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Briefing Book of the First Lady U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women [binder] [1]
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Briefing Book of the First Lady U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women [binder] [1]
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Briefing Book
United Nations Fourth
World Conference
September 1995
AND PRESENT OPTHE THE HIO OF STATES THE UNITED
BRIEFING BOOK OF THE FIRST LADY
U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women
September 5 - September 6, 1995
FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONFERENCE BACKGROUND
SCOPE PAPER
TALKING POINTS/FLASH POINTS
CONFERENCE ISSUE PAPERS/NEGOTIATION INSTRUCTIONS
-Human Rights
-Gender
-Reproductive Health
-Discrimination Against Women
DRAFT PLATFORM OF ACTION
COMMITTMENTS
KEY UN OFFICIALS
VATICAN
-Vatican Embassy cable
-"Summary of Positions of Holy See on Issues Likely to Arise in Beijing"
-Summary of "Letter to women" from Pope John Paul II
-Fact Sheet: The "Gender Gap" in Abortion Views
-Vatican Briefing on UN Conference on Women
-Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women
EVENTS
WHO COLLOQUIUM "WOMEN & HEALTH SECURITY"
-Briefing
-Bios
-Program
-WHO Position Paper for FWCW - Executive Summary
-WHO Fact Sheet on women's health
-WHO Global Commission on Women's Health
CONFERENCE ADDRESS
-Invitation to Conference from Boutros Boutros-Ghali
BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI DISCUSSION
-Briefing
-Cable of invitation from Boutros Boutros-Ghali
-Guest List
-Bios
-Cables from others seeking meetings with The First Lady of the United States.
MEETING WITH US DELEGATION
-List of Delegation
-Bios
MEETING WITH CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
-Bios
-Statements or letters regarding the Conference
AMERICAN RECEPTION
-Briefing
-Invitation
-Guest list
NGO FORUM SPEECH
-Briefing
-Bios
-Background on UN Conferences and NGO Forums
-NGO Facilitating Committee
-"Send a Sister" program
-Program
-HRC Remarks to NGOs in Copenhagen
COMPUTERTRAINING CENTER TOUR
-Briefing
-Article
TOUR OF THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
-Briefing
-Background
MEETING WITH PRINCESS MARIE
-Meeting request
-Bio
EMBASSY MEET AND GREET
-Guest list
UNIFEM PANEL ON "WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT"
-Briefing
-Noeleen Heyzer interview transcript
-Bios
-UNIFEM Fact Sheet
-Articles
-Grameen Bank background
-RESULTS Dinner speech
-Excepts from President Clinton speeches on microenterprise
-Remarks at The Women's Foundation of Colorado
REMARKS
-WHO colloquium
-Conference address
-NGO's Forum
-UNIFEM "Women & Health Security
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a tabbed divider. Given our
digitization capabilities, we are sometimes unable to adequately
scan such dividers. The title from the original document is
indicated below.
CONFERENCE
BACKGROUND
Divider Title:
The following are some
document of the conference-the
July 31, 1995
frequently asked ques-
Platform for Action. The Platform for
tions and answers
Action is an agenda that will influ-
regarding the 4th UN
ence international and national
World Conference on
policy well into the next century.
Women (4WCW).
Q.
Why is the Fourth World
Q.
What is the purpose of the UN
Conference on Women being
World Conference on Women?
held in China, a country with a
Why do we need it?
record of serious human rights
A.
The goals of the UN Decade for
development, and peace-remain
accepted China's invitation to
МОМЪ uo snoo,I
Questions and Answers About 4WCW
violations?
Women, 1975-1985-equality,
A.
In 1992, the United Nations
unattained. The U.S., as well as the
host the conference. UN tradition
Office of Public Communication
rest of the world, has made a great
follows a system of geographic
deal of progress in advancing the
rotation, and it was the Asia region's
status of women, but has not fully
turn to hold a world conference on
succeeded in making women equal
women. China was the only Asian
partners of men.
nation to issue an invitation.
This conference refocuses the
This is a conference about women
efforts of individuals, communities,
and girls, not about China. Moreover,
and nations on the practical actions
with some 45,000 people expected to
we must take to remove the remain-
attend the conference or forum, it is
ing obstacles to equality and develop
clear this conference will have-and
an agenda for action that will acceler-
is already having-a tremendous
ate women's empowerment.
impact on the Chinese.
Q.
Why is the Fourth World
Conference on Women important
Q.
What major issues of interest
to women will the U.S. pursue
to all Americans?
at the conference?
A.
Americans have a stake in the
A.
With the advancement and
future of the world's women.
empowerment of women as the
Bureau of Public Affairs
Not only do their situation and their
primary goal, we have a unique
actions increasingly affect us and our
opportunity to solidify and build on
overall commitment to democracy
previous commitments made for
and human rights, but women face
women's empowerment at other UN
many of the same challenges and
conferences.
share the same goals the world over.
Besides reaffirming these interna-
They want strong families, economic
tional agreements, the U.S. will
security, improved education and
provide leadership on the following
health, personal safety, legal rights,
issues in the Platform for Action,
and the ability to participate in
which are of importance to Ameri-
decision-making.
cans and the world:
That American women share these
The human rights of women,
goals became increasingly apparent
including action to end violence
last year during frequent meetings
against women.
between government officials in-
A life-span approach to and
volved in U.S. preparations for the
improvements in education and
conference and private citizens, many
United States Department of State
health.
of whom are members of women's
Efforts and arrangements to
organizations
balance work and family responsi-
U.S. participation in this confer-
bilities for both women and men.
ence ensures our role in setting the
Economic security and self-
policies contained in the principal
reliance.
The importance of the private
information exchange involving
Huariou, a small town and scenic
sector and non-governmental organi-
workshops, seminars, debates, and
tourist area near the Great Wall of
zations (NGOs) as partners in
opportunities for networking. It
China. There was widespread concern
building communities-locally,
takes no official action, although
and protest on the part of the forum
nationally, and internationally.
sometimes NGOs develop alterna-
organizers, NGOs, and governments
The full participation of women
tive platforms that they offer to
that the site was too far from the
in political and economic decision-
government delegations to use for
government conference and grossly
making.
improving the UN document in
inadequate for scheduled activities
negotiating sessions. While there is
and hotel accommodations. However,
Q.
Why has there been contro-
no formal interchange between the
as a result of many negotiations and
versy over the use of the word
forum and government conference,
discussions with the Chinese, the
"gender" in the Platform for
there is frequent and intense com-
NGO Forum organizers agreed to the
Action?
munication between the NGOs and
site. Most forum activities will be
government delegates. Since the
held in Huariou, and extensive
A.
In early April, at the close of
draft platform is a working docu-
construction is underway to provide
the final preparatory meeting
ment able to be amended, the NGOs
adequate facilities and accommoda-
for the conference, a handful of
lobby delegates about their issues
tions. Buses will shuttle participants
countries raised objections to the use
and do influence the outcome. Also,
back and forth to Beijing, and in
of the word "gender" throughout the
some NGOs are accredited observ-
Beijing, NGOs will have two satellite
draft Platform for Action. This action
took most countries by surprise,
ers to the government conference
facilities available where they can
since the word has been used exten-
and send members to the proceed-
meet with delegates.
sively throughout the UN system for
ings.
Q.
Who will be on the U.S. delega-
the past 20 years, usually as a
reference to the distinctions between
Q.
Do all NGOs, regardless of
tion and how are they chosen?
males and females that are more a
their particular views, have a
matter of sociology than biology.
fair opportunity to participate
A.
The U.S. will send a strong
delegation to Beijing-one that
in the NGO Forum? And to be
Interested countries met in May
is skilled and representative of the
accredited as observers to the
in order to resolve the issue. Rather
broad range of people and interests in
than attempting to define the word,
government conference?
our country. It will consist of both
they agreed to a Chairman's state-
A.
Yes. Participation in the forum
government and private sector
ment reflecting their general under-
is a simpler matter than
members. First Lady Hillary Rodham
tanding of the word and acknowl-
obtaining accreditation to the
Clinton is Honorary Chair. Although
-dging that there are no new mean-
conference, where guidelines about
no decision has been made about her
ings attached to the word and that
a group's relevance to the issues,
attendance at the conference, her
"gender" would continue to be
competence, and status come into
willingness to accept this position
understood as before in the UN
consideration. To foster citizen
reflects her strong interest in and
system. Only one country did not
involvement, the United States
commitment to effective U.S. partici-
join consensus. The statement will
actively promotes participation of
pation.
appear in the conference report.
NGOs without regard to their
Ambassador Madeleine K.
substantive positions. The U.S., at
Albright, U.S Permanent Representa-
Q.
What is the NGO Forum and
senior levels, has urged the UN
tive to the United Nations, will chair
how does it relate to the
Secretariat to follow open and fair
the delegation. Donna Shalala,
conference?
credentialing procedures for NGOs.
Secretary of Health and Human
A.
Recognizing the importance of
Additionally, the U.S. has also asked
Services, will serve as co-chair;
the Chinese Government to meet its
Timothy E. Wirth, Under Secretary of
the private sector in helping
to shape public policy and put
obligations as host country by
State for Global Affairs, is alternate
applying fair and transparent visa
chair. The Honorable Marjorie
international agreements into action,
traditionally there is a forum for non-
procedures to all who have regis-
Margolies-Mezvinsky, former member
tered to attend.
of Congress, is deputy head of
governmental organizations (NGOs)
delegation and director, and Veronica
and interested individuals held
parallel to the government confer-
Q.
Why was the NGO Forum site
Biggins, former assistant to the
changed and why is it now so
President, is vice-chair.
ence. The forum-operated indepen-
far away?
Other members of the delegation
dently from the government event-
include Maria Antonietta Berriozabal
provides a structured meeting place
A.
Last March, the Chinese an-
of San Antonio, Texas, Lynn Cutler of
for people interested in the issues of
nounced that the scheduled
Washington, DC, Arthenia Joyner of
the government conference. It is an
site-a sports stadium in Beijing-
had "structural problems" and that
the site was being relocated to
2
Tampa, Florida, Dorothy Lamm of
Q.
Since the United States is com-
Christopher announced at the Vienna
Denver Colorado, and Linda Tarr-
mitted to advancing the status
Conference on Human Rights that
Whelan of Washington, DC.
of women around the world,
ratification of the treaty was a
The delegation is appointed by
why haven't we ratified the
priority of the Clinton Administra-
White House in close coordina-
Convention on the Elimination
tion. The Administration submitted
tion with the State Department.
of All Forms of Discrimination
its ratification package to the Senate.
Government delegates are chosen for
against Women?
The Senate Foreign Relations Com-
their expertise in U.S. policy and
President Carter signed the
mittee voted favorably to send it to
experience in international negotiat-
A.
Convention in 1980 and submit-
the full Senate on September 29,
ing. Non-governmental delegates are
ted it to the Senate for its advice and
1994. However, the Senate took no
chosen for their expertise in subject
consent to ratification, though no
action before it adjourned. Ratifica-
areas of the platform, for their
further action was taken. However,
tion remains a priority for the
achievements and contributions to
the Convention came into force
Administration, but at this time it is
public life, and for their representa-
worldwide in 1981 after having
not known when the Senate Foreign
tion of the various groups that
Committee will take it under consid-
constitute the American social fabric.
acquired the requisite ratification of
eration.
20 nations. As of April, 1995 the
number of states had grown to 139. In
1993, Secretary of State Warren
3
A UN world confer-
The UN Secretary General
MCC
ence usually involves
appoints a conference secretary
July 12, 1995
two related events—
general who handles administrative,
a conference of
logistical, UN-host government
governmental delega-
relations, and other substantive
tions and a forum for non-govern-
concerns of the conference.
mental organizations-NGOs. These
A preparatory committee-
events are held simultaneously or
PrepCom (such as the UN
sequentially in the same city.
Commission on Human Rights)-
prepares the conference agenda and
The Importance of These Events
develops a proposed conference
UN conferences and their parallel
document. It also establishes guide-
NGO forums focus on a particular
lines for the role of NGOs in the
Focus on 4WCW
Background on UN Conferences and NGO Forums
issue or world problem. They serve
conference-their access to the formal
Office of Public Communication
to change and advance world public
conference and the general rules for
opinion and policy. They also are a
the separate NGO forum. Often, UN
major opportunity for those inter-
regional preparatory meetings and
ested in, and/or working on, an issue
regional NGO forums are held prior
to meet, discuss a subject, exchange
to the world conference.
experiences, and organize new
Delegates to the conference are
groups or networks.
selected by foreign ministries and
The effects of world conferences
heads of government of each country.
can be profound and long-lasting. For
Countries sometimes hold national
example, the 1985 World Conference
meetings to discuss the conference
to Review and Appraise the Achieve-
agenda and that nation's priorities
ments of the UN Decade for Women,
and input to the conference docu-
held in Nairobi, Kenya, marked the
ment.
first time the world focused on and
At the conference, govern-
governments acknowledged the
ments exchange views on the subject
pervasive problem of violence-
matter, and a plan or program of
including domestic violence-against
action-generally representing
women. The 1992 UN Conference on
global consensus on the subject
the Environment and Development in
matter of the conference-is dis-
Bureau of Public Affairs
Rio refocused global attention on
cussed and adopted.
environmental issues. The 1993
Drafting committees are often
World Conference on Human Rights
established to work out the final
in Vienna declared women's rights to
version of the document during the
be human rights and violations of
conference. Delegates from each
women, such as wartime systematic
nation participate in committee
rape, as human rights violations. On
sessions. Negotiations on the confer-
the recommendation of this confer-
ence document and resolutions can
ence, a special rapporteur on violence
be influenced by individual delegates
against women was appointed by the
or by relationships between delegates
UN Commission on Human Rights.
who are experts on the subject or
advocates for a particular point of
World Conference Preparations
view. Regional groups frequently
Conferences are composed of
caucus to discuss and compromise
official government delegations
issues.
representing UN member or ob-
Each nation has one vote on the
server states. Delegates represent
final acceptance or rejection of the
United States Department of State
their government's interests, not
document and usually is instructed
themselves. All nations come together
from their capital on how to vote. By
as equals, all have a voice, and all
their vote-sometimes made with
have an equal vote.
specified reservations-countries
The conferences require the
commit themselves to goals, stan-
following preparations.
dards of behavior, and actions. The
The UN establishes the pur-
conference document and resolutions
pose, theme, date, and location of the
may suggest new international
conference.
institutions or other ways of dealing
with the issue.
Following the conference, the
International Women's Year, 1975
UN Decade for Women: Equality,
document is distributed worldwide
In 1972, the UN General Assem-
Development, and Peace
by the UN. It and any resolutions
bly proclaimed 1975 International
The General Assembly endorsed
adopted at the conference are taken
Women's Year-IWY. The proclama-
the Mexico City Plan of Action in
up at the UN General Assembly or by
tion called for action to promote
December 1975 and proclaimed 1976-
UN specialized agencies for action.
equality, the involvement of women
85 the UN Decade for Women:
in development efforts, and the
Equality, Development, and Peace. It
NGO Forums
recognition of the woman's role in
called for a mid-decade conference in
In the United States, NGOs are
strengthening peace and promoting
1980 and added three sub-themes:
more commonly described as private,
friendly relations among nations.
employment, health, and education.
non-profit, or voluntary organiza-
The General Assembly's action
During the first half of the decade,
tions. The NGO forum is usually
came at the recommendation of the
the International Research and
open to everyone. It is intended to
UN Commission on the Status of
Training Institute for the Advance-
provide a structured meeting place
Women-CSW. Established in 1947,
ment of Women-INSTRAW-and
for persons and groups interested in
the CSW prepares reports and
the UN Voluntary Fund for the
the subject matter of the government
recommendations on women's rights
Decade of Women were created. Now
conference.
and status and has served as the
called UNIFEM, the latter provides
NGO forums require the follow-
preparatory body for the UN confer-
direct financial and technical support
ing preparations:
ences on women.
to low-income women's groups in
The World Conference of the
The Committee of Non-
developing countries.
International Women's Year was held
Governmental Organizations with
The most widely quoted statistics
UN consultative status-CONGO-
in Mexico City in 1975. More than
to come out of research conducted
establishes a forum-planning
1,000 delegates, representing 133
during the first half of the decade
committee made up of volunteers
countries, participated; 75% were
contained the International Labor
women.
from organizations with consultative
Organization's sobering, yet galva-
The parallel conference for
status and usually other NGOs.
nizing, revelations that:
NGOs-the NGO Tribune-drew
The planning committee-with
6,000 women and involved informa-
While women represent 50% of the
its coordinator or director-obtains a
site, sets the date, establishes a forum
tion exchange, debate, networking,
world population and one-third of the
official labor force, they perform nearly
newspaper, and handles logistics. It
and leadership development. It was
raises funds to cover forum ex-
known as the world's largest con-
two-thirds of all working hours, receive
only one-tenth of the world income, and
penses-not including funding of
sciousness-raising session ever and
own less than 1% of world property.
attracted extensive media attention.
workshops, seminars, or exhibits—
The government conference
The mid-decade conference, held
sets the program based on sub-
adopted a World Plan of Action for
in Copenhagen in 1980, drew 1,326
missions from interested groups,
organizes briefings, and produces a
the Implementation of the Objec-
delegates from 145 states. Another
tives of the International Women's
8,000 women attended the NGO
printed program.
Year. The plan, drafted by the CSW,
forum. The Copenhagen conference
Interested groups and indi-
incorporated input from grass-roots
adopted a World Programme of
viduals fill out the program: They
organize workshops, seminars, and
organizations and women's groups
Action calling for women's participa-
around the world and set minimum
tion in politics and decision-making,
other events and apply to the coordi-
nator for a time and space. Some
goals, such as the eradication of
and for the elimination of discrimina-
groups hold workshops. NGOs must
illiteracy. The plan provided a
tion in law and policy. It encouraged
finance their own events and
blueprint to NGOs, governments, and
governments and international
participation.
international organizations for
institutions to conduct more research
improving the status of women.
and to collect gender-disaggragated
The forum takes no official action.
The conference also approved a
data.
It is primarily an information
draft Convention on the Elimination
The Decade for Women ended
exchange, spirited debate, network-
of all Forms of Discrimination
with the UN World Conference to
ing, and organizing opportunity.
against Women, subsequently
Review and Appraise the Achieve-
Although there is no formal inter-
adopted by the General Assembly in
ments of the United Nations Decade
change between the forum and the
1979. In force since 1981, to date it has
for Women: Equality, Development,
delegations to the government
been ratified by 139 countries. The
and Peace held in Nairobi, Kenya.
conference, the two events can and do
United States signed the convention
The conference was attended by 1,400
influence each other. The conference
in 1980. Senate ratification remains a
delegates from 157 nations; about
document, while drafted and debated
top priority for this Administration.
14,000-60% of them women from
in advance, is a working document
developing countries-attended the
that may be amended. NGO members
NGO forum.
often lobby conference delegates and
can influence the final outcome.
2
The conference adopted a plan of
The persistent and growing
For the first time at a world
action for the years 1986-2000-the
burden of poverty among women;
conference on women, the UN is
Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies
Unequal access to and inad-
accrediting a larger number of
for the Advancement of Women. The
equate educational opportunities;
diverse NGOs for the Beijing confer-
strategies validated the goals and
Inequalities in health status and
ence and the regional preparatory
objectives of the earlier Mexico City
unequal access to and inadequate
conferences.
and Copenhagen documents and
health care services;
indicated concrete measures to
Violence against women;
Contact Information
overcome obstacles to their achieve-
Effects of armed or other kinds
United Nations. Ms. Gertrude
ment, especially in light of the
of conflicts on women;
Mongella of Tanzania is the Secretary
worsening world economic situation
Inequality in women's access
General of the Conference. Contact:
that was slowing women's advance-
and participation in the definition of
UN Secretariat of the Fourth
ment and, at times, setting them back.
economic structures and policies and
World Conference on Women
the productive process itself;
The UN Fourth World Conference
Division for the Advancement
Inequality between men and
of Women
on Women and NGO Forum '95
women in the sharing of power and
DC2-1234
In calling for a Fourth World
decision-making at all levels;
Conference in Beijing in 1995, the
Insufficient mechanisms at all
Two United Nations Plaza
General Assembly, in 1990, recog-
levels to promote the advancement of
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-963-8385
nized that "the pace of
women;
Fax: 212-963-3463
implementation of the Forward-
Lack of awareness of, and
Looking Strategies must be improved
commitment to, internationally and
NGO Forum. Ms. Supatra Masdit
in the crucial last decade of the 20th
nationally recognized women's
of Thailand is the Convenor of the
century."
human rights;
NGO Forum. Contact:
The Platform for Action that is
Insufficient mobilization of
expected to emerge from the Fourth
mass media to promote women's
NGO Forum on Women, Beijing '95
World Conference on Women is not
positive contributions to society;
211 East 43rd Street, Suite 1500
intended to replace the Nairobi
Lack of adequate recognition
New York, NY 10017
document but to accelerate its
and support for women's contribu-
Phone: 212-922-9267 or 922-9268
implementation, based on the
tions to managing natural resources
Fax: 212-922-9269
accomplishments of the past 10 years
and safeguarding the environment;
Due to the change of site to
and the most stubborn or difficult
and
Huairou, all Forum participants are
obstacles to women's progress that
The girl child.
required to fill out a "New Hotel
remain.
The conference will be the
Reservation Form" that is being sent
The preparatory body for all four
women's conferences has been the
culmination of a process that has
out by the NGO Forum. The dead-
UN CSW. At its 1993 annual session,
involved national and regional
line for returning this new form to
the CSW adopted five goals for the
preparations and is intended to
the China Organizing Committee is
stimulate increased activity at all
July 5, 1995. The address for the
Beijing conference:
levels-from local to global-to
committee is:
Sharing power in private,
improve the status of women and
China Organizing Committee
public, political, and economic life;
promote equality between men and
Fourth World Conference on
Full access to the means of
women. The critical areas of concern
Women and NGO Forum on
development-education, employ-
and strategic objectives and actions
Women Beijing '95
ment, and health;
contained in the platform reflect the
No. 15 Jianguomen St.
Overcoming poverty;
groundwork done at these prepara-
Beijing 100730
Promoting peace and defend-
tory meetings where the issues were
P.R. China
ing women's human rights; and
raised and actions suggested.
Phone: 861-522-1133, ext: 3006
Inspiring a new generation of
Five UN regional preparatory
Fax: 861-522-5329
women and men working together
meetings were held in 1994. The
for equality.
European UN regional preparatory
U.S. Department of State. The
conference-in which the United
Honorary Chair of the U.S. delegation
The final draft of the Platform for
States and Canada participated-was
to the Fourth World Conference on
Action negotiated by governmental
held in Vienna from October 17-21. It
Women is the First Lady, Hillary
delegations at the final PrepCom in
was organized by the UN Economic
Rodham Clinton, although no
March outlines critical areas of
Commission for Europe-ECE-
decision has been made about her
concern and proposes objectives and
based in Geneva. Non-governmental
attendance at the Conference.
actions.
organizations held an NGO forum in
Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright,
Critical areas as outlined in the
Vienna from October 13-15.
U.S. permanent representative to the
current UN draft are:
United Nations, is Chairman of the
3
delegation. Timothy E. Wirth, Under
State. Under Secretary of State for
G/Conference Secretariat
Secretary of State for Global Affairs
Global Affairs Timothy Wirth
U.S. Department of State
will serve as Alternate Chair and
established a Conference Secretariat
2201 C Street, NW, Room 1318
Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky,
to coordinate preparations for the
Washington, DC 20520
former member of Congress is the
Women's Conference and the related
Phone: 202-647-3129
Deputy Chair/Director of the
conferences on Population and
Fax: 202-647-4787
delegation.
Development, held in Cairo in
U.S. preparations for the world
September 1994 and the World
The Secretariat holds regular
conference have included a series of
Summit for Social Development, held
monthly briefings at the Office of
meetings in the 10 federal regions of
in Copenhagen in March 1995.
Personnel Management, 1900 E
the country held in 1994 under the
Theresa Loar is Director of the
Street, NW. Meetings are scheduled
auspices of the Women's Bureau of
Conference Secretariat. Secretariat
for Tuesday, July 11 and Tuesday,
the U.S. Department of Labor in
staff for the Beijing conference
August 1, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
coordination with the U.S. Depart-
include Mary Curtin, Ann Ganzer,
Call the Secretariat hotline for further
ment of State and in cooperation with
Kathleen Hendrix, Sharon Kotok,
information: 202-663-3070 or, for
local organizations.
Jeffrey Meer, Regina Rhea, and Lycia
the hearing impaired, TDD number
Sibilla.
202-647-3750.
Overall coordination of U.S.
preparations and immediate follow-
To add your name and organiza-
up for the conference is the
tion to the Secretariat's mailing list,
responsibility of the Department of
use this address:
The information in this publication
is not copyrighted; we encourage you
to reproduce and disseminate this
Focus to your colleagues and other
interested parties.
4
In September, the United
boys, and women from men. In too
States will join the interna-
many parts of the world, girls are
July 31, 1995
tional community at the
given less to eat, are provided with less
Fourth World Conference
medical care, and are forced to work
on Women-WCW-in Beijing,
harder and at an earlier age than boys.
China. A parallel meeting for non-
In the United States, women make up
governmental organizations (NGOs)
too large a percentage of those in
NGO Forum '95, will be held at about
poverty and constitute too small a
the same time.
percentage of those in power. These
The United States welcomes the
inequities exact an unacceptable cost in
opportunity to participate in this
important event. U.S. goals are
of individuals, families, and communi-
Focus on 4WCW
U.S. Support for the 4WCW
human potential and in the well-being
increasingly linked with those of a
ties. They warrant our attention and
peaceful and prosperous international
action.
community, and global prosperity is
Americans have a stake in how
Office of Public Communication
closely linked with the fortunes and
women live around the world.
freedoms of the world's women.
Improving the status and lives of girls
At the 4WCW, all nations will
and women is an important goal in its
focus attention on women-the
own right. It is also the key to building
aspirations they share and the chal-
a safer, more secure, and peaceful
lenges they face. The conference
world.
enables us to build support for policies
Policies that improve the status of
that invest in women and girls, such as
women enable communities to
economic and educational opportuni-
alleviate poverty, develop local
ties. By moving these issues to the top
economies, expand the number of
of the policy agenda, the 4WCW can
educated and healthy citizens, sustain
make a difference in the quality of life
the environment, and strengthen
for women and families around the
families. Educating girls and women is
world. The 4WCW will adopt a
one of the best development decisions
comprehensive Platform for Action to
any country can make.
empower and improve the lives of
Serious problems facing the world
girls and women. This action plan can
will never be solved until women are
serve the United Nations and national
able to use their full potential on behalf
Bureau of Public Affairs
governments as a guide for setting
of themselves, their families, and their
public policy as the 21st century
global and local communities.
approaches. And it provides citizens
with benchmarks by which they can
The Path to the 4WCW
measure progress in their own coun-
The 4WCW is the latest in a
tries and communities.
continuum of recent international
meetings that have underscored the
Value to Americans
importance of advancing the status of
Women everywhere share the
women:
same aspirations-access to opportu-
At the 1992 UN Conference on
nity, thriving families, economic
Environment and Development in
security, quality health care and
Rio de Janeiro, world leaders embraced
education, personal safety, and the
the concept that the effective participa-
ability to participate in the decisions
tion of women as environmental
that affect their lives.
managers is vital to achieving sustain-
In looking toward this conference,
able development;
United States Department of State
Americans can take pride in the
At the 1993 World Conference
progress they have made in these
on Human Rights in Vienna, govern-
areas. At the same time, Americans
ments acknowledged that women's
have much to learn from the experi-
rights are human rights-universal,
ences of women elsewhere, i.e., in an
inalienable, and indivisible-and that
area such as micro-enterprise loans for
attention to gender-specific violations
women entrepreneurs. The 4WCW is a
is necessary to ensure the enjoyment of
chance to exchange information and
human rights for all;
experiences about ideas that work.
The Cairo 1994 International
The challenges women face are also
Conference on Population and
similar. There is a whole range of
Development recognized women's
inequalities that separate girls from
health and rights as the cornerstones
U.S. Policy Goals
parents, the father's income typically
of effective population and develop-
The following U.S. goals are
exceeds the mother's, yet mothers
ment policy; and
At the 1995 World Summit for
embodied in the Platform for Action,
usually contribute a larger proportion
of their income to family needs.
Social Development in Copenhagen,
and the international community has
At the Copenhagen World Summit
governments determined that
agreed to most of them. The exact
for Social Development, the interna-
women's equality and political and
language will be finalized at the
4WCW.
tional community agreed that women
economic empowerment are essential
are pivotal in efforts to address
to combat poverty and social disinte-
Improve Women's
poverty. The 4WCW will build on the
gration.
Economic Security
Copenhagen agreement by offering an
These conferences and the 4WCW
action plan to enhance women's
Although women have entered the
build on previous UN efforts in
labor force in record numbers over the
economic self-reliance. It asks govern-
support of women. The foundation for
last two decades, they comprise a
ments to remove legal and practical
this increased empowerment and
majority of the world's poor. In some
barriers that prevent women from
participation was laid during the UN
countries, 60-80% of the people in
obtaining training, credit, property,
Decade for Women, 1976-85. Through-
poverty are women. About 60% of
and opportunity, and urges support
for women-owned businesses and
out the decade, women and govern-
poor adults in the United States are
ments worked toward advancing the
micro-enterprises-especially in
women.
technical fields.
status of women under the themes of
The causes of women's poverty are
equality, development, and peace. The
complex. In many cases, women living
Women in the U.S. have pro-
experience of the past 10 years,
in poverty reflect widespread eco-
gressed in this area. The number of
including both the progress made and
women starting their own businesses
nomic underdevelopment, unemploy-
has more than doubled in the last
the obstacles faced, has demonstrated
ment, and human suffering through-
that the essential ingredient for change
10 years. During the current Adminis-
out a society. Women are afflicted by
is women's empowerment-access to
poverty for unique reasons as well.
tration, the U.S. Congress has made
$33 million available for small loans
and participation in all levels of
Women may be impoverished when
decision-making and all institutions of
they are left to raise children alone.
to those ventures through the Small
Business Administration.
society.
Many fully employed women remain
poor, confined to low-wage jobs or
U.S. citizens' groups also are
What is at Stake
denied access to the education, credit,
pioneering new ways to help women
The 4WCW is an opportunity to
and resources needed to advance. Too
overcome poverty. Some help women
reaffirm past commitments, link them
few women receive training in science
break into technical, traditionally male-
to women's lives, and put them into
and technology-which can open the
dominated occupations. For example,
action. In preparatory meetings for this
door to high-wage employment.
Orientation to Nontraditional Occupa-
tions for Women in Columbus, Ohio,
historic gathering, a few important
Although the gap has narrowed in the
trains low-income women for careers
issues were left open, or unresolved,
U.S. since 1963 when women earned
including some that were the subject of
an average of 60 cents for every dollar
in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical
consensus at recent conferences. The
men earned, there is still a gap be-
engineering. As the U.S. works to
U.S. will work to defend those hard-
tween their wages-75 cents for every
implement the 4WCW Platform for
won and important agreements, and to
dollar. The gap is wider for some
Action, it will seek to replicate strate-
proceed with the critical work of the
gies such as these across the country.
groups: in 1992, the average African-
4WCW.
American woman earned 64 cents, and
Much is at stake, including the idea
Empower Women and
the average Hispanic woman 55 cents
that the world's nations can come
Strengthen Families
for every dollar men earned.
together to craft solutions to our most
Women make great contributions
Families are the most important
serious problems. For that process to
to their families' well-being. When
unit of society. Within them, we
work, we must negotiate in good faith,
develop self-esteem, learn how to care
both wage-earning and unpaid work
abide by our commitments, and
are taken into account, it is clear that
for others, and begin to develop our
values. But families around the world
translate words into effective policies
women provide substantial, primary,
and actions.
or sole economic support to a large
are challenged as never before, and
proportion of the world's families. In
women and children bear the greatest
households with two wage-earning
burden. Policies that acknowledge the
2
realities of work and family life, and
The Platform for Action urges the
education is universal, schools can fail
ensure a better balance of parental
adoption of policies that preserve the
to benefit girls in subtle ways. For
responsibility for children, are critical
integrity of families, and recognizes the
example, researchers have found that
to improving the lives of women and
needs of those-such as single-parent
in American schools, girls receive less
strengthening families.
families-that face special challenges.
attention, less praise and less detailed
Countless families are struggling to
The platform seeks to encourage men
instruction from teachers than do boys.
make ends meet while caring for
to shoulder their full share of responsi-
Worldwide, girls are steered into
children and elderly family members.
bility as parents, by promoting their
training for low-paying jobs. Girls and
In most countries, it is difficult, and
involvement in child care as well as
women remain under-represented in
sometimes impossible, to sustain a
ensuring their contribution to the
science and technical education-at a
family on one person's income.
financial support of the children they
cost to both their future earning
Therefore, economic necessity-and
father. It also suggests ways to increase
capacity and to the broader goal of
increased opportunity-have led
the earning power of poor women-
social and economic development.
millions of women to enter the paid
especially those with children—
The platform asks governments to
labor force in recent years. Yet as their
through training and self-help pro-
close the gender gap in primary and
wage-earning responsibilities have
grams. Finally, the Platform for Action
secondary schooling by the year 2005,
increased, women have not experi-
recommends measures-such as the
and to ensure universal access to
enced a corresponding lessening of
Family and Medical Leave Act-that
primary education by the year 2015. It
their domestic duties.
enable parents to better balance jobs
suggests ways to attract more girls and
At the same time, the number of
and family responsibilities.
women to fields of study where they
single-parent households has soared.
are under-represented. It proposes to
In the U.S., nearly one in five house-
Promote Life-long Education
broaden women's access to technical
holds with children is headed by a
Education is a core American
training-including training in "non-
single parent-about twice as many as
value. Without education, women and
traditional" careers and continuing
15 years ago. Families are sundered for
men are unable to participate effec-
education. It encourages adult and
many reasons-divorce, death, war, or
tively in a democracy, protect their
family engagement in learning to
migration in search of economic
health and that of their families, and
promote literacy for all. These goals are
survival and opportunity. But the
contribute to and benefit from a
closely aligned to steps the Clinton
result is often the same: Most single-
rapidly changing economy. Although
Administration has already taken to
parent families are headed by women,
the gender gap in education is narrow-
strengthen and improve educational
and many are desperately poor.
ing worldwide, about 130 million
outcomes for students of all ages. Key
More than one-third of all female-
children-two-thirds of whom are
to this effort is the implementation of
headed families in the U.S. are living in
girls-lack access to primary school.
national education goals now embod-
poverty. In part, this is because fathers
Nearly two-thirds of the illiterate
ied in the GOALS 2000: Educate
often fail to meet their obligations to
people in the world are women.
America Act. Education reform
their children when marriages break
Universal education helps girls and
strategies include encouraging gender-
up. Two-fifths of divorced fathers do
women fulfill their aspirations as
equitable teaching and learning
not pay court-ordered child support.
individuals, strengthens families, and
methods, eliminating gender-bias in
These trends add immeasurably to
has well-documented benefits for the
curriculum materials, and involving
the difficulty of women's lives. They
broader society. These include in-
girls and women in advanced math
also deprive children of the resources
creased economic productivity; less
and science courses. The Adminis-
and nurturance they need to thrive.
dependence on government benefits;
tration's new School-to-Work systems
Governments and the private
and families that are smaller, healthier,
link education and employment
sector can ease the burdens on women
and better educated. The gains can
opportunities for girls and women
by enacting policies that support
be dramatic. For example, it has been
through educational, mentoring, and
children and the adults who care for
shown that women's wages rise
training activities, particularly in non-
them. For example, the U.S. Family
10-20% for each year of education they
traditional areas.
and Medical Leave Act, signed into
receive. In the poorest countries, each
The Platform for Action also asks
law by President Clinton in 1993,
year of basic education of mothers is
governments and schools of all kinds
guarantees that most workers will not
associated with a 5-10% decline in
to develop education and training
have to choose between keeping their
child mortality.
programs that are free of gender bias.
job and caring for a new child or sick
In many parts of the world,
U.S. citizens groups have been pio-
family member. In the last year, the
discrimination limits girls' access to
neers in developing programs and
U.S. has also helped to strengthen
education. Because boys are seen as
materials free of gender-bias. Organi-
families by providing new resources
having greater earning potential,
zations including Girls, Inc. and the
for child immunization, Head Start,
parents often are more willing to invest
American Association of University
family preservation and support
in education for their sons. In the U.S.
Women are working to ensure that
services, and enforcement of child
and other countries where primary
schools give girls the encouragement
support.
3
and opportunity they deserve. For
gender-based inequalities affect
unwanted pregnancies, and to provide
example, a program called "Girls
women's health-to be taken by
humane care for all women who suffer
Can!" is developing community-based
governments, the UN, health profes-
the consequences of unsafe abortion.
models for correcting gender-bias in
sions, and other appropriate govern-
This represents a hard-won
education.
mental and private institutions.
consensus among delegates with
Women of reproductive age face
diverse perspectives. These issues, in
Improve Women's Health
heightened health risks as well. Every
conjunction with the entire health
Throughout Their Lives
year, 500,000 women die of pregnancy-
section, are recognized by the U.S. as
Health policies and services should
related causes. Most of those deaths
integral to a woman's ability to control
enhance women's physical, psycho-
occur among women in developing
her life and act as an equal partner in
logical, and social well-being through-
countries who have had several closely
society. The U.S. supported that
out the life span. Girls and women
spaced pregnancies or who resort to
language in Cairo, and is committed to
often face particular barriers to health
unsafe abortions. An African woman,
reaffirm it at the 4WCW.
care services they need-in part
for example, is 200 times more likely
The ICPD document defined a new
because of gender discrimination,
than a European woman to die in
direction for population policies,
poverty, or the lack of primary health
childbirth. Universal reproductive
focusing on people's needs rather than
care and social services. The platform
health care, including family planning,
demographic targets.
calls for improving women's access to
would go a long way toward prevent-
appropriate, affordable, and quality
ing these deaths. It would also reduce
Protect the Human
health care and related information
infant mortality, by enabling women to
Rights of Women
and services. It acknowledges that
avoid high-risk births. Better reproduc-
In many countries, the human
programs and services must take into
tive health care would also slow the
rights of women-and men-are
account women's multiple roles and
deadly advance of HIV/AIDS and
violated by political persecution,
responsibilities, including their role as
other sexually transmitted diseases
torture, and disenfranchisement. But
primary custodians of family health.
(STDs). Women are the fastest-growing
women face another dimension of
Although women experience many
group of persons living with HIV/
injustice as well. Rape, domestic
of the same health problems as men,
AIDS infection. Indeed, in some U.S.
violence, and gender-based discrimina-
they face unique health risks as a result
cities, AIDS already has become the
tion are among the abuses that
of both gender inequality and biologi-
leading cause of death among women
disproportionately affect women in all
cal difference. Too often, women are
aged 25-44.
parts of the world and prevent the full
subjected to the inappropriate or over-
In preparations for the 4WCW,
expression and enjoyment of their
prescription of drugs, or medically
controversy has flared over the
human rights.
unnecessary care including the overuse
Platform for Action's provisions on
Violence is a major threat to
of Caesarian sections. The platform
reproductive health. The platform
women's safety and bodily integrity.
seeks to address these issues and calls
reaffirms consensus language that was
From battered women in the U.S. to
for ensuring voluntary and informed
agreed to at the Cairo conference less
the millions of impoverished women
consent for all health services. In
than a year ago, which asks govern-
living in refugee camps, women of
addition, the platform makes specific
ments to ensure universal access to the
every class, race, and ethnicity are
reference to the importance of address-
full range of reproductive health
subject to violence and its aftermath.
ing physical and mental health issues
services, including family planning, so
Women are most likely to encounter
associated with aging, nutrition,
that every child is wanted and sup-
violence and abuse at home-at the
environmental and occupational health
ported as they deserve to be and
hands of husbands and other male
hazards, substance abuse-including
women and men can exercise their
relatives. While the private nature of
tobacco and illegal drugs-and
right to decide the number, spacing,
this crime makes it difficult to assess its
ensuring that girls and women of all
and timing of their children.
full extent, research confirms its
ages with any form of disability receive
The document's provisions on
horrible and universal prevalence.
supportive services. Special emphasis
abortion have been the source of much
Worldwide, domestic violence is the
is placed on the prevention and early
debate-and much misunderstanding.
leading cause of death among women
detection of health problems, particu-
While declaring that in no case
14 to 44 years of age.
larly breast, cervical, and other cancers
should abortion be promoted as a
The human rights of women also
of the reproductive system.
method of family planning," the
encompass freedom from coercion in
The platform addresses important
Platform for Action asks governments
sexuality, contraception, and child-
ethical issues such as eliminating
to address unsafe abortion as a major
bearing. But many women lack these
practices of over-medication and
public health concern. It seeks to
fundamental freedoms. Rape, forced
medically unnecessary or coercive
ensure that abortion services are safe
prostitution, and forced marriage
medical interventions. It calls for
when they are not against the law, to
remain common-especially among
ensuring responsible, voluntary, and
provide reliable and compassionate
girls and adolescents. And women's
informed consent for all health
counseling for all women who have
reproductive freedom has been
services. It advocates research ac-
violated by those in power seeking
tions-including research on how
4
to limit-or in some instances to
16% more food than girls. A study in
positions of real power-47%-than
increase-population growth. The
India found that girls were more than
any before it. It has made a particular
Platform for Action condemns all such
four times as likely as boys to suffer
effort to appoint women to key policy-
violations as abhorrent.
from acute malnutrition, but more
making positions in law enforcement,
In 1993, delegates to the World
than 40 times less likely to be taken to
federal judgeships, and science and
Conference on Human Rights declared
a hospital. Partly as a result, some
technology. Women now hold the
that the rights of women are an
100 million women are missing from
following positions: Secretary of
inalienable, integral, and indivisible
the world's population. The normal
Energy; chief scientist at the National
part of universal human rights. The
ratio of females to males at birth is 105
Aeronautics and Space Administra-
Platform for Action reaffirms that
to 100, but in South Asia, West Asia,
tion-NASA, and the National Oceanic
principle, and outlines specific actions
and China the ratio at birth is 94 girls
and Atmospheric Administration-
for governments to protect and
to 100 boys.
NOAA; the Undersecretary of Com-
enhance those rights. For example, it
The Platform for Action asks
merce for Science and Technology;
calls on governments to take responsi-
governments to eliminate preferences
and Directors of Research and Devel-
bility for preventing and punishing
for sons through educational cam-
opment at the Departments of Defense
acts of violence against women. It also
paigns and other programs. It calls for
and Energy.
urges governments to review civil and
public efforts to ensure that girls can
customary law to eliminate gender-
realize their potential and develop self-
Protect the Environment
based discrimination, educate women
esteem and to eliminate all forms of
Women must have a central place
about their legal and human rights,
discrimination including in health,
on the agenda for environmental
and condemn human rights violations
education, and forced child labor. It
protection in the 21st century if we are
of women.
also asks governments for health and
to protect our natural resources and
Human rights issues have gener-
safety protections from all forms of
leave our children a healthy environ-
ated extensive debate during prepara-
violence.
ment.
tions for the 4WCW. Some delegations
Women play leadership roles in
seek to renegotiate previously agreed
Enable Women To Participate
promoting an environmental ethic,
human rights language from the
In Decision-making
reducing resource use, and reusing
Vienna and Cairo conferences. Again,
When important policy decisions
and recycling resources to minimize
the U.S. stands by those agreements
are made-in legislatures, board-
excessive consumption and waste.
and will work to uphold them.
rooms, and at negotiating tables-few
Women's contributions to environ-
The U.S. Government is committed
women are likely to be present.
mental management-including grass-
to ensuring the human rights of
Worldwide, women comprise only
roots and youth campaigns to protect
women. The landmark 1994 Violence
10% of the members of all legislative
the environment-often have taken
Against Women Act seeks to curb
bodies. In the U.S., men still hold 95%
place at the local level, where decen-
family violence in the U.S. and to help
of senior management positions in
tralized action on environmental issues
its victims by providing support
business, although women comprise
is most needed and decisive.
networks and violence prevention
46% of the labor force. Women also are
The 4WCW Platform for Action
programs in neighborhoods across the
under-represented in the ranks of
makes the important linkage between
country. In addition, new provisions
scientific and technical experts who
women's health and environmental
strengthen penalties for crimes against
guide and influence government
protection by addressing the lack of
women including rape and spousal
policy.
information concerning women's
abuse. The Administration also has
Women lack access to decision-
susceptibilities and exposures to
established an Office on the Prevention
making for many reasons. In some
environmental hazards and toxic
of Domestic Violence in the Depart-
areas, women are barred from posi-
substances. This is particularly urgent
ment of Justice.
tions of power by law or custom. In
in light of the increasing environmen-
others, laws have changed but centu-
tal hazards worldwide, particularly in
Protect and Support
ries of discrimination have left a legacy
rural and poor urban areas, and the
Girls and Youth
of cultural conditioning that effectively
platform is an important step forward
The skills, ideas, and energy of girls
prevents women from participating in
in focusing global attention on this
and young women are vital for us all
public life. The 4WCW asks govern-
issue.
to attain our goals. Yet, in many parts
ments to remove barriers to women's
of the world, especially in cultures
full participation in all decision-
Encourage Citizen Involvement
which prefer sons, discrimination can
making processes. At the same time, it
Worldwide, women are the driving
cost little girls their lives. Also, in those
seeks to overcome traditions of
force in thousands of citizens' groups
cultures girls suffer various forms of
discrimination through leadership and
and NGOs that work to meet the
discrimination. They are often de-
self-esteem training for girls and
needs of various groups in society,
prived of food and medical care.
women.
hold governments accountable, and
Research in Bangladesh found that
The Clinton Administration has
improve the quality of life.
boys under the age of five were given
been an active champion of women's
participation in decision-making. The
Administration has more women in
5
The U.S. Government believes that
In UN preparatory meetings for
Have a national strategy to
NGOs have a crucial role to play in
the 4WCW, the U.S. delegation has
implement the platform by the end of
shaping the 4WCW Platform for
advocated language in the platform
1996.
Action and ensuring its implementa-
that encourages governments to work
tion. In preparations for all major UN
in partnership with NGOs, grant
Conclusion
conferences, the U.S. Government
NGOs legal status, and protect their
The Fourth World Conference on
makes every effort to ensure the full
independence. The Clinton Adminis-
participation of interested citizens and
tration also works with the UN to
Women is an important milestone on
NGOs and to include NGOs on U.S.
facilitate NGO participation in the
the path to a future that is sustainable
delegations. During the world summit
conference by, for example, applying
and just. We cannot address the
in Copenhagen, First Lady Hillary
fair and transparent visa procedures to
problems that threaten a common
Rodham Clinton applauded the
all who attend.
future unless women are empowered
important work of NGOs, often in
to make the decisions that affect their
lives-and the world.
partnership with our government. In
Commitments-Putting
preparation for the 4WCW, the
Words Into Action
The 4WCW document presents a
Departments of State and Labor co-
To help ensure that the words
plan of action that is fair and sensible.
sponsored 10 regional meetings across
agreed to come to life, the U.S. sup-
It acknowledges the rich context of
the U.S. to obtain citizens' views on
ported language in the draft platform
women's lives, and addresses women's
issues affecting women. NGOs will
that invites governments to come to
needs as individuals, as wives and
also be represented in the U.S. delega-
Beijing ready to state specific national
mothers, as workers, and as members
tion to the 4WCW, and the U.S.
commitments for priority action. The
of the human community.
regularly seeks citizen input and
U.S. will propose immediate steps it
The U.S. supports the broad
participation in preparations for the
will take to improve girls' and
objectives of the 4WCW conference. It
conference. During preparatory
women's lives. The U.S. currently
believes that implementation of the
meetings for the 4WCW, the govern-
receives input from citizens on policies,
4WCW Platform for Action will benefit
ment held daily briefings for NGOs. In
programs or legislative initiatives that
American women, families, and
addition to monthly NGO briefings in
should be undertaken to implement
communities. Perhaps most impor-
Washington, DC, the U.S. also has
the platform.
tantly, it will help ensure that our
hosted a series of open meetings to
The platform already contains two
children-girls and boys-grow up in
solicit citizen comment on issues in the
commitments:
a world that appreciates the dignity
platform.
and potential of each person.
Governments should consult
with citizens groups, private sector,
and philanthropic institutions to
discuss implementation strategies soon
after the conference; and
6
The UN Fourth World
society; a gender perspective into all
June 28, 1995
Conference on Women
systems; and an equal partnership
will be held in Beijing
between men and women for the
from September 4-15,
good of society.
