Subject: [fem-women2000 406] Excellent speech by Nafiz Sadik
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 04:26:29 +0900
Seq: 406
Forwarded by lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org> ---------------- Original message follows ---------------- From: "Leslie Wright" <ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com> To: <ngo-csw-ny@egroups.com> Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 22:44:07 -0400 Subject: [ngo-csw-ny] Fw: Excellent speech by Nafiz Sadik -- > Subject: Nafis Sadik's speech to the UNGASS Plenary > Resent-From: unifem.all@undp.org (Rosemary Kalapurakal) > Resent-From: unifem.hq@undp.org > Precedence: list > > Dear colleagues: > > I am sending you a copy of Nafis Sadik's speech to the Plenary, which many > felt was an excellent and strong statement about the missed opportunities in > the B+5 process. > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > At the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly On the Fourth > World Conference on Women United Nations, New York > > 9 June 2000 > > Madam President, honourable delegates > > I had hoped to deliver a different sort of statement today, pointing out all > the progress that has been made by women and on behalf of women since we met > five years ago in > Beijing. I had hoped to be able to join in congratulating all the > participants in this > process for your work to consolidate the movement towards equality and > justice for all the world's people. > > Unfortunately it seems that this Special Session is still unable to agree on > language concerning some of the most basic human rights as they affect women: > the right to > health, and the right to protection from violence. > > This lack of agreement is puzzling. In most cases the language has already > been thoroughly debated and agreed, not once, but several times. It can be > found in the > Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women, in the Programme > of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and > in the recommendations of last year's ICPD+5 review. In other cases, there > may be a need for new language, but it is hard to see why it should take so > long to reach agreement. > > To take some examples. First, the question of unsafe abortion. Countries have > agreed, on the basis of strong and irrefutable medical evidence, that unsafe > abortion is a > major public health problem. They have quite rightly agreed to act to > minimise it and deal with its effects. Paragraph 8.25 in the ICPD Programme > of Action is quite explicit, and the consensus was further clarified last > year at the ICPD+5 Special Session. Yet paragraph 107i on the subject of > unsafe abortion is still in brackets. Surely no delegations want unsafe > abortion, and all the death, disease and suffering it entails? But, if not, > what is the disagreement about? > > Again, paragraph 115a refers to a holistic approach to women's health. It is > still in > brackets?does that mean that some delegations want a piecemeal approach to > health? > > In paragraph 115d, what is the objection to health services for women? Is it > only men who should have health services? When we know that her reproductive > health affects a > woman's whole life, who would deny her the services she needs? > > In 115h, should women not have access to female-controlled contraceptive > methods? > When we know that women are contracting HIV infections from their husbands, > who is > against developing microbicides to allow women to protect themselves? Are any > delegations opposed to finding better means to diagnose sexually transmitted > diseases? If not, why is the paragraph in brackets? > > In 119a, do all delegations agree that maternity, motherhood and the role of > parents in the family have a social significance? If so, who is against > programmes to promote it? Why is the paragraph in brackets? > > Finally, I am quite bewildered by the brackets around paragraphs 130 a and > 130 c. Who > exactly is opposed to measures against violence against women and girls? Who > wishes to let infanticide, abduction, trafficking, dowry deaths, honour > killing and acid attacks go unpunished? Who supports female genital > mutilation? > > Is there anyone who is in favour of rape, sexual slavery, enforced > prostitution, forced > pregnancy or sterilization? Does anyone support their use as weapons of war? > If not, why should there still be brackets round these paragraphs on the last > day of these negotiations? > > Excuse me if I am naive. But I am frankly baffled by inability to reach > agreement on this language among countries which I know support all these > measures and proposals. Countries which are themselves taking action to > implement them. > > Lest any doubt remain, these negotiations are based firstly on the > sovereignty of nations, and secondly on countries' acceptance of human > rights. Nothing in the document can in any way infringe countries' sovereign > right to make their own laws, > within the international framework of human rights; the framework which > countries themselves have constructed. > > The ICPD Programme of Action 1994 and the Beijing Platform for Action 1995 > are firmly rooted in universally accepted values and ethical principles. > Their > recommendations are being successfully put into action in countries and among > people of all religious beliefs. A common regard for morality unites us. Let > others not use ideology to divide us. > > > Honourable delegates, this review offers an opportunity to assess, calmly and > in a spirit of co-operation, recommendations which are both eminently > practical and > completely ethical. They reinforce the rights of individuals, both men and > women, and they encourage the development of nations, with justice and > equity. I hope that you will approach the remainder of the questions to be > decided in a spirit of constructive collaboration and mutual regard. We have > come a long way.,Let us leave this chamber united, and determined to work > together for all the people of the world, and especially for the majority who > are women. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SALESFORCE.COM MAKES SOFTWARE OBSOLETE Secure, online sales force automation with 5 users FREE for 1 year! http://click.egroups.com/1/2658/3/_/155423/_/961593470/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _________________________________________________________________________ fem-Women2000@jca.apc.org for Women 2000, UN Special Session on Beijing+5 Searcheable Archive http://www.jca.apc.org/fem/news/women2000/index.shtml visit fem-net HomePage for other mailing lists http://www.jca.apc.org/fem