of their
countries. Both inside and outside the home. But that work, both in the home and in the
informal economy is not counted in a country's GDP. I believe it is time for economists
and bankers to start figuring out ways to count women's economic contributions in their
nations' GDP and overall world economies.
I remember talking to an economist during one of my visits to Africa. He said "well
women have no real economic role to play in the African economies that are emerging".
And I said, "well you know I have only spent a few days in Africa but every where I looked
I saw women working: I saw women in the fields, I saw women carrying water; I saw
women in the markets; I saw women building their own houses. Now tell me what exactly
is it that they are doing if not contributing to the economic well-being of their country?"
We also have to face up to continuing wage discrimination against women. Women in
Latin America receive salaries well below those of men. And women who work in the
informal sector, as many do, have no benefits and no security. Working women have
never held the rights and opportunities and benefits that men have traditionally have held.
So we have to attack those inequities as well.
We need to celebrate the contributions that women have made. And I especially
appreciate the comments about how women have been the ones who have managed
poverty and have day in and day out, and year after year kept families going with very little
in the way of meager resources. So let us celebrate what is really very good budgeting and
extremely good economic planning if we stop to think about it, and let's look for ways to
bring more opportunities and greater income into the lives of these women who have
already proven that they know how to stretch a peso as far as possible.
We also need to look at ways of getting more capital and credit into women's hands. And
I want to thank everyone who has supported micro-credit because it is truly transforming
lives and societies. Micro-enterprise loans are expanding the support from international
and bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations. USAID and IDB programs are
already reaching well over one million women in this hemisphere.
I would once again issue a plea to commercial banks, and other potential funders, to look
at the success of micro-credit as a tool for creating market activity at the grassroots level,
giving more people within a society a stake in the free market. And I would ask, as I did in
Belfast, that commercial banks look for ways to partner with the IDB or non-governmental
organizations to put some funds into micro-credit so that we could expand their reach. I'm
always amazed when I read in the newspaper about some very bad loan that a commercial
bank has made and they write it off when we know that loans to poor women are repaid at
a rate of between 95 and 99 percent throughout the world.
I have talked with such women from one end of our hemisphere to another, including in
8
my own country where we are using micro-credit to try and help develop economic
opportunity for women, particularly women who were formerly on welfare.
Think of these vital voices:
A rural woman in El Salvador who overcame low expectations - of herself and others - to
turn her roadside tortilla stand into a profitable business with the help of a $46 loan. And
who, because of that increased economic activity that she was able to generate, all of a
sudden had the respect of everyone in her village. And she and her small village group of
people who were borrowing and supporting each other understood that they had a real
stake in their future. She was selected president of her village bank group. And she said
something that all of us would agree with, and that is "courage is half of life." Well for her,
having the courage to do what she did was half of life, but having the credit to put that
courage into action was the other half. And that is the kind of partnership we need more
of.
A woman organizer at a banana plantation who has stood up to death threats to lead and
inspire her co-workers. They have been locked out of their jobs because their company
won't recognize their union.
Workers' rights are an important part of the global economy.
We have such great opportunities ahead of us if we are able to take the extraordinary
benefits of the global economy and ensure that they are spread fairly to everyone. We
cannot permit greater inequity in income to be part of the new global economy. And
workers' rights are part of that. Regular and equal pay, medical examinations, training
programs, benefits, all of that should be on the front burner for women and men who
understand how important it is that workers be given the opportunity to share in the fruits
of their labor.
Now where does this leave us as we are looking at this conference and all that you have
discussed and heard? Well I hope that we are building on the progress so many of you
have begun. And I hope we are producing real partnerships that will strengthen.
democracies and improve lives of women throughout the Americas.
Today I am pleased to make several announcements. First, the United States Government
through USAID will commit $50 million to support the common goals of this conference
and the Summit of the Americas, to strengthen human rights, justice, and democracy
particularly on behalf of women.
USAID is also increasing its loans to micro-enterprises across the Americas to $120 million
over the next three years, over two-thirds of those loans committed to going to women.
The United States Small Business Administration, whose Director, Aida Alvarez is with us
9
today, and I am very pleased that Ms. Alvarez could be here for this announcement. It has
done a great deal in our country to promote micro-enterprise and has created an "on-line
women's business center" offering training and support and research for women to start
and expand their businesses. Today the Small Business Administration is unveiling the
Spanish version of this website so that millions of women, throughout the hemisphere and
literally around the world, can also access this information.
After this meeting you can go into the conference room, right outside here and into one of
the hallways, and you can log right on to this new SBA service. And be sure and tell us
how well it works, because it is our very first time to try it out.
Because of this conference the Discovery Channel, the Foreign Ministry of Argentina and
the Global Foundation in Buenos Aires have come together to make sure that these voices
are heard well beyond this conference. They will do this through a series of Vital Voices
Public Service Announcements on issues raised here at the conference. Tomorrow each of
you will have the chance to help shape those messages that will be broadcast throughout
the hemisphere. So think please about the most effective way to reach women and men
with the messages of the Vital Voices Conference.
Another important partnership that is taking place is that IBM Uruguay will produce
computer and Internet training sessions for women in media and a political training
workshop experience sponsored by USAID, the Partners of the Americas, the League of
Women Voters, and USIA Women's Campaign International. This is one way that you can
really test and improve your own skills and learn from one each other about how you can
take messages from this conference back home.
The United States Government stands ready to continue to work with all of you. To make
sure that this critical effort started here at this conference, and building on so much work
that has gone before, will continue well into the future and will have the results that we all
hope for.
As I travel around the world, I am very grateful for the opportunity that I have to meet with
women and to listen to them. Their dreams, their aspirations, their hopes, their concerns.
And I am always amazed, impressed and humbled by the extraordinary human spirit and
hopefulness that I find whether I am in a very poor village in Bangladesh or Uganda, or in
a very small business in Nicaragua, or Santiago, I'm always with women who inspire me.
And these are the women from throughout this hemisphere who we must do all that we
can to ensure that their voices are heard, heard in city halls and board rooms, and trade
union offices, and political parties, in academia, in families.
If we carry forth from this conference the extraordinary example and words that we heard
from our four panelists, and we take our energy and work together to make sure that these
voices are heard, I think we have a great opportunity ahead of us.
10
I ran across a quote from an early Uruguayan woman leader, Dr. Paulina Luisi who said
"We shall not reach the radiant mount toward which our eyes are fixed today. But on the
ground we are breaking, our daughters will march to victory."
As the mother of a daughter, I hope with all my heart, that we will break that ground, and
the youngest among us will see results, that we will make it possible in the next century for
women and men to feel as they should. fully empowered, full of hope and confident,
because there are no longer any of those divisions that separate us from one another, but
instead a commitment creating a future that brings out the best in all of us.
Thank you very much.
7th Conference of the
Wives of Heads of State
and Governments of the Americas
Speech given by the
We are reaching for our at a time in history
Honorable
Mrs.
Hillary
which is full of hope, at a time which is
propitious for social change of a more positive
kind.
Clinton, First Lady of the
enjoying the right to shape their own leaders, as well as
United States
forming their own opinions based on information obtained
from a free press, from open talks in support or opposition
of a cause.
Today we know that for every democracy, whether
I am honored to be part of this Seventh Conference and
recently created or whether thousands of years old, the
to share with you the third year of these important
process of building and caring for a democracy can only
meetings. I would like to thank the government and
take root when its principles are forever set in the hearts of
Republic of Panama, and especially our host, for
all people. Democracy can only move forward when no
organizing this Conference and welcoming us with the
one is afraid of the consequences of stopping or talking in
hospitality we have come to associate with their country.
the name of justice, and democracy can only achieve its
greatest potential when women are not prohibited by law,
The United States and Panama enjoy a rich and long-
ignorance, by tradition or custom or intimidation, from
lasting friendship which will be stronger in the new
making their voices heard at the moment of voting for and
millennium, along with our partnership of a century with
achieving their most cherished dreams.
the Canal which is experiencing a time of historic
transition; we shall always be united by the mutual respect
Power for Women
and commitment we share in ensuring the benefits of
Because of this, I believe that the part of the Conference
democracy for all our people.
which is called Rights and Participation is so important in
granting more women the power to seek out and claim
I think it is appropriate to have met in Panama for our
their rights as citizens and human beings. It is the only
annual Conference. Panama really is the crossroads, the
way in which our democracies, old or new, will survive
bridge of the Americas, it is a nation which literally joins
and struggle and move into the twenty-first century.
our hemisphere, the diversity of this country, ecologically,
culturally, ethnically, it is a microcosm of all the
I have been told that the word "empowerment" does not
Americas. We have arrived here from the other side of
translate well, however I am sure that each woman in this
the hemisphere hoping to build a better world for all
room knows its meaning very well. It means the right to
women, children and families, in numerous ways.
participate in the political lives of our countries.
