Preparatory
Meeting Ends Work, Adopts Agreed Conclusions
on 2000 Review of Implementation of Beijing Platform for Action
Geneva, 21 January 2000
European
Governments Commit to Full Implementation of Platform,
Declare Achievement of Gender Equality an
International Priority
A three-day European meeting on
women's issues ended this afternoon with the adoption of a series of agreed conclusions
committing Governments of the region to full implementation of the Platform for Action
they first pledged to enact at the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women. The
conclusions also call for special attention and support for women in European countries in
transition to market economies, noting "disproportionate negative impacts" there
on women's lives and livelihoods.
In addition, the agreement asserts that
Governments bear the primary responsibility for putting the Beijing Platform for Action
and its twelve areas of concern into effect and that the promotion of equality between
women and men is a matter of priority for the international community.
Along with a preamble, the adopted
document has sections on women and the economy, women and violence, women and girls in
armed-conflict situations, women in power and decision-making, and institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women -- all of which were the subject of panel
discussions either earlier in the week or this morning.
Agreed conclusions on the topic of
violence against women call, among other things, for a comprehensive approach that combats
all forms of such violence and includes basic principles, strengthened research and
information-sharing, and increased action by police, judicial bodies, educational and
health-care institutions, NGOs and the media; and for greater steps to combat domestic
violence. Measures related to "women and girls in armed conflict situations"
urge, among other things, development of relevant international and national legislation
and greater protection and support for the victims of such violence.
The section on women in power and
decision-making remarks, among other things, that an "enabling environment" must
be created to allow increased participation of women at higher levels of Government and
other centres of policy formation.
The preparatory session, formally entitled
the Regional Preparatory Meeting on the 2000 Review of the Implementation of the Beijing
Platform of Action, adjourned after closing statements by Chairwoman Patricia Flor
(Germany) and Economic Commission for Europe Executive Secretary Yves Berthelot.
Through the agreed conclusions, the
gathering, which was organized by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), in partnership
with the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Development Fund
for Women (UNIFEM), the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, the Council of Europe,
and the European Commission, has provided European input for a special session of the
United Nations General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: Gender Equality,
Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century" to be held in June in New York.
The General Assembly will focus on progress made in the wake of the Fourth World
Conference on Women held in Beijing five years ago.
The afternoon meeting began with
completion of a panel discussion on institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women.
An NGO representative said it was the unanimous recommendation of the NGO Caucus of the
preparatory session that a Fifth World Conference on Women should be held in the year
2005. A Vice Chairwoman of the session responded that European Governments could not yet
take a position as they would need time to consider the proposal. Also participating in
the debate were representatives of Moldova; Denmark; Estonia; Kyrgyzstan; Slovakia; San
Marino; and Dutch Council on Youth and Population.
Agreed conclusions
The preparatory session adopted by
consensus a series of conclusions and recommendations.
A preamble states, among other things,
that Governments of the ECE region reaffirm their commitment to the goals and objectives
of the Beijing Platform for Action in their entirety and to the full implementation of all
twelve critical areas of concern cited in the Platform, and that Governments accept
primary responsibility for the full implementation of the Platform; that human rights of
women and girls are an inalienable and indivisible part of universal human rights and must
therefore be protected and realized at all stages of the life cycle; that the countries of
the ECE region with economies in transition and emerging democracies remain fragile and
require special attention and support, particularly to address the disproportionately
negative impacts of transition processes on women's lives and livelihoods, and that women
from those countries have the right and capacity to play active parts in the development
and governance of those States; that ECE member States will continue to overcome obstacles
and undertake further action to implement the Platform for Action; and that NGOs play an
important role in implementation of the Platform and that additional NGOs involved in
women's issues should be accredited to participate in the Beijing review process.
