The Commission on the Status of Women 37th Session took place in Geneva, 28 June-30 July 1993
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Contents
I.
Matters Calling for Action by the Economic and Social Council or brought to its attention
A. Draft resolutions
I.
Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
II. Draft declaration on the elimination of violence
against women
III. Communications on the status of women
IV. Women, environment and development
V. Women and children under apartheid
VI. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women
VII. Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women
B. Draft decisions
I. Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its
thirty-seventh session and provisional agenda and documentation for the thirty-eighth
session of the Commission
II. Inter-sessional working group of the Commission on the
Status of Women on the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action
for Equality, Development and Peace
C.
Resolutions of the Commission brought to the attention of the Council
37/1.
Preliminary proposals for the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women
for the period 1996-2001
37/2. Inter-agency coordination
37/3.
Rape and abuse of women in the territory of the former Yugoslavia
37/4. World Conference on
Human Rights
37/5. Women and legal literacy
37/6. Women and development
37/7.
Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development
and Peace
37/8. Women in extreme poverty
37/9.
Work programme on the advancement of women and the proposed restructuring of the economic
and social activities of the United Nations
II. Programming and Coordination Matters Related to the United
Nations and the United Nations System
III. Monitoring the Implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-Looking Strategies
IV. Priority Themes
A.
Equality: increasing awareness by women of their rights, including legal literacy
B.
Development: women in extreme poverty: integration of women's concerns in national
development planning
C. Peace: women and the peace process
V. Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action
for Equality, Development and Peace
VI. Provisional Agenda for the 38th Session of the Commission
VII. Adoption of the Report of the Comission on its 37th
Session

1. The Commission on the Status of Women recommends to the Economic and Social Council
the adoption of the following draft resolutions:
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling Articles 1 and 101 of the Charter of the United Nations,
Recalling also Article 8 of the Charter, which provides that the United Nations shall
place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity
and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs,
Recalling further the relevant paragraphs of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for
the Advancement of Women, 1/ especially paragraphs 79, 306, 315, 356 and 358,
Recalling the relevant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly, the Economic
and Social Council and other bodies that have continued to focus on this area since the
adoption of Assembly resolution 2715 (XXV) of 15 December 1970, in which the question of
the employment of women in the Professional category was first addressed,
Noting with concern that the goal of a 30 per cent participation rate of women in posts
subject to geographical distribution by the end of 1990 was not achieved,
Noting also with concern that the participation rate of women in posts at the D-1 level
and above remains unreasonably low, although some welcome improvements have been made in
the form of recent appointments by the Secretary-General,
Aware that a comprehensive policy aimed at preventing and combating sexual harassment
should be an integral part of personnel policy,
Commending the Secretary-General for his administrative instruction containing
procedures for dealing with cases of sexual harassment, 2/
Recalling 14 December 1990, 45/239 C of 21 December 1990, 46/100 of 16 December 1991
and 47/93 of 16 December 1992 of a 35 per cent overall participation rate of women in
posts subject to geographical distribution by 1995,
Recalling also the goal set in General Assembly resolution 45/239 C of a 25 per cent
participation rate of women in posts at the D-1 level and above by 1995,
Bearing in mind that a visible commitment by the Secretary-General, especially during
the continuing restructuring phase, is essential to the achievement of the targets set by
the General Assembly,
Welcoming the commitment of the Secretary-General, expressed in his statement to the
Fifth Committee of the General Assembly on 6 November 1992 to bringing the gender balance
in policy-level positions as close to 50:50 as possible, 3/ and his commitment, expressed
in his message on the occasion of International Women's Day, to ensuring that the number
of women in Professional posts in the Secretariat reflected the world population as a
whole by the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations in 1995, 4/
Welcoming improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat contained in the report
of the Secretary-General, 5/
Welcoming remove the obstacles to the improvement of the status of women in the
Secretariat, 6/
Welcoming 1993 and 1994 to improve the status of women in the Secretariat by 1995, 7/
1. Urges designed to remove the obstacles to the improvement of the status of women in
the Secretariat, 6/ and notes that his visible commitment is essential to the achievement
of the targets set by the General Assembly;
2. Also urges the Secretary-General to further examine existing work practices within
the United Nations system with a view to increasing flexibility so as to remove direct or
indirect discrimination against staff members with family responsibilities, including
further consideration of such issues as job-sharing, flexible working hours, child-care
arrangements, career break schemes and access to training;
3. Further urges the Secretary-General, in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations, to accord greater 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 in resolutions 45/125, 45/239 C,
46/100 and 47/93 of an overall participation rate of 35 per cent by 1995 and 25 per cent
in posts at the D-1 level and above by 1995;
4. Strongly urges the Secretary-General to make further use of the opportunity offered
by the United Nations reorganization process to promote more women into senior-level
positions;
5. Urges the Secretary-General, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
to increase the number of women employed in the Secretariat from developing countries,
particularly those that are unrepresented or underrepresented, and from other countries
that have a low representation of women;
6. Strongly encourages Member States to support the efforts of the United Nations and
the specialized agencies to increase the percentage of women in Professional posts,
especially at the D-1 level and above, by identifying and submitting more women
candidates, encouraging women to apply for vacant posts and creating national rosters of
women candidates;
7. Requests the Secretary-General, within existing resources, to ensure that adequate
machinery, with the authority of enforcement and the responsibility of accountability,
including a senior-level official devoted to the implementation of the action programme
and the recommendations in the report on obstacles to the improvement of the status of
women in the Secretariat, is maintained and strengthened during the course of the
programme for the period 1991-1995;
8. Also requests the Secretary-General to further develop comprehensive policy measures
aimed at the prevention of sexual harassment in the Secretariat;
9. Further requests the Secretary-General to ensure that a progress report containing,
inter alia, policy measures aimed at the prevention of sexual harassment in the
Secretariat is submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth
session and to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session and to ensure that it is
issued in accordance with the six-weeks' rule for the circulation of documentation.
* For the discussion, see chap. II.
DRAFT RESOLUTION II. Draft declaration on the
elimination of violence against women*
[ Up ]
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions on the elimination of violence against women,
especially its resolutions 1991/18 of 30 May 1991 and 1992/18 of 30 July 1992 related to
the elaboration of a United Nations declaration on the subject,
Bearing in mind that the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of
Women 1/ identify violence as a major obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of the
United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace,
Recognizing that the elimination of violence against women is essential to the
achievement of equality for women and is a requirement for the full respect of human
rights,
Convinced that a United Nations declaration on the elimination of violence against
women would make a positive contribution to the achievement of full equality for women,
Recognizing that the effective implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 8/ would contribute to the elimination of
violence against women and that the declaration would strengthen and complement that
process,
1. Expresses its appreciation to the experts, Member States and United Nations
organizations that contributed to the elaboration of the draft declaration on the
elimination of violence against women by the Expert Group Meeting on Violence against
Women held at Vienna from 11 to 15 November 1991, 9/ and the Working Group on Violence
against Women, held at Vienna from 3l August to 4 September 1992; 10/
2. Urges declaration on the elimination of violence against women contained in the
annex to the present resolution;
3. Urges Member States to adopt, strengthen and enforce legislation prohibiting
violence against women and to take all appropriate administrative, social and educational
measures to protect women from all forms of physical, sexual and psychological violence,
whether occurring in public or private life, in accordance with the measures contained in
the draft declaration;
4. Calls on States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women to continue to prepare their reports in accordance with
general recommendation 19 on violence against women, adopted by the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its eleventh session; 11/
5. Invites non-governmental organizations, to take all possible steps to implement the
declaration, once adopted, to disseminate information on it and to promote its
understanding;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all facilities and assistance necessary,
within existing resources, for the dissemination of information on the declaration, once
adopted;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to report, in consultation with Member States,
to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-ninth session, in 1995, and to the
Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-second session, in 1996, on the implementation of
the Declaration, once adopted;
8. Urges Governments to include an evaluation of the impact of the Declaration, once
adopted, in their preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for
Equality, Development and Peace, to be held at Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
Annex: Declaration on the elimination of violence against women
The General Assembly,
Recognizing the urgent need for the universal application to women of the rights and
principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human
persons,
Noting that these rights and principles are enshrined in international instruments,
including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 12/ the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, 13/ the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, 13/ the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, 14/ and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 15/
Recognizing Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would contribute
to the elimination of violence against women and that the Declaration on the Elimination
of Violence against Women, annexed to the present resolution, will strengthen and
complement that process,
Concerned that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of equality,
development and peace, as recognized in the Nairobi Forward- looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women, 1/ which recommend a set of measures to combat violence against
women, and to the full implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women,
Affirming that violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the
enjoyment by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and concerned about the
long-standing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in relation to
violence against women,
Recognizing that violence against women is a manifestation of 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 their full advancement, and
that violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are
forced into a subordinate position compared to men,
Concerned that some groups of women, such as women belonging to minority groups,
indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women 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
especially vulnerable to violence,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990, in the annex
to which it was recognized that violence against women in the family and society was
pervasive and cut across lines of income, class and culture, and had to be matched by
urgent and effective steps to eliminate its incidence,
Recalling further Economic and Social Council resolution 1991/18 of 30 May 1991, in
which the Council recommended the development of a framework for an international
instrument that would address explicitly the issue of violence against women,
Welcoming the role that women's movements have played in drawing increasing attention
to the nature, severity and magnitude of the problem of violence against women,
Alarmed that women's opportunities to achieve legal, social, political and economic
equality in society are limited, inter alia, by continuing and endemic violence,
Convinced that in the light of the above there is a need for a clear and comprehensive
definition of violence against women, a clear statement of the rights to be applied to
ensure the elimination of violence against women in all its forms, a commitment by States
in respect of their responsibilities, and a commitment by the international community at
large towards the elimination of violence against women,
Solemnly proclaims the following Declaration and urges that every effort be made so
that it becomes generally known and respected:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Declaration, 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.
Article 2
Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be 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.
Article 3
Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other
field. These rights include, inter alia:
(a) The right to life; 16/
(b) The right to equality; 17/
(c) The right to liberty and security of person; 18/
(d) The right to equal protection under the law; 19/
(e) The right to be free from all forms of discrimination; 19/
(f) The right to the highest standard attainable of physical and mental health; 20/
(g) The right to just and favourable conditions of work; 21/
(h) The right not to be subjected to torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment. 22/
Article
States should condemn violence against women and should not invoke any custom,
tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its
elimination. States should pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of
eliminating violence against women and, to this end should:
(a) Consider, where they have not yet done so, ratifying or acceding to the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or withdrawing
reservations to that Convention;
(b) Refrain from engaging in violence against women;
(c) 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;
(d) Develop penal, civil, labour and administrative sanctions in domestic legislation
to punish and redress the wrongs caused to women who are subjected to violence; women who
are subjected to violence should be provided with access to the mechanisms of justice and,
as provided for by national legislation, to just and effective remedies for the harm that
they have suffered; States should also inform women of their rights in seeking redress
through such mechanisms;
(e) Consider the possibility of developing national plans of action to promote the
protection of women against any form of violence, or to include provisions for this
purpose in plans already existing, taking into account, as appropriate, such cooperation
as can be provided by non-governmental organizations, particularly those concerned with
this subject;
(f) Develop, in a comprehensive way, preventive approaches and all those measures of a
legal, political, administrative and cultural nature that promote the protection of women
against any form of violence, and ensure that the re-victimization of women does not occur
because of gender-insensitive laws, enforcement practices or other interventions;
(g) Work to ensure, to the maximum extent feasible in the light of their available
resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation, that women
subjected to violence and, where appropriate, their children have specialized assistance,
such as rehabilitation, assistance in child care and maintenance, treatment, counselling,
health and social services, facilities and programmes, as well as support structures, and
should take all other appropriate measures to promote their safety and physical and
psychological rehabilitation;
(h) Include in government budgets adequate resources for their activities related to
the elimination of violence against women;
(i) Take measures to ensure that law enforcement officers and public officials
responsible for implementing policies to prevent, investigate and punish violence against
women receive training to sensitize them to the needs of women;
(j) 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;
(k) 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 on the causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of violence
against women and on the effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress
violence against women; these statistics and findings of the research will be made public;
(l) Adopt measures directed to the elimination of violence against women who are
especially vulnerable to violence;
(m) Include, in submitting reports as required under relevant human rights instruments
of the United Nations, information pertaining to violence against women and measures taken
to implement the present Declaration;
(n) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines to assist in the implementation
of the principles set forth in the present Declaration;
(o) Recognize the important role of the women's movement and non-governmental
organizations world wide in raising awareness and alleviating the problem of violence
against women;
(p) Facilitate and enhance the work of the women's movement and non-governmental
organizations and cooperate with them at local, national and regional levels;
(q) Encourage intergovernmental regional organizations of which they are members to
include the elimination of violence against women in their programmes, as appropriate.
Article 5
The organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations system should, within their
respective fields of competence, contribute to the recognition and realization of the
rights and the principles set forth in the present Declaration, and to this end should,
inter alia:
(a) Foster international and regional cooperation with a view to defining regional
strategies for combating violence, exchanging experiences and financing programmes
relating to the elimination of violence against women;
(b) Promote meetings and seminars with the aim of creating and raising the awareness
among all persons in respect of the issue of the elimination of violence against women;
(c) Foster coordination and exchange within the United Nations system between human
rights treaty bodies to effectively address the matter;
(d) Include in analyses prepared by bodies and agencies of the United Nations system of
social trends and problems, such as the periodic reports on the world social situation,
examination of trends in violence against women;
(e) Encourage coordination between bodies and agencies of the United Nations system to
incorporate the issue of violence against women into ongoing programmes, particularly with
reference to groups of women particularly vulnerable to violence;
(f) Promote the formulation of guidelines or manuals relating to violence against
women, taking into account the measures mentioned herein;
(g) Consider the issue of the elimination of violence against women, as appropriate, in
fulfilling their mandates including with respect to the implementation of human rights
instruments;
(h) Cooperate with non-governmental organizations in addressing violence against women.
Article 6
Nothing in the present Declaration shall affect any provision that is more conducive to
the elimination of violence against women that may be contained in the legislation of a
State or in any international convention, treaty or other instrument in force in a State.
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its resolutions 76 (V) of 5 August 1947 and 304 I (XI) of 14 and 17 July
1950, which form the basis for the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women to
receive at each of its regular sessions a list of confidential and non-confidential
communications relating to the status of women,
Taking into consideration its resolution 1983/27 of 26 May 1983, in which it reaffirmed
the mandate of the Commission to consider confidential and non-confidential communications
on the status of women and authorized the Commission to appoint a working group to
consider communications, with a view to bringing to the attention of the Commission those
communications, including the replies of Governments, which appeared to reveal a
consistent pattern of reliably attested injustice and discriminatory practices against
women,
Reaffirming that discrimination against women is incompatible with human dignity and
that women and men should participate on the basis of equality, irrespective of race or
creed, in the social, economic and political processes of their countries,
Recalling its resolution 1990/8 of 24 May 1990, by which it requested the
Secretary-General to examine, in consultation with Governments, the existing mechanisms
for communications on the status of women, in order to ensure that such communications
received effective and appropriately coordinated consideration in view of the role of
communications in the work of the Commission, and to report thereon to the Commission at
its thirty-fifth session,
Recalling also its resolution 1992/19 of 30 July 1992, in which it requested the
Secretary-General to publicize widely the existence and scope of the communications
mechanism of the Commission and to ensure proper coordination of the activities of the
Commission in this area with those of the other bodies of the Council and requested the
Commission to consider ways of making the procedure for receiving and considering
communications, including the standard of admissibility, more transparent and efficient,
Noting the conclusion of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women, in
its report to the Commission at its thirty-fifth session 23/ that, while the
communications procedure provided a valuable source of information on the effects of
discrimination on the lives of women, it should be improved to make it more efficient and
useful, and that clear criteria for receiving communications should be given,
1. Reaffirms that the Commission on the Status of Women is empowered to make
recommendations to the Economic and Social Council on what action should be taken on
emerging trends and patterns of discrimination against women revealed by such
communications;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to publicize widely the existence and
scope of the communications mechanism of the Commission using all available media;
3. Further requests the Secretary-General to continue to support the activities of the
Commission with regard to its consideration of communications and to ensure proper
coordination of the activities of the Commission in this area and those of the other
bodies of the Council;
4. Invites the Commission to take into account the report of the Secretary-General on
examining mechanisms for communications on the status of women, 24/ submitted to the
Commission at its thirty-fifth session, to consider ways of making the existing procedure
for receiving and considering communications more effective;
5. Invites each regional group to appoint, one week before each session of the
Commission, a member of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its thirty-eighth
session on the ways in which the communications mechanism of the Commission has been
publicized;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to ensure that any costs resulting from the
activities set out in the present resolution are kept to a minimum and that the activities
are carried out within existing resources.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
The Economic and Social Council,
Taking into account General Assembly resolution 46/167 of 19 December 1991 on women,
environment, population and sustainable development, in which the Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to include in the report on the effective mobilization and integration
of women in development, to be submitted to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth
session, a section on the role of women in environment and sustainable development,
Recalling Commission on the Status of Women resolution 36/6 of 20 March 1992, in which
the Commission, inter alia, urged Governments to adopt laws, policies and programmes to
promote women's participation in the preservation of the environment, and invited the
Governments of donor countries, international organizations and relevant non-governmental
organizations to ensure that greater attention was given to women's contributions to
environmental protection and management in their cooperation with and assistance to
developing countries, 25/
Welcoming the Assembly took note of the decision of the Secretary-General to establish
a new Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, headed at the
Under-Secretary-General level and called upon the Secretary-General to establish a clearly
identifiable, highly qualified and competent secretariat support structure for the
Commission on Sustainable Development, the Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable
Development and the High-level Advisory Board, taking into account gender balance at all
levels,
Welcoming the inclusion of principle 20 in the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 26/
according to which women have a vital role in environmental management and development and
their full participation is therefore essential to achieving sustainable development, and
the integration of gender issues into Agenda 21, 27/ including the special focus on women
in chapter 24 of Agenda 21,
Noting that in Agenda 21, paragraph 24.9, it is recommended that the Secretary-General
review the adequacy of all United Nations institutions in meeting development and
environment objectives, consider how the environment and development programmes of each
body of the United Nations system could be strengthened to implement Agenda 21, consider
how to incorporate the role of women in programmes and decisions related to sustainable
development, and, in particular, make recommendations to strengthen the capacities of
United Nations entities with a special focus on women, such as the Division for the
Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the
Secretariat, the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the International Research
and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women,
Noting also the recommendations and objectives proposed for Governments in Agenda 21,
chapter 24, including the objective, contained in paragraph 24.2 (d), to establish by 1995
mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels to assess the implementation
and impact of development and environment policies and programmes on women and to ensure
their contributions and benefits,
Recognizing that the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development
and Peace will provide significant opportunities for reviewing the current status of women
and for establishing priorities for future action, including action in relation to
environment and development,
1. Urges the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Inter-Agency Committee on
Sustainable Development and the High-level Advisory Board to develop appropriate
mechanisms to ensure that the objectives and activities relating to the role of women in
sustainable development, both as agents and as beneficiaries, in Agenda 21 are supported,
the objectives are met and activities and other recommended actions are implemented and
that Governments and all relevant United Nations entities monitor and report on the
subject;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to include information on the subject in the section
on the role of women in environment and sustainable development in his report on the
effective mobilization and integration of women in development that is to be submitted to
the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session, in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 46/167;
3. Urges Governments to take into account and to implement the recommendations in
Agenda 21 in order to ensure the participation of women in developing, and making
decisions on, policies and programmes relating to environmental management and sustainable
development;
4. Requests Governments to include in their reports to the Fourth World Conference on
Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace information on the extent to which the
objectives for Governments proposed in Agenda 21, chapter 24, relating to women, have been
met and the activities recommended in that chapter have been implemented;
5. Agrees to review the current and planned activities of the Commission on the Status
of Women in order to determine which recommendations in Agenda 21 relating to women are
already being included in those activities and to consider how the others might be
incorporated in future activities of the Commission, including the preparations for the
Fourth World Conference on Women;
6. Requests the Commission on the Status of Women to examine, in its discussion on the
preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women at its thirty-eighth session, the
recommendations in Agenda 21 relating to women, with a view to:
(a) Identifying ways of facilitating implementation of the recommendations, including
consideration of the role of Governments, intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental organizations;
(b) Considering ways in which the Commission on the Status of Women might cooperate
with and provide support for the Commission on Sustainable Development in ensuring the
effective integration of issues on the status of women in its programme of work.