"Empowerment" means the capacity to lead a life free of
Difficult and Complex Task
sexual and domestic violence. In addition, it means access
Our task is much more difficult and complex than the
to justice in accordance with the law, to education and
task of those who built the Canal a century ago. Instead of
health, to credit and property. In short, giving women
mountains, we seek to move hearts, change old attitudes,
power means giving them the same treatment as complete
eradicate hunger and disease, educate all our children and
citizens in every country.
most importantly, give women the power throughout our
hemisphere to participate in the lives of our nations.
Domestic Violence
No nation can hope to be successful in our global
Propitious Time
economy if half their population is not given the
We are reaching for our goals at a time in history which
opportunity to make use of the potential given to them by
is full of hope, at a time which is propitious for social
God, as we can see in many countries, where many rights
change of a more positive kind.
have been denied women and many positions of
opportunity remain closed.
Along the road of freely-elected democracies, today for
the first time, there are millions of people who are
Many women live in fear of violence at the hands of a
32
7th Conference of the
Wives of Heads of State
and Governments of the Americas
member of the family. For them, their homes do not
We must maintain the same speed in reaching the goal to
provide a refuge, the law does not offer protection and
finally achieve it and to be able to say it has been
public opinion does not offer any sympathy.
achieved.
Domestic and sexual violence against women remains as
Contribution
one of the most serious forms of unreported violation in
All the countries in the Hemisphere have united with the
our region. All of us must work to offer renewed
PAHO to improve pre-natal and obstetrics care and many
protection against this violation of human rights which is
women in this room have greatly contributed to this effort.
domestic violence.
We have brought institutions and individuals, together
through the Association for the Program on Rehabilitation
Criminal Violence
of Education in America to push primary education. In
As the Secretary of State in my country, our first female
Honduras, El Salvador and many other countries, many
Minister of Foreign Affairs has said, violence cannot be
children are graduating from primary school and we have
classified as cultural, it is criminal. Many women,
helped to place educational reform and revitalization at the
especially those who are poor and less educated, are not
top of the list of the agendas of our countries.
aware of their legal rights in the workplace, their right to
their own property and their right to choose their own
Rights of Women
lives. Regardless of whether these laws exist on the books,
However, the subject we are focused on this morning,
many women and children are trapped in a cycle of
the promotion and expansion of the legal and political
endless poverty and do not have access to family planning
rights of women, represents possibly the most difficult
and have received a limited education, but please, let us
challenge we slowly, but surely face. We are witnesses of
not forget what we already know about many solutions to
legal reform which is raising the status of women in the
these problems. We already know what is being worked
home and in society.
on to improve our lives.
Law against Domestic Violence
Next week I will be privileged to travel to Venezuela,
In Costa Rica, women have pushed for the approval of a
Brazil and Argentina with my husband. I will be visiting
law against domestic violence. Many countries now have
micro-credit, family planning and educational programs,
a human rights Ombudsman dedicated to the protection of
which, I and many of you, have worked to support here in
the rights of women.
this Hemisphere as well as around the world.
In El Salvador, legislators have updated the laws against
rape, forcing perpetrators to face justice. Also, laws have
Successes have been registered in granting women the
been approved which force politicians to prove they have
power to bring up their children, to remove their families
paid child support before being able to run' for public
from poverty.
office.
Priorities
Here in Panama, legislators have reformed the Family
There is also encouraging news to report on the three
Code to improve the regulation of matters such as child
priorities which were established following our Miami
support and child custody.
meeting of the Summit of the Americas in 1994, the
In Latin America, we see many new laws which allow
elimination of measles in the Americas by the year 2000,
women to be elected to public posts, and in my own
and the reduction of maternal morbidity and educational
country we have introduced programs on violence against
reform, all of which we have heard about this morning.
women which involve training police and the prosecution
of delinquents throughout the 50 states.
Last year not one case of measles was reported in the 27
countries of the Americas, meanwhile we could have
These are a few of the ideas we have to share with you
suffered a setback with an outbreak of this disease in
so women in our hemisphere may experience the same
Brazil, as well as in my own country.
improvements in their lives.
33
7th Conference of the
Wives of Heads of State
and Governments of the Americas
Beneficial Political Changes
Last year, at a conference in Vienna I had the privilege
None of these advances would have taken place if
of meeting with a group of women from the new
women had not spoken and demanded changes, and
democratic countries of the former Soviet Union.
obliged governments to respond to their needs. We must
push women forward so their voices may be heard, so
They had recently recognized the power of action of
they may join in with organizations in striving for
independent citizens to direct changes as diverse as the
political changes which will benefit all women.
traffic of women for prostitution, and they had met to
share ideas and to renew and strengthen their faith in
Albright and I visited the Inter-American Institute of
democratic values and freedom.
Human Rights in Costa Rica. The Organization was set up
to defend and promote respect for human rights where
This type of agreement of many women could be very
many regimes control the lives of many people of the
beneficial for our hemisphere as well, by drawing many
Americas. Throughout the last decade, it has guided these
working women to the forefront of the various changes
countries on the long and difficult path towards
which we advocate. In the measure in which our countries
democracy, to free societies through very critical
continue to expand their strategic and political alliances,
transitional elections.
women in this hemisphere can shape the path by building
an alliance of democratic values which will strengthen our
At present, the new mission of the Institute is to help
democracy for the next millennium.
new constitutional governments to understand and live for
We must work actively to empower all women to take
the principles of democracy, to create a new culture of
their places in society, in government and all institutions
human rights in the Americas. The Secretary of State and
of society, to take advantage of their talents, to begin new
I met with official activists who told us that even though
businesses, to pay off their loans and to vote to elect
governments had changed, the tasks of safeguarding and
presidents, to have their voices heard, and we must not rest
deepening respect for human rights remained as
until we have abolished laws and the cobwebs of tradition,
challenging as ever.
until we have brought down the forces of intimidation
which threaten the potential of women and children, and
A few years ago, the Institute began a gender and human
which nations maintain to prevent. them from being
rights program, designed to educate women in their rights
democratic and free.
and to promote the principle that women's rights are in
fact human rights, and human rights are women's rights.
Last year I took part in a radio call-in program of the
Further on, there will be an announcement of a donation of
Voice of the Americas. One listener called from the other
4.8 million dollars to aid the human rights of women.
side of the world to ask what I had meant to say in
Beijing about the rights of women being human rights
Continuing the Struggle
and human rights being the rights of women. I asked the
Our work as individuals and as First Ladies is not over
person who called in to close his eyes and think of all the
yet, we must continue to fight for democracy and to
rights and privileges he enjoys as a man, and then I told
encourage women to take responsibility as citizens, to take
him to imagine a world where all women enjoyed those
it seriously so they can vote in local and national elections,
same rights and privileges. I know if we continue
as well as elect more women to public office.
working, work which all of you have begun and which we
have carried out jointly, that we can move our hemisphere
Only women like ourselves can make democracy work
toward making these principles a reality in this world so
for us and our families. It is a message which is taking
that in the future, a question like that will never be asked
shape in all countries around the world.
again.
34
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
REMARKS TO THE FIFTH CONFERENCE OF
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND OF GOVERNMENTS OF THE AMERICAS
ASUNCION, PARAGUAY
OCTOBER 16, 1995
I am privileged to have the opportunity to represent my country, the United States, for the
first time at this Fifth Conference of First Ladies from the Western Hemisphere. It is also a great
honor for me to be here in Paraguay with all of you.
We have gathered together to discuss the futures of women and children in all of our
countries. Whether we live in North, Central, or South America or the Caribbean region, we are
united in our belief that women everywhere share common aspirations and concerns.
Yet, as we meet here in this beautiful hall this evening, we also know that a vast reservoir
of human potential is now being wasted across the Americas.
No nation in our hemisphere can say that all of its children are fed, clothed,
housed, schooled, and raised by loving parents. No nation in our hemisphere can say that all of
its women are treated with dignity, respect, and given the chance to fulfill their God-given
potentials. And no nation can say that each and every family within its borders is healthy, strong,
and stable.
