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| Closing
Plenary. . .
Delegates
express their condolences for the passing of Syrian President Hafez
al-Assad |
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In his closing remarks, GA President Theo-Ben Gurirab said there
was no backward movement on any of the Beijing language or commitments
and the PFA remains valid for national and international actions
and highlighted progress made on issues such as violence against
women, trafficking, health, including the right to sexual and reproductive
health, education, human rights, poverty, debt relief and globalization,
armed conflict, sovereignty, land and inheritance rights for women,
political participation and decisionmaking. He said Beijing+5 was
to further the global agenda for the advancement of women through
inclusive governance, empowerment and gender equality. He urged
governments to demonstrate the necessary political will in implementing
the PFA. He wished delegates godspeed and in reference to the upcoming
Special Session for Copenhagen+5, he closed with "Geneva, here
we come!"
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Suriname,
on behalf of CARICOM, hightlighted Structural Adjustment Programmes,
high external debt and globalization as challenging presenting obstacles
for implementing the PFA. She said CARICOM was pleased with the
consensus reached on the issue of violence against women.
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Nigeria,
on behalf of the G-77/China, said developing countries have undertaken
policy reforms and have demonstrated the necessary poltical will,
and called on developed countries and MlI to call to support in concrete
terms through financial assistance and said this is the only way developing
countries will be able to implement commitments. |
Portugal,
on behalf of the European Union,
lamented it was not possible to include language on discrimination
on the basis of sexual orientation or language agreed at ICPD+5 regading
abortion issues. He was disappointed that there was no explicit refernece
to sexual rights of women, but was pleased with language on violence
against women, which recognized honor killings and marital rape as
crimes. |
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The
Sudenese delegations
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| The final
Committee of the Whole. . . |
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Delegates
express their condolences in the COW for the passing of Syrian President
Hafez al-Assad and solidarity with the people of Syria
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Chair
Christina Kapalata said she had been humbled by her experiences
as Chairperson and said the women of the world deserve nothing less
than peace, development and equality in the 21st century
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Delegates
mingle before the final COW on Saturday
Angela
King and Chair Christina Kapalata
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Chair
Kapalata with Vice-Chair and Rapporteur Monica Martinez, Ecuador
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| The
final night of negotiations . . .
Delegates met all night to resolve outstanding paragraphs on morning
hours on Friday. . . . . |
 Some
of the issues NGOs identified as being strengthened in the agreed
language of the Beijing+5 Outcomes document were as follows: Health:
Maternal mortality, making it a health sector priority; Education
programmes to enable men to practice safer sex; Gender aspects of
diseases such as malaria; Affirm the goals of ICPD+5; and Health sector
reform, impact on women's access to health services. Violence:
Honor killings and forced marriage, addressed for the first time
in an international consensus document; Dowry related violence, strengthened
language calling on governments to take comprehensive measures to
eliminate it; and Marital rape legislation and stronger mechanisms
are called for to address all forms of domestic violence. Globalization:
Recognition of negative impacts on women and gender differences,
and Ensuring equal access to social protection; equal participation
in macroeconomic
 decisionmaking.
Economy: Right to inheritance and property rights; Right to
housing; Gender budgets; and ILO Declaration on women's rights at
work. Human Rights: Ratify Optional Protocol to CEDAW; Right
gender related asylum; and Increased recognition of specific needs
and rights of indigenous women. Political Empowerment: Quotas
and other measures to increase women's participation in political
parties and parliaments.
Some participants regretted that there was not nougat political will
on the part of some governments and the UN system to agree on a stronger
document with more concrete benchmarks, numerical goals, time-bound
targets, indicators and resources aimed at implementing Beijing+5,
noting that the Political Declaration reaffirms that governments have
the responsibility to implement the PFA. Photos:
Working Group I Chair Kirsten Mlacak with Syria and Working Group
II Chair Asith Bhattacharjee |
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Throughout
the night, delegates huddled in corners attempting to resolve text
on outstanding issues. In these photos above, the US and Cuba try
to make a deal on treatment of sanctions and unilateral measures
in the text
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ENB
writers Violette Larouch and Wendy Jackson speak with Nigerian Delegates
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The
Secretariat kept track of all the text of the paragraphs |
Statements
presented to the Committee of the Whole . . .
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Gro
Harlem Brundtland, Director-General, WHO said there isn't
a single country in the world where men and women enjoy equal opportunities.
She said improving women's health means: reducing the risk of dying
when giving life to a child; ensuring the right to protect themselves
against infection of HIV/AIDS; and speaking out against all forms
of violence, including trafficking and female genital mutilation.
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Mary
Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said it
is vital that all states adopt a gender analysis in all legislation,
programmes and policies and expressed concern that certain states
still refuse to recognize marital rape, do not condemn honor killings
and that domestic violens remains one of the greatest barriers to
women's equality. She called attention to the gender dimension of
racism. She paid tribute to the women's NGOs for their work, and
expressed concern that certain delegations have negotiated in such
a way so as to try to trade what she considers to be fundamental
human rights.
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The Historical Journey: 25 Years of International
Women's Conference Organized
by the Department of Public Information
. Photos (left to right):Angela King, Special Adviser on Gender
Issues and Advancement of Women, Leticia Shahani, Secretary-General
of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of
the UN Decade for Women: Equity, Development and Peace, Nairobi, 1985,
Therese Gastaut, Director of the DPI Public Affairs
Division, who served as Conference Spokeswoman at the Nairobi and
Beijing Conferences, and Gertrude Mongella, Secretary-General
of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995 |
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Panel Discussion:
"Women: The New Leadership for United Nations Agencies,"
Organized
by WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR and UNFPA
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Left to Right:
Dr. Nafis Sadik, Executive Director, UNFPA, Mary Robinson,
High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNHCR, Gro Harlem Brundtland,
Director-General, WHO, Moderator Patricia Ellis, Executive
Director, Women's Foreign Policy Group, Catherine Bertini,
Executive Director, World Food Programme, and Carol Bellamy,
Executive Director, UNICEF |
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The
Sultanate of Oman: Coordination Committee for Women's Voluntary
Work
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ENB Summary of CSW-44 and the Informal
Consultations
Linkages FWCW page
UN Division for the Advancement of Women Beijing +5 Site with official
documents and information
for participants
Special
Events during the Special Session
|
BNT (version française)