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its resolution 1992/15 of 30 July 1992,
Reaffirming the provisions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive
Consequences in Southern Africa, contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution
S-16/1 of 14 December 1989,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 47/95 of 16 December 1992,
Alarmed by the grave socio-economic deprivation to which the majority of the people,
especially the women and children, are subjected as a direct consequence of apartheid,
Deeply concerned about the politically motivated violence that has to date claimed
thousands of lives and has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, the majority of
whom are women and children, especially in Natal and Transvaal provinces,
Noting the positive changes initiated by the South African authorities aimed at
dismantling apartheid, which were the result of the relentless struggle waged by the
people of South Africa as well as of the pressure exerted by the international community,
Welcoming the progress made by the Conference for a Democratic South Africa, and
encouraging the multi-party forum to discuss and debate the political dispensation and
future of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa,
Concerned at the fact that women are not integrated in the ongoing attempts to resolve
the problems of South Africa by peaceful means, as envisaged in the Declaration on
Apartheid, and stressing the need to ensure their full participation in that process by,
inter alia, directly involving the gender advisory committee in the multi-party forum,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on women and children living under
apartheid, 28/ in which it is mentioned that the Government of South Africa signed on 29
January 1993 a number of conventions aimed at promoting and implementing fundamental
rights and freedoms without distinction as to sex, namely, the Convention on the Political
Rights of Women, 29/ the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women, 30/ the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 31/ the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
32/ and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 33/
Noting draft bill on the promotion of equal opportunities and concerned that it failed
to deal with questions of substantive sexism that are integral to the problems of poverty,
ignorance and disempowerment,
Convinced that the present legal system requires structural changes to be relevant to a
new and just South Africa and that the draft bill should represent the views and
experiences of those mostly affected by it,
Recognizing that the equality of women and men cannot be achieved without the success
of the struggle towards a united, non-racist, non-sexist and democratic South Africa,
Commending the role played by the United Nations, particularly the Centre against
Apartheid and the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat, in helping South African women to
participate fully in the process of establishing a non-racist, non-sexist democracy in
South Africa,
1. Commends those women both inside and outside South Africa who have resisted
oppression and have remained steadfast in their opposition to apartheid;
2. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of any political prisoners and
detainees, among whom are women and children, in accordance with the undertaking of the
South African authorities;
3. Urges those involved in the multi-party forum to place high on their agenda issues
concerning women such as freedom, justice and equality, development and the environment;
4. Appeals to all countries and United Nations bodies, in conformity with General
Assembly resolution 46/79 of 13 December 1991 and in consultation with liberation
movements, to increase their support for educational, health, vocational training and
employment opportunities for women and children living under apartheid;
5. Requests the Centre against Apartheid to widen and strengthen its cooperation with
the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social Development and
Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat, with a view to creating specific programmes of
assistance to South African women to enable them to participate fully in the process of
transition of their country towards a non-racist democracy;
6. Appeals to the international community to give its full and concerted support to the
vulnerable and critical process now under way in South Africa through a phased application
of appropriate pressures on the South African authorities as warranted by developments and
to provide assistance to the opponents of apartheid and the disadvantaged sectors of
society in order to ensure the rapid and peaceful attainment of the objectives of the
Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa;
7. Further requests the international community to provide financial, material and
human resources to South African women towards the establishment of special programmes and
projects geared to women's integration and advancement now and in post-apartheid South
Africa;
8. Calls upon the Secretary-General to consolidate the United Nations observer mission
already deployed in South Africa to monitor and report on the unprecedented proportion of
incidents of political and domestic violence directed against women and children from a
variety of sources;
9. Decides that the Commission on the Status of Women should remain seized of the
question of women and children living under apartheid;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission on the Status of Women
at its thirty-eighth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
DRAFT RESOLUTION VI. Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women*
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The Economic and Social Council,
Bearing in mind that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women 34/ is the most important international human rights instrument for the
promotion of equality between women and men,
Welcoming the growing number of States parties to the Convention, which now stands at
one hundred and twenty,
Noting with concern that the Convention is still the human rights instrument with the
most reservations, despite the fact that some States parties have withdrawn their
reservations to it,
Noting the importance of the monitoring function of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women, as demonstrated most recently by the Committee at its
twelfth session, at which the Committee adopted suggestion 4 on the World Conference on
Human Rights and also adopted, in substance, and decided to place on the provisional
agenda of its thirteenth session for final approval without discussion, a draft general
recommendation on article 16 and related articles 9 and 15 of the Convention, to be its
contribution to the International Year of the Family,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 47/94 of 16 December 1992,
Recalling its resolution 1991/25 of 30 May 1991 and other General Assembly and Economic
and Social Council resolutions relating to support for the Committee,
Noting that the annual session of the Committee is the shortest of all the annual
sessions of the human rights treaty bodies,
Welcoming the expressed intention of the Committee to strengthen the analysis of
country reports provided to it,
1. Supports the request of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women for additional meeting time for its future sessions, as allocated to it for its
twelfth and thirteenth sessions;
2. Welcomes suggestion 4 on the World Conference on Human Rights, adopted by the
Committee at its twelfth session, and the draft general recommendation adopted, in
substance by the Committee at that session, both of which were submitted to the Commission
on the Status of Women at its thirty-seventh session, and encourages the Committee to
continue its work in developing detailed general recommendations;
3. Requests States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women to review regularly their reservations and make efforts to
withdraw them in order to enable the full implementation of the Convention;
4. Urges the Secretary-General to continue to widely publicize the decisions and
recommendations of the Committee.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
DRAFT RESOLUTION VII. Situation of and assistance
to Palestinian women*
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]
The Economic and Social Council,
Having considered with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General on the
situation of Palestinian women in the occupied territory 35/ and previous reports
concerning the situation of Palestinian women inside and outside the occupied Palestinian
territory,
Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 1/ in
particular paragraph 260 thereof,
Recalling also its resolution 1992/16 of 21 July 1992 and its other relevant
resolutions,
Deeply concerned about the additional suffering of women and children living under
occupation,
Expressing special concern about the tragic situation of the Palestinian women in the
occupied Palestinian territory, which has been dangerously deteriorating at all levels,
Deeply alarmed by the deteriorating condition of Palestinian women and children in the
occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, as a result of the continued Israeli
violation of Palestinian human rights and oppressive measures, including collective
punishments, curfews, demolition of houses, closure of schools and universities, mass
deportation, confiscation of land and settlement activities and denial of family
unification, which are illegal and contrary to the relevant provisions of the Geneva
Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August
1949, 36/
1. Reaffirms integration in the national development plan can be achieved only through
the termination of the Israeli occupation and the attainment of the inalienable rights of
the Palestinian people;
2. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, accept the de jure applicability of the
Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12
August 1949, to the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and to respect
the provisions of the Convention;
3. Appeals to Governments, financial organizations of the United Nations system,
non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions to provide financial
assistance to Palestinian women towards the creation of specific projects for them, in
support of their attempts to achieve full integration in the development process of their
society;
4. Requests the Commission on the Status of Women to continue monitoring the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in
particular paragraph 260 concerning assistance to Palestinian women;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to assist in and review the situation of Palestinian
women using all available resources, including missions of experts to the occupied
Palestinian territory and to submit to the Commission, at its thirty-eighth session, a
report on the implementation of the present resolution, containing recommendations and a
programme of action aimed at improving the condition of Palestinian women under Israeli
occupation.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
2. The Commission on the Status of Women recommends to the Economic and Social Council
the adoption of the following draft decisions:
DRAFT DECISION I. Report of the Commission on the
Status of Women on its thirty-seventh session and provisional agenda and documentation for
the thirty-eighth session of the Commission*
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The Economic and Social Council takes note of the report of the Commission on the
Status of Women on its thirty-seventh session and approves the provisional agenda and
documentation for the thirty-eighth session of the Commission set out below.
PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND DOCUMENTATION FOR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON
THE STATUS OF WOMEN
1. Election of officers.
(Legislative authority: rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions
of the Economic and Social Council)
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
(Legislative authority: Economic and Social Council resolution 1894 (LVII); rules 5 and
7 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social
Council)
3. Programming and coordination matters related to the United Nations and the United
Nations system.
(Legislative authority: Programme planning regulation 4.12; General Assembly
resolutions 45/125, 45/239 C, 46/100, 47/93; Economic and Social Council resolutions
1988/60, 1989/30, 1989/105; draft resolution I above)
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General containing updated information on the status of women
in the Secretariat and a comprehensive policy on measures aimed at the prevention of
sexual harassment in the Secretariat
For information
Report of the Secretary-General on the status of women in the Secretariat (A/48/ )
4. Monitoring the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women.
(Legislative authority: General Assembly resolutions 34/180, 44/77, 45/124, 45/129,
46/79, 47/94, 47/95; Economic and Social Council resolutions 1983/27, 1990/8, 1992/15,
1992/16, 1992/17; Commission resolution 34/1, draft resolution III above and Commission
resolution 37/3)
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women
Report of the Secretary-General on women and children under apartheid
Report of the Secretary-General on the ways in which the communications mechanism of
the Commission has been publicized
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting a list of confidential and non-confidential
communications concerning the status of women
For information
Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its
twelfth session (A/48/ )
Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (A/48/ )
Reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the former
Yugoslavia.
5. Priority themes.
(Legislative authority: Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15)
(a) Equality: Equal pay for work of equal value, including methodologies for
measurement of pay inequities and work in the informal sector
(b) Development: Women in urban areas: population, nutrition and health factors for
women in development, including migration, drug consumption and acquired immune deficiency
syndrome
(c) Peace: Measures to eradicate violence against women in the family and society
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on equal pay for work of equal value, including
methodologies for measurement of pay inequities and work in the informal sector
Report of the Secretary-General entitled "Women in urban areas: population,
nutrition and health factors for women in development, including migration, drug
consumption and acquired immune deficiency syndrome"
Report of the Secretary-General on measures to eradicate violence against women in the
family and society
6. Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality,
Development and Peace.
(Legislative authority: General Assembly resolutions 44/171, 45/129, 46/98; Economic
and Social Council resolutions 1987/20, 1990/9, 1990/12, 1990/15; Commission resolutions
35/4, 36/8 and 37/7)
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on preparations for the Fourth World Conference on
Women (1995)
Report of the Secretary-General on the final version of the update of the World Survey
on the Role of Women in Development
Report of the Secretary-General on the draft rules of procedure for the Fourth World
Conference on Women
Report of the Secretary-General on the first draft of the Platform for Action
Report of the Secretary-General on existing technical and financial cooperation
targeting programmes in favour of women, as well as guidelines for a comprehensive plan to
overcome constraints and increase such cooperation
Report of the Secretary-General on institutional arrangements for the implementation of
the Platform for Action and for the programme on the advancement of women and an appraisal
of options for considering the item at the Fourth World Conference on Women
7. Provisional agenda for the thirty-ninth session of the Commission.
8. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its thirty-eighth session.
* For the discussion, see chap. VI.
DRAFT DECISION II. Inter-sessional working group of
the Commission on the Status of Women on the Platform for Action of the Fourth World
Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace*
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The Economic and Social Council, taking into account the need to provide the Commission
on the Status of Women with the necessary time to complete the draft Platform for Action
for further consideration by the Commission and regional preparatory conferences, and
bearing in mind the urgency of the need for national preparatory committees and regional
preparatory conferences to consider the draft Platform for Action,
Decides that an inter-sessional working group of the Commission on the Status of Women
should be convened for a period of five working days during the first two weeks of January
1994, open to all Member States and observer States, to further develop the structure of
the Platform for Action contained in the annex to Commission resolution 37/7.
* For the discussion, see chap. V.
3. The following resolutions adopted by the Commission are brought to the attention of
the Council:
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Bearing in mind that the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for
the period 1990-1995 (E/1987/52) has yet to be evaluated,
Bearing in mind that the United Nations planning cycle to which the system-wide
medium-term plan for the advancement of women was matched has changed and that there has
been a general shift to a more strategic form of planning,
Recognizing that the Platform for Action to emerge from the Fourth World Conference on
Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace cannot be reflected in the system-wide
medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, which must be
approved in 1993,
Having been informed that the Ad hoc Inter-agency Meeting on Women, at its seventeenth
session, held from 15 to 16 March 1993, recommended that the United Nations system
consider the establishment of a new kind of mechanism that would allow system-wide
planning that was more dynamic and flexible with a shorter time-period and that would
serve as a more useful instrument for coordination within the system,
Noting that programme 7 (The role of women in sustainable development) of the
system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001 has yet
to be reformulated in the light of Agenda 21, 37/
Noting Women to make comments and suggestions regarding any necessary changes to the
draft system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001,
1. Recommends that the Economic and Social Council request the Secretary-General to
revise the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period
1996-2001 after the Platform for Action and the second review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women have
been formulated and adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality,
Development and Peace, in 1995;
2. Recommends that the Secretary-General ensure that any revised system-wide
medium-term plan for the advancement of women be more concise, take account of the changes
in the United Nations planning cycle, take a more strategic approach highlighting policy
implications, and include more substantial strategies, time-frames, concrete measures,
resources and allocation of responsibility for implementation;
3. Recommends that the Commission on the Status of Women be given responsibility for
monitoring progress on the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women;
4. Recommends that all United Nations entities be held accountable for the components
of the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women falling within their
areas of responsibility;
5. Recommends that the Secretary-General take into account the detailed comments
annexed to the present resolution in formulating the final text of the system-wide
medium-term plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, to be submitted to
the Economic and Social Council in 1993.
* For the discussion, see chap. II.
Annex. Comments on the System-Wide Medium-Term Plan for the Advancement of Women for
the Period
1996-2001
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A. General comments
The issues raised in Commission on the Status of Women resolution 35/4, paragraph 3,
should be taken up in a more substantive manner in the draft system-wide medium-term plan
for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001.
That paragraph reads as follows:
"The Commission on the Status of Women,
"...
"3. Decides further that the programme of action should continue to focus on
equality, development and peace and should include the following elements:
"(a) The strengthening of efforts at the national and international levels, taking
into account the circumstances in each country, to increase awareness among men and women
of women's rights under international conventions and national law;
"(b) The implementation of special measures to increase the proportion of women
involved in decision-making in the economic, social and political spheres;
"(c) The strengthening of world-wide efforts to end illiteracy among women and
girls by the year 2000;
"(d) The establishment of specific programmes for improving the conditions of
women and girls living in poverty, particularly those living in extreme poverty, by, inter
alia, adequate training to develop their skills and capabilities;
"(e) The establishment of specific programmes aimed at improving women's and
girls' health by ensuring them access to adequate maternal health care, family planning
and nutrition;
"(f) The implementation of policies to prevent, control and reduce violence
against women and girls in the family, the workplace and society;
"(g) The establishment or strengthening of national institutional mechanisms for
the advancement of women;
"(h) The establishment of special programmes aimed at meeting the specific needs
of refugee, displaced and migrant women and girls and those living in conflict areas;
"(i) The elaboration of ways and means of using new and high technologies, as well
as scientific research, to benefit women."