Our world, as we know, is far from perfect. But even though enormous challenges remain,
we have come here hopeful about our future. Hopeful because, somewhere in our hemisphere
right now, a baby in a local health clinic is being immunized against a serious disease
a little
girl is going to school and is learning to read and write
a woman is taking out a small loan
from a neighborhood bank that will enable her to start her own business in her home. We know
that every problem we face in our hemisphere is being solved somewhere in our region at this very
moment.
We are also hopeful because of the progress made at last year's Summit of the Americas
in Miami, at the United Nations Conference on Social Development in Copenhagen earlier this
year, and more recently at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
I think it is very fitting that we meet after those three historic gatherings, which drew world
attention to the plight of women and children and, in so doing, to the plight of families as well.
Since Miami, we have seen cooperation grow among our nations, and our political leaders.
The Summit not only recognized every nation's duty to invest in its people, but also the special
role that girls and women play in the economic and social development of the Western
Hemisphere.
1
That theme was reiterated again in Copenhagen, which focused on the alleviation of
poverty as an essential factor in political, social and economic progress.
Many of us also attended last month's women's conference in Beijing, where it was again
made clear that democracy and prosperity cannot be attained or sustained in countries that do not
value women as full and equal partners in society.
The conferences in Miami, Copenhagen and Beijing showed the world that issues involving
children and women are not secondary issues. They are keys to building democratic institutions,
strengthening market economies, and achieving social justice.
They are also among the hardest issues we face.
That is why the agreement reached in Miami last year was an historic first for countries
of this hemisphere. For the first time, there was universal recognition that no nation can compete
in the global economy if half its population cannot read or write, cannot find a job, or cannot rise
out of poverty.
And that is why it is also heartening that, despite assurances from skeptics that nothing
would be accomplished in Beijing, more than 180 nations endorsed a platform for action that lays
out specific ways to expand the rights and opportunities of women around the world.
This is particularly critical today, given the growing gap between the rich and the poor,
the educated and the uneducated, the skilled and the unskilled.
Those among us who enjoy the opportunities of education, health care, jobs, credit, legal
and political rights are flourishing in the new global economy. Those without such opportunities
are lagging farther and farther behind. And more often than not, those lagging behind are women
and poor children.
This trend, if it continues, threatens to undermine the very institutions we are seeking to
uphold: strong families, strong economies, and strong democracies. All will be in jeopardy if
women continue to be denied the opportunities they need to thrive and compete in the new
century.
So, what must change?
First, values and attitudes.
In our everyday lives, we must begin to respect the dignity of each person, no matter
where that person lives or what he or she looks like. To do that, we must be willing to overcome
many assumptions, presumptions, prejudices and prejudgments.
2
Because, to truly respect a child means to respect every child in every family, boy or girl.
To respect a child means to give that child the love, attention, and discipline he or she needs to
grow up with confidence and competence. To respect a child means to nurture that child with the
health care and schooling that he or she needs to get the right start in life.
Every time we dismiss the potential of a child because of skin color, parental income, or
family background, we betray our own futures.
We must also appreciate the contributions of every woman, instead of pigeon-holing and
categorizing women in ways that limit their potential. To truly respect a woman means to respect
and protect her human rights; it means to respect the choices she makes for herself and her family;
and it means to value the experience she brings to all facets of life.
Second, institutions must change, and so must the ways we go about our everyday
business.
If programs and policies have outlived their usefulness, we should admit that they no
longer solve the problems they were meant to solve. We must fix programs that don't work with
reforms that are efficient and inexpensive. And we must insist that institutions -- whether
government, schools, or health care systems - overcome bureaucratic intransigence and put people
first.
We must also take advantage of the many innovative programs that do exist throughout our
hemisphere. Prior to arriving in Paraguay today, I was in Brasilia, where President and Mrs.
Cardoso told me about Brazil's efforts to improve the quality of primary education.
I then traveled on to Salvador da Bahia, where an extraordinary effort is underway to
channel the potential and energy of thousands of street children. One program I saw was a circus
in which the performers were children, some as young as eight, who had been recruited off the
streets where they lived.
They were not being trained for circus jobs; their performances were merely a vehicle for
learning the value of discipline, teamwork, and hard work. Along the way, these children develop
confidence, self-esteem, and pride in their accomplishments. Part of a program called Project
Axe, they also receive schooling and vocational training, as well as counseling to reunite them
with their families.
I asked one 15-year-old boy, who had been with the project since it began five years ago,
whether it had made a difference in his life. If not for the project, he said, "I would be dead or
in prison now."
Programs like this one, which receive support from the public and private sectors and some
international organizations, can be replicated widely. But that requires us to share information,
3
exchange ideas, discuss honestly our successes and failures, and learn as much as we can from
each other.
Government has a vital role in all of this. But government is only effective if it listens to
the voices of the people it serves, instead of making decisions based on political convenience or
whim. And government must be held accountable for meeting human needs.
At the same time, government cannot address every problem alone. We must not look on
government as a panacea, but as an able partner of business, non-governmental organizations, and
other private institutions committed to investing in the promise of every person, including those
who are poor, disadvantaged, and politically powerless. And one of the best things government
can do is to make it easier for outside groups, non-governmental groups, to do the work they are
willing to do.
Finally, as societies, we must be willing to move beyond inertia to action. And all of us --
individuals and institutions -- must heed that call to action. We must start by taking responsibility
within our own families and then spreading that responsibility to the communities in which we
live.
Every segment of society has a stake in this issue. And every segment of society can affect
positive change.
Schools, for example, can be more flexible in responding to the needs of their students,
young and old.
A few days ago, in Santiago, Mrs. Frei took me to a school that embodies the Chilean
commitment to building an educational system for the future. I saw boys and girls busy working
on computers hooked up to the Internet.
I learned from the Minister of Education that schools may begin to keep their doors open
on Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate the children of working parents who have no
alternatives for child care, and for children who wish to acquire new skills for themselves.
I saw that Chile has not been content to stick with old methods that do not work. The
government and people of that country are devising new ways of training teachers, involving
parents and communities. All of this is happening now in many countries throughout the
Americas and more can happen if we are willing to learn from each other's experiences.
Heeding the call to action also means that financial institutions must serve all people, even
if they are poor, live in remote areas, or are women. How much more evidence do we need that
women are a good credit risk? I have seen the proof myself at the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh,
where the poorest of the poor in the world have transformed entire villages by taking out small
loans for cows, rickshaws, and other items they use to earn an income.
4
I have even seen it in my own country, where poor women at a project called Mi Casa,
in Denver, Colorado, have banded together to take out small loans to help themselves. And they
told me very, very directly how difficult it is for women even in the United States to have access
to credit. One woman said: "Too many great ideas die in the parking lots of banks."
But all over this hemisphere, women are overcoming these obstacles. In Nicaragua, which
I visited at the beginning of my trip, I saw how hard President Chamorro has worked to strengthen
democratic institutions and promote a market economy. And I met thirty women from a very poor
barrio in Managua who run a bank in their neighborhood, borrowing small sums of money to start
their own businesses, to start a bakery, to make mosquito netting, to be a seamstress.
Not only had these women organized themselves to improve their own circumstances, they
were also improving the circumstances of their families and communities.
Furthermore, they have, like every bank I have ever visited, a high loan repayment rate.
In that particular neighborhood bank, the repayment rate was 100 percent. And from what I know
about banking, that would be the envy of many commercial lenders.
Individual men and women need to change attitudes and then act, just as every branch of
society.
Businesses can initiate policies, such as flexible work schedules, child care,
and the use of modern technology, that enable employees to perform well on the job and continue
to fulfill their family obligations. Businesses also can value women by paying women equal
salaries for equal work with their men employees.
The media can assume greater responsibility for the values it transmits by avoiding
negative advertising and television programming that sensationalizes violence and glorifies the
exploitation and degradation of women and children.
At this conference, we will examine these issues, and we will focus specifically on what
can be done to address the pressing health and education of women and children.
We will discuss initiatives to ensure the elimination of diseases that primarily affect women
and children, reduce maternal mortality and provide comprehensive health care to women
throughout their lifetimes, including family planning. We will talk about what every nation must
do to ensure that girls are guaranteed the right to an education and that all citizens acquire the
knowledge and skills they will all need in the new global economy.
And we will explore ways to end the problem of domestic violence, which has destroyed
the lives of too many women and their families in every country represented here.
I would like to make one final point about our agenda. Because we are talking about the
5
issues that matter most in the lives of women and children does not mean we are not talking about
the lives of men and boys.
When I was in Nicaragua, I noticed billboards along the side of the road. They showed
the face of a crying child with the caption: "My father has left the home." The problem of the
absent father is as tragic as the problem of the undervalued mother and wife. It is a problem that,
in the United States, we are urgently trying to address.