1995. The final preparatory meeting
The overall U.S. priority is to
for the conference was held at the
build on the commitments made at
United Nations in New York from
the past world conferences on women
March 15-April 7, 1995. At this
and on the recent world conferences
meeting-held during the annual
on the Environment and Develop-
session of the UN Commission on the
ment in Rio, Human Rights in
Status of Women, the preparatory
body for the conference-delegations
in Cairo, and Social Development in
Focus on 4WCW
United States Actions and Priorities
Vienna, Population and Development
negotiated a draft Platform for Action
Copenhagen.
to be considered for adoption in
Office of Public Communication
Beijing. Following is an overview of
Platform Areas Requiring
the draft platform as it was negoti-
Extensive Negotiation
ated at the New York meeting,
describing U.S. actions and priorities.
Human Rights. There are three
sections on human rights: violence
Overall Message
against women, the impact of armed
conflict on women, and the human
The final draft of the Platform for
rights of women. Support for strong
Action to be adopted at the Fourth
language in these sections and
World Conference on Women in
leadership to retain such language
Beijing contains distinct elements
came from all regions of the world.
that reflect a developing consensus
The U.S. underscored governments'
around the world-a consensus that
responsibility to ensure the human
did not exist 10 years ago. The UN
rights of women, and to advance
decade for women, 1975-85, and the
women's legal equality and civil and
document adopted at its culmina-
political rights. African delegations,
tion-the "Nairobi Forward Looking
in particular, led the effort to call on
Strategies" (a plan for the years 1986-
governments to address harmful
2000)-sought to advance the status
practices that lead to violence against
Bureau of Public Affairs
of women working under the broad
women, and to review civil and
themes of equality, development,
customary law so as to reduce legal
and peace.
discrimination against women, in
The experiences of the past 10
such areas, for example, as inherit-
years-a combination of research,
ance and property rights.
analysis, legal reform, development
The section on violence against
work, and the networking and
women provides a comprehensive
organizing efforts of women them-
definition of what constitutes such
selves-have brought worldwide
realization that the only way to bring
about equality, development, and
Draft Platform for Action
peace is to empower women by
integrating them into the main-
Single copies of the full text of
stream where they can work in
the draft Platform for Action are
partnership with men at all levels
available from the Conference
and structures of society.
Secretariat at the United Nations.
This directly mirrors the over-
Requests may be made by fax
United States Department of State
arching goal for the conference set by
(dial 212-963-3463) or by writing
the United States. From the first
to:
paragraph of the mission statement to
the final chapters on institutional and
Secretariat for the Fourth World
financial arrangements for implemen-
Conference on Women
tation and follow-up, the draft
Division for the Advancement
platform calls for the empowerment
of Women, Room DC2-1234
of women; integration of women into
United Nations
the mainstream of all institutions of
New York, NY 10017
violence and calls on governments
countries favoring more affirmative
economic policies. For this reason,
to take responsibility for preventing
measures-there was little disagree-
there is a considerable amount of
and punishing acts of violence. The
ment expressed about the importance
bracketed language-much of it
platform also addresses the impor-
of this section.
involving "cause and effect" relation-
tance of preventive action, including
Health. The U.S. goal was to
ships-calling for foreign debt
through counseling and rehabilitative
take a lifespan approach to health,
cancellation and the allocation of
programs for offenders.
broadening attention to women of all
resources. The U.S. supported, and
The sections on human rights
ages and from diverse situations and
consensus was reached, on strong
and promoting peace focus on the
backgrounds. In addition, progress
language calling for economic
fact that the human rights of women
was made in negotiating language
opportunities for women and inclu-
are-as stated in the Vienna Declara-
on preventive programs, research,
sion of women in economic policy-
tion adopted by the World Confer-
increased resources, and follow-up
making, access for women to credit
ence on Human Rights in 1993-an
on women's health.
and savings mechanisms, and
inalienable, integral, and indivisible
Issues related to breast and cervi-
support services. Although much of
part of universal human rights, and
cal cancer, as well as other cancers of
the text related to macroeconomic
that governments and international
the reproductive system, menopause
policies and structural adjustment
organizations must ensure the
and other conditions associated with
programs is bracketed, consensus
protection of these rights.
aging, nutrition, substance abuse,
language calls for structural adjust-
Although agreement has been
and environmental and occupational
ment programs to be designed to
reached on a number of important
health hazards are all addressed.
minimize their negative effects on
issues, there was a strong effort by
Much of the text remaining in
vulnerable groups and to review the
some countries to prevent any
brackets is language that was previ-
impact of structural adjustment
language that might broaden UN
ously agreed to in September 1994 at
programs by means of gender-
efforts in the area of human rights,
the International Conference on
sensitive social impact assessments.
and efforts by some to inject political
Population and Development in
Education and Training. The
issues into the debate. Thus, large
Cairo. Bracketed text primarily
U.S. supported the platform's
portions of these sections remain
addresses reproductive and sexual
emphasis on full participation of
bracketed.
health including in the sections
women and girls in life-long learning
The draft platform calls on the
addressing HIV/AIDS and other
and in educational policy- and
UN to integrate concern for the
sexually transmitted diseases,
decision-making. The platform calls
human rights of women into all its
reproductive rights, unsafe abortions,
for equal access to education for
human rights activities. The U.S.
unwanted pregnancies, contracep-
women and girls; education, training,
took the lead in committing govern-
tives, and the number of times
and retraining policies for women,
ments to train officials, including
language addressing parental
particularly those re-entering the
security and military personnel, in
involvement in adolescent services is
labor market; curricula free of gender
human rights and humanitarian law,
included in the document.
stereotypes; and the reduction of
and to punish violations against
Girls. Through the leadership of
female illiteracy and the promotion
women.
African states, the G-77-a group of
of family engagement in learning.
The platform recognizes that if
about 132 developing countries—
Bracketed areas involve barriers to
women are to fully exercise their
introduced a new section for the
schooling for pregnant girls and
rights, they must be informed about
platform focusing on eliminating
young mothers, teacher training
those rights. The U.S. was part of a
discrimination and ensuring the
programs and materials to promote
broad consensus recognizing that
rights of girls. The U.S. worked at the
mutual respect and shared responsi-
innovative programs must be devel-
PrepCom to strengthen the proposed
bilities between girls and boys, and
oped to help women achieve legal
section by making it applicable
religious expression in educational
literacy so that they understand and
globally rather than regionally.
institutions.
exercise their rights.
Bracketed language remains concern-
Environment. The U.S. actively
Inequality in Power-sharing
ing discouragement of early mar-
supported recognition of and action
And Decision-making. Drawing
riage; addressing son preference that
to address the data gap concerning
from the Universal Declaration of
leads to prenatal sex selection;
women's susceptibilities and expo-
Human Rights, which provides that
disparities in access to food, health
sures to environmental hazards and
everyone has a right to take part in
services, and education on reproduc-
toxic substances-the particular
the government of his or her country,
tion; and the prevention of sexually
situation of women with low in-
the platform includes a section on the
transmitted diseases.
comes, indigenous women, and
importance of increasing the partici-
Poverty. The platform calls
minority women-the participation
pation of women in politics. Al-
attention to the increasing burden of
of women and girls at all levels of
though there was disagreement over
poverty on women-the feminization
decision-making in both formal and
the types of mechanisms for facilitat-
of poverty-and places women's
informal arenas that influence
ing this participation-with some
situations in the context of the global
environmental quality; and equal
economy and the effects of global
2
access to education, information, and
intended to be interpreted and
Implementation and Follow-up.
resources in furtherance of environ-
understood as it is in ordinary,
The U.S. supported language in the
mental protection and natural
generally accepted usage.
document introduced by Australia
esource management objectives. U.S.
Diversity. The U.S. made inclu-
that invites governments to come to
anguage relating to risks to women's
siveness a priority, working to ensure
Beijing ready to state specific na-
health in low-income areas with high
that the diversity of women was
tional commitments for priority
concentrations of polluting industrial
recognized and that some women
action within the context of the
facilities remains bracketed.
face additional barriers to advance-
platform. These commitments are
Economics. In the section on
ment because of factors other than
seen as first steps toward implemen-
economic structures, the U.S. sup-
gender. This concept is recognized
tation, not as a substitute for action
ported and introduced new language
throughout the document; for
on the entire document. Currently,
that focused on the need for wider
example, the U.S. and other support-
the U.S. is giving serious thought to
acceptance of basic worker rights
ers, working with women themselves,
the nature of commitments and types
as minimum labor standards for
were successful in including women
of initiatives it may bring to Beijing
women; facilitating women's access
with disabilities and those from
that will result in practical outcomes
to credit and capital markets and
ethnic and racial minorities. One
for women and girls in the United
training; and developing new,
paragraph, early in the platform,
States.
financial intermediaries to serve their
describes the diverse situations of
The U.S. also supported and
needs, including reaching hard-to-
women which should be incorpo-
contributed to language that calls
serve women, such as those in rural
rated into action plans. Because it is
upon governments to consult with
areas.
bracketed, it will be negotiated in
relevant institutions and non-
Mechanisms. There is much in
Beijing.
governmental organizations,
this chapter that was supported by
Non-Governmental Organiza-
preferably before the end of 1995, on
the U.S., including improved gender-
tions (NGOs). The U.S. strongly
how to best develop implementation
sensitive analysis of statistics,
supported recognition of the role
strategies for the platform. Further,
information, and policy analysis; anti-
NGOs play in policy planning,
governments are called upon to have
discrimination; promotion of family-
development, implementation, and
such plans developed and in place
friendly policies for both women and
monitoring of programs for the
within a year. The U.S. is committed
men; and the acceptance and use of
advancement of women, and urged
to an ongoing process between
life-long learning for women and
in several places in the document that
government and non-governmental
men in and out of school environ-
governments work in partnership
organizations to achieve full equality
nents.
with NGOs, grant NGOs legal status
and partnership between women and
The platform urges governments
and protection, and permit the
men in the political, economic, and
to make efforts to measure and better
independence of NGOs, including
social structures of the U.S.
understand unremunerated work,
financial independence. Some
In this time of tight resources, the
and to seek to develop methods to
delegations within the G-77 strongly
U.S.-as was true of donor nations in
assess its value in quantitative terms
oppose a monitoring role for NGOs.
general-took a conservative ap-
for possible reflection in accounts that
The U.S. has consistently supported
proach toward finances and resources
are separate from but consistent with
inclusion of monitoring.
for implementation, urging refocus-
core national accounts.
Young Women. Working with
ing and reallocation of existing
the youth caucus, the U.S. introduced
resources where possible. Also,
Document-Wide Features
language in the Global Framework
because the U.S. is interested in
calling attention to the importance of
overall reform of the UN and better
Gender. A few countries moved
young people in shaping the next
coordination and linkage between
to delete or bracket the word "gen-
century, and the commitment that the
its agencies and the whole series of
der" throughout the text. In order to
international community must make
international conferences that have
resolve this issue, a special working
to prepare them for the role they
been held in the past 10 years, the
group met in New York in May 1995.
must play in the future. Young
U.S. concentrated on ensuring that
The U.S. joined consensus on the
women should be part of the pro-
implementation of the Beijing
adoption of a chairman's statement
cess-working to ensure that their
platform be in concert with this
that will appear in the conference
needs and futures are addressed. The
overall process.
report. The statement reaffirms that
U.S. also supported specific refer-
"gender," as used in the platform, is
ences to young women or youth
throughout the document.
3
Clinton Presidential Records
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Scope Paper
Divider Title:
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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
Scope Paper
Fourth World Conference on Women
September 4-15, 1995
Summary
The following outlines the United States approach and
priorities for the Fourth World Conference on Women. Delegates
should use the negotiating matrix developed by the U.S.
Government.
A number of issues related to human rights, diversity,
resources, and macroeconomic policies were successfully
negotiated at a July 31-August 4 informal negotiating session
in New York. What remains to be negotiated in Beijing are
several difficult issues not resolved at the informals, as well
as issues not addressed that week, those related to the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD),
and girls.
Priorities
The primary U.S. objective is to promote the advancement
and empowerment of women, and to reaffirm and build on the
commitments made at other important UN Conferences. Women
played vital, participatory roles in those conferences and were
principal actors in implementing those agreements. Many issues
essential to women's empowerment were addressed at those
conferences, and women's central role in sustainable
development was recognized.
Health
Issues related to health are the least negotiated because
they were pushed to the end of the March prepcom and were not
addressed during the summer informals. The United States, in
partnership with other key actors, was successful, however, in
expanding the section to address a lifespan approach to women's
health as well as a wide range of health issues. The language
in brackets is primarily consensus language agreed to in 1994
at the International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD). During the prepcom, it seemed that generally the G-77
was standing behind the agreements on issues such as
reproductive and sexual health, reproductive rights, unsafe
abortion and condoms, but the handful of countries which took
reservations at the ICPD were not willing to accept the
language again here.
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The United States places a high priority on its commitment
to reaffirming the agreements achieved at the ICPD, many of
which are fundamental to women's empowerment.
At the ICPD, a great deal of time was spent negotiating
broadly accepted language on parental involvement with
adolescent health services. Unfortunately, that language is
not included in the draft Platform, but more than 20 references
using non-consensus language on parental involvement (some of
which are entirely ill-placed) are included in the draft
Platform. The United States will recommend the inclusion of
the ICPD consensus paragraph 7.45 in the section on health, and
the removal of the additional parental involvement references
that are in brackets.
The United States supports including language opposing
coercive reproductive practices, such as forced sterilization
or forced abortion. We also support language requiring fully
informed consent regarding prescriptions and medical procedures.
Human Rights
Significant progress was made at the recent informals in
reaching consensus on human rights related language. Two
important issues were left unresolved: clear language about
the universality of human rights and about equality between men
and women. In addition, issues of reproductive rights were not
addressed at the informals and remain to be negotiated.
At the informals, the United States, the Holy See, and the
European Union sought to unbracket references to the "universal
nature of all human rights," drawn directly from the
Declaration from the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights,
while the G-77 as a group sought to add language regarding
"objectivity and non-selectivity" in applying human rights
standards (also from Vienna). A compromise was worked out
which would have combined these ideas. Only Malta objected.
The United States will seek support of all delegations in
advancing this compromise in Beijing.
There was no resolution of the proposal by Iran to refer to
"equitable" and not just "equal" rights between men and women,
in particular in regard to inheritance rights, property rights,
and the right to engage in business or other economic
activity. Several African delegations led the opposition to
the Iranian proposal, which would undermine the concept of
equality. African and Latin delegations told us that they
believe they can isolate Iran and several other countries and
emerge with a document with strong references to equality. The
United States will support this move and will work closely with
these and other delegations on the strategy to do so.
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Reproductive rights issues and related paragraphs about
cultural and religious particularities were not discussed at
the informals, and like health related issues remain to be
negotiated. The United States places high priority on
upholding language from Cairo about reproductive rights, both
in the health and the human rights sections. We will also seek
to replace currently bracketed language about cultural
particularities, and place high priority on unbracketing all
reproductive rights and other Cairo language before accepting
any such language.
Political Issues
There are several political issues currently bracketed in
the document which the United States will seek to delete, or
reduce the number of references to.
While the United States condemns all harmful practices,
including the idea of trafficking in human tissues and organs,
there is no evidence that this practice exists, and references
to it in the document derive from a 1980s Soviet and Cuban
disinformation campaign to spread the rumor that U.S. citizens
sought organs and tissues from children in developing
countries. There is no validity to the charge. Unfortunately,
however, the rumors continue and resulted in the near-fatal
beating of an American woman in Guatemala. The United States
will seek to delete references to this issue throughout the
document, particularly in the sections referring to the girl
child.
In addition, the United States will seek to ensure that
references to military spending and weapons are pertinent to
the other issues in the document. We will seek to use
Copenhagen language regarding excessive military spending. The
United States is a leader in world-wide efforts to stop the
indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines, and will
propose language calling for export moratoria of such landmines.
Families/Mothers
Like many other countries, the United States wants this
document to refer to the many roles women play in society,
including but not limited to that of mother. At the
intersessionals the United States took the lead in
reformulating two paragraphs (one referring to the burdens
women bear and one to media images of women leaders) which
would include reference to women's roles as mothers, among
other roles. Latin delegations strongly supported our
language. Some African and EU delegations were hesitant to
accept the reference to mothers because of their concern that
emphasis is all too often placed only on motherhood excluding
other aspects of life. We believe all these references are
important, and can demonstrate the multiple roles of women and
that they should be able to change those roles.
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In both the ICPD and the WSSD, countries recognized the
family as the basic unit of society and that various forms of
families exist (e.g. single parent or multi-generational
families).
We hope all delegations will accept the carefully balanced
language on mothers and reaccept the concept of families, other
than simply "the family."
Media
The Media section in the document has not been
controversial, but some of it remains to be negotiated, and
there are a few key points of concern for the United States.
The United States is particularly concerned that the
references to the media both in the media section and other
sections, not in any way compromise freedom of the press. The
United States will oppose language that implies or states that
governments can direct the media to cover certain issues or
tell the media how to cover issues. The United States will
seek to include further references to freedom of the press in
relevant chapeaus and action items. The United States will
oppose any efforts to include discredited ideas such as the
"right to communication" which have been promoted by
authoritarian governments that seek the "right" to direct the
media.
Financial Resources
The draft Platform for Action contains bracketed language,
introduced by the G-77, that requests "new and additional
resources" to implement the Platform. Given the increasing
constraints placed on the U.S. budget, we believe it is
unrealistic to continue to ask governments to provide "new and
additional" resources.
At past conferences, Japan and the European Union have
shared the U.S. view. However, WC understand that Japan and
the EU can now accept the term "new and additional" -- not
because they intend to increase their financial contributions,
but because the exchange rate favors their currency, making
their current contribution worth more in U.S. dollars than it
was in the past.
In describing resources required by UN organizations to
carry out their mandates, the United States should insist on
the terms "adequate" or "sufficient" and "within existing
resources of the regular budget of the UN."
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In describing resources needed to implement the Platform,
the United States should push for "adequate" rather than "new
and additional." The United States can accept "new and
additional" only if the language is consistent with (preferably
identical to) the World Summit for Social Development, which
recognizes that other actors-not just governments--will have
to be approached for resources (as in Commitment 9(i) and
paragraph 14a of the Programme of Action.
Debt Cancellation
The draft Platform for Action contains three alternative
proposals on debt relief (para 6lc):
-- The original text, proposed by the G-77, calls on the
international financial institutions (IFIs) to cancel or
substantially reduce the debt burden, or convert the debt
servicing of developing countries.
-- The EU text paraphrases the Social Summit language and
calls on IFIs to find effective development-oriented and
durable solutions to external debt problems through the
immediate implementation of the terms of debt forgiveness
agreed upon in the Paris Club in December 1994.
-- The text proposed by Japan calls on IFIs to continue
efforts to alleviate the debt service burden.
The United States prefers the language introduced by Japan,
although it is unlikely to be accepted by the G-77. The EU
text paraphrases the World Summit for Social Development and
the ideas presented in it are acceptable. However, rather than
paraphrasing the WSSD, we would prefer to quote directly from
it. (WSSD language on debt: Commitments 1(k), 7(c), 9(0), and
paragraphs 10(a), 11(e), 90(a)-(f).)
The language on debt relief was a hard fought consensus at
the WSSD, which took place less than six months ago. We
believe it is too early to reopen the negotiations on this
issue. If the Japanese alternative text is not accepted, the
United States should push for the WSSD language.
Environmental Issues
There are a few key environmental issues which remain
unresolved:
We want to make sure that the Platform for Action
recognizes that women who live in low income and urban areas,
where there is a high concentration of polluting and industrial
facilities, may face disproportionate health risks (para 247).
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The United States supports language concerning respect for
and preservation of the knowledge, innovations and practices of
indigenous women. A paragraph on this issue (para 110j) is
already agreed to in the health section of the Platform. The
United States also supports including language in the
Environment Section of the Platform that reaffirms the goals
established by Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological
Diversity. However the bracketed text on that issue (para
253c) goes beyond Article 8(j) by, for example, introducing a
reference that might be interpreted as creating a new
intellectual property right for indigenous knowledge.
On the issue of transboundary movement of hazardous and
radioactive waste, the United States agrees with the EU that
the language should be consistent with the Basel Convention and
para 208 of the 1994 ministerial decision of the Commission on
Sustainable Development.
G/CS:S B Kotok, M Curtin, E Marshall
08/22/95 647-3129 SEC1 651
Cleared by: G/CS:T Loar
IO:S Blodgett - OK
USUN:V Marrero - OK
PRM/POP:E Marshall - OK
L/HRR:D P Stewart - OK
L/UNA:E T Bloom - OK
NSC:ESchwartz
EB/IFD/ODF:J Dehmlow - OK
USUN/W:S A George - OK
IO/SB:D Wynes - OK
IO/ESA:M Pollack - OK
DRL:T Hushek - OK
USUN:B Williams-Manigault - OK
EPA:R ward - OK
Clinton Presidential Records
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indicated below.
Talking Points/
Flash Points
Divider Title:
Remarks to Delegation
Talking Points for First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Briefing on the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women
June 26, 1995
Introduction and Context
Thank you for joining us at the White House to hear about our plans for U.S.
participation in the upcoming United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women
and our hopes to include women across America in the discussion of the issues. We
also want to make sure that the United States plays a leadership role, as it
appropriately should, both in preparation for the Conference and at the Conference
itself. Your concerns and interest on these issues is well-known and respected.
This is an important year for all women because of this upcoming international
conference, but it is an especially important year for American women. Seventy-five
years ago we won the right to vote, something I hope will be adequately celebrated
this year so women and girls today will better understand the achievement that others
secured for them. Fifty years ago at the State Department, the Women's Bureau at the
Department of Labor was established and we're looking forward to marking that
celebration with programs this year that particularly highlight the needs of working
women. And I hope that we will be able to continue to make sure that a lot of the
gains that women have been able to mark in the United States will be preserved. With
all of this in mind, both in terms of our world role and our domestic one, we want the
Women's Conference to be a vehicle that really does help us to promote and advance a
progressive agenda on behalf of women.
All of us have a stake in how women live in our country and around the world. The
issues the conference will address are issues that women live with, talk about, and
worry over. And women should be active participants in helping their societies and
their family address them. These are issues about improving the status of American
women with the focus on economic security, strong and healthy families, safe homes
and communities, and quality education. The Conference will raise these issues to the
top of agendas wherever they are considered at home and around the world.
Our overall message will be one that focuses on women as agents of change -- active
participants in helping their societies meet the challenges of this and the next century.
But that can only be achieved if women are empowered through education and access.
Empowerment and access will enable women to take their rightful place as they work
in partnership with men to strengthen their families and contribute to their
communities.
[You might mention your experience in South Asia and the programs you visited for women,
particularly ones in which women themselves played leadership roles. Lessons to be learned.]
U.S. PRIORITIES
Our overall priority at the Women's Conference is to build on the commitments made
at previous important UN conferences such as Nairobi, Rio, Vienna, Cairo, and
Copenhagen, and to guard against any backsliding, which is always a possibility, and
to try to advance the agenda.
One of the most urgent goals for the United States is to be sure that the Conference
reaffirms human rights for women. We will focus on two interrelated objectives
preventing violence against women and legal literacy programs.
We will also work toward a life cycle approach to health and education and focus on
health concerns specific to women. This includes, of course, reproductive health, but
we want the agenda to be broader than that. We want the agenda to start looking at
the other health challenges women face, both as women and as mothers. Because we
think that there are some very important health care issues that we need to address.
Issues pertaining to cancer and its prevalence in certain populations and other illnesses
predominately affecting women.
We want to drive home the point that the most transforming investment we can make
is in universal primary and secondary education, especially for girls. I remember in
the work I did in education in Arkansas, and that I was privileged to work with many
of you and the groups that you have founded around the country, over and over again
we came back down to noticing that one of the most important criterion to the
academic achievements a child would make is the level of education the child's mother
had received not the father but the mother. And I think that we have to continue
to stress access to education opportunities. When I was in Copenhagen, I had the
privilege to announce a new USAID initiative for the education of girls and women.
We will use the commitment I announced to urge other countries to make similar
investments around the world.
As we talk to American women about this Conference, we want to be listening as
well. We had a remarkable report that was issued in 1994 called "Working Women
Count." The Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor surveyed women nd
then analyzed over 250,000 responses from working women about the challenges and
obstacles that they face in the workplace in balancing families and work. We learned
a lot from that. We want to continue to listen as we try to understand how women
can be helped to balance work and family and the opportunities they have available to
them. if they take advantage of those opportunities.
We will, on behalf of the United States, promote women's equality with men in the
governmental, political, and economic decision making structures of society.
We will also highlight and try to involve as many NGOs as possible. We believe
strongly in participation by NGOs in all United Nations activities. When I was in
Copenhagen, I stressed the role of NGOs, paid a visit to the Women's Caucus, and
made clear that the United States would continue to press not only the United Nations
but also any host country, such as China, about ensuring that the broad range of NGOs
who wished to be able to attend, would be able to.
We also intend to move ahead, beyond this Conference, beyond rhetoric to action. In
order to ensure the goals of the Conference are achieved, the Administration will
develop a plan of action for domestic implementation.
DELEGATION TEAM
We are putting together a very strong leadership team to head our delegation to the
Women's Conference. I will serve as honorary chair. Ambassador Madeleine Albright
will lead our delegation, and Under Secretary Tim Wirth will be our Alternate Chair.
Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky will be our Deputy Chair. Also, we have a number of
public members who have participated in the preparatory conferences (Lynn Cutler and
Veronica Biggins should be at this briefing). Finally, we have selected top-notch
government representatives and others with a needed expertise and perspective have
been added to the delegation.
We cannot do this Conference right if we do not have the kind of support from the
Corporate community that was essential to our success in Cairo and many other ways.
So, to help us make some good things happen for women here and women around the
world, we really need your help.
Introduce Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs Tim Wirth
Reasons for White House Attendance at the
Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing
WH attendance would signal to domestic constituencies and
the world this Administration's commitment to women's
advancement.
The Conference focuses on issues affecting mainstream
American women who are concerned about the quality of their
work and family life. The Conference addresses women's
access to the American dream: training, education,
employment, personal safety.
WH presence at the plenary and NGO Forum would lend strong
support to NGO partnership with governments at UN
conferences. NGOs are an important citizen empowerment and
democracy-building tool around the world. This
Administration has broken new ground in involving NGOs in
governance and encouraging the UN system to permit greater
access for NGOs in the UN system.
WH could use the occasion of the conference to be a strong
advocate for human rights and women's rights by making a
very focused speech at the plenary of the Conference and at
the NGO Forum.
WH attendance would demonstrate a pro-active stance to
China's human rights and women's rights problems. A WH
presence would signal a strong commitment to human rights.
Human rights are central to the agenda of the Conference.
We have been working very closely with human rights groups
(Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B'Nai B'Rith
Women, International Human Rights Law Group) as we prepare
for prepcoms and the Conference. Much of our input on
human rights for the Platform of Action in the Vienna
prepcom was drafted by these groups. We are their
spokespeople at the official conference on these issues.
These groups would welcome a WH presence as a validation of
their efforts in the human rights arena.
produce. The United States is proud of its leadership at the
ICPD that resulted in a new direction on population policy
emphasizing the need to educate girls and empower women in
order to slow population growth and achieve sustainable
development. The Clinton Administration has pledged
additional resources to ensure implementation of these goals.
This year, the World Summit for Social Development, which will
be held in Copenhagen March 6-12, will be the first time heads
of governments will have gathered to address the core problems
of poverty, unemployment and social integration. Again, the
advancement of women is an integral part of the solutions to
those problems.
In addition, the U.S. delegation will work to ensure the full
participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the World
Conference on Women, in its deliberations and in its plans for
enforcement of policies advancing women in the United States and
worldwide. The public/private partnerships between government and
community organizations are critical to achieving new global
victories for women everywhere.
KEY OBJECTIVES FOR THE U.S. AT THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN
Delegates from the United States are committed to providing
leadership for the development of a consensus U.N. Plan of Action.
Key issues include:
The Family: Women play a vital role in sustaining strong families
worldwide. But too often, women are left to raise children on
their own, without access to quality health and child care. Too
many single-parent families live in poverty. Both mothers and
fathers must be held accountable for [child-bearing] and child-
rearing, including economic support of their children. At the same
time, women deserve equal pay at work. And, at a time of falling
wages, women and men need decent income and support systems at
their jobs to enable them to balance work and family
responsibilities. There is a need to promote healthy and enduring
relationships between parents and children.
Recent USA Successes: In 1993, President Clinton signed the
Family and Medical Leave Act, now being enforced at the
federal and state levels. In addition, in 1994, new resources
were put into child immunization, Head Start, family support
services and child support enforcement. By 1966, every child
in the United States will be immunized.
Economic Security: Women in the U.S. and in all parts of the world
need access to decent-paying jobs, family health benefits, food,
housing and education to be productive members of the modern
economy. Over the last two decades, women have entered the work
force in record numbers, both as employees and business owners.
3
However, three out of five U.S. workers earning minimum wages are
women. In many countries women constitute 60 to 80 percent of the
poor.
Recent USA Successes: The number of women starting their own
businesses has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
Throughout the United States, women-owned businesses have
fueled economic growth and helped to keep families stable,
and, in the last two years, the Small Business Administration
has increased loans to women-owned business by 25 percent. New
tax policies, such as the earned-income tax credit, have
helped millions of working families who live just above the
poverty line. President Clinton has asked Congress to raise
the minimum wage to $5.25 over the next two years.
Equal Access to Education: Education is a core American value.
Without a good education, all Americans are acutely vulnerable to
shifts in the rapidly changing global economy. There is now an
international focus on equal education for girls as a critical
building block for economic security. Girls and young women in the
1990s face new social and economic challenges. These challenges
include conflicting and confusing pressures from their parents,
peers, the media and society in general and have resulted in
increasing rates of school drop outs, teenage pregnancies, under-
employment and unemployment.
Recent USA Successes: In 1994, Congress passed comprehensive
education legislation called Goals 2000. This Administration
is strongly committed to full implementation of this law,
which will improve our education system and ensure equal
access for girls under the Gender Equity Act affecting public
schools across the country.
Violence Prevention and Issues of Personal Safety: From battered
women in the United States to millions of impoverished women living
in refugee camps worldwide, women of every class, race and
ethnicity are subject to violence and its aftermath. Women must
have full legal and civil protections for all of their human
rights, including, most importantly, protection from abuse and
violence, and their voices must be heard in the resolution of
conflicts. Young women who have been subjected to violence suffer
harmful effects to their personal development.
Recent USA Successes: The Violence Against Women Act, a
landmark new law passed in 1994, includes programs to curb
family violence and to help its victims by providing support
networks and violence prevention programs in local
neighborhoods. In addition, new provisions strengthen
penalties for crimes against women including rape and spousal
abuse. Secretary of Defense Perry has committed additional
resources to insure that all U.S. troops, including those
involved in U.N. peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, are
trained in working with civilian populations that include
women and children.
The Clinton Administration will be working to make sure that the
World Conference on Women goes beyond rhetoric to implementation
and accountability. It is time to complete our own plan of action
on the issues that have been discussed and debated over the past
twenty years. These issues, raised by women everywhere, deserve
responsive action from their government. But more importantly,
women must become full partners in the decision-making that affects
their lives and families, their communities, their governments and
the world.
5
"THE WORLD OF WOMEN"
Interviews with Influential Women from Around the World
A 13-Part Radio Series (13 programs x approx. 30:00 each)
Program #13: First Lady Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, USA
Produced by the Population Reference Bureau
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 520 Washington, DC 20009 USA
202/483-1100 (tel) 202/328-3937 (fax)
MARLOW: WELCOME TO "THE WORLD OF WOMEN," A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH INFLUENTIAL
WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON THEIR LIFE AND TIMES. THE SERIES IS PRODUCED BY
THE POPULATION REFERENCE BUREAU IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
TODAY'S GUEST IS MRS. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. MRS. CLINTON IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS A LEADING ADVOCATE FOR
WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY FOR BETTER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION AND
HEALTH SERVICES. SHE HAS SERVED AS FIRST LADY SINCE HER HUSBAND, PRESIDENT BILL
CLINTON, WAS INAUGURATED IN JANUARY 1993.
UPON TAKING OFFICE, THE PRESIDENT APPOINTED MRS. CLINTON TO HEAD HIS TASK FORCE
ON NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORM. IN THIS POSITION, MRS. CLINTON PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN FOCUSING PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF WOMEN
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
PRIOR TO HER POSITION IN THE WHITE HOUSE, MRS. CLINTON SPENT TWELVE YEARS AS
FIRST LADY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, WHERE HER HUSBAND WAS GOVERNOR. DURING
THAT TIME, SHE WORKED FULL-TIME AS A PARTNER OF A LEADING LAW FIRM, CHAIRED AN
EDUCATION COMMITTEE, MANAGED A HOME, AND CARED FOR HER HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER.
MRS. CLINTON WAS GRADUATED FROM WELLESLEY COLLEGE WITH HIGH HONORS AND THEN
ATTENDED YALE LAW SCHOOL, WHERE SHE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF EDITORS OF THE YALE
REVIEW OF LAW AND SOCIAL ACTION.
HERE NOW TO TALK WITH FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON IS THE HOST OF THE
PROGRAM, SHELLY CRYER.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. IN LOOKING AT YOUR
DEVELOPMENT AS AN ACTIVE PUBLIC WOMAN, AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE DID YOU FIRST
BECOME COMMITTED TO TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE NATION'S SOCIAL PROBLEMS?
CLINTON: Well, Shelly, first, thank you for having me on this series. I appreciate what
you're doing and think it is very important.
I don't know quite how to answer that question, because as a child, many of the
children in my neighborhood were encouraged to do things like collect money or
food, work on behalf of people in nursing homes, or children in migrant labor
camp So we were always brought up with an ethos of service, and it is
something that I first thought about in relation to my neighborhood and
community, and then only later in relation to the entire nation.
But it has been, for me, a life-time idea of what is expected from those of us
who believe, as a friend of mine, Marian Edelman, of the Children's Defense
Fund, says that service is the rent we pay for living.
CRYER:
HOW DID ATTENDING AN ALL-WOMAN'S COLLEGE INFLUENCE YOUR EDUCATION?
CLINTON: I think it had a profound effect in two respects. First of all, it was a
totally nurturing, supportive, challenging environment in which women were
encouraged to speak their minds, to assume roles and responsibilities in the
classroom and in extracurricular activities, where there were no discernible
restraints that were imposed on any of us.
And the other part of the experience that was so meaningful to me is that living
on a campus of an all-woman's college meant that I really made some of the best
friends I could have ever made in my life, because during the week, our
attention was not diverted by, you know, the young men nearby, or the dating or
social scene. So I think it had both an academic and a social effect for the
positive.
CRYER:
AND THEN WHAT THEN ATTRACTED YOU TO THE FIELD OF LAW?
CLINTON: I think that my interest in law grew out of my activism as a student while at
Wellesley College. It was the time of the civil rights movement in the United
States. There was a rather significant, growing protest against the Vietnam
War. It was a time when there was a heightened concern about the poor in our
country.
All of those issues were ones that were of significance to me personally, and I
was active on campus regarding various projects that I undertook with respect to
civil rights, or tutoring children, things like that. And I believed that going
to law school at that time was a way of learning how our political and legal.
system worked, so that I could be a more effective advocate on behalf of the
causes I believed in.
CRYER:
YOUR FIRST JOB OUT OF LAW SCHOOL WAS WITH THE CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND. WHAT DID
YOU LEARN ABOUT THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES?
INTON: That's right. My first job, in 1973, after I graduated from Yale, was as a
staff attorney, working for the Children's Defense Fund. I had previously,
during the summers in law school, worked for the predecessor organization called
the Washington Research Project, which was devoted to the alleviation of poverty
and the political participation of the poor. But from that grew the Children's
Defense Fund, and its founder, Marian Edelman, both because she had three
children of her own, and because of her belief that in order to break the cycle
of poverty and to provide better opportunities for our citizens, one needed to
focus on children.
I had been interested in children's issues ever since I was a child, but
certainly in a more concentrated way starting in college, and then going on in
law school. When I went to work for the Children's Defense Fund, one of the
very first projects I was assigned to concerned the numbers of children who were
not attending school for various reasons. And we actually went door to door in
several communities trying to determine why children were out of school.
And I learned early on that there is a very big problem in many of our
communities in translating into action at the family level, at the neighborhood
level, the kinds of goals that we all hold for our children here in America. We
all want our children to be healthy. We all want them to be well-educated, to
be safe, to have stable environments. But so often, those desires on the part
of our society are not translated into action for a myriad of reasons.
And it convinced me, as I have remained convinced, that children are the
products of the values of both their families and the larger society, and
parents and family members as well as others within our society, whether they be
police officers, or teachers, or youth workers, or clergy, or business owners
all have at least indirect responsibility for the well-being of our children.
And I feel very strongly about the responsibility we all hold, and have
continued to try to fulfill that in my own life, and work to help others do as
well.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, YOU THEN MOVED ON TO ARKANSAS, WHERE YOU WERE A PROFESSOR, A
PARTNER IN A PROMINENT LAW FIRM, A MOTHER, AND A WOMAN IN ACTIVE POLITICAL LIFE.
WHAT INSIGHTS DID YOU GAIN ON THE PROBLEMS WOMEN FACE DURING YOUR ARKANSAS DAYS?
CLINTON: Well, I don't know that if I really gained any new insights. I think that many
of the impressions I had acquired over the years in my own schooling and my
various jobs, as well as my involvement in public life, were confirmed in
Arkansas, that although our country has tremendous opportunities for all of its
people, including all of our women, there are still obstacles, both internally
and externally, to women achieving their own full potential and defining their
lives according to the choices that they believe are right for them.
So, in Arkansas, I met some extraordinary women, who had overcome rather
significant obstacles to achieve success both in their personal lives as well as
in the world of work, or in public life, but I saw firsthand, as I see still
around our country, the difficulties that women confront in being able to obtain
respect for the choices they make, whether it be a choice to become a full-time
wife and mother, to be a full-time career professional without family
responsibilities, or whether, as with most of us, the choice is to try to have a
family and to enjoy the experiences and obligations of family life, but also to
participate, either by necessity or because of a particular calling, in the
world of work.
So much of what I have seen, I have seen throughout my life, including during my
years in Arkansas.
YER:
APART FROM YOUR OBVIOUS PUBLIC PROMINENCE, HOW HAS YOUR LIFE BEEN DIFFERENT FROM
YOUR MOTHER'S LIFE?
CLINTON: Well, that's a good question, particularly for women of my generation, because
many of our mothers, coming out of the experience of the Great Depression and
the Second World War, sought with all their heart, mind and soul, to provide the
best possible environment for their own children, and to encourage their
children, as my mother did for my brothers and myself, to get the best possible
education and to be able to feel and be well-equipped to make choices that were
responsible in one's adult life.
My mother never graduated from any college. She is an extraordinarily bright
and well-educated person, but she never had the opportunities through her own
upbringing that she and my father made sure I and my brothers enjoyed.
She also was very encouraging of me to not only attend college, but to think
about what I could do that would make my own life fulfilling, and to be as
supportive as she could be of choices that were very different from hers. So in
many respects, she equipped me to be abl- to make the kinds of decisions that I
have made throughout my adult life, even though they were not within her own
direct experience.
CRYER:
HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM YOURS?
CLINTON: I don't have any idea, except I hope that she will feel confident enough, and
well-prepared enough, that whatever she chooses to do, she will feel it is the
right choice for her. I do anticipate that she will attend and graduate from
college, but after that, I believe it is hard to predict. But I trust that she
will feel ready to make whatever decisions she chooses.
CRYER:
YOUR OWN LIFE REFLECTS THE EMERGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY OVER THE
PAST FEW DECADES. IN YOUR CAREER, DO YOU FEEL YOU FACED DISCRIMINATION?
CLINTON: Well, I think that I have certainly encountered instances in which I and other
women in positions comparable to mine were not treated, perhaps as they would
have been had they been men attempting to achieve the same goals. I personally
have seen and experienced the surprise, the shock, the disbelief, the
puzzlement, on the part of people that I would want to be a lawyer, for example,
want to be a trial lawyer. That I would be involved in public life. That I
would take on rather daunting responsibilities, like education or health care
reform.
And some of it I have not seen so much as discrimination as just a real
difficulty on the part of people to expand their own horizons and get beyond
their own experiences to break stereotypes about what is or is not appropriate
activity on the part of a woman.
So I certainly am aware of what has occurred in the past, and which I still see,
from time to time, with respect to discrimination. But I think our biggest
barriers, both internally as women and externally in society is to be able to
clear the field so that all women can make the choices that are right for them.
MARLOW: A REMINDER NOW THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO "THE WORLD OF WOMEN," A SERIES OF
CONVERSATIONS WITH INFLUENTIAL WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON THEIR LIFE AND
TIMES. WITH US TODAY IS MRS. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA. HERE AGAIN IS THE HOST OF THE PROGRAM, SHELLY CRYER.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE TWO OR THREE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING
WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES?
'LINTON: I think that the economy and the capacity of the economy to not only produce
jobs, which we have proven, in the last two-and-a-half years, starting with my
husband's economic policy in 1993, the economy can do; it can produce jobs --
now more than 6.7 million new jobs.
But unfortunately, income and the benefits that used to be taken for granted
along with jobs have not kept pace. And trying to insure that every individual,
and particularly ever family, has a decent standard of living in the face of
downsizing and global economic competition is, I believe, the principal problem
confronting both men and women.
It's particularly important for women, because many women are their sole
support, either individually, or as mothers of children. And many other women
are in the work force, not out of choice, but because it takes two incomes in
today's economy to produce a decent standard of living for a family. There is
so much stress that is related to the economic stress that Americans are living
with, and that stress falls particularly heavily on women in America today.
So first, I would continue tc argue, as my husband has, that we have to continue
to work as hard as we know how to make our economy produce not only jobs, but
jobs with good incomes and benefits. Secondly, the stresses that arise from
family life and the economic pressures on families today is one issue that I
think affects women much more disproportionately even than men, because women
are still, despite their entry into the job market and the work place, primarily
responsible for their families. And many women are working very long days.
It's almost as though we've turned the clock back and they're back to a kind of
subsistence day, in which they rise early to prepare their children, and if they
have a husband, their husband for the work day. They, themselves, go to work.
They come home exhausted. They then prepare meals. They then do washing and
cleaning, and they fall into bed somewhere between 11:00 and midnight only to
start the cycle over again at dawn.
So I know, from my conversations with women around our country, that these
family stresses, which are related to the economy, are ones that weigh very
heavily on women. And I think the final thing I would say is that, although
women now have far more opportunities than certainly our mothers or our
grandmothers ever dreamed of, there are still barriers to women's full
participation, to women's being -- to women being respected for the choices that
they make.
I would like to move beyond the stereotypes, whether they are gender related, or
racially related, that would free up all of our people to live up to their God~
given potential. And that's particularly important for women, because women
still lag behind in confidence and in a feeling that they are going to be able
to make good, responsible choices, and be self-sufficient.
So the economy, the stress level in American life, and the remaining obstacles
to women's full participation, are three issues that I think are still
unresolved for us.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, YOU'VE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM AN EXTENSIVE TRIP THROUGH SOUTH
ASIA. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE RELEVANCE OF WOMEN'S STRUGGLE ABROAD TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE UNITED STATES?
CLINTON: I think that's a wonderful question, because I certainly felt that trip was a
personal highlight for both me and my daughter who accompanied me. And in part
it was because I saw first hand the struggles of both men and women to achieve
democracy and to increase prosperity for their countries.
But I was particularly impressed by the various project I visited, which
demonstrated the roles that women were assuming to take some control over their
own lives. To seek out and obtain education for themselves or for,
particularly, their daughters. To become borrowers from various enterprises,
like SEWA in India, or the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, so that they could create
income for themselves and their families. To become participants in the
political process.
And what I took away from that was not only extraordinary admiration for the
courage that I saw women exhibiting in all the countries that I visited, but a
sense that we in the United States have both much to be grateful for because of
the blessings we have here in our country, and also much work to be done in
order for us to realize our potential.
It is humbling to shake the hands, as I did, of women leaders in those countries
who had paid the ultimate price for democracy, whose husbands or fathers or
brothers or sons -- or mothers -- had been assassinated, who themselves had been
imprisoned, or exiled, or tortured. None of the women I know in this country
have paid that kind of price for their political beliefs, for their commitment
to democracy, and yet we take for granted so much of what we have.
Many women don't even feel connected to the electoral process in our country.
They don't feel they can make a difference. And certainly, when I saw first
hand some of the poorest women in the world taking their own lives in hand so
that they could make a better future for themselves, it made me want to redouble
my efforts to reach as many American women as I could with the challenge that
they, too, can make a difference in their own lives and the lives of their
communities, and their nation.
So it was a very invigorating trip for me, with many, many lessons, and I hope
many ideas about what we can do here, at home.
CRYER:
HOW DID TRAVELING WITH YOUR DAUGHTER ALTER THE EXPERIENCE OF THE TRIP FOR YOU?
'LINTON: Well, it was just the very best trip I have ever had, because having her with me
enabled me to experience doubly everything we were seeing and doing. Firsthand,
of course, but through her eyes. And she had so much curiosity about the places
we visited, and the people we met that it kept everything fresh and so exciting
-- not only for me, but I think others on the trip as well.
At one point, I said I wished I could have had every American teenager with me
on that trip, because it certainly opened her eyes, and gave her a new
appreciation, both of her opportunities here in this country, but also of her
responsibilities because of those opportunities.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN WORKING TO DEVELOP HEALTH CARE POLICY
IN THE UNITED STATES, AND HEADED THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON NATIONAL HEALTH
CARE REFORM. THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC DEBATES, YOU SERVED AS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IS so IMPORTANT TO
WOMEN?
CLINTON: Well, I think for several reasons. It is part of a woman's health. It is part
of the cycle of development and life, and it is an important part of the well-
being of women. It is also important that women know as much as possible about
reproductive health so that they can make good decisions about their own
fertility and about any problems that they might encounter.
I feel very strongly that information is power, and information about one's
health, about healthy development, whether it is reproductive health or any
other part of the life cycle, should be made available as broadly and deeply as
possible. And one of the goals we had for health-care reform was to make
available information about reproductive health more widely than it is now, so
that we would have people, particularly women, making good, responsible
decisions. And I still think that that is in, not only the interests of women,
but in the interests of our entire society.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, WE ARE QUICKLY APPROACHING THE UNITED NATIONS FOURTH WORLD
CONFERENCE ON WOMEN. WHAT DO YOU HOPE WILL COME OUT OF THIS CONFERENCE?
CLINTON: I would very much like to see some kind of consensus as to those steps which
could be taken by women anywhere in the world that would promote a better
quality of life. I would like to see the United Nations conference come down
very strongly in favor of educational opportunities for women, of very broadly
accessible health care services for women, of the full political participation
of women, of the extension of credit -- including micro-credit and more
extensive lending to women in every country.
The problems between countries with relation to their stage of development are
such that different strategies have to be employed. But I think there is a
fundamental need to recommit ourselves to the basic human rights of all women,
to the advancement of an agenda of health, education, welfare, and political
participation, as well as economic self-sufficiency that, taken in slightly
different approaches, can be applied to women throughout the world.
I hope we do not see any ideological battles, any rhetorical battles between
people representing their nations, or different points of view, that detract
from our common commitment to advancing the cause of women's development around
the world. And I'm hopeful that we will see something emerge that could be used
as an organizing tool to bring about the changes that I think the vast majority
of people in the world could agree need to be undertaken.
CRYER:
ONE OF THE CRITICISMS THAT IS LEVELED AGAINST WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENTS IN
GENERAL, AND THE BEIJING CONFERENCE IN PARTICULAR, IS THAT WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
UNDERMINES FAMILIES. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THIS TYPE OF CRITICISM?
CLINTON: Well, I think the criticism is ideologically based, but not based in fact. If
one looks at the quality of life in countries where women are given the tools of
opportunity, there is a higher standard of living, people are healthier, indices
of misery in terms of absolute poverty or infant mortality or disease are lower.
I think the evidence speaks for itself, that the best investment any nation can
make is in the education and well-being of its women and girls.
Now, I know that there are different cultural attitudes with respect to the
appropriate role women should play in particular societies, but I find it very
hard to accept that providing decent health care, educational opportunity, some
basis for self-sufficiency in the case of need could ever be considered
undermining a family when we know that women do most of the work in the world,
have the responsibility for raising children, and are the backbone of the vast
majority of families throughout the world. Families will be better off when
women are better off, and I think that should be the message of the Beijing.