B. Other comments
The Commission on the Status of Women should call for the following:
(a) Giving more attention to system-wide coordination by, inter alia, defining
parameters by which other agencies can measure the effect on their programmes to implement
the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women and the system-wide
medium-term plan for the advancement of women, for the period 1996-2001;
(b) Giving more attention to strengthening national machinery for the advancement of
women;
(c) Having strategies that go beyond research and place more emphasis on making
existing research accessible to interested entities and decision makers;
(d) Making research action-oriented;
(e) Having a representative group drawn from among the national machinery examine the
strategies proposed in the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women for
the period 1996-2001 (e.g., E/CN.6/1993/9 paras. 30, 48-52 and 129) for their validity;
(f) Giving more attention to the development of institutional capacity, awareness,
commitment and competence;
(g) Articulating a vision and overall strategy to ensure that all entities include in
their planning:
(i) Consistent application of gender-analysis methodology;
(ii) Consultation;
(iii) Participatory research;
(iv) Gender sensitization and training;
(h) Substantially reworking programmes;
(i) Having programme objectives that make linkages between development and women's
roles and rights;
(j) Giving more attention to the lack of economic recognition of women's work;
(k) Focusing more strongly on the impact of micro- and macroeconomic reform on women;
(l) Giving more attention to the needs of indigenous women, ageing women and women with
disabilities;
(m) Giving more appropriate coverage of population and reproductive health issues;
(n) Giving more attention in programme 1 (Elimination of legal and attitudinal forms of
discrimination) to the elimination of gender bias in the application of the law;
(o) Giving more attention to the alleviation of poverty;
(p) Giving more attention to civil and political rights;
(q) Recognizing the provisions and implications of the draft declaration on the
elimination of violence against women (E/CN.6/1993/12, annex, appendix I) when it is
adopted;
(r) Giving greater attention to the implications of women's involvement in the informal
sector;
(s) Giving greater attention to part-time, temporary and casual work and to the need
for further work on ensuring that such employment attracts equitable pay and conditions;
(t) Using the term "gender" rather than "sex" in any revised
document, when appropriate;
(u) Programme 2 (Productive resources, income and employment) to be revised to cater
more effectively to the needs of women in developing countries.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Considering the efforts being made on behalf of women by the United Nations through its
various entities,
Taking into account the need to guarantee the effectiveness of the investment inherent
in those efforts, especially in programmes of international, regional and national
cooperation for women,
Recognizing that enhanced communication, coordination and cooperation between United
Nations entities with programmes relating to women would reinforce initiatives for
cooperation among countries,
Calling attention to the desirability that United Nations entities take advantage of
the benefits of inter-agency coordination, given the growing constraints on resources
intended for women's programmes,
Affirming the need to disseminate widely and fully among United Nations entities a
common understanding of gender-focused planning, in order to achieve a systematic approach
to their actions and proposals regarding initiatives related to women,
Recommends that the Secretary-General:
(a) Further promote and institutionalize, to the extent possible, coordination of the
initiatives of United Nations entities in respect of programmes related to women in order
to avoid duplication and gaps;
(b) Promote acceptance of gender-focused strategic planning in all the United Nations
specialized agencies, including all their decision-making bodies concerned with women;
(c) Assign to the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat responsibility for coordinating
activities leading to the establishment of an official common definition of gender-focused
planning for the United Nations system and for promoting its acceptance in agencies of
that system.
* For the discussion, see chap. II.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 38/ the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women 39/ and other relevant human rights instruments,
Welcoming Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/8 of 23 February 1993,
Appalled at the recurring and substantiated reports of widespread rape and abuse of
women and children in the former Yugoslavia, in particular the systematic use of those
practices against Muslim women and children in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Serbian forces,
Welcoming the initiative taken by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human
Rights, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, particularly his prompt dispatch to the former Yugoslavia of a
team of experts, including a member of the Division for the Advancement of Women of the
Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat, to investigate
the allegations of rape and abuse of women,
1. Strongly condemns the abhorrent practices of rape and abuse of women and children in
the former Yugoslavia, which, in the circumstances, constitutes a war crime;
2. Expresses its outrage that the systematic practice of rape is being used as a weapon
of war, in particular against Muslim women and children, and as an instrument of the
policy of "ethnic cleansing" that is being carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina
by Serbian forces and that rape has also been used as an instrument of "ethnic
cleansing" in Croatia;
3. Welcomes the request of the Commission on Human Rights to the Special Rapporteur to
pursue an investigation into the rape and abuse of women and children in the former
Yugoslavia, including the dispatch of a qualified team of experts;
4. Urges the Special Rapporteur to include in the team of experts a representative of
the Division for the Advancement of Women, the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women or both;
5. Welcomes Security Council resolution 808 (1993) of 22 February 1993, establishing an
international criminal tribunal to try cases involving violations of international
humanitarian law occurring within the territory of the former Yugoslavia, and urges the
Security Council to reflect gender balance in the composition of the tribunal;
6. Urges all States and all relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to consider long-term action-oriented plans and programmes and the provision
of adequate financial resources for the physical, social and psychological rehabilitation
of women and children subjected to rape and other forms of violence, utilizing where
possible community self-help groups;
7. Also urges all States and all relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to ensure that counselling and other support for women subjected to rape and
other types of violence form an integral part of health and welfare services in order to
encourage women to avail themselves of such assistance;
8. Requests the Secretary-General to make available to the Commission on the Status of
Women at its thirty-eighth session the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in the former Yugoslavia.
* For the discussion, see chap. II.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Conscious of the importance of the international instruments and standards,
particularly the specific guarantees set forth in the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women, 39/ and the mechanisms established by the United
Nations for the promotion, protection and implementation of human rights and their full
enjoyment by women,
Recalling the importance of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement
of Women 1/ to the enjoyment by women of their human rights,
Convinced that women's contribution to the ways and means of promoting all human rights
for women, men and children alike is invaluable to the achievement of a dignified life for
all,
Recognizing that all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and
fundamental freedoms are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interrelated and, as
such, must be applied and be of benefit to all women without discrimination and must
therefore be approached from a gender perspective,
Noting with satisfaction the resolutions referring to women's rights adopted in
regional meetings as part of the preparatory process for the World Conference on Human
Rights, especially resolution 13 entitled "Protection of the rights of women",
adopted at the African regional meeting held at Tunis from 2 to 6 November 1992,
Welcoming Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/46 of 8 March 1993, entitled
"Integrating the rights of women into the human rights mechanisms of the United
Nations", and resolution 1992/4 of 14 August 1992 of the Subcommission on Prevention
of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, entitled "Discrimination against
women",
Fully recognizing women's democratic rights in society and emphasizing the importance
of equal access to all aspects of development activities, in particular to education and
training, health care, employment, and the use of technologies,
Concerned that women in all regions continue to be discriminated against, because of
their sex, in terms of being able to recognize, exercise and enjoy human rights and are
subject to specific forms of violence such as those listed in the draft declaration on the
elimination of violence against women (E/CN.6/1993/12, annex, appendix I),
Decides to present to the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human
Rights the contribution set out below and urges Member States participating in the
Preparatory Committee at its fourth session and in the World Conference on Human Rights to
ensure that women's rights and concerns are considered under all the substantive items of
the provisional agenda for the World Conference annexed to General Assembly resolution
47/122 of 18 December 1992.
* For the discussion, see chap. III.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND CONCERNS TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SUBSTANTIVE ITEMS OF THE
PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
I. ITEM 9: GENERAL DEBATE ON THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS SINCE THE
ADOPTION OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF
OBSTACLES TO FURTHER PROGRESS IN THIS AREA AND WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN BE OVERCOME
1. The prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex is a part of all human rights
instruments. Underdevelopment, certain social and traditional practices and cultural
patterns and all forms of violence and extremism create obstacles to the full realization
by women of all of their rights. Human rights are universal and indivisible and should
apply to women and men equally. Violations of the human rights of women have not been
fully dealt with by the overall mechanism of human rights instruments, the means for
recourse in the case of violations are not adequate and the process of achieving de facto
equality has been slow.
2. The work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in
advancing a multidisciplinary gender-based approach to the enjoyment of human rights,
empowering women in the spirit of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women, 1/ has made progress in overcoming obstacles related to gender.
II. ITEM 10: CONSIDERATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY AND THE
UNIVERSAL ENJOYMENT OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, KEEPING IN VIEW THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AND
INDIVISIBILITY OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
3. Ensuring the promotion of development and equal enjoyment of universal human rights
for women should be emphasized under item 10 of the provisional agenda for the World
Conference on Human Rights. The role of women in sustainable development as adopted in the
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 40/ should be implemented.
4. Moreover, democracy implies that all women and men have the right and responsibility
to participate equally in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life; unless
women are able to participate on the same basis, democracy cannot be secured.
5. It is accordingly recommended to the World Conference that:
(a) All necessary steps be taken to develop a political, economic, social and cultural
environment conducive to the full integration of women in sustainable development;
(b) The necessary steps be taken to increase cooperation between developing and
developed countries in order to enhance the role of women in development, promote the full
and equitable participation of women in partnership with men as active agents and
beneficiaries in all development activities, particularly at all levels of
decision-making;
(c) Special attention should be given to the problems of women in situations of extreme
poverty and of rural women, as concluded by the Summit on the Economic Advancement of
Rural Women held at Geneva on 25 and 26 February 1992;
(d) Efforts should be intensified to ensure the participation of women on an equal
footing with men in all national and local government bodies and to achieve equity in the
appointment, election and promotion of women to high posts in executive, legislative and
judiciary branches of these bodies.
III. ITEM 11: CONSIDERATION OF CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN AND NEW CHALLENGES TO THE FULL
REALIZATION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND MEN, INCLUDING THOSE OF PERSONS BELONGING TO
VULNERABLE GROUPS
6. More attention should be given to the problem of violence against women. In the
draft declaration on the elimination of violence against women (E/CN.6/1993/12, annex,
appendix I), it is affirmed that violence against women both violates and impairs or
nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights.
7. In addition, attention should be given to the contemporary trend of seeing the
realization of human rights from a gender perspective.
8. Accordingly, it is recommended:
(a) That the World Conference take into account in its deliberations the draft
declaration on the elimination of violence against women;
(b) That Member States ensure equitable participation of women and men in their
delegations to the World Conference and integrate women's rights issues in their national
preparations for the World Conference;
(c) That all national, regional, intergovernmental and international organizations
promote the full participation of women, especially at all levels of the decision-making
process, in their activities;
(d) That, in the preparations for the World Conference, the rights of all women,
including women with disabilities, be included at all levels of participation, including
physical accessibility as well as access to information and communication, and in
decisions of the Conference;
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(e) That a comprehensive gender perspective should be always applied when considering
de jure and de facto enjoyment of human rights.
IV. ITEM 12 (c): RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF UNITED NATIONS
ACTIVITIES AND MECHANISMS
9. The valuable work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women in monitoring and implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women 39/ and the relationship between the Committee and the
Commission on the Status of Women should be recognized. It is recommended that the World
Conference take the following measures:
(a) Women's rights and concerns should be fully integrated into the implementation of
universal human rights and the gender approach should be applied in the work of all human
rights bodies and instruments, and this process should be periodically reviewed and
evaluated;
(b) Member States should ensure equitable representation of women and men as members of
all treaty bodies and working groups and in the appointment of special and thematic
rapporteurs;
(c) All human rights treaty bodies should be placed on the same footing and,
accordingly, the United Nations General Assembly should consider ways and means of
increasing the meeting time of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women, taking into account the specific needs to fulfil its mandate;
(d) Coordination and cooperation between the Commission on Human Rights and the
Commission on the Status of Women, as well as between the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women and other human rights treaty bodies and national machinery
should be improved by, inter alia, mutual representation;
(e) Reservations in all human rights treaties should be carefully examined, especially
those that might raise questions concerning their compatibility with the object and
purpose of the treaties;
(f) The Commission on Human Rights at its fiftieth session should consider appointing a
special rapporteur on violence against women;
(g) The gender perspective should be included in human rights education at all levels
and efforts should be made to increase the awareness of women and men of women's rights
under international conventions and national law including legal literacy;
(h) The monitoring work and participation of the non-governmental organizations with
expertise in human rights and/or development issues concerning women, especially those in
developing countries, should be recognized, through their national machinery, and should
be encouraged and utilized in the implementation of human rights instruments;
(i) The participation of non-governmental organizations, including those concerned with
women's rights, should be supported in the World Conference and adequate communication
between the non-governmental organization meetings and the World Conference should be
guaranteed.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Guided by Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990, in which the
Council selected the issue of increased awareness by women of their rights under
international conventions and national law, including legal literacy, as a priority theme
in the area of equality to be considered by the Commission on the Status of Women,
Guided also by the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 1/
in particular, paragraphs 43 to 92 thereof,
Noting that the lack of awareness of women's rights is a critical area of concern in
the proposed Platform for Action under preparation for the Fourth World Conference on
Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, to be held at Beijing from 4 to 15
September 1995,
Emphasizing that literacy and increased awareness by women and men of women's legal
rights under international conventions and national law and the ability of women to access
and use legal systems to secure their rights are essential to the promotion, protection
and improvement of the status of women and the full realization of equality,
Expressing concern that, despite progress, there remains a significant percentage of
illiteracy among girls and women and that the rate of illiteracy among women is
considerably higher than that among men,
Recalling the World Conference on Education for All: Meeting Basic Learning Needs, held
at Jomtien, Thailand, from 5 to 9 March 1990, and noting the follow-up work to that
Conference that is being done,
Noting with concern that in some States multiple legal systems coexist and that rights
conferred under civil law may be undercut by their absence in customary law when customary
law is given equal status,
Also noting with concern that some customary and traditional views regarding women
contribute to discrimination against women and to gender insensitivity in judicial and
administrative systems and processes,
Recognizing the importance of the use of equality legislation, national institutions
and special mechanisms to promote legal literacy both nationally and internationally,
Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/1993/2) on increased awareness of
women of their rights, including legal literacy, submitted to the Commission at its
thirty-seventh session,
Noting with appreciation the efforts of the expert group on increased awareness by
women of their rights, including legal literacy, which met at Bratislava from 18 to 22 May
1992 (E/CN.6/1993/2, annex),
Stressing that successful legal literacy and legal services and support programmes
require cooperation between all levels of government and non-governmental organizations,
Also stressing the role that the reporting systems of the international human rights
treaties can play in promoting national and international awareness of women's rights at
all levels and in disseminating information on ways and means of promoting legal literacy
for women,
Bearing in mind the important role that non-governmental organizations have played in
promoting legal literacy and services programmes and that their experiences serve as
models for future programmes,
Recognizing the pioneering work done by researchers in women's law in various States
aimed at enhancing gender sensitivity among members of the legal profession and the
general public,
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1. Calls upon all member States to further promote equality of educational
opportunities and education about legal rights under international conventions and
national law with a gender perspective and to take appropriate measures to promote legal
literacy at all levels of education;
2. Also calls upon national institutions, women's and human rights mechanisms, and
ombudspersons to actively promote legal literacy for women and to facilitate women's
access to judicial and administrative systems and processes;
3. Emphasizes the need to consider ways in which the United Nations system can
contribute to the eradication of illiteracy and the further promotion of education,
including education concerning legal rights;
4. Requests all relevant entities of the United Nations system, particularly the United
Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the International
Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, to support legal literacy programmes for women and to dedicate existing
resources to such programmes as part of their efforts to promote international standards
and norms;
5. Encourages Governments and non-governmental organizations to produce and disseminate
information on women's rights under international conventions and national law and on how
to exercise those rights in understandable forms and media, and in all appropriate forums,
including the mass media and agencies that provide social services to women;
6. Encourages Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and
women's groups, to provide and make widely available support and programmes for
gender-sensitive legal literacy services, taking into account models developed by
non-governmental organizations;
7. Urges Governments to ensure that all persons responsible for enforcing and
interpreting the law are aware of, and act in accordance with, the rights set out in
international instruments, constitutions and the law as they pertain to women and to
promote gender sensitivity in all levels of legal and administrative systems;
8. Requests the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit for Social Development to
consider including in its agenda the consideration of education for all, the eradication
of illiteracy, and the promotion of legal literacy, particularly among women;
9. Urges the World Conference on Human Rights, to be held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June
1993, to address itself to the issue of legal literacy and services and to include
recommendations on legal literacy and services in any plan of action or declaration that
it may adopt.
* For the discussion, see chap. IV.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 47/174 of 22 December 1992, Economic and Social
Council resolutions 1990/15 of 24 May 1990 and 1992/53 of 31 July 1992 and Commission
resolutions 34/3 of 8 March 1990, 35/7 of 8 March 1991 and 36/5 of 20 March 1992,
Reaffirming the principles contained in the Declaration on the Right to Development,
adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 41/128 of 4 December 1986,
Convinced that the effective mobilization of women is an essential element to achieving
the objectives of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 1/
and the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development
Decade, 41/
Aware Strategies as related to development necessitates urgent action to be taken by
all the parties concerned,
Aware also of the need to recognize the importance of gender in all areas of social,
economic and political life in order to bridge the gap between the roles of men and women
in development and to train planners, policy makers, decision makers and relevant staff in
gender analysis,
Reaffirming that the full integration of women in development, both as agents and
beneficiaries, should concern all sectors of society,
Convinced that improving the distribution between both sexes of the tasks related to
productive and reproductive functions is an essential strategy for development and has to
be reflected in the implementation of concrete economic and social policies,
Further convinced that international cooperation for development has a fundamental role
in the creation of proper conditions that allow women to achieve full integration in
development,
Deeply concerned about the worsening situation of women in developing countries,
particularly in the least developed countries,
Expressing special concern about women living in extreme poverty, in rural as well as
in urban areas,
Expressing deep concern that, despite the fact that poor rural women contribute to all
aspects of the well-being of rural families and account for more than half of the food
production of developing countries, they are often the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
group in society,
Welcoming the organization of the Summit on the Economic Advancement of Rural Women,
held at Geneva on 25 and 26 February 1992, and the adoption by the Summit of the Geneva
Declaration for Rural Women,
Aware of the need for women, as agents and beneficiaries of development, to be
empowered to define their own means of development, as well as of the need to guarantee
them access to services, such as education, health, maternity and child care and credit,
among others, in order to fully integrate women into the development process,
Keeping in mind the fact that the impact of structural adjustment policies, adverse
terms of trade and the growing foreign debt on developing countries, particularly the
least developed countries, has had a negative effect on efforts for the full integration
of women in development,
1. Urges Governments to foster women's full participation in the elaboration, planning,
execution and evaluation of development policies and projects so that they can be agents
and beneficiaries of development;
2. Also urges Governments to adopt policies to promote economic development that will
ensure the full and explicit integration of women's needs and concerns;
3. Further urges Governments to include gender perspectives in the major guidelines for
economic and social policies and to increase their capacities and capabilities in
gender-responsive and gender-sensitive planning of development programmes;
4. Urges Governments to foster the access of women to income-generating activities as a
means of stimulating economic independence, a basic requirement for women's
self-sufficiency;
5. Urges Governments to identify their own quantitative and qualitative national
targets in such fields as education and training, employment, income generation, health
and women in public life with regard to the full integration of women in development and
to commit adequate resources to women and development programmes;
6. Recommends that Governments create or strengthen national machinery for the
advancement of women, placing it at the highest level, and ensure its greater involvement
in the political, economic and social planning processes;
7. Also recommends that Governments, international donors and non-governmental
organizations further develop gender-oriented research in all development areas,
particularly by the involvement of national research institutes, and promote specific
measures in the field of training in gender analysis programmes for development decision
makers and the relevant staff involved in the policy and programme areas, in addition to
implementation processes;
8. Calls upon Governments, international financial and other relevant institutions and
non-governmental organizations to promote measures to stimulate the economies of
developing countries and the full integration of women in the development process and to
provide financial services on the basis of equal opportunity for women and men, while
avoiding adverse effects on their well-being, particularly that of vulnerable groups;
9. Calls upon donor Governments and international financial institutions to provide
adequate and timely support for the efforts of the developing countries, particularly the
least developed countries, in reducing the negative effects of the external debt burden,
structural adjustment policies and adverse terms of trade, with a view to integrating
women in mainstream development;
10. Urges all States to work for the achievement of the goals endorsed in the Geneva
Declaration for Rural Women and all organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations
system to take into account the goals of the Geneva Declaration in carrying out their
programmes, and invites the relevant governing bodies to consider the adoption of specific
measures, within their respective fields of competence, with a view to meeting the special
needs of rural women in the light of the Geneva Declaration;
11. Appeals to Governments, donor countries, international organizations and
appropriate financial institutions to make greater efforts to support the establishment of
cooperative rural banks and other development-related institutions to assist women,
particularly those engaged in small- and medium-scale productive activities;
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12. Requests Member States to make provision for specific training programmes for women
in rural and urban areas aimed at developing their technical and management skills and to
give financial support, fellowships or both for training women, particularly those from
developing countries, in science, technology, agriculture and management;
13. Calls upon Governments, donor countries and relevant international organizations to
take further coordinated measures to facilitate the access of women, particularly rural
and urban poor women, to basic education and health and child-care facilities;
14. Requests the Secretary-General, in reporting on the implementation of the present
resolution in his biennial monitoring report on the implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, to include policy and programme
recommendations on the basis of gender analysis;
15. Also requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the issues of women and
development and of the integration of women in development programmes are an integral part
of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development
Decade.