If, as a hemisphere, we truly care about strong families, strong communities, and strong
societies, we have to recognize that men and women can and must complement each other inside
and outside of the home. We should not be at opposite poles; we should be partners in a common
enterprise for the good of all of us, and particularly our children.
Because of the roles that the women here and many of you in this hall have, we know we
can help initiate the changes that must take place if we ever want to realize the great potential of
this hemisphere.
Like the women I have met all over this hemisphere in Canada, in my country, in Mexico,
in Nicaragua, in Chile, in Brazil and here in Paraguay, we come together to pool our experiences
and ideas to improve conditions for our individual families as well as our national family and the
family of nations.
I was not present at the earlier conferences, but I want to thank and applaud all of the
women who took part in those conferences and who have moved this agenda forward. I was
privileged to host cur meeting in Miami and I look forward to the work ahead of us. It is the
most exciting and challenging work any of us can imagine or be engaged in. And it is work in
which we can make a difference.
Thank you very much.
###
6
Chapter VIII
Declaration of Panama
The First Ladies of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil,
by our Governments at the World Summit on Children in
Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador,
1990; the United Nations Conference on the Environment
Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua,
and Development of 1992; the Geneva Declaration on
Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United
Rural Women of 1992; the World Conference on Human
States, and the Representatives designated by the
Rights of 1993; the International Conference on
Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, El Salvador,
Population and Development of 1994; the Summit of the
Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint
Americas of 1994; the World Summit, on Social
Kitts and Nevis, Uruguay and Venezuela, meeting in
Development of 1995; the IV World Conference on
Panama on October 8-9, 1997, with the theme "Building
Women of 1995; the World Food Summit of 1996, and the
the Future of America with Human Rights and a Culture
Summit for Sustainable Development in Santa Cruz,
of Peace," to evaluate progress made and to renew our
Bolivia, in 1996.
commitment to find a solution to the social problems of
our Continent, agree to sign the following Declaration:
6- Conscious of the rapid changes which characterize
today's world, we reiterate our commitment to increase the
1- We recognize that the social problems which our
access and to improve the systems of education, training,
untries are facing are, in some respects, common to us
information and technology, with the aim of providing our
4, and that their solution requires the participation and
populations with the necessary tools to successfully
commitment of all sectors of society.
assume the responsibility to contribute to their
development.
2- We firmly believe that the promotion and respect of
human rights, the achievement of equality and the
7- We reiterate our commitment to continue to
strengthening of values such as solidarity, tolerance, a
supporting the fulfillment of our agreements on:
culture of peace, pluralism and the right to self-
determination of people, are fundamental conditions for
the development and integration of a community of
Prevention of Early Pregnancy
nations.
Prevention and Control of Cancer
3- We have proven the existence of vulnerable
population groups who have been greatly impacted by
Elimination of all Forms of Violence
poverty, unemployment, and social disintegration. Among
these, children, young people, urban and rural women, the
Reduction of Maternal Morbidity-Mortality
elderly and disabled require policies and programs which
will facilitate their incorporation into the development
Observance of the Rights and Duties of Children
process and its benefits.
Improvement of the Quality of the Educational
4- We reiterate our desire to put our capabilities as
Systems for Children
managers, mobilizers, facilitators or ralliers of social
programs and policies at the service of our countries, with
Equal Access for Girls and Boys to Education
an emphasis on the vulnerable sectors, in complete unity
with the national interests of each country, gaining
Equal Access of Women in Decision-making
nspiration from dialogue, negotiation and mutual respect.
Processes
5- We will continue to use as a frame of reference and
8- We value the work carried out by countries in the
orientation the recommendations and decisions supported
region who support the elimination of measles.
57
7th Conference of the
Wives of Heads of State
and Governments of the Americas
9- We contunue to be concerned with the poverty and
13- We invite countries which have not done so, to ratify
inequality which persist among rural women in the
the Inter-American Treaty for the Prevention, Sanction,
Americas. For this reason, we view with great satisfaction
and Eradication of Violenceagainst Women, known as the
the advances achieved in the establishment and launching
Treaty de Belem do Pará, adopted in 1994.
of the regional proposal to strengthen the integration of
rural women in educational, productive and commercial
14- We support initiatives promoting Human Rights, to
activities. We request that the Pro-Tempore Secretariat
lay the foundation for a real Culture of Peace and
present the project in the manner deemed convenient at the
Development, such as the ones already in place, to
next meeting of the Inter-American Agricultural Board
overcome poverty on our continent.
and of other interested regional organizations.
15- We recognize that to reach our goals of achieving a
true culture of peace and development, it is indispensable
10- We consider that the process of educating children
to support the access and participation of women in the
and adolescents must include the development of
process of decision-making within the framework of a
knowledge, abilities, and a sense of responsibility to look
diverse and active civil society.
after their health, to guarantee and promote their rights
and to promote co-existence, non-discrimination, equality
16- We recognize the valuable participation and
among men and women, and conflict resolution through
contribution of international organizations and financial
dialogue, communication, negotiation and mutual respect.
institutions which have supported our initiatives, making
possible the execution of projects and programs destined
11- We commit our efforts to contribute to the
for the neediest and most vulnerable sectors of our
eradication of child labor, whose repercussions bar the
societies.
harmonious and integral education and development of
boys and girls in our countries. Because of this, we
17- We gratefully apreciate and accept the kind offer of
request the United Nations to establish an International
the First Lady of Chile to host the VIIIth Conference of the
Year for the Eradication of Child Labor.
Wives of Heads of State and Governments of the
Americas in 1998.
12- We recognize the urgency of all the countries in
18- We thank the First Lady of Panama, Dora Boyd de
adopting the necessary measures to comply with the
Pérez Balladares, the people and government of Panama,
Treaty on the Rights of Children in particular, and to
for the kind attention we have received during our stay.
confront as soon as possible, the elimination of all forms
of violence against boys and girls which irreparably
Two copies were signed in the city of Panama in their
mutilate and lacerate their bodies and spirits.
original form in Spanish and English on October 9th,
1997.
58
7th Conference of the
Wives of Heads of State
and Governments of the Americas
Annex
Participants and special guests
COUNTRY
FIRST LADIES
1. Antigua
Patricia Bird
2. Chile
Marta Larrechea de Frei
3. Colombia
Jacquin Strouss de Samper
4. Costa Rica
Josette Altmann de Figueres
5. Guatemala
Patricia Escobar Dalton de Arzú
6. Guyana
Ivonne Hinds
7. Nicaragua
María Dolores de Alemán
8. Suriname
Patricia De León
9. Trinidad and Tobago
Ismay Patricia Robinson
10. Brazil
Ruth Correa Leite de Cardoso
11. Ecuador
Lucía Reña Ochoa de Alarcón
12. Haiti
Géri Benoit Préval
13. Canada
Aline Chrétien
14. United States
Hillary Rodham Clinton
15. Jamaica
Lady Ivy Silvia Watson de Cooke
16. Panama
Dora Boyd de Pérez Balladares
COUNTRY
GOVERNMENT DELEGATES
1. Argentina
Ambassador Zelmira Mireya Regazzoli
2. Cuba
Sonia Beretervide Dopico
3. Peru
Ambassador Beatriz Ramacciotti
4. Uruguay
Deputy Diana Cristina Saravia Olmos
5. St. Kitts
Verónica Liburd
6.
Venezuela
Elsie de Altimari
7. Paraguay
Beatriz Barriocanal de Breuer
8. Mexico
Maria Carmen Oñate
9. Bolivia
Virginia Gaylle de Quiroga
10. El Salvador
Abigaíl Castro de Pérez
11. Dominican Republic
Lissy Campos de Fernández
SPECIAL GUESTS
1. Her Majesty Queen Fabiola
Queen of Belgium
2. Rebeca Grynspan
Vice-President of Costa Rica
3. Sir George Alleyne
General Manager of PAHO
4. Muni Figueres
IDB External Relations Advisor
5. Mayra Buvinic
Head of the IDB Unit for Women in Development
6. Juan Méndez
Executive Manager of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
7. Ana Botella de Aznar
Wife of the President of the Government of Spain
8. Ofelia Calcetas-Santos
Special Reporter of the United Nations on the subject of Child Abuse
9. Carmen Moreno
Subregional Manager -IPEC
10. Elaine Wolfensohn
Head of the World Bank Delegation
11. Tomás Jiménez Araya
Head of the UNFPA Delegation
12. Ricardo Alba
ALICC- representing the Countess of Elda
13. Anaisabel Prera
Special Counsellor to the Director of UNESCO
14. Larry Boone
General Deputy Manager of IICA, Costa Rica
15. Margarita Roque
Executive Secretary of the CIM
16. Marta Maurás
Regional Manager of UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean
17. Roberto Leal Ocampo
Director of the Inter-American Confederation of the International
League for Mentally Disabled People
60
8ᵀᴴ CONFERENCE OF
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE
AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
Santiago Declaration
The Wives of the Heads of State and Government of the Americas and Delegates meeting in Santiago, Chile
from the 28th through the 30th of September of 1998 under the theme "The Americas Pave Today the Way for the
Year 2000" for the purpose of sharing the achievements and lending new impetus to our commitment to
contribute to the development of the countries in the Hemisphere, hereby sign the following Declaration:
1.