Conference.
Warran
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, WE HAVE JUST ABOUT ONE MINUTE LEFT. YOU SERVE AS A ROLE MODEL FOR
MILLIONS OF WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD. WHO HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR MOST IMPORTANT
ROLE MODELS?
CLINTON: Well, I learn about new role models every day. Certainly, my own mother and the
women who taught me and helped me along my own life's path are my primary role
models, but I think a lot, for example, living in the White House, of Eleanor
Roosevelt, who broke new ground and never let anyone forget that it is a
privilege to be able to serve people, and that women have a particular
opportunity to try to speak out on behalf on those amongst us who are
vulnerable.
One of Mrs. Roosevelt's favorite sayings about political action was that she
thought part of the role of a person in public life should be to comfort the
afflicted and to afflict the comfortable, and I think that made a lot of sense
in her time, and it makes sense today. All of us can do better to further the
goals of a humane and just society, and that's what I hope we do.
CRYER:
MRS. CLINTON, THANK YOU so MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
MARLOW: YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO "THE WORLD OF WOMEN," A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON THEIR LIFE AND TIMES. WITH US TODAY
HAS BEEN MRS. HILLARY RODHMAN CLINTON, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. "THE WORLD OF WOMEN" WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE POPULATION REFERENCE
BUREAU IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THE HOST FOR THE PROGRAM IS SHELLY CRYER. THIS IS
MIKE MARLOW. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR "THE WORLD OF WOMEN."
###
From Cairo to Copenhagen and Beijing:
Themes and Emphases
The road that began in Rio and continued in Vienna wends
its way to Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing in the next 18
months. Although each major world event held in these five
cities is singular, common threads are evident. Each event
requires independent analysis and public affairs treatment, yet
the commonalities also merit emphasis in information and
exchange activities, e.g.:
0
Supporting Sustainable Development (highlighted at the
1992 Rio International Conference on Environment and
Development, particularly in "Agenda 21.")
Centrally involves the sustainable use of natural resources
and protection of the global ecology to promote the well-being
of future generations. Sustainable development also involves
combatting poverty, reducing wasteful consumption, improving
urban conditions.
Democratic governance, education and public awareness are
necessary for sustainable development, as is the full and equal
participation of all relevant groups, including women,
youth, indigenous people and their communities,
non-governmental organizations, farmers, local authorities,
trade unions, business and industry and the science and
technology community." (Agenda 21)
o
Advancing Human Rights and Democratization
(Re-confirming the Vienna 1993 World Conference on Human
Rights.)
The universality of basic human rights was confirmed in the
Vienna document as well as recognition of the importance of
democratic institutions and the importance of development.
0
Building Global Consensus and a Comprehensive Plan of
Action regarding Population and Development (The goal of the
September 5-13 International Conference on Population and
Development in Cairo.)
Involves broadening family planning services, improved
health care, particularly for women and children, equal
education, empowerment of women and equal economic opportunity,
greater involvement of men in family choices and
responsibilities, and greater involvement of women in designing
and carrying out sustainable development strategies and
programs. As Under Secretary of State Tim Wirth said recently,
At Cairo, we can forge the necessary consensus around the
goals of human rights, gender equality, environmental
protection, economic and social justice....
(March 30 speech.)
-2-
o
Alleviating and Reducing Poverity, Expanding
Employment and Enhancing Social Integration (Goals of the March
1995 Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development.)
These three mutually related goals rest on the convergence
of economics, sustainable development strategies and social and
humanitarian goals. Seeks to free the creative energy and
strengths of individuals and communities, as stated in an
early U.S. statement on the Summit: ".... Whether in our
domestic programs or in our foreign aid programs, the emphasis
now is on building indigenous capacity, enhancing
participation, decentralization, and the empowerment of
communities and individuals."
o
Fostering the Advancement of Women and Their
Contribution to Global Peace, Prosperity and Human Freedom
(the central concern of the Fourth World COnference on Women:
Action for Equality, Development and Peace," in Beijing in
September, 1995.)
Addressing the full range of concerns that relate to the
empowerment of women in social, political and economic terms,
the Beijing Conference deals directly with the unifying thread
of the four preceding major global events, both retrospectively
and in setting an agenda and goals for future action. "What I
would like to emphasize : . is the fact that advancing the roles
and rights of women is a critical common thread that must be
woven through the recommendaitons and implementation of our
goals from Rio, Vienna, Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing.
Achievement of gender equality is essential in its own right.
But I also believe that sustainable development cannot be
realized without the full engagement and complete empowerment
of women." (Tim Wirth March 30 speech:)
U.N. DECADE FOR WOMEN: EQUALITY. DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
The General Assembly endorsed the Mexico City Plan of Action in
December, 1975 and proclaimed 1976-1985 as the U.N. Decade for
Women: Equality, Development and Peace. It called for a
mid-decade conference in 1980 and added three sub-themes:
employment, health, and education.
During the first half of the decade the International Research
and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW)
and the U.N. Voluntary Fund for the Decade of Women were
created. Now called UNIFEM, the latter has an annual budget of
about $12 million and provides direct financial and technical
support to low income women's groups in developing countries.
The most widely quoted statistics to come out of the research
conducted during the first half of the decade contained the
ILO's sobering, yet galvanizing, revelations that:
While women represent 50% of the world population and
one-third of the official labor force, they perform nearly
two-thirds of all working hours, receive only one-tenth of
the world income and own less than 1% of world property.
The mid-decade conference in 1980 in Copenhagen drew 1,326
delegates from 145 states. Another 8,000 women attended the
NGO Forum. The Copenhagen conference adopted A World Programme
of Action. It called for women's participation in politics and
decision-making, and for the elimination of discrimination in
law and policy. It encouraged governments and international
institutions to conduct more research and to collect gender
disaggragated data.
The Decade for Women ended with the U.N. World Conference to
Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations
Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace held in
Nairobi, Kenya. The conference drew 1,400 delegates from 157
nations. The NGO Forum drew an estimated 14,000, 60% of them
women from developing countries.
The conference adopted a plan of action for 1986 - 2000, the
Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women.
The Strategies validated the goals and objectives of the
earlier Mexico City and Copenhagen documents, and indicated
concrete measures to overcome obstacles to their achievement,
especially in light of the worsening world economic situation
that was slowing women's advancement as well as setting them
back.
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a tabbed divider. Given our
digitization capabilities, we are sometimes unable to adequately
scan such dividers. The title from the original document is
indicated below.
Conference Issue Papers/
Negotiation Instructions
Divider Title:
HUMAN RIGHTS TERMINOLOGY IN
THE PLATFORM FOR ACTION
Note: The following are some terms commonly used is discussing
human rights as well as some language which is bracketed in the
draft Platform because it alters the commonly accepted language
in a way which may undermine human rights. If you have further
questions, please ask a member of the human rights team.
The Universal Nature of Human Rights
--The U.S. believes that the words "human rights" should
generally not be preceded by qualifiers such as "universal,"
"universally recognized," "international," or "internationally
recognized." In general, these terms could be used by some to
limit the universality of human rights, which was re-affirmed
in Vienna. For example, a reference to "all universal human
rights," could be misinterpreted to imply that some human
rights are NOT universal--perhaps because they are not
universally respected or applied.
--Generally, if necessary to have a qualifier, the term
"internationally recognized" would be preferable to "universal"
because the rights referred to are, in fact, recognized in
international declarations or conventions, even if not all
countries uphold human rights or have signed on to a given
convention.
--It is because of these kinds of problems that the US
generally prefers to refer simply to "human rights" or "human
rights and fundamental freedoms." That is the language of the
Universal Declaration and the UN Charter.
--Our goal is to ensure that seemingly minor word changes do
not open the door for those who do not uphold rights to assert
that they have no obligation to do so. Keeping the language
simply "human rights" is generally the best.
"Basic" Human Rights
--As with the term "universal," the U.S. prefers to avoid
describing any human right as a "basic" human right, simply
because it may raise the issue of which human rights are
"basic" and which are not.
Human Dignity vs. the "Innate" Dignity of Women
--The concept of human dignity is elemental to the concepts of
human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
the UN Charter assert "faith in fundamental human rights, in
the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal
rights of men and women
"
--In the Platform for Action, however, there were proposals to
discuss the "innate dignity of women." The US does not support
use of this phrase because it can be seen to imply a different
(and therefore unequal) kind of dignity for women. The US
position is to refer always to "human dignity" or "the dignity
and worth of the human person."
Equality VS. Equity
--As noted above, the concept of "equality between men and
women" was included in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, and is one of the themes of the Fourth World Conference
on women.
--However, there were efforts to introduce terminology which
would undermine this concept.
--Iran proposed that the document refer in many places to the
need for "equity" rather than or in addition to "equality."
Iran proposed this language based on its view that men and
women have defined roles which are not based on equality
between the sexes. It believes that discrimination on the
basis of sex is and can be "equitable." The US strongly
believes that "equality" should be used alone in most cases,
especially when referring to legal equality or equal
opportunity.
--Another delegation sought to include terminology referring to
the "fundamental" equality between men and women. Again, the
US believes that this implies that women and men are only equal
within their own spheres. We support use of simply the word
"equality."
The Human Rights of Women VS. Women's Human Rights
--In talking about human rights, the US and all other
delegations have agreed that the preferred terminology is "the
human rights of women" rather than "women's human rights."
This formulation makes clear that the human rights under
discussion are not particular to women, but are universal in
nature.
09 01:95 FRI 11:32 FAI 202 546 7142
A. I. USA D.C.
8.
002
AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL
USA
304 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Washington DC 20003
Phone (202)544-0200 Fax (202)546-7142
September 1, 1995
The First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Office of the First Lady
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
No one who attends the Fourth UN World Conference on Women
will have a louder or more influential voice than you will.
As First Lady of the United States, you will be listened to
closely by both governments and the worldwide NGO community.
This means that should you fail to address several critical
issues, your silence will speak volumes, as well. We beg you
not to remain silent on the state of women's human rights
everywhere in the world.
If you are to be a forceful advocate for the rights of
women, you must be prepared to name the governments which
violato women's rights or which fail to take action to
prevent the full range of abuses against women. We
undorstand that your primary task is to address women's
rights issues and not China's overall human rights record.
But you cannot afford to be silent on the issue of
violations against Chinese and Tibetan women. The government
of China could Interpret your silence as condoning the
brutal treatment of women such as its forced abortion and
sterilization program.
Furthermore, during the preparation for the conference, the
Chinese government conducted "Public Order" sweeps, which
included sixteen executions and numerous detentions.
One
such case of detention is Ding Zilin, a university professor
and her husband Jiang Peikun. They were accused of "economic
irregularities". We have adopted them as Prisoners of
Conscience, and are demanding their immediate and
unconditional release. Please add your voice to this appeal.
When people are executed or imprisoned so that a UN
conference can take place, it should not be the
responsibility of Amnesty International and other human
rights groups alone to protest. You must not remain mute
when victims of human rights violations have paid such a
price.
Amnesty International is an independent worldwide movement working impartially for the release of all prisoners of conscience, fair and prompt trials for
political prisoners and an end to torture and executions. It is funded by donations from its members and supporters throughout the world.
CHAIR. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON OFFICE
Mary W. Gray
William F. Schulz
James O'Dea
09-01-95 FRI 11:33 FAI 202 548 7142
A. I. USA D.C.
003
2
If this conference is to be a success, it is imperative that
governments leave Beijing having committed to take real and
measurable action to improve the human rights of women.
Specifically, we need your voice to demand that governments
conclude the conference with:
- a commitment to reaffirm and build on their previous
commitments to the universality and indivisibility of the
human rights of women.
- a commitment to take action on state violence against
women.
- a commitment to tackle human rights violations of women in
armed conflict.
- a commitment to fulfill their international obligations to
end human rights violations occurring in the private sphere
and in communities.
- a commitment to protect women activists.
Speak, Mrs. Clinton, speak! We wish you success in these
cndeavors.
Sincerely,
william F Schulz
William F. Schulz
Executive Director
Human Rights Terminology
Drafted by: G/CS: MTCurtin
SEC3 173 8/21/95 x7-3129
Cleared by: L/HRR: DStewart
DRL/MLA:THushek
ID:
MHK 21
April 7, 1995 11:30AM
Gender Talking Points for US Delegation
Gender is a commonly used sociological term
that has been conventionally used in UN documents since the
1970's. The term "gender" is not defined in the current draft
documents of the CSW or FWCW because it is used in its
conventional usage.
Gender signifies that the socio-economic impacts being
discussed are evaluated relative to their differing effects on
men and women.
Within the Platform for Action, "gender" is used in analyzing
socio-economic data, with gender sensitivity training for
persons assisting girls who have been victims of abuse and
violence, gender balance when discussing male/female
representation on appointed committees, etc.
We have heard that some text, not connected with the CSW or
the FWCW, has defined the term "gender" to include sexual
orientation. We have not seen this text. Such a definition
is not the way the term is used in the CSW/FWCW text. This is
not the way the USG is using the term "gender" in the text.
We support the decision of the Chair made on April 6 that a
blanket bracketing of "gender" throughout the text is not a
productive way to move the document forward.
Our understanding is that where a working group put brackets
on specific uses of gender, these brackets will romain.
On April 7, the Bureau decided to set up an
ambassadorial-level contact group to begin work no later than
May 15 in New York to address the use of "gender" in the
CSW/FWCW text. The Ambassador from Namibia will chair it.
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Junc 6, 1995
Fourth World Conference on Women
Gender Consultations
The National Review article contains false information.
The US is not seeking to redefine gender in any way. When
the issue of gender was first raised at the UN, the State
Department went on record to support the conventional and
traditional usage of the word.
No country at the UN is seeking to redefine the term gender
to encompass five genders.
During the March/April 1995 Preparatory Conference for the
UN's upcoming Fourth World Conference on Women, Honduras
with support from Guatemala and Benin and later several
other delegations, sought clarification of the word's
meaning apparently based on false rumors circulating that
this commonly-used word was somehow a cover for promoting a
radical notion of "five genders."
The US position is that gendor is a commonly used term in
sociological analysis that has been conventionally used in
UN documents since the 1970s. In its adjectival form, it
is commonly paired with other words such as
gender-disaggregated statistics, gender analysis, and
gender gap. When used in this manner, it signifies that
the socio-economic action or policies under discussion are
being evaluated relative to their differing impacts on men
and women. These are analytical constructs that enable
policymakers to understand that practices or policy actions
may impact differently on men and women. Common uses for
such analyses include the demonstration of salary
differentials between men and women or studying longevity
differences.
The discussion of the word gender is not a North/South
issue. One of the first countries to object to Honduras'
intervention was Indonesia, who made a detailed objection
citing its common usage within the UN system and
internationally.
In May, there were two meetings of a UN-based contact group
of interested delegate to resolve the issue.
Chaired by Selma Ashipala of Namibia, the group reached
consensus (with the exception of Guatemala) and adopted the
attached statement on May 31.
U.S. Department of State
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
CONSENSUS ON
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND UNSAFE ABORTION
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was a major success, with
180 nations endorsing a comprehensive new strategy, embodied in the Program of Action, for
stabilizing world population growth and promoting sustainable development. At the ICPD, held in
Cairo last September, governmental and non-governmental participants worked together to craft a
Program of Action which, among other things, calls for universal access to good quality
reproductive health care services, including safe, effective, voluntary family planning; the
empowerment of women and their full involvement in all aspects of population programs and
policies; expanded access to education and health care services; increased responsibility of men in
sexual and reproductive health and childrearing; and reduction of wasteful resource consumption.
The ICPD was historic for two principal reasons: the new direction of population policies, focusing
on people's needs -- rather than simply demographic targets; and consensus on a broad range of
difficult issues, in particular, defining reproductive health and reproductive rights and how to
address the public health issue of unsafe abortions, which constitute nearly half of the 50 to 60
million abortions performed each year around the world. Reaching consensus on these issues
required thorough and considered discussions to ensure that the interests and concerns of all
nations were addressed.
No new rights were created at the ICPD. No country is required to change its laws. The Program
of Action is a template for how to have successful programs which create the circumstances in
which voluntary decisions about family size can be made.
The ICPD Program of Action contains 16 chapters addressing components of population related
development policies: Preamble; Principles; Interrelationships Between Population, Sustained
Economic Growth and Sustainable Development; Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of
Women; The Family, Its Roles, Rights, Composition and Structure; Population Growth and
Structure; Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health; Health, Morbidity and Mortality;
Population Distribution, Urbanization and Internal Migration; International Migration; Population,
Development and Education; Technology, Research and Development; National Action;
International Cooperation; Partnership with the Non-Governmental Sector; and Follow-up to the
Conference.
Text from the ICPD Program of Action
Principles for Implementation
Chapter II introduction: The implementation of the recommendations contained in the Program of Action is
the sovereign right of each country, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with full respect
for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with
universally recognized International human rights.
Reproductive Health
7.2: Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters related to the reproductive system and to its functions and
processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life
and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.
Implicit in this last condition are the right of men and women to be Informed and to have access to safe,
effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of
their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate
health-care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples
with the best chance of having a healthy infant. In line with the above definition of reproductive health,
reproductive health care is defined as the constellation of methods, techniques and services that contribute to
reproductive health and well-being by preventing and solving reproductive health problems. It also includes
sexual health, the purpose of which is the enhancement of life and personal relations, and not merely
counseling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases.
Note: After achieving consensus on this language, the terms reproductive and sexual health are used where
appropriate in the Program of Action.
because of such factors as: inadequate levels of knowledge about human sexuality and inappropriate or poor-
quality reproductive health Information and services; the prevalence of hioh 4cb
in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality Reproductive health eludes many of the world's people
relations and particular to meeting the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal
commitment, full attention should be given to the promotion of mutually respectful and equitable gender
policies and programs in the area of reproductive health, Including family planning As part of their
these rights for all people should be the fundamental basis for government- and community-supported
children and their responsibilities towards the community. The promotion of the responsible exercise of
documents. In the exercise of this right, they should take into account the needs of their living and future
decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights
right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also Includes their right to make
number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the Information and means to do so, and the
the rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly
recognized in national laws, international human rights documents and other consensus documents. These
7.3: Bearing in mind the above definition, reproductive rights embrace certain human rights that are already
Reproductive Rights
Reproductive Rights
7.3: Bearing In mind the above definition, reproductive rights embrace certain human rights that are already
recognized in national laws, International human rights documents and other consensus documents. These
rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and Individuals to decide freely and responsibly
the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the Information and means to do so, and the
right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make
decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights
documents. In the exercise of this right, they should take into account the needs of their living and future
children and their responsibilities towards the community. The promotion of the responsible exercise of
these rights for all people should be the fundamental basis for government- and community-supported
policies and programs in the area of reproductive health, Including family planning. As part of their
commitment, full attention should be given to the promotion of mutually respectful and equitable gender
relations and particularly to meeting the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal
in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality. Reproductive health eludes many of the world's people
because of such factors as: Inadequate levels of knowledge about human sexuality and inappropriate or poor-
quality reproductive health information and services; the prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior;
discriminatory social practices; negative attitudes towards women and girls; and the limited power many
women and girls have over their sexual and reproductive lives. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable
because of their lack of Information and access to relevant services in most countries. Older women and men
have distinct reproductive and sexual health Issues which are often Inadequately addressed.
Note: This is the only paragraph In the Program of Action which includes the term reproductive rights.
Unsafe Abortion
8.25: In no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning. All governments and
relevant Intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are urged to strengthen their commitment to
women's health, to deal with the health Impact of unsafe abortion as a major public health concern and to
reduce the recourse to abortion through expanded and improved family-planning services. Prevention of
unwanted pregnancies must always be given the highest priority and every attempt should be made to
eliminate the need for abortion. Women who have unwanted pregnancies should have ready access to
reliable Information and compassionate counseling. Any measures or changes related to abortion within the
health system can only be determined at the national or local level according to the national legislative
process. In circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe. In all cases,
women should have access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion.
Post-abortion counseling, education and family-planning services should be offered promptly, which will also
help to avoid repeat abortions.
Note: appropriate After in the achieving Program of consensus on Action. this language, the terms reproductive and sexual health are used where
Note: The only other references to abortion in the ICPD Program of Action are:
7.44a: To address adolescent sexual and reproductive health Issues, Including unwanted pregnancy, unsafe
abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases, Including HIV/AIDS, through the promotion of responsible and
healthy reproductive and sexual behavlor, Including voluntary abstinence, and the provision of appropriate
services and counseling specifically suitable for that age group;
8.19: However, a significant proportion of the abortions carrled out are self-induced or otherwise unsafe,
leading to a large fraction of maternal deaths or to permanent Injury to the women Involved
8.20a: To promote women's health and safe motherhood; to achieve a rapid and substantial reduction in
maternal morbidity and mortality and reduce the differences observed between developing and developed
countries and within countries. On the basis of a commitment to women's health and well-being, to reduce
greatly the number of deaths and morbidity from unsafe abortion
12.17: Since unsafe abortion Is a major threat to the health and lives of women, research to understand
and better address the determinants and consequences of Induced abortion, Including its effects on
subsequent fertility, reproductive and mental health and contraceptive practice, should be promoted, as well
as research on treatment of complications of abortion and post-abortion care.
13.14b: in the basic reproductive health services component - Information and routine services for
prenatal, normal and safe delivery and post-natal care; abortion (as specified In paragraph 8.25);
Information, education and communication about reproductive health, Including sexually transmitted diseases,
human sexuality and responsible parenthood, and against harmful practices; adequate counsellng; diagnosis
and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive tract Infections, as feasible; prevention
of Infertility and appropriate treatment, where feasible; and referrals, education and counseling services for
sexually transmitted diseases, Including HIV/AIDS, and for pregnancy and delivery complications.
1
unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the
necessary skills or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standards or both (based on World Health
Organization, The Prevention and Management of Unsafe Abortion, Report of a Technical Working Group, Geneva,
April 1992 (WHO/MSM/92.5).
CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF
ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)
VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN DONT JUST VICTIMIZE
INDIVIDUALS: THEY HOLD BACK WHOLE SOCIETIES GUARANTEEING HUMAN
RIGHTS IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE WITH RESPECT TO DOTII WOMEN AND MEN.
IT IS ALSO AN INVESTMENT IN MAKING WHOLE NATIONS STRONGER, FAIRER.
AND BETTER.
U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher
from an address in the World Conference on Human Righes, Vicnna, Austrin, 1993.
BACKGROUND
On December 18, 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimina-
tion of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Convention was
the culmination of more than thirty years of work by the United Nations Commission
on the Status of Women, a hody established in 1946 to monitor the situation of women
world wide and to promote women's rights.
Until 1979, when the General Assembly adopted CEDAW. there was no legally hinding
convention that rook an international view of a woman's rights within the family and
within the political, economic and social life of her country.
CURRENT STATUS
As of January 1994, 131 countries had ratified the Convention.
The United States was active in the diafting of the Convendon and signed It July 17,
1980. It was transmitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in November of
1980. In the summer of 1990, the Senate Foreign Relanons Committee held hearings
on the Convention. At that time, the State Department testified it was not prepared
wills = legal analysis of the Convention to determine how it comports with U.S. law.
In the spring of 1993, a letter signed by sixty-eight members of the Senate was sent to
President Bill Clinton asking him to take the necessary steps to rarify CEDAW. In June
of 1993, Secretary of State Warren Christopher announced at the World Conference on
Human Rights in Vienna that the Administration would move on CEDAW and other
human rights treaties.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. CONTACT THE WORKING GROUP ON RATIFICATION OF
CEDAW, c/o AILEEN COOPER, B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN, 1828 L STREET, N.W., SUITE
250. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036. TELEPHONE (202) 857-1370
Senator Claiborne Pell (D.RJ), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
has made public his desire to move CEDAW to the floor of the Senate for a vote 35
soon as is feasible after receiving the State Department report.
Sixty-seven "yes" votes are required for the Senate in consent to ratification. Action by
the House of Representatives is not required for international treaty ratification.
IMPORTANCE OF U.S. RATIFICATION
The Convention reinforces the definition of discrimination against women so that
those who would discriminate on the basis of sex can no longer claim that no clear
definition exists.
Many women in other parts of the world lack basic legal rights or protection of their
rights under the law. The cry that women's rights are human rights originates from
consideration of the plight of chese women. As a leading advocate for human rights,
the United States has an Interest in helping improve conditions for these women. Yet,
as one of the few nations that has failed to rarify the Women's Convention, the United
States compromises its credibility and persuasiveness as n force for human rights for
women. The fact that the United States was heavily involved in the drafting of
CEDAW also lends weight to its obligation to ratify.
Ratification of the Convention is called for in the concluding documents of the
Vienna/Helsinki agreements of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (CSCE). The United States was a signatory of CSCE and should comply with
its provisions.
U.S. ratification means that the United States can join the United Nations Committee
011 the Elimination of Discrimination (CEDAW), which monitors reports of progress
in treatment of women from the countries that have ratified CEDAW.
TREATY SYNTHESIS
ARTICLE I defines discrimination against women as any distinction or restriction made
on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of umpairing the recognition, enjoy.
ment or exercise of human rights.
ARTICLE 2 mandates States Parties to condemn discrimination in all its forms and w
ensure that national legal frameworks embody the principles of equality between men
and women.
ARTICLE 3 mandates ratifying countries to guarantee women their basic human rights.
ARTICLE 4 directs ratifying countries to initiate special measures to accelerate women's
equality.
ARTICLE S states that family education should include a proper understanding of marer-
nity and that both men and women play a role in ilie upbringing of children.
ARTICLE 6 mandates ratifying countries to initiate measures that will suppress all
forms of craffic in women and exploitation of women through prostitution.
ARTICLE 7 outlines the rights of women in political and public life, including the
right to vote in elections, to participate in the formulation of government policy. to
hold office and to participate in non-governmental organizations concerned wieh the
political life ofthe country.
ARTICLE 8 requires that women have the opportunity to represent their governments
at the international level.
ARTICLE 9 mandates that women will have equal rights to acquire, change or retain
their nationality and that of their children.
ARTICLE 10 outlines equal rights in career and vocational guidance, choice of cur.
ricula, scholarships and study grants, and continuing education.
ARTICLE 11 outlines equal rights in employment including equal opportunities, free
choice of employment and professional training, equal remuneration. health benefits,
and evaluation of work.
ARTICLE 12 mandates equal access to health care services.
ARTICLE 13 states that women shall have, on an equal basis with men, the following
rights. bank Inans, mor tgages and other forms of financial credit and participation in
recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life.
ARTICLE 14 focuses on the particular problems faced by rural women including
access to health care, access to training and education, and access to credit and loans.
ARTICLE 15 requires that women have equal treatment before the law including the
right to make contracts and be free to choose their residence and domicile.
ARTICLE 16 mandates that women have equal rights with men in matters relating to
family and marriage including the right to choose a spouse, and the right to ownership
of property.
ARTICLE 17 calls for the establishment of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which will evaluate progress made in
implementation of the Convention.
ARTICLE 10 establishes a schedule of reporting on progress by ratifying countries.
ARTICLE 19 establishes a term of two years for officers of CEDAW.
ARTICLE 20 establishes a cycle of meetings to review reports of ratifying countries.
ARTICLE 21 directs CEDAW to make general recommendations based on reports.
ARTICLE 22 allows for specialized agencies to submit reports that fall within the
scope of their activities.
ARTICLES 23 - 30 detail administration of the Convention.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ENDORSED THE CONVENTION
ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST WOMEN
American Association of Retired Persons
National Council of Jewish Women
American Association of University Women
National Education Association
American Bar Association
National Federation of Business and
Americans for Democratic Action
Professional Women's Clubs
American Federation of Teachers
National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods
American Jewish Committee
National Hook-up of Black Women. Inc.
American Jewish Congress
National Ladies Auxiliary. Jewish War Veterans
American Medical Women's Association
National Jewish Community Relations
American Nurses Association
Advisory Council
American Psychiatric Association
National T swyers Guild
American Veterans Committee
National Organization For Women (NOW)
Amit Women
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund
Amnesty International
National Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is
Anti-Defamation league of B'nai B'rith
of the United States
Association for Women in Psychology
National Women's Conference Committee
Association for Women in Science
National Women's Political Caucus
Black Women's Agenda
National Women's Studies Association
B'nai B'rirh International
Organisation of Pan-Asian American Women
B'nai B'rich Women
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Center for Pulicy Alternatives -
United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
(Women's Economic Justice Center)
Society for the Advancement of Women's
Church Women United
Health Research
Committee For International
Soropcimist International
Human Rights Inquiry
Sc Joan's Alliance
Episcopal Church. USA
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Fvangelical Lutheran Church in America
Unicirian Universalist Association
Emunah Women
of Congregations
Federally Employed Women
United Church of Christ
Gray Panthers
United Methodist Church
Hadarsah
United Nations Association of the United States
Lawycrs Committee for Human Rights
United States Conference of Mayors
Leaderchip Conference on Civil Rights
Wider Opportunities for Women
League of Women Vocers of the USA
The Women Activist Fund, Inc.
Na'amat USA
Women for International Peace and Arbitration
National Assembly of Religious Women
Women's Action Alliance, Inc.
National Association of Commissions
Women's American ORT
for Women
Women's Branch, Union of Orthodox Tewish
National Association of Social Workers
Congregations of America
National Association of Women Judges
Women's International League for
National Association of Women Lawyers
Peace and Freedom
National Black Women's Health Project
Women's International Public Health Network
National Board of the YWCA of the USA
Wumen's League for Conservative Judaism
National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Women's Legal Defense Fund
National Conference of Christians and Jews
Womens Action for New Directions
National Council of the Churches of Christ
World Federalist Association
in the USA
Zonea International
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON
September 13, 1994
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On behalf of the President, I am writing to convey the
Administration's strong support for prompt ratification of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women.
As you are aware, this important human rights treaty has
been pending before the Senate since 1980, when the United
States signed it. Despite the expression of strong support for
ratification by a wide spectrum of the non-governmental
community at several Congressional hearings, prior
Administrations did not embrace the Convention. Consequently
the process of ratification has languished. Over 130 States
are now parties to the Convention; the United States is not.
It is time to remedy this situation.
The Clinton Administration has placed particular emphasis
on the protection and advancement of women's rights in the
international community. We strongly supported inclusion of
provisions on women's rights in the Vienna Declaration and
Program of Action adopted at the Second World Conference on
Human Rights last summer. We have taken steps to incorporate
women's concerns into U.S. assistance programs, refugee
programs, and population policy. We are funding projects
around the world to assist women's groups and promote women's
rights, ranging from expanding literacy (including literacy in
legal matters) and promoting health care to protecting refugee
women. Working closely with the United Nations, we are
promoting the systematic integration of women's issues into UN
programs, the training of UN personnel to ensure sensitivity
and competence in addressing gender-based abuses, and the
appointment of more women to positions of responsibility in the
UN. We strongly supported the appointment of a Special
Rapporteur on Violence Against Women at the last session of the
The Honorable
Claiborne Pell,
Chairman,
Committee on Foreign Relations,
United States Senate.
- 2 -
UN Human Rights Commission. Another top priority is to ensure
that the War Crimes Tribunal investigating the former
Yugoslavia addresses the systematic rape of women as an
instrument of ethnic cleansing.
Ratification of the Convention at this time would serve
both to underscore our commitment to women's rights and to
enhance our ability to protect and promote those rights
internationally. with the Fourth World Conference on Women
impending, it is in the U.S. interest to ratify this treaty
promptly, since we are the only country in the Western
Hemisphere which has not. In particular, participation by the
United States in the work of the Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination Against Women, which oversees implementation
of the treaty by States Parties, would provide an opportunity
for the United States to play an even more active and effective
role in the articulation and advancement of the principles of
non-discrimination and equality for women around the world.
These principles find clear expression, of course, in our
own domestic law. At both the federal and state levels,
current U.S. law provides strong guarantees of equal
protection, as well as effective protections against
discriminatory conduct. As a result, our law largely complies
with the requirements of the Convention. Ratification can
therefore be premised on a relatively small number of
reservations, understandings and declarations. They are set
forth in the enclosed list.
To assist the Committee in its consideration of these
proposals, I am enclosing a detailed memorandum analyzing the
requirements of the Convention in relation to the relevant
provisions of current U.S. law and explaining the reasoning
behind each of the proposed reservations, understandings and
declarations.
On behalf of the President, I urge the Senate to give its
advice and consent to ratification of this important human
rights treaty.
Sincerely,
Warren.
Warren Christopher
Enclosures:
1. Proposed Reservations, Understandings and
Declarations
2. Analysis of the Convention
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a tabbed divider. Given our
digitization capabilities, we are sometimes unable to adequately
scan such dividers. The title from the original document is
indicated below.
Draft Platform
Of Action
Divider Title:
SECRETARIAT REFERENCE COPY
16 August 1995
Incorporating the results of the
informal consultations found in
document A/CONF.177/L.3
DRAFT PLATFORM FOR ACTION
Chapter I
MISSION STATEMENT
1. The Platform for Action is an agenda for women's empowerment. It aims at
accelerating the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for
the Advancement of Women 1/ and at removing the all obstacles to women's active
participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal
share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making. This means
that the principle of shared power and responsibility should be established
between women and men at home, in the workplace and in the wider national and
international communities. Equality between women and men is a matter of human
rights and a condition for social justice and is also a necessary and
fundamental prerequisite for equality, development and peace. A transformed
partnership based on equality between women and men is a condition for people-
centred sustainable development. A sustained and long-term commitment is
essential, so that women and men can work together for themselves, for their
children and for society to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.
2. [The Platform for Action reaffirms the fundamental principle, set forth in
the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 2/ adopted by the World
Conference on Human Rights that the human rights of women and of the girl child
are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.)
As an agenda for action, the Platform seeks to promote and protect [the full
enjoyment of all universal) all human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all
women throughout their life cycle.
3. The Platform for Action emphasizes that women share common concerns that
can be addressed only by working together and in partnership with men towards
the common goal of gender equality around the world. It respects and values the
full diversity of women's situations and conditions and recognizes that some
women face particular barriers to their empowerment.
4. The Platform for Action requires immediate and concerted action by all to
create a peaceful, just, humane and {equitable} world based on the [universal
human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the) principle of equality {and
equity] for all people of all ages and from all walks of life.
5. The success of the Platform for Action will require a strong commitment on
the part of Governments, international organizations and institutions at all
levels as well as [adequate] [new and additional) resources for the
implementation of the agreements made; a commitment to equal rights, equal
responsibilities and equal opportunities and to the equal participation of women
and men in all national, regional and international bodies and policy-making
processes; and the establishment or strengthening of mechanisms at all levels
for accountability to the world's women.
2
Chapter II
GLOBAL FRAMEWORK
6. The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and
Peace is taking place as the world stands poised on the threshold of a new
millennium.
7. The present Platform for Action upholds the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 31 and builds upon the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, as well as relevant
resolutions adopted by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly.
The formulation of the Platform for Action is aimed at establishing a basic
group of priority actions that should be carried out during the next five years.
8. The Platform for Action recognizes the importance of the agreements reached
at the World Summit for Children, the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development, the World Conference on Human Rights, the International
Conference on Population and Development and the World Summit for Social
Development which set out specific approaches and commitments to fostering
sustainable development and international cooperation and to strengthening the
role of the United Nations to that end. Similarly, the Global Conference on the
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, the International
Conference on Nutrition, the International Conference on Primary Health Care and
the World Conference on Education for All have addressed the various facets of
development and [universally recognized) human rights, within their specific
perspectives, paying significant attention to the role of women and girls. In
addition, the International Year for the World's Indigenous People, 4/ the
International Year of the Family, 5/ the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 61
the Geneva Declaration for Rural Women, 1/ and the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women 8/ have also emphasized the issues of
women's empowerment and equality.
9. [The Platform for Action is drawn up in full conformity with the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. It
is recognized that the formulation and implementation of strategies, policies,
programmes and actions in all areas of concern are the responsibility of each
country, with full respect for the various [religious and ethical values,
cultural background and philosophical convictions of all its people] and in
conformity with all (universal) human rights and fundamental freedoms.)
10. Since the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the
United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, held at
Nairobi in 1985, and the adoption of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for
the Advancement of Women, the world has experienced profound political,
economic, social and cultural changes, which have had both positive and negative
effects on women.
11. [The World Conference on Human Rights recognized that the human rights of
women and the girl child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of
universal human rights. [The universal nature of these human rights and
freedoms is beyond question.) The full and equal participation of women in
political, civil, economic, social and cultural life at the national, regional
and international levels, and the eradication of all forms of discrimination on
the grounds of sex are priority objectives of the international community.)
3
12. [The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the solemn commitment of
all States to fulfil their obligations to promote universal respect for, and
observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all
in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, other instruments related
to human rights and international law. The universal nature of these rights and
freedoms is beyond question.)
13. The end of the cold war has resulted in international changes and
diminished competition between the super-Powers. The threat of a global armed
conflict has diminished, while international relations have improved and
prospects for peace among nations have increased. Although the threat of global
conflict has been reduced, wars of aggression, armed conflicts, [alien
domination and foreign occupation], civil wars, terrorism and [extremist
violence] continue to plague many parts of the world. Grave violations of the
human rights of women occur, particularly in times of armed conflict, and
include murder, torture, systematic rape, [forced pregnancy] and forced
abortion, in particular under policies of "ethnic cleansing".
14. The maintenance of peace and security at the global, regional and local
levels, together with the prevention of policies of aggression and ethnic
cleansing and the resolution of armed conflict, is crucial for the protection of
the [universal] human rights of women and girl children, as well as for the
elimination of all forms of violence against them and of their use as a weapon
of war.
15. [Consequently, a huge portion of global expenditures has been devoted to
the production of arms and trafficking and trade in arms, thus substantially
reducing resources for social development. Moreover, the debt burden has forced
many developing countries to undertake structural adjustment policies that are
detrimental to their social development. The number of people living in poverty
has therefore increased disproportionately in most developing countries,
particularly the heavily indebted countries, during the past decade.]
16. In this context, the social dimension of development should be emphasized.
Accelerated economic growth, although necessary for social development, does not
by itself, improve the quality of life of the population. In some cases,
conditions can arise which can aggravate social inequality and marginalization.
Hence, it is indispensable to search for new alternatives that ensure that all
members of society benefit from economic growth based on a holistic approach to
all aspects of development: growth, equality between women and men, social
justice, conservation and protection of the environment, sustainability,
solidarity, participation, peace and respect for human rights.
17. A worldwide movement towards democratization has opened up the political
process in many nations, but the popular participation of women in key decision-
making as full and equal partners with men, particularly in politics, has not
yet been achieved. [South Africa's policy of institutionalized racism -
apartheid - has been dismantled and a peaceful and democratic transfer of power
has occurred.) ] [Similarly, in Central and Eastern Europe the transition to
parliamentary democracy has been rapid and relatively peaceful. In some
countries of the same region, this process has been followed by armed conflict
that has resulted in grave violations of human rights.]
18. Widespread economic recession, as well as political instability in some
regions, has been responsible for setting back development goals in many
countries. This has led to the expansion of unspeakable poverty. Of the more
than 1 billion people living in abject poverty, women are an overwhelming
4
majority. The rapid process of change and adjustment in all sectors has also
led to increased unemployment and underemployment, with particular impact on
women. In many cases, structural adjustment programmes have not been designed
to minimize their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups or on
women, nor have they been designed to assure positive effects on those groups by
preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities. The Final
Act of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations 91 underscored the
increasing interdependence of national economies, as well as the importance of
trade liberalization and access to open, dynamic markets. There has also been
heavy military spending in some regions. Despite increases in official
development assistance (ODA) by some countries, ODA has recently declined
overall.
19. Absolute poverty and the feminization of poverty, únemployment, the
increasing fragility of the environment, continued violence against women and
the widespread exclusion of half of humanity from institutions of power and
governance underscore the need to continue the search for development, peace and
security and for ways of assuring people-centred sustainable development. The
participation and leadership of the half of humanity that is female is essential
to the success of that search. Therefore, only a new era of international
cooperation among Governments and peoples based on a spirit of partnership, an
equitable, international social and economic environment, and a radical
transformation of the relationship between women and men to one of full and
equal partnership will enable the world to meet the challenges of the twenty-
first century.
20. Recent international economic developments have had in many cases a
disproportionate impact on women and children, the majority of whom live in
developing countries. For those States that have carried a large burden of
foreign debt, structural adjustment programmes and measures, though beneficial
in the long term, have led to a reduction in social expenditures, thereby
adversely affecting women, particularly in Africa and the least developed
countries. This is exacerbated when responsibilities for basic social services
have shifted from Governments to women.
21. Economic recession in many developed and developing countries, as well as
ongoing restructuring in countries with economies in transition, have had a
disproportionately negative impact on women's employment. Women often have no
choice but to take employment that lacks long-term job security or involves
dangerous working conditions, to work in unprotected home-based production or to
be unemployed. Many women enter the labour market in under-remunerated and
undervalued jobs, seeking to improve their household income; others decide to
migrate for the same purpose. Without any reduction in their other
responsibilities, this has increased the total burden of work for women.
22. Macro and microeconomic policies and programmes, including structural
adjustment, have not always been designed to take account of their impact on
women and girl children, especially those living in poverty. Poverty has
increased in both absolute and relative terms, and the number of women living in
poverty has increased in most regions. There are many urban women living in
poverty; however, the plight of women living in rural and remote areas deserves
special attention given the stagnation of development in such areas. In
developing countries, even those in which national indicators have shown
improvement, the majority of rural women continue to live in conditions of
economic underdevelopment and social marginalization.
5
23. Women are key contributors to the economy and to combating poverty through
both remunerated and unremunerated work at home, in the community and in the
workplace. Growing numbers of women have achieved economic independence through
gainful employment.
24. One fourth of all households worldwide are headed by women and many other
households are dependent on female income even where men are present. Female-
maintained households are very often among the poorest because of wage
discrimination, occupational segregation patterns in the labour market and other
gender-based barriers. Family disintegration, population movements between
urban and rural areas within countries, international migration, war and
internal displacements are factors contributing to the rise of female-headed
households.
25. Recognizing that the achievement and maintenance of peace and security are
a precondition for economic and social progress, women are increasingly
establishing themselves as central actors in a variety of capacities in the
movement of humanity for peace. Their full participation in decision-making,
conflict prevention and resolution and all other peace initiatives is essential
to the realization of lasting peace.
26. The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and
Peace should accelerate the process that formally began in 1975, which was
proclaimed International Women's Year by the United Nations General Assembly.
The Year was a turning-point in that it put women's issues on the agenda. The
United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985) was a worldwide effort to examine
the status and rights of women and to bring women into decision-making at all
levels. In 1979, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which entered into force in 1981
and set an international standard for what was meant by equality between women
and men. In 1985, the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements
of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace adopted
the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, to be
implemented by the year 2000. There has been important progress in achieving
equality between women and men. Many Governments have enacted legislation to
promote equality between women and men and have established national machineries
to ensure the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in all spheres of society.
International agencies have focused greater attention on women's status and
roles.
27. The growing strength of the non-governmental sector, particularly women's
organizations [and others that support feminist ideals] has become a driving
force for change. Non-governmental organizations have played an important
advocacy role in advancing legislation or mechanisms to ensure the promotion of
women. They have also become catalysts for new approaches to development. Many
Governments have increasingly recognized the important role that
non-governmental organizations play and the importance of working with them for
progress. [Yet, in some countries, Governments continue to restrict the ability
of non-governmental organizations to operate freely.] Women, through
non-governmental organizations, have participated in and strongly influenced
community, national, regional and global forums and international debates.
28. Since 1975, knowledge of the status of women and men, respectively, has
increased and is contributing to further actions aimed at promoting equality
between women and men. In several countries, there have been important changes
in the relationships between women and men, especially where there have been
major advances in education for women and significant increases in their
6
participation in the paid labour force. The boundaries of the gender division
of labour between productive and reproductive roles are gradually being crossed
as women have started to enter formerly male-dominated areas of work and men
have started to accept greater responsibility for domestic tasks, including
child care. However, changes in women's roles have been greater and much more
rapid than changes in men's roles. In many countries, the differences between
women's and men's achievements and activities are still not recognized as the
consequences of socially constructed gender roles rather than immutable
biological differences.
29. Moreover, 10 years after the Nairobi Conference equality between women and
men has still not been achieved. On average, women represent a mere 10 per cent
of all elected legislators worldwide and in most national and international
administrative structures, both public and private, they remain
underrepresented. The United Nations is no exception. Fifty years after its
creation, the United Nations is continuing to deny itself the benefits of
women's leadership by their underrepresentation at decision-making levels within
the Secretariat and the specialized agencies.
30. [Women play a critical role in the family, the basic unit of society.
States Parties that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women have done 80 bearing in mind the great
contribution of women to the welfare of the family and to the development of
society, which is still not fully recognized. They have also borne in mind the
social significance of maternity and the role of both parents in the family and
in the upbringing of children, and are aware that the role of women in
procreation should not be a basis for discrimination but that the upbringing of
children requires a sharing of responsibility between women and men and society
as a whole.]
31. [Religion plays a central role in the lives of millions of women, in the
way they live and the aspirations they have for the future. While any form of
extremism, religious or secular, has a negative impact on women in the form of
violence and discrimination, a moral and ethical climate that prevents all forms
of corruption in society and exploitation of women is needed if equality,
development and peace are to be realized. The serious issues with which the
world is confronted today require a more effective response by societies not
only to the material but also to the spiritual needs of individuals, including
women.]
32. While the rate of growth of world population is on the decline, world
population is at an all-time high in absolute numbers, with current increments
approaching 90 million persons annually. Two other major demographic trends
have had profound repercussions on the dependency ratio within families. In
many developing countries, 45 to 50 per cent of the population is less than
25 years old, while in industrialized nations both the number and proportion of
elderly people are increasing. According to United Nations estimates, by the
year 2025 70 per cent of the population over 60 years of age will be living in
developing countries, and more than half of that population will be women. Care
of children, the sick and the elderly is a responsibility that falls
disproportionately on women, owing to lack of equality and the unbalanced
distribution of remunerated and unremunerated work between women and men.
33. Many women face particular barriers because of various diverse factors in
addition to their gender. Often these diverse factors isolate or marginalize
such women - they are, inter alia denied their [universal] human rights, they
lack access or are denied access to education and vocational training,
7
employment, housing and economic self-sufficiency and they are excluded from
decision-making processes. Such women are often denied the opportunity to
contribute to their communities as part of the mainstream.
34. The past decade has also witnessed a growing recognition of the distinct
interests and concerns of indigenous women, whose identity, cultural traditions
and forms of social organization enhance and strengthen the communities in which
they live. Indigenous women often face barriers both as women and as members of
indigenous communities.
35. In the past 20 years, the world has seen an explosion in the field of
communications. with advances in computer technology and satellite and cable
television, global access to information continues to increase and expand,
creating new opportunities for the participation of women in communications and
the mass media and for the dissemination of information about women. On the
other hand, the global communication networks have been used to spread
stereotyped and demeaning images of women for narrow commercial and consumerist
purposes. Until women participate equally in both the technical and decision-
making areas of communications and the mass media, including the arts, they will
continue to be misrepresented and awareness of the reality of women's lives will
continue to be lacking. [The commitment to promoting human values and dignity
on the part of the mass media is seriously lacking].
36. Continuing environmental degradation that affects all human lives often has
a more direct impact on women. Women's health and their livelihood are
threatened by pollution and toxic wastes, large-scale deforestation,
desertification, drought and depletion of the soil and of coastal and marine
resources, with a rising incidence of environmentally related health problems
and even death reported among women and girls. Those most affected are rural
and indigenous women, whose livelihood and daily subsistence depends directly on
sustainable ecosystems.
37. Poverty and environmental degradation are closely interrelated. While
poverty results in certain kinds of environmental stress, the major cause of the
continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns
of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, which
is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances.
38. Global trends have brought profound changes in family survival strategies
and structure[s]. Rural to urban migration has increased substantially in all
regions. The global urban population is projected to reach 57 per cent of the
total population by the year 2000. An estimated 125 million people are
migrants, refugees and displaced persons, half of whom live in developing
countries. These massive movements of people have profound consequences for
family structure[s] and well-being and have unequal consequences for women and
men, including in many cases the sexual exploitation of women.
39. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, by the beginning of
1995 the number of cumulative cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
was 4.5 million. An estimated 19.5 million men, women and children have been
infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since it was first
diagnosed and it is projected that another 20 million will be infected by the
end of the decade. Among new cases, women are twice as likely to be infected as
men. In the early stage of the AIDS pandemic, women were not infected in large
numbers; however, about 8 million women are now infected. Young women and
adolescents are particularly vulnerable. It is estimated that by the year 2000
more than 13 million women will be infected and 4 million women will have died
8
from AIDS-related conditions. In addition, about 250 million new cases of
sexually transmitted diseases are estimated to occur every year. The rate of
transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, is increasing
at an alarming rate among women and girls, especially in developing countries.
40. Since 1975, significant knowledge and information has been generated about
the status of women and the conditions in which they live. Throughout their
entire life cycle, women's daily existence and long-term aspirations are
restricted by discriminatory attitudes, unjust social and economic structures,
and a lack of resources in most countries that prevent their full and equal
participation. In a number of countries, the practice of prenatal sex
selection, higher rates of mortality among very young girls and lower rates of
school enrolment for girls as compared with boys Buggest that "son preference"
is curtailing the access of girl children to food, education and health care
[and even life itself). [Discrimination against women begins even before birth
and must therefore be addressed from birth/then onwards.]
41. The girl child of today is the woman of tomorrow. The skills, ideas and
energy of the girl child are vital for full attainment of the goals of equality,
development and peace. For the girl child to develop her full potential she
needs to be nurtured in an enabling environment, where her [spiritual as well as
material] [spiritual, intellectual as well as material] needs for survival,
protection and development are met and her equal rights safeguarded. If women
are to be equal partners with men, in every aspect of life and development, now
is the time to recognize the human dignity and worth of the girl child and to
ensure the full enjoyment of her human rights and fundamental freedoms including
the rights assured by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, universal
ratification of which is strongly urged. Yet there exists worldwide evidence of
discrimination and violence against girls [that begins even before they are born
[from conception] and continues unabated throughout their lives.) They often
have less access to nutrition, physical and mental health care and education and
enjoy fewer rights, opportunities and benefits of childhood and adolescence than
do boys. [They are often subjected to [various forms of] sexual and economic
exploitation, (pedophelia, prostitution, forced prostitution and trafficking in
human organs and tissues) violence and harmful practices such as [prenatal sex
selection, foeticide], infanticide, incest, female genital mutilation and
{forced} early marriage.)
42. More than half the world's population is under the age of 25 and most of
the world's youth - more than 80 per cent - live in developing countries.
Policy makers must recognize the implications of these demographic factors.
Special measures must be taken to ensure that young women have the life skills
necessary for active and effective participation in all levels of social,
cultural, political and economic leadership. It will be critical for the
international community to demonstrate a new commitment to the future - a
commitment to inspiring a new generation of women and men to work together for a
more just society. This new generation of leaders must accept and promote a
world in which every child is free from injustice, oppression and inequality and
free to develop her/his own potential. The principle of equality [and equity]
of women and men must therefore be integral to the socialization process.
The following paragraph is proposed for inclusion in chapter IV:
[Short-term measures and the reformulation of long-term social policies and
investments are required for a more (equitable) [equal] sharing of family
9
responsibilities between women and men., [Women have different requirements at
various stages of their life cycle, which need to be addressed by policy
planning and programme and project implementation based on gender-sensitive
analyses. ]]
The following paragraph is proposed for inclusion in chapter V:
[The international conferences, summits and processes described above are
evidence that there are significant challenges facing the world that the world
is prepared to meet. Recognition of the role of women in meeting these
challenges is a prerequisite for achieving equality and for the shared
responsibility of women and men. International consensus exists on the role of
women in development and the international community must commit itself to
action to implement the strategies outlined in the Platform for Action.
However, implementation also requires commitments from Governments. Thus, as
the Fourth World Conference on Women is a conference of commitment and action,
States have responded to the challenge by separately stating national
commitments for national action within the context of the Platform for Action,
which will result in practical outcomes for girls and women of all ages. The
specific commitments of each nation appear in an annex to the present Platform
for Action.)
Chapter III
CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCERN
43. The advancement of women and the achievement of [respect for their innate
dignity and the fundamental) equality between women and men are (a matter of
human rights and a condition for] [not simply an issue of] social justice and
should not be seen in isolation as a women's issue. They are the only way to
build a sustainable, just and developed society. Empowerment of women and
equality [and equity] between women and men are prerequisites for achieving
political, social, economic, cultural and environmental security among all
peoples.
44. Most of the goals set out in the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women have not been achieved. Barriers to women's empowerment
remain, despite the efforts of Governments, as well as non-governmental
organizations and women and men everywhere. [Vast political, economic and
ecological crises, systemic or de facto discrimination, armed conflict [colonial
and other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation] failure to protect
all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women, civil, cultural,
economic, political and social rights including the right to development and
ingrained prejudicial attitudes towards women and girls are but a few of the
impediments encountered since the World Conference to Review and Appraise the
Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and
Peace, in 1985].
45. A review of progress since the Nairobi Conference highlights special
concerns - areas of particular urgency that stand out as priorities for action.
All actors should focus action and resources on the strategic objectives
relating to the critical areas of concern which are, necessarily, interrelated,
interdependent and of high priority. There is a need for these actors to
develop and implement mechanisms of accountability for all the areas of concern.
10
46. To this end, Governments, the international community and civil society,
including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, are called upon
to take strategic action in the following critical areas of concern [with full
respect for religious and ethical values, cultural backgrounds and philosophical
convictions and in conformity with all human rights and fundamental freedoms):
(
The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women
Unequal access to or inadequate educational and training opportunities
of good quality at all levels
Inequalities in health care and related services
All forms of violence against women [and the girl child]
Effects of persecution and armed or other kinds of conflict on women
(in particular those living under foreign occupation or alien
domination]
Inequality in women's access to and participation in the definition of
economic structures and policies and the productive process itself
Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-
making at all levels
Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of
women
Promotion and protection of all [universal] human rights of women
Women and the media
Women and the environment
[Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of]
[Survival, protection and development of] the girl child
Chapter IV
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
47. In each critical area of concern, the problem is diagnosed and strategic
objectives are proposed with concrete actions to be taken by various actors in
order to achieve those objectives. The strategic objectives are derived from
the critical areas of concern, and specific actions to be taken to achieve them
cut across boundaries of equality, development and peace - the goals of the
Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women - and reflect
their interdependence. The objectives and actions are interlinked, of high
priority and mutually reinforcing. (The programme is intended to improve the
condition of all women, irrespective of age, and, while recognizing the
differences among women, it seeks to pay special attention to the groups of
women that are at highest risk, as well as to rural, indigenous, disabled,
refugee and displaced women.]
48. [The actions are directed towards improving the status and situation of all
women and therefore recognize that many women face particular barriers because
11
of such factors as their race, age, language, ethnicity, culture, religion,
[sexual orientation,] or disability, or because they are indigenous people.
Many women face barriers related to their family status, particularly as single
parents to their socio-economic status, including their living conditions in
rural or isolated areas and in impoverished areas in rural and urban
environments, or to their status as immigrants. Particular barriers also exist
for refugee, migrant and displaced women, as well as for those who are affected
by environmental disasters, serious and infectious diseases, addiction and
various forms of violence against women.]
A. The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women
49. More than 1 billion people in the world today, the great majority of whom
are women, live in unacceptable conditions of poverty, mostly in the developing
countries. Poverty has various causes, including structural ones. Poverty is a
complex, multidimensional problem, with origins in both the national and
international domains. The globalization of the world's economy and deepening
interdependence among nations presents challenges and opportunities for
sustained economic growth and development as well as risks and uncertainties for
the future of the world economy. The uncertain global economic climate has been
accompanied by economic restructuring as well as, in a certain number of
countries, persistent, unmanageable levels of external debt and structural
adjustment programmes. In addition, all types of conflict, displacement of
people and environmental degradation have undermined the capacity of Governments
to meet the basic needs of their populations. The global transformations of the
world economy are profoundly changing the parameters of social development in
all countries. One significant trend has been the increased poverty of women,
the extent of which varies from region to region. The gender disparities in
economic power-sharing are also an important contributing factor to the poverty
of women. Migration and consequent changes in family structures have placed
additional burdens on women, especially those who provide for several
dependants. Macroeconomic policies need rethinking and reformulation to address
such trends. These policies focus almost exclusively on the formal sector.
They also tend to impede the initiatives of women and fail to consider the
differential impact on women and men. The application of gender analysis to a
wide range of policies and programmes is therefore critical to poverty reduction
strategies. In order to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development,
women and men must participate fully and equally in the formulation of
macroeconomic and social policies and strategies for the eradication of poverty.
The eradication of poverty cannot be accomplished through anti-poverty
programmes alone but will require democratic participation and changes in
economic structures in order to ensure access for all women to resources,
opportunities and public services. Poverty has various manifestations,
including lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure a
sustainable livelihood; hunger and malnutrition; ill health; limited or lack of
access to education and other basic services; increasing morbidity and mortality
from illness; homelessness and inadequate housing; unsafe environments; and
social discrimination and exclusion. It is also characterized by lack of
participation in decision-making and in civil, social and cultural life. It
occurs in all countries - as mass poverty in many developing countries and as
pockets of poverty amidst wealth in developed countries. Poverty may be caused
by an economic recession that results in loss of livelihood or by disaster or
conflict. There is also the poverty of low-wage workers and the utter
destitution of people who fall outside family support systems, social
institutions and safety nets.
12
(NOTE: Delete bracketed sentence: ,Full text on unemployment and
underemployment to come)
50. In the past decade the number of women living in poverty has increased
disproportionately to the number of men, particularly in the developing
countries. The feminization of poverty has also recently become a significant
problem in the countries with economies in transition as a short-term
consequence of the process of political, economic and social transformation. In
addition to economic factors, the rigidity of socially ascribed gender roles and
women's limited access to power, education, training and productive resources
[as well as emerging cultural and social factors that lead to instability and
the deterioration of families) are also responsible. The failure to adequately
mainstream a gender perspective in all economic analysis and planning and to
address the structural causes of poverty is also a contributing factor.
51. Women contribute to the economy and to combating poverty through both
remunerated and unremunerated work at home, in the community and in the
workplace. The empowerment of women is a critical factor in the eradication of
poverty.
52. While poverty affects households as a whole, because of the gender division
of labour and responsibilities for household welfare, women bear a
disproportionate burden, attempting to manage household consumption and
production under conditions of increasing scarcity. Poverty is particularly
acute for women living in rural households.
53. Women's poverty is directly related to the absence of economic
opportunities and autonomy, lack of access to economic resources, including
credit, land ownership and inheritance, lack of access to education and support
services and their minimal participation in the decision-making process.
Poverty can also force women into situations in which they are vulnerable to
sexual exploitation.
54. In too many countries, social welfare systems do not take sufficient
account of the specific conditions of women living in poverty, and there is a
tendency to scale back the services provided by such systems. The risk of
falling into poverty is greater for women than for men, particularly in old age,
where social security systems are based on the principle of continuous
remunerated employment. In some cases, women do not fulfil this requirement
because of interruptions in their work, due to the unbalanced distribution of
remunerated and unremunerated work. Moreover, older women also face greater
obstacles to labour-market re-entry.
55. In many developed countries, where the level of general education and
professional training of women and men are similar and where systems of
protection against discrimination are available, in some sectors the economic
transformations of the past decade have strongly increased either the
unemployment of women or the precarious nature of their employment. The
proportion of women among the poor has consequently increased. In countries
with a high level of school enrolment of girls, those who leave the educational
system the earliest, without any qualification, are among the most vulnerable in
the labour market.
56. In countries with economies in transition and in other countries undergoing
fundamental political, economic and social transformations, these
transformations have often led to a reduction in women's income or to women
being deprived of income.
13
57. Particularly in developing countries, the productive capacity of women
should be increased through access to capital, resources, credit, land,
technology, information, technical assistance and training go as to raise their
income and improve nutrition, education and health care and status within the
household. The release of women's productive potential is pivotal to breaking
the cycle of poverty 80 that women can share fully in the benefits of
development and in the products of their own labour.
58. Sustainable development and economic growth that is both sustained and
sustainable are possible only through improving the economic, social, political,
legal and cultural status of women. Equitable social development that
recognizes empowering the poor, particularly women, to utilize environmental
resources sustainably is a necessary foundation for sustainable development.
59. The success of policies and measures aimed at supporting or strengthening
the promotion of gender equality and the improvement of the status of women
should be based on the integration of the gender perspective in general policies
relating to all spheres of society as well as the implementation of positive
measures with adequate institutional and financial support at all levels.
(Enable women to overcome poverty]
Strategic objective A.1.
Review, adopt and maintain macroeconomic
policies and development strategies that
address the needs and efforts of women
to overcome poverty within the framework
of sustainable development
Actions to be taken
60. By Governments:
(a) Review and modify, with the full and equal participation of women,
macroeconomic and social policies with a view to achieving the
objectives of the Platform for Action;
(b) Analyse, from a gender perspective, policies and programmes -
including those related to macroeconomic stability, structural
adjustment, external debt problems, taxation, investments, employment,
markets and all relevant sectors of the economy - with respect to
their impact on poverty, on inequality and particularly on women;
assess their impact on family well-being and conditions; and adjust
them, as appropriate, to promote more equitable distribution of
productive assets, wealth, opportunities, income and services;
(c) Pursue and implement sound and stable macroeconomic and sectoral
policies, designed and monitored with the full and equal participation
of women, that encourage broad-based sustained economic growth,
address the structural causes of poverty and, are geared towards
eradicating poverty and reducing gender-based inequality within the
overall framework of achieving people-centred sustainable development.
(d) Implement cound maoroeconomio and ocotoral policieo, deoigned and
monitored with the full participation of women, that enoourage broad.
based sustained economie growth in the context of (people centred}
ouotainable development {centred on human beinge}, address the
14
structural causee of poverty and are geared to eradicating poverty and
reducing gender based inequality+}
(e) Restructure and target the allocation of public expenditures to
promote women's economic opportunities and equal {and more equitable]
access to productive resources and to address the basic social,
educational and health needs of women, particularly those living in
poverty;
(f) Develop agricultural and fishing sectors, where and as necessary, in
order to ensure, as appropriate, household and national food security
and food self-sufficiency, by allocating the necessary financial,
technical and human resources;
(g) Develop policies and programmes to promote equitable distribution of
food within the household;
(h) Provide adequate safety nets and strengthen State-based and community-
based support systems, as an integral part of social policy, in order
to enable women living in poverty to withstand adverse economic
environments and preserve their livelihood, assets and revenues in
times of crisis;
(i) Generate economic policies that have a positive impact on the
employment and income of women workers in both the formal and informal
sectors and adopt specific measures to address women's unemployment,
in particular their long-term unemployment;
(j) Formulate and implement, when necessary, specific economic, social,
agricultural and related policies in support of female-headed
households;
(k) Develop and implement anti-poverty programmes, including employment
schemes, that improve the access to food for women living in poverty,
including through the use of appropriate pricing and distribution
mechanisms;
(1) [Introduce measures for the empowerment of women migrants and
internally displaced women through the easing of stringent and
restrictive migration policies, recognition of qualifications and
skills of documented immigrants and their full integration into the
labour force, and the undertaking of other measures necessary for the
full realization of the human rights of internally displaced persons);
(m) {Introduce measures to integrate or reintegrate women living in
poverty and socially marginalized women into productive employment and
the economic mainstream, ensure that internally displaced women have
full access to economic opportunities, and that the qualifications and
skills of immigrant and refugee women are recognized;}
(n) Enable women to obtain affordable housing and access to land, by,
among other things, removing all obstacles to access, with special
emphasis on meeting the needs of women, especially those living in
poverty and female heads of household;
(o) [In the event of a modification to paragraph 48 above or if an earlier
section indicating groups of special concern is approved,
15
subparagraph (0) will be deleted: Develop special programmes that
reflect the specific needs of children, particularly girls, young
women, older women and women with disabilities who are least able to
gain access to social services and productive resources, as
applicable;]
(P) Formulate and implement policies and programmes that enhance the
access of women agricultural and fisheries producers (including
subsistence farmers and producers, especially in rural areas) to
financial, technical, extension and marketing services; provide access
to and control of land, appropriate infrastructure and technology in
order to increase women's incomes and promote household food security,
especially in rural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the
development of producer-owned, market-based cooperatives;
(q) Create social security systems wherever they do not exist, or review
them with a view to placing individual women and men on an equal
footing, at every stage of their lives;
(r) Ensure access to free or low-cost legal services, including legal
literacy, especially designed to reach women living in poverty;
(8) Take particular measures to promote and strengthen policies and
programmes for indigenous women with their full participation and
respect for their cultural diversity, 80 that they have opportunities
and the possibility of choice in the development process in order to
eradicate the poverty that affects them.
61. By multilateral financial and development institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions, and
through bilateral development cooperation:
(a) ( [Increase resources allocated) [Allocate resources as appropriate) to
the elimination of [absolute] poverty and target women [and families)
in poverty.) [Support the developing countries through the allocation
of new and additional resources for the eradication of poverty and
target women living in poverty]
(b) Strengthen analytical capacity in order to more systematically
strengthen gender perspectives and integrate them into the design and
implementation of lending programmes, including structural adjustment
and economic recovery programmes;
(c) [Cancel or substantially reduce the debt burden, or convert the debt
service of developing countries, in particular the highly indebted
low-income countries, in order to help them to finance programmes and
projects targeted at development, including the advancement of women,
and to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development
without falling into a new debt crisis;)
(New first alternative)
Find effective development-oriented and durable solutions to external
debt problems in order to help them to finance programmes and projects
targeted at development, including the advancement of women, through
the immediate implementation of the terms of debt forgiveness agreed
upon in the Paris Club in December 1994, which encompassed debt
16
reduction, including cancellation or other debt relief measures and
develop techniques of debt conversion applied to social development
programmes and projects in conformity with Platform priorities.
(New second alternative)
Continue efforts to alleviate the debt service burden or convert the
debt service of developing countries, in particular the highly
indebted, low-income countries, in order to help them to finance
ogrammes and projects targeted at development, including the
advancement of women and to achieve sustained economic growth and
sustainable development.
(d) Ensure that structural adjustment programmes are designed to minimize
their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and
communities and to assure their positive effects on such groups and
communities by preventing their marginalization in economic and social
activities and devising measures to ensure that they gain access to
and control over economic resources and economic and social
activities; actions should be taken to reduce inequality and economic
disparity;
(e) Review the impact of structural adjustment programmes on social
development by means of gender-sensitive social impact assessments and
other relevant methods, in order to develop policies to reduce their
negative effects and improve their positive impact, ensuring that
women do not bear a disproportionate burden of transition costs;
complement adjustment lending with enhanced, targeted social
development lending;
(f) Create an enabling environment that allows women to build and maintain
sustainable livelihoods.
62. [By national and international non-governmental organizations and women's
groups:
(a) All parties involved in the development process, including academic
institutions, non-governmental organizations and grass-roots and
women's groups, should mobilize to improve the effectiveness of
anti-poverty programmes directed towards the poorest and most
disadvantaged groups of women, such as rural and indigenous women,
female heads of households, young women and older women, refugees and
migrant women and women with disabilities. However, Governments
should not abrogate their responsibility for providing for social
well-being by shifting social responsibility to non-governmental
organizations and women;
(b) Non-governmental organizations and women's organizations should
organize pressure groups and establish monitoring mechanisms and other
relevant activities to ensure implementation of the recommendations on
poverty outlined in the Platform for Action. These activities should
aim at ensuring accountability and transparency from the State and
private sectors;
(c) Women's organizations should include in their activities women with
diverse needs by age, ethnicity and culture. They should recognize
17
that youth organizations are increasingly becoming effective partners
in development programmes;
(d) Women's organizations and other non-governmental organizations, in
cooperation with the Government and private sectors, should develop a
comprehensive national strategy for improving health, education and
social services 80 that girls and women of all ages living in poverty
have full access to such services. Funding should be sought to secure
access to services with a gender perspective and to extend those
services in order to reach the rural and remote areas that are not
covered by government institutions;
(e) Women's organizations and non-governmental organizations, in
cooperation with Governments, employers, other social partners and
relevant parties, should develop education and training and retraining
policies to ensure that women can acquire a wide range of skills to
meet new demands. Policies are needed to ensure the provision of
basic education, to provide vocational and technical training for
girls and women of all ages and to increase access to education in
science and technology, mathematics, engineering, information
technology and high technology, as well as management training;
(f) Women's human right to equal access to and control of land, property
and credit must be upheld, regardless of customary laws, traditions
and practices related to inheritance and marriage. Non-governmental
organizations and women's organizations should mobilize to protect the
traditional land and property rights of all women, including
pastoralists, fishery workers and nomadic groups, indigenous peoples,
refugees and migrant workers.]
*Strategic objective A.2. Revise laws and administrative practices
to recognize women's rights to economic
resources and to ensure women's access
to economic resources
Actions to be taken
63. By Governments:
(a) Ensure access to free or low-cost legal services, including legal
literacy, especially designed to reach women living in poverty;
(b) Undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women full
and equal access to economic resources, including the right to
inheritance and to ownership of land and other property, credit,
natural resources and appropriate technologies;
(c) Consider ratification of Convention No. 169 of the International
Labour Organization (ILO) as part of their efforts to promote and
protect the rights of indigenous people.
It is proposed to move this section to F.2.
18
Strategic objective A.3.
Provide women with access to savings
mechanisms and institutions and to
credit
Actions to be taken
64. By Governments:
(a) Enhance the access of disadvantaged women, including women
entrepreneurs, in rural, remote and urban areas to financial services
through strengthening links between the formal banks and intermediary
lending organizations, including legislative support, training for
women and institutional strengthening for intermediary institutions
with a view to mobilizing capital for those institutions and
increasing the availability of credit;
(b) Encourage links between financial institutions and non-governmental
organizations and support innovative lending practices, including
those that integrate credit with women's services and training and
provide credit facilities to rural women.
65. By commercial banks, specialized financial institutions and the private
sector in examining their policies:
(a) Use credit and savings methodologies that are effective in reaching
women in poverty and innovative in reducing transaction costs and
redefining risk;
(b) Open special windows for lending to women, including young women, who
lack access to traditional sources of collateral;
(c) Simplify banking practices, for example by reducing the minimum
deposit and other requirements for opening bank accounts;
(d) Ensure the participation and joint ownership, where possible, of women
clients in the decision-making of institutions providing credit and
financial services.
66. By multilateral and bilateral development cooperation organizations:
Support, through the provision of capital and/or resources, financial
institutions that serve low-income, small-scale and micro-scale women
entrepreneurs and producers, in both the formal and informal sectors.
67. By Governments and multilateral financial institutions, as appropriate:
Support institutions that meet performance standards in reaching large
numbers of low-income women and men through capitalization,
refinancing and institutional development support in forms that foster
self-sufficiency.
68. By international organizations:
[Increase] [Provide adequate] funding for programmes and projects
designed to promote sustainable and productive entrepreneurial
activities for income-generation among disadvantaged women and women
living in poverty.
19
Strategic objective A.4. Conduct research in order to enable
women to overcome poverty
Actions to be taken
69. By Governments, intergovernmental organizations, academic and research
institutions and the private sector:
(a) Develop conceptual and practical methodologies for incorporating
gender perspectives into all aspects of economic policy-making,
including structural adjustment planning and programmes;
(b) Apply these methodologies in conducting gender-impact analyses of all
policies and programmes, including structural adjustment programmes,
and disseminate the research findings.
70. By national and international statistical organizations:
(a) Collect gender and age-disaggregated data on poverty and all aspects
of economic activity and develop qualitative and quantitative
statistical indicators to facilitate the assessment of economic
performance from a gender perspective;
(b) Devise guitable statistical means to recognize and make visible the
full extent of the work of women and all their contributions to the
national economy, including their contribution in the unremunerated
and domestic sectors, and examine the relationship of women's
unremunerated work to the incidence of and their vulnerability to
poverty.
B. Unequal access to and inadequate educational opportunities
71. Education is a basic (human) right and an essential tool for achieving the
goals of equality, development and peace. Non-discriminatory education benefits
both girls and boys, and thus ultimately contributes to more equal relationships
between women and men. Equality of access to and attainment of educational
qualifications is necessary if more women are to become agents of change.
Literacy of women is an important key to improving health, nutrition and
education in the family and to empowering women to participate in decision-
making in society. Investing in formal and non-formal education and training
for girls and women, with its exceptionally high social and economic return, has
proved to be one of the best means of achieving sustainable development and
economic growth that is both sustained and sustainable.
72. On a regional level, girls and boys have achieved equal access to primary
education, except in some parts of Africa, in particular sub-Saharan Africa, and
Central Asia, where access to education facilities is still inadequate.
Progress has been made in secondary education, where equal access of girls and
boys has been achieved in some countries. Enrolment of girls and women in
tertiary education has increased considerably. In many countries, private
schools have also played an important complementary role in improving access to
education at all levels. Yet, more than five years after the World Conference
on Education for All (Jomtien, Thailand, 1990) adopted the World Declaration on
Education for All and the Framework for Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs, 11/
approximately 100 million children, including at least 60 million girls, are
20
without access to primary schooling, and more than two thirds of the world's
960 million illiterate adults are women. The high rate of illiteracy prevailing
in most developing countries, in particular in sub-Saharan Africa and some Arab
States, remains a severe impediment to the advancement of women and to
development.
73. Discrimination in girls' access to education persists in many areas, owing
to customary attitudes, early marriages and pregnancies, inadequate and gender-
biased teaching and educational materials, sexual harassment and lack of
adequate and physically and otherwise accessible schooling facilities. Girls
undertake heavy domestic work at a very early age. Girls and young women are
expected to manage both educational and domestic responsibilities, often
resulting in poor scholastic performance and early drop-out from the educational
system. This has long-lasting consequences for all aspects of women's lives.
74. [Creation of a healthy educational and social environment, in which all
human beings, men and women, boys and girls, are consistently encouraged to
foster moral and spiritual values, would be extremely effective in the
elimination of causes of discrimination against women and inequalities between
men and women.]
75. Women should be enabled to benefit from an ongoing acquisition of knowledge
and skills beyond those acquired during youth. This concept of lifelong
learning includes knowledge and skills gained in formal education and training,
as well as learning that occurs in informal ways, including volunteer activity,
unremunerated work and traditional knowledge.
76. Curricula and teaching materials remain gender-biased to a large degree,
and are rarely sensitive to the specific needs of girls and women. This
reinforces traditional female and male roles that deny women opportunities for
full and equal partnership in society. Lack of gender awareness by educators at
all levels strengthens existing inequities between males and females by
reinforcing discriminatory tendencies and undermining girls' self-esteem. [The
lack of sexual and reproductive education has a profound impact on women and
men] [taking into account the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and
other persons legally responsible for children and consistent with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child].
77. Science curricula in particular are gender-biased. Science textbooks do
not relate to women's and girls' daily experience and fail to give recognition
to women scientists. Girls are often deprived of basic education in mathematics
and science and technical training, which provide knowledge they could apply to
improve their daily lives and enhance their employment opportunities. Advanced
study in science and technology prepares women to take an active role in the
technological and industrial development of their countries, thus necessitating
a diverse approach to vocational and technical training. Technology is rapidly
changing the world and has also affected the developing countries. It is
essential that women not only benefit from technology, but also participate in
the process from the design to the application, monitoring and evaluation
stages.
78. (It can be ascertained that, particularly in the developed countries, a
substantial improvement in the situation of girls at all levels of education,
including the higher level, is one of the factors of their continued progress in
professional activities. Nevertheless, it can be noted that girls are still
concentrated in a [too] limited number of [the higher) branches.) Even at a
higher level of educational qualification, women encounter more prejudices than
21
men in a number of sectors, which makes, it difficult for them to maximize the
use of their degrees.
79. The mass media are a powerful means of education. As an educational tool
the mass media can be an instrument for educators and governmental and
non-governmental institutions for the advancement of women and for development.
Computerized education and information systems are increasingly becoming an
important element in learning and dissemination of knowledge. Television
especially has the greatest impact on young people and, as such, has the ability
to shape values, attitudes and perceptions of women and girls in both positive
and negative ways. It is therefore essential that educators teach critical
judgement and analytical skills.
80. Resources allocated to education, particularly for girls and women, are in
many countries insufficient and in some cases have been further diminished,
including in the context of adjustment policies and programmes. Such
insufficient resource allocations have a long term adverse effect on human
development, particularly on the development of women.
81. In addressing unequal access to and inadequate educational opportunities,
Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy of
mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes, 80 that,
before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men,
respectively.
[Ensure women's access to quality education and training for
self-reliance at all levels and in all fields and sectors]
Strategic objective B.1. Ensure equal access to education
Actions to be taken
82. By Governments:
(a) [Attain the goals of equal access to education without distinction as
to sex, race, national origin, age or disability, or any other form of
discrimination and ensure that procedures to address grievances are
established;}
(b) By the year 2000, universal access to basic education and completion
of primary education by at least 80 per cent of primary school-age
children; closing the gender gap in primary and secondary school
education by the year 2005; universal primary education in all
countries before the year 2015;
(c) Eliminate gender disparities in access to all areas of tertiary
education by ensuring that women have equal access to career
development, training, scholarship and fellowship, and by adopting
positive action when appropriate;
(d) Create a gender-sensitive educational system in order to ensure equal
educational and training opportunities and full and equal
participation of women in educational administration and policy- and
decision-making;
22
(e) Provide - in collaboration with parents, non-governmental
organizations, including youth organizations, communities and the
private sector - young women with academic and technical training,
career planning, leadership and social skills and work experience to
prepare them to participate fully in society;
(f) Increase enrolment and retention rates of girls by allocating
appropriate budgetary resources and by enlisting the support of
parents and the community, as well as through campaigns, flexible
school schedules, incentives, scholarships and other means to minimize
the costs of girls' education to their families [and to facilitate
parents' ability to choose quality education for the girl child);
(by ensuring that the rights of women and girls to freedom of
conscience and religion are respected in educational institutions)
[through repealing any discriminatory laws or legislation based on
religion, race or culture);
(g) Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that
impede the schooling of pregnant adolescents and young mothers,
including, as appropriate, affordable and physically accessible child-
care facilities and parental education to encourage those who are
responsible for the care of their children and siblings during their
school years, to return to, or continue with and complete schooling;
(h) {Improve the equality of education to ensure that women of all ages
are provided with the knowledge, reasoning ability, skills and ethical
values required to develop their full capacities in health and dignity
and to participate fully in the social, economic and political process
of development. In this regard, women and girls should be considered
a priority group;]
(i) Make available non-discriminatory and gender-sensitive professional
school counselling and career education programmes to encourage girls
to pursue academic and technical curricula in order to widen their
future career opportunities;
(j) Encourage ratification of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights 12/ where they have not already done SO.
Strategic objective B.2. Eradicate illiteracy among women
worldwide (by the year 2000]
Actions to be taken
83. By Governments, national, regional and international bodies, bilateral and
multilateral donors and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Reduce the female illiteracy rate to at least half its 1990 level,
with emphasis on rural women, migrant, refugee and internally
displaced women and women with disabilities;
(b) Provide universal access to, and seek to ensure gender equality in the
completion of, primary education for girls by the year 2000;
23
(c) Eliminate the gender gap in basic and functional literacy, as
recommended in the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien);
(d) Narrow the disparities between developed and developing countries;
(e) Encourage adult and family engagement in learning to promote total
literacy for all people;
(f) [Expand the definition of literacy to include scientific and
technological knowledge.]
Strategic objective B.3. Improve women's access to vocational
training, science and technology and
continuing education
Actions to be taken
84. By Governments, in cooperation with employers, workers and trade unions,
international and non-governmental organizations, including women's and youth
organizations, and educational institutions:
(a) Develop and implement education, training and retraining policies for
women, especially young women and women re-entering the labour market,
to provide skills to meet the needs of a changing socio-economic
context for improving their employment opportunities;
(b) Provide recognition to non-formal educational opportunities for girls
and women in the educational system;
(c) Provide information to women and girls on the availability and
benefits of vocational training, training programmes in science and
technology and programmes of continuing education;
(d) Design educational and training programmes for women who are
unemployed in order to provide them with new knowledge and skills that
will enhance and broaden their employment opportunities, including
self-employment, and development of their entrepreneurial skills;
(e) Diversify vocational and technical training and improve access for and
retenţion of girls and women in education and vocational training in
such fields as science, mathematics, engineering, environmental
sciences and technology, information technology and high technology,
as well as management training;
(f) Promote women's central role in food and agricultural research,
extension and education programmes;
(g) Encourage the adaptation of curricula and teaching materials,
encourage a supportive training environment and take positive measures
to promote training for the full range of occupational choices of
non-traditional careers for women and men, including the development
of multidisciplinary courses for science and mathematics teachers to
sensitize them to the relevance of science and technology to women's
lives;
24
(h) Develop curricula and teaching materials and formulate and take
positive measures to ensure women better access to and participation
in technical and scientific areas, especially areas where they are not
represented or are underrepresented;
(i) Develop policies and programmes to encourage women to participate in
all apprenticeship programmes;
(j) Increase training in technical, managerial, agricultural extension and
marketing areas for women in agriculture, fisheries, industry and
business, arts and crafts, to increase income-generating
opportunities, women's participation in economic decision-making, in
particular through women's organizations at the grass-roots level, and
their contribution to production, marketing, business, and science and
technology;
(k) Ensure access to (quality) education and training at all appropriate
levels for adult women with little or no education, for women with
disabilities and for documented migrant, refugee and displaced women
to improve their work opportunities.
Strategic objective B.4. Develop non-discriminatory
education and training
Actions to be taken
85. By Governments, educational authorities and other educational and academic
institutions:
(a) Elaborate recommendations and develop curricula, textbooks and
teaching aids free of gender-stereotypes for all levels of education,
including teacher training, in association with all concerned:
publishers, teachers, public authorities and parents associations;
(b) [Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators
that raise awareness about the status, role and contribution of women
and men in the family and society; in this context, promote equality,
[equity], cooperation, mutual respect and shared responsibilities
between girls and boys (at an appropriate age, consistent with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child and recognizing the rights,
duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally
responsible for children] [from pre-school level onward] [and develop,
in particular, educational modules to ensure that boys have the skills
necessary to take care of their own domestic needs and to share
responsibility for their household and for the care of dependants];]
(c) Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators
that raise awareness of their own role in the educational process,
with a view to providing them with effective strategies for gender-
sensitive teaching;
(d) Take actions to ensure that female teachers and professors have the
same opportunities as and equal status with male teachers and
professors, in view of the importance of having female teachers at all
levels and in order to attract girls to school and retain them in
school;
25
(e) Introduce and promote training in peaceful conflict resolution;
(f) Take positive measures to increase the proportion of women gaining
access to educational policy- and decision-making, particularly women
teachers at all levels of education and in academic disciplines that
are traditionally male-dominated, such as the scientific and
technological fields;
(g) Support and develop gender studies and research at all levels of
education, especially at the postgraduate level of academic
institutions, and apply them in the development of curricula,
including university curricula, textbooks and teaching aids, and in
teacher training;
(h) Develop leadership training and opportunities for all women to
encourage them to take leadership roles both as students and as adults
in civil society;
(i) Develop appropriate education and information programmes with due
respect to multilingualism, particularly in conjunction with the mass
media, that make the public, particularly parents, aware of the
importance of non-discriminatory education for children and the equal
sharing of family responsibilities between girls and boys;
(j) Develop human rights education programmes that incorporate the gender
dimension at all levels of education, in particular by encouraging
higher education institutions, especially in their graduate and
postgraduate juridical, social and political science curricula, to
include the study of the human rights of women as they appear in
United Nations conventions;
(k) Remove legal and regulatory barriers to [sexual and reproductive
health] education within formal education [regarding women's health
issues);
(1) [Encourage, with the support of their parents and in cooperation with
educational staff and institutions, the elaboration of educational
programmes for girls and boys and the creation of integrated services
related to youth sexuality, to raise awareness of their
responsibilities and to help them to assume those responsibilities,
taking into account the importance of such education and services to
personal development and self-esteem, as well as the urgent need to
avoid unwanted pregnancy, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases,
especially HIV/AIDS, and phenomena such as sexual violence and abuse);
(m) Provide accessible recreational and sports facilities and establish
and strengthen gender-sensitive programmes for girls and women of all
ages in education and community institutions and support the
advancement of women in all areas of sport and physical activity,
including coaching, training and administration, and as participants
at the national, regional and international levels;
(n) Recognize and support the right of indigenous women and girls to
education; promote a multicultural approach to education that is
responsive to the needs, aspirations and cultures of indigenous women,
including by developing appropriate education programmes, curricula
and teaching aids, to the extent possible in the languages of
26
indigenous people and by providing for the participation of indigenous
women in these processes;
(o) Acknowledge and respect the artistic, spiritual and cultural
activities of indigenous women;
(p) [Ensure that gender, cultural and religious diversity are respected in
educational institutions and reflected in educational materials;]
(q) Promote education, training and relevant information programmes for
rural and farming women through the use of affordable and appropriate
technologies and the mass media - for example, radio programmes,
cassettes and mobile units;
(r) Provide non-formal education, especially for rural women, in order to
realize their potential with regard to health, micro-enterprise,
agriculture and legal rights;
(s) [Remove all barriers to the schooling of pregnant girls and young
mothers and provide child care and other support services.]
*Strategic objective B.5. Allocate sufficient resources for
educational reforms and monitor
implementation
Actions to be taken
86. By Governments:
(a) Provide the required budgetary resources to the educational sector,
with reallocation within the educational sector to ensure increased
funds for basic education, as appropriate;
(b) Establish a mechanism at appropriate levels to monitor the
implementation of educational reforms and measures in relevant
ministries, and establish technical assistance programmes, as
appropriate, to address issues raised by the monitoring efforts.
87. [By Governments,) [Invite] private and public institutions, foundations,
research institutes and non-governmental organizations:
(a) [[to] mobilize additional funds [from organizations in the private
sector] 1, whenever necessary,] [to meet) [to assist in meeting] the
costs of education [for all girls and women with a particular emphasis
on under-served populations] i)
(New first alternative)
Be invited to mobilize additional funds to assist in meeting the costs
of education for all girls and women with a particular emphasis on
under-served populations.
(New second alternative)
*
It is proposed to consider this section in chapters V and VI.
27
To mobilize additional funds to assist in meeting the costs of
education and in promoting gender equality for all girls and women
with a particular emphasis on under-served populations.
(b) Provide funding for special programmes, such as programmes in
mathematics, science and computer technology, to advance opportunities
for all girls and women.
88. By multilateral development institutions, including the World Bank,
regional development banks, bilateral donors and foundations [, consider):
(a) Increase ing] funding for the education and training needs of girls
and women as a priority in development assistance programmes;
(b) [Maintain| ing] or increase [ing] funding levels for education in
structural adjustment and economic recovery programmes, including
lending and stabilization programmes.)
(New alternative)
Work with recipient governments to ensure that funding for women's
education is maintained or increased in structural adjustment and
economic recovery programmes, including lending and stabilization
programmes.
89. By international and intergovernmental organizations, especially the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), at the
global level:
(a) [Monitor progress, using educational indicators generated by national,
regional and international bodies, and make Governments accountable
for implementing measures to close the gap between women and men in
education and training opportunities, and in the levels of achievement
in all fields, particularly primary and literacy programmes];
(b) Provide technical assistance upon request to developing countries to
strengthen the capacity to monitor progress in closing the gap between
women and men in education, training and research, and in levels of
achievement in all fields, particularly basic education and
elimination of illiteracy;
(c) Conduct an international campaign promoting the right of women and
girls to education;
(d) Allocate a substantial percentage of their resources to basic
education for women and girls.
Strategic objective B.6. [To promote lifelong learning [educational
processes] for girls and women]
Actions to be taken
90. By Governments, educational institutions and communities:
(a) Ensure the availability of a broad range of educational and training
programmes that lead to ongoing acquisition by women and girls of the
28
knowledge and skills required for living in, contributing to and
benefiting from, their communities and nations;
(b) Provide support for child care and other services to enable mothers to
continue their schooling;
(c) Create flexible education, training and retraining programmes for
lifelong learning that facilitate transitions between women's
activities at all stages of their lives.
C. Inequalities in access to health and related services
91. Women have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health. The enjoyment of this right is vital to their life
and well-being and their ability to participate in all areas of public and
private life. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Women's health
involves their emotional, social and physical well-being, and is determined by
the social, political and economic context of their lives, as well as by
biology. However, health and well-being elude the majority of women. [The
major] barrier for women to the achievement of the highest attainable standard
of health is inequality, both between men and women and [among women]. In
national and international forums, women have emphasized that to attain optimal
health throughout the life cycle, equality, including the sharing of family
responsibilities, development and peace are necessary conditions.
92. Women have different and unequal access to and use of basic health
resources, including primary health services for the prevention and treatment of
childhood diseases, malnutrition, anaemia, diarrhoeal diseases, communicable
diseases, malaria and other tropical diseases and tuberculosis, among others.
Women also have different and unequal opportunities for the protection,
promotion and maintenance of their health. In many developing countries, the
lack of emergency obstetric services is also of particular concern. Health
policies and programmes often perpetuate [gender] stereotypes and fail to
consider socio-economic disparities and other differences among women and may
not fully take account of the lack of autonomy of women regarding their health.
Women's health is also affected by [gender] bias in the health system and by the
provision of inadequate and inappropriate medical services to women.
93. In many countries, especially in developing countries and, in particular,
the least developed countries, a decrease in public health spending and, in some
cases, structural adjustment, contribute to the deterioration of public health
systems. In addition, privatization of health care systems without appropriate
guarantees of universal access to affordable health care, further reduces
health-care availability. This situation not only directly affects the health
of girls and women, but also places disproportionate responsibilities on women,
whose multiple roles, including their roles within the family and the community,
are often not acknowledged; hence they do not receive the necessary social,
psychological and economic support.
94. Women's right to the enjoyment of the highest standard of health must be
secured throughout the whole life cycle in equality with men. Women are
affected by many of the same health conditions as men, but women experience them
differently. The prevalence among women of poverty and economic dependence,
their experience of violence, negative attitudes towards women and girls,
discrimination due to race and other forms of discrimination, [the limited power
29
many women have over their sexual and reproductive lives] and lack of influence
in decision-making are social realities which have an adverse impact on their
health. Lack of and inequitable distribution of food for girls and women in the
household, inadequate access to safe water, sanitation facilities and fuel
supplies, particularly in rural and poor urban areas, and deficient housing
conditions, all overburden women and their families and have a negative effect
on their health. Good health is essential to leading a productive and
fulfilling life [and the right of all women to control their own fertility is
basic to their empowerment).
95. Discrimination against girls, often resulting from son preference, in
access to nutrition and health-care services endangers their current and future
health and well-being. Conditions that force girls into early marriage,
pregnancy and child-bearing and subject them to harmful practices, such as
female genital mutilation, pose grave health risks. Adolescent girls need, but
too often do not have, access to necessary health and nutrition services as they
mature. [Counselling and access to sexual and reproductive health information
and services for adolescents are still inadequate or lacking completely, and a
young woman's right to privacy, confidentiality, respect and informed consent is
often not considered, taking into account the parents' responsibilities]
Adolescent girls are both biologically and psychosocially more vulnerable than
boys to sexual abuse, violence and prostitution, and to the consequences of
[unprotected] [premature] sexual relations. The trend towards early sexual
experience, combined with a lack of information and services, increases the risk
of [unwanted] and too early pregnancy, HIV infection and other sexually
transmitted diseases, as well as [unsafe abortions). Early child-bearing
continues to be an impediment to improvements in the educational, economic and
social status of women in all parts of the world. Overall, for young women
early marriage and early motherhood can severely curtail educational and
employment opportunities and are likely to have a long-term, adverse impact on
the quality of their lives and the lives of their children. Young men are often
not educated to respect [women's self-determination] and to share responsibility
with women in matters of sexuality and reproduction.
96. [Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters
relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.
Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying
and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom
to decide if, when and how often to do SO. Reproductive rights rest on the
recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely
and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the
information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of
sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions
concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as
expressed in human rights documents. Sexual health enhances life and personal
relations, and does not merely involve counselling and care related to
reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases.)
97. [Sexual rights include the individual's right to have control over and
decide freely on matters related to her or his sexuality, free of coercion,
discrimination and violence. Equal relationships between women and men in
matters of sexual relations and reproduction, including full respect for the
physical integrity of the human body, require mutual consent and willingness to
accept responsibility for the consequences of sexual behaviour.)
30
#98.
Further, women are subject to particular health risks due to
inadequate responsiveness and lack of services to meet health needs related to
sexuality and reproduction. Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth
are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity of women of reproductive
age in many parts of the developing world. Similar problems exist to a certain
degree in some countries with economies in transition. (Unsafe abortions)
threaten the lives of a large number of women, representing a grave public
health proble as it is primarily the poorest and youngest who take the highest
risk.
[Most these deaths, health problems and injuries are preventable,
[through improved acceBB to adequate health-care services including safe and
effective family planning methods and emergency obstetric care) [recognizing the
right of women and men to be informed and to have access to safe, effective,
affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as
other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against
the law, and the right of access to appropriate health-care services that will
enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples
with the best chance of having a healthy infant.) [These problems and means
should be addressed on the basis of the report of the International Conference
on Population and Development, with particular reference to paragraphs (1.15),
[7.1], 7.2, 7.3, 7.6 and 8.25, among others, of the Programme of Action of the
Conference. 13/) In most countries, the neglect of women's [reproductive
rights) severely limits their opportunities in public and private life,
including opportunities for education and economic and political empowerment.
[The ability of women to control their own fertility forms an important basis
for the enjoyment of other rights.] Shared responsibility between women and men
in matters related to sexual and reproductive behaviour is also essential to
improving women's health.
99. HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, the transmission of which
is sometimes a consequence of sexual violence, are having a devastating effect
on women's health, particularly the health of adolescent girls and young women.
Women [and adolescent girls often do not have the power to insist on safe sex
practices) [are not able to insist on responsible sexual behaviour on the part
of their partners) and have little acceBB to information and services for
prevention and treatment. Women, who represent half of all adults newly
infected with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, have emphasized
that social vulnerability and the unequal power relationships between women and
men [are obstacles to negotiating safe sex}, in their efforts to control the
spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The consequences of HIV/AIDS reach
beyond women's health to their role as [mothers,] caregivers and their
contribution to the economic support of their families. The social,
developmental and health consequences of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases need to be seen from a (gender) perspective.
100. Sexual and (gender-based) violence, including physical and psychological
abuse, trafficking in women and girls, other forms of abuse (and prostitution]
place girls and women at high risk of physical and mental trauma, disease (and
unwanted pregnancy). Such situations often deter women from using health and
other services.
101. Mental disorders related to [alienation] (marginalization), powerlessness
and poverty, along with overwork and stress and the growing incidence of
domestic violence as well as substance abuse are among other health issues of
The placement of the paragraph has not yet been determined.
Suitable published statistics may be added here.
31
growing concern to women. Women throughout the world, especially young women,
are increasing their use of tobacco with serious effects on their health and
that of their children. Occupational health issues are also growing in
importance, as a large number of women work in low-paid jobs either in the
formal or the informal labour market under tedious and unhealthy conditions and
the number is rising. Cancers of the breast and cervix and other cancers of the
reproductive system as well as infertility affect growing numbers of women and
may be preventable, or curable, if detected early.
102. With the increase in life expectancy and the growing numbers of older
women, their health concerns require particular attention. The long-term health
prospects of women are influenced by changes at menopause, which, in combination
with life-long conditions and other factors, such as poor nutrition and lack of
physical activity, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and
osteoporosis. Other diseases of ageing and the interrelationships of ageing and
disability among women also need particular attention.
103. Women, like men, particularly in rural areas and poor urban areas, are
increasingly exposed to environmental health hazards owing to environmental
catastrophes and degradation. Women have a different susceptibility to various
environmental hazards, contaminants and substances and they suffer different
consequences from exposure to them.
104. The quality of women's health care is often deficient in various ways,
depending on local circumstances. [Women are frequently not treated with
respect, nor are they guaranteed privacy and confidentiality, nor do they always
receive full information about the options and services available.)
Furthermore, in some countries, over-medicating women's life events is common,
leading to unnecessary surgical intervention and inappropriate medication.