* For the discussion, see chap. IV.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 1/
endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 40/108 of 13 December 1985,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1987/20 of 26 May 1987, in which
the Council decided that the Commission on the Status of Women should be designated as the
preparatory body for world conferences on women,
Recalling further Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990, on the
recommendations and conclusions arising from the first review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to
the year 2000,
Recalling further its resolutions 35/4 of 8 March 1991, on preparations for the world
conference on women in 1995, and 36/8 A to E of 20 March 1992, on preparations for the
Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace,
I
Preparations at the national, regional and international levels
Noting with concern that, according to the report of the Secretary-General
(E/CN.6/1993/5, para. 3) on preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action
for Equality, Development and Peace, only a few Governments have established national
committees or designated national focal points to initiate and promote preparations for
the Conference,
1. Urges all Governments that have not already done so to establish national committees
or to designate national focal points without delay, in accordance with Commission on the
Status of Women resolution 36/8 B of 20 March 1992;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that preparatory and conference
documentation is accessible and that facilities at the Fourth World Conference on Women:
Action for Equality, Development and Peace cater to the needs of people with disabilities;
II
Participation of non-governmental organizations in the preparatory process and in the
Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace
Taking into account Commission on the Status of Women resolution 36/8, approved by the
General Assembly, which provided for the participation at the Fourth World Conference on
Women of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and
Social Council,
Bearing in mind the important role of non-governmental organizations in all activities
for the advancement of women and the fact that some of them, specially those from
developing countries, do not enjoy consultative status with the Economic and Social
Council,
1. Invites Governments to include, whenever possible, non-governmental organizations in
their delegations;
2. Requests the Secretary-General of the Conference taking as a guideline practices
being used by such other world conferences as the International Conference on Population
and Development, to propose to the regional commissions a formula to determine the
eligibility of non-governmental organizations not in consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council to participate in preparatory activities and/or regional meetings,
which would make them eligible to apply for accreditation to the World Conference;
3. Also requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to obtain from the regional
commissions a list of those non-governmental organizations not in consultative status with
the Economic and Social Council which were determined to be eligible, which will be
submitted to the Commission at its thirty-ninth session so that the Commission may make
the list of those to be invited to the World Conference, bearing in mind that for the
proper functioning of the Conference and the efficient participation of non-governmental
organizations themselves, their number should not be excessive and that the list should
have a regional balance; attention will be given to the existing resources and facilities
available in the host country;
4. Further requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to submit to the Commission
at its thirty-ninth session a proposal for criteria to be used by the Commission in
drawing up the final list;
* For the discussion, see chap. V.
III
Platform for Action
Conscious of the importance of the approval of the Platform for Action,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/1993/6, annex) containing a
draft outline of the Platform for Action,
Emphasizing that the Platform for Action should be concise and accessible and should
accelerate, through concerted and intensive action in the coming years, the implementation
of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 1/ in critical
areas so that equality becomes a reality by the twenty-first century,
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Taking note of the need to bring the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies into line with
the challenges facing women in the twenty-first century,
1. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, and to present to the Commission at its
thirty-eighth session, a draft of the Platform for Action, following the structure and
guidelines set out in the annex to the present resolution and in the results of the
proposed inter-sessional working group;
2. Requests national committees and focal points to initiate and promote preparations
for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace to
take into account the critical areas of concern in the structure of the Platform for
Action when preparing their reports;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the structure of the Platform for Action to
the attention of the regional conferences to prepare for the Conference so that they may
take it into account in their deliberations;
IV
Second review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies for the Advancement of Women
Recalling its resolution 36/8 A of 20 March 1992, in which it requested the
Secretary-General to submit to the Commission at its thirty-seventh session a report
containing an outline of the second report on the review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 1/
in which special emphasis should be given to the recommendations and conclusions arising
from the first review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies, contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24
May 1990,
Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/1993/7) on
the outline and contents of the second review and appraisal of the implementation of the
Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, which presented the outlines for national and global
reports and suggestions on the indicators to be included in them,
Taking into account the need for the global report of the implementation of the
Forward-looking Strategies to reflect the situation of countries and regions and the
criteria of Governments as regards the implementation of the Strategies,
1. Urges Governments to initiate preparations for their national reports as soon as
possible and to ensure that they are submitted to the regional conferences in time to
serve as contributions to the regional review and appraisal of the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies for the Advancement of Women and to the Secretariat in time to serve as input
for the global review and appraisal;
2. Recommends that Governments, in preparing their national reports, utilize available
reports, such as those prepared by them for the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women, taking into account the guidelines given by the Committee
for those reports;
3. Recommends that the review and appraisal at all levels focus on priorities of
Governments and highlight the critical areas of concern identified in the structure of the
Platform for Action;
4. Requests the Secretariat to prepare a list of the most significant indicators on the
basis of the critical areas of concern identified in the structure of the Platform for
Action, taking into account the availability of reliable national statistics, and to
circulate it to national committees and focal points to initiate and promote preparations
for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace;
5. Also requests the Secretariat to use the necessary machinery to include the results
of the regional conferences in the second report on the review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies; V
Information campaign
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/1993/8) on the preparations
for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace,
which contained an outline of the objectives of the public information strategy for the
Conference,
Convinced that information and, most important, access to information on the status of
women worldwide, and plans and preparations for the Conference are of the utmost
importance if women at all levels are to be part of this major United Nations initiative,
Noting with concern that international, regional and national women's media networks,
computer networks, press services, women's newsletters and journals, databases and other
information channels that reach women where they live and work in every country are not
taken into consideration in the report of the Secretary-General,
1. Suggests that an informal, regionally representative team of United Nations and
non-governmental communication personnel be set up by the secretariat of the Fourth World
Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace in consultation with
Member States to assist it in disseminating widely information on the regional conferences
to prepare for the Conference, the World Conference itself and forums of non-governmental
organizations;
2. Also suggests that planned information materials for the Conference be easily
understandable and clearly presented and use visuals and simple language to facilitate
their adaptation, translation into local languages and transcription in Braille;
3. Endorses the emphasis given in the report of the Secretary-General to national
information campaigns and urges national committees and focal points to initiate and
promote preparations for the Conference to implement such campaigns;
VI
Institutional arrangements for the implementation of the Platform for Action
Convinced that the preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for
Equality, Development and Peace and implementation of the Platform for Action require a
strong institutional base within the United Nations and the United Nations system,
including both the Secretariat and operational organizations,
Strongly emphasizing that the restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the
United Nations should include a strengthened and identifiable entity to deal with both the
advancement of women and the incorporation of gender concerns in all economic, social and
environmental policies at an early stage,
1. Reiterates its request, contained in its resolution 35/4 of 8 March 1991, that the
Secretary-General present to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth
session a report on existing technical and financial cooperation targeting programmes in
favour of women, as well as guidelines for a comprehensive plan to overcome constraints
and increase such cooperation;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report for the Commission at its
thirty-eighth session on institutional arrangements for the implementation of the Platform
for Action and for the programme on advancement of women and an appraisal of options for
considering the agenda item at the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality,
Development and Peace.
Annex
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STRUCTURE OF THE PLATFORM FOR ACTION
I. Statement of mission
To accelerate, through concerted and intensive action in the coming years, the
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 1/
in critical areas so that equality becomes a reality by the twenty-first century.
II. Strategic diagnosis of critical areas of concern
[This part should be substantiated by objective, concise and quantitative data.]
Inequality in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels;
Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women;
Lack of awareness of, and commitment to, internationally and nationally recognized
women's rights;
Poverty;
Inequality in women's access to and participation in the definition of economic
structures and policies and the productive process itself;
Inequality in access to education, health, employment and other means of maximizing
awareness of rights and the use of their capacities;
Violence against women;
Effects on women of continuing national and international armed or other kinds of
conflicts.
[In each of the critical areas, the diagnosis should take into account women having
special concerns such as refugee, displaced and migrant women and women living in conflict
areas.]
III. Strategic goals to deal with the critical areas of concern
[Expressed in terms of slogans that might be adopted by the Conference.]
Share power equally;
Full access to the means of development;
Overcome poverty;
Promote peace and defend women's human rights;
Inspire a new generation of women and men working together for equality.
IV. Strategic objectives and the action to be taken to achieve them
A. To strengthen factors that promote the full participation of women in power
structures at all levels of society and to eliminate factors that prevent it:
[Examples of types of text]
1. Undertake positive action measures to increase the proportion of women in
decision-making structures and processes;
2. Undertake campaigns to educate women in the use of their votes and other forms of
direct participation to change political, economic and social structures;
3. Provide the necessary financial and technical resources to strengthen organizations
working for the advancement of women;
4. Revise laws and procedures to make it easier for women to participate in power
structures;
5. Include gender factors in all national planning and policy-making;
6. Establish both national and decentralized mechanisms to formulate policies and
coordinate the execution of programmes to achieve equality;
7. Complete the process of achieving equal participation of men and women in
decision-making and policy implementation in the United Nations system and other
international bodies;
8. Complete studies that show the difference made by larger numbers of women in
decision-making structures and processes in Government, legislatures, the judiciary,
political parties, unions, private enterprises and other organizations.
B. To eliminate the factors that accentuate poverty among women and prevent them from
overcoming the circumstances that keep them in that situation:
1. ...
2. ...
C. To strengthen factors that ensure women's equitable access to education, health,
employment and other means of maximizing the use of their capacities:
1. ...
2. ...
D. To eliminate all kinds of violations of women's human rights, and their causes, and
to promote the role of women in achieving and maintaining peace:
E. To promote actions to develop the mutual responsibility of women and men to achieve
equality:
V. Financial arrangements
VI. Institutional arrangements for implementing and monitoring the Platform for Action
[Including accountability]
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Recalling the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women 39/ and the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women 1/ for
the period up to the year 2000,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990,
Deeply concerned about the continued worsening of the economic situation in many
developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, the deterioration of the
external economic environment, the significant decline in living conditions and the
continued increase of widespread poverty in a large number of those countries,
Welcoming with satisfaction General Assembly resolution 47/92 of 16 December 1992, in
which the Assembly decided to convene a World Summit for Social Development in Denmark
early in 1995,
Convinced that the eradication of poverty constitutes one of the main challenges for
Governments, the international community and people themselves and that the situation of
continuous and growing deprivation impedes the full enjoyment of fundamental human rights
and hinders the achievement of sustainable development of society as a whole,
Convinced of the essential role of international cooperation for development in efforts
at all levels aimed at eradicating poverty,
Convinced that poverty affects women more deeply and disproportionately than men, thus
making indispensable the formulation of socio-economic policies from a gender perspective,
Noting with concern that rural women, who are the backbone of the rural economy, are
most vulnerable to situations of extreme poverty,
Expressing deep concern over the fact that single-parent households headed by women
represent a considerable proportion of households living in extreme poverty in numerous
societies,
Conscious that the circumstances imposed upon women living in extreme poverty
constitute one of the fundamental means by which poverty is transmitted from one
generation to another,
Recognizing in that regard the responsibility of Governments and their citizens in
efforts aimed at eradicating poverty,
Aware that the eradication of poverty demands a vigorous and sustained response at all
levels and that, in order to be effective, national efforts should be complemented by
international cooperation,
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Women in extreme
poverty: integration of women's concerns in national development planning"
(E/CN.6/1993/3), in particular the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;
2. Urges Governments, international organizations, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to continue to examine
more closely the structural causes of poverty and ways and means of overcoming it and to
evaluate from a gender perspective the effects of current socio-economic policies;
3. Recommends that in formulating strategies to eradicate poverty, Member States take
into account the specific requirements of women living in poverty, in both rural and urban
areas, in order to enable them to fully exercise their social, economic, cultural, civil
and political rights, as well as to maximize their resources and to increase their
productivity;
4. Calls upon Governments to adopt or strengthen measures to facilitate women's access
to education, training, health, family planning, productive resources and
income-generating employment and to ensure their full participation in the decision-making
process;
5. Requests Governments to strengthen the effectiveness of national machinery for the
advancement of women, in order to guarantee the inclusion of a gender perspective in the
mainstream of socio-economic policies at the national level, giving particular attention
to women living in extreme poverty;
6. Appeals to Governments to share national experiences, at the regional and
international levels, relating to their efforts to deal with extreme poverty, in
particular the effects of those efforts on women;
7. Appeals to the Governments of developing countries to strengthen collaborative
technical assistance and to exchange practical experiences in poverty eradication
programmes by establishing a network of focal points;
8. Requests Member States and international, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to allocate or reallocate national resources through appropriate channels
with a view to assisting women living in poverty to be active agents as well as direct
beneficiaries of poverty eradication programmes;
9. Calls upon multilateral institutions and donor countries to provide assistance to
developing countries to improve the availability and reliability of statistics and
baseline data on the situation of women in extreme poverty;
10. Encourages multilateral institutions, bilateral mechanisms and donor countries to
provide technical and financial cooperation to developing countries, in particular the
least developed countries, in order to complement and strengthen national efforts, taking
into account that such assistance, while continuing to address emergency situations,
should also be directed to medium- and long-term self-sustaining programmes.
* For the discussion, see chap. IV.
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Stressing the importance of women in economic, social, political, cultural and all
other aspects of human life,
Affirming the central role of the United Nations in advancing the status of women
through, inter alia, its efforts to draw world attention to issues affecting women and to
integrate a gender perspective into issues considered throughout the United Nations
system,
Recognizing the importance of the achievements of the Division for the Advancement of
Women and the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat to
United Nations efforts for the advancement of women,
Emphasizing the importance to the work of the Commission on the Status of Women of the
continuing inclusion of experts in women's affairs as members of the delegations of Member
States,
Acknowledging the increasing priority being given to women's issues and human
development issues and recognizing the role of the Centre for Social Development and
Humanitarian Affairs in giving visibility to those concerns,
Recognizing the interrelationship between the goals and likely outcome of the Fourth
World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, to be held at
Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995, and the World Summit for Social Development, to be
held at Copenhagen early in 1995,
Noting that the Fourth World Conference on Women and the World Summit for Social
Development will consider institutional mechanisms in their respective areas,
Emphasizing the importance of the restructuring proposals included in the report of the
Secretary-General containing revised estimates of the programme budget for the biennium
1992-1993 (A/C.5/47/88) in relation to the Division for the Advancement of Women and the
Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs,
1. Calls upon the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to strengthen the
structure for the advancement of women and maintain its identity and status, to ensure
adequate resources on an ongoing basis before and beyond the Fourth World Conference on
Women and to report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth session;
2. Urges that, in making decisions in relation to the Division and the Centre for
Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, due consideration be given to the long- and
short-term impact of those decisions on the priority, substance and visibility of the
United Nations commitment to women and to social development;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that any institutional arrangements
resulting from the current restructuring exercise strengthen the work programme of the
United Nations on the advancement of women and improve coordination of this programme with
other programmes in the economic and social fields;
4. Encourages Member States to consider sending high-level representation, including
that of national machinery on the advancement of women, to future sessions of the
Commission.
* For the discussion, see chap. V.

Chapter II. Programming and Coordination Matters Related
to the United Nations and the United Nations
System
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1. The Commission considered item 3 of its agenda at its 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th and
12th meetings, on 17 and from 22 to 24 March 1993. It had before it the following
documents:
(a) Note by the Secretariat on preliminary proposals for the system-wide medium-term
plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001 (E/CN.6/1993/9);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General containing updated information on the status of
women in the Secretariat (E/CN.6/1993/15);
(c) Note by the Secretariat on the proposed programme of work of the Division for the
Advancement of Women for the biennium 1994-1995 (E/CN.6/1993/16).
In addition, the Commission had before it, for information, the report of the
Secretary-General on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (A/47/508).
2. In introducing the item, the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women
stated that the system-wide medium-term plan was an indicative one that had to be
incorporated into the respective medium-term plans of the United Nations organizations and
specialized agencies. With regard to the proposed programme of work for the Division for
the Advancement of Women for the biennium 1994-1995, the Director said that the Commission
was requested to provide its guidance in setting priorities for the activities contained
in the proposed programme of work.
3. The Coordinator, Focal Point for Women, Office of Human Resources Management,
informed the Commission of the progress made towards improving the status of women in the
Secretariat. She said that the Secretary-General had accorded greater priority to the
recruitment and promotion of women in the posts subject to geographical distribution.
