>Africa: Beijing Conference Follow-up >Date distributed (ymd): 000607 >Document reposted by APIC > >+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++ > >Region: Continent-Wide >Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +economy/development+ > +gender/women+ >Summary Contents: >This posting contains several reports - from the Flamme on-line >newsletter and from the Economic Commission on Africa >communications team - on this weeks's UN Beijing +5 Conference, >the follow-up on the Fourth World Conference on Women and >implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. > >For additional reports consult the following web sites: >http://flamme.org > >http://www.un.org/depts/eca > >http://www2.womensnet.org.za/beijing5/news1/news1.cfm > >+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >5 June : Introducing the Flamme Newspaper > >Flame/Flamme is a partnership between APC-Africa-Women and FEMNET >(who initiated the network); the Nairobi-based African Women and >Child Feature Service; IPS and the Johannesburg-based Gender Links. >Formed during the preparations for the Africa Regional Conference >on Women, Flame/Flamme aims to promote debate and discussion on >gender equality in Africa. This publication is available, in >English and French, on the Internet at http://flamme.org. > >FLAME/FLAMME TEAM Co-ordinator: Rosemary Okello-Orlale (Africa >Women and Child Feature Service) Managing Editor: Colleen Lowe >Morna (Gender Links) English Editor: Lucy Abala (Nation Media >Group) French Editor: Nana Rosine Ngangoue (Inter Press Services) >Opinion Editor: Muthoni Wanyeki (Kenya) Correspondents: Ferial >Haffejee (South Africa), Mercy Wambui (Ethiopia), Hope Kabuchu >(Uganda), Wanjiku Gitau (Uganda), Tafadzwa Mumba (Zimbabwe), Pat >Made (Zimbabwe), Bernadette Moffat (South Africa), Tuma Abdallah >(Tanzania) Electronic Information Dissemination: Jennifer Radloff >Editorial Assistant: Zohra Khan Layout: Rebecca Holmes and Ruth >Omukhango You can contact the Flame/Flamme team at: 6th Floor >Church Centre (opposite United Nations headquarters) 777 United >Nations Plaza Tel: (212) 646 227 1344 Fax: (212) 535 227 0873 This >paper is produced with the support of the Ford Foundation. > >***************************************************************** > >NGOs IN THE CONFERENCE, BUT OUT OF THE LOOP, BATTLE TO MAINTAIN >GROUND > >By MERCY WAMBUI > >June 6, 2000 > >NGOs may have been allowed in the General Assembly Plenary but they >have once again been excluded from the real action. > >After a frustrating time yesterday trying to follow up contentious >issues, especially around reproductive health, poverty, debt and >globalisation, the NGOs resorted to what they know best-pitching >tent along the corridors and trying to lobby their member >countries. > >NGOs found themselves in the plenary where general debate takes >place while the real negotiations take place in two working groups >deliberating on reproductive health issues and poverty, debt and >globalisation. Despite effectively being out in the cold the NGOs >are determined that, come Thursday when the working document will >be ready for the plenary, they will have lobbied enough to >influence recommendations in the contentious areas. > >The one area on which everyone agrees is that commitments made in >the Beijing Platform for Action five years ago have not been fully >implemented. Beyond this general agreement, additional wording, >either inserted to strengthen arguments or to weaken implications, >trickles in on almost every area that touches on achievements and >obstacles in the implementation of the critical areas of the >Platform for Action. > >As witnessed in previous UN negotiations in the post-Rio era, the >art of reaching consensus, particularly on delicate issues, >provides opportunities for uncompromising governments to evoke the >sovereign rights of each state to take on defensive positions. >Reading between the lines of the 72-page document and the veiled >G-77 reluctance to emerge with strong positions is a clear >reluctance to make any real move forward. The document proposes to >serve the interests of women "in consistency with national laws >and development priorities with full respect for the various >religions and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its >people". > >Take violence against women. The EU proposes a number of additional >implementation measures, such as the introduction of effective >legislation, protection orders and so on, while the G-77 only >proposes to review and revise "where appropriate" existing >legislation on violence against women. > >While national laws remain wanting and development priorities >continue to marginalise women's concerns, hiding behind state >sovereignty is the code word for business as usual. Simply put, our >governments do not want to be pinned down to specifics, and do not >want to be held too accountable. > >Still on violence against women, text referring to "thorny" issues >such