We recognize the growing need to contribute more actively to finding solutions to social problems that require
a hemispheric effort by pooling skills, sharing experiences, strengthening initiatives, and designing strategies
that permit us to take effective action in this area.
2.
We value our potential as a shared network of common goals and projects that transcend our borders for the
purpose of bringing together, developing and using capabilities and resources to the benefit of our societies,
especially its vulnerable sectors.
3. Our actions are oriented towards supporting and promoting social policies and strategies consistent with
international agreements and resolutions that foster the strengthening of democracy, the eradication of poverty,
the protection and promotion of human rights, progress toward economic stability and social justice for all
the peoples of the Americas.
4.
We commit ourselves once more to the agreements concluded as part of the Panama Declaration with respect
to high-risk population groups who are hardest hit by the effects of poverty and social exclusion. We reaffirm
our commitments to ensure that policies and programs are fully incorporated into the development processes
of our countries.
5.
We recognize that globalization is generating in each of our countries new scenarios that present a series of
new demands and opportunities with respect to national capabilities.
6.
We endorse and value the strides made as set forth in the "Follow-up Report on the Agreements and Projects
Adopted at the Seventh Conference of Wives of Heads Of State and Government of the Americas" regarding:
Teen Pregnancy Prevention; Cancer Prevention and Control; Eradication of Measles; Elimination of all Forms
of Violence; Reduction of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality; Compliance with Rights and Obligations with
respect to Children; Improvement of the Quality of Childhood Education Systems; Equal Access by Boys and
Girls to Education; and Equal Access by Women to Decision-Making Processes.
7.
We agree to adopt, as central priority issues of this Eighth Conference, given their importance and relevance
to the situations in the countries gathered here: Education; Promotion of Women's Rights to Participation;
Prevention and Elimination of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, and coordination with the agreements
and resolutions of the Second Summit of the Americas held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998 and other
conferences on these topics.
8.
We underscore, in the field of education, the importance of the comprehensive development of the child, with
emphasis on the early education of boys and girls under 6 years of age living in poverty and other high-risk
situations. We also underscore the importance of continuing to combine our efforts to support the inclusion and
retention of women in the labor force and promote educational strategies that target women and children's health.
9.
We recognize that problems that need to be addressed in the Americas on an urgent basis include: increased
teenage pregnancy and a higher incidence of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. We agree to dedicate
our efforts to encourage and support sexual education for boys and girls, regarding the prevention of AIDS
and other STD.
60
8TH CONFERENCE OF
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE
AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
10. We reaffirm our support for strengthening the rights of women to participate in all areas of social, political,
economic and cultural endeavors involving our peoples. We greatly value and support the initiatives taken to
include rural women in this process.
11. We declare our firm intent to continue to strive for equal treatment and opportunities for women, which serve
as barometers of actual progress made in consolidating the democratic mechanisms that our countries are
promoting. We will lend support to programs aimed at strengthening the capabilities of women, particularly
those that encourage and develop their leadership skills.
12. We recognize and value the progress made in the countries of the Hemisphere with respect to legislation applicable
to domestic violence. We agree to devote our efforts to strengthening those entities that guarantee proper
implementation of and actual compliance with the rights and duties resulting from this legislation.
13. We reiterate the need to guarantee continuity of efforts aimed at eradicating measles in our Hemisphere by
the year 2000. Moreover, we support other initiatives aimed at implementing innovative strategies for the
promotion of physical and mental health.
14. We agree that within the context of the International Year of Senior Citizens, scheduled by the United Nations
to cover the period September 1, 1998 through September 30, 1999, to work systematically in our countries for
their full social, economic and cultural inclusion. We will also provide assistance with exchanges and technical
support in this area among our countries.
15. We note that our meeting coincides with the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and we undertake to comply fully with the goals set forth in that important Declaration, reaffirming
the universal, indivisible and interdependency of these rights.
16. We declare our firm intention to promote equal opportunities for persons with disabilities, in order to strengthen
their participatory rights.
17. We emphasize the valuable assistance being provided by cooperation agencies, international organizations
and multilateral programs to support social policies, governmental and non-governmental institutions to
bolster initiatives and resources aimed at the implementation of our activities that benefit the vulnerable
groups.
18. We reaffirm our support for access to and participation of women in decision-making processes as one of the
most important ways of achieving our goals and "paving today the way for the year 2000".
19. We express our solidarity with the countries affected by the recent disaster cuased by nature particulary by
Hurricane George.
20. We express our appreciation to the First Lady of the Republic of Chile, Mrs. Marta Larraechea de Frei, and in
particular, the Chilean government and people, for the hospitality extended during our stay.
21. We are grateful for and accept the courteous offer of the wife of the Prime Minister of Canada, Mrs. Aline
Chrétien, to host the Ninth Conference of Wives of the Heads of State and Government of the Americas in
1999.
61
8ᵀᴴ CONFERENCE OF
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE
AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
Mrs. Dora Boyd de Pérez Balladares
Mrs. Mary Flake de Flores
First Lady of Panama
First Lady of Honduras
Mrs. Marta Larraechea de Frei
Mrs. María Dolores Alemán Cardenal
First Lady of Chile
First Lady of Nicaragua
Mrs. Aline Chrètien
Mrs. Mirta Gusinky de Cubas
First Lady of Canada
First Lady of Paraguay
Mrs. Yolanda Prada de Banzer
Ms. Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi
First Lady of Bolivia
First Lady of Peru
Mrs. Ruth Correa de Leite Cardozo
Mrs. Carmen L. Campos de Fernández
First Lady of Brazil
First Lady of the Dominican Republic
Mrs. Norha Puyana de Pastrana
Mrs. Calliopa Pearlette Louisy
First Lady of Colombia
First Lady of Saint Lucia
Mrs. Lorena Clare de Rodríguez
Mrs. Ismay Patricia D'Leon
First Lady of Costa Rica
First Lady of Suriname
Ms. Paola Mahuad Calderón
Mrs. Oma Panday
First Lady of Ecuador
First Lady of Trinidad and Tobago
Mrs. Elizabeth de Calderón Sol
Mrs. Teresa González Fernández de Solá
First Lady of El Salvador
Government Delegate of Argentina
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Mrs. Vilma Lucila Espín de Castro
First Lady of the United States of America
Government Delegate of Cuba
Mrs. Patricia Escobar de Arzú
Mrs. Elsie Schmilinsky de Altimari
First Lady of Guatemala
Government Delegate of Venezuela
Mrs. Yvonne Zereder Hinds
Mrs. María Amparo Canto González
First Lady of Guyana
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico
Mrs. Géri Benoit Preval
Mrs. Escribana Gabriela Sierra del Cioppo
First Lady of Haiti
Technical Advisor of Uruguay
62
is CONFERENCIA DE ESPOSAS
DE JEFES DE ESTADO
Y DE GOBIERNO
DE LAS AMERICAS
Secretaria Pro- Tempore
SIXTH CONFERENCE OF WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
DECLARATION OF LA PAZ
WE, THE WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENTS, MEETING IN THE CITY OF LA PAZ BETWEEN 3
AND 6 DECEMBER, 1966, WITH THE PURPOSE OF ANALYZING "THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN
AND CHILDREN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
AND IN AGREEING UPON ACTIONS, INSPIRED IN DIALOGUE, SOLIDARITY AND MUTUAL
RESPECT, SUBSCRIBE TO THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES:
1: WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE SUBJECTS OF SOCIAL POLICIES SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN
AN ORGANIZED AND ACTIVE MANNER IN THE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND
FOLLOW-UP OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES so THAT EVERYONE
MAY DEVELOP TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE RIGHTS OF
PEOPLE TO RECEIVE PROPER CARE INCLUDING NUTRITION, HOUSING, HEALTH,
EMPLOYMENT AND RECREATION
2. WE RECOGNIZE, NEVERTHELESS, THAT ON OUR CONTINENT BARRIERS EXIST FOR
THE MOST VULNERABLE SECTORS OF OUR POPULATION, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, IN REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS.