4. She further indicated that progress in higher-level posts was more encouraging and
that the Secretary-General had appointed five senior women, three at the
Under-Secretary-General level and two at the Assistant Secretary-General level. She
referred also to the administrative instruction (ST/AI/382) on appointments and
promotions, which provided that in all departments and offices with less than 35 per cent
women overall and in those with less than 25 per cent women at levels P-5 and above,
vacancies overall and those in high-level posts should be filled by women, if there were
women candidates whose qualifications matched all the requirements of the vacant post. She
further informed the Commission that the Office of Human Resources Management had been
requested to prepare a plan of action for 1993 and 1994 in the context of reaching the
1995 targets.
Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
5. Most representatives noted with concern the slow progress that had been made in
improving the situation of women in the Secretariat. It was felt that at that rate, the
Secretariat would be unlikely to achieve the targets set for 1995. Some representatives
expressed their disappointment that the United Nations, as the leading international
organization promoting and setting policies for the advancement of women, was lagging
behind Member States, who implemented United Nations recommendations at the national
level.
6. Many representatives were also concerned about the low representation of women in
policy- and decision-making positions. A few representatives noted the underrepresentation
of women from developing countries, especially in the higher-level posts. It was suggested
that the ongoing restructuring in the Secretariat should be used as an opportunity for
improving the representation of women from developing countries at those levels,
particularly women from those countries that were unrepresented or underrepresented.
7. Several representatives supported the action programme (see A/47/508) that had been
submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session.
They particularly welcomed the new mechanisms adopted in the recruitment and promotion
policy, the career development plan, the accountability to be placed on the managers
concerned, and the roster of qualified women candidates. Member States were urged to
assist the Secretary-General in achieving the target set for 1995 by forwarding the names
of qualified women candidates, especially at the decision-making level.
8. One representative, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, expressed concern
over the findings in the report on the barriers to the advancement of women in the
Secretariat, noting that the obstacles encountered in 1985 were still valid. The
representative urged the Secretary-General to give priority to the implementation of the
recommendations contained in the report.
9. One representative commented on the existence of sexual harassment cases in the
workplace. She deemed the Secretary-General's action in releasing administrative
instruction ST/AI/379 on procedures for dealing with incidents of sexual harassment in the
Secretariat as a first step in the right direction, and recommended that the
Secretary-General develop a comprehensive policy to combat sexual harassment, which would
have to include counselling practices and measures aimed at preventing sexual harassment.
Coordination matters
10. Several representatives supported the general focus of the system-wide medium-term
plan for the advancement of women for the period 1996-2001, but suggested including
additional items such as the strengthening of national machinery for the advancement of
women. With relation to gender and gender planning, it was considered that the United
Nations should define basic criteria for the term "gender" and encourage the
inclusion of the gender dimension in national and community planning. One representative
stressed that in formulating plans, their implementability should be considered and the
diverse geographical, social, cultural conditions taken into account. A plan should
concentrate on activities that were focused and attainable but that had a wide spiral
effect. Another representative welcomed the statement that the main monitoring mechanisms
should be the extent to which the system-wide medium-term plan was included in various
medium-term plans and programmatic statements of individual organizations covering the
period 1996-2001. It was also proposed to increase inter-agency coordination in order to
avoid the duplication of effort and to increase cooperation.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION
Preliminary proposals for the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women
for the period 1996-2001
11. At the 7th meeting, on 22 March 1993, the representative of Australia, on behalf of
Australia, Canada, 42/ Finland, Ireland, 42/ Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, 42/ and
Venezuela, subsequently joined by Belarus, Brazil, 42/ Denmark, 42/ Egypt, Germany, 42/
Greece, 42/ Italy, New Zealand, 42/ the Russian Federation, Sweden, 42/ Thailand and the
United States of America, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.2) entitled
"Preliminary proposals for the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of
women for the period 1996-2000".
12. At the 10th meeting, on 23 March, statements were made by the representatives of
Australia and Japan.
13. At the 12th meeting, on 24 March, the representative of Australia orally revised
the draft resolution as follows:
(a) In section B, the phrase "including through defining parameters by which other
agencies can measure the effect on their programmes of the implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women and the system-wide medium-term
plan" was added at the end of subparagraph (a);
(b) The words "when appropriate" were added at the end of subparagraph (t);
(c) A new subparagraph was added, reading:
"(u) Programme 2 to be revised to cater more effectively to the needs of women in
developing countries".
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14. At the same meeting, the representative of Venezuela made a statement.
15. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see chap. I,
sect. C, resolution 37/1).
Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
16. At the 7th meeting, on 22 March 1993, the representative of Finland, on behalf of
Algeria, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, 42/ Canada, 42/ Croatia,
42/ Denmark, 42/ Egypt, Ethiopia, 42/ Finland, Italy, Ireland, 42/ Luxembourg, 42/
Morocco, 42/ the Netherlands, New Zealand, 42/ Nicaragua, 42/ Norway, 42/ the Philippines,
the Russian Federation, Slovenia, 42/ Spain, Sweden, 42/ Turkey, 42/ the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 42/ the United States of America, Venezuela, Zambia
and Zimbabwe, subsequently joined by Belarus, Brazil, 42/ Cte d'Ivoire, Cyprus,
Germany, 42/ Ghana, Greece, 42/ Israel, 42/ Japan, Jordan, 42/ Lebanon, 42/ Mexico,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, 42/ the Republic of Korea, 42/ Slovakia, the Sudan, Thailand,
Tunisia 42/ and the United Republic of Tanzania, 42/ introduced a draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.3) entitled "Improvement of the status of women in the
Secretariat", and revised the seventh preambular paragraph by adding the words
"and combating" after the words "aimed at preventing".
17. At the 10th meeting, on 23 March, statements were made by the representatives of
Greece, Finland and Japan.
18. At the 12th meeting, on 24 March, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as
orally revised (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution I).
Inter-agency coordination
19. At the 8th meeting, on 22 March 1993, the representative of Venezuela, on behalf of
Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Venezuela, subsequently joined by Argentina, 42/ Australia,
Croatia, 42/ Ecuador, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Spain and Thailand, introduced a draft
resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.4) entitled "Inter- agency coordination".
20. At the 10th meeting, on 23 March, statements were made by the representatives of
Chile, the United States of America and the Netherlands. The observer for the African
National Congress also made a statement.
21. At the 12th meeting, on 24 March, the representative of Venezuela orally revised
the draft resolution as follows:
(a) In the first preambular paragraph the words "all the different efforts"
were replaced by the words "the efforts";
(b) The fourth preambular paragraph, which read:
"Calling attention to the fact that in some cases United Nations entities do not
recognize or are not inclined to take advantage of the benefits of inter-agency
coordination, despite the growing constraints on resources intended for women's
programmes",
was replaced by the following text:
"Calling attention to the desirability that United Nations entities take advantage
of the benefits of inter-agency coordination, given the growing constraints on resources
intended for women's programmes";
(c) The words "regarding initiatives related to women" were added at the end
of the fifth preambular paragraph.
22. At the same meeting, after hearing a statement by the representative of Australia,
the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see chap. I, sect. C,
draft resolution 37/2).

Chapter III. Monitoring the Implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of
Women [ Up ]
1. The Commission considered item 4 of its agenda jointly with agenda item 6
(Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development
and Peace) at its 2nd to 6th, 9th and 11th to 15th meetings, from 17 to 19 and from 23 to
26 March 1993. It had before it the following documents:
(a) Note by the Secretary-General on the situation of Palestinian women in the occupied
territory (E/CN.6/1993/10);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on women and children under apartheid
(E/CN.6/1993/11);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the elimination of violence against women
(E/CN.6/1993/12);
(d) Report of the Secretary-General on women and the United Nations Decade against Drug
Abuse (E/CN.6/1993/13);
(e) Report of the Secretary-General on activities related to preparations for the World
Conference on Human Rights (E/CN.6/1993/14);
(f) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting a list of confidential communications
concerning the status of women (S.W. Communications List No. 27).
2. In addition, the Commission had before it, for information, the following documents:
(a) Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on its
eleventh session (A/47/38);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (A/47/368);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the year 2000 (A/47/377);
(d) Extract from the note by the Secretary-General on the effective implementation of
international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under
international instruments on human rights (A/47/628);
(e) Extract from the report of the Third Committee (part II) (A/47/678/Add.1);
(f) Results of the twelfth session of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (E/CN.6/1993/CRP.2 and Corr.1);
(g) Resolution 1992/3 of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities (E/CN.6/1993/CRP.3).
3. In introducing the item, the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women
elaborated on the various documents. She made an oral statement on the preparation of a
report on violence against migrant women workers, indicating that information was being
solicited from Governments. She invited the Commission to express its views concerning the
situation of migrant women, which would be taken into account in preparing the oral
reports to the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly. She highlighted the
main issues discussed by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
at its twelfth session, including the alleged violations inflicted upon women in the
territory of the former Yugoslavia.
Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women
4. Many representatives referred to the deteriorating situation of Palestinian women in
the occupied territory and in the refugee camps. While commending the intense research
efforts made by the Division for the Advancement of Women in preparing the report on the
subject (E/CN.6/1993/10), several representatives expressed concern that the occupying
power had not allowed any expert groups or consultants to study the actual conditions of
Palestinian women since 1989, thus impeding the preparation of a report that would reflect
more accurately the living conditions of those women. Concern was also expressed by some
representatives over the recent deportation of Palestinians by the occupying power. A few
representatives stated that the Palestinian women living under conditions of occupation
for decades were deprived of the most fundamental human rights. Many representatives and
observers expressed their hope for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in
the region in accordance with United Nations resolutions. It was suggested that a
fact-finding mission should be sent to the region.
Women and children under apartheid
5. Several representatives mentioned the positive changes in removing barriers to
apartheid in South Africa, but drew the attention of the Commission to the need to
continue to take measures to improve the situation of women and children living under
apartheid. A few representatives expressed concern over the continuing political violence
in South Africa. One representative welcomed the action taken by various organizations of
the United Nations system to provide assistance to women living under apartheid. Another
representative emphasized the need for the Commission to monitor the evolving situation of
women in a post-apartheid society to ensure the full integration of all South African
women into the political process.
Violence against women in all its forms
6. Most representatives supported the draft declaration on the elimination of violence
against women (E/CN.6/1993/12, annex, appendix I) and recommended its adoption, which
would constitute an important step forward in the promotion of women's fundamental human
rights. Most representatives took the view that it should be adopted by the General
Assembly at its forty-eighth session.
7. Some representatives indicated that the text did not cover all possible aspects of
the issue of violence and said that a few additions should be made - such as, a clear
reference to a strict obligation of States to condemn acts of violence against women that
were committed in the name of political interests; the need for further consideration to
be given to penal and civil sanctions; and the establishment of norms and codes of conduct
applicable to military forces in times of armed conflict.
8. Most representatives stated that violence against women was one of the major
obstacles hindering de facto equality between men and women, and that measures, campaigns
and programmes for education should be taken to eradicate it, including the provision of
heavier penalties for perpetrators and more shelters for victims. Others considered the
issue of violence against women within the context of human rights violations. They
supported resolution 1993/46 of the Commission on Human Rights, in which it decided to
consider the appointment of a special rapporteur on violence against women at its fiftieth
session, the integration of women's rights into the mainstream of human rights and the
need to work with other mechanisms of the United Nations system and the European Economic
Community. Those proposals should be taken into account in the report being prepared by
the Secretary-General on measures to eradicate violence against women in the family and
society and the fact that those issues also required the full attention of, and active
monitoring by, the Commission on the Status of Women.
9. Several representatives expressed their concern over the situation of women in the
former Yugoslavia based on the results of the investigation and findings of the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the
territory. They strongly condemned the practice of rape and abuse of women and children,
and suggested that the Commission on the Status of Women should take firm action. They
emphasized that such mass rape constituted a war crime that required action by an
international tribunal. They further expressed support for Security Council resolution 808
(1993), by which the Council had decided that an International tribunal should be
established for the prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations of
international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since
1991, as well as for any initiative taken by the Commission on the Status of Women in
investigating those cases and in preparing long-term action-oriented plans and programmes
for the social and psychological rehabilitation of women victims. While emphasizing the
new developments taking place to combat violence against women, particularly the steps
taken towards the adoption of the draft declaration on the elimination of violence against
women, many representatives indicated that a reversion to barbarism was taking place, as
reflected in the abuses perpetrated against women by the use of systematic sexual violence
as a weapon of war and as a means of "ethnic cleansing".
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Violence against migrant women workers
10. With regard to violence against migrant women workers, several representatives
stated that the enjoyment by women of human rights had not been fully realized in view of
the existing unequal power relations between women and men. That was reflected, inter
alia, in the high incidence of violence against women, and the abuses and acts of violence
committed against women migrant workers. It was emphasized that the problems faced by
migrant women workers in certain countries had not been able to attract international
attention and that women, lured by promises of a better life in a foreign country, often
ended up in a situation whereby they suffered mental, physical and sexual harm at the
hands of employers in the receiving countries. In most cases, failing to obtain redress
under the local legal system, they had no choice but to await deportation.
11. It was further stated that socio-economic compulsions and the allurement of a
better life were the chief factors motivating the migration of workers. The inherent
vulnerability of job-seeking women made them easy targets for exploitation in trafficking
and for other kinds of maltreatment. It was stressed also that the primary responsibility
for creating safeguards against the exploitation of migrant workers in general, and of
women workers in particular, rested with the host countries, and that any unilateral
corrective actions that might be initiated by a sending country might provoke retaliatory
action that could be counterproductive. One representative suggested some of the immediate
issues that could be addressed by the countries, such as the need to institute a
regulatory mechanism in the recipient countries to give proper status to migrant workers
in the legal sense; to narrow the disparity in the civil status of migrants compared with
that of nationals; to make the problem more visible and to take it up as a human rights
issue; and to see that regional and international forums take up the problem with the
recipient countries.
12. One representative stated that, on account of their being poor, female and
foreigners in their places of employment, women migrant workers were doubly vulnerable to
all kinds of maltreatment. While acknowledging that it was the primary duty of a State to
provide employment and appropriate training and education to its citizens to enable them
to improve their lot in life, receiving countries also had a moral obligation, as
signatories to the Charter of the United Nations, to ensure that the fundamental human
rights and freedom of all persons within their boundaries were protected. The
representative stressed the need for concerted efforts on the part of sending and
receiving countries to find ways of addressing the problem on the bilateral or
multilateral level. She believed that the measures mentioned in articles 4 and 5 of the
draft declaration on the elimination of violence against women were useful guidelines for
implementing the provisions of General Assembly resolution 47/95. In particular, the
compilation of statistics on the extent of violence against women migrant workers could be
undertaken as an initial measure. Furthermore, it was suggested that the Commission
consider the issue at its thirty-eighth session as a sub-item of the item on the priority
theme of Peace: measures to eradicate violence against women in the family and society.
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
13. Several representatives urged those States that had not ratified the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to do so. Concern was
expressed by many representatives about reservations that ran counter to the object and
purpose of the Convention in that they undermined the very rights that the Convention was
aiming to protect and eroded the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women. They stated that other States parties should object
to such reservations and they urged the States parties that had not yet done so to
consider reviewing and withdrawing their reservations. They recommended to the Committee
that it should include the issue of reservations in its work and raise the question of the
validity and legal effect of reservations in the appropriate bodies. A few
representatives, as well as the representatives of the United Nations system, pointed out
that the main obstacles to the implementation of the Convention were the lack of
appropriate national laws or of their enforcement in cases where they existed, on the one
hand, or the existence of laws that contained elements of discrimination, on the other
hand. Regarding the issue of additional resources for the Committee to help it clear the
backlog of reports awaiting consideration, a few representatives supported the Committee's
request, and said that if the Committee's backlog in considering reports had not been
reduced by the end of its thirteenth session, an extension of the annual sessions by an
additional week on a regular basis ought to be granted.
Women and the United Nations Decade against Drug Abuse
14. Some representatives emphasized the crucial role that women played, and especially
non-governmental women's organizations, in combating drug abuse and trafficking. The
importance of involving women at all stages, in a holistic approach to the drug problem,
was stressed. Others expressed satisfaction with the activities being carried out by the
United Nations system and suggested that the matter be discussed further by the Commission
on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth session under the key priority theme in the
area of development - namely, women in urban areas: population, nutrition and health
factors for women in development, including migration, drug consumption and AIDS. One
representative drew attention to the fact that drug abuse among men was a further
potential source of violence against women and that women could be exposed to abuse by
drug addicts both in their homes and in society. Another representative stressed the
importance of developing strategies for creating awareness about the bad effects of drugs
in order to prevent abuse, as well as of designing comprehensive treatment and
rehabilitation programmes.
Activities related to preparations for the World Conference on Human Rights
15. The contribution of the Commission to the World Conference on Human Rights was
considered to be of particular significance in order that women's rights, as an
inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights, were addressed in
depth on the global agenda. Several representatives urged that the full realization of all
human rights of women should be reflected in all agenda items both at the fourth session
of the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human Rights and at the
Conference itself, as well as in any final document that might emerge from the Conference.
16. Some representatives referred to suggestion 4 made by the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its twelfth session to the World Conference
on Human Rights as a good basis for the work of the Commission. Several representatives
stressed that the World Conference should examine the question of the compatibility of the
reservations made to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women with those made to other human rights treaties. Some representatives
underlined the importance of achieving an improved balance of men and women serving on
human rights treaty bodies and stressed that the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women should have a standing equal to that of other human
rights instruments.
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17. Several representatives observed that the adoption of the draft declaration on
violence against women would be a major contribution to the World Conference on Human
Rights. Some representatives emphasized the need for a better definition of international
human rights; the Conference should be asked to highlight the rights of women as part of
the mainstream fundamental human rights guaranteed under the Charter of the United
Nations. The importance of focusing on women's issues in the whole field of human rights -
civil, political, economic, social and cultural - was noted; some representatives
described it as calling for a qualitative change with regard to human rights philosophy
and as a new approach that would need to be fully applied by the World Conference.
18. Many representatives expressed the wish that the World Conference would develop
more responsive and effective enforcement mechanisms, especially in addressing violations
of women's rights, particularly violence against women. Among other specific violations of
women's rights were mentioned violence against migrant workers and violation of women's
labour rights as well as of women's equal participation in and de facto enjoyment of the
benefits of development and economic life. Some representatives urged that the opportunity
created by the World Conference should be used to establish the relationship between
universal human rights, democracy and development.