as reproductive and sexual rights remain in brackets. The >section on women and health contains a proposal for the inclusion >of "sexual and reproductive rights as adopted in the ICPD report as >well the need for increased attention to sexually transmitted >infections and HIV/AIDS) infection among women and girls". This >issue, identified in the ICPD report as requiring further action, >is now being disputed. > >Still contentious are all references to sexually transmitted >infections, including HIV/AIDS, reference to a "rights based" >approach to health and health care for women, the right to enjoy >high standards of sexual and reproductive health, issues on safe >and responsible sex practices in negotiating sex, behaviour and >relations, healthcare education and the lack of access to sexual >and reproductive health information, education and services. > >Says a delegate from Togo: "I think delegates forget that words >such as "forced marriages, female genital mutilation, marital rape >and incest which are disputed in the document, are at the very >centre of people's lives." The NGOs report that most of the areas >that are raising hot debate are at the very core of women's >survival, especially in Africa. > >Examples of other issues under contention behind closed doors are: > >* Women and Poverty: A proposal by the G-77 to include the negative >consequences of globalisation and structural adjustment programmes, >high costs of external debt servicing and declining terms of >international trade that have impacted heavily on women is being >debated behind closed doors; > >* Education and training of women: Lack of political will, >commitment and the inappropriate application of structural >adjustment policies that have severely affected the education >sector is disputed. > >* Women and Health: Inclusion of "sexual and reproductive rights >as adopted in the ICPD report as well the need for increased >attention to sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS) >infection among women and girls" as an area requiring further >action is disputed. > >All reference to sexually transmitted infections including >HIV/AIDS, reference to a "rights based" approach to health and >health care for women, the right to enjoy high standards of sexual >and reproductive health, issues on safe and responsible sex >practices in negotiating sexual activities, behaviour and relations >healthcare education and the lack of access to sexual and >reproductive health information, education and services remains >contentious. > >* Women and armed conflict: The importance of a gender-sensitive >application of international human rights and humanitarian law, >reduction of availability and use of anti-personnel land mines. >Pending discussion are issues relating to economic sanctions, >development of high tech armaments decline in international >assistance to countries in developing countries hosting large >refugee populations and the provision of needs of internally >displaced women and children. Under-representation of women in >peace-keeping and lack of gender awareness in peace-building, >post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction is pending >discussion. > >* Women and the economy: Paternity leave and parental leave for >sick children, equal access or rights to ownership of and control >over land and other forms of property and to inheritance in >relation to national legislation is disputed. > >The status of this document at this very late stage is surprising >to those who went through the same debate in the ICPD and World >Social Summit for Development process. But where issues of culture >and religion are concerned, debate over wording is necessary as it >sends an important message-issues of women's equality are not >welcome. > >A major concern is the lack of specific recommendations touching on >resource allocation to accelerate the implementation process. >Unless delegates are pinned down to specific approaches and >solutions, laws will continue to remain unchanged and policies >remain undeveloped to advance the cause of women. > >*************************************************************** > >ECA Press Release No 05/2000 > >AFRICA FIELDS STRONG PRESENCE AT BEIJING + 5 > >UNHQ, New York, 05 June 2000 (ECA) -- Five years after the Fourth >World Conference on Women in Beijing, some 10,000 representatives >of governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental and >non-governmental organizations are attending a five-day meeting >that started today to assess implementation of the 1995 Beijing >Platform for Action for the Advancement of Women. > >The Special Session on "Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development >and Peace for the 21st Century", being held from 5 - 9 June 2000 at >UN Headquarters in New York, is being convened by the United >Nations General Assembly, to review progress made in the >implementation of each of the 12 critical areas of concern in the >Beijing Platform of