105. Statistical data on health are often not systematically collected,
disaggregated and analysed by age, sex and socio-economic status, and [race and
ethnicity) and other relevant variables among others. Recent and reliable data
on mortality and morbidity of women and conditions and diseases particularly
affecting women are not available in many countries. Relatively little is known
about how social and economic factors affect the health of girls and women of
all ages, about the provision of health services to girls and women and the
patterns of their use of such services, and about the value of disease
prevention and health promotion programmes for women. Subjects of importance to
women's health have not been adequately researched and women's health research
often lacks funding. Medical research, on heart disease for example, and
epidemiological studies in many countries are often based solely on men; they
are not gender specific. Clinical trials involving women to establish basic
information about dosage, side-effects and effectiveness [including
contraceptives) are noticeably absent and do not always conform to ethical
standards for research and testing. Many drug therapy protocols and other
medical treatments and interventions administered to women are based on research
on men without any investigation and adjustment for gender differences.
106. In addressing inequalities in health status and unequal access to and
inadequate health care services between women and men, Governments and other
actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender
perspective in all policies and programmes, 80 that, before decisions are taken,
an analysis is made of the effects for women and men, respectively.
32
[Increase women's full access throughout the life cycle
to appropriate, affordable and quality health care and
related services]
Strategic objective C.1. Increase women's access throughout the
life cycle to appropriate free or
affordable and good quality health care
and related information and services[*]
Actions to be taken
107. By Governments, [in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and
employers and with the support of international institutions]:
(a) Support and implement [their commitments] [the commitments made] [to
the report of the International Conference on Population and
Development] [in the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development, taking into account the
reservations and declarations made in that document] and the
Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action
of the World Summit for Social Development 14/ and relevant
international agreements, to meet the health needs of girls and women
of all ages;
(b) Reaffirm the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standards of physical and mental health, protect and promote the
attainment of this right for women and girls and incorporate it in
national legislation, for example; review existing legislation,
including health legislation, as well as policies, where necessary, to
reflect a commitment to women's health and to ensure that they meet
the changing roles and responsibilities of women wherever they reside;
(c) Design and implement, in cooperation with women and community-based
organizations, gender-sensitive health programmes, including
decentralized health services, that address the needs of women
throughout their lives and take into account their multiple roles and
responsibilities, the demands on their time, the special needs of
rural women and women with disabilities and the diversity of women's
needs arising from age, socio-economic and cultural differences, among
others, and include women, especially local and indigenous women, in
the identification and planning of health-care priorities and
programmes; [and remove all barriers to women's health services] [and
provide the widest possible access to a broad range of health-care
services);
(d) [Allow women access to social security systems in equality with men
throughout the whole life cycle;)
[* The implementation of the actions to be taken contained in the section
on health are the sovereign right of each country, consistent with national laws
and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and
ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people and in conformity with
universally recognized international human rights.] [The section on health is
especially guided by the principles contained in chapter II of the Programme of
Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, in
particular the introductory paragraphs.)
33
(e) Provide more accessible, available and affordable primary health-care
services of high quality, including [sexual and reproductive health
care as well as family planning information and services) and giving
particular attention to maternal and emergency obstetric care (as
contained in the report of the International Conference on Population
and Development ) (as agreed in the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development];
(f) Redesign health information, services and training for health workers,
so they are [gender] sensitive and reflect the user's perspectives
with regard to interpersonal and communications skills and the user's
right to privacy and confidentiality. [recognizing the rights, duties
and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible
for children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child) These services, information and training should adopt a
holistic approach (as defined by WHO];
(g) [Ensure that all health services and workers conform to human rights
and to ethical, professional and gender-sensitive standards in the
delivery of women's health services aimed at ensuring responsible,
voluntary and informed consent.) [Develop, implement and disseminate
widely codes of ethics in this regard.) [Nothing, however, in the
present Platform for Action is intended to require any health
professional or health facility to provide (or refer for) services to
which they have objections on the basis of religious belief or moral
conviction as a violation of conscience];
(h) [Take all appropriate measures to eliminate harmful, medically
unnecessary or coercive medical interventions, as well as
inappropriate medication and over-medication of women. All women
should be fully informed of their options, including likely benefits
and potential side effects;)
(First alternative)
[Ensure that women are fully informed by properly trained personnel
orally, and in writing where appropriate, of the potential dangers,
side effects and contraindications as well as the likely benefits of
their health-care options, including medication and any surgical
interventions, among others; all appropriate measures should be taken
to eliminate harmful, medically unnecessary or coercive medical
interventions, as well as inappropriate medication and over-medication
of women; ensure that immunization is provided to women and girls
according to established ethical medical standards;)
(Second alternative)
[Ensure that before medication is prescribed, mechanical devices
inserted or sterilization performed, women are examined by a
physician, who must give them full information, orally and in writing,
on the potential dangers, side effects and contraindications of all
the available methods of family planning; ensure that immunization of
women and girls does not include experimental drugs, vaccines or
abortifacients;]
(i) Strengthen and reorient health services, particularly primary health
care, in order to ensure universal access to quality health services
34
for women and girls, [recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child] to reduce ill health and maternal morbidity and to achieve
worldwide the agreed-upon goal of reducing maternal mortality by at
least 50 per cent of the 1990 levels by the year 2000 and a further
one half by the year 2015; ensure that the necessary services are
available at each level of the health system; and make reproductive
health care accessible, through the primary health-care system, to all
individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than
the year 2015;
(j) [Recognize and deal with the health impact of unsafe abortion as a
major public health concern, as agreed in the Programme of Action of
the International Conference on Population and Development;)
[Paragraph 8.25 of the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development states: "In no case should
abortion be promoted as a method of family planning. All Governments
and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are
urged to strengthen their commitment to women's health, to deal with
the health impact of unsafe abortion 15/ as a major public health
concern and to reduce the recourse to abortion through expanded and
improved family-planning services. Prevention of unwanted pregnancies
must always be given the highest priority and every attempt should be
made to eliminate the need for abortion. Women who have unwanted
pregnancies should have ready access to reliable information and
compassionate counselling. Any measures or changes related to
abortion within the health system can only be determined at the
national or local level according to the national legislative process.
In circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion
should be safe. In all cases, women should have access to quality
services for the management of complications arising from abortion.
Post-abortion counselling, education and family-planning services
should be offered promptly, which will also help to avoid repeat
abortions."
(k) [Consider reviewing laws containing punitive measures against women
who have undergone illegal abortions;)
(1) Give particular attention to the needs of girls [taking into account
the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons
legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on
the Rights of the Child) especially the promotion of healthy
behaviour, including physical activities; take specific measures for
closing the gender gaps in morbidity and mortality where girls are
disadvantaged, while achieving internationally approved goals for the
reduction of infant and child mortality - specifically, by the year
2000, the reduction of mortality rates of infants and children under
five years of age by one third of the 1990 level, or 50 to 70 per
1,000 live births, whichever is less; by the year 2015 an infant
mortality rate below 35 per 1,000 live births and an under-five
mortality rate below 45 per 1,000;
(m) Ensure that girls [taking into account the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
35
Child) have continuing access to necessary health and nutrition
information and services as they mature, to facilitate a healthful
transition from childhood to adulthood;
(n) Develop information, programmes and services to assist women to
understand and adapt to changes associated with ageing; and to address
and treat the health needs of older women, paying particular attention
to those who are physically or psychologically dependent;
(o) Ensure that girls and women of all ages with any form of disability
receive supportive services;
(p) Formulate special policies, design programmes and enact the
legislation necessary to alleviate and eliminate environmental and
occupational health hazards associated with work in the home, in the
workplace and elsewhere [with special attention to pregnant and
lactating women};
(q) Integrate mental health services into primary health care systems or
other appropriate levels, develop supportive programmes and train
primary health workers to recognize and care for girls and women of
all ages who have experienced any form of violence especially domestic
violence, sexual abuse or other abuse resulting from armed and
non-armed conflict;
(r) Promote public information on the benefits of breast-feeding; examine
ways and means of implementing fully the WHO/UNICEF International Code
of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, and enable mothers to breast-
feed their infants by providing legal, economic, practical and
emotional support;
(8) Establish mechanisms to support and involve non-governmental
organizations, particularly women's organizations, professional groups
and other bodies working to improve the health of girls and women, in
government policy-making, programme design, as appropriate, and
implementation within the health sector and related sectors at all
levels;
(t) Support non-governmental organizations working on women's health and
help develop networks aimed at improving coordination and
collaboration between all sectors that affect health;
(u) Rationalize drug procurement and ensure a reliable, continuous supply
of high-quality pharmaceutical, [contraceptive] and other supplies and
equipment, [using the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs as a guide;)
and ensure the safety of drugs and devices through national regulatory
drug approval processes;
(v) Provide improved access to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation
services for women substance abusers and their families;
(w) Promote and ensure household and national food security, as
appropriate, and implement programmes aimed at improving the
nutritional status of all girls and women by implementing the
commitments made in the Plan of Action on Nutrition of the
International Conference on Nutrition 16/ including a reduction
worldwide of severe and moderate malnutrition among children under the
36
age of five by one half of 1990 levels by the year 2000, giving
special attention to the gender gap in nutrition, and a reduction in
iron deficiency anaemia in girls and women by one third of the 1990
levels by the year 2000;
(x) Ensure the availability of and universal access to safe drinking water
and sanitation and put in place effective public distribution systems
as soon as possible;
(y) Ensure full and equal access to health care infrastructure and
services for indigenous women.
Strategic objective C.2. Strengthen preventive programmes that
address threats to women's health
Actions to be taken
108. By Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, the
mass media, the private sector and relevant international organizations,
including United Nations bodies, as appropriate:
(a) [Give priority to both formal and informal educational programmes that
support and enable women to develop self-esteem, acquire knowledge,
make decisions on and take responsibility for their own health,
[achieve mutual respect in matters concerning) sexuality and fertility
and educate men regarding the importance of women's health and
well-being, placing special focus on programmes for both men and women
that emphasize the elimination of harmful attitudes and practices,
including female genital mutilation, son preference (which results in
female infanticide and prenatal sex selection), early marriage,
violence against women, [prostitution], sexual abuse, which at times
is conducive to infection with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases, drug abuse, discrimination against girls and women in food
allocation and other harmful attitudes and practices related to the
life, health and well-being of women, and recognizing that some of
these practices can be violations of human rights and ethical medical
principles;)
(b) Pursue social, human development, education and employment policies to
eliminate poverty among women in order to reduce their susceptibility
to ill health and to improve their health;
(c) Encourage men to share equally in child care and household work and to
provide their share of {adequate} financial support for their
families, even if they do not live with them;
(d) [Reinforce laws, reform institutions and promote norms and practices
that eliminate discrimination against women and encourage both women
and men to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive
behaviour; [ensure full respect for the physical integrity of the
human body]; [and take action to ensure the conditions necessary for
women to exercise their reproductive rights] [and eliminate, where
possible, coercive laws and practices);
(e) [Prepare and disseminate accessible information, through public health
campaigns, the media, reliable counselling and the education system,
37
designed to ensure that women and men, particularly young people, can
acquire knowledge about their health, especially information on
sexuality and reproduction, [taking into account the rights, duties
and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible
for children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child] [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development] and (as contained in the
report of the International Conference on Population and
Development];]
(f) Create and support programmes in the educational system, in the
workplace and in the community to make opportunities to participate in
sport, physical activity and recreation available to girls and women
of all ages on the same basis as they are made available to men and
boys;
(g) [Recognize the specific needs of adolescents, [boys and girls) and
implement specific appropriate programmes, such as information [on
sexual and reproductive health issues and] on sexually transmitted
diseases including HIV/AIDS, and recognize their right to privacy,
confidentiality, respect and informed consent; [taking into account
the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons
legally responsible for children and consistent with the Convention on
the Rights of the Child]];
(h) Develop policies that reduce the disproportionate and increasing
burden on [mothers] women [who have multiple roles within the family
and the community] by providing women with adequate support and
programmes from health and social services;
(i) Adopt regulations to ensure that the working conditions, including
remuneration and promotion of women at all levels of the health
system, are non-discriminatory and meet fair and professional
standards to enable them to work effectively;
(j) Ensure that health and nutritional information and training form an
integral part of all adult literacy programmes and school curricula
from the primary level;
(k) Develop and undertake media campaigns and information and educational
programmes that inform women and girls of the health and related risks
of substance abuse and addiction and pursue strategies and programmes
that discourage substance abuse and addiction and promote
rehabilitation and recovery;
(1) Devise and implement comprehensive and coherent programmes for the
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, a condition that
predominantly affects women;
(m) Establish and/or strengthen programmes and services, including media
campaigns, that address the prevention, early detection and [treatment
of breast, cervical and other cancers of the reproductive system);
(n) Reduce environmental hazards that pose a growing threat to health,
especially in poor regions and communities; apply a precautionary
approach, as agreed to in the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment
38
and Development, 17/ and include reporting on women's health risks
related to the environment in monitoring the implementation of
Agenda 21;
(0) Create awareness among women, health professionals, policy makers and
the general public about the serious but preventable health hazards
stemming from tobacco consumption and the need for regulatory and
education measures to reduce smoking as important health promotion and
disease prevention activities;
(p) [Ensure that medical school curricula and other health care training
include comprehensive and mandatory courses on women's health as
defined in paragraph 91 above);
(q) Adopt specific preventive measures to protect women, youth and
[children] from any abuse - sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking
and violence, for example - including the formulation and enforcement
of laws and provide legal protection and medical and other assistance.
Strategic objective C.3. Undertake (gender-sensitive)
multisectoral initiatives that
address sexually transmitted
diseases, the HIV/AIDS
pandemic and other [sexual and
reproductive healthl issues
Actions to be taken
109. By Governments, international bodies including relevant United Nations
organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental
organizations:
(a) Ensure the involvement of women, especially those infected with
HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases or affected by the
HIV/AIDS pandemic, in all decision-making relating to the development,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes
on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases;
(b) [Review and amend laws and practices, as appropriate, that may
contribute to women's susceptibility to HIV infection and other
sexually transmitted diseases, including enacting legislation against
[those socio-cultural practices] that contribute to it), and implement
legislation, policies and practices to protect women, adolescents and
young girls from discrimination related to HIV/AIDS;
(c) Encourage all sectors of society, including the public sector, as well
as international organizations, to develop compassionate and
supportive, non-discriminatory AIDS/HIV-related policies and practices
that protect the rights of infected individuals;
(d) Recognize the extent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in their countries,
taking particularly into account its impact on women, with a view to
ensuring that infected women not suffer stigmatization and
discrimination [including during travel);
39
(e) Develop (gender-sensitive) multisectoral programmes and strategies to
end social subordination of women and girls and to ensure their social
and economic empowerment and equality; and facilitate promotion of
programmes to educate and enable men to assume their responsibilities
to prevent HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases;
(f) Facilitate the development of community strategies that will protect
women of all ages from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases,
provide care and support to infected girls, women and their families
and mobilize all parts of the community in response to the HIV/AIDS
pandemic to exert pressure on all responsible authorities to respond
in a timely, effective, sustainable and [gender-sensitive] manner;
(g) Support and strengthen national capacity to create and improve
[gender-sensitive) policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS and other
sexually transmitted diseases, including the provision of resources
and facilities to women who find themselves the principal caregivers
or economic support for those infected with HIV/AIDS or affected by
the pandemic, and the survivors, particularly children and older
persons;
(h) Provide workshops and specialized education and training to parents,
decision makers and opinion leaders at all levels of the community,
including religious and traditional authorities, on prevention of
HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and their
repercussions on both women and men of all ages; [parental language]
(i) [Give all women all relevant information about HIV/AIDS and pregnancy
and the implications for the baby, including breast-feeding;)
(j) Assist women [of all ages] [recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child] and their formal and informal organizations to establish and
expand effective peer education and outreach programmes and to
participate in the design, implementation and monitoring of these
programmes; [recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of
parents and other persons legally responsible for children and
consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child];
(k) Give full attention to the promotion of mutually respectful and
equitable [gender relations] and, in particular, to meeting the
educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal in
a positive and responsible way with their sexuality, [as agreed in the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development ] [as contained in the report of the International
Conference on Population and Development];
(1) [Design specific programmes for boys, adolescents, [with the support
and guidance of their parents,] [recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child] and men of all ages, aimed at providing (reliable) [complete
and accurate) information and encouraging [abstinence until marriage
as responsible sexual behaviour.) safe and responsible sexual and
reproductive behaviour, including voluntary, appropriate and effective
male methods for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually
40
transmitted diseases.) [training in the promotion of safe and
responsible sexual behaviour, including voluntary abstinence and
[condom use] ];
(m) Ensure the provision, through the primary health care system, of
[universal access of individuals and couples] to appropriate and
affordable preventive services with respect to sexually transmitted
diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and expand the provision of counselling
and voluntary and confidential diagnostic and treatment services for
women; [and ensure that high-quality condoms as well as) drugs for the
treatment of sexually transmitted diseases are, where possible,
supplied and distributed to health services;
(n) Support programmes which acknowledge that the higher risk among women
of contracting HIV is linked to high-risk behaviour, including
intravenous substance use and substance-influenced (unprotected)
[irresponsible] sexual behaviour and take appropriate preventive
measures;
(o) Support and expedite action-oriented research on affordable methods,
controlled by women, to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted
diseases, on strategies empowering women to protect themselves from
sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and on methods of
care, support and treatment of women, ensuring their involvement in
all aspects of such research;
(p) [Support and initiate research that addresses women's needs and
situations, including research on HIV infection and other sexually
transmitted diseases in women, on women-controlled methods of
protection, such as non-spermicidal microbicides, and on male and
female risk-taking attitudes and practices;).
Strategic objective C.4. Promote research and information
dissemination on women's health
Actions to be taken
110. By Governments, the United Nations system, health professions, research
institutions, non-governmental organizations, donors, pharmaceutical industries
and the mass media, as appropriate:
(a) Train researchers and introduce systems that allow for the use of data
collected, analysed and disaggregated by, among other factors, sex and
age, [race and ethnicity] and socio-economic variables, in policy-
making, as appropriate, planning, monitoring and evaluation;
(b) Promote gender-sensitive and women-centred health research, treatment
and technology and link traditional and indigenous knowledge with
modern medicine, making information available to women to enable them
to make informed and responsible decisions;
(c) Increase the number of women in leadership positions in the health
professions, including researchers and scientists, to achieve equality
at the earliest possible date;
41
(d) Increase financial and other support from all sources for preventive,
appropriate biomedical, behavioural, epidemiological and health
service research on women's health issues and for research on the
social, economic and political causes of women's health problems, and
their consequences, including the impact of [gender and] age
inequalities, especially with respect to chronic and non-communicable
diseases, particularly cardio-vascular diseases and conditions,
cancers, reproductive tract infections and injuries, HIV/AIDS and
other sexually transmitted diseases, domestic violence, occupational
health, disabilities, environmentally related health problems,
tropical diseases and health aspects of ageing;
(e) [Inform women about data which show that hormonal contraception,
abortion and promiscuity increase risks of developing cancers and
infections of the reproductive tract, so that they can make informed
decisions about their health];
(f) Support and fund social, economic, political and cultural research on
how gender-based inequalities affect women's health, including
etiology, epidemiology, provision and utilization of services and
eventual outcome of treatment;
(g) Support health service systems and operations research to strengthen
access and improve the quality of service delivery, to ensure
appropriate support for women as health-care providers and to examine
patterns of provision of health services to women and use of such
services by women;
(h) Provide financial and institutional support for research on safe,
effective, affordable and acceptable [drugs and] technologies for
[reproductive and sexual health) of women and men, including more
safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods (such as natural
family planning] [for the regulation of fertility] for both sexes,
methods to protect against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases and simple and inexpensive methods of diagnosing such
diseases, among others. This research needs to be guided at all
stages by users and from the perspective of gender, particularly the
perspective of women, and should be carried out in strict conformity
with internationally accepted legal, ethical, medical and scientific
standards for biomedical research;
(i) Since (unsafe abortion] 15/ is a major threat to the health and life
of women, research to understand and better address the determinants
and consequences of induced abortion, including its effects on
subsequent fertility, reproductive and mental health and
[contraceptive] practice, should be promoted, as well as research on
treatment of complications of abortions and post-abortion care;
(j) Acknowledge and encourage beneficial traditional health care,
especially that practised by indigenous women, with a view to
preserving and incorporating the value of traditional health care in
the provision of health services, and support research directed
towards achieving this aim;
(k) Develop mechanisms to evaluate and disseminate available data and
research findings to researchers, policy makers, health professionals
and women's groups, among others;
42
(1) [Report on all genome and genetic engineering research.]
Strategic objective C.5. Increase resources and monitor
follow-up for women's health
Actions to be taken
111. By Governments at all levels, and where appropriate, in cooperation with
non-governmental organizations, especially women's and youth organizations:
(a) Increase [where necessary] budgetary allocations for [basic] [primary]
health care and social services, with adequate support for secondary
and tertiary levels, and give special attention to the [reproductive
and sexual] health of girls and women; priority should be given to
health programmes in rural and poor urban areas;
(b) Develop (where necessary} innovative approaches to funding health
services through promoting community participation and local
financing; increase where necessary budgetary allocations for
community health centres and community-based programmes and services
that address women's specific health needs;
(c) Develop [where appropriate) local health services, promoting the
incorporation of gender-sensitive community-based participation and
self-care and specially designed preventive health programmes;
(d) Develop goals and time-frames, where appropriate, for improving
women's health and for planning, implementing, monitoring and
evaluating programmes, based on gender-impact assessments using
qualitative and quantitative data disaggregated by sex, age, [race and
ethnicity] and socio-economic variables;
(e) Establish, as appropriate, ministerial and interministerial mechanisms
for monitoring the implementation on women's health policy and
programme reforms and establish, as appropriate, high level focal
points in national planning authorities responsible for monitoring to
ensure that women's health concerns are mainstreamed in all relevant
government agencies and programmes.
112. By Governments, the United Nations and its specialized agencies,
international financial institutions, bilateral donors and the private sector,
as appropriate:
(a) Formulate policies favourable to investment in women's health and
where appropriate increase allocations for such investment;
(b) [Provide appropriate material, financial and logistical assistance to
youth non-governmental organizations in order to strengthen them to
address youth concerns in the area of health [including sexual and
reproductive health];
(c) Give higher priority to women's health and develop mechanisms for
coordinating and implementing the health objectives of the Platform
for Action and relevant international agreements to ensure progress.
43
D. Violence against women
113. Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives
of equality, development and peace.* Violence against women both violates and
impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of [their universal] human rights
and fundamental freedoms.* The long-standing failure to protect and promote
those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against women is a matter of
concern to all States and should be addressed. Knowledge about its causes and
consequences, as well as its incidence and measures to combat it, have been
greatly expanded since the Nairobi Conference. In [all] societies, to a greater
or lesser degree, women and girls are subjected to physical, sexual and
psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture. The
low social and economic status of women can be both a cause and a consequence of
violence against women.
114. The term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence
that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological
harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or
arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
Accordingly, violence against women encompasses but is not limited to the
following:
(a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family,
including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-
related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional
practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to
exploitation;
(b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the
general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and
intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in
women and forced prostitution;
(c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by
the State, wherever it occurs.
115. Other acts of violence against women include violation of the human rights
of women in situations of armed conflict, in particular murder, systematic rape,
sexual slavery and [forced pregnancy]. [Acts of violence against women also
include terrorism, forced sterilization and [forced abortion], coercive/forced
use of contraceptives, [female foeticide/prenatal sex selection and female
infanticide].
116. Some groups of women, such as women belonging to minority groups,
indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women in poverty living in rural
or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or in detention,
female children, women with disabilities, elderly women and women in situations
of armed conflict are also particularly vulnerable to violence.
117. {Internally} d Displaced women, repatriated women, women migrant workers,
women living in poverty and [women living in areas under foreign occupation or
where acts of terrorism occur) are also particularly vulnerable to violence.
118. Acts or threats of violence, whether occurring within the home or in the
community, or perpetrated or condoned by the State, instil fear and insecurity
The placement of this sentence has not yet been determined.
44
in women's lives and are obstacles to the achievement of equality (and equity]
and for development and peace. The fear of violence, including harassment, is a
permanent constraint on the mobility of women and limits their access to
resources and basic activities. High social, health and economic costs to the
individual and society are associated with violence against women. Violence
against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced
into a subordinate position compared with men. In many cases, violence against
women and girls occurs in the family or within the home, where violence is often
tolerated. The neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and rape of girl-children
and women by family members and other members of the household, as well as
incidences of spousal and non-spousal abuse, often go unreported and are thus
difficult to detect. Even when such violence is reported, there is often a
failure to protect victims or punish perpetrators.
119. Violence against women is a manifestation of the historically unequal power
relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and
discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of women's full
advancement. Violence against women throughout ti life cycle derives
essentially from cultural patterns, in particular the harmful effects of certain
traditional or customary practices and all acts of extremism linked to race,
sex, language or religion that perpetuate the lower status accorded to women in
the family, in the workplace, in the community and in society. Violence against
women is exacerbated by social pressures, notably the shame of denouncing
certain acts that have been perpetrated against women; women's lack of access to
legal information, aid or protection; the lack of laws that effectively prohibit
violence against women; failure to reform existing laws; inadequate efforts on
the part of public authorities to promote awareness of and to enforce existing
laws; and the absence of educational and other means to address the causes and
consequences of violence. Images in the media of violence against women, in
particular those that depict rape or sexual slavery as well as the use of women
and girls as sex objects, including pornography, [are] factors contributing to
the continued prevalence of such violence, adversely influencing the community
at large, in particular children and young people.
120. Developing a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the challenging
task of promoting families, communities and States that are free of violence
against women is necessary and achievable. Equality, partnership between women
and men and respect for human dignity must permeate all stages of the
socialization process. Educational systems should promote self-respect, mutual
respect, and cooperation between women and men.
121. The absence of adequate gender-disaggregated data and statistics on the
incidence of violence make the elaboration of programmes and monitoring of
changes difficult. Lack of or inadequate documentation and research on domestic
violence, sexual harassment and violence against women and girls in private and
in public, including in the workplace, impede efforts to design specific
intervention strategies. Experience in a number of countries shows that women
and men can be mobilized to overcome violence in all its forms and that
effective public measures can be taken to address both the causes and the
consequences of violence. Men's groups mobilizing against gender violence are
necessary allies for change.
122. [Refugee women, other displaced women in need of international protection
and internally displaced women and migrant girls and women, including women
migrant workers, as well as women in detention, and women in situations of armed
conflict or [women living under foreign occupation or alien domination) are
especially vulnerable to all types of violence, including terrorism, murder,
45
torture, prostitution, including forced prostitution, rape, in particular its
systematic use as a weapon of war, [forced pregnancy), sexual abuse, slavery,
harassment and other forms of violence, which are often perpetrated by persons
in positions of authority. Such practices constitute crimes against humanity
and violations of human rights [and relevant Geneva conventions]] Training of
all officials in humanitarian and human rights law and the punishment of
perpetrators of violent acts against women would help to ensure that such
violence does not take place at the hands of public officials in whom women
should be able to place trust, including police and prison officials and
security forces.
123. The effective suppression of trafficking in women and girls for the sex
trade is a matter of pressing international concern. Implementation of the 1949
Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation
of the Prostitution of Others, 18/ as well as other relevant instruments, needs
to be reviewed and strengthened. The use of women in international prostitution
and trafficking networks has become a major focus of international organized
crime. The Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence
against women who has explored these act as an additional cause of the violation
of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls, is invited to
address, within her mandate and as a matter of urgency, the issue of
international trafficking for the purposes of the sex trade, as well as the
issues of forced prostitution, rape, sexual abuse and sex tourism. Women and
girls who are victims of this international trade are at an increased risk of
further violence, as well as [unwanted pregnancy] and sexually transmitted
infection, including infection with HIV/AIDS.
124. In addressing violence against women, Governments and other actors should
promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in
all policies and programmes 80 that before decisions are taken an analysis may
be made of their effects on women and men, respectively.
[Eliminate violence against women]
Strategic objective D.1. Take integrated measures to prevent and
eliminate violence against women
Actions to be taken
125. By Governments:
(a) Condemn violence against women and refrain from invoking any custom,
tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with
respect to its elimination [consistent with the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women};
(b) Refrain from engaging in violence against women and exercise due
diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national
legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts
are perpetrated by the State or by private persons;
(c) Enact and/or reinforce penal, civil, labour and administrative
sanctions in domestic legislation to punish and redress the wrongs
done to women and girls who are subjected to any form of violence,
whether in the home, in the workplace, in the community or in society;
46
(d) Adopt and/or implement and periodically review and analyse legislation
to ensure its effectiveness in eliminating violence against women,
emphasizing the prevention of violence and the prosecution of
offenders; take measures to ensure the protection of women subjected
to violence, [compensation for} and healing of victims, and
rehabilitation of perpetrators;
(e) [Consider,] {ratify and] implement (all relevant) [universally
accepted] international human rights [norms] [instruments] as they
relate to violence against women, including those contained in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 19/ the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, 12/ the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 12/ and the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment; 20/
(f) Implement (the norms contained in) the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, taking into account
general recommendation 19 adopted by the Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women at its eleventh session; 21/
(g) Promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender
perspective in all policies and programmes related to violence against
women and actively encourage, support and implement measures and
programmes aimed at increasing the knowledge and understanding of the
causes, consequences and mechanisms of violence against women among
those responsible for implementing these policies, such as law
enforcement officers, police personnel and judicial, medical and
social workers, as well as those who deal with minority, migration and
refugee issues, and develop strategies to ensure that the
revictimization of women victims of violence does not occur because of
gender-insensitive laws or judicial or enforcement practices;
(h) Provide women who are subjected to violence with access to the
mechanisms of justice and, as provided for by national legislation, to
just and effective remedies for the harm they have suffered and inform
women of their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms;
(i) Enact and enforce legislation against the perpetrators of practices
and acts of violence against women, such as female genital mutilation,
[female foeticide/prenatal sex selection] infanticide and dowry-
related violence and give vigorous support to efforts of
non-governmental and community organizations to eliminate such
practices;
(j) Formulate and implement [national and local) plans of action to
eliminate violence against women;
(k) Adopt all appropriate measures, especially in the field of education,
to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and
women, and to eliminate prejudices, customary practices and all other
practices based on the idea of the inferiority or superiority of
either of the sexes and on stereotyped roles for men and women;
(1) Create or strengthen institutional mechanisms so that women and girls
can report acts of violence against them in a safe and confidential
47
environment, free from the fear of penalties or retaliation, and file
charges;
(m) Ensure that women with disabilities have access to information and
services in the field of violence against women;
(n) Create, improve or develop as appropriate and fund the training
programmes of judicial, legal, medical, social, educational and police
and immigrant personnel, in order to avoid the abuse of power leading
to violence against women and sensitize such personnel to the nature
of gender-based acts and threats of violence so that fair treatment of
female victims can be assured;
(o) Adopt laws, where necessary, and reinforce existing laws that punish
police, security forces or any other agents of the State who engage in
acts of violence against women in the course of the performance of
their duties, review existing legislation and take effective measures
against the perpetrators of such violence;
(p) Allocate adequate resources within the government budget and mobilize
community resources for activities related to the elimination of
violence against women, including resources for the implementation of
[national and local] plans of action;
(q) Include in reports submitted in accordance with the provisions of
relevant United Nations human rights instruments, information
pertaining to violence against women and measures taken to implement
the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women;
(r) Cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on
Human Rights on violence against women, in the performance of her
mandate and furnish all information requested; cooperate also with
other competent mechanisms, such as the Special Rapporteur of the
Commission on Human Rights on torture and the Special Rapporteur of
the Commission on Human Rights on summary, extrajudiciary and
arbitrary executions, in relation to violence against women;
(s) Recommend that the Commission on Human Rights renew the mandate of the
Special Rapporteur on violence against women when her term ends in
1997 and, if warranted, to update and strengthen it.
126. By Governments, including local governments, and community organizations,
non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, the public and private
sectors, particularly enterprises, and the mass media, as appropriate:
(a) Provide well-funded shelters and relief support for girls and women
subjected to violence, as well as medical, psychological and other
counselling services and free or low-cost legal aid, where it is
needed, as well as appropriate assistance to enable them to find a
means of subsistence;
(b) Establish linguistically and culturally accessible services for
migrant women and girls, including women migrant workers who are
victims of gender-based violence;
48
(c) Recognize the vulnerability to violence and other forms of abuse of
women migrants, including women migrant workers, whose legal status in
the host country depends on employers who may exploit their situation;
(d) Support initiatives of women's organizations and non-governmental
organizations all over the world to raise awareness on the issue of
violence against women and to contribute to its elimination;
(e) Organize, support and fund community-based education and training
campaigns to raise awareness about violence against women as a
violation of women's enjoyment of their human rights and mobilize
local communities to use appropriate gender-sensitive traditional and
innovative methods of conflict resolution;
(f) Recognize, support and promote the fundamental role of intermediate
institutions, such as primary-health-care centres, [family-planning
centres, existing school health services], mother and baby protection
services, centres for migrant families and so forth in the field of
information and education related to abuse;
(g) [Organize and fund information campaigns, educational and training
programmes for girls and boys and women and men, in particular those
at high risk for violence, about the personal and social detrimental
effects of violence in the family, community and society (how to
communicate without violence] so that they can learn to protect
themselves and others against such violence];
(h) Disseminate information on the assistance available to women and
families who are victims of violence;
(i) Provide, fund and encourage counselling and rehabilitation programmes
for the perpetrators of violence, and promote research to further
efforts concerning such counselling and rehabilitation so as to
prevent the recurrence of such violence;
(j) [Raise awareness of the responsibility of the media in promoting
non-stereotyped images of women and men, as well as in eliminating
patterns of media presentation that generate violence, and encourage
those responsible for media content to establish professional
guidelines and codes of conduct; and also raise awareness of the
important role of the media in informing and educate people about the
causes and effects of violence against women and in stimulating public
debate on the topic.]
127. By Governments, employers, trade unions, community and youth organizations
and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Develop programmes and procedures to eliminate sexual harassment and
other forms of violence against women in all educational institutions,
workplaces and elsewhere;
(b) Develop programmes and procedures to educate and raise awareness of
acts of violence against women that constitute a crime and a violation
of the human rights of women;
(c) Develop counselling, healing and support programmes for girls,
adolescents and young women who have been or are involved in abusive
49
relationships, particularly those who live in homes or institutions
where abuse occurs;
(d) Take special measures to eliminate violence against women,
particularly those in vulnerable situations, such as young women,
refugee, displaced and internally displaced women, women with
disabilities and women migrant workers, including enforcing any
existing legislation and developing, as appropriate, new legislation
for women migrant workers in both sending and receiving countries.
128. By the Secretary-General of the United Nations:
Provide the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on
violence against women with all necessary assistance, in particular
staff and resources required to perform all mandated functions,
especially in carrying out and following up on missions undertaken
either separately or jointly with other special rapporteurs and
working groups, and adequate assistance for periodic consultations
with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
and all treaty bodies.
129. By Governments, international organizations and non-governmental
organizations:
Encourage the dissemination and implementation of the UNHCR Guidelines
on the Protection of Refugee Women and the UNHCR Guidelines on the
Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence against Refugees.
Strategic objective D.2. Study the causes of violence against
women and effective methods of
prevention strategies
Actions to be taken
130. By Governments, regional organizations, the United Nations, other
international organizations, research institutions, women's and youth
organizations and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Promote research, collect data and compile statistics, especially
concerning domestic violence relating to the prevalence of different
forms of violence against women and encourage research into the
causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of violence against women
and the effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress
violence against women (in their social, economic, cultural and
political context};
(b) Disseminate findings of research and studies widely;
(c) Support and initiate research on the impact of violence, such as rape,
on women and girl children, and make the resulting information and
statistics available to the public;
(d) Encourage the media to examine the impact of gender role stereotypes,
including those perpetuated by commercial advertisements [which
foster) gender-based violence and inequalities, and how they are
50
transmitted during the life cycle and take measures to eliminate these
negative images with a view to promoting a violence-free society.
Strategic objective D.3 Adopt special measures tc eliminate
trafficking in women and to assist
female victims of violence due to
prostitution and trafficking
Actions to be taken
131. By Governments of countries of origin, transit and destination, regional
and international organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Consider the ratification and enforcement of international conventions
on trafficking in persons and on slavery;
(b) Take appropriate measures to address the root factors, including
external factors, that encourage trafficking in women and girls for
prostitution, and other forms of the commercialization of sex, forced
marriages and forced labour in order to eliminate trafficking in
women, including by strengthening existing legislation with a view to
providing better protection of the rights of women and girls and to
punishing the perpetrators, through both criminal and civil measures;
(c) Step up cooperation and concerted action by all relevant law
enforcement authorities and institutions with a view to dismantling
national, regional and international networks in trafficking;
(d) [Allocate resources to provide comprehensive programmes designed to
heal and rehabilitate into society victims of trafficking including
through job training, legal assistance and confidential health care]
and take measures to cooperate with non-governmental organizations to
provide for the social, medical and psychological care of the victims
of trafficking;
(e) Develop educational and training programmes and policies and consider
enacting legislation aimed at preventing sex tourism and trafficking,
giving special emphasis to the protection of young women and children.
E. Advance peace, promote conflict resolution and reduce
the impact of armed or other conflict on women
132. [An environment which maintains world peace and promotes [universal] human
rights, democracy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, [upholding the
principles of non-threat or non-use of force and of mutual respect of
territorial integrity and sovereignty is a precondition for the advancement of
women.] [Without peace, there will be no equality or development.] Armed and
other types of conflicts have not decreased since the end of the cold war;
aggression, [foreign occupation) ethnic and religious and [other types of]
conflicts are an ongoing reality affecting women in nearly every region. Gross
and systematic violations and situations that constitute serious obstacles to
the full enjoyment of human rights continue to occur in different parts of the
world. Such violations and obstacles include, as well as torture and cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment or summary and arbitrary detention, all forms of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, denial of economic, social and
51
cultural rights and religious intolerance. Terrorism is a new and emerging
global phenomenon. International humanitarian law, prohibiting attacks on
civilian populations, is systematically ignored; [human rights are being
violated by [all] parties in armed conflicts.) Armed conflict has resulted in
serious violations of the human rights of women, including murder, torture,
systematic rape and [forced pregnancy,] especially in ethnic cleansing as a
strategy of war and its consequences. Some of these situations of armed
conflict have their origin in the conquest or colonialization of a country by
another country or State and the perpetuation of that colonial situation through
State and military repression.)
133. The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in
Time of War, of 1949 and the 1977 Additional Protocols provide that women shall
especially be protected against any attack on their honour, in particular
against humiliating and degrading treatment, rape, enforced prostitution or any
form of indecent assault. 22/ The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,
adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights, states that "Violations of the
human rights of women in situations of armed conflict are violations of the
fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law". 23/
Gross and systematic violations and situations that constitute serious obstacles
to the full enjoyment of human rights continue to occur in different parts of
the world. Such violations and obstacles include, as well as torture and cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment or summary and arbitrary detention, all forms of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, denial of economic, social and
cultural rights and religious intolerance.
134. Violations of human rights in situations of armed conflict and military
occupation are violations of the fundamental principles of international human
rights and humanitarian law as embodied in international human rights
instruments and in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols
thereto. [Humanitarian law, prohibiting attacks on civilian populations, and
international human rights law are systematically ignored and violated by armed
and security forces and other parties to armed conflicts.) Gross human rights
violations and policies of ethnic cleansing in war-torn and occupied areas
continue to be carried out. These practices have created, inter alia, a mass
flow of refugees and other displaced persons in need of international protection
and internally displaced persons, the majority of whom are women, adolescent
girls and children. Civilian victims, mostly women and children, often
outnumber casualties among combatants. In addition, women often become
caregivers for injured combatants and find themselves, as a result of conflict,
unexpectedly cast as sole manager of household, sole parent, and caretaker of
elderly relatives.
135. In a world of continuing instability and violence, the implementation of
cooperative approaches to peace and security is urgently needed. [IIn
implementing cooperative approaches to peace and security] [This requires that]
emphasis [should] be given to preventive strategies and to peace-building as a
particular prevention-oriented concept. The perspective of women would provide
a more constructive approach to the use of power and the resolution of
conflict.] Although women have begun to play an important role in conflict
resolution, peace-keeping, and defence and foreign affairs mechanisms, they are
still underrepresented in decision-making positions. If women are to play an
equal part in securing and maintaining peace, they must be empowered politically
and economically and represented adequately at all levels of decision-making.
136. While entire communities suffer the consequences of armed conflict,
terrorism and [foreign occupation and alien domination], women and girls are
52
particularly affected because of their status in society and their sex.
[Parties to conflict often rape women with impunity, sometimes using systematic
rape as a tactic of war and terrorism. The impact of violence against women and
violation of the human rights of women in such situations is experienced by
women of all ages, who suffer displacement, loss of home and property, loss or
involuntary disappearance of close relatives, poverty and family separation and
disintegration and who are victims of acts of murder, terrorism, torture,
involuntary disappearance, sexual slavery, rape [and its consequences), sexual
abuse and [forced pregnancy], especially as a result of policies of ethnic
cleansing and other new and emerging forms of violence. This is compounded by
the life-long social, economic and psychologically traumatic consequences of
armed conflict and [foreign occupation].]
137. Women and children constitute some 80 per cent of the 23 million refugees
and of the 26 million internally displaced persons in the world. They are
threatened by deprivation of property, goods and services and deprivation of
their (basie) right to return to their homes of origin as well as by violence
and insecurity. Particular attention should be paid to sexual violence against
uprooted women and girls employed as a method of persecution in systematic
campaigns of terror and intimidation and forcing members of a particular ethnic,
cultural or religious group to flee their homes. Women may also be forced to
flee as a result of well-founded fear of persecution for reasons enumerated in
the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol,
including persecution through sexual violence or other gender-related
persecution, and they continue to be vulnerable to violence and exploitation
while in flight, in countries of asylum and resettlement and during and after
repatriation. Women often experience difficulty in some countries of asylum in
being recognized as refugees when the claim is based on such persecution.
138. Refugee, displaced and migrant women in most cases display strength,
endurance and resourcefulness and can contribute positively to countries of
resettlement or to their countries of origin on their return. They need to be
appropriately involved in decisions that affect them.
139. Many women's non-governmental organizations have called for reductions in
military expenditures worldwide, as well as in international trade and
trafficking in and the proliferation of weapons. Those affected most negatively
by [conflict] [excessive military spending] are people living in poverty, who
are deprived because of the lack of investment in basic services. Women living
in poverty, particularly rural women, also suffer because of the use of arms
that are particularly injurious or have indiscriminate effects. There are more
than 100 million anti-personnel land-mines scattered in 64 countries globally.
[Excessive military spending is one of the main constraints to development.]
[At the same time, maintenance of national security and peace (is an important
factor] (is essential] for economic growth and development and the empowerment
of women.]
140. [International stability and security are prerequisites for economic growth
and development. In the new international setting, military strength is no
guarantee of security. The effects of mass migration, crime, the drug problem,
disease, human rights violations, environmental degradation, pressures of
population growth and underdevelopment transcend national borders. These new
challenges to peace and security have implications at the local, regional and
global levels.]
141. During times of armed conflict and the collapse of communities, the role of
women is crucial. They often work to preserve social order in the midst of
53
armed and other conflicts. [Women make an important but often unrecognized
contribution as peace educators both in the family/families and in society.]
142. Education to foster a culture of peace that upholds justice and tolerance
for all nations and peoples is essential to attaining lasting peace and should
be begun at an early age. It should include elements of conflict resolution,
mediation, reduction of prejudice and respect for diversity.
143. In addressing armed or other conflicts, an active and visible policy of
mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes should be
promoted so that before decisions are taken an analysis is made of the effects
on women and men, respectively.
[Increase the participation of women in conflict resolution
and protect women in armed and other kinds of conflict and
under foreign occupation]
Strategic objective E.1.
Increase and strengthen the participation
of women in conflict resolution and
decision-making and leadership in peace
and security activities and protect women
in armed and other conflicts [and living
under foreign occupation]
Actions to be taken
144. By Governments and international and regional intergovernmental
institutions:
(a) [Take action to establish a critical mass to promote gender balance
and to ensure equal participation of women with due regard to
equitable geographical distribution numerically, at all levels, and
ensure that opportunities are made available for qualified women to
participate in all United Nations forums and peace activities at
ambassadorial and decision-making levels, including the United Nations
Secretariat;)
(b) Strengthen the role of women and [increase the percentage of women at
all decision-making levels in national and international institutions
which may make or influence policy with regard to matters related to
peace-keeping] [including observer missions) [peace-building, fact-
finding and preventive diplomacy activities,] and in all stages of
peace mediation and negotiations; [in line with the specific
recommendations of the Secretary-General in his strategic plan of
action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
(1995-2000) (A/49/587, sect. IV) ];
(c) [Integrate a [gender perspective) in the result of armed or other
conflicts [and foreign occupation] and aim for gender balance when
promoting candidates for judicial and other positions in such
international bodies as [war crime tribunals, including the United
Nations International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for
Rwanda, the International Court of Justice [as well as in other
bodies related to the peaceful settlement of disputes;
54
(d) Ensure that these bodies are able to properly address gender issues by
providing appropriate training to prosecutors and judges and other
officials in handling cases involving rape [and its consequences),
[forced pregnancy), indecent assault and other forms of violence
against women (in armed conflicts and foreign occupation and integrate
a gender perspective into their work];
(e) Strengthen the participation of women in processes of national
reconciliation and reconstruction after all forms of conflict.
Strategic objective E.2. [Reduce military expenditures and control
the availability of armaments] [Reduce and
eliminate the availability of instruments
of violence against women]
Actions to be taken
145. By Governments:
(a) Increase and hasten, as appropriate, subject to national security
considerations, the conversion of military resources and related
industries to [development/peaceful] purposes;
(b) Undertake to explore new ways of generating new public and private
financial resources, inter alia, through the appropriate reduction of
excessive military expenditures, including global military
expenditures, trade in arms and investment in arms production and
acquisition, taking into consideration national security requirements,
so as to permit the possible allocation of additional funds for social
and economic development, in particular for the advancement of women;
(c) (Submit data to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and
consider expanding the Register to widen the scope of weapons covered)
[Improve the universality of the United Nations Register of
Conventional Arms as an effective measure for building confidence at
the global level [and include in their annual reports information on
military holdings and procurement through national production].
Register, and ultimately eliminate, offensive weapons development,
production, deployment and sales and, as a first step, expand the
[United Nations Register of Conventional Arms to include production
and marketing], making reporting obligatory, and to include all types
of weapons, such as nuclear, chemical and biological weapons);
(d) [Recognize and address the dangers to society of armed conflict, the
excessive production of and illicit trade in arms, linked to money-
laundering and the sale of arms that are particularly injurious or
have indiscriminate effects, terrorism, violence, crime, the
production and use of and trafficking in illicit drugs and trafficking
in women and children.) While acknowledging legitimate national
defence needs, the dangers to society of armed conflict and the
negative effect of excessive military expenditures, trade in arms,
especially those arms that are particularly injurious or have
indiscriminate effects, and excessive investment in arms production
and acquisition should be recognized and addressed. Similarly, the
need to combat illicit arms trafficking, violence, crime, the
55
production and use of and trafficking in illicit drugs, and
trafficking in women and children should be recognized;
(e) [Immediately adopt/Consider the adoption of a moratorium on the export
and planting of anti-personnel land-mines, and facilitate the transfer
of mine clearance technology without restriction or discrimination;
undertake to destroy current stockpiles of anti-personnel land-mines;
promote assistance in mine clearance, in particular to promote
scientific research aimed at rapid advancement of mine detection and
clearance technology; and consider ratifying the 1981 Convention on
Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional
Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have
Indiscriminate Effects 24/ and the Protocol on Prohibitions or
Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices 24/
(Protocol II) i ]
(f) {Promote the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction,
especially nuclear weapons.]
Strategic objective E.3. Promote non-violent forms of conflict
resolution and reduce the incidence
of human rights abuse in conflict
situations
Actions to be taken
146. By Governments:
(a) Consider the ratification of or accession to international instruments
containing provisions relative to the protection of women and children
in armed conflicts, including the Geneva Convention relative to the
Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 1949, the Protocols
Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 relating to the
Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I)
and to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts
(Protocol II);
(b) Respect fully the norms of international humanitarian law in armed
conflicts and take all measures required for the protection of women
and children, in particular against rape, forced prostitution and any
other form of indecent assault.