19. Several representatives urged that all human rights bodies should pay due attention
to gender aspects in implementing human rights, with a view to integrating the human
rights of women into the mainstream of the system for monitoring human rights. Many
representatives expressed the need for cooperation and coordination between all the bodies
concerned within the United Nations system in order to strengthen the promotion and
protection of the rights of women. A few representatives referred to resolution 1993/46 of
the Commission on Human Rights on integrating the rights of women into the human rights
mechanisms of the United Nations, and most representatives welcomed the idea of appointing
a special rapporteur on violence against women as an important step in building on the
draft declaration on violence against women. A few representatives pointed to the urgent
need to protect women's rights in situations of civil strife and to prevent human rights
abuses against women in times of armed conflict.
20. In accordance with the Economic and Social Council resolution 1992/20 on the
advancement of women and human rights, in which the Commission on the Status of Women was
requested to establish, during its thirty-seventh session, an open-ended working group to
consider its contributions to the World Conference, two working group meetings were held
and, as a result, a resolution on the World Conference on Human Rights was drafted.
Communications concerning the status of women
21. On 17 March 1993, a list of confidential communications concerning the status of
women (S.W. Communications List No. 27) was distributed in a sealed envelope to the
representatives of each State member of the Commission.
22. At its 5th meeting, on 19 March 1993, the Commission appointed a Working Group on
Communications concerning the Status of Women. The Working Group held two closed meetings.
23. Many representatives took the view that the communication procedure needed to be
further strengthened and suggested informal discussions on ways of making the existing
procedure more transparent and efficient. Specialized agencies were encouraged to provide
the Commission with information that was relevant to the issue of discrimination against
women. One representative observed that the procedure would be enhanced by the adoption of
the draft declaration on the elimination of violence against women.
24. On 24 March, the representative of Chile, on behalf of the members of the Working
Group, introduced the report of the Working Group in a closed meeting of the Commission.
At the subsequent meeting, the Commission decided to adopt the report of the Working Group
as orally revised, and to include it in its entirety in the report of the Commission.
25. The report of the Working Group read as follows:
"The Working Group on Communications concerning the Status of Women was guided in
its deliberations by the mandate given in resolution 1983/27 of 26 May 1983 of the
Economic and Social Council.
"The Working Group had before it all communications received by the Division for
the Advancement of Women, United Nations Office at Vienna, as well as those that had been
extracted from the confidential list of communications concerning human rights received by
the Division from the Centre for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva and those
received from United Nations bodies and specialized agencies.
"The Working Group noted that among the five communications received directly by
the Division for the Advancement of Women there was a diversity of alleged cases relating
to de facto and de jure discrimination against women in various areas, including aspects
of everyday life, specifically discrimination in marital relations, prohibition of the
right of association and participation in public life, restriction of the freedom of
movement, lack of economic opportunities leading to prostitution and inequality in social
security rights.
"Among the 21 communications received from the Centre for Human Rights, the
Working Group noted alleged acts of sexual violence perpetrated by the army or the police
force in the wake of civil war and internal armed conflicts and by prison guards as well
as sexual assault on women in police stations.
"Referring to the information received from units, bodies and specialized agencies
of the United Nations, the Working Group observed that communications from the
International Labour Organisation (ILO) dealt with the non-observance of several ILO
conventions, such as the Equal Remuneration Convention, the Discrimination (Employment and
Occupation) Convention and the Maternity Protection Convention.
"Having considered all those communications, the Working Group took the view that
there had been a variety of cases received from all sources, and that the communications
that were directly received by the Division for the Advancement of Women were related to
areas that were within the competence of the Commission on the Status of Women and were
not dealt with by other bodies and agencies of the United Nations. It noted also that in
spite of the diversity of cases the questions of sexual violence and equal remuneration
appeared to be the most prevalent.
"The Working Group noted with satisfaction the increasing number of replies
provided by Governments; however, it enjoined the Commission on the Status of Women to
urge Governments to supply more substantive replies.
"The Working Group proposed that further publicity be given to the existing
communications mechanism within the Commission on the Status of Women.
"Based on those observations, the Working Group proposed to the Commission, than,
when considering the priority themes of 1994 related to equality and peace, the Commission
give due attention to the trends emerging from the communications procedure for
appropriate action by the Economic and Social Council."
ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION
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World Conference on Human Rights
26. At the 9th meeting, on 23 March 1993, the Vice-Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs.
Achie Luhulima (Indonesia) introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.5) entitled
"World Conference on Human Rights", submitted on the basis of informal
consultations.
27. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the Vice-Chairperson informed the Commission that
during further informal consultations, the following revisions had been agreed upon:
(a) In the fifth preambular paragraph, the words "referring to women's
rights" were inserted after the words "the resolutions";
(b) The operative paragraph, which had read:
"Urges Member States participating in the Preparatory Committee for the World
Conference on Human Rights at its fourth session and in the World Conference on Human
Rights to ensure that women's rights and concerns are considered under the substantive
items of the provisional agenda for the World Conference, annexed to General Assembly
resolution 47/122 of 18 December 1992, as set out in the annex to the present
resolution",
was replaced by the following text:
"Decides to present to the Preparatory Committee for the World Conference on Human
Rights the contribution set out below and urges Member States participating in the
Preparatory Committee at its fourth session and in the World Conference on Human Rights to
ensure that women's rights and concerns are considered under all the substantive items of
the provisional agenda for the World Conference annexed to General Assembly resolution
47/122 of 18 December 1992";
(c) The heading "Annex" was deleted;
(d) In paragraph 1, the words "and indivisible" were inserted after the words
"Human rights are universal";
(e) In paragraph 5 (b), the words "full, quality participation" were replaced
by the words "full and equitable participation";
(f) In paragraph 5 (c), the words "the problems of rural women" were replaced
by the words "the problems of women in situations of extreme poverty and of rural
women";
(g) In paragraph 8 (d), the words "including disabled women" were replaced by
the words "including women with disabilities";
(h) In paragraph 9 (a), the phrase "Women's concerns should be fully integrated
into the implementation of all human rights" was revised to read "Women's rights
and concerns should be fully integrated into the implementation of universal human
rights";
(i) Paragraphs 9 (b) and (c), which had read:
"(b) Member States should ensure equitable representation of women and men as
members of all treaty bodies and working groups and as special and thematic rapporteurs;
"(c) All human rights treaty bodies should be placed on the same footing and,
accordingly, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women should be
given the authority to determine its own meeting time taking into account the specific
needs to fulfil its mandate",
were replaced by the following text:
"(b) Member States should ensure equitable representation of women and men as
members of all treaty bodies and working groups and in the appointment of special and
thematic rapporteurs;
"(c) All human rights treaty bodies should be placed on the same footing and,
accordingly, the United Nations General Assembly should consider ways and means of
increasing the meeting time of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women, taking into account the specific needs to fulfil its mandate";
(j) In paragraph (i), the words "women's issues" were replaced by the words
"women's rights".
28. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Japan, France
and Venezuela.
29. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see chap. I,
sect. C, resolution 37/4).
Women and children under apartheid
30. At the 9th meeting, on 23 March 1993, the representative of Egypt, on behalf of the
African States that are members of the Commission, 43/ introduced a draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.6) entitled "Women and children under apartheid", which read as
follows:
"Women and children under apartheid
"The Economic and Social Council,
"Recalling its resolution 1992/15 of 30 July 1992,
"Reaffirming the provisions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive
Consequences in Southern Africa, contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution
S-16/1 of 14 December 1989,
"Recalling General Assembly resolution [...],
"Alarmed by the grave socio-economic deprivation to which the majority of the
people, especially the women and children, are subjected as a direct consequence of
apartheid,
"Deeply concerned about the alleged State complicity in politically motivated
violence that has to date claimed thousands of lives and has left hundreds of thousands
homeless, the majority of whom are women and children, especially in Natal and Transvaal
provinces,
"Noting the positive changes initiated by the South African authorities aimed at
dismantling apartheid, which were the result of the relentless struggle waged by the
people of South Africa as well as the pressure exerted by the international community,
"Welcoming the progress made by the Conference for a Democratic South Africa and
eventually the multiparty conference in discussing and debating the political dispensation
and future of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa,
"Concerned about the fact that women are not integrated in the ongoing attempts to
resolve the problems of South Africa by peaceful means as envisaged in the Declaration on
Apartheid, and stressing the need to ensure their full participation in that process by,
inter alia, directly involving the gender advisory committee with the Conference for a
Democratic South Africa in the mainstream negotiations,
"Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on women and children living
under apartheid (E/CN.6/1993/11), in which it is mentioned that the Government of South
Africa signed on 29 January 1993 a number of conventions aimed at promoting and
implementing fundamental rights and freedoms without distinction as to sex, namely, the
Convention on the Political Rights of Women (General Assembly resolution 640 (VII), annex,
of 20 December 1952), the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women (General Assembly
resolution 1040 (XI), annex, of 29 January 1957), the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women (General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex, of 18
December 1979), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment (General Assembly resolution 39/46, annex, of 10 December 1984)
and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex,
of 20 November 1989),
"Noting the subsequent release by the Government of South Africa of the draft bill
on the promotion of equal opportunities of 1993 and concerned that it failed to deal with
questions of substantive sexism that will continue to operate through such disabilities as
poverty, ignorance and disempowerment,
"Convinced that the present legal system needs structural changes for it to be in
any way relevant to a new and just South Africa [and that unless the draft Bill represents
the views and experiences of those mostly affected by it],
"Recognizing that the equality of women and men cannot be achieved without the
success of the struggle towards a united, non-racist, non-sexist and democratic South
Africa,
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"Commending the role played by the United Nations, particularly the Centre against
Apartheid and the Division for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social
Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat, in helping South African women to
participate fully in the process of establishing a non-racist, non-sexist democracy in
South Africa,
"1. Commends those women both inside and outside South Africa who have resisted
oppression and have remained steadfast in their opposition to apartheid;
"2. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and
detainees, among whom are women and children, in accordance with the undertaking of the
South African authorities;
"3. Urges those involved in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa to place
high on their agenda issues concerning women such as freedom, justice and equality,
development and the environment;
"4. Appeals to all countries and United Nations bodies, in conformity with General
Assembly resolution 46/79 of 13 December 1991 and in consultation with liberation
movements, to increase their support for educational, health, vocational training and
employment opportunities for women and children under apartheid;
"5. Requests the Centre against Apartheid to widen and strengthen its cooperation
with the Division for the Advancement of Women, with a view to creating specific
programmes of assistance to South African women to participate fully in the process of
transition of their country towards a non-racist democracy;
"6. Appeals to the international community to give its full and concerted support
to the vulnerable and critical process now under way in South Africa through a phased
application of appropriate pressures on the South African authorities as warranted by
developments and to provide assistance to the opponents of apartheid and the disadvantaged
sectors of society in order to ensure the rapid and peaceful attainment of the objectives
of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa;
"7. Further requests the international community to provide financial, material
and human resources to South African women towards the establishment of special programmes
and projects geared to women's upliftment, integration and advancement now and in
post-apartheid South Africa;
"8. Calls upon the Secretary-General to consolidate the United Nations observer
mission already deployed in South Africa by sending a special envoy to that country to
monitor and report on the unprecedented proportion of incidents of political and domestic
violence directed against women and children from a variety of sources;
"9. Decides that the Commission on the Status of Women will remain seized of the
position of women and children under apartheid;
"10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of
the present resolution to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-eighth
session."
31. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of Egypt orally revised the
draft resolution.
32. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Australia, the
Netherlands and Spain. The Observer for the African National Congress of South Africa also
made a statement.
33. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as
orally revised (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution V).
34. After the adoption of the draft resolution, a statement was made by the
representative of the Netherlands.
Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women
35. At the 9th meeting, on 23 March 1993, the representative of Algeria, on behalf of
Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, 42/ Lebanon, 42/
Malaysia, Morocco, 42/ Pakistan, the Philippines, the Sudan, Tunisia, 42/ Turkey, 42/ the
United Republic of Tanzania, 42/ Viet Nam 42/ and Zimbabwe, introduced a draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.8) entitled "Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women".
Subsequently India joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
36. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, at the request of the representative of Algeria,
the Commission decided to defer taking action on the draft resolution.
37. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of the United States of
America made a statement.
38. At the 15th meeting, on 26 March, the representative of Algeria, on behalf of the
sponsors, introduced a revised draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.8/Rev.1). Subsequently, the
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya joined in sponsoring revised the draft resolution.
39. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Egypt, the
Sudan and the United States of America and the observers for Israel and the Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya. The observer for Palestine also made a statement.
40. The Commission then adopted the revised draft resolution by a roll-call vote of 28
to 1, with 9 abstentions (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution VII). The voting was as
follows:
In favour: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of),
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, Venezuela,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Against: United States of America.
Abstaining: Belarus, Bulgaria, Ecuador, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russian
Federation and Slovakia.
41. After the adoption of the revised draft resolution, statements were made by the
representatives of Australia, France, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States of
America.
Draft declaration on the elimination of violence against women
42. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the representative of Australia, on behalf
of Algeria, Angola, 42/ Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, 42/ Brazil,
42/ Bulgaria, 42/ Canada, 42/ Cte d'Ivoire, Croatia, 42/ Cyprus, Denmark, 42/ Egypt,
Ethiopia, 42/ Finland, France, Ghana, Hungary, 42/ Ireland, 42/ the Netherlands,
Nicaragua, 42/ Nigeria, Norway, 42/ Panama, 42/ the Philippines, Poland, 42/ Portugal, 42/
the Republic of Korea, 42/ Slovenia, 42/ Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, 42/ Tunisia, 42/
Turkey, 42/ the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 42/ the United
Republic of Tanzania, 42/ the United States of America, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
subsequently joined by Belarus, Chile, Colombia, Gabon, 42/ Germany, 42/ Greece, 42/
Italy, the Russian Federation, Slovakia and Thailand, introduced a draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.9) entitled "Draft declaration on the elimination of violence against
women".
43. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission adopted the draft resolution (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution II).
Communications on the status of women
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44. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the representative of the United States of
America, on behalf of Bulgaria, Cte d'Ivoire, Denmark, 42/ Ghana, Italy, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, 42/ the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Sweden, 42/
Switzerland, 42/ Thailand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 42/
and the United States of America, subsequently joined by Belgium, 42/ Croatia, 42/ Cyprus,
Gabon, 42/ Germany, 42/ Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, 42/ Slovakia and Slovenia, introduced a
draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.10) entitled "Communications on the status of
women".
45. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission adopted the draft resolution (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution III).
Rape and abuse of women in the territory of the former Yugoslavia
46. At the 12th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the representative of the United States of
America, on behalf of Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, 42/ Canada, 42/
Chile, Cte d'Ivoire, Croatia, 42/ Denmark, 42/ Egypt, Finland, France, Germany,
Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, 42/ Lebanon, 42/ Malaysia, the Netherlands, New
Zealand, 42/ Nigeria, Norway, 42/ Pakistan, the Philippines, Spain, the Sudan, Sweden, 42/
Switzerland, 42/ Thailand, Tunisia, 42/ Turkey, 42/ the United Republic of Tanzania, the
United States of America, Venezuela and Zambia, subsequently joined by Argentina, 42/
Ecuador, Greece, 42/ Israel, 42/ Luxembourg, 42/ Morocco, 42/ Poland, 42/ Portugal, 42/
Slovenia 42/ and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 42/ introduced
a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.11) entitled "The rape and abuse of women in the
territory of the former Yugoslavia".
47. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of China, Cyprus,
Egypt, Finland (on behalf of Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States of America), Japan,
Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Sudan and the United States of America and the
observer for Denmark (on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are
members of the European Economic Community). The observer for the African National
Congress of South Africa also made a statement.
48. Also at the same meeting, following statements by the representatives of Ecuador
and the Russian Federation, the Commission voted separately on the third preambular
paragraph and operative paragraph 2. The third preambular paragraph was adopted by 34
votes to 1, with 4 abstentions; operative paragraph 2 was adopted by 33 votes to 1, with 4
abstentions.
49. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as a whole, by 38 votes to none,
with 1 abstention (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 37/3).
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
50. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March, the representative of France, subsequently joined
by Chile, Colombia, Cte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, 42/ Sweden,
42/ Thailand and Venezuela, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.14) entitled
"Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women".
51. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of France, on behalf of the
sponsors, now joined by Australia, Belgium, 42/ Canada, 42/ Cuba, Denmark, 42/ Gabon, 43/
Ghana, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, 42/ Norway, 42/ the Philippines, Spain, the United
Republic of Tanzania, 42/ Zambia and Zimbabwe, introduced a revised draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.14/Rev.1). 52. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the revised
draft resolution (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution VI).

1. The Commission considered item 5 of its agenda at its 6th to 11th and 13th to 15th
meetings, on 19 and from 22 to 26 March 1993. It had before it the following documents:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on increased awareness by women of their rights,
including legal literacy (E/CN.6/1993/2);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on women in extreme poverty: integration of women's
concerns in national development planning (E/CN.6/1993/3);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on women and the peace process (E/CN.6/1993/4).
2. In addition, the Commission had before it, for information, the following reports:
(a) Recommendations of the Expert Group Meeting on Population and Women
(E/CONF.84/PC/6);
(b) Report of the Expert Group Meeting on Family Planning, Health and Family Well-being
(E/CONF.84/PC/7).
3. The Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women introduced the item. Under
the priority theme of "Equality: increased awareness by women of their rights,
including legal literacy", the Director stated that, while most countries had enacted
legal measures to ensure that women had equal opportunities before the law, de facto as
well as de jure discrimination continued. She stated that legal literacy was necessary for
both women and men, as a part of their roles as citizens of their country. Regarding the
priority theme of "development: women in extreme poverty: integration of women's
concerns in national development", the Director emphasized that an analysis of
poverty in a broad context had shown that women and men experienced poverty differently
and unequally, and that women constituted the majority of the poor. Failure to take gender
into account in micro- and macro-policies continued to sustain poverty and hinder the
achievement of the goals of sustainable development and equality. With reference to the
priority theme of "Peace: women and the peace process", the Director said that
women had been absent from the official peace process at the national level, but had been
involved in the military, especially during periods of mass mobilization, such as wars of
national liberation and responses to invasion, and included in all jobs performed by men.
