ENB:06:13
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NEW ZEALAND:
Heather Dowsett of New Zealand noted that
preparations for the Conference have succeeded in increasing
awareness of population issues and their linkages to development.
She called the present structure of the document "a little
unwieldy" and said that the final document should be more
flexible, less repetitious and more action-oriented. For internal
consistency, the document will need to get the linkages and
balance right between principles, sectoral and cross-sectoral
issues. Each of the principles needs to explicitly recognize
women's concerns and gender considerations. She reiterated her
government's support for a set of substantive, realistic goals
linked to activities. She called for mainstreaming population in
the work of the UN and establishing roles for implementing and
monitoring the outcomes of Cairo. In the chapter on Gender
Equality and Empowerment of Women she wants to see activities
that will involve women in decision-making and will tackle the
issue of male responsibility. In the chapter on Reproductive
Rights the treatment of abortion needs to be further developed.
Indigenous issues need to be woven throughout the document.