147. By Governments and international and regional organizations:
(a) Reaffirm the right of self-determination of all peoples, in particular
of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or
foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective realization of
this right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, 21 adopted by the World Conference on Human
Rights;
(b) [Encourage diplomacy, {preventive diplomacy, ] negotiation and peaceful
settlement of disputes in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations, in particular Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4 thereof;
56
(c) [Consider the establishment of a special United Nations unit for
third-party conflict prevention and resolution and the gender
composition of any such unit;)
(d) Urge the identification and condemnation of the systematic practice of
rape and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment of women as a
deliberate instrument of war and ethnic cleansing and take steps to
ensure that full assistance is provided to the victims of such abuse
for their physical and mental rehabilitation;
(e) [Declare that rape in the conduct of armed conflict can constitute a
war crime and a crime against humanity and under certain circumstances
may constitute an act of genocide, take all measures required for the
protection of women and children and strengthen mechanisms to
investigate and punish rape and other such acts;]
(f) Uphold and reinforce standards set out in international humanitarian
law and international human rights instruments to prevent all acts of
violence against women in situations of armed and other acts of
conflict and undertake full investigations of all acts of violence
against women committed during war, rape, in particular systematic
rape, forced prostitution and other forms of indecent assault and
sexual slavery, prosecute all criminals responsible for war crimes
against women and provide full redress to women victims;
(g) [Call upon the international community to condemn and act against
terrorism;]
(h) Take action to investigate and punish members of the police, security,
and armed forces and others who perpetrate acts of violence against
women, violations of [international humanitarian law] and violations
of the human rights of women (who violate the human rights of women]
in situations of armed conflict;
(i) Take into account gender-sensitive concerns in developing training
programmes for all relevant personnel on international humanitarian
law and {international} human rights awareness and recommend such
training for those involved in United Nations peace-keeping and
humanitarian aid, with a view to preventing violence against women, in
particular;
(j) [Encourage the elimination of and abstain from adopting unilateral
coercive measures, in violation of international law and the Charter
of the United Nations, that go against the population of affected
countries and, in particular, women and that could provoke situations
leading to conflicts;}
(k) [Take measures in accordance with international law {and legitimacy]
with a view to alleviating the negative impact of economic sanctions
on women and children.)
Strategic objective E.4. Promote women's contribution to
fostering a culture of peace
Actions to be taken
57
148. By Governments, international and regional intergovernmental institutions
and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Promote peaceful conflict resolution and peace, reconciliation and
tolerance through education, training, community actions and youth
exchange programmes, in particular for young women;
(b) In reviewing the implementation of the plan of action for the United
Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), take into
account the results of the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action
for Equality, Development and Peace; [Move subpara. to chap. IV,
sect. I.)
NOTE: Move to Chapter IV section I
(c) Encourage the further development of peace research, involving the
participation of women, to examine the impact of armed conflict on
women and children and the nature and contribution of women'
participation in national, regional and international peace movements;
engage in research and identify innovative mechanisms for containing
violence and for conflict resolution for public dissemination and for
by women and men;
(d) Develop and disseminate research on the physical, psychological,
economic and social effects of armed conflicts on women, particularly
young women and girls, with a view to developing policies and
programmes to address the consequences of conflicts;
(e) Consider establishing educational programmes for girls and boys to
foster a culture of peace, focusing on conflict resolution. [These
programmes should promote, among other things, positive models for men
and boys that encourage them to use non-violent means to settle
conflicts).
Strategic objective E.5. Provide protection, assistance and training
to refugee and displaced women {including
internally displaced women]
Actions to be taken
149. By Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and
other institutions involved in providing protection, assistance and training to
refugee women, other displaced women in need of international protection and
internally displaced women, including the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme, as appropriate:
(a) Take steps to ensure that women are fully involved in the planning,
design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all short-term
and long-term projects and programmes providing assistance to refugee
women, other displaced women in need of international protection and
internally displaced women, including the management of refugee camps
and resources. Ensure that refugees and displaced women and girls
have direct access to services provided;
(b) Offer adequate protection and assistance to women and children
displaced within their country and find solutions to the root causes
58
of their displacement with a' view to preventing it and, when
appropriate, facilitate their return or resettlement;
(c) Take steps to protect the safety and physical integrity of refugee
women, other displaced woman in need of international protection and
internally displaced women during their displacement and upon their
return to their communities of origin, including programmes of
rehabilitation; take effective measures to protect from violence women
who are refugees or displaced, hold an impartial and thorough
investigation of any such violations and bring those responsible to
justice;
(d) [Take all the necessary steps to ensure the right of refugee and
displaced women to safe and protected return to their homes;]
(e) Take measures, at the national level with international cooperation,
as appropriate, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
to find lasting solutions to questions related to internally displaced
women, including their right to voluntary and safe return to their
home of origin;
(f) [Take account of the specific needs and resources of refugee and
displaced women and children, especially their access to appropriate
and adequate food, water, shelter and health-care services, including
reproductive health services, in the provision of emergency relief and
longer term assistance) (Ensure that the international community and
the international organizations provide financial and other resources
to Governments in [countries of asylum] in order to provide emergency
relief and longer term assistance that takes into account the specific
needs and resources of refugee and displaced women and children,
especially their access to appropriate and adequate food, water,
shelter and health-care services including reproductive health
services) [including vaccinations; provision of basic medicines and
medicines related to tropical diseases, such as malaria and typhoid
fever; full maternity care, including prenatal and postnatal care;
dental care; and reproductive health care);
(New first alternative for second bracketed text)
Extend adequate international support to countries of asylum to meet
the basic needs of refugees and to assist in the search for durable
solutions. In providing emergency relief and long term assistance to
refugee populations, give special attention to the specific needs of
refugee and displaced women and children. Provide refugee and
displaced women and children with access to adequate accommodation,
education, health services, including family planning, and other
necessary social services.
(New second alternative for second bracketed text)
Ensure that the international community and the international
organizations provide financial and other resources to Governments
concerned in order to provide emergency relief and longer term
assistance that takes into account the specific needs and resources of
refugee and displaced women and children, especially their access to
appropriate and adequate food, water, shelter and health-care
services.
59
(g) Facilitate the availability of educational material in the appropriate
language - in emergency situations also - in order to minimize
disruption of schooling among refugee and displaced children;
(h) Apply international norms to ensure equal access and equal treatment
of women and men in refugee determination procedures and the granting
of asylum, including full respect and strict observation of the
principle of non-refoulement (particularly for women and child
refugees} through, inter alia, bringing national immigration
regulations intc conformity with relevant international instruments,
and consider (gender factors in) recognizing as refugees those women
whose claim to refugee status is based upon well-founded fear of
persecution for reasons enumerated in the 1951 Convention relating to
the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol, including persecution
through sexual violence or other gender-related persecution (on)
reasons enumerated in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees and the 1967 Protocol and provide access to specially trained
officers, including female officials, to interview women regarding
sensitive or painful experiences, such as sexual assault;
(i) [Support and promote efforts) by States towards [Consider] the
development of criteria and guidelines on responses to persecution
specifically aimed at women, by sharing information on States'
initiatives to develop such criteria and guidelines and by monitoring
to ensure their fair and consistent application;
(j) Promote the self-reliant capacities of refugee women, other displaced
women in need of international protection and internally displaced
women and provide programmes for women, particularly young women, in
leadership and decision-making within refugee and returnee
communities;
(k) Ensure that the human rights of refugee and displaced women are
protected and that refugee and displaced women are made aware of these
rights; ensure that the vital importance of family reunification is
recognized;
(1) [Adopt special measures, as appropriate, to provide women who have
been determined refugees with access to vocational/professional
training programmes, including language training, small-scale
enterprise development training and planning and counselling on all
forms of violence against women, which should include rehabilitation
programmes for victims of torture and trauma, and substantially
increase the international contribution to general programmes for
assistance to refugees, particularly in countries which host the
largest number of refugees;]
(m) Raise public awareness of the contribution made by refugee women to
their countries of resettlement, promote understanding of their human
rights and of their needs and abilities, and encourage mutual
understanding and acceptance through educational programmes promoting
cross-cultural and interracial harmony;
(n) [Provide basic and support services to women who are displaced from
their place of origin as a result of terrorism, violence, drug
trafficking or other reasons linked to violence situations;)
60
(0) Develop awareness of women's international) human rights and provide,
as appropriate, human rights education and training to military and
police personnel operating in areas of armed conflict and areas where
there are refugees.
150. By Governments:
(a) Disseminate and implement the UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection of
Refugee Women and the UNHCR Guidelines on Evaluation and Care of
Victims of Trauma and Violence, or provide similar guidance, in close
cooperation with refugee women and in all sectors of refugee
programmes;
(b) [Protect women and children who migrate as family members from abuse
or denial of their human rights by sponsors and consider extending
their stay, should the family relationship dissolve, within the limits
of national legislation; [Subpara. to be moved.]
[New strategic objective E.6. Provide assistance to the
women of the colonies
Actions to be taken
151. By Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations:
(a) [Support and promote the recognition and implementation of the
universal right of all peoples to self-determination and ensure that,
by virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status
and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development,
taking into account the interests of women of the colonies and
providing special programmes in leadership and in training for
decision-making;]
(b) [Raise public awareness through the mass media, education at all
levels and special programmes to create a better understanding of the
situation of women of the colonies] ]
61
F. [Inequality in women's access to and participation
in the definition of economic structures and
policies [and the productive process itself]
[Economic potential and independence of women]
[Gender equality in economic structures, policies
and all forms of productive activity]
152. There are considerable differences in women's and men's access and
opportunities to exert power over economic structures in their societies. In
most parts of the world, women are virtually absent from or are poorly
represented in economic decision-making, including the formulation of financial,
monetary, commercial and other economic policies, as well as tax systems and
rules governing pay. Since it is often within the framework of such policies
that individual men and women make their decisions, inter alia, on how to divide
their time between remunerated and unremunerated work, the actual development of
these economic structures and policies has a direct impact on women's and men's
access to economic resources, their economic power and consequently the extent
of equality between them at the individual and family levels as well as in
society as a whole.
153. In many regions, women's participation in remunerated work in the formal
and non-formal labour market increased significantly and changed during the past
decade. While women continue to work in agriculture and fisheries, they also
became increasingly involved in micro, small and medium enterprises and, in some
regions, became more dominant in the expanding informal sector. Due to, inter
alia, difficult economic situations and lack of bargaining power resulting from
gender inequality, many women were forced to accept low pay and poor working
conditions and thus often became preferred workers. On the other hand, women
entered the workforce increasingly by choice and when they became aware of and
demanded their rights. Some have succeeded to enter and advance in the
workplace and to improve their pay and working conditions. However, women have
been particularly affected by the economic situation and restructuring process
which have changed the nature of employment and, in some cases, have led to loss
of jobs, even for professional and skilled women. In addition, many women have
entered the informal sector due to lack of other opportunities. Gender
segregated employment is still the dominant pattern of the economy, and gaps
between female and male wages for equal work and work of equal value continue to
be prevalent in both the private and public sectors. Women have increasingly
become owners and managers of small and medium-scale enterprises but remain
underrepresented in economic decision-making at both the national and
international levels. Women's participation and gender concerns are still
largely absent from and should be integrated in the policy formulation process
of the multilateral institutions that define the terms, and in cooperation with
Governments, set the goals of structural adjustment programmes, loans and
grants.
154. Discrimination in education and training, hiring and remuneration,
promotion and horizontal mobility practices, as well as inflexible working
conditions, lack of access to productive resources and inadequate sharing of
family responsibilities, combined with a lack of or insufficient services such
as child care, continue to restrict employment, economic, professional and other
opportunities and mobility fcr women and make their involvement stressful.
Moreover, attitudinal obstacles inhibit women's participation in developing
economic policy and in some regions, restrict the access of women and girls to
education and training for economic management.
62
155. Women's share in the labour force continues to rise and almost everywhere
women are working more outside the household, although there has not been a
parallel lightening of responsibility for unremunerated work in the household
and community. Women's income is becoming increasingly necessary to households
of all types. In some regions, there has been a growth in women's
entrepreneurship and other self-reliant activities, particularly in the informal
sector. In many countries, women are the majority of workers in non-standard
work, such as temporary, casual, multiple part-time, contract and home-based
employment.
156. [Women migrants, especially domestic workers, contribute to the economy of
the sending country through their remittances and at the same time contribute to
the economy of the receiving country by taking over the domestic work of women
nationals who are then able to engage in productive work in the receiving
country.]
157. Insufficient attention to gender analysis has meant that women's
contributions and concerns remain too often ignored in economic structures, such
as financial markets and institutions, labour markets, economics as an academic
discipline, economic and social infrastructure, taxation and social security
systems, as well as in families and households. As a result, many policies and
programmes may continue to contribute to inequalities between women and men.
Where progress has been made in integrating gender perspectives, programme and
policy effectiveness has also been enhanced.
158. Although many women have advanced in economic structures, for the majority
of women, particularly those who face additional barriers, continuing obstacles
have hindered women's ability to achieve economic autonomy and to ensure
sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their dependants. Women are active
in a variety of economic areas, which they often combine, ranging from wage
labour and subsistence farming and fishing to the informal sector. However,
legal and customary barriers to ownership of or access to land, natural
resources, capital, credit, technology and other means of production, as well as
wage differentials, contribute to impeding the economic progress of women. [The
value of women's unremunerated contribution to the economy, whether working in
[the home, agriculture, food production, family enterprises, community service
or [domestic work), is still often undervalued and unrecorded and therefore not
reflected in current labour statistics and national accounts.) [Progress is
needed in statistical concepts and methods of measuring and [valuing]
unremunerated productive activity in the development of economic and social
policy.]
159. Although some new employment opportunities have been created for women as a
result of the globalization of the economy, there are also trends that have
exacerbated inequalities between women and men. [In some cases, globalization
is undermining women's self-reliant initiatives in savings, production and
trade.] [In some regions, the international and gender division of labour has
often reinforced the segregation of women into a limited number of occupations.)
(New alternative sentence 2)
(At the same time, globalization, including economic integration, can create
pressures to adjust to new circumstances and to find new sources of employment
as patterns of trade change.]
(New alternative sentence 3)
63
(In some regions, the gender division of labour has often reinforced the
segregation of women into a limited number of occupations. More analysis needs
to be done of the impact of globalization on women's economic status.]
160. These trends have been characterized by low wages, little or no labour
standards protection, poor working conditions, particularly with regard to
women's occupational health and safety, low skill levels, and a lack of job
security and social security, in both the formal and informal sectors. Women's
unemployment is a serious and increasing problem in many countries and sectors.
Young workers in the informal and rural sectors and migrant female workers
remain the least protected by labour and immigration laws. Women, particularly
those who are heads of households with young children, are limited in their
employment opportunities for reasons that include inflexible working conditions
and inadequate sharing, by men and by society, of family responsibilities.
161. In countries that are undergoing fundamental political, economic and social
transformation, the skills of women, if better utilized, can constitute a major
contribution to the economic life of their respective countries. Their input
should continue to be developed and supported as well as their potential further
realized.
162. Lack of employment in the private sector and reductions in public services
and public service jobs have affected women disproportionately. In some
countries, women take on more unpaid work (by replacing public services), such
as the care of children and those who are ill or elderly and in compensating for
lost household income particularly when public services are not available. In
many cases, [employment creation strategies, however, have tended to focus on
traditional male occupations and sectors).
163. [For those women in paid work, many experience obstacles that prevent them
from achieving their potential. While some are increasingly found in lower
levels of management, attitudinal discrimination often prevents them from being
promoted further. The experience of sexual harassment is an affront to a
worker's dignity and prevents women from making a contribution commensurate with
their abilities. The lack of a family-friendly work environment, including a
lack of appropriate and affordable child care, and inflexible working hours
further prevent women from achieving their full potential.]
164. In the private sector including transnational and national enterprises,
women are largely absent from management and policy levels, denoting
discriminatory hiring and promotion policies and practices. The unfavourable
work environment as well as the limited number of employment opportunities
available have led many women to seek alternatives. Women have increasingly
become self-employed and owners and managers of micro, small and medium-scale
enterprises. The expansion of the informal sector, in many countries, and of
self-organized and independent enterprise is in large part due to women, whose
collaborative, self-help and traditional practices and initiatives in production
and trade represent a vital economic resource. When they gain access to and
control over capital, credit and other resources, technology and training, women
can increase production, marketing and income for sustainable development.
165. Taking into account the fact that continuing inequalities and noticeable
progress coexist, rethinking employment policies is necessary in order to
integrate the gender perspective and to draw attention to a wider range of
opportunities as well as to address any negative gender implications of current
patterns of work and employment. To realize fully equality between women and
men in their contribution to the economy, active efforts are required for equal
64
recognition and appreciation of the influence that the work, experience,
knowledge and values of both women and men have in society.
166. In addressing the economic potential and independence of women, Governments
and other actors should promote. an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a
gender perspective in all. policies and programmes so that before decisions are
taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively.
[Promote women's economic self-reliançe, including access
to employment, appropriate working conditions and control
over economic resources - land, capital and technology]
Strategic objective F.1. [Promote women's self-reliance, including
access to employment, appropriate working
conditions and control over economic
resources - land, capital, credit and
technology - and guarantee economic
opportunities for women] [Secure economic
rights for women]
Actions to be taken
167. By Governments:
(a) Enact and enforce legislation to guarantee the rights of women and men
to equal pay for equal work or work of equal value;
(b) Adopt and implement laws against discrimination based on sex [age,
race and religion] in the labour market, hiring and promotion, the
extension of employment benefits and social security, and working
conditions;
(c) Eliminate discriminatory practices by employers and take appropriate
measures in consideration of women's reproductive role and functions,
such as the denial of employment and dismissal due to pregnancy or
breast-feeding, or requiring proof of contraceptive use, and take
effective measures to ensure that pregnant women, women on maternity
leave or women re-entering the labour market after childbearing are
not discriminated against;
(d) Devise mechanisms and take positive action to enable women to gain
access to full and equal participation in the formulation of policies
and definition of structures through such bodies as ministries of
finance and trade, national economic commissions, economic research
institutes and other key agencies, as well as through their
participation in appropriate international bodies;
(e) [Undertake legislative and administrative reforms to give women equal
rights [equitable rights) with men to economic resources, including
access to ownership and control over land and other properties, credit
inheritance, natural resources and appropriate new technology;)
(f) Conduct reviews of national income and inheritance tax and social
security systems to eliminate any existing bias against women;
65
(g) [Seek to) Develop a more comprehensive knowledge of work and
employment through, inter alia, efforts to measure and better
understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work,
particularly work in caring for dependants and unremunerated work done
for family farms or businesses, and encourage the sharing and
dissemination of information on studies and experience in this field,
including the development of methods for assessing its value in
quantitative terms, for possible reflection in accounts that may be
produced separately from, but consistent with, core national accounts;
(h) [Provide developing countries with technical assistance and funding to
collect data on unpaid work and to incorporate them into their
national accounts and other economic statistics;)
(NOTE: to be considered in Cluster IV)
(i) Review and amend laws governing the operation of financial
institutions to ensure that they provide services to women and men on
an equal basis;
(j) (Make efforts to facilitate more open and transparent budget
processes;]
(k) Revise and implement national policies that support the traditional
savings, credit and lending mechanisms for women;
(1) Seek to ensure that national policies related to international and
regional trade agreements do not adversely impact women's new and
traditional economic activities;
(m) [Ensure] that all corporations, including transnational corporations,
comply with national laws and codes, social security regulations,
applicable international agreements, instruments and conventions,
including those related to the environment and other relevant laws.
(n) Adjust employment policies to facilitate the restructuring of work
patterns in order to promote the sharing of family responsibilities;
(0) Establish mechanisms and other forums to enable women entrepreneurs
and women workers to contribute to the formulation of policies and
programmes being developed by economic ministries and financial
institutions;
(p) Enact and enforce equal opportunity laws, take positive action and
ensure compliance by the public and private sectors through various
means;
(q) Use gender-impact analysis in the development of macro- and
micro-economic and social policies in order to monitor such impact and
restructure policies in cases where harmful impact occurs;
(r) Promote gender-sensitive policies and measures to empower women as
equal partners with men in technical, managerial and entrepreneurial
fields;
(8) Reform laws or enact national policies that support the establishment
of labour laws to ensure the protection of all women workers,
66
including safe work practices, the right to organize and access to
justice.
Strategic objective F.2. Take positive action to facilitate
women's equal access to resources,
employment, markets and trade
Actions to be taken
168. By Governments:
(a) Promote and support women's self-employment and the development of
small enterprises, and strengthen women's access to credit and capital
on appropriate terms equal to that of men through the scaling-up of
institutions dedicated to promoting women's entrepreneurship,
including, as appropriate, non-traditional and mutual credit schemes,
as well as innovative linkages with financial institutions;
(b) Strengthen the incentive role of the State as employer to develop a
policy of equal [equitable] opportunities for women and men;
(c) Enhance, at the national and local levels, rural women's income-
generating potential by facilitating their equal access to and control
over productive resources, land, credit, capital, property rights,
development programmes and cooperative structures;
(d) Promote and strengthen micro-enterprises, new small businesses,
cooperative enterprises, expanded markets and other employment
opportunities and, where appropriate, facilitate the transition from
the informal to the formal sector, especially in rural areas;
(e) Create and modify programmes and policies that recognize and
strengthen women's vital role in food security and provide paid and
unpaid women producers, especially those involved in food production,
such as farming, fishing and aquaculture, as well as urban
enterprises, with equal access to appropriate technologies,
transportation, extension services, marketing and credit facilities at
the local and community levels;
(f) Establish appropriate mechanisms and encourage intersectoral
institutions that enable women's cooperatives to optimize access to
necessary services;
(g) Increase the proportion of women extension workers and other
government personnel who provide technical assistance or administer
economic programmes;
(h) Review, reformulate, if necessary, and implement policies, including
business, commercial and contract law and government regulations, to
ensure that they do not discriminate against micro, small and medium-
scale enterprises owned by women in rural and urban areas;
(i) Analyse, advise on, coordinate and implement policies that integrate
the needs and interests of employed, self-employed and entrepreneurial
women into sectoral and inter-ministerial policies, programmes and
budgets;
67
(j) Ensure equal access for women to effective job training, retraining,
counselling and placement services that are not limited to traditional
employment areas;
(k) Remove policy and regulatory obstacles faced by women in social and
development programmes that discourage private and individual
initiative;
(1) Safeguard and promote respect for basic workers' rights, including the
prohibition of forced labour and child labour, freedom of association
and the right to organize and bargain collectively, equal remuneration
for men and women for work of equal value, and non-discrimination in
employment, and fully implement the conventions of the International
Labour Organization in the case of States party to those conventions
and, taking into account the principles embodied in those conventions
in the case of those countries that are not party to those
conventions, to thus achieve truly sustained economic growth and
sustainable development.
169. By Governments, central banks and national development banks, and private
banking institutions, as appropriate:
(a) Increase the participation of women, including women entrepreneurs, in
advisory boards and other forums to enable women entrepreneurs from
all sectors and their organizations to contribute to the formulation
and review of policies and programmes being developed by economic
ministries and banking institutions;
(b) Mobilize the banking sector to increase lending and refinancing
through incentives and the development of intermediaries that serve
the needs of women entrepreneurs and producers in both rural and urban
areas, and include women in their leadership, planning and decision-
making;
(c) Structure services to reach rural and urban women involved in micro,
small and medium-scale enterprises, with special attention to young
women, low-income women, those belonging to ethnic and racial
minorities, and indigenous women who lack access to capital and
assets, expand women's access to financial markets by identifying and
encouraging financial supervisory and regulatory reforms that support
financial institutions' direct and indirect efforts to better meet the
credit and other financial needs of the micro, small and medium-scale
enterprises of women;
(d) Ensure that women's priorities are included in public investment
programmes for economic infrastructure, such as water and sanitation,
electrification and energy conservation, transport and road
construction. Promote greater involvement of women beneficiaries at
the project planning and implementation stages to ensure access to
jobs and contracts.
170. By Governments and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Pay special attention to women's needs when disseminating market,
trade and resource information and provide appropriate training in
these fields;
68
(b) Encourage community economic development strategies that build on
partnerships among Governments, and encourage members of civil society
to create jobs and address the social circumstances of individuals,
families and communities.
171. By multilateral funders and regional development banks, as well as
bilateral and private funding agencies, at the international, regional and
subregional levels:
(a) Review, where necessary reformulate, and implement policies,
programmes and projects, to ensure that a higher proportion of
resources reach women in rural and remote areas (without attendant
conditions that could place women under pressure to act against their
ethical and religious values);
(b) Develop flexible funding arrangements to finance intermediary
institutions that target women's economic activities, and promote
self-sufficiency and increased capacity in and profitability of
women's economic enterprises;
(c) [Develop strategies for international (development) financial
institutions and regional development banks to consolidate and
strengthen their assistance to the micro, small and medium-scale
enterprise sector, and work together with bilateral agencies to
coordinate and enhance the effectiveness of this sector, drawing upon
the expertise and financial resources from within their own
organizations as well as from bilateral agencies, Governments and
non-governmental organizations.]
(NOTE: for further negotiations it was suggested to add after
enterprise sector; in order to enhance the opportunities for women to
fully and equally participate.)
172. By international, multilateral and bilateral development cooperation
organizations:
Support, through the provision of capital and/or resources, financial
institutions that serve low-income, small and micro-scale women
entrepreneurs and producers in both the formal and informal sectors.
173. By Governments and/or multilateral financial institutions:
Review rules and procedures of formal national and international
financial institutions that obstruct replication of the Grameen Bank
prototype, which provides credit facilities to rural women.
174. By international organizations:
[Seek to] Provide adequate support for programmes and projects
designed to promote sustainable and productive entrepreneurial
activities among women, in particular the disadvantaged.
69
Strategic objective F.3. Provide business services and access to
markets, information and technology to
low-income women
Actions to be taken
175. By Governments in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and the
private sector:
(a) Provide public infrastructure to [ensure] [facilitate] equal market
access for women and men entrepreneurs;
(b) Develop programmes that provide training and retraining, particularly
in new technologies and affordable services to women in business
management, product development, financing, production and quality
control, marketing and the legal aspects of business;
(c) Provide outreach programmes to inform low-income and poor women,
particularly in rural and remote areas, of opportunities for market
and technology access, and provide assistance in taking advantage of
such opportunities;
(d) Create non-discriminatory support services, including investment funds
for women's businesses, and target women, particularly low income
women, in trade promotion programmes;
(e) Disseminate information about successful women entrepreneurs in both
traditional and non-traditional economic activities and the skills
necessary to achieve success; facilitate networking and the exchange
of information;
(f) Take measures to ensure equal access of women to ongoing training in
the workplace, including unemployed women, single parents, women
re-entering the labour market after an extended temporary exit from
employment owing to family responsibilities and other causes, and
women displaced by new forms of production or by retrenchment, and
increase incentives to enterprises to expand the number of vocational
and training centres that provide training for women in
non-traditional areas;
(g) Provide affordable support services, such as high-quality, flexible
and affordable child-care services, that take into account the needs
of working men and women.
176. By local, national, regional and international business organizations and
non-governmental organizations concerned with women's issues:
Advocate, at all levels, for the promotion and support of women's
businesses and enterprises, including those in the informal sector,
and the equal access of women to productive resources.
70
Strategic objective F.4. Strengthen women's economic capacity
and commercial networks
Actions to be taken
177. By Governments:
(a) Adopt policies that support business organizations, non-governmental
organizations, cooperatives, revolving loan funds, credit unions,
grass-roots organizations, women's self-help groups and other groups
in order to provide services to women entrepreneurs in rural and urban
areas;
(b) Integrate a gender perspective into all economic restructuring and
structural adjustment policies and design programmes for women that
are affected by economic restructuring, including structural
adjustment programmes, and for women who work in the informal sector;
(c) [Adopt policies that strengthen women's self-help groups and workers'
associations through non-conventional forms of support;]
(d) Support programmes that enhance the self-reliance of special groups of
women, such as young women, women with disabilities, elderly women and
women belonging to racial and ethnic minorities;
(e) [Use the research of economists, scientists and technologists to
promote gender equality;]
(f) Support the economic activities of indigenous women, taking into
account their traditional knowledge, so as to improve their situation
and development;
(g) [Adopt policies to extend or maintain the protection of labour laws
and social security provisions for those who do paid work in the
home;]
(h) Recognize and encourage the contribution of research by women
scientists and technologists;
(i) Ensure that policies and regulations do not discriminate against
micro, small and medium-scale enterprises run by women.
178. By (encouraging) financial intermediaries, national training institutes,
credit unions, non-governmental organizations, women's associations,
professional organizations and the private sector, as appropriate:
(a) Provide, at national, regional and international levels, training in a
variety of business-related and financial management and technical
skills to enable women, especially young women, to participate in
economic policy-making at those levels;
(b) Provide business services, including marketing and trade information,
product design and innovation, technology transfer and quality
control, to women's business enterprises, including those in export
sectors of the economy;
71
(c) Promote technical and commercial links and establish joint ventures
among women entrepreneurs at the national, regional and international
levels to support community-based initiatives;
(d) Strengthen women's participation in production and marketing
cooperatives by providing marketing and financial support, especially
in rural and remote areas, including marginalized women;
(e) Promote and strengthen women's micro-enterprises, new small
businesses, cooperative enterprises, expanded markets and other
employment opportunities and, where appropriate, facilitate the
transition from the informal to the formal sector, in rural and urban
areas;
(f) Invest capital and develop investment portfolios to finance women's
business enterprises;
(g) Give adequate attention to providing technical assistance, advisory
services, training and retraining for women connected with the entry
to the market economy;
(h) Support credit networks and innovative ventures, including traditional
savings schemes;
(i) Provide networking arrangements for entrepreneurial women, including
opportunities for the mentoring of inexperienced women by the more
experienced;
(j) Encourage community organizations and public authorities to establish
loan pools for women entrepreneurs, drawing on successful small-scale
cooperative models.
179. By the private sector, including transnational and national corporations:
(a) Adopt policies and establish mechanisms to grant contracts on a
non-discriminatory basis;
(b) Recruit women for leadership, decision-making and management, and
provide training programmes, all on an equal basis with men;
(c) Observe national labour environment, consumer, health and safety laws,
particularly those that affect women.
Strategic objective F.5. Eliminate occupational segregation and
all forms of employment discrimination
Actions to be taken
180. By Governments, employers, employees, trade unions and women's
organizations:
(a) [Implement and enforce laws, regulations and codes of conduct that
extend international labour standards and workers' rights to female
workers in export processing sones;]
72
(b) (Enact and enforce laws and introduce implementing measures, including
means of redress and access to justice in case of non-compliance, to
prohibit direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of sex, sexual
orientation and parental status in relation to access to employment,
conditions of employment, including training, promotion, health and
safety, as well as termination of employment and social security of
workers, including legal protection against sexual and racial
harassment;)
(c) Enact and enforce laws and develop workplace policies against [age
and] gender discrimination in the labour market, in hiring and
promotion, and in the extension of employment benefits and social
security, as well as regarding discriminatory working conditions and
sexual harassment; mechanisms should be developed for the regular
review and monitoring of such laws;
(d) Eliminate discriminatory practices by employers on the basis of
women's reproductive roles and functions, including refusal of
employment and dismissal of women due to pregnancy and breast-feeding
responsibilities;
(e) [Develop and promote employment programmes and services for women
entering and/or re-entering the labour market, especially poor urban,
rural and young women and those affected by structural adjustment
programmes, including self-employment;]
(f) Implement and monitor positive public and private-sector employment
equity and positive action programmes to address systemic
discrimination against women in the labour force, in particular women
with disabilities and women belonging to other disadvantaged groups,
with respect to [employment,] hiring, retention and promotion, and
vocational training of women in all sectors;
(g) Eliminate occupational segregation, especially by promoting the equal
participation of women in highly skilled jobs and senior management
positions and other measures, such as counselling and placement, that
stimulate their on-the-job career development and upward mobility in
the labour market, and by stimulating the diversification of
occupational choices by both women and men. Encourage women to take
up non-traditional jobs, especially in science and technology [and
encourage men to seek employment in the social sector];
(h) Recognize collective bargaining as a right and as an important
mechanism for eliminating wage inequality for women and to improve
working conditions;
(i) Promote the election of women trade union officials and ensure that
trade union officials elected to represent women are given job
protection and physical security in connection with the discharge of
their functions;
(j) [Ensure] access to and develop special programmes to enable women with
disabilities to obtain and retain employment, and [ensure] access to
education and training at all proper levels, in accordance with the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with
Disabilities; 25/ adjust, to the extent possible, working conditions
in order to suit the needs of women with disabilities, who should be
73
secured legal protection against unfounded job loss on account of
their disabilities;
(k) Increase efforts to close the gap between women's and men's pay, take
steps to implement the principle of equal remuneration for equal work
or work of equal value by strengthening legislation, including
compliance with international labour laws and standards, and encourage
job evaluation schemes with gender-neutral criteria;
(1) Establish and/or strengthen mechanisms to adjudicate matters relating
to wage discrimination;
(m) Set specific target dates for [eliminating] all forms of child labour
that are contrary to accepted international standards and ensure the
full enforcement of relevant existing laws and, where appropriate,
enact the legislation necessary to implement the Convention on the
Rights of the Child and International Labour Organization standards,
ensuring the protection of working children, in particular, street
children, through the provision of appropriate health, education and
other social services;
(n) [Ensure that the strategies to eliminate child labour recognize the
excessive demands made on some girls for unpaid work in the
household;)
(0) Review and analyse [reformulate] the wage structures in female-
dominated professions, such as teaching, nursing and child care, with
a view to raising their low status and earnings;
(p) Facilitate the productive employment of documented migrant women
(including women who have been determined refugees according to the
1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees) through greater
recognition of foreign education and credentials and by adopting an
integrated approach to labour market training that incorporates
language training.
Strategic objective F.6. [Create a flexible work environment]
[Better harmonization of work and
family responsibilities for women
and men]
Actions to be taken
181. By Governments:
(a) [Adopt policies to extend the protection of labour and social security
laws to part-time and temporary jobs and to seasonal and home-based
workers, and enact laws to promote career development based on
flexible work conditions;]
(b) [Ensure that full and part-time work can be freely chosen by women and
men on an equal basis, and consider appropriate protection for
atypical workers in terms of access to employment, working conditions,
and social security;)
74
(c) [Enact and enforce laws that grant parental leave and parental
benefits to both women and men, and promote the equitable sharing of
responsibilities for the family by men and women, including through
appropriate legislation, incentives and/or encouragement;]
(Alternative)
[Ensure, through appropriate legislation, incentives and/or
encouragement, adequate opportunities for women and men to take
parental leave and receive parental benefits;)
(d) Develop policies, inter alia, in education to change attitudes that
reinforce the division of labour based on gender in order to promote
the concept of shared family responsibility for work in the home,
particularly in relation to children and elder care;
(e) Improve the development of, and access to, technologies that
facilitate occupational as well as domestic work, encourage self-
support, generate income, transform gender-prescribed roles within the
productive process and enable women to move out of low-paying jobs;
(f) Examine a range of policies and programmes, including social security
legislation and taxation systems, in accordance with national
priorities and policies, to determine how to promote gender equality
and flexibility in the way people divide their time between and derive
benefits from education and training, paid employment, family
responsibilities, volunteer activity and other socially useful forms
of work, rest and leisure.
182. By Governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations,
trade unions and the United Nations, as appropriate:
(a) Adopt appropriate measures involving relevant governmental bodies and
employers' and employees' associations so that women and men are able
to take temporary leave from employment, have transferable employment
and retirement benefits and make arrangements to modify work hours
without sacrificing their prospects for development and advancement at
work and in their careers;
(b) Design and provide educational programmes through innovative media
campaigns and school and community education programmes to raise
awareness on gender equality and non-stereotyped gender roles of women
and men within the family; provide support services and facilities,
such as on-site child care at workplaces and flexible working
arrangements;
(c) Enact and enforce laws against sexual and other forms of harassment in
all workplaces.
G. [Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power
[family responsibilities] and decision-making at all
levels] [Shared power: women in decision-making]
183. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the
right to take part in the Government of his/her country. The empowerment and
autonomy of women and the improvement of women's social, economic and political
75
status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable
government and administration and sustainable development in all areas of life.
The power relations that impede women's attainment of fulfilling lives operate
at many levels of society, from the most personal to the highly public.
Achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men in decision-making
will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society
[and is a prerequisite for the proper functioning of democracy] [and promotes
the proper functioning of democracy). Equality in political decision-making
performs a leverage function without which it is highly unlikely that a real
integration of the equality dimension in government policy-making is feasible.
In this respect, women's equal participation in political life plays a pivotal
role in the general process of the advancement of women. Women's equal
participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple justice or
democracy but can also be seen as a necessary condition for women's interests to
be taken into account. Without the active participation of women and the
incorporation of women's perspective at all levels of decision-making, the goals
of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved.
184. Despite the widespread movement towards democratization in most countries,
women are largely underrepresented at most levels of government, especially in
ministerial and other executive bodies, and have made little progress in
attaining political power in legislative bodies or in achieving the target
endorsed by the Economic and Social Council of having 30 per cent women in
positions at decision-making levels by 1995. Globally, only 10 per cent of the
members of legislative bodies and a lower percentage of ministerial positions
are now held by women. Indeed, some countries, including those that are
undergoing fundamental political, economic and social changes, have seen a
significant decrease in the number of women represented in legislative bodies.
Although women make up at least half of the electorate in almost all countries
and have attained the right to vote and hold office in almost all States Members
of the United Nations, women continue to be seriously underrepresented as
candidates for public office. The traditional working patterns of many
political parties and government structures continue to be barriers to women's
participation in public life. Women may be discouraged from seeking political
office by discriminatory attitudes and practices, family and child-care
responsibilities, and the high cost of seeking and holding public office. Women
in politics and decision-making positions in Governments and legislative bodies
contribute to redefining political priorities, placing new items on the
political agenda that reflect and address women's gender-specific concerns,
values and experiences, and providing new perspectives on mainstream political
issues.
185. Women have demonstrated considerable leadership in community and informal
organizations, as well as in public office. However, socialization and negative
stereotyping of women and men, including stereotyping through the media,
reinforces the tendency for political decision-making to remain the domain of
men. Likewise, the underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions in
the areas of art, culture, sports, the media, education, religion and law have
prevented women from having a significant impact on many key institutions.
186. Owing to their limited access to the traditional avenues to power, such as
the decision-making bodies of political parties, employer organizations and
trade unions, women have gained access to power through alternative structures,
particularly in the non-governmental organization sector. Through
non-governmental organizations and grass-roots organizations, women have been
able to articulate their interests and concerns and have placed women's issues
on the national, regional and international agendas.
76
187. Inequality in the public arena can often start (within the family when
power relations between men and women are unbalanced] [with discriminatory
attitudes and practices within the family]. The unequal division of labour and
responsibilities within households based on unequal power relations also limits
women's potential to find the time and develop the skills required for
participation in decision-making in wider public forums. A more equal sharing
of those responsibilities between women and men not only provides a better
quality of life for women and their daughters but also enhances their
opportunities to shape and design public policy, practice and expenditure so
that their interests may be recognized and addressed. [Non-formal networks and
patterns of decision-making at the local community level that reflect a dominant
male ethos restrict women's ability to participate equally in political,
economic and social life.)
188. The low proportion of women among economic and political decision makers at
the local, national, regional and international levels reflects structural and
attitudinal barriers that need to be addressed through positive measures.
Governments, transnational and national corporations, the mass media, banks,
academic and scientific institutions, and regional and international
organizations, including those in the United Nations system, do not make full
use of women's talents as top-level managers, policy makers, diplomats and
negotiators.
189. The equitable distribution of power and decision-making at all levels is
dependent on Governments and other actors undertaking statistical gender
analysis and mainstreaming a gender perspective in policy development and the
implementation of programmes. [Affirmative action in some countries with
33.3 per cent representation in national and local government has empowered
women in the decision-making process.]
190. National, regional and international statistical institutions still have
insufficient knowledge of how to present the issues related to the equal
treatment of women and men in the economic and social spheres. In particular,
there is insufficient use of existing databases and methodologies in the
important sphere of decision-making.
191. In addressing the inequality between men and women in the sharing of power
and decision-making at all levels, Governments and other actors should promote
an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all
policies and programmes so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made
of the effects on women and men respectively.
[Strengthen factors that promote the full and equal participation
of women in power structures and decision-making at all levels and
in all areas]
Strategic objective G.1. [Take special measures to ensure women's
equal access to and full participation
in power structures and decision-makingl
Actions to be taken
192. By Governments:
(a) Commit themselves to establishing the goal of gender balance in
governmental bodies and committees, as well as in public
77
administrative entities, and in the judiciary, including [setting
specific targets and) implementing measures to substantially increase
the number of women [with a view to achieving equal representation of
women and men) in all governmental and public administration
positions;
(b) [Consider measures in electoral systems that encourage political
parties to integrate women in elective and non-elective public
positions in the same proportion and levels as men;)
(c) Protect and promote the equal rights of women and men to engage in
political activities and to freedom of association, including
membership in political parties and trade unions;
(d) [Review the differential impact of electoral systems on the political
representation of women in elected bodies and consider, where
appropriate, the adjustment or reform of those systems;]
(e) Monitor and evaluate progress on the representation of women through
the regular collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative and
qualitative data on women and men at all levels in various decision-
making positions in the public and private sectors, and disseminate
data on the number of women and men employed at various levels in
Governments on a yearly basis; ensure that women and men have equal
access to the full range of public appointments and set up mechanisms
within governmental structures for monitoring progress in this field;
(f) Support non-governmental organizations and research institutes that
conduct studies on women's participation in and impact on decision-
making and the decision-making environment;
(g) Encourage greater involvement of indigenous women in decision-making
at all levels;
(h) [Encourage] [Ensure] that government-funded organizations adopt
non-discriminatory policies and practices [in order to increase the
number and raise the position of women in their organizations;)
(i) [Recognize that shared work and parental responsibilities between
women and men promote women's increased participation in public life,
and take appropriate measures to achieve this, including measures to
reconcile family and professional life;)
(j) Aim at gender balance in the lists of national candidates nominated
for election or appointment to United Nations bodies, specialized
agencies and other autonomous organizations of the United Nations
system, particularly for posts at the senior level.
193. By political parties:
(a) Consider examining party structures and procedures to remove all
barriers that directly or indirectly discriminate against the
participation of women;
(b) Consider developing initiatives that allow women to participate fully
in all internal policy-making structures and appointive and electoral
nominating processes;
78
(c) Consider incorporating gender issues in their political agenda [and
ensuring the participation of women in the leadership of political
parties so as to accomplish parity and the integration of both
genders).
194. By Governments, national bodies, the private sector, political parties,
trade unions, employers' organizations, research and academic institutions,
subregional and regional bodies, and non-governmental and international
organizations:
(a) Take positive action to build a critical mass of women leaders,
executives and managers (with the requisite qualifications) in
strategic decision-making positions;
(b) Create or strengthen, as appropriate, mechanisms to monitor women's
access to senior levels of decision-making;
(c) Review the criteria for recruitment and appointment to advisory and
decision-making bodies and promotion to senior positions to ensure
that such criteria are relevant and do not discriminate against women;
(d) Encourage efforts by non-governmental organizations, trade unions and
the private sector to achieve equality [and equity] between women and
men in their ranks, including equal participation in their decision-
making bodies and in negotiations in all areas and at all levels;
(e) Develop communications strategies to promote public debate on the new
roles of men and women in society [and in the family);
(f) Restructure recruitment and career-development programmes to ensure
that all women, especially young women, have equal access to
managerial, entrepreneurial, technical and leadership training,
including on-the-job training;
(g) Develop career advancement programmes for women of all ages, that
include career planning, tracking, mentoring, coaching, training and
retraining;
(h) Encourage and support the participation of women's non-governmental
organizations in United Nations conferences and their preparatory
processes;
(i) Aim at and support gender balance in the composition of delegations to
the United Nations and other international forums.
195. By the United Nations:
(a) Implement existing and adopt new employment policies and measures in
order to achieve overall gender [parity], particularly at the
professional level, by the year 2000, with due regard to the
importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as
possible, in conformity with Article 101, paragraph 3 of the charter
of the United Nations;
(b) Develop mechanisms to nominate women candidates for appointment to
senior posts in the United Nations, the specialized agencies and other
organizations and bodies of the United Nations system;
79
(c) Continue to collect and disseminate quantitative and qualitative data
on women and men in decision-making [and analyse their differential
impact on decision-making and monitor progress towards achieving the
Secretary-General's target of having women hold 50 per cent, but at
least 40 per cent, of managerial and decision-making positions by the
year 2000].
196. By women's organizations, non-governmental organizations, trade unions,
social partners, producers, and industrial and professional organizations:
(a) Build and strengthen solidarity among women through information,
education and sensitization activities;
(b) Advocate at all levels to enable women to influence political,
economic and social decisions, processes and systems, and work towards
seeking accountability from elected representatives on their
commitment to gender concerns;
(c) [Establish databases on women and their qualifications for use in
appointing women to senior decision-making and advisory positions, for
dissemination to Governments, regional and international organizations
and private enterprise.)
Strategic objective G.2. Increase women's capacity to participate
in decision-making and leadership
Actions to be taken
197. By Governments, national bodies, the private sector, political parties,
trade unions, employers' organizations, subregional and regional bodies,
non-governmental and international organizations and educational institutions:
(a) Provide leadership and self-esteem training to assist women and girls,
particularly those with special needs, women with disabilities, and
women belonging to racial and ethnic minorities to strengthen their
self-esteem and to encourage them to take decision-making positions;
(b) Have transparent criteria for decision-making positions and ensure
that the selecting bodies have a gender-balanced composition;
(c) Create a system of mentoring for inexperienced women and, in
particular, offer training, including training in leadership and
decision-making, public speaking and self-assertion, as well as in
political campaigning;
(d) Provide gender-sensitive training for women and men to promote
non-discriminatory working relationships and respect for diversity in
work and management styles;
(e) Develop mechanisms and training to encourage women to participate in
the electoral process, political activities and other leadership
areas.
H. Insufficient mechanisms at all levels
to promote the advancement of women
80
198. National machineries for the advancement of women have been established in
almost every Member State to, inter alia, design, promote the implementation of,
execute, monitor, evaluate, advocate and mobilize support for policies that
promote the advancement of women. National machineries are diverse in form and
uneven in their effectiveness, and in some cases have declined. Often
marginalized in national government structures, these mechanisms are frequently
hampered by unclear mandates, lack of adequate staff, training, data and
sufficient resources, and insufficient support from national political
leadership.
199. At the regional and international levels, mechanisms and institutions to
promote the advancement of women as an integral part of mainstream political,
economic, social and cultural development, and of initiatives on development and
human rights, encounter similar problems emanating from a lack of commitment at
the highest levels.
200. Successive international conferences have underscored the need to take
gender factors into account in policy and programme planning. However, in many
instances this has not been done.
201. [Regional bodies concerned with the advancement of women have been
strengthened, together with international machinery, such as the Commission on
the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women. However, the limited resources available continue to impede full
implementation of their mandates.]
(New alternative)
[While international machinery, such as the Commission on the Status of Women
and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women have not
been sufficiently strengthened, regional bodies concerned with the advancement
of women have yet to be developed and/or strengthened. The limited resources
available continue to impede full implementation of their mandates.]
202. Methodologies for conducting gender-based analysis in policies and
programmes and for dealing with the differential effects of policies on women
and men have been developed in many organizations and are available for
application but are often not being applied or are not being applied
consistently.
203. A national machinery for the advancement of women is the central policy-
coordinating unit inside government. Its main task is to support government-
wide mainstreaming of a gender-equality perspective in all policy areas. The
necessary conditions for an effective functioning of such national machineries
include:
(a) Location at the highest possible level in the government, falling
under the responsibility of a Cabinet minister;
(b) Institutional mechanisms or processes that facilitate, as appropriate,
decentralized planning, implementation and monitoring with a view to
involving non-governmental organizations and community organizations
from the grass roots upwards;
(c) Sufficient resources in terms of budget and professional capacity;
(d) Opportunity to influence development of all government policies.
81
204. [In addressing the issue of mechanisms for promoting the advancement of
women, Governments and other actors should promote an active and visible policy
of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes so that,
before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the effects on women and men
respectively.)