Women had been extremely active in the non-governmental peace movement.
4. Many representatives agreed that it was not enough to have constitutional provisions
and laws guaranteeing women equal rights with men. Women also had to be aware of those
provisions and laws and exercise them. One representative defined the three factors in
legal literacy as being the substance, the structure and the culture of law. Legal
literacy was defined as the process of acquiring a critical awareness of rights and the
law; the ability to assert rights; and the capacity to mobilize for legal and societal
change.
5. Several representatives identified the obstacles to legal literacy that were
inherent in existing laws. Obstacles such as laws governing the relationships between men
and women in the family and society, the complex structure of the legal system and the
nature of the judicial process had their cultural origins and were frequently
gender-biased. It was stressed that, as a consequence, women were prevented from or
constrained in their ability to exercise their rights or to have recourse to legal
channels. The specificity of legal terminology and the costs involved in seeking redress
constituted additional obstacles. All those factors were at the origin of women's lack of
awareness and understanding of the legal and administrative system. One representative
pointed out that literacy was a prerequisite for legal literacy.
6. Several representatives reported on legal reforms in the field of civil and labour
rights and penal laws that their countries had undertaken in order to overcome those
obstacles at the governmental level. One representative emphasized the need to make women
aware of the limitations of existing laws and to stimulate their active participation in
revising those laws in order to eradicate gender discrimination and to increase gender
equity. The need for the structural reform of the legal system was underlined by one
representative. She proposed that women's access to justice could be promoted by employing
female judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
7. Many representatives considered opportunities for and various means of promoting
legal literacy for women. It was suggested that legal literacy should be included in the
framework of the various programmes for the advancement of women such as employment,
education and health. Several representatives stressed the importance of formal, informal
and non-formal education. Strategies to educate the public on legal literacy needed the
support of the mass media and the structures of the legal system, particularly the police,
courts, schools and other public institutions. The establishment of model programmes to
sensitize and retrain judicial and administrative personnel was emphasized by several
representatives.
8. Many representatives underlined the role of various legal aid systems as an
important link between the individual and the legal system, in particular the
establishment of information centres on women's rights that provided counselling services.
Speaking on behalf of a group of countries, one representative reported that legal
assistance programmes for individuals below certain income levels had been introduced.
Abused women and victims of rape and incest were entitled to free legal aid, regardless of
their level of income. A few representatives suggested the establishment of an independent
control body or ombudspersons, which they had successfully introduced. Information
campaigns and the publication and dissemination of material on women's rights were
considered important. Several representatives observed that the material should be easy to
read and translated into local languages. Special editions focusing on target groups, such
as migrant women, were suggested. The collaboration of the mass media was considered
necessary for the success of any campaign.
9. Many representatives agreed that legal literacy programmes required a good
partnership between Governments and non-governmental organizations. It was acknowledged
that legal literacy programmes had been developed primarily by non-governmental
organizations. Another representative suggested that government policy to promote legal
literacy should include financial support to groups and institutions working in that area,
since their activities constituted an essential part of a strategy for women's legal
literacy.
10. Several representatives stressed that legal literacy programmes for women should be
accompanied by training in building self-esteem, assertiveness and leadership, because
empowerment would not come automatically by having knowledge but by using knowledge. It
was said also that women had to make the step from having passive knowledge of their
rights to being critics of the law, which was one way of gaining access to decision-making
positions.
11. Several representatives and observers were alarmed that the actual economic and
political crisis might lead women to lose their conferred rights and full equality. It was
emphasized that equality and the recognition of women's rights constituted an obligatory
step towards democracy, and that economic and social rights could not be separated from
civil and political rights.
12. Many representatives considered the issue of legal literacy to be of primary
importance for equality and established a link to other issues such as women's poverty. It
was suggested that legal literacy should be included in the Platform for Action of the
Fourth World Conference on Women and should be discussed at the World Conference on Human
Rights in 1993.
13. Many representatives emphasized that poverty was still a major challenge for the
world community and that the development and implementation of policies and programmes for
the elimination of poverty should be given top priority. The success of such policies
depended heavily on joint efforts at the international, regional, national and local
levels. Several representatives stated that manifestations of poverty were common not only
to developing countries, but also to countries at a higher level of economic development,
which had to deal with the issue in terms of social and economic policies.
14. Many representatives stated that poverty affected women and men in different ways,
and women were in the majority among the poorest sections of the population. Failure to
take gender into account in micro- and macro-policies continued to sustain poverty and to
undermine the goals of overall development. The growing feminization of poverty was
prevalent and was one of the most serious obstacles to the achievement of true equality
between women and men.
15. Many representatives stressed that international as well as national development
planning processes should incorporate women's interests, and expressed concern that those
processes were still very slow. Women continued to be denied productive resources and
opportunities. They said that development policies, at the international, regional and
national levels, should ensure the full integration of women into the mainstream of
development actions throughout all the phases of policy design, formulation,
implementation and evaluation.
16. Many representatives endorsed the recommendations that had been adopted by the
seminar on women in extreme poverty: integration of women's concerns in national
development planning (E/CN.6/1993/3, annex), and said that all efforts to eradicate
poverty must be designed on the basis of a thorough gender analysis. A number of
representatives stressed that gender-sensitive planning should be followed by the
well-planned mobilization and coordination of international, regional, national and local
resources. It was noted that in order to incorporate women's interests into national
development policies, it was necessary to improve statistical data and its collection in a
gender-sensitive way.
17. Sustainable development should be based on the equal participation of women and men
as active agents and as beneficiaries. Several representatives referred to the main
document of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Agenda 21, which
took into account women's vital role in environmental management and development
(A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (vol.I), resolution 1, annex II, chap. 24). A number of
representatives stated further that the Fourth World Conference on Women, the World Summit
for Social Development, and the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations should use
those unique opportunities to formulate a new poverty agenda, which would be more
cognizant of women's contribution to development and more responsive to women's needs.
18. Several representatives stressed that the empowerment of women would be a
significant step towards the eradication of extreme poverty. A number of representatives
emphasized that women in extreme poverty were not only deprived of access to productive
resources, but also of exercising their rights as citizens as they were excluded from
decision-making processes. That denial was inconsistent with the important role that women
performed in economic and social life. It was stressed that the empowerment of women would
require considerable changes in the roles and responsibilities of men, especially in the
reproductive sphere. The importance of the role of non-governmental organizations in the
eradication of poverty and in the empowerment of women was also stressed.
19. A number of representatives noted that structural adjustment policies had had a
negative effect on efforts for the full integration of women into development. It was
emphasized that such macroeconomic strategies should be based on gender-sensitive
analysis, in order to take into account women's needs and interests, and should be able to
deal with the specific obstacles that women faced. One representative noted that policies,
programmes and projects should address the triple role of women, as expressed in their
productive, reproductive and community-managing activities and find appropriate ways of
meeting that challenge. Several representatives emphasized that the international economic
situation and the debt burden had negative implications for the social and economic
conditions of women in poverty. It was noted that more attention should be given to the
economic causes of poverty, such as the price of raw materials, trade imbalances and
structural adjustment programmes.
20. Several representatives stressed the significance of the intergenerational
transmission of poverty as a final interaction between gender and poverty. They emphasized
that women's role as mothers, and their ability to manage resources within poor
households, had important consequences for the ability of their children to escape from
poverty in the future. Several representatives drew attention to the systematic
discrimination against girls, who were often deprived of their basic needs, such as
sufficient intake of food, and education. Expanding educational and training opportunities
for girls and women was a cost-effective measure and was directly connected to achieving
global well-being.
21. Many representatives stated that the number of women who were heads of household
had been steadily increasing and that they were likely to be among the poorest as they
faced severe constraints and restricted access to almost all services. It was necessary to
focus on different groups of women, such as elderly women, refugees and displaced women,
and migrant women, as well as women with disabilities and indigenous women. It was
considered that adequate services and pension schemes for elderly women should be set up.
22. Many representatives emphasized the vital role of rural women in the social and
economic life of a society. In most developing countries, rural women played an important
role in agricultural production; however, such women still had limited access to land,
credit and technology, as well as to essential social services, such as education,
training, health, and maternity and child care. Several representatives stressed the need
to support agricultural development. Since women were the main producers of food in many
regions, the transfer of agricultural technology to women was of crucial importance, as
well as the support of small and medium-sized industries, in order to enhance income and
employment opportunities in rural areas.
23. Many representatives and observers stressed that poverty might be caused by the
insufficient education of girls and women, as education was a prerequisite for improving
economic self-reliance. Efforts should be taken to eradicate illiteracy and to facilitate
at all levels women's access to all types of education and training. Better education also
helped to reduce fertility rates, to improve health and prevent the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, and to increase productivity.
24. A number of representatives considered the problem of unemployment as the main
source of poverty. It was stressed that poor women possessed only one asset to contribute
to the economic process and to improve their standard of living, namely their labour.
Efforts should be made to allow them to use their labour in a productive and optimally
effective way, thereby ensuring gainful employment, and encouraging self-employment and
entrepreneurial activity. The right to work should be accompanied by the provision of
essential social services, in fields such as health, family planning, education and child
care.
25. Many representatives expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation
particularly in the provision of women's basic needs, such as primary education, health
care, water and sanitation, in order to ensure their function as agents, as well as
beneficiaries of development. It was recognized that investments channelled towards women
often had a multiplier effect and that women invested their income in the well-being of
their families. A few representatives urged all specialized agencies and bodies of the
United Nations dealing with development programmes to take gender issues into account in
their activities.
26. Many representatives described their experience in incorporating women's concerns
into national development planning. It was indicated that programmes assisting women to
undertake small scale income-generating projects had led to an improvement of the
situation of women together with that of their families.
Such projects also included skill training, introduction to simple technologies and
management training, as well as access to financial assistance. A number of
representatives referred to the need for a wider development of labour-saving
technologies, which reduced time constraints and women's workload and improved their life
in general.
27. It was stressed also that problems related to women migrant workers, prostitution
and sex-tourism, as a result of poverty among women, could not be handled by a single
country, but had to be dealt with at the international level.
28. Many representatives referred to women's underrepresentation in decision-making
bodies at all levels, especially in international negotiations related to the peace
process, and emphasized that it was time to redress the situation, particularly since
women were the main victims of armed conflicts. Others stressed the relationship between
the low participation of women in public life and decision-making at the national level,
and the lack of women in the peace process at the international level, and suggested that
the role of women in the resolution of armed conflicts should be studied in more detail.
29. A few representatives stated that in order to assess fully the contribution of
women to the peace process, women's traditional roles should be regarded in a new light.
Women should not only be seen as natural peacemakers and peace-keepers in households, but
also as effective participants in the larger process of the quest for peace: in the armed
forces, as well as in peacemaking processes at national and global levels. A few
representatives stated that the contribution of women to the new movement for peace should
include protection of the environment, as well as a more equitable distribution of
resources.
30. Several representatives welcomed the recent measures taken by the Secretary-General
to place more women in decision-making positions within the Secretariat and stressed that
that decision was in keeping with the larger role that the United Nations had assumed in
global peacemaking and peace-keeping. Several representatives expressed the hope that the
United Nations system would take appropriate measures to ensure an enhanced participation
of women in peace negotiations at every level, particularly at the national level, and
stressed that, given the opportunity, women could make a difference in the peace process.
31. Many representatives emphasized that equality and development could only be
achieved with the attainment of peace. A few representatives emphasized that there was a
large amount of potential material and financial resources that could be diverted from
military to peaceful purposes, that would significantly contribute to socio-economic
development. One representative drew attention to the detrimental effects of armed
conflicts on the socio-economic development of one affected country in particular and on
the region in general. It stressed further the linkage between the enjoyment of good
health and peace, since the enjoyment of a wholesome life could not be attained if the
women's health was poor.
32. Several representatives and observers emphasized that war and armed conflict were
the main obstacles to the achievement of equality for women worldwide. They drew attention
to the issue of violence against women during times of war, referring especially to the
situation prevailing in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the incidences of armed conflict
elsewhere, and urged the Commission, as well as the international community, to take
action and to condemn violence against women as a violation of human rights. It was agreed
that all violence against women was barbaric and contemptible and they called for strict
legislation against violence directed at women during wartime.
33. A few representatives stated that violence against women during times of war, when
women were often used as instruments to humiliate the adversary, should be denounced as a
war crime. It was stated that the perpetrators of violence against women during times of
war should be judged by a United Nations tribunal. Several representatives called upon the
international community to provide further humanitarian aid to women and children in
situations of armed conflict worldwide. It was suggested that the contribution of women's
non-governmental organizations and individual women to alleviating the plight of victims
of armed conflict worldwide should be recognized by the international community.
34. It was agreed that the concept of peace should be understood not only in the
context of the abolition of war and the resolution of conflicts, but also in the context
of the elimination of violence within the family and within society. A few representatives
supported the idea of the establishment of a special rapporteur on violence against women
under the auspices of the Commission on Human Rights, as well as the establishment of a
global monitoring system on violence against women and the formation of national,
regional, subregional and global surveillance committees on the subject reporting to the
Commission on the Status of Women.
35. One representative emphasized the necessity for national institutions to be able to
guarantee peace and security to the population in general and to women in particular. Some
representatives stated that, while the participation of women in all decision-making
levels in order to preserve peace was important, women should be free to choose whether or
not they would want to join the armed forces or the police.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION
Women and development
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36. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the representative of Egypt, on behalf of
the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77, introduced a
draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.7) entitled "Women and development".
Subsequently Australia joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
37. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of Australia orally revised
operative paragraph 7 of the draft resolution by inserting the word "further"
before the word "develop".
38. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission adopted the revised draft
resolution by a roll-call vote of 39 to 1 (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 37/6). The
voting was as follows:
In favour: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Chile,
China, Colombia, Cte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Ghana,
India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sudan,
Thailand, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: United States of America.
Abstaining: None.
39. Before the draft resolution was adopted, the representative of the United States of
America made a statement; after it was adopted, the representative of Japan made a
statement.
Women, environment and development
40. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the representative of Australia, on behalf
of Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Canada, 42/ Cte d'Ivoire, Croatia,
42/ Denmark, 42/ Ecuador, Finland, Indonesia, New Zealand, 42/ Portugal, 42/ Turkey, 42/
the United Republic of Tanzania 42/ and Zambia, subsequently joined by Angola, 42/
Argentina, 42/ Ethiopia, 42/ Gabon, 42/ Ghana, Greece, 42/ Israel, 42/ Italy, Malaysia,
Nigeria, Norway, 42/ Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, 42/ Sweden, 42/ Thailand, Tunisia,
42/ the United States of America and Zimbabwe, introduced a draft resolution
(E/CN.6/1993/L.12) entitled "Women, environment and development".
41. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission adopted the draft resolution (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution IV).
42. Before the draft resolution was adopted, the representative of Australia made a
statement.
Women and legal literacy
43. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March, the representative of the United States of
America, on behalf of Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Belarus, Canada, 42/ Cte
d'Ivoire, Denmark, 42/ Ethiopia, 42/ Finland, France, Indonesia, Ireland, 42/ Israel, 42/
Italy, Lebanon, 42/ Malaysia, New Zealand, 42/ Norway, 42/ the Philippines, Poland, 42/
Portugal, 42/ The Republic of Korea, 42/ the Russian Federation, Slovenia, 42/ Thailand,
Tunisia, 42/ Turkey, 42/ the United Republic of Tanzania, 42/ the United States of America
and Venezuela, subsequently joined by Chile, Colombia, Croatia, 42/ Egypt, Gabon, 42/
Germany, 42/ Ghana, Greece, 42/ Japan, Jordan, 42/ Nigeria, Pakistan, Slovakia, the Sudan,
Sweden, 42/ the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 42/ Zaire, Zambia
and Zimbabwe, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.13) entitled "Women and
legal literacy".
44. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of the United States of
America, orally revised the draft resolution, as follows:
(a) In the seventh preambular paragraph, the words "multiple and conflicting legal
systems" were replaced by the words "multiple legal systems";
(b) In the eighth preambular paragraph, the words "customary and traditional views
regarding women have often contributed to discrimination against women" were replaced
by the words "some customary and traditional views regarding women contribute to
discrimination against women".
45. Also at the 13th meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally
revised (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 37/5).
46. Before the draft resolution was adopted, the representatives of Bangladesh, France
and Japan made statements.
Women in extreme poverty
47. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the representative of Chile, on behalf of the
States members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77, introduced a
draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.16) entitled "Women in extreme poverty".
Subsequently Australia, Denmark, 42/ Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
42/ Spain and Turkey 42/ joined in sponsoring the draft resolution, which read as follows:
"The Commission on the Status of Women,
"Recalling the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women and the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women for
the period up to the year 2000,
"Recalling also the Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990,
"Deeply concerned about the continued worsening of the economic situation in many
developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, owing to, inter alia,
the deterioration of the external economic environment, as evidenced by the significant
decline in living conditions, and the continued increase of widespread poverty in a large
number of those countries,
"Welcoming with satisfaction General Assembly resolution 47/92 of 16 December
1992, in which the Assembly decided to convene a World Summit for Social Development in
Denmark early in 1995,
"Convinced that the eradication of poverty constitutes one of the main challenges
for Governments, the international community and people themselves and that the situation
of continuous and growing deprivation is a violation of fundamental human rights that
hinders the achievement of sustainable development of society as a whole,
"Convinced of the essential role of international cooperation for development in
efforts at all levels aimed at eradicating poverty,
"Convinced that poverty affects women more deeply and disproportionately than men,
thus making indispensable the formulation of socio-economic policies from a gender
perspective,
"Noting with concern that rural women, who are the backbone of the rural economy,
are most vulnerable to situations of extreme poverty,
"Expressing deep concern over the fact that single-parent households headed by
women represent a considerable proportion of households living in extreme poverty in
numerous societies,
"Conscious that the circumstances imposed upon women living in extreme poverty
constitute one of the fundamental means by which poverty is transmitted from one
generation to another,
"Aware that the eradication of poverty demands a vigorous and sustained response
at all levels that, in order to be effective, requires international cooperation to
complement national efforts,
"1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/1993/3) on women in
extreme poverty: integration of women's concerns in national development planning, in
particular, the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;
"2. Urges Governments, international organizations, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations to examine more closely
the structural causes of poverty and ways and means of overcoming it and to evaluate from
a gender perspective the effects of current socio-economic policies;
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"3. Recommends that Governments should formulate strategies to eradicate poverty,
taking into account the specific requirements of women living in poverty, in both rural
and urban areas, in order to enable them to fully exercise their social, economic,
cultural, civil and political rights, as well as to maximize their resources and to
increase their productivity;
"4. Calls upon Governments to adopt measures to facilitate women's access to
education, training, health, family planning, and income- generating employment and to
ensure their full participation in the decision-making process;
"5. Requests Governments to strengthen the effectiveness of national machinery for
the advancement of women, in order to guarantee the inclusion of a gender perspective in
the mainstream of socio-economic policies at the national level, giving particular
attention to women living in extreme poverty;
"6. Appeals to Governments to share national experiences, at the regional and
international levels, relating to their efforts to deal with extreme poverty, in
particular the effects of those efforts on women;
"7. Appeals to the Governments of developing countries to strengthen collaborative
technical assistance and to exchange practical experiences in poverty eradication
programmes by establishing a network of focal points;
"8. Requests Member States and international, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations to allocate or reallocate national resources through
appropriate channels with a view to guaranteeing that women living in poverty are active
agents as well as direct beneficiaries of poverty eradication programmes;
"9. Calls upon multilateral institutions, bilateral mechanisms and donor countries
to provide technical and financial cooperation to developing countries, in particular to
least developed countries, in order to complement and strengthen national efforts, taking
into account that such assistance, while continuing to address emergency situations,
should also be directed to medium- and long-term self-sustaining programmes."