3. WE BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT. GOVERNMENTS AND CIVIL SOCIETIES SHOULD WORK WITH
RESPONSIBILITY AND SOLIDARITY PROMOTING CONDITIONS OF OPPORTUNITY AND
EQUITY THAT WILL ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABILITIES, MEANS OF
ORGANIZATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
4. WE RECOGNIZE THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHOSE INTER-RELATIONSHIP MAKES POSSIBLE THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT, AND GUARANTEES THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PRESENT GENERATIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE WELFARE
OF FUTURE GENERATIONS
5. WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT POLICIES AND
STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THAT SEEK COMPLETE AND
FAIR PARTICIPATION FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE SOCIAL SECTORS.
Despacho de la
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de la Nación
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6. WE OFFER OUR MANAGEMENT AND MOBILIZING ABILITY TO CONTINUE FULFILLING
COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NATIONAL INTERESTS OF
EACH COUNTRY, MADE AT THE MEETINGS OF VENEZUELA, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA,
SANTA LUCIA AND PARAGUAY, AND ALSO TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND
DECISIONS ADOPTED AT THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON CHILDREN, HELD IN NEW YORK
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1990, THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT, HELD IN RIO DE JANEIRO IN JUNE OF 1992; THE WORLD CONFERENCE
ON HUMAN RIGHTS, HELD IN VIENNA IN JUNE OF 1993; THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, HELD IN CAIRO IN SEPTEMBER OF
1994; THE SUMMIT ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, HELD IN COPENHAGEN IN MARCH OF
1995; THE IV WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, HELD IN BELJING IN SEPTEMBER OF 1995;
THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT HELD IN ROME IN NOVEMBER 1996; AND THE SUMMIT OF
THE AMERICAS, HELD IN MIAMI, RELATING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT; AS WELL AS THOSE EXPRESSED IN AGENDA 21 CONCERNING WOMEN
AND CHILDREN.
7. WE COMMIT OUR FIRM SUPPORT TO SOUND AND EFFECTIVE SOCIAL POLICIES AND
STRATEGIES THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE HEMISPHERE FOSTER, IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
8. WE HIGHLIGHT THE ETHNIC AND CULTURAL VALUE OF OUR SOCIETIES AS AN
ESSENTIAL FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED IN FORMULATING AND IMPLEMENTING
POLICIES AND STRATEGIES DIRECTED TOWARD WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IN AN
ATMOSPHERE OF HARMONY, PEACE, EQUITY, PLURALISM AND DIVERSITY.
9. WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT OT JOIN EFFORTS, COORDINATE ACTIONS, AND
SHARE EXPERIENCES WITH THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING COOPERATION AND
INTEGRATION OF ALL COUNTRIES OF THE CONTINENT.
10. WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH IN OUR POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY
FOR WOMEN, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REACH THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION WITHIN THE
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL LIFE OF OUR SOCIETIES, FOR WHICH WE STRIVE TO
SUPPORT PROGRAMS AIMED AT SOLVING CRITICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE
AMERICAS.
11. WE REITERATE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS TO
REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY, INCLUDING ACCESS TO PRENATAL CARE AND
DELIVERY BY TRAINED PERSONNEL; THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES ABLE TO SOLVE
OBSTETRIC EMERGENCIES; SEXUAL EDUCATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH*; AND
DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTARY, ACCESSIBLE AND HIGH QUALITY FAMILY PLANNING
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO COUPLES. FURTHERMORE, WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT
TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE AT ALL LEVELS OF THE HEALTH
SYSTEM AND AT ALL STAGES OF WOMEN'S LIVES.
Guatemala considers that the term "reproductive health." in accordance with its national legislation,
should be understood as "integrated health".
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12: WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO MOBILIZE NATIONAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT
CHILDREN FROM MEASLES AND TO ERADICATE THIS ILLNESS FROM THE AMERICAS. WE
APPLAUD THE EFFORTS AND SUCCESSES ATTAINED BY ALL OUR COUNTRIES IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST THIS ILLNESS AND ALL THOSE ILLNESSES THAT CAN BE PREVENTED
THROUGH IMMUNIZATION WE WILL. CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ACTIONS IN ORDER TO
MAINTAIN THE HIGH COVERAGE OF IMMUNIZATION so THAT THE GOAL OF
ERADICATING MEASLES CAN BE MET BY THE YEAR 2000.
13. WE ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A REGIONAL PROJECT
DIRECTED TO THE REDUCTION OF MALNUTRITION FROM MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY
IN THE HEMISPHERE, AND TO THE HIGH RATES OF ANEMIA AND THEIR SEVERE
CONSEQUENCES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
14. WE EMPHASIZE THE PRINCIPLE ROLE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ORDER FOR
PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, BROADEN THEIR SPECTRUM OF THEIR
OPPORTUNITIES, STIMULATE THEIR CREATIVITY, IMPROVE THEIR INCOME, AND
PROMOTE THEIR ADAPTATION TO TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE
CONDITION OF WOMEN.
15. WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OF
THE CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAS, PROMOTING BROAD AND EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL
POLICIES AND ADOPTING BETTER INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE IN ORDER TO SHARE
INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THE MOST
EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND STRATEGIES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
REALITY AND REQUIREMENTS OF EACH COUNTRY
16. WE REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING THE EDUCATION AND
INTEGRATED TRAINING OF WOMEN, PARTICULARLY IN THE RURAL AREAS. AND
PROGRAMS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BENEFIT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
OF OUR COUNTRIES
17. WE RECOGNIZE INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND A
VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH AFFECTS IN A SPECIAL MANNER WOMEN OF ALL
AGES AND SOCIAL GROUPS. FOR THIS REASON, WE URGE GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP
PUBLIC POLICIES ORIENTED TOWARDS CONFRONTING THIS PROBLEM IN AN
INTEGRATED MANNER.
18. WE URGE GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP PUBLIC POLICIES WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF
PROMOTING WOMEN'S EQUAL ACCESS TO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES AND TO
POWER STRUCTURES IN ALL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC AND POLITICAL LIFE. CONSEQUENTLY,
WE RECOMMEND FORMULATING AND IMPLEMENTING SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORIENTATION AND MEASURES AGREED UPON BY
GOVERNMENTS AT THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN HELD IN BEUING IN
1995 WHICH ARE DETAILED IN CLAUSE "G" OF THE PLATFORM OF ACTION. WHICH
RESULTED FROM THIS CONFERENCE
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19. WE DECIDE TO STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PRO
TEMPORE SECRETARIAT THROUGH ACTIVE MECHANISMS OF CONSULTATION AND
COORDINATION, TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMITMENTS MADE AT ALL MEETINGS; AND
TO FOSTER THE EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCES AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
LEVELS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE OUR ACTIONS.
20. WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION OF INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN
FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS, PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS DIRECTED
TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRIES. WE URGE THEM TO
CONTINUE TO COOPERATE IN ORDER TO REACH THE OBJECTIVES PROPOSED IN THE
PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE SIXTH CONFERENCE OF WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS.
21. WE EXPRESS OUR SATISFACTION TO THE REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA FOR THE
SIGNATURE OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN OSLO, NORWAY ON DECEMBER 4,
1996 AMONG THE SECTORS INVOLVED, WHICH CONSTITUTES A DECISIVE STEP IN THE
PEACE PROCESS OF THIS FRATERNAL NATION:
22. WE ACCEPT THE KIND OFFER OF THE FIRST LADIES OF PANAMA AND CHILE THAT
PANAMA BE THE SEAT OF THE VII CONFERENCE OF WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS IN 1997, AND THAT CHILE BE THE SEAT OF THE VIII
CONFERENCE IN 1998
23. WE THANK THE FIRST LADY OF BOLIVIA, AND, THROUGH HER, EXPRESS OUR
THANKS TO THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY FOR THEIR WARM
WELCOME AND HOSPITALITY.
24. SIGNED IN THE CITY OF LA PAZ, BOLIVIA, WITH TWO ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS IN
SPANISH AND ENGLISH, ON THE SIXTH DAY OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER OF THE YEAR
ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY-SIX.