A section on "women and the
economy" states, among other things, that ECE member States reaffirm their
previous commitments concerning equal participation of women and men in the economy; and
that members of the Council of Europe and the European Union reaffirm previous commitments
to the 1992 EC Directive on Maternity Leave; the Council of Europe Recommendation R (96) 5
on reconciling work and family life (1996) and a series of other directives, declarations,
and social charters. To eliminate discrimination in the labour market, the conclusions
call, among other things, for further development and application of legislation and rules
to that end; for elimination of gender-based vertical and horizontal segregation in the
labour market; and for establishment of a sound system of monitoring and evaluation. To
create increased employment opportunities for women, the conclusions call for further
development of the employability of women, for fostering women's access to self-employment
and entrepreneurship, and for Government and private-sector support of women's employment.
Steps recommended to promote gender equality in social protection include developing a new
approach to social protection in response to new trends in employment, including the rise
of atypical jobs and increased work flexibility, and for measures to meet changing needs
for dependent care.
A chapter on "violence against women
and girls" calls, among other things, for a comprehensive approach that combats all
forms of such violence and includes basic principles, strengthened research and
information-sharing, and increased action by police, judicial bodies, educational and
health-care institutions, NGOs and the media; for greater steps to combat domestic
violence, including making the phenomenon more of a public matter, developing and
enforcing laws, and providing appropriate assistance and protection to victims; and for an
end to trafficking in women and girls through strengthening of laws and their enforcement,
preventive measures, and protection and support of victims of trafficking.
A section on "women and girls in
armed conflict situations" urges, among other things, development of relevant
international and national legislation and enhanced implementation of such legislation;
calls for protecting and supporting the victims of such violence by ensuring the human
rights of women and girl victims of violence during and after armed conflicts and by
improving rehabilitation and reintegration programmes; and recommends creation of an
enabling environment for lasting peace through recognition and promotion of the role of
women in peace processes and promotion of peace in general through such steps as support
for the reconstruction of democratic institutions and gender-sensitivity training to
enable women to take roles at the highest levels of peace-building processes.
A chapter on "women in power and
decision-making" calls for creation of an enabling environment for increased
participation of women in power and decision-making through promotion of public awareness
on the positive role and contribution of women in decision-making positions and
establishment of a sound system of monitoring and evaluation; and calls for steps to
foster women's participation in political bodies and elected bodies, and in high-level
positions in government and appointed bodies, and
for promotion of women's access to
high-level decision-making positions in economic and social spheres.
The final section, on "institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women", urges strengthening such mechanisms through
making their mandates more powerful, ensuring their continued role and strength and the
influence of mainstreaming policies, and providing support to national mechanisms in
countries with economies in transition and developing countries; calls for the development
of tools for enforcing and monitoring policies of equality; and recommends strengthening
the synergy between civil society and institutional mechanisms for gender equality.
Closing statements
PATRICIA FLOR (Germany),
Chairperson, said the meeting had accomplished a great deal in three days and that the
progress achieved was largely a result of the cooperation and flexibility shown by
national delegations and NGOs. With regard to women and the economy, it was clear that
practical measures needed to be found to enable women and men to reconcile work and family
obligations; on the subject of violence against women, it was apparent that zero-tolerance
campaigns were necessary -- such violence simply couldn't be accepted; in war and conflict
situations, it was encouraging that international legal standards were being developed,
but such measures would be of little use if they weren't enforced. When it came to
enhancing the role of women in positions of power and decision-making, she said, it was
clear that the setting of targets and time-bound goals was a useful tool. Institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women, finally, required not only announced Government
commitment but sufficient funding.
YVES BERTHELOT, Executive Secretary of the
Economic Commission for Europe, underlined the remarkable dialogue between governmental
officials and NGOs throughout the meeting. He hoped it would set a precedent for the
participation of the civil society in future meetings. He quoted two sentences from the
debate which will shape the action of ECE: "The mainstreaming of gender issues is the
responsibility of men as well as women" and "Gender mainstreaming has to be
organised". He was pleased to announce that he has had preliminary conversations with
a number of Member States to see how to secure resources for organising gender
mainstreaming in the core activities of ECE and to provide assistance to interested
countries with economies in transition. In this endeavour he will pursue the co-operation
with NGOs, UNDP, UNIFEM, the Council of Europe and the European Commission which were
fully involved and precious in the preparation and conduct of this meeting.
* * *
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