Action. > >The African presence is strong, and includes Tanzanian as chair of >the session. Other speakers on this first day of the Session on >progress made in their respective countries in implementing the >Platform for Action included Namibia, Gabon, Tanzania, Tunisia, >Angola and Ghana. > >In her statement, Nana Agyeman Rawlings Chairperson of the Ghanaian >delegation and First Lady of Ghana, insisted that although the >majority of rural, grassroots women in Africa and elsewhere were >not even aware that the Session was taking place, their needs and >concerns should be the main focus of the meeting. > >The Special Session will review and share best practices, positive >gains, lessons learned, and modalities for overcoming obstacles and >constraints. It will consider further actions and initiatives for >achieving gender equality in all walks and levels of life in the >new millennium. > >Parallel to the special session, special forums, seminars, and >panels have been organized -- including one on micro credit that >featured Hilary Rodham Clinton, First Lady of the United States. >Ms. Clinton strongly supported the idea of small loans and grants >as a proven, humane method capable of bringing about major changes >in the lives of women worldwide and uplifting families and >communities. > >Addressing the parallel opening of the NGO gathering on the >occasion of the Beijing + Special Session, UN Secretary-General, >Kofi Annan said that the meeting was among the most important that >would take place in this Millennium year. "Its outcome will not >only be crucial to the rights and lives of women everywhere, it >will also be crucial to the achievement of the goals I have asked >the world's leaders to support at the Millennium Summit on behalf >of all the world's peoples". > >Mr. Annan said that although progress has been made in implementing >the Beijing Platform, there was still a long way to go. "Just as >the Platform for Action could not have been drafted without you, it >cannot be implemented without you," he stressed. "We need your >energy, expertise and extraordinary spirit to move it forward, to >demonstrate that empowering women not only means better lives for >women, it means better lives for everyone on the planet - men and >women alike." > >The Platform is a consensus document emanating from all regions of >the world. It details concerns in the 12 summary areas as well as >delineated modalities -- including establishment of national >machinery for advocating policy, coordinating and monitoring >action, and institutionalizing the concept and practice of gender >equality and gender mainstreaming in all plans, programmes and >projects, at all levels. > >As many Member States have pointed out, the Platform has functioned >as a road map for action to raise the status and participation of >women. Speakers in plenary are addressing gains have been made in >implementing the Platform, challenges and obstacles continue to >impede an improved quality of life for women and girls, and the >need for social, political and financial recommitment to >accelerated action for full implementation of the Platform. > >The 12 critical areas of concern include: women and poverty, >education and training for women, women and health, violence >against women, women and armed conflict, women and the economy, >women in power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms for >the advancement of women, human rights of women, women and the >media, women and the environment and the girl-child. > >(END) > >Daily updates by the ECA Communication Team, related links on the >Special Session on Beijing + 5 and the contents of a new CD-ROM >launched by the African Centre for Women are available on the ECA >Website at: http://www.un.org/depts/eca > >For more information about ECA's participation in the Special >Session, please contact: Lorna Davidson, Sophia Denekew or Mercy >Wambui C/o Regional Commissions New York Office 31st Floor UN >Secretariat New York Tel: +1-212-963-6905 Fax: +1-212-963-1500 >Email: [log in to unmask] > >****************************************************************** > >CONTENTIOUS ISSUES FLARE IN FINAL COUNTDOWN > >Rosemary Okello and Ferial Haffajee > >June 6, 2000 > >With the attendant United Nations pomp and ceremony, >secretary-general Kofi Annan yesterday opened the Beijing+5 >conference before an audience of over 7 000 women from every >corner of the world. But beneath the calm conference exterior, a >cauldron is bubbling as key issues of contention emerge. > >African women, organized under the aegis of the G77 group of >countries, are pushing for a tougher line on the impact of >globalisation. Demanding debt relief, the African lobby wants the >conference to consider the structural aspects of female poverty. > >This lobby also wants considerably beefed-up commitments for women >and decision-making. Some delegates argue that it's time to push >for equal representation of male and female politicians at all >levels