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WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
Ximena Iturralde de Sánchez de Lozada
BOLIVIA
Dorn de Pug Balladares
María Teresa Carrasco de Wasmosy Dora Boyd de Pérez Balladares
PARAGUAY
PANAMA
WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT
Patiera Buid
Ruth You Cardoso J.di di University
Patricia Bird
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
BRAZIL
Tuata Paracelia deflei
Marta Larraechea de Frei
Jacquin
CHILE
jasquer COLOMBIA Strouss de de Samper Sampes
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La Pay Bolivia
Josette Altmann de Figueres
Elizabeth de Calderón Sol
COSTA RICA
EL SALVADOR
Harrie Class
in behalf of Hillary Rodhar
minutifield
Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Maria Marietta Mitchell
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
GRENADA
Bessie Watson de Reina
Lady Ivy Sylvia Lucille Cooke
HONDURAS
JAMAICA
REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT
Zelmira ARGENTINA Mireya Regazzoli Elizabeth E. BELIZE Amold Arnold
Jean Jean CANADA Augustine Augustine
Yolanda Ferrer Gómez
CUBA
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Ximena Martínez de Pérez
Hussy Chussy GUATEMALA Ordoñez Enging Disp mg
ECUADOR
William, Ramón Baez of Sacasa Jaca87
MEXICO
NICARAGUA
María to Carmen Oñate
Martha Chávez de Ocampo
Ismay Patricia D'León
PERU
SURINAME
Meon
Nelly Leites de Moraes
Elsie Schmilinsky de Altimari
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
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DECLARATION OF PARAGUAY
Y DE GOBIERNO
DE LAS AMERICAS
SECRETARIA PRO . TEMPORE
5TH CONFERENCE OF WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE
AND OF GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
WE, the Wives of Heads of State and of Government and
Representatives of Governments and of First Ladies of the
Americas gathered In the City of Asunción, Capital of the
Republic of Paraguay, on October 16-19, 1995, to exchange
ideas and strategies concerning the "Health and Education
of Women and Children" in our Region, as a follow-up to the
4th Conference of Wives of Heads of State and of
Government of the Americas held in Saint Lucia on October
11-13, 1994 and to the Symposium on Children of the
Americas held in Miami last December 10,
WE recognize that our countries face common challenges
regarding the health and education of women and children
and that by sharing experiences and promoting regional
actions through these conferences, we can foster the
development and the well-being of our nations.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE CONSIDERATIONS, WE
DECLARE THAT WE WILL:
1.
Work in favor of the health and education of women
and children, under the principles of: comprehensive
development, equality, democratization of information
and awareness, and family and social participation.
2. Support actions that improve the health of children and
women throughout their life cycles by promoting
universal and quality health care, thus contributing to
the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality.
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3.
Encourage and support the implementation - while
respecting the national interest and legislation of each
country - of the agreements and recommendations
reached at the World Summit on Children, the United
Nations International Conference on Population
andDevelopment, the Summit of the Americas, the
United Nations World Summit on Social Development,
and the United Nations Fourth World Conference on
Women.
4. Contribute to the attaiment of the goal to eliminate
measles in the Americas by the year 2000.
5. Promote strategies and activities to improve the health
and education of women and children, particularly in
poor rural areas and marginalized urban areas.
6. Promote women's and girls' access to formal and
non-formal education programs, to ensure
equal opportunity for full participation in society and
their active contribution to the development of their
countries.
7.
Promote a hemispheric dialogue to share information
and exchange experiences on education reform efforts
which increase school enrollment rates and completion
rates, improve the quality of primary and secondary
education and expand coverage of non-formal family
and community based early childhood education.
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Contribute to the prevention and elimination of all forms
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of violence against women and children through the
Y DE GOBIERNO
DE LAS AMERICAS
provision of norms and adoption of necessary
SECRETARIA PRO - TEMPORE
mechanisms, as well as fostering respect for human
rights.
IN ADDITION:
We agree to express our gratitude to International
Organizations and other entities for the interest and support
manifested at the Conference of Wives of Heads of State and
of Government and Representatives of Governments and of
First Ladies of the Americas.
We agree to hold the 6th Conference of Wives of Heads of
State and of Government of the Americas in the Republic of
Bolivia in 1996; agree to hold the 7th Conference in the
Republic of Panama, and form the new Pro-Tempore
Secretariat composed of the Offices of First Ladies of Bolivia,
Paraguay and Panama.
We congratulate and thank our host, Mrs. María Teresa
Carrasco de Wasmosy and the Government and people of
Paraguay for their warm hospitality and congratulate the
Pro-Tempore Secretariat and the General Coordination
Committee for the successful culmination of the Conference.
Signed in Asunción, capital of the Republic of Paraguay on
the nineteenth day of the month of October of the year
nineteen hundred and ninety-five.
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First Ladies
Y DE GOBIERNO
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SECRETARIA PRO - TEMPORE
Members of the Pro Tempore Secretariat
Janier Compl
madiliene may thenen para
Thereory Roddom Clinton
Janice Compton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Saint Lucia
United States of América
Willa María Teresa and Carrasco @. de Wasmosy
Paraguay
Ximena Iturralde de Sanchez de Lozada
Bolivia
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First Ladies
DE LAS AMERICAS
SECRETARIA PRO - TEMPORE
Participating at the 5th Conference of Wives of
Heads of State and of Government of the Americas
aline Chritien Maita Carractus der LIU
Aline Chrétlen
Marta Larraechea de Frel
Canada
Chile
Josette Figueres Josefina Janda a Villalobos Ecuador de Durán Ballén
Ma. Eugenia Guatemala Morales de De León firm Janet Guyand Jagan
Lady Yvy brysbooker Sylvia Lucille Cooke
Bessie Watson de Reina
Honduras
Jamaica
Dora de Perez Balladares
Nilda Velasco de Zedillo
Dora Boyd de Pérez Balladares
Mexico
Panama
Liesbeth Venetiaan Vanenburg
Zalayhar Hassanali
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Chistenet Vaw
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Representatives of Governments
and of First Ladies of the Americas
Vera Queirg dr into l F.
Zelmira Mireya Regazzoll
Vera Quelroz Da Costa e Silva
Argentina
Brazil
Maria Colombia Cristina listing Dussan Duman
Vilma Espin Guillois
Cuba
MADI
Jatul Maria Auxliladora Matus
Claudia Marlela Avila
H El Salvador
Nicaragua
Martha Chávez Cossio
Wordlen Yocasta Morales de Aybar
Peru
Dominican Republic
fews Diver Laura Albertini Villame
Beatriz Rodríguez de Walter
Uruguay
Venezuela
Rdp by DEL D ENCLARE Dama PARAGUNY
*
This is a faifthful copy of the original document
Pro-Tempore Secretariat
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RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROGRAMS OF THE 5TH
SECRETARIA PRO . TEMPORE
CONFERENCE OF WIVES OF HEADS OF STATE AND OF
GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAS
As advocates for the health and education of women and
children within a framework of equality, peace, freedom,
solidarity, social progress and sustainable human
development, we recommend consideration of the following
strategies and programs:
A.Concerning Women's Health:
1.a. Support the resolution of PAHO's XXIII Pan American
Sanitary Conference which encourages
Governments of the Americas to establish "policy of
comprehensive attention of women's health for the
prevention of morbidity and the reduction of
maternal mortality by at least 50%, to be achieved by
the year 2000".
b. Promote the allocation of resources to allow for the
adequate implementation and follow-up of the
"National Plans of Action to Accelerate the
Reduction of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in the
Americas," elaborated in collaboration with PAHO and
other international organizations.
C. Promote the disaggregation of morbidity and mortality
rates by sex.
2. Create mechanisms in thosecountries which are
engaged in the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) Project, "Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy,"
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to contribute to more efficient implementation of this
Y DE GOBIERNO
DE LAS AMERICAS
project in response to the following needs:
SECRETARIA PRO . TEMPORE
a. Encourage the participation of local UNFPA offices in
the elaboration, implementation and follow-up of
the local components of the Project, SO as to guarantee
the coordination of this initiative with similar projects
funded by other international cooperation
agencies, both bilateral and multilateral.
b. Widen the scope of action of the project, whenever
necessary, SO as to include activities related to the
reduction of maternal mortality.
C. Analyze the possibility of redistributing unallocated
financial resources, among those countries which are
already Implementing the project and need
additional resources.
.Adjust the project in order to support, while respecting
the national interest of each country, the
implementation of the recommendations from the
United Nations International Conference for Population
and Development and the United Nations Fourth World
Conference on Women.
3. Support the proposal of the Association of Ibero-
American Leagues Against Cancer (ALICC) to continue
and expand the program "Latin America inthe Struggle
Against Cancer" to countries in the region.