[Integrate gender-equality dimensions into policy and programme
planning and implementation at all levels and in all areas]
Strategic objective H.1. Create or strengthen national machineries
and other governmental bodies
Actions to be taken
205. By Governments:
(a) Ensure that responsibility for the advancement of women is vested in
the highest possible level of government; in many cases, this could be
at the level of a Cabinet minister;
(b) Based on a strong political commitment, create a national machinery,
where it does not exist, and strengthen, as appropriate, existing
national machineries, for the advancement of women at the highest
possible level of government; it should have clearly defined mandates
and authority; critical elements would be adequate resources, ability
and competence to influence policy and formulate and review
legislation. Among other things, it should perform policy analysis,
undertake advocacy, communication, coordination and monitoring of
implementation;
(c) Provide staff training in designing and analysing data from a gender
perspective;
(d) Establish procedures to allow the machinery to gather information on
government-wide policy issues at an early stage and continuously use
it in the policy development and review process within the Government;
(e) [Report, on a regular basis, to legislative bodies and the Cabinet on
the progress of efforts, as appropriate, to mainstream gender
concerns, taking into account the implementation of the Platform for
Action;]
(f) Encourage and promote the active involvement of the broad and diverse
range of institutional actors in the public, private and voluntary
sectors to work for equality between women and men.
{206. By regional and international organizations, in particular development
institutions, copecially the International Research and Training Institute for
the Advanoement of Women (INSTRAW), the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM) and bilateral donors+
(a) Provide financial and advisory assistance to national machinery in
order to increase ito ability to gather information, develop networks
and oarry out ito mandate,
It is proposed to place this paragraph in chapter V.
82
(b) Strengthen international mechanismo to promote the advancement of
women through their respective mandates, in cooperation with
Covernmento.
(Move to Chapter V.)
Strategic objective H.2.
Integrate gender perspectives in [all]
legislation, public policies,
programmes and projects
Actions to be taken
207. By Governments:
(a) Seek to ensure that before policy decisions are taken, [as
appropriate] an analysis of their impact on women and men,
respectively, is carried out;
(b) {Cystematically review policies, programmes and projects, as well as
their implementation, to ensure that they reflect the differential
impaot of general measures on women and men and their respective
contribution to development, taking into account existing
inequalitico, develop methods of gender impact analysis, and introduce
practical ways and means for applying it at an early stage of the
policy development process (especially in terms of the impact of
employment and income policies]+]
(Alternative)
Regularly review national policies, programmes and projects, as well
as their implementation, evaluating the impact of employment and
income policies in order to guarantee that women are direct
beneficiaries of development [and that their contribution is
considered in national accounts]
(c) Promote national strategies and aims on equality between women and men
in order to eliminate obstacles to the exercise of women's rights and
eradicate all forms of discrimination against women;
(d) Work with members of legislative bodies, as appropriate, to promote a
gender perspective in all legislation and policies;
(e) [Establish networks of focal points in all ministries and agencies
with a mandate to review policies and programmes, and create
mechanisms for the focal points to meet regularly with national
machinery in order to monitor progress in the implementation of the
Platform for Action.]
208. By national machinery:
(a) Facilitate the formulation and implementation of government policies
on equality between women and men, develop appropriate strategies and
methodologies, and promote coordination and cooperation within the
central government in order to ensure mainstreaming of a gender
perspective in all policy-making processes;
83
(b) Promote and establish cooperative relationships with relevant branches
of government, centres for women's studies and research, academic and
educational institutions, the private sector, the media,
non-governmental organizations, especially women's organizations, and
all other actors of civil society;
(c) [Undertake activities focusing on legal reform with regard to the
family, conditions of employment, social security, income tax, equal
opportunity in education, positive measures to promote the advancement
of women, and the perception of attitudes and a culture favourable to
equality;)
(d) [Promote a gender perspective in legal reforms, inter alia, with
regard to employment, social security, taxation and education;]
(e) [Promote the increased participation of women as both active agents in
and beneficiaries of the development process to improve the quality of
life for all;]
(f) Establish direct links with national, regional and international
bodies dealing with the advancement of women;
(g) Provide training and advisory assistance to government agencies in
order to integrate a gender perspective in their policies and
programmes.
Strategic objective H.3. Generate and disseminate gender-
disaggregated data and information
for planning and evaluation
Actions to be taken
209. By national, regional and international statistical services, and relevant
governmental and United Nations agencies, in cooperation with research and
documentation organizations, in their respective areas of responsibility:
(a) [Aim to] Ensure that [all] statistics related to individuals are
collected, compiled, analysed and presented by sex and age [and
reflect problems and questions related to women and men in society);
(b) Collect, compile, analyse and present on a regular basis data
disaggregated by age, sex, socio-economic and other relevant
indicators, including number of dependants, for utilization in policy
and programme planning and implementation [and to reflect problems and
questions related to men and women in society);
(c) Involve centres for women's studies and research organizations in
developing and testing [appropriate indicators and) research
methodologies to strengthen gender analysis, as well as in monitoring
and evaluating the implementation of the goals of the Platform for
Action;
(d) Designate or appoint staff to strengthen gender-statistics programmes
and ensure coordination, monitoring and linkage to all fields of
statistical work, and prepare output that integrates statistics from
the various subject areas;
84
(e) (Take steps to] Improve [and adopt] the [concepts and methods of] data
collection on the full contribution of women and men to the economy
(by taking steps] to [measure] [make visible) their participation in
the informal sector(s);
(f) [[Seek to] Develop a more comprehensive knowledge of work and
employment through, inter alia, efforts to measure and better
understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work,
particularly work in caring for dependants and unremunerated work done
for family farms or businesses, and encouraging, sharing and
disseminating information, studies and experience in this field,
including information on the development of methods for assessing the
value of such work uantitative terms, for possible reflection in
accounts that may be produced separately from but are consistent with
core national accounts;)
(g) [Develop an international classification of activities for time-use
statistics, with Governments also undertaking time-use studies, and
prioritize further work at the national level to prepare satellite or
parallel accounts of women's and men's unremunerated economic
contribution, including quantifying household responsibilities as
appropriate, producing such accounts separately from but making them
consistent with core national accounts, defining the unremunerated
worker as a worker in the System of National Accounts and
mainstreaming the distinction between paid and unpaid work in
employment statistics;)
(h) Improve concepts and methods of data collection on the measurement of
poverty among women and men, including their access to resources;
(i) Strengthen vital statistical systems and incorporate gender analysis
into publications and research; give priority to gender differences in
research design and in data collection and analysis in order to
improve data on morbidity; and improve data collection on access to
health services [including access to comprehensive sexual and
reproductive health services, maternal care and family planning, with
special priority for adolescent mothers and for elder care];
(j) Develop improved gender-disaggregated and age-specific data on the
victims and perpetrators of all forms of violence against women, such
as domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, incest and sexual
abuse, and trafficking in women and girls, as well as on violence by
the agents of the State;
(k) Improve concepts and methods of data collection on the participation
of women and men with disabilities, including their access to
resources.
210. By Governments:
(a) Ensure the regular production of a statistical publication on gender
that presents and interprets topical data on women and men in a form
suitable for a wide range of non-technical users;
(b) Ensure that producers and users of statistics in each country
regularly review the adequacy of the official statistical system and
85
its coverage of gender issues, and prepare a plan for needed
improvements, where necessary;
(c) Develop and encourage the development of quantitative and qualitative
studies by research organizations, trade unions, employers, the
private sector and non-governmental organizations on the sharing of
power and influence in society, including the number of women and men
in senior decision-making positions in both the public and private
sectors;
(d) Use more gender-sensitive data in the formulation of policy and
implementation of programmes and projects.
211. By the United Nations:
(a) Promote the development of (statistical) methods to find better ways
to collect, collate and analyse data that may relate to the human
rights of women, including violence against women for use by all
relevant United Nations bodies;
(b) Promote the further development of statistical methods to improve data
that relate to women in economic, social, cultural and political
development;
(c) Prepare a new issue of The World's Women at regular five-year
intervals and distribute it widely;
(d) Assist countries, upon request, in the development of gender [concepts
and] programmes;
(e) [Report periodically on progress at the national and international
levels to the United Nations Statistical Commission, INSTRAW and the
Commission on the Status of Women, in a coordinated fashion.]
(New alternative)
[Ensure that the relevant reports, data and publications of the United
Nations Statistical Division and INSTRAW on progress at the national
and international levels are transmitted to the Commission on Status
of Women on a regular and coordinated fashion.]
212. [By multilateral development financial institutions and bilateral donors:
Support the development of national capacity in developing countries
and in countries with economies in transition to fully measure the
work done by women, including both remunerated and unremunerated
work.] [Produce satellite accounts on unremunerated work that may be
produced separately from but are consistent with core national
accounts, while recognizing that such satellite accounts are to be
used independently of national accounts.]
I. [Lack of awareness of and commitment to [internationally and
nationally recognized] human rights of women] [The enjoyment
of [all] [universal] human rights by women]
86
*[213. Human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birthright of all human
beings; their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of
Governments.
*The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the solemn commitment of
all States to fulfil their obligation to promote universal respect for, and
observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all,
in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, other instruments relating
to human rights, and international law. The universal nature of these rights
and freedoms is beyond question.
*The Platform for Action reaffirms that all human rights - civil, cultural,
economic, political and social, including the right to development - are
universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, as expressed in the
Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The World Conference on Human
Rights reaffirms that the human rights of women and the girl child are an
inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. The full
and equal enjoyment of all [universal] human rights and fundamental freedoms by
women and girls is a priority for governments and the United Nations and is
essential for the advancement of women.]
214. Equal rights of men and women are explicitly mentioned in the Preamble to
the Charter of the United Nations. All the major international human rights
instruments include sex as one of the grounds upon which States may not
discriminate, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Intornational
Govenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Dicerimination 26/ and the
Convention on the Righto of the Child, ao well as the Deolaration on the Right
to Development 27/ and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against
Women.).
215. Governments must not only refrain from violating the human rights of all
women, but must work actively to promote and protect these rights.
Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that the activities of the United
Nations in the area of human rights should be rationalized, streamlined and
reinforoed (taking into account the need to) (in order to] avoid unnecoooary
duplication. Recognition of the importance of the human rights of women is
reflected in the fact that three quarters of the States Members of the United
Nations have become parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.
216. The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed clearly that the human
rights of women throughout the life cycle are an inalienable, integral and
indivisible part of universal human rights. The International Conference on
Population and Development reaffirmed women's reproductive rights and the right
to development. Both the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantee children's rights and uphold the
principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of gender. Three quartero of the
States Members of the United Nations have become partico to the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. An increasing
number of countries have established mechanisms to enable women to exercise
their rights.
The placement and the coherence of the text have not yet been agreed.
87
217. The gap between the existence of rights and their effective enjoyment
derives from a lack of commitment by Governments to promoting and protecting
those rights and the failure of Governments to inform women and men alike about
them. The lack of appropriate recourse mechanisms at the national and
international levels, and inadequate resources at both levels, compound the
problem. In most countries, steps have been taken to reflect the rights
guaranteed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women in national law. A number of countries have established
mechanisms to strengthen women's ability to exercise their rights.
218. In order to protect the human rights of women, it is necessary to avoid, as
far as possible, resorting to reservations and to ensure that no reservation is
incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention or is otherwise
incompatible with contrary to international treaty law. Unless the human rights
of women, as defined by international human rights instruments, are fully
recognized and effectively protected, applied, implemented and enforced in
national law as well as in national practice in family, civil, penal, labour and
commercial codes and administrative rules and regulations, they will exist in
name only.
219. In those countries that have not yet become parties to the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other
international human rights instruments, or where reservations that are
incompatible with the object or purpose of the Convention have been entered, or
where national laws have not yet been revised to implement international norms
and standards, women's (de jure] equality is not yet secured. [Women's full
enjoyment of equal rights is undermined by the discrepancies between some
national legislation and international law and international instruments on
human rights. Overly complex administrative procedures, lack of awareness
within the judicial process and inadequate monitoring of the violation of the
human rights of all women, coupled with the underrepresentation of women in
justice systems, insufficient information on existing rights and persistent
attitudes and practices perpetuate women's de facto inequality.) De facto
inequality is also perpetuated by the lack of enforcement of, inter alia,
family, civil, penal, labour and commercial laws or codes, or administrative
rules and regulations intended to ensure women's full enjoyment of human rights
and fundamental freedoms.
220. Every person should be entitled to participate, to contribute to and to
enjoy cultural, economic, political and social development. In many cases women
and girls suffer discrimination in the allocation of economic and social
resources. This directly violates their economic, social and cultural rights.
(They also ouffer from the negative effects of otructural adjustment policies
221. The human rights of all women and the girl child must form an integral part
of United Nations human rights activities. Intensified efforts are needed to
integrate the equal status and the human rights of all women and girls into the
mainstream of United Nations system-wide activities and to address these issues
regularly and systematically throughout relevant bodies and mechanisms. This
requires, inter alia, improved cooperation and coordination between the
Commission on the Status of Women, the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, the Commission on Human Rights, including its special and thematic
rapporteurs, independent experts, working groups and its Subcommission on
Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Commission on
Sustainable Development, the Commission for Social Development, the Commission
on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and the Committee on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women and other human rights treaty bodies, and all
88
relevant entities of the United Nations system, including the specialized
agencies. Cooperation is also needed to strengthen, rationalize and streamline
the United Nations human rights system and to promote its effectiveness and
efficiency, taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary duplication and
overlapping of mandates and tasks.
222. If the goal of full realization of human rights for all is to be achieved,
international human rights instruments must be applied in such a way as to take
more clearly into consideration the systematic and systemic nature of
discrimination against women which gender analysis has clearly indicated.
223. [The World Conference on Human Rights and the International Conference on
Population and Development (which did not create any human rights] reaffirm [all
aspects of the [universal] human rights of women, including) women's
reproductive rights (as defined in the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development, taking into consideration the
reservations to the Programme of Action] and the right to development.] Bearing
in mind the definitions given in chapter II, chapter VII, paragraph 7.2, and
chapter VIII of the Programme of Action 13/ [reproductive rights rest on the
recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely
and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the
information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of
sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions
concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as
expressed in human rights documents. [Therefore, the unique reproductive and
productive roles of women [and men] must be recognized and valued.] [Changes in
both men's and women's consciousness, attitudes and behaviour are necessary
conditions for achieving harmonious partnerships between women and men. It is
essential to improve communication between women and men on issues of shared
responsibility, including sexuality and reproductive health, so that women and
men are equal partners in public and private life. Special efforts are needed
to emphasize men's shared responsibility and promote their active involvement in
responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive behaviour.)
224. (Changee in both men's and women's knowledge, attitudes and behaviour are
necessary conditions for achieving harmonious partnershipo between women and
men. It is escential to improve communication between women and men on issues
of shared responsibility, including ockuality and reproductive health, 00 that
women and men are equal partners in public and private life. Special efforto
are needed to emphasize men's shared responsibility and promote their active
involvement in responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive behaviour.
225. Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment
by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a long-
standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in relation to
violence against women. [All forms of gender-based violence, including those
resulting from all forms of sexual harassment, prostitution, pornography, sexual
slavery and exploitation, including those violations resulting from cultural
prejudice, racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ethnic cleansing,
religious and anti-religious extremism and international trafficking in women
and children, are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person
and must be eliminated]. Any harmful aspect of certain traditional, customary
or modern practices that violates the rights of women should be prohibited and
eliminated. /Governments should take urgent action to combat and eliminate all
forms of violence against women in private and public life, whether perpetrated
or tolerated by the State or private persons especially in situations [or
89
experienced as a result] of armed conflict, [foreign occupation) or terrorism].
Special emphasis must be placed on the prevention of violence against women.
(First alternative)
(Violenoe against women both violates and impairo or nullifico the
enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a
long standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in
relation to violence against women. All forms of gender based violence,
including those reculting from armed conflict, foreign occupation, raoiom,
raoial disorimination, wenophobia, ethnio cleansing, outremiom, terrorism,
cultural prejudice and international trafficking (in women and children] are
incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person and must be
eliminated (To this end) urgent action and effective measures by Covernments
and the intornational community muot be taken to eliminate all formo of violence
against women.
Second alternative)
(Violence against women both violates and impaire or nullifies the
enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms. There has been a
long standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in
relation to violonce against women. Spocial emphasis muot be placed on the
prevention of violence against women.)
226. (Women in partioularly vulnerable circumotanoco, such ao migranto,
including migrant women workers, refugees or [internally] displaced women or
those belonging to racial or ethnic minorities or indigenous groups, are often
disadvantaged and marginalized by their lack of knowledge and recognition of
their human rights and the absence of recource mechaniomo to redress violations
of their rights. The faotoro that cause the flight of refugee and [internally]
displaced women may be different from those affecting men. Refugee and
(internally) displaced women continue to be vulnerable to abuses of their human
righto while in flight and in countries of acylum and resettlement because of
the varied effecto of their displacement, including a laok of a00000 to human
rights recourse mechanismo and to information on their rights. Such effects of
displacement may also be experienced by other migrant women.)
(Alternative)
{Many women face additional barriers in the enjoyment of their numan rights
because of such faotoro as their race, language, ethnicity, oulture, religion,
sexual orientation, disability or sooio economic class or because they are
indigenous people, migranto, displaced people or refugees. They are also
disadvantaged and marginalized by a lack of knowledge and recognition of their
human righte ao well ao by the obstaoles they meet in getting aooeso to
information and recourse mechaniomo in caseo of violation of their righto.
Many women face additional barriers in the enjoyment of their human rights
because of such factors as their race, language, ethnicity, culture, religion,
[sexual orientation,] disability or socio-economic class or because they are
indigenous people, migrants, including women migrant workers, displaced women or
refugees. They may also be disadvantaged and marginalized by a general lack of
knowledge and of recognition of their human rights as well as by the obstacles
they meet in gaining access to information and recourse mechanisms in cases of
violation of their rights.
90
226 bis. The factors that cause the flight of refugee women, other displaced
women in need of international protection and internally displaced women may be
different from those affecting men. These women continue to be vulnerable to
abuses of their human rights during and after flight.
227. While women are increasingly using the legal system to exercise their
rights, in many countries lack of awareness of the existence of these rights is
an obstacle to full enjoyment of their human rights and the attainment of
equality. Experience in many countries has shown that women can be empowered
and motivated to assert their rights, regardless of their level of education or
socio-economic status. Legal literacy programmes and media strategies have been
effective in helping women to understand the link between their rights and other
aspects of their lives and in demonstrating that cost-effective initiatives can
be undertaken to help women obtain those rights. Provision of human rights
education is essential for promoting an understanding of the human rights of
women, including knowledge of recourse mechanisms to redress violations of their
rights. It is necessary for all individuals, especially women in vulnerable
circumstances, to have full knowledge of their rights and access to legal
recourse against violations of their rights.
228. Women engaged in the defence of human rights must be protected.
Governments have a duty to guarantee the full enjoyment of all rights set out in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic Social and
Cultural Rights by women working peacefully in a personal or organizational
capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights. Non-governmental
organizations and women's organizations [and feminist groups] have played a
catalytic role in the promotion of the human rights of women, through grass-
roots activities, networking and advocacy, and need encouragement, support and
access to information from Governments in order to carry out these activities.
229. In addressing the enjoyment of human rights, Governments and other actors
should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender
perspective in all policies and programmes BO that, before decisions are taken,
an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively.
[Apply and enforce international norms and standards to promote and
safequard the full and equal enjoyment by women of all human rights]
Strategic objective I.1. Promote and protect [all] the human rights
of women, through the full implementation
of all [international] human rights
instruments, especially through the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women
Actions to be taken
230. By Governments:
(a) [Consider] Ratify or accede to and implement international and
regional human rights treaties;
(b) [Consider] the ratification or accession to and ensure implementation
of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
91
against Women so that universal ratification of the Convention can be
achieved by the year 2000;
(c) [Consider withdrawing reservations to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;)
(d) [Limit the extent of any reservations to the Convention, formulate any
reservations as precisely and as narrowly as possible, ensure that no
reservation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the
Convention or otherwise contrary to international treaty law and
review their reservations regularly, with the view to withdrawing them
expeditiously;
(e) Consider drawing up national action plans identifying steps to improve
the promotion and protection of human rights, including the human
rights of women, as recommended by the World Conference on Human
Rights;
(f) Create or strengthen (independent) national institutions for the
protection and promotion of these rights, including the human rights
of women, as recommended by the World Conference on Human Rights;
(g) Develop a comprehensive human rights education programme to raise
awareness among women of their human rights and among others of the
human rights of women;
(h) [Undertake, if they are States parties, to implement the Convention by
reviewing all laws, policies, practices and procedures to determine
whether they meet the obligations set forth in the Convention,
revising all non-conforming laws, policies, practices and procedures
to meet the international obligations set forth in the Convention;]
(i) Include gender aspects in reporting under all other human rights
conventions and instruments, including ILO conventions, to ensure
analysis and review of the human rights of women;
(j) Report on schedule regarding the implementation of the Convention to
the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
following fully the guidelines established by the Committee and
involving non-governmental organizations, where appropriate, or taking
into account their contributions in the preparation of the report;
(k) Enable the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women fully to discharge its mandate by allowing for adequate meeting
time through broad ratification of the revision adopted by the States
parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women on 22 May 1995 relative to article 20
(1), and by promoting efficient working methods;
(1) (Take steps to support] [Consider] the drafting of an optional
protocol to the Convention to establish (a right of petition and
inquiry] [a communication) procedure that can enter into force before
the year 2000 (as soon as possible);
(m) Take urgent measures to achieve universal ratification or accession
before the end of 1995 and ensure full implementation of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child by the year 2000;
92
(n) Address the acute problems of children, including through supporting
efforts in the context of the United Nations system aimed at adopting
efficient international measures for the prevention and eradication of
female infanticide, harmful child labour, the sale of children and
their organs, child prostitution, child pornography and other forms of
sexual abuse and consider [guidelines for a possible draft) [the
drafting of an) optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of
the Child;
(0) [Promote the approval and enforcement of an international convention
against all open and covert forms of sexual exploitation that includes
the provision of social services to the victims and the prosecution of
those who run sex tourism industries and the traffickers;]
(p) Taking into account the need to ensure full respect for the human
rights of indigenous women, consider a declaration on the rights of
indigenous people for adoption by the General Assembly within the
International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, and encourage
the participation of indigenous women in the working group elaborating
the draft declaration, in accordance with the provisions for the
participation of organizations of indigenous people.
231. By relevant organs, bodies and agencies of the United Nations, all human
rights bodies in the United Nations system, as well as the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, while promoting greater efficiency and effectiveness through better
coordination of the various bodies, mechanisms and procedures, taking into
account the need to avoid unnecessary duplication and overlapping of their
mandates and tasks:
(a) Give full and equal and sustained attention to the human rights of
women in the exercise of their respective mandates to promote
universal respect for and protection of all human rights - civil,
cultural, economic, political and social - including the right to
development;
(b) Ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the World
Conference on Human Rights for the full integration and mainstreaming
of the human rights of women;
(c) Develop a comprehensive policy programme for the mainstreaming of the
human rights of women throughout the United Nations system, including
in activities with regard to advisory services, technical assistance,
reporting methodology, gender impact assessments, coordination, public
information and human rights education, and play an active role in the
implementation of the programme;
(d) Ensure the integration and full participation of women as both agents
and beneficiaries in the development process, and reiterate the
objectives established for global action for women towards sustainable
and equitable development set forth in the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development;
(e) Include information on gender-based human rights violations in their
activities and integrate the findings into all of their programmes and
activities;
93
(f) Ensure that there is collaboration and coordination of the work of all
human rights bodies and mechanisms to ensure that the human rights of
women are respected;
(g) Strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Commission on the
Status of Women, the Commission on Human Rights, the Commission for
Social Development, the Commission on Sustainable Development, the
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the United
Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies, including the Committee
on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, UNIFEM, INSTRAW,
UNDP, UNICEF, and other organizations of the United Nations system,
acting within their mandates, in the promotion of the human rights of
women, and improve cooperation between the Division for the
Advancement of Women and the Centre for Human Rights;
(h) [Call upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to establish
effective cooperation within their respective mandates, taking into
account the fact that refugee, displaced and returnee women are
subject to particular forms of human rights abuse;]
(Alternative)
[Call upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to establish
effective cooperation within their respective mandates, taking into
account [the close link between human rights situations, military
aggression, ethnic cleansing and genocide, refugee, displaced and
returnee women, and the fact that these women are subject to
particular forms of human rights abuse];]
(i) Encourage incorporation of a gender perspective in national programmes
of action and in human rights and national institutions, within the
context of human rights advisory services programmes;
(j) Provide training in the human rights of women for all United Nations
personnel and officials, especially those in human rights and
humanitarian relief activities, and promote their understanding of the
human rights of women so that they recognize and deal with violations
of the human rights of women and can fully take into account the
gender aspect of their work.
Strategic objective I.2. Ensure equality and non-discrimination
under the law
Actions to be taken
232. By Governments:
(a) Give priority to promoting and protecting the full and equal enjoyment
by women and men of all human rights and fundamental freedoms without
distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinions, national or social origins, property,
birth or other status;
94
(b) Provide constitutional guarantees and/or enact appropriate legislation
to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex for all women and girls
of all ages and assure women of all ages equal rights and their full
enjoyment;
(c) Embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their
legislation and ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the
practical realization of this principle;
(d) [Consider] reviewing national laws including [customary laws] and
legal practices in the areas of family, civil, penal, labour and
commercial laws in order to ensure the implementation of the
principles and procedures of all relevant international human rights
instruments by means of national legislation, and [consider] revoking
any remaining laws that discriminate on the basis of sex and remove
gender bias in the administration of justice;
(e) Strengthen and encourage the development of programmes of protection
of the human rights of women in the national institutions on human
rights which carry out programmes, such as human rights commissions or
ombudspersons, according them appropriate status, resources and access
to the Government to assist individuals, in particular women, and
ensure that these institutions pay adequate attention to problems
involving the violation of the human rights of women;
(f) [Take action to ensure that women's [sexual and) reproductive rights
are fully recognized and respected;)
(g) Take urgent action to combat and eliminate violence against women,
which is a human rights violation, resulting from harmful traditional
or customary practices, cultural prejudices and (religious,
anti religious, or secular} extremism; (They are also urged}
(g) bis. Prohibit female genital mutilation wherever it exists and
give vigorous support to efforts among non-governmental and community
organizations and religious institutions to eliminate such practices;
(h) [Consider what legal safeguards may be required to prevent
discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or lifestyle;]
(i) Provide gender-sensitive human rights education and training to public
officials, including, inter alia, police and military personnel,
corrections officers, health and medical personnel, and social
workers, including people who deal with migration and refugee issues,
and teachers at all levels of the educational system, and make
available such education and training also to the judiciary and
members of parliament in order to enable them to better exercise their
public responsibilities;
(j) Promote the equal right of women to be members of trade unions and
other professional and social organizations;
(k) Establish effective mechanisms for investigating violations of the
human rights of women perpetrated by any public official and take the
necessary punitive legal measures in accordance with national laws;
95
(1) Review and amend criminal laws and procedures, as necessary, to
eliminate any discrimination against women in order to ensure that
criminal law and procedures guarantee women effective protection
against, and prosecution of, crimes directed at or disproportionately
affecting women, regardless of the relationship between the
perpetrator and the victim, and ensure that women defendants, victims
and/or witnesses are not revictimized or discriminated against in the
investigation and prosecution of crimes;
(m) Ensure that women have the same right as men to be [judges], advocates
or other officers of the court, as well as police officers and prison
and detention officers, among other things;
(n) Strengthen existing or establish readily available and free or
affordable alternative administrative mechanisms and legal aid
programmes to assist disadvantaged women seeking redress for
violations of their rights;
(0) [Guarantee the full enjoyment of all human rights by women activists
and by members of non-governmental organizations in this field and
their freedom in carrying out their activities;]
(Alternative)
[Ensure that all women and [members of] non-governmental organizations
[and their members] genuinely involved in the field of protection and
promotion of all human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political
and social, including the right to development - enjoy the rights and
freedoms recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
the protection of national laws;]
(p) Strengthen and encourage the implementation of the recommendations
contained in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities, paying special attention to ensure
non-discrimination and equal enjoyment of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms by women and girls with disabilities, including
their access to information and services in the field of violence
against women, as well as their active participation and economic
contribution in all aspects of society;
(q) Encourage the development of gender-sensitive human rights programmes.
Strategic objective I.3. Achieve legal literacy
Actions to be taken
233. By Governments [with the support of] [and] non-governmental organizations,
the United Nations and other international organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Translate whenever possible, into local and indigenous languages and
into alternative formats appropriate for persons with disabilities and
persons at lower levels of literacy, publicize and disseminate laws
and information relating to the equal status and human rights of all
women, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the
96
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, the Declaration on the Right to Development
and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, as
well as the outcomes of relevant United Nations conferences and
summits and national reports to the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women;
(b) Publicize and disseminate such information in easily understandable
formats and alternative formats appropriate for persons with
disabilities, and persons at low levels of literacy;
(c) Disseminate information on national legislation and its impact on
women, including easily accessible guidelines on how to use a justice
system to exercise one's rights;
(d) Include information about international and regional instruments and
standards in their public information and human rights education
activities and in adult education and training programmes,
particularly for groups such as the military, the police and other law
enforcement personnel, the judiciary, and legal and health
professionals to ensure that human rights are effectively protected;
(e) Make widely available and fully publicize information on the existence
of national, regional and international mechanisms for seeking redress
when the human rights of women are violated;
(f) Encourage, coordinate and cooperate with local and regional women's
groups, relevant non-governmental organizations, educators and the
media, to implement programmes in human rights education to make women
aware of their human rights;
(g) Promote education on the human and legal rights of women in school
curricula at all levels of education and undertake public campaigns,
(in the most widely used languages of the country,] on the equality of
women and men in public and private life, including their rights
within the family and relevant human rights instruments under national
and international law;
(h) Promote education in all countries in human rights and international
humanitarian law for members of the national security and armed
forces, including those assigned to United Nations peace-keeping
operations, on a routine and continuing basis, reminding them and
sensitizing them to the fact that they should respect the rights of
women at all times, both on and off duty, giving special attention to
the rules on the protection of women and children and to the
protection of human rights in situations of armed conflict;
(i) Take appropriate measures to ensure that refugee and displaced women,
migrant women and women migrant workers are made aware of their human
rights and of the recourse mechanisms available to them.
J. Inequality in women's access to and participation in
all communications systems, especially the media, and
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their insufficient mobilization to promote women's
contribution to society [Mobilize the media to portray
women's contribution to society] [Responsibility of
the media for the impact of their content on women)
[Women and the medial
234. During the past decade, advances in information technology have facilitated
a global communications network that transcends national boundaries and has an
impact on public policy, private attitudes and behaviour, especially of children
and young adults. Everywhere the potential exists for the media to make a far
greater contribution to the advancement of women.
235. More women are involved in careers in the communications sector, but few
have attained positions at the decision-making level or serve on governing
boards and bodies that influence media policy. The lack of gender sensitivity
in the media is evidenced by the failure to eliminate the gender-based
stereotyping that can be found in public and private local, national and
international media organizations.
236. The continued projection of negative and degrading images of women in media
communications - electronic, print, visual and audio - must be changed. Print
and electronic media in most countries do not provide a balanced picture of
women's diverse lives and contributions to society in a changing world. In
addition, violent and degrading or pornographic media products [are also
negatively affecting) [can also negatively affect) women and their participation
in society. Programming that reinforces women's traditional roles can be
equally limiting. The worldwide trend towards consumerism has created a climate
in which advertisements and commercial messages often portray women primarily as
consumers and target girls and women of all ages inappropriately.
237. Women should be empowered by enhancing their skills, knowledge and access
to information technology. This will strengthen their ability to combat
negative portrayals of women internationally and to challenge instances of abuse
of the power of an increasingly important industry. Self-regulatory mechanisms
for the media need to be created and strengthened and approaches developed to
eliminate gender-biased programming {and excessive control or influence of
transnational corporations. Most women, especially in developing countries,
are not able to access effectively the expanding electronic information highways
and therefore cannot establish networks that will provide them with alternative
sources of information. Women therefore need to be involved in decision-making
regarding the development of the new technologies in order to participate fully
in their growth and impact.
238. In addressing the issue of the mobilization of the media, Governments and
other actors should promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a
gender perspective in policies and programmes.
Enhance the role of traditional and modern mass communications
media to promote awareness of equality between women and men
effectively]
Strategic objective J.1.
Increase the participation and enhance
the access of women to expression and
decision-making in and through the media
and new technologies of communication
98
Actions to be taken
239. By Governments:
(a) Support women's education, training and employment to [ensure women's
greater access) [promote women's equal) access to all areas and levels
of the media;
(b) Support research into all aspects of women and the media so as to
define areas needing attention and action and review existing media
policies with a view to integrating a gender perspective;
(c) Promote women's [full and] equal participation in the media, including
management, programming, education, training and research;
(d) Aim at gender balance in the appointment of women and men to all
advisory, management, regulatory or monitoring bodies, including those
connected to the private and State or public media;
(e) Encourage, to the extent consistent with freedom of expression, these
bodies to increase the number of programmes for and by women to see to
it that women's needs and concerns are properly addressed;
(f) Encourage and recognize women's media networks, including electronic
networks and other new technologies of communication, as a means for
the dissemination of information and the exchange of views, including
at the international level, and support women's groups active in all
media work and systems of communications to that end;
(g) Encourage and provide the means or incentives for the creative use of
programmes in the national media for the dissemination of information
on various cultural forms of indigenous people and the development of
social and educational issues in this regard within the framework of
national law;
(h) Guarantee the freedom of the media and its subsequent protection
within the framework of national law [and encourage the positive
involvement of the media in development and social issues).
240. By national and international media systems:
Develop, consistent with freedom of expression, regulatory mechanisms,
including voluntary ones, that promote balanced and diverse portrayals
of women by the media and international communication systems and that
promote increased participation by women and men in production and
decision-making.
241. By Governments, as appropriate, or national machinery for the advancement
of women:
(a) Encourage the development of educational and training programmes for
women, to produce information for the mass media, including funding of
experimental efforts, and the use of the new technologies of
communication, cybernetics space and satellite, whether public or
private;
99
(b) Encourage the use of communication systems, including new
technologies, as a means of strengthening women's participation in
democratic processes;
(c) Facilitate the compilation of a directory of women media experts;
(d) Encourage the participation of women in the development of
professional guidelines and codes of conduct or other appropriate
self-regulatory mechanisms to promote balanced and non-stereotyped
portrayals of women by the media.
242. By non-governmental organizations and media professional associations:
(a) Encourage the establishment of media watch groups that can monitor the
media and consult with the media to ensure that women's needs and
concerns are properly reflected;
(b) [Consider training] Train women to make greater use of information
technology for communication and the media, including at the
international level;
(c) Create networks among and develop information programmes for
non-governmental organizations, women's organizations and professional
media organizations in order to recognize the specific needs of women
in the media, and facilitate the increased participation of women in
communication, in particular at the international level, in support of
South-South and North-South dialogue among and between these
organizations, inter alia, to promote the human rights of women and
equality between women and men;
(d) Encourage the media industry and education and media training
institutions to develop, in appropriate languages, traditional,
indigenous and other ethnic group forms of media, such as story-
telling, drama, poetry and song [reflecting their cultures]
[reflecting their own cultural values) [reflecting their moral,
ethical and religious values), and utilize these forms of
communication to disseminate information on development and social
issues.
Strategic objective J.2. Promote a [positive] [balanced
and non-stereotyped) portrayal
of women in the media
Actions to be taken
243. By Governments and international organizations, to the extent consistent
with freedom of expression:
(a) Promote research and implementation of a strategy of information,
education and communication aimed at promoting a balanced portrayal of
women and girls and their multiple roles;
(b) Encourage the media and advertising agencies to develop specific
programmes to raise awareness of the Platform for Action;
100
(c) Encourage gender-sensitive training for media professionals, including
media owners and managers, to encourage the creation and use of
(positive) fnon-stereotyped, balanced and diverse images of women in
the media;
(d) Encourage the media to refrain from presenting women as inferior
beings and exploiting them as sexual objects and commodities, rather
than presenting them as creative human beings, key actors and
contributors to and beneficiaries of the process of development;
(e) Promote the concept that the sexist stereotypes displayed in the media
are gender discriminatory, degrading in nature and offensive;
(f) Take effective measures or institute such measures, including
appropriate legislation against pornography and the projection of
violence against women and children in the media.
244. By the mass media and advertising organizations:
(a) Develop [appropriate regulatory mechanisms] [professional guidelines
and codes of conduct] and other forms of self-regulation to promote
the presentation of non-stereotyped images of women;
(b) [Establish professional guidelines and codes of conduct that address
violent, degrading or pornographic materials concerning women in the
media, including advertising;)
(c) Develop a gender perspective on all issues of concern to communities,
consumers and civil society;
(d) Increase women's participation in decision-making at all levels
of the media.
245. By the media, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in
collaboration, as appropriate, with national machinery for the advancement of
women:
(a) Promote the equal sharing of family responsibilities through media
campaigns that emphasize gender equality and non-stereotyped gender
roles of women and men within the family and that disseminate
information aimed at eliminating spousal and child abuse and all forms
of violence against women, including domestic violence;
(b) Produce and/or disseminate media materials on women leaders, inter
alia, as [caring mothers and nurturers of happy families) managers and
entrepreneurs, to provide role models, particularly to young women;
(c) Promote extensive campaigns making use of public and private
educational programmes to disseminate information about the human
rights of women, the rights of women as provided for in international
human rights instruments, and increase awareness of the human rights
of women with a view to increasing their awareness about their human
rights;
(d) [Support the development of new] [Develop and finance) alternative
media and the use of all means of communications to disseminate
information to and about women and their concerns;
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(e) Develop approaches and train experts to apply gender analysis with
regard to media programmes.
K. [Lack of adequate recognition and support for] [Promote]
[women's contribution to managing natural resources and
safequarding the environment [Women and the environment]
246. (Human beings are at the centre of concern for sustainable development.
They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.
Women have an essential role to play in the development of sustainable and
ecologically sound consumption and production patterns and approaches to natural
resource management, as was recognized at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development and the International Conference on Population and
Development and reflected throughout Agenda 21. Awareness of resource
depletion, the degradation of natural systems and the dangers of polluting
substances increased markedly in the past decade. These worsening conditions
are destroying fragile ecosystems and displacing communities, especially women,
from productive activities and are an increasing threat to a safe and healthy
environment. [The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global
environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production,
particularly in industrialized countries. Rising sealevels as a result of,
global warming cause a grave and immediate threat to people living in island
countries and coastal areas. The use of ozone-depleting substances, such as
products with chlorofluorocarbon, halos, foams and plastics, are severely
affecting the atmosphere by allowing harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the
Earth's surface, with severe effects on the health of people.]
(Note: Confirmed the placement of the first two sentences at the head of
paragraph 246.)
247. All States and all people shall cooperate in the essential task of
eradicating poverty as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development,
in order to decrease the disparities in standards of living and better meet the
needs of the majority of the people of the world. Poverty and environmental
degradation are closely related. (In addition, war, armed conflicts, foreign
occupation and displacements are also closely related to environmental
degradation.] The deterioration of natural resources displaces communities,
especially women, from income-generating activities while greatly adding to
unremunerated work. In both urban and rural areas, environmental degradation
results in negative effects on the health, well-being and quality of life of the
population at large, especially girls and women of all ages. Particular
attention and recognition should be given to the role and the special situation
of women living in rural areas and those working in the agricultural sector,
where access to training, land, natural and productive resources, credit,
development programmes and cooperative structures can help them increase their
participation in sustainable development. Environmental risks in the home and
workplace may have a disproportionate impact on women's health because of
women's different susceptibilities to the toxic effects of various chemicals.
These risks to women's health are particularly high [in urban areas as well as
in low-income areas], where there is a high concentration of polluting
industrial facilities.
*
The first two sentences are not in question but their inclusion in
this section is not yet agreed.
102
248. Through their management and use of natural resources, women provide
sustenance to their families and communities. As consumers and producers,
caretakers of their families and educators, women play an important role in
promoting sustainable development and in their concern for the quality and
sustainability of life for present and future generations. Governments have
expressed their commitment to create a new development paradigm that integrates
environmental sustainability with gender equality and justice within and between
generations as contained in chapter 24 of Agenda 21. 17/1
249. Women remain largely absent at all levels of policy formulation and
decision-making in natural resource and environmental management, conservation,
protection and rehabilitation, and their experience and skills in advocacy for
and monitoring of proper natural resource management too often remain
marginalized in policy-making and decision-making bodies, as well as in
educational institutions and environment-related agencies at the managerial
level. Women are rarely trained as professional natural resource managers with
policy-making capacities such as land-use planners, agriculturalists, foresters,
marine scientists and environmental lawyers. Even in cases where women are
trained as professional natural resource managers, they are often
underrepresented in formal institutions with policy-making capacities at the
national, regional and international levels. Often women are not equal
participants in the management of financial and corporate institutions whose
decision-making most significantly affects environmental quality. Furthermore,
there are institutional weaknesses in coordination between women's
non-governmental organizations and national institutions dealing with
environmental issues, despite the recent rapid growth and visibility of women's
non-governmental organizations working on these issues at all levels.
250. Women have often played leadership roles or taken the lead in promoting an
environmental ethic, reducing resource use, and reusing and recycling resources
to minimize waste and excessive consumption. Women can have a particularly
powerful role in influencing sustainable consumption decisions. In addition,
women's contributions to environmental management, including through grass-roots
and youth campaigns to protect the environment, have often taken place at the
local level, where decentralized action on environmental issues is most needed
and decisive. Women, especially indigenous women, have particular knowledge of
ecological linkages and fragile ecosystem management. Women in many communities
provide the main labour force for subsistence production, including production
of seafood; hence, their role is crucial to the provision of food and nutrition,
the enhancement of the subsistence and informal sectors and the preservation of
the environment. In certain regions, women are generally the most stable
members of the community, as men often pursue work in distant locations, leaving
women to safeguard the natural environment and ensure adequate and sustainable
resource allocation within the household and the community.
251. The strategic actions needed for sound environmental management require a
holistic, multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach. Women's participation
and leadership are essential to every aspect of that approach. The recent
United Nations global conferences on development, as well as regional
preparatory conferences for the Fourth World Conference on Women, have all
acknowledged that sustainable development policies that do not involve women and
men alike will not succeed in the long run. They have called for the effective
participation of women in the generation of knowledge and environmental
education in decision-making and management at all levels. Women's experiences
and contributions to an ecologically sound environment must therefore be central
to the agenda for the twenty-first century. Sustainable development will be an
103
elusive goal unless women's contribution to environmental management is
recognized and supported.
252. In addressing the lack of adequate recognition and support for women's
contribution to conservation and management of natural resources and
safeguarding the environment, Governments and other actors should promote an
active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies
and programmes, [so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is made of the
effects on women and men respectively].
Strategic objective K.1. Involve women actively in environmental
decision-making at all levels
Actions to be taken
253. By Governments, at all levels, including municipal authorities, as
appropriate:
(a) [Ensure] opportunities for women, including indigenous women, to
participate in environmental decision-making at all levels, including
as managers, designers and planners, and as implementers and
evaluators of environmental projects;
(b) Facilitate and increase women's access to information and education,
including in the areas of science, technology and economics, thus
enhancing their knowledge, skills and opportunities for participation
in environmental decisions;
(c) [Encourage, through national legislation and subject to it, indigenous
women's traditional knowledge, innovations, practices and skills,
including those concerning traditional medicines, biodiversity and
indigenous technologies, ensure that they are protected and improved
and are respected, preserved and maintained, as envisaged in the
Convention on Biological Diversity, 28/ safeguard their intellectual
property rights and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits
arising from the utilization of such knowledge;)
(d) Take appropriate measures to reduce risks to women from identified
environmental hazards at home, at work and in other environments,
including appropriate application of clean technologies, taking into
account the precautionary approach agreed to in the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development;
(e) Take measures to integrate (women concerns and) a gender perspective
in the design and implementation of, among other things,
environmentally sound and sustainable {energy and) resource management
mechanisms, production techniques and infrastructure development in
rural and urban areas;
(f) Take measures to empower women as producers and consumers to take
effective environmental actions, along with men, in their homes,
communities and workplaces;
(g) Promote the participation of local communities, particularly women, in
identification of public service needs, spatial planning and the
provision and design of urban infrastructure.
104
254. By Governments and international organizations and private sector
institutions, as appropriate:
(a) Take gender impact into consideration in the work of the Commission on
Sustainable Development and other appropriate United Nations bodies
and in the activities of international financial institutions;
(b) Promote the involvement of women and the incorporation of a gender
perspective in the design, approval and execution of projects funded
under the Global Environment Facility and other appropriate United
Nations organizations;
(c) Encourage the design of projects in the areas of concern to the Global
Environment Facility that would benefit women and projects managed by
women;
(d) Establish strategies and mechanisms to increase the proportion of
women, particularly at grass-roots levels, involved as decision
makers, planners, managers, scientists and technical advisers and as
beneficiaries in the design, development and implementation of
policies and programmes for natural resource management and
environmental protection and conservation;
(e) Encourage social, economic, political and scientific institutions to
address environmental degradation and the resulting impact on women.
255. By non-governmental organizations and the private sector:
(a) Assume advocacy of environmental and natural resource management
issues of concern to women and provide information to contribute to
resource mobilization for environmental protection and conservation;
(b) Facilitate the access of women agriculturists, fishers and
pastoralists to knowledge, skills, marketing services and
environmentally sound technologies to support and strengthen their
crucial roles and their expertise in resource management and the
conservation of biological diversity.
Strategic objective K.2. Ensure integration of gender concerns and
perspectives in policies and programmes
for sustainable development
Actions to be taken
256. By Governments:
(a) Integrate women, including indigenous women, their perspectives and
knowledge, on an equal basis with men in decision-making regarding
sustainable resource management and the development of policies and
programmes for sustainable development, including in particular, those
designed to address and prevent environmental degradation of the land;
(b) Evaluate policies and programmes in terms of environmental impact and
women's equal access to and use of natural resources;
105
(c) Ensure adequate research to assess how and to what extent women are
particularly susceptible or exposed to environmental degradation and
hazards, including, as necessary, research and data collection on
specific groups of women, particularly women with low income,
indigenous women and women belonging to minorities;
(d) Integrate rural women's traditional knowledge and practices of
sustainable resource use and management in the development of
environmental management and extension programmes;
(e) Integrate the results of gender-sensitive research into mainstream
policies with a view to developing sustainable human settlements;
(f) Promote the knowledge of and sponsor research on the role of women,
particularly rural and indigenous women, in food gathering and
production, soil conservation, irrigation, watershed management,
sanitation, coastal zone and marine resource management, integrated
pest management, land-use planning, forest conservation and community
forestry, fisheries, natural disaster prevention, and new and
renewable sources of energy, focusing particularly on indigenous
women's knowledge and experience;
(g) Develop a strategy for change to aliminate all obstacles to women's
full and equal participation in sustainable development and equal
access to and control over resources;
(h) Promote the education of girls and women of all ages in science,
technology and economics, and other disciplines relating to the
natural environment, so that they can make informed choices and offer
informed input in determining local economic, scientific and
environmental priorities for the management and appropriate use of
natural and local resources and ecosystems;
(i) Develop programmes to involve female professionals and scientists, as
well as technical, administrative and clerical workers, in
environmental management, develop training programmes for girls and
women in these fields, expand opportunities for the hiring and
promotion of women in these fields and implement special measures to
advance women's expertise and participation in these activities;
(j) Identify and promote environmentally sound technologies that have been
designed, developed and improved in consultation with women and that
are appropriate to both women and men;
(k) Support the development of women's equal access to housing
infrastructure, safe water, and sustainable and affordable energy
technologies, such as wind, solar, biomass and other renewable
sources, through participatory needs assessments, energy planning and
policy formulation at the local and national levels;
(1) Ensure that clean water is available and accessible to all by the year
2000 and that environmental protection and conservation plans are
designed and implemented to restore polluted water systems and rebuild
damaged watersheds.
257. By international organizations, non-governmental organizations and private
sector institutions:
106
(a) Involve women in the communication industries in raising awareness
regarding environmental issues, especially on the environmental and
health impacts of products, technologies and industry processes;
(b) Encourage consumers to use their purchasing power to promote the
production of environmentally safe products and encourage investment
in environmentally sound and productive agricultural, fisheries,
commercial and industrial activities and technologies;
(c) Support women's consumer initiatives by promoting the marketing of
organic food and recycling facilities, product information and product
labelling, including labelling of toxic chemicals and pesticide
containers with language and symbols that are understood by consumers,
regardless of age and literacy.