48. At the 15th meeting, on 26 March, the representative of Chile, on behalf of the
sponsors, orally revised the draft resolution.
49. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see chap. I,
sect. C, resolution 37/8).

Chapter V. Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on
Women: Action for Equality, Development and
Peace
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1. The Commission considered item 6 of its agenda jointly with agenda item 4
(Monitoring the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women) at its 2nd to 6th, 11th, 13th and 16th meetings, from 17 to 19 and
from 24 to 26 March 1993. It had before it the following reports:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on the preparations for the Fourth World Conference
on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace (E/CN.6/1993/5);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General containing a first draft to serve as a working
document for the elaboration of the Platform for Action (E/CN.6/1993/6);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the outline and content of the second review and
appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
Advancement of Women (E/CN.6/1993/7);
(d) Report of the Secretary-General on the planning and implementation of the
information campaign for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality,
Development and Peace (E/CN.6/1993/8);
(e) Preliminary version of the 1994 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development
(A/48/70-E/1993/16).
Preparatory activities
2. In introducing the item, the Secretary-General of the Fourth World Conference on
Women indicated the need for the Commission to agree on an outline for the Platform for
Action so that future sessions could be devoted to its substantive content. She stressed
that the Platform should be short and easily understandable and she also emphasized the
importance of the wide dissemination of information. On the subject of finances, she
stated that the Conference secretariat should be strengthened and she invited
contributions to the Trust Fund for the Preparatory Activities for the Fourth World
Conference.
3. Many representatives stressed the importance of the Conference as a means of
injecting momentum into the issue of the advancement of women and of revitalizing the
Forward-looking Strategies. A few representatives added that it was of particular
importance, in the light of the changes occurring in the world and the difficulties being
faced in social, economic and political situations, that the issue of women's advancement
should be approached on a cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary basis.
4. Some representatives were concerned about the possible negative impact of
organizational reform within the United Nations, and the resulting relocation of the
Conference secretariat, on preparations for the Conference. Others expressed their concern
about the transfer of parts of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs
from Vienna to New York, hoping that the move would not jeopardize the preparations for
the Conference.
5. Many representatives stressed the importance of the preparatory process and attached
importance to joint and coordinated efforts of Governments, non-governmental
organizations, voluntary organizations and the United Nations system. Many representatives
were of the opinion that the inclusion of a gender dimension in other world conferences,
particularly the World Conference on Human Rights, the International Conference on
Population and Development and the World Summit for Social Development, should be
highlighted as preparations for the Conference.
6. Regarding preparations at the national level, many representatives reported on the
establishment of national committees or focal points as part of the preparations for the
Conference, most of which consisted of governmental and non-governmental representatives.
A few representatives presented reports on national preparatory activities. A few
representatives acknowledged the preparations of the host country, which reported on its
activities in disseminating information and mobilizing the country. One representative
reported that the preparatory process was being used as a vehicle to achieve the
implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies.
7. Several reports were given on regional and subregional preparatory activities. While
some representatives regretted that no decision had been made concerning a European
regional preparatory conference, others reported on plans within the Economic Commission
for Europe to hold such a conference in 1994, the main themes of which should be women's
role in the economy, in particular in countries in transition, compatibility between
employment and family responsibilities, and empowerment of women in society. Many
international organizations reported on their preparatory activities and a few mentioned
financial restrictions.
8. Many representatives stressed the importance of widespread and diversified media
coverage throughout the preparatory process, as well as during the Conference. Others
stated that information and publication services in all languages of the United Nations
should be reinforced. Some representatives noted the importance of the access of the media
to the Conference and to the parallel NGO Forum.
9. Many representatives noted that the decision of the Commission in its resolution
36/8 regarding the participation of non-governmental organizations in the Conference might
have been overtaken by events. Referring to the precedent set by the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development and also to the arrangements being made for the
World Conference on Human Rights, the International Conference on Population and
Development and the United Nations conference on human settlements (Habitat II), the
representatives questioned whether the Commission should not reopen the issue in order to
allow for a broader representation of the world's women at the Conference. Many stressed
the importance of non-governmental organizations in the dissemination of information and
their influence at the community level. The importance of the need for close proximity
between the NGO Forum and the Conference, as well as the hope that many women's
organizations would participate in the Forum, was expressed by a few representatives.
Platform for Action
10. Many representatives stressed the crucial importance of the Platform for Action as
the main document to emerge from the Conference in 1995. They stressed further that the
Platform should be easily accessible to every woman and man and serve as practical
guidelines for action for the implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies to the year
2000.
11. Several representatives emphasized the need to take global common issues and
problems into account in the Platform, such as sustainable development, poverty, famine,
environmental concerns, equality, peace, violence against women, health and illiteracy.
Many representatives underlined the important role of non-governmental organizations, and
their innovative ideas and experience, as well as the national reports of concrete
suggestions based on grass-roots experience, as important contributions for the
formulation of the Platform. Women's needs, particularly as regards health and at all
stages of life, should be viewed in a broader context and given attention in developing
the key priority issues for the Platform.
12. Many representatives indicated that the Platform for Action should be
action-oriented, concise and written in a language that was simple and easy to understand.
Several representatives said that it should contain clearly specified and realistic goals,
concrete recommendations, well-defined targets and priorities, as well as indicators for
measurable achievement. A few representatives pointed to the need to organize the action
required according to short-, medium- and long-term plans and to call upon Governments to
make new political commitments and to specify the efforts required at the regional and
national levels.
13. Several representatives stressed the need to build into the Platform carefully
specified implementation and monitoring mechanisms, as well as accountability measures.
The Platform should focus on areas that had neither been adequately discussed nor
adequately implemented so far. A few representatives emphasized that the special topics
and concrete suggestions given in earlier resolutions on the formulation of the Platform
should be taken into account. One representative questioned the need for a statement of
mission and a status report in the Platform, stating that their contribution to the
Platform would be limited. Another representative stated that equality was a matter of
human rights for women, and suggested that the statement of mission should be reformulated
to take that human rights approach into account, rather than stressing the enhanced
cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of power-sharing. Several representatives indicated
that the Platform should focus on the idea that sustainable development could only be
built upon the basis of equitable partnership between women and men, and that the
implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies was to a great extent determined by
solidarity between women and men, and a redefinition of gender values.
14. One representative referred to the conceptual difficulties in drawing up the
Platform, and stated that approaches such as "mainstreaming" and
"empowerment" should be regarded as mutually complementary and not competing
approaches, and that institution-building was a necessary prerequisite for the efficient
implementation of new policy ideas on women.
Review and appraisal
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15. Most representatives intervened on the issue of the review and appraisal of the
implementation of the Forward-looking Strategies and stressed its importance both as a
preparatory process for the Conference and as a means of implementing of the
Forward-looking Strategies. As such, the review and appraisal should help countries and
regions in identifying priorities and in focusing on them.
16. Some representatives recognized that the key to the success of the exercise was at
the national level and that it was therefore urgent to begin planning and organizing the
review and appraisal. A number of countries had already begun to do so. It was indicated
that preparations at the national level also required the involvement of diverse actors,
in particular non-governmental organizations which were repositories of experience gained
at the grass-roots level, of the many innovations made since the World Conference to
Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality,
Development and Peace, Nairobi, and of qualitative data. Such information would be a
useful contribution to the Platform for Action. 17. The complexity of the preparations
necessary at all levels was stressed by many representatives. At the national level, the
availability of data and the insufficiency of resources were highlighted. It was further
indicated that data on a number of important issues were often difficult to collect,
whether at the conceptual level (for example, on violence, the environment, poverty and
performance of national machinery) or at the field level, particularly for those countries
whose national machinery and statistical institutions were overburdened. Therefore, while
generally endorsing the approach proposed by the Secretariat, some representatives
expressed their concern over its feasibility in some areas. A number of bilateral and
multilateral donors and international agencies indicated their willingness to assist in
those areas.
18. The review and appraisal at the regional level raised issues such as the need to
hold a European preparatory conference in order that all regions should be covered.
Efforts had been initiated to convene one. Many representatives stressed the fact that
other regional or subregional forums were playing an active and important role in
contributing to the review and appraisal, in particular through highlighting the progress
made or obstacles remaining in specific areas.
19. A number of representatives emphasized the importance of the coordination required
between all the levels and the difficulties in ensuring a flow of information on the
preparations carried out in order to maximize the impact of the activities undertaken and
to link them where and when necessary.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION
Work programme on the advancement of women and the proposed restructuring of the
economic and social activities of the United Nations
20. At the 11th meeting, on 24 March 1993, the Chairperson, in her capacity as
representative of Egypt, on behalf of Egypt and the Philippines, introduced a draft
resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.15) entitled "The work programme on the advancement of
women and the restructuring of the economic and social activities of the United
Nations".
21. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Algeria,
Australia, Austria, Italy, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, Spain, Tunisia, the United
Republic of Tanzania and Venezuela. The Director of the Division for the Advancement of
Women also made a statement.
22. At the 13th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission had before it a revised draft
resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.15/Rev.1) submitted by Egypt and the Philippines. Subsequently
the Bahamas, Chile, Cte d'Ivoire, Croatia, 42/ Ethiopia, 42/ Gabon, 42/ Ghana,
Indonesia, Lebanon, 42/ Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation,
Slovakia, 42/ the Sudan, Thailand, the United Republic of Tanzania, 42/ Venezuela, Zambia
and Zimbabwe joined in sponsoring the revised draft resolution.
23. At the same meeting, the representative of the Bahamas orally revised the title of
the revised draft resolution by inserting the word "proposed" before the word
"restructuring".
24. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission decided to defer taking action on
the revised draft resolution to a later meeting.
25. At the 16th meeting, on 26 March, the representative of the Bahamas further revised
the revised draft resolution as follows:
(a) In the third preambular paragraph, the words "the achievements and importance
of the Division" were replaced by the words "the importance of the achievements
of the Division";
(b) In operative paragraph 1, the words "Division for the Advancement of
Women" were replaced by the words "structure for the advancement of women"
and the words "Action for Equality, Development and Peace" after the words
"Fourth World Conference on Women" were deleted.
26. Also at the 16th meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally
revised (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 37/9).
Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development
and Peace
27. At the 14th meeting, on 25 March, the Vice-Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs. Olga
Pellicer (Mexico), introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.6/1993/L.17) entitled
"Preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality,
Development and Peace", submitted on the basis of informal consultations, and orally
revised it by replacing operative paragraphs 2-4 of section II, which had read:
"[2. Requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to propose to the regional
commissions a formula to determine eligibility for the participation of non-governmental
organizations not in consultative status, taking as a guideline practices being used by
other world conferences, such as the International Conference on Population and
Development, based on which those non-governmental organizations will be invited to
participate in regional preparatory meetings and, having been determined to be eligible,
will be entitled to apply for participation in the Fourth World Conference;
"3. Also requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to obtain from regional
commissions a list of the non-governmental organizations not in consultative status that
attended those meetings in order to present it to the Commission at its thirty-ninth
session, with a view to allowing the Commission to compile the list of those who will be
invited to the World Conference, taking into account that for the good functioning of the
Conference and the efficient participation of non-governmental organizations themselves,
their number should not be excessive, the list should have a regional balance and
attention should be given to the existing resources and facilities available at the host
country;
"4. Further requests the Secretary-General of the Conference that a proposal for
criteria to be used by the Commission in order to draw the final list should be presented
to the Commission at its thirty-eighth session],"
by the following text:
"2. Requests the Secretary-General of the Conference, taking as a guideline
practices being used by such other world conferences as the International Conference on
Population and Development, to propose to the regional commissions a formula to determine
the eligibility of non-governmental organizations not in consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council to participate in preparatory activities and/or regional
meetings, which would make them eligible to apply for accreditation to the World
Conference;
"3. Also requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to obtain from the
regional commissions a list of those non-governmental organizations not in consultative
status with the Economic and Social Council which were determined to be eligible, which
will be submitted to the Commission at its thirty-ninth session so that the Commission may
make the final list of those to be invited to the World Conference, bearing in mind that
for the proper functioning of the Conference and the efficient participation of
non-governmental organizations themselves, their number should not be excessive and that
the list should have a regional balance; attention will be given to the existing resources
and facilities available in the host country;
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"4. Further requests the Secretary-General of the Conference to submit to the
Commission at its thirty-ninth session a proposal for criteria to be used by the
Commission in drawing up the final list."
28. Also at the 14th meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally
revised (see chap. I, sect. C, resolution 37/7).
29. After the draft resolution was adopted statements were made by the representatives
of Algeria, Australia, the United States of America and Venezuela and the observers for
Ireland and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Chapter VI. Provisional Agenda for the 38th Session of the
Commission
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1. The Commission considered item 7 of its agenda at its 16th meeting, on 26 March
1993. It had before it a note by the Secretariat containing the draft provisional agenda
and documentation for the thirty-eighth session (E/CN.6/1993/L.18)
2. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Bangladesh,
Egypt, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines and Venezuela. The Director and the Deputy
Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women and the Secretary-General of the
Conference also made statements.
3. The Commission then approved the provisional agenda for its thirty-eighth session
for submission to the Economic and Social Council (see chap. I, sect. B, draft decision
I).

Chapter VII. Adoption of the Report of the Commission on
its 37th
Session
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1. At the 16th meeting, on 26 March 1993, the Rapporteur introduced the report on its
thirty-seventh session (E/CN.6/1993/L.1 and Add.1-5), and orally revised it.
2. At the same meeting, amendments were proposed by the representatives of the Bahamas,
the Philippines, Spain, Venezuela and the Russian Federation.
3. Also at the same meeting, the Commission considered a letter dated 25 March 1993
from the Alternate Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Yugoslavia to the
United Nations Office at Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United
Nations Industrial Development Organization addressed to the Secretary-General
(E/CN.6/1993/17). The following statements were made for the record:
Statement made by the representative of Ghana on behalf of the African States
The African Group totally rejects the letter and its annexes as distributed by the
Alternate Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Yugoslavia to the United
Nations Office at Vienna (E/CN.6/1993/17), and strongly condemns the conduct of the said
Representative and the contents of the above-mentioned letter.
As the Chairperson is acting on behalf of the Commission, we consider this letter and
its annexes not only as an affront to her authority but also as a challenge to the dignity
and authority of the Commission.
The African Group would like to express its full support for the Chairperson and its
appreciation of and satisfaction with the manner in which she conducted the sessions, in
particular in her handling of the deliberations on resolution E/CN.6/1993/L.11 under the
most difficult circumstances.
The African Group categorically requests the withdrawal of the said letter and its
annexes, and asks that this statement be recorded and reflected in the final report of the
Commission and be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and all United
Nations organizations in Vienna.
Statement made by the representative of Denmark on behalf of the States Members of the
United Nations that are members of the European Economic Community
I do not wish to go into the substance of this document.
However, with regard to the presence of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and
Montenegro) and consequently also its right to issue documents, I wish to refer to the
European Community's statement made on 24 March, as follows:
As we have already made clear on a number of occasions, the European Community and its
member States do not accept that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is the automatic
continuation of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In this context, we take
note of General Assembly resolution 47/1, adopted on 22 September 1992, in which the
Assembly considered that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) cannot
continue automatically the membership of the former Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia in the United Nations, and decided that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
(Serbia and Montenegro) should therefore apply for membership in the United Nations and
shall not participate in the work of the General Assembly. The European Community and its
member States have also noted the United Nations Legal Counsel's advice on the
applicability of the General Assembly resolution to the other United Nations bodies. We
regard General Assembly resolution 47/1 as a model for action in the specialized agencies
and other United Nations bodies in due course, as appropriate. We do not accept that
representatives of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) may validly
represent Yugoslav in this meeting. The presence of the representatives in question is
without prejudice to any future action which the Community and its member States may take.
Statement made by the representative of the Netherlands on behalf also of Belgium
My delegation supports the intervention of the Danish representative in the name of the
European Community and its member States. I would like to add that regardless of the legal
status of the document, its content is totally unacceptable to my delegation. We consider
this to be an insult to the work of the Commission and to its Chairperson. We insist that
this statement be reflected in the record of the present session.
Statement made by the representative of Australia
Australia notes and supports the statement by the representative of Denmark on behalf
of the European Community on this matter. I would go further on behalf of my delegation
and indicate our firm objection to the tenor and tone of the language of the document as
wholly inappropriate to the conduct and work of this Commission. We have confidence in the
competence and leadership of the Chair of this Commission. We wish this statement to be
recorded in the proceedings of this Commission.
4. Statements were also made by the representatives of Austria, the Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Chile (on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States that are members
of the Commission), Finland (on behalf of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, New
Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland), Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan,
the Philippines, Poland, Turkey, the United States of America and Venezuela.
5. The Commission then adopted the report on its thirty-seventh session
(E/CN.6/1993/L.1 and Add.1-5), as orally revised and amended.
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