B. Concerning Women's Education/Training:
1.
Recommend the disaggregation of data by sex and
analyze these data in such a way as to take into
account the condition and position of each sex within
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2.
Promote mechanisms through which women can be
active participants in the design, implementation and
evaluation of projects that promote social equality of
women.
3. Based on the experiences of the Projects, "Rural Women
in Latin America andthe Caribbean" implemented
through IICA and "Promotion of Women's Participation
in Development," request the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) to expand and continue,
respectively, the projects to other countries in the
region.
4. Request the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to
study the possibility of creating a fund to finance
specific projects that improve the quality of life of rural
women.
C.Concerning Children's Health:
1.
Promote and follow-up on progress made toward
achieving the goals of the World Summit for Children
by the year 2000.
2. Work with Ministries of Health, the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO) and other international
organizations on the campaign to eliminate measles
transmission from the Americas by the year 2000 and
strengthen the surveillance of preventable diseases by
vaccination.
3.
Request the World Health Organization (WHO) to
extend the "Program on Substance Abuse and Street
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Children in the Americas" and urge the Mentor
Y DE GOBIERNO
DE LAS AMERICAS
Foundation to continue funding this Program.
SECRETARIA PRO . TEMPORE
4.
Urge mass media to dedicate prime time on a daily
basis to the dissemination of health education
information.
D. Concerning Children's Education:
1.
Promote activities that contribute to investment in
the education of girls and women of the Americas,
as well as the reduction of school repetition and
drop-out rates, by encouraging governmental
institutions and civil society to improve the quality of
primary education in schools by:
a. Supporting more active child-centered teaching
practices, which increase and improve the
availability and use of non-sexist textbooks while
ensuring effective time for learning in schools.
b. Supporting non-formal community and family-based
child development programs and enhancing the
level of knowledge of parents and care givers.
C. .Promoting, disseminating and monitoring the "child-
friendly school initiative"
E. Concerning the Fourth World Conference on Women:
Promote the implementation, -- according to the
national interest and the legislation of each country, --
of the commitments made at the United Nations
Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing,
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F.Concerning the topic of Violence against Women:
1.
Promote the ratification and/or adherence and
implementation of the Inter-American Convention on
the
Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of
Violence against Women, adopted in Belém do Pará
on June 9, 1994.
2. Promote the joint PAHO / IDB initiative which is
designed to implement the regional program on
violence against women: "Establishment of
Community Networks".
3. Urge mass media to promote awareness and
educational campaigns to prevent and combat
violence.
G. Concerning the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child:
1.a. Promote the fulfillment of the agreements of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
b. Promote the elimination of social and family violence
against children and put the topic of violence against
Children on the political agenda of countries.
C. Promote the elimination of child labor for girls and boys
under 12 years old.
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AUG. 31. 1999 10:54PM
DFAIT LXD
NO. 1755
P. 1/14
Ninth Conference of Spouses of Heads of State and Government of
the Americas
Ottawa, Canada, September 29 to October 1, 1999
CANADA 1999
Preliminary Program for NGOs
Thursday 30 September, 1999
THEME 1: A Healthy Start: Investing in Children from Zero to Six
CONGRESS CENTRE (Colonel By Roam): NGO FAIR
9:00 to 10:00
Set-up
10:00 to 11:15
Tour by representatives of NGOs, Canadian federal government departments
and International cooperation agencies
60 NGOs from the Americas whose missions are relevant to Theme 1: A Healthy
Start Investing in children from 0 to 6, Canadian Federal government departments
and international cooperation agencies will present their activities to one another
through table-top displays.
11:30 to 12:30
Tour by Spouses
Spouses will tour NGO Fair.
12:30 to 13:15
Tour by Spouses' delegates
Delegates will tour NGO Fair.
GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE CENTRE
13:30 to 17:00
Internet Café
Main Hall
An Internet Café will be set up to allow NGOs to become more familiar with the
Internet and conduct specific searches on the theme of early childhood development.
Exhibits
Main Hall
Canadian government department and international cooperation agency kiosks.
13:30 to 14:30
Luncheon
An opportunity for NGOs to network and exchange ideas with the international
cooperation agencies and Canadian Federal government departments.
14:30 to 15:30
Workshop # 1- Early childhood development
Workshop #2- - Integrated Management of Childhood Illness
Each workshop will focus on a project to be endorsed by the Spouses this year. It will
begin with a brief presentation of the development problem, and of the project
designed to address it. The subsequent discussion will allow NGOs to share their
related expertise and experiences and to explore other ways they might contribute to
the implementation of the endorsed project.
15:30 to 16:00
Break
AUG. 31. 1999 10:54PM
DFAIT LXD
NO. 1/22
P. 8/14
16:00 to 17:00
Workshops # 3 - Registration of Children
This workshop will focus on a project to be endorsed by the Spouses this year. It will
begin with a brief presentation of the development problem, and of the project
designed to address it. The subsequent discussion will allow NGOs to share their
related expertise and experiences and to explore other ways they might contribute to
the implementation of the endorsed project.
Workshop # 4
This workshop will relate to the themes endorsed by the Spouses in the past and
present. Specific workshop proposals from International Organizations. Canadian
government departments and Canadian and hemispheric NGOs will be considered.
NETCORPS presentation and training on Internet
This session will allow interested NGOs to improve their navigation skills on the
internet to access specific resources related to the theme of early childhood
development.
18:30
Departure - Social evening
The Minister for International Cooperation, the Honourable Maria Minna, will host a
reception and dinner in honour of NGOs, international cooperation agencies and
Federal Departments on the 9th floor of the Lester B. Pearson Building. Ottawa.
Friday 1 October, 1999
THEME 2: Women's Health
CONGRESS CENTRE (Colonel By Room): NGO FAIR
8:30 to 9:30
Set-up
9:30 to 10:30
Tour by representatives of NGOs, Canadian federal government departments
and International cooperation agencies
60 NGOs from the Americas whose missions are relevant to Theme 2: Women's
Health, Canadian Federal government departments and international cooperation
agencies will present their activities to one another through table-top displays.
10:45 to 11:45
Tour by Spouses
Spouses will tour NGO Fair.
11:45 to 12:15
Tour by Spouses' delegates
Delegates will tour NGO Fair.
GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE CENTRE
12:30 to 16:00
Internet Café
Main Hall
An Internet Café will be set up to allow NGOs to become more familiar with the
Internet and conduct specific searches on the theme of women's health.
Exhibits
Main Hall
Canadian government department and international cooperation agency klosks.
12:30 to 13:30
Luncheon
An opportunity for NGOs to network and exchange ideas with the international
cooperation agencies and Canadian Federal government departments.
AUG. 31. 1999 10:54PM
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13:30 to 14:30
NETCORPS presentation and training on Internet
This session will allow interested NGOs to Improve their navigation skills on the
internet to access specific resources related to the theme of women's health.
Telehealth Presentation
Congress Centre
NGOs, international cooperation agencies and Federal government departments can
view the presentation to the Spouses on Telehealth on a glant screen. This will
include a 10-minute introduction on Telehealth, a 30-minute live demonstration of
telehealth technology as an efficient and effective means of providing health care
services to rural and remote communities, and a 15-minute video.
Workshop # 1 - Peri-natal health and maternal mortality
Workshop # 2 - Prevention of AIDS in mothers and children
These workshops will focus on two of the projects being endorsed by the Spouses
this year. They will begin with a brief presentation of the problem and of the project
designed to address it. The subsequent discussion will allow NGOs to share their
related expertise and experiences and to explore other ways they might contribute to
the Implementation of the endorsed project.
14:30 to 15:00
Break
15:00 to 16:00
Workshop # 3 - Domestic Violence
This workshop will focus on one of the projects being endorsed by the Spouses this
year. It will begin with a brief presentation of the problem and of the project designed
to address It. The subsequent discussion will allow NGOs to share their related
expertise and experiences and to explore other ways they might contribute to the
implementation of the endorsed project.
Workshop # 4
This workshop will relate to the themes endorsed by the Spouses in the past and
present. Specific workshop proposals from Canadian government departments and
Canadian and hemispheric NGOs will be considered.
Workshop #5 - Rural Women
Workshop presented by Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA).
Clara Solis-Araya will present the project PADEMUR - Program for Economic
Development for Rural Women, that was endorsed at the 7th Conference of Spouses
of Heads of State and Government of the Americas. The subsequent discussion will
allow NGOs to share their related expertise and experiences and to explore other
ways they might contribute to the implementation of the endorsed project.