Strategic objective K.3. Establish or strengthen mechanisms at the
national, regional and international
levels to assess the impact of development
and environmental policies on women
Actions to be taken
258. By Governments, regional and international organizations and
non-governmental organizations, as appropriate:
(a) Provide technical assistance to women, particularly in developing
countries, in the sectors of agriculture, fisheries, small
enterprises, trade and industry to ensure the continuing promotion of
human resource development and the development of environmentally
sound technologies and of women's entrepreneurship;
(b) Develop gender-sensitive databases, information and monitoring systems
and participatory action-oriented research, methodologies and policy
analyses with the collaboration of academic institutions and local
women researchers on the following:
(i) Knowledge and experience on the part of women concerning the
management and conservation of natural resources for
incorporation in the databases and information systems for
sustainable development;
(ii) The impact on women of environmental and natural resource
degradation, deriving from, inter alia, unsustainable production
and consumption patterns, drought, poor quality water, global
warming, desertification, sea-level rise, hazardous waste,
natural disasters, toxic chemicals and pesticide residues,
radioactive waste, armed conflicts [and refugee flows);
(iii) Analysis of the structural links between gender relations,
environment and development, with special emphasis on particular
sectors, such as agriculture, industry, fisheries, forestry,
environmental health, biological diversity, climate, water
resources and sanitation;
107
(iv) Measures to develop and include environmental, economic,
[cultural], social and gender-sensitive analyses as an essential
step in the development [and monitoring] of programmes and
policies;
(v) Programmes to create rural and urban training, research and
resource centres that will disseminate environmentally sound
technologies to women;
(c) [Prohibit the transboundary movement of hazardous toxic and
radioactive material waste;)
(d) Promote coordination within and among institutions to implement the
Platform for Action and chapter 24 of Agenda 21. 17/ By, inter-alia,
requesting the Commission on Sustainable development, through the
Economic and Social council, to seek input from the Commission on the
Status of Women when reviewing the implementation of agenda 21 with
regard to women and the environment.
L. [Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights
of] [Survival, protection and development of the girl child
259. The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes that "States Parties
shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each
child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective
of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social
origin, property, disability, birth or status" (article 2, para. 1). 10/
States Partice shall respect the reoponsibilitioo, rights and dutico of
parents or, where applicable, the membero of the extended family or community as
provided for by local custom, legal guardiane or other persono legally
responsible for the child, to provide, in a manner consiotent with the evelving
oapaoities of the child, appropriate direction and guidanoe in the exeroice by
the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention" (artiolo 5) 10/1
However, in many countries available indicators show that the girl child is
discriminated against from {conception/infancy, through her childhood and into
adulthood. [In some areas of the world, men outnumber women by 5 in every 100.
The reasons for the discrepancy, for the millions of missing women, include,
among other things, harmful attitudes and practices, such as female genital
mutilation, son preference - which results in female infanticide [and foeticide/
prenatal sex selection] - early marriage, violence against women, prostitution,
sexual abuse, discrimination against girls in food allocation and other
practices related to health and well-being. As a result, fewer girls than boys
survive into adulthood].
260. Girls are often treated as inferior and are socialized to put themselves
last, thus undermining their self-esteem. Discrimination and neglect in
childhood can initiate a lifelong downward spiral of deprivation and exclusion
from the social mainstream. Initiatives should be taken to prepare girls to
participate actively, effectively and equally with boys in all levels of social,
economic, political and cultural leadership.
261. Gender-biased educational processes, including curricula, educational
materials and practices, teachers' attitudes and classroom interaction,
reinforce existing gender inequalities.
108
262. Girls and adolescents may receive a variety of conflicting and confusing
messages on their gender roles from their parents, teachers, peers and the
media. Women and men need to work together with children and youth to break
down persistent gender stereotypes {recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for children,
and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.)
263. Although the number of educated children has grown in the past 20 years in
scme countries, boys have proportionately fared much better than girls. In
1990, 130 million children had no access to primary school; of these, 81 million
were girls. [This can be attributed to such factors as customary attitudes,
child labour, early marriages, lack of funds and lack of adequate schooling
facilities, and teenage pregnancies.) (In some countries the shortage of women
teachers can inhibit the enrolment of girls.] In many cases, girls start to
undertake heavy domestic chores at a very early age and are expected to manage
both educational and domestic responsibilities, often resulting in poor
scholastic performance and an early drop-out from schooling.
264. The percentage of girls enrolled in secondary school remains significantly
low in many countries. Girls are often not encouraged or given the opportunity
to pursue scientific and technological training and education, which limits the
knowledge they require for their daily lives and their employment opportunities.
265. Girls are less encouraged than boys to participate in and learn about the
social, economic and political functioning of society, with the result that they
are not offered the same opportunities as boys to take part in the decision-
making processes.
266. Existing discrimination against the girl child in her access to nutrition
and physical and mental health services endangers her current and future health.
An estimated 450 million adult women in developing countries are stunted as a
result of childhood protein-energy malnutrition.
267. [The International Conference on Population and Development recognized, in
paragraph 7.3 of the Programme of Action, 13/ that "full attention should be
given to the promotion of mutually respectful and equitable gender relations and
particularly to meeting the educational and service needs of adolescents to
enable them to deal in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality".)
[Recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other
persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on
the Rights of the Child,) {responsible sexual behaviour, sensitivity and
equality in gender relations, particularly when instilled during the formative
years, enhance and promote respectful and harmonious partnerships between women
and men. Support should be given to integrating sexual education for young
people with parental support and guidance that stresses the responsibility of
males for their own sexuality and fertility and that help them exercise their
responsibilities. ]
268. More than 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth each year. Motherhood
at a very young age entails complications during pregnancy and delivery and a
risk of maternal death that is much greater than average. The children of young
mothers have higher levels of morbidity and mortality. Early child-bearing
continues to be an impediment to improvements in the educational, economic and
social status of women in all parts of the world. Overall, early marriage and
early motherhood can severely curtail educational and employment opportunities
and are likely to have a long-term adverse impact on their and their children's
quality of life.
109
269. Sexual violence and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, have
a devastating effect on children's health, and girls are more vulnerable than
boys to the consequences of [unprotected sexual relations/premature and
irresponsible sexual behaviour]. Girls often face pressures to engage in sexual
activity. Due to factors such as their youth, social pressures, lack of
protective laws, or failure to enforce laws, girls are more vulnerable to all
kinds of violence, particularly sexual violence, including rape, sexual abuse,
prostitution, trafficking (including trafficking in human organs and tissue],
and forced labour.
270. [Besides living with all the problems peculiar to girls, the disabled girl
child has to cope additionally with discrimination for being disabled.)
271. Some children are particularly vulnerable, especially the abandoned,
homeless and displaced, street children and children in areas in conflict, and
children who are discriminated against because they belong to an ethnic or
racial minority group.
272. All barriers must therefore be eliminated to enable girls [in all their
diversity) to develop their full potential and skills through equal access to
education and training, nutrition, physical and mental health care and related
information.
273. [In addressing issues concerning children and youth, Governments should
promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into
all policies and programmes [so that before decisions are taken, an analysis is
made of the effects on girls and boys respectively).
Strategic objective L.1. Eliminate all forms of discrimination
against the girl child
Actions to be taken
274. By Governments:
(a) By States that have not signed or ratified the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, take urgent measures towards signing and
ratifying the Convention, bearing in mind the strong exhortation made
at Vienna to sign it before the end of 1995, and by States that have
signed and ratified the Convention, ensure its full implementation
through the adoption of all necessary legislative, administrative, and
other measures and by fostering an enabling environment that
encourages full respect for the rights of children;
(b) Consistent with article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, take measures to ensure that a child is registered immediately
after birth and has the right from birth to a name, the right to
acquire a nationality and [as far as possible] the right to know and
be cared for by his or her parents; 10/
(c) Take steps to ensure that children receive appropriate financial
support from their parents, by, among other measures, enforcing child-
support laws;
(d) [Enact, as appropriate, and enforce legislation that would guarantee
equal succession and inheritance rights of children, regardless of
110
sex.) [As appropriate, enact legislation that would guarantee the
succession and inheritance rights of the girl child];
(e) Enact and strictly enforce laws to ensure that marriage is only
entered into with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
In addition, enact and strictly enforce laws concerning the minimum
legal age of consent and the minimum age for marriage and ráise the
minimum age for marriage where necessary;
(f) Develop and implement comprehensive policies, plans of action and
programmes for the survival; protection, development and advancement
of the girl child to promote and protect the full enjoyment of her
[universal human) rights and to ensure equal opportunities for girls;
these plans should form an integral part of the total development
process;
(g) Ensure the disaggregation by sex and age of all data related to
children in the health, education and other sectors, in order to
include a gender perspective in planning, implementation and
monitoring of such programmes.
275. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Disaggregate information and data on children by sex and age,
undertake research on the situation of girls and integrate, as
appropriate, the results in the formulation of policies, programmes
and decision-making for the advancement of the girl child;
(b) Generate social support for the enforcement of laws on the minimum
legal age for marriage, in particular by providing educational
opportunities for girls.
Strategic objective L.2. Eliminate negative cultural attitudes
and practices against girls
Actions to be taken
276. By Governments:
(a) Encourage and support, as appropriate, non-governmental organizations
and community-based organizations in their efforts to promote changes
in negative attitudes and practices towards girls;
(b) Set up educational programmes and develop teaching materials and
textbooks that will sensitize and inform adults about the harmful
effects of certain traditional or customary practices on girl
children;
(c) Develop and adopt curricula, teaching materials and textbooks to
improve the self-image, lives and work opportunities of girls,
particularly in areas where women have traditionally been
underrepresented, such as mathematics, science and technology;
*
Location of subparagraph is to be decided; it will probably be placed
under strategic objective L.2.
111
(d) [Take steps so that the traditional and religious attire [and
practices] of girls is [are] not a basis for discrimination in
educational institutions.)
277. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations (as
appropriate]:
(a) Promote an educational setting that eliminates all barriers that
impede the schooling of married and/or pregnant girls and young
mothers, including, as appropriate, affordable and physically
accessible child-care facilities and parental education to encourage
those who have responsibilities for the care of their children and
siblings during their school years to return to, or continue with, and
complete schooling;
(b) Encourage educational institutions and the media to adopt and project
balanced and non-stereotyped images of girls and boys, and work to
eliminate child pornography and degrading and violent portrayals of
the girl child;
(c) [Eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child and the
root causes of son preference, which result in harmful and unethical
practices such as female infanticide and prenatal sex selection; this
is often compounded by the increasing use of technologies to determine
foetal sex, resulting in abortion of female foetuses;)
(d) Develop policies and programmes, giving priority to formal and
informal education programmes that support and enable girls to acquire
knowledge, develop self-esteem and take responsibility for their own
lives; place special focus on programmes to educate women and men,
especially parents, on the importance of girl's physical and mental
health and well-being, including the elimination of discrimination
against girls in food allocation, early marriage, violence against
girls, female genital mutilation, child prostitution, sexual abuse,
rape and incest.
Strategic objective L.3. [Increase public awareness of the value,
needs and rights of the girl child,1
[including the girl child with special
needs and in difficult circumstances,
and the need to strengthen her self-
image, self-esteem and status]
Actions to be taken
278. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Generate awareness of the disadvantaged situation of girls among
policy makers, planners, administrators and implementors at all
levels, as well as within households and communities;
(b) Make the girl child, particularly the girl child in difficult
circumstances, aware of her own potential, educate her about the
rights guaranteed to her under all international human rights
instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
legislation enacted for her and the various measures undertaken by
112
both governmental and non-governmental organizations working to
improve her status;
(c) Educate women, men, girls and boys to promote girls' status and
encourage them to work towards mutual respect and equal partnership
between girls and boys;
(d) Facilitate the equal provision of appropriate services and devices to
girls with disabilities and provide, as appropriate, their families
with related support services.
Strategic objective L.4. Eliminate discrimination against girls
in education, skills development and
training
Actions to be taken
279. By Governments:
(a) Ensure universal and equal access to and completion of primary
education by all children and eliminate the existing gap between girls
and boys, as stipulated in article 28 of the Convention on the Rights
of the Child; 10/ similarly, ensure equal access to secondary
education by the year 2005 and equal access to higher education,
including vocational and technical education for all girls and boys
and including the disadvantaged and gifted;
(b) Take steps to integrate functional literacy and numeracy programmes,
particularly for out-of-school girls in development programmes;
(c) Promote human rights education in educational programmes and include
in human rights education the fact that the human rights of women and
of the girl child are an inalienable integral and indivisible part of
universal human rights;
(d) Increase enrolment and improve retention rates of girls by allocating
appropriate budgetary resources, by enlisting the support of the
community and parents through campaigns and flexible school schedules,
incentives, scholarships, access programmes for out-of-school girls
and other measures;
(e) Develop training programmes and materials for teachers and educators,
raising awareness about their own role in the educational process,
with the view to providing them with effective strategies for gender-
sensitive teaching;
(f) Take actions to ensure that female teachers and professors have the
same possibilities and status as male teachers and professors.
280. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Provide education and skills training to increase girls opportunities
for employment and access to decision-making processes;
(b) Provide education to increase girls' knowledge and skills related to
the functioning of economic, financial and political systems;
113
(c) Ensure access to appropriate education and skills-training to girl
children with disabilities for their full participation in life;
(d) Promote full and equal participation of girls in extracurricular
activities, such as sports, drama and cultural activities.
Strategic objective L.5. Eliminate discrimination against
girls in health and nutrition
Actions to be taken
281. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Provide public information on the removal of discriminatory practices
against girls in food allocation, nutrition and access to health
services;
(b) Sensitize the girl child, parents, teachers and society concerning
good general health and nutrition and raise awareness of the health
dangers and other problems connected with early pregnancies
[recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and
other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with
the Convention on the Rights of the Child];
(c) Strengthen and reorient health education and health services,
particularly primary health care programmes [including sexual and
reproductive health] and design quality health programmes to meet the
physical and mental needs of girls [recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child,) and to give attention to young, expectant and nursing mothers;
(d) Establish peer education and outreach programmes with a view to
strengthening individual and collective action to reduce the
vulnerability of girls to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases, [as agreed in the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development,] [recognizing the rights,
duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally
responsible for children, and consistent with the Convention on the
Rights of the Child);
(e) Ensure education and dissemination of information to girls, especially
among adolescents, regarding the physiology of reproduction,
[reproductive and sexual health, as agreed in the Programme of Action
of the International Conference on Population and Development [and
the knowledge of all safe methods of family planning, and control and
prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,)
[recognizing the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and
other persons legally responsible for children, and consistent with
the Convention on the Rights of the Child];
(f) Include health and nutritional training as an integral part of
literacy programmes and school curricula starting at the primary level
for the benefit of the girl child;
114
(g) Emphasize the role and responsibility of adolescents in sexual and
reproductive health and behaviour through the provision of appropriate
services and counselling [as contained in the report of the
International Conference on Population and Development (as agreed in
the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population
and Development,] [taking into account the reservations and
declarations on that document and recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child];
(h) Develop information and training programmes for health planners and
implementors on the special health needs of the girl child
(i) Take all the appropriate measures with a view to abolishing
traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children, as
stipulated in Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child. 10/
Strategic objective L.6. [Eliminate the economic exploitation
of child labour and protect young
girls at work]
Actions to be taken
282. By Governments:
(a) In conformity with article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, 10/ protect children from economic exploitation and from
performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere
with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or
physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development;
(b) Define a minimum age for child [employment], including girls under
national legislation in all sectors of activity;
(c) Protect young girls at work, inter alia, through:
(i) A minimum age or ages for admission to [employment];
(ii) Strict monitoring of work conditions (respect for work time,
prohibition of work by children not provided for by national
legislation, and monitoring of hygiene and health conditions at
work);
(iii) Application of social security coverage;
(iv) Establishment of continuous training and education;
(d) Strengthen, where necessary, legislation governing the work of
children and provide for appropriate penalties or other sanctions to
ensure effective enforcement of the legislation;
(e) Use existing international labour standards, including, as
appropriate, ILO standards for the protection of working children, to
guide the formulation of national labour legislation and policies.
115
Strategic objective L.7. Eradicate violence against
[girls] [the girl child]
Actions to be taken
283. By Governments and international and non-governmental.organizations:
(a) [Take effective actions and measures to enact and enforce legislation]
to protect the safety and security of girls from all forms of violence
at work, including training programmes and support programmes, and
take measures to eliminate incidents of sexual harassment towards
girls in educational and other institutions;
(b) Take appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational
measures to protect the girl child, in the household and in society,
from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse,
neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation,
including sexual abuse;
(c) [Undertake gender sensitization training] for those involved in
healing and rehabilitation and other assistance programmes for girls
who are victims of violence and promote programmes of information,
support and training for such girls;
(d) [Enact and enforce legislation] protecting girls from all forms of
violence, including infanticide, [female foeticide/prenatal sex
selection), genital mutilation, incest, sexual abuse, sexual
exploitation, child prostitution and child pornography, and develop
age-appropriate (safe and confidential] programmes and [medical and
psychological] support services [recognizing the rights, duties and
responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children, and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child) to assist girls who are subject to violence.
Strategic objective L.8. Educate the girl child about social,
economic and political issues and
problems
Actions to be taken
284. By Governments and international and non-governmental organizations:
(a) Provide access for girls to training, information and media on social,
cultural, economic and political issues and enable them to articulate
their views;
(b) Support non-governmental organizations, in particular youth
non-governmental organizations, in their efforts to promote the
equality and participation of girls in society.
[Strategic objective L.9.
[Strengthen [the role of the family]
family responsibility] in advancing
the status of the girl child]
116
Actions to be taken
285. By Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations:
(a) Formulate policies and programmes to help (the family] [families] in
[its] [their] supporting, educating and nurturing roles, with
particular emphasis on the elimination of intra family discrimination
against the girl child;
(b) Provide an environment conducive to the strengthening of [the family]
[families], with a view to providing supportive and preventive
measures [for the protection of the girl child) [which protect and
respect the girl child];
(c) [Promote education and campaign for) [Educate and encourage) parents
and care givers to [enhance equal treatment for girls and boys] [treat
girls and boys equally] and to ensure shared responsibilities between
girls and boys in the family.)
Chapter V
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
286. The Platform for Action establishes a set of actions that should lead to
fundamental change. Immediate action and accountability are essential if the
targets are to be met by the year 2000. Implementation is primarily the
responsibility of Governments, but is also dependent on a wide range of
institutions in the public, private and non-governmental sectors at the
community, national, subregional/regional and international levels.
287. During the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985), many institutions
specifically devoted to the advancement of women were established at the
national, regional and international levels. At the international level, the
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
(INSTRAW), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the
Committee to monitor the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women were established. These entities, along with the
Commission on the Status of Women and its secretariat, the Division for the
Advancement of Women, became the main institutions in the United Nations
specifically devoted to women's advancement globally. At the national level, a
number of countries established or strengthened national mechanisms to plan,
advocate for and monitor progress in the advancement of women.
288. Implementation of the Platform for Action by national, subregional/regional
and international institutions, both public and private, would be facilitated by
transparency, by increased linkages between networks and organizations and by a
consistent flow of information among all concerned. Clear objectives and
accountability mechanisms are also required. Links with other institutions at
the national, subregional/regional and international levels and with networks
and organizations devoted to the advancement of women are needed.
289. Non-governmental and grass-roots organizations have a specific role to play
in creating a social, economic, political and intellectual climate based on
equality between women and men. Women should be actively involved in the
implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action.
117
290. Effective implementation of the Platform will also require changes in the
internal dynamics of institutions and organizations, including values,
behaviour, rules and procedures that are inimical to the advancement of women.
[Sexual harassment, including treatment of women as sex objects, should be
eliminated.)
291. National, subregional/regional and international institutions should have
strong and clear mandates and the authority, resources and accountability
mechanisms needed for the tasks set out in the Platform for Action. Their
methods of operation should ensure efficient and effective implementation of the
Platform. There should be a clear commitment to international norms and
standards of equality [and equity] between women and men as a basis for all
actions [with respect to the cultural values of nations).
292. To ensure effective implementation of the Platform for Action and to
enhance the work for the advancement of women at the national, subregional/
regional and international levels, Governments, the United Nations system and
all other relevant organizations should promote an active and visible policy of
mainstreaming a gender perspective, inter alia, in the monitoring and evaluation
of all policies and programmes.
A. National level
293. Governments have the primary responsibility for implementing the Platform
for Action. Commitment at the highest political level is essential to its
implementation, and Governments should take a leading role in coordinating,
monitoring and assessing progress in the advancement of women. [To this end,
Governments have been invited to state their own specific national commitments
for priority action within the context of the Platform for Action. These
specific commitments will result in practical outcomes for women and girls and
will ensure that the Fourth World Conference on Women is a conference of
commitments. The specific commitments announced by individual Governments at
the Conference appear in an annex to the report of the Conference.)
294. National mechanisms and institutions for the advancement of women should
participate in public policy formulation and encourage the implementation of the
Platform for Action through various bodies and institutions, including the
private sector, and, where necessary, should act as a catalyst in developing new
programmes by the year 2000 in areas that are not covered by existing
institutions.
295. The active support and participation of a broad and diverse range of other
institutional actors should be encouraged, including legislative bodies,
academic and research institutions, professional associations, trade unions,
cooperatives, local community groups, non-governmental organizations, including
women's organizations [and feminist movements), the media, religious groups,
youth organizations and cultural groups, as well as financial and non-profit
organizations.
296. In order for the Platform for Action to be implemented, it will be
necessary for Governments to establish or improve the effectiveness of national
machineries for the advancement of women at the highest political level,
appropriate intra- and inter-ministerial procedures and staffing, and other
institutions with the mandate and capacity to broaden women's participation and
integrate gender analysis into policies and programmes. The first step in this
process for all institutions should be to review their objectives, programmes
118
and operational procedures in terms of the actions called for in the Platform.
A key activity should be to promote public awareness and support for the goals
of the Platform for Action, inter alia, through the mass media and public
education.
297. As soon as possible, preferably by the end of 1995, Governments, in
consultation with relevant institutions and non-governmental organizations,
should begin to develop implementation strategies for the Platform and,
preferably by the end of 1996, should have developed their strategies or plans
of action. This planning process should draw upon persons at the highest level
of authority in Government and relevant actors in civil society. These
implementation strategies should be comprehensive, have time-bound targets and
benchmarks for monitoring, and include proposals for allocating or reallocating
resources for implementation. Where necessary, the support of the international
community could be enlisted, including resources.
298. Non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to contribute to the
design and implementation of these strategies or national plans of action. They
should also be encouraged to develop their own programmes to complement
government efforts. Women's organizations [and feminist movements] in
collaboration with other non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to
organize networks, as necessary, to advocate for and support the implementation
of the Platform for Action by Governments and regional and international bodies.
299. Governments should commit themselves to gender balance, inter-alia, through
the creation of special mechanisms, in all governments appointed committees,
boards and other relevant official bodies, as appropriate, as well as in all
international bodies, institutions and organizations, notably by presenting and
promoting more women candidates.
299 bis. Regional and international organizations, in particular development
institutions, especially the International Research and Training Institute for
the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM) and bilateral donors; should provide financial and advisory
assistance to national machinery in order to increase its ability to gather
information, develop networks and carry out its mandate; in addition to
strengthening international mechanisms to promote the advancement of women
through their respective mandates, in cooperation with Governments.
B. Subregional/regional level
300. The regional commissions of the United Nations and other subregional/
regional structures should promote and assist the pertinent national
institutions in monitoring and implementing the global Platform for Action
within their mandates. This should be done in coordination with the
implementation of the respective regional platforms or plans of action and in
close collaboration with the Commission on the Status of Women, taking into
account the need for a coordinated follow-up to United Nations conferences in
the economic, social, [human rights] and related fields.
301. In order to facilitate the regional implementation, monitoring and
evaluation process, the Economic and Social Council should consider reviewing
the institutional capacity of the United Nations regional commissions within
their mandates, including their women's units/focal points, to deal with gender
issues in the light of the Platform for Action, as well as the regional
119
platforms or plans for action. Consideration should be given, inter alia, and
where appropriate, to strengthening capacity in this respect.
302. within their existing mandates and activities, the regional commissions
should mainstream women's issues and gender perspectives and should also
consider the establishment of mechanisms and processes to ensure the
implementation and monitoring of both the Platform for Action and the regional
plans and platforms for action. The regional commissions should, within their
mandates, collaborate on gender issues with other regional intergovernmental
organizations, non-governmental organizations, financial and research
institutions and the private sector.
303. Regional offices of the specialized agencies of the United Nations system
should, as appropriate, develop and publicize a plan of action for implementing
the Platform for Action, including the identification of time-frames and
resources. Technical assistance and operational activities at the regional
level should establish well-identified targets for the advancement of women. To
this end, regular coordination should be undertaken among United Nations bodies
and agencies.
304. Non-governmental organizations within the region should be supported in
their efforts to develop networks to coordinate advocacy and dissemination of
information about the global Platform for Action and the respective regional
platforms or plans of action.
C. International level
1. United Nations
305. The Platform for Action needs to be implemented through the work of all of
the bodies and organizations of the United Nations system during the period
1995-2000, specifically and as an integral part of wider programming. An
enhanced framework for international cooperation for gender issues must be
developed during the period 1995-2000 in order to ensure the integrated and
comprehensive implementation, follow-up and assessment of the Platform for
Action, taking into account the results of global United Nations summits and
conferences. The fact that at all of these summits and conferences, Governments
have committed themselves to the empowerment of women in different areas, makes
coordination crucial to the follow-up strategies for this Platform for Action.
[Note should also be taken in this context of the discussions on the Agenda for
Development and the Agenda for Peace.]
306. The institutional capacity of the United Nations system to carry out and
coordinate its responsibility for implementing the Platform for Action, as well
as its expertise and working methods to promote the advancement of women, should
be improved.
307. Responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the Platform for Action
and the integration of a gender perspective into all policies and programmes of
the United Nations system must rest at the highest levels.
308. To improve the system's efficiency and effectiveness in providing support
for equality and women's empowerment at the national level and to enhance its
capacity to achieve the objectives of the Platform for Action, there iB a need
to renew, reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system.
This would include reviewing and strengthening the strategies and working
120
methods of different United Nations mechanisms for the Advancement of Women,
with a view to rationalizing and, as appropriate, strengthening their advisory
catalytic and monitoring functions in relations to mainstreaming bodies and
agencies. Women/gender units are important for effective mainstreaming, but
strategies must be further developed to prevent inadvertent marginalization as
opposed to mainstreaming of the gender dimension throughout all operations).
309. (In undertaking this overall review and effort to renew, reform and
revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, consideration should be
given to establishing a high-level post in the office of the Secretary-General
with the mandate of advising the Secretary-General in his oversight of system-
wide integration of gender concerns. This person should advise the Secretary-
General on the system-wide achievement of the gender integration goals adopted
by the Fourth World Conference on Women and set out by previous world
conferences and should address United Nations action in all fields.)
310. In following up the Fourth World Conference on Women, all entities of the
United Nations system focusing on the advancement of women should have the
necessary [resources and support] to carry out follow-up activities. The
efforts of gender focal points within organizations hould be well integrated
into overall policy, planning, programming and budgeting.
311. Action must be taken by the United Nations and other international
organizations to eliminate barriers to the advancement of women within their
organizations in accordance with the Platform for Action.
312. (The United Nations should erganise a mid term werld conference on women to
assess the implementation of the Platform for Action
General Assembly
313. The General Assembly, as the highest intergovernmental body in the United
Nations, is the principal policy-making and appraisal organ on matters relating
to the follow-up to the Conference, and as such, should integrate gender issues
throughout its work. It should appraise progress in the effective
implementation of the Platform for Action, recognizing that these issues cut
across social, political and economic policy. At its fiftieth session, in 1995,
the General Assembly will have before it the report of the Fourth World
Conference on Women. In accordance with its resolution 49/161, it will also
examine a report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the Conference,
taking into account the recommendations of the Conference. The General Assembly
should include the follow-up to the Conference as part of its continuing work on
the advancement of women. In 1996, 1998 and 2000, it should review the
implementation of the Platform for Action.
Economic and Social Council
314. The Economic and Social Council, in the context of its role under the
Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with General Assembly
resolutions 45/264, 46/235 and 48/162, would oversee system-wide coordination in
the implementation of the Platform for Action and make recommendations in this
regard. The Council should be invited to review the implementation of the
Platform for Action, giving due consideration to the reports of the Commission
on the Status of Women. As coordinating body, the Council should be invited to
review the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, taking into account
the need for effective coordination with other related commissions and
Conference follow-up. The Council should incorporate gender issues into its
121
discussion of all policy questions, giving due consideration to recommendations
prepared by the Commission. It should consider dedicating at least one high-
level segment before the year 2000 to the advancement of women and
implementation of the Platform for Action with the active involvement and
participation, inter alia, of the specialized agencies, including the World Bank
and IMF.
315. The Council should consider dedicating at least one coordination segment
before the year 2000 to coordination of the advancement of women, based on the
revised system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women.
316. The Council should consider dedicating at least one operational activities
segment before the year 2000 to the coordination of development activities
related to gender, based on the revised system-wide medium-term plan for the
advancement of women, with a view to instituting guidelines and procedures for
implementation of the Platform for Action by the funds and programmes of the
United Nations system.
317. The Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) should consider how its
participating entities might best coordinate their activities, inter alia,
through existing procedures at the inter-agency level for ensuring system-wide
coordination to implement and help follow up the objectives of the Platform for
Action.
[Commission on the Status of Women
318. The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council are invited to
review the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, taking into account
the Platform for Action as well as the need for synergy with other related
commissions and Conference follow-up.
319. As a functional commission assisting the Economic and Social Council, the
Commission on the Status of Women should have a central role in monitoring the
implementation of the Platform for Action and advising the Council thereon. It
should have a clear mandate along with the necessary financial support to permit
it to undertake regular monitoring and to enable it to coordinate the reporting
on implementation of the Platform for Action with relevant organizations of the
United Nations system, particularly those concerned with the advancement of
women, and various regional and national machineries and focal points.
320. To help the Commission formulate and monitor a system-wide approach to
implementation, it should receive monitoring reports, including reports from
organizations and agencies of the United Nations system. The effect of this
would be to make the Commission the gender analysis arm of the Economic and
Social Council. This would help strengthen the Council's policy coordination
function.
321. The Commission, in developing its work programme for the period 1996-2000,
should review the critical areas of concern in the Platform for Action and
prepare its agenda so as to integrate an item on follow-up to the World
Conference on Women, including gender analysis of critical issues before the
United Nations, the content of which would be determined by the issues being
taken up by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly.)
Other functional commissions
122
322. Within their mandates, other functional commissions of the Economic and
Social Council should also take due account of the Platform for Action and
ensure the integration of gender aspects in their respective work.
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other treaty
bodies
323. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in
implementing its responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women, should, within its mandate, take into
ccount the Platform for Action when considering the reports submitted by States
parties.
324. States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women are invited, when reporting under article 18 of the
Convention, to include information on measures taken to implement the Platform
for Action in order to facilitate the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women in monitoring effectively women's ability to enjoy
the rights guaranteed by the Convention.
325. The ability of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women to monitor implementation of the Convention should be strengthened through
the provision of human and financial resources within the regular budget of the
United Nations, including expert legal assistance and, in accordance with
General Assembly resolution 49/164 and the decision made by the meeting of State
Parties held in May 1995, sufficient meeting time for the Committee. The
Committee should increase its coordination with other human rights treaty
bodies, taking into account the recommendations in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action.
326. Within their mandate, other treaty bodies should also take due account of
the implementation of the Platform for Action and ensure the integration of the
equal status and [universal] human rights of women in their work.
United Nations Secretariat
Office of the Secretary-General
327. The Secretary-General is requested to assume responsibility for
coordination of policy within the United Nations for the implementation of the
Platform for Action and for the mainstreaming of a system-wide gender
perspective in all activities of the United Nations, taking into account the
mandates of the bodies concerned. The Secretary-General should consider
specific measures for ensuring effective coordination in the implementation of
these objectives.
Division for the Advancement of Women
328. The primary function of the Division for the Advancement of Women of the
Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development is to provide
substantive servicing to the Commission on the Status of Women and other
intergovernmental bodies when they are concerned with the advancement of women,
as well as to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
It has been designated a focal point for the implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. In the light of the
review of the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, as set out in
paragraph 314, the functions of the Division for the Advancement of Women will
123
also need to be assessed. The Secretary-General is requested to ensure more
effective functioning of the Division, by, inter-alia, providing sufficient
human and financial resources within the regular budget of the United Nations.
329. The Division should examine the obstacles to the advancement of women
through the application of gender impact analysis in policy studies for the
Commission on the Status of Women and through support to other subsidiary
bodies. After the Fourth World Conference on Women it should play a
coordinating role in preparing the revision of the system-wide medium-term plan
for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001 and should continue
serving as the secretariat for inter-agency coordination for the advancement of
women. It should continue to maintain a flow of information with national
commissions, national institutions for the advancement of women and
non-governmental organizations with regard to implementation of the Platform for
Action.
Other units of the United Nations Secretariat
330. The various units of the United Nations Secretariat should examine their
programmes to determine how they can best contribute to the coordinated
implementation of the Platform for Action. Proposals for implementation of the
Platform need to be reflected in the revision of the system-wide medium-term
plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, as well as in the
proposed United Nations medium-term plan for the period 1998-2002. The content
of the actions will depend on the mandates of the bodies concerned.
331. Existing and new linkages should be developed throughout the Secretariat in
order to ensure that the gender perspective is introduced as a central dimension
in all activities of the Secretariat.
332. The Office of Human Resources Management should, in collaboration with
programme managers worldwide, and in accordance with the strategic plan of
action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
(1995-2000), continue to accord priority to the recruitment and promotion of
women in posts subject to geographical distribution, particularly in senior
policy-level and decision-making posts, in order to achieve the goals set out in
General Assembly resolutions 45/125 and 45/239 c and reaffirmed in General
Assembly resolutions 46/100, 47/93, 48/106 and 49/167. The training service
should design and conduct regular gender-sensitivity training or include gender-
sensitivity training in all of its activities.
333. The Department of Public Information should seek to integrate a gender
perspective in its general information activities, and, within existing
resources, strengthen and improve its programmes on women and the girl child.
To this end, the Department should formulate a multimedia communications
strategy to support the implementation of the Platform for Action, taking new
technology fully into account. Regular outputs of the Department should promote
the goals of the Platform, particularly in developing countries.
334. The Statistical Division of the Department for Economic and Social
Information and Policy Analysis should have an important coordinating role in
international work in statistics, as described above in section IV, strategic
objective H.3.
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
124
335. (In conformity with ito mandates in research, training and the
diocomination of information for the advanoement of women, the International
Research and Training Institute for the Advanoement of Women (INSTRAW) should
review ito work programme in the light of the Platform for Action, which,
together with Agenda 21, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social
Development, will provide guidelines for the development of a programme for
implementing those aspects of the Platferm for Action that fall within ito
mandate. It should identify those typeo of research and research methodologies
to be given priority, otrengthen national capacities to earry out women'
studies and gender research, including research on the status of the girl child,
and develop networks of research institutions that can be mobilized for that
purpose. The proposed gender research should reflect the periodio changes in
the 00010 coonomic statuo of women and the girl child in various regions. It
should identify those types of education and training that can effectively be
supported and promoted by the Institute, which will also serve as a focal point
for gender training in the United Nations syotem as a whole within ito field of
competence.}
(Alternative)
(In 0 formity with its mandates in research, training and the
dissemination of information for the advancement of women, the International
Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), as the
only United Nations organization whose aim is to promote research and training
on women's situation and development, should review ito work programme in the
light of the Platform for Action, together with Agenda 21, the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action, the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development and the Programme of
Action of the World Summit for Social Development, and develop a programme for
implementing those aspects of the Platform for Action that fall within its
mandate It should identify those types of research and research methodologies
to be given priority, strengthen national capacities to carry out women
studies and gender research including research on the statuo of the girl child,
and develop networks of research institutions that can be mobilized for that
purpose. The proposed gender research should reflect the periodic changes in
the socio economic status of women and the girl child in various regions. It
should identify those types of education and training that can effectively be
supported and promoted by the Institute, which will also serve as a focal point
for gender training in the United Nations system as a whole as appropriate.)
The International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women (INSTRAW) has a mandate to promote research and training on women's
situation and development. In light of the Platform for Action, INSTRAW should
review its work programme and develop a programme for implementing those aspects
of the Platform for Action that falls within its mandate. It should identify
those types of research and research methodologies to be given priority,
strengthen national capacities to carry out women's studies and gender research,
including that on the status of the girl child, and develop networks of research
institutions that can be mobilized for that purpose. It should also identify
those types of education and training that can be effectively supported and
promoted by the Institute.
United Nations Development Fund for Women
125
336. (Ao an autonomous fund in association with UNDP, the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) inoreasco options and opportunities for
women 0 economic and social development in developing countries by providing
technical and financial assistance to incorporate the women's dimension into
development at all levels. UNIFEM should review and strengthen ito work
programme for implementing the Platform for Action. UNIFEM should be given
adequate resources to enable it to undertake conorete actions and activities for
the implementation of the Platform for Action. Its advocacy role should be
increased by footering international awareness of women e empowerment. Adequate
resources for oarrying out ito functions should be made available.]
(Alternative to paragraph 336)
(The United Nationo Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is the only entity
in the United Nationo oyotem with the mandate of incroacing options and
opportunities for women's economic and social development in developing
countries by providing technical and financial assistance to incorporate the
women's dimension into development at all levels. Therefore, UNIFEM should
review and strengthen ito work programme in the light of the Platform for Action
and the recommendations resulting from recent summits and conferences, all of
which emphasize empowering women in the social and economic spheres. To that
end, UNIFEM should be strengthened in order to enable it to undertake conorete
actions and activities for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Ito
advocacy role should be increased by fostering international awareness and
multilateral policy dialogue on women' B empowerment, and adequate resources for
earrying out ito functions should be made available.
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) has the mandate to
increase options and opportunities for women's economic and social development
in developing countries by providing technical and financial assistance to
incorporate the women's dimension into development at all levels. Therefore,
UNIFEM should review and strengthen, as appropriate, its work programme in the
light of the Platform for Action focusing on women's political and economic
empowerment. Its advocacy role should concentrate on fostering a multilateral
policy dialogue on women's empowerment. Adequate resources for caring out its
functions should be made available.
(Alternative to paragrapho 335 and 336)
(The future roles and functioning of the International Research and
Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) should be considered in the light of the
decision to be taken by the Ceneral Assembly at ito fiftieth session on the
proposal to merge the two organizations.
Specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system
337. To strengthen their support for actions at the national level and to
enhance their contributions to coordinated follow-up by the United Nations, each
organization should set out the specific actions they will undertake, including
goals and targets to realign priorities and redirect resources to meet the
global priorities identified in the Platform for Action. There should be a
clear delineation of responsibility and accountability. These proposals should
in turn be reflected in the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of
women for the period 1996-2001.
126
338. Each organization should commit itself at the highest level and, in
pursuing its targets, should take steps to enhance and support the roles and
responsibilities of its focal points on women's issues.
339. In addition, specialized agencies with mandates to provide technical
assistance in developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least
developed countries, should cooperate more to ensure the continuing promotion of
the advancement of women.
340. The United Nations system should consider and provide appropriate technical
assistance and other forms of assistance to the countries with economies in
transition in order to facilitate solution of their specific problems regarding
the advancement of women.
341. Each organization should accord greater priority to the recruitment and
promotion of women at the Professional level to achieve gender balance,
particularly at decision-making levels. The paramount consideration in the
employment of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service
should be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency,
competence and integrity. Due regard should be paid to the importance of
recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. Organizations
should report regularly to their governing bodies on progress towards this goal.
342. Coordination of United Nations operational activities for development at
the country level should be improved through the resident coordinator system in
accordance with relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, in particular
General Assembly resolution 47/199, to take full account of the Platform for
Action.
2. Other international institutions and organizations
343. [In implementing the Platform for Action, international financial
institutions should be encouraged to review and revise policies, procedures and
staffing [with a view to providing new and additional resources] to ensure that
investments and programmes benefit women and thus contribute to sustainable
development. They should [consider] increase(ing) the number of women in high-
level positions, increase staff training in gender analysis and institute
policies and guidelines to ensure full consideration of the differential impact
of lending programmes and other activities on women and men. The Bretton Woods
institutions and other development agencies should be encouraged to have closer
cooperation on gender issues in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the
international response in this field.)
344. The General Assembly should give consideration to inviting the World Trade
Organization to consider how it might contribute to the implementation of the
Platform for Action, including activities in cooperation with the United Nations
system.
345. International non-governmental organizations have an important role to play
in implementing the Platform for Action. Consideration should be given to
establishing a mechanism for collaborating with non-governmental organizations
to promote the implementation of the Platform at various levels.
Chapter VI
127
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
346. Financial and human resources have generally been insufficient for the
advancement of women. This has contributed to the slow progress to date in
implementing the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of
Women. Full and effective implementation of the Platform for Action, including
the relevant commitments made at previous United Nations summits and
conferences, will require a political commitment to make available human and
financial resources for the empowerment of women. This will require the
integration of a gender perspective in budgetary decisions on policies and
programmes, as well as the adequate financing of specific programmes for
securing equality between women and men. To implement the Platform for Action,
funding will need to be identified and mobilized from all sources and across all
sectors. The reformulation of policies and reallocation of resources may be
needed within and among programmes, but some policy changes may not necessarily
have financial implications. Mobilization of additional resources, both public
and private, including resources from innovative sources of funding, may also be
necessary.
A. National level
347. The primary responsibility for implementing the strategic objectives of the
Platform for Action rests with Governments. To achieve these objectives,
Governments should make efforts to systematically review how women benefit from
public sector expenditures; adjust budgets to ensure equality of access to
public sector expenditures, both for enhancing productive capacity and for
meeting social needs; and achieve the gender-related commitments made in other
United Nations summits and conferences. To develop successful national
implementation strategies for the Platform for Action, Governments should
allocate sufficient resources, including resources for undertaking gender-impact
analysis. Governments should also encourage non-governmental organizations and
private-sector and other institutions to mobilize additional resources.
348. Sufficient resources should be allocated to national machineries for the
advancement of women as well as to all institutions, as appropriate, that can
contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the Platform for Action.
349. Where national machineries for the advancement of women do not yet exist
or where they have not yet been established on a permanent basis, Governments
should strive to make available sufficient and continuing resources for such
machineries.
350. To facilitate the implementation of the Platform for Action, Governments
should reduce, as appropriate, excessive military expenditures and investments
for arms production and acquisition, consistent with national security
requirements.
351. Non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other actors of
civil society should be encouraged to consider allocating the resources
necessary for the implementation of the Platform for Action. Governments should
create a supportive environment for the mobilization of resources by
non-governmental organizations, particularly women's organizations and networks,
[feminist associations,) the private sector and other actors of civil society,
to enable them to contribute towards this end. The capacity of non-governmental
organizations in this regard should be strengthened and enhanced.
128
B. Regional level
352. Regional development banks, regional business associations and other
regional institutions should be invited to contribute to and help mobilize
resources in their lending and other activities for the implementation of the
Platform for Action. They should also be encouraged to take account of the
Platform for Action in their policies and funding modalities.
353. The subregional and regional organizations and the United Nations regional
commissions should where appropriate and within their existing mandates assist
in the mobilization of funds for the implementation of the Platform for Action.
C. International level
354. Adequate financial resources should be committed at the international level
for the implementation of the Platform for Action in the developing countries,
particularly in Africa and the least developed countries. Strengthening
national capacities in developing countries to implement the Platform for Action
will require striving for the fulfilment of the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of
the gross national product of developed countries for overall official
development assistance as soon as possible, as well as increasing the share of
funding for activities designed to implement the Platform for Action.
Furthermore, countries involved in development cooperation should conduct a
critical analysis of their assistance programmes so as to improve the quality
and effectiveness of aid through the integration of a gender approach.
355. International financial institutions, including the World Bank, the
745
International Monetary Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development
and the regional development banks, should be invited to examine their grants
and lending and to allocate loans and grants to programmes for implementing the
Platform for Action in developing countries, especially in Africa and the least
developed countries.
356. The United Nations system should provide technical cooperation and other
forms of assistance to the developing countries, in particular in Africa and the
least developed countries, in implementing the Platform for Action.
357. Implementation of the Platform for Action in the countries with economies
in transition will require continued international cooperation and assistance.
The organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including the
technical and sectoral agencies, should facilitate the efforts of those
countries in designing and implementing policies and programmes for the
advancement of women. To this end, the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank should be invited to assist those efforts.
358. The outcome of [previous summits and conferences, including) the World
Summit for Social Development regarding debt management and reduction should be
implemented in order to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the
Platform for Action.
359. To facilitate implementation of the Platform for Action, interested
developed and developing country partners, agreeing on a mutual commitment to
allocate, on average, 20 per cent of official development assistance and
20 per cent of the national budget to basic social programmes should take into
account a gender perspective.
129
360. Development funds and programmes of the United Nations system should
undertake an immediate analysis of the extent to which their programmes and
projects are directed to implementing the Platform for Action and, for the next
programming cycle, should ensure the adequacy of resources targeted towards
eliminating disparities between women and men in their technical assistance and
funding activities.
361. [Recognizing the special roles of the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM) and the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) in the empowerment of women, the resources
provided by Governments should be substantially increased by the year 2000.1
(First alternative)
[UNIFEM and INSTRAW have special roles to play in the promotion of the
status and advancement of women's human rights. The international community
should accept primary responsibility for strengthening UNIFEM and for providing
the Fund with substantially increased resources that would enable it to meet its
responsibilities in implementing the Platform for Action effectively. INSTRAW
must be substantially strengthened to implement the Platform for Action within
its mandate.)
(Second alternative)
[Recognizing the special roles of UNIFEM and INSTRAW in the promotion of
the empowerment of women, and therefore in the implementation of the Platform
for Action within their respective mandates, the resources provided by the
international community should be substantially increased by the year 2000.]
362. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations system in
its efforts to promote the advancement of women and to enhance its capacity to
further the objectives of the Platform for Action, there is a need to renew,
reform and revitalize various parts of the United Nations system, especially the
Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat, as well
as other units and subsidiary bodies that have a specific mandate to promote the
advancement of women. In this regard, relevant governing bodies within the
United Nations system are encouraged to give special consideration to the
effective implementation of the Platform for Action and to review their
policies, programmes, budgets and activities in order to achieve the most
effective and efficient use of funds to this end. [Mobilization of additional
resources from within the United Nations regular budget in order to implement
the Platform for Action may also be necessary.)
Notes
Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the
Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and
Peace, Nairobi, 15-26 Julv 1985 (United Nations publication, Sales No.
E.85.IV.10), chap. I, sect. A.
2/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna,
14-25 June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.
3/ General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex.
4/ General Assembly resolution 45/164.
130
5/ General Assembly resolution 44/82.
6/ General Assembly resolution 48/126.
11 A/47/308-E/1992/97, annex.
3/ General Assembly resolution 48/104.
9/ See The Results of the Uruquay Round of Multilateral Trade
Negotiations: The Legal Texts (Geneva, GATT secretariat, 1994).
10/ General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex.
11/ Final Report of the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting
Basic Learnin Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990, Inter-Agency Commission
(UNDP, UNESCO UNICEF, World Bank) for the World Conference on Education for
All, New York, 1990, appendix 1.
12/ General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
13/ Report of the International Conference on Population and Development,
Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1), chap. I, resolution 1,
annex.
14/ Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (A/CONF.166/9), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II.
15/ Unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure for terminating an unwanted
pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment
lacking the minimal medical standards or both (based on World Health
Organization, The Prevention and Management of Unsafe Abortion, Report of a
Technical Working Group, Geneva, April 1992 (WHO/MSM/92.5)).
16/ Final Report of the International Conference on Nutrition, Rome,
5-11 December 1992 (Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, 1993), Part II.
17/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the
Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda),
resolution 1, annex I.
18/ General Assembly resolution 317 (IV), annex.
19/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
20/ General Assembly resolution 39/46, annex.
21/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh Session,
Supplement No. 38 (A/47/38), chap. 1.
22/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973, p. 287.
23/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights , chap. III,
sect. II, para. 38.
131
24/ See The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook, vcl. 5: 1980 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.81.IX.4), appendix VII.
25/ General Assembly resolution 48/96, annex.
26/ General Assembly resolution 2106 A (XX), annex.
27/ General Assembly resolution 41/128, annex.
28/ United Nations Environment Programme, Convention on Biological
Diversity (Environmental Law and Institutions Programme Activity Centre),
June 1992.