of governance. "Without decision-making power, you can't >accomplish anything," believes Sarah Longwe, the chairperson of >FEMNET. The conference is likely to hear calls for a 50:50 gender >representation a step up from the 30:70 ratio for political >representation that is the accepted benchmark. > >Because the new world is also characterized by supranational >authorities like the United Nations, the Bretton Woods >Institutions and the World Trade Organisation, African lobbyists >want the conference to plan ways to make these institutions more >accountable and representative. "We believe there should be gender >parity in peace-keeping and peace-making missions," says Kenyan >delegate Nish Muthoni-Matenjwa. > >African women are also on the defensive against attempts to >rollback progress against basic patriarchal practices. "I think >delegates forget that forced marriages, female genital mutilation, >marital rape and incest which are disputed in the document are at >the very fibre of peoples lives in Africa," said a delegate from >Togo. > >The conference is also divided on how it should set itself goals. >African NGO's say that concrete outcomes in the form of quotas are >essential and must not be trumped by nebulous goals. But groupings >like the European Union favour more loose commitments and pledges. > >Conference chairperson Christine Kapalata admitted yesterday that >she is presiding over a fractious house. "Many paragraphs [on the >conference outcome declaration] remain outstanding," she told >delegates. "But with genuine political will and understanding, I >am confident consensus will be reached." > >It's going to be a long road between now and Friday when the >conference declaration must be passed. Part of the reason for >tough negotiations is that while it's been only five years since >Beijing, the world has changed fundamentally. Globalisation has >trailed what Annan calls a "complex, inter-connected world" in its >wake. It's a more unequal world in which the benefits have, as >yet, yielded themselves only in the developed world. > >HIV/Aids has reached pandemic proportions in Africa and women are >at the coalface of the disease yet the conference will again face >an onslaught on women's reproductive rights. There is an attempt >to water down draft commitments to sexual and reproductive rights >because religious conservatism is a growing force in Africa, Asia, >South as well as Latin America. This same force is attempting to >take back ground covered on the right to sexual orientation. > >Francoise Girard, senior programme officer at the International >Health Agency says some UN member countries are backtracking on >consensus reached on reproductive rights in the previous UN >conferences. " We are tired of countries reaching consensus on >reproductive rights issues. This time round we want concrete >measures taken to ensure that women enjoy their reproductive >rights." > >According to Girard, reproductive health issues have been bracketed >throughout the working document. She is particularly angry that a >paragraph guaranteeing the youth access to information on >reproductive rights has been bracketed, despite the fact that >HIV/Aids is ravaging the youth. > >Few countries agree with the rollbacks, but there is a danger that >the end of this meeting will achieve few concrete measures because >delegates will be defending a minimalist position. Moreover, NGO's >lobbying for reproductive rights are excluded from the working >groups where key negotiations take place. > >Yesterday morning, members of the Coalition for Health and Rights >made up of 66 women's organizations, were spotted in their purples >scarves in the corridors outside Conference Room 6 furiously >lobbying member countries. > >Referring to the position taken by the Holy See and Nicaragua, >which have led the attack on reproductive rights, Girard vowed: >"Expect that women will get together and prevail upon them. We >cannot wait any longer." > >************************************************************ >This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the >Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC provides >accessible information and analysis in order to promote U.S. >and international policies toward Africa that advance economic, >political and social justice and human and cultural rights. > >Auto-response addresses for more information (send any e-mail >message): [log in to unmask] (about the Africa Policy >Electronic Distribution List); [log in to unmask] (about APIC). >Documents previously distributed, as well as a wide range of >additional information, are also available on the Web at: >http://www.africapolicy.org > >To be added to or dropped from the distribution list write to >[log in to unmask] For more information about reposted material, >please contact directly the source mentioned in the posting. > >Africa Policy Information Center, >110 Maryland Ave. NE, #509, Washington, DC 20002. >Phone: 202-546-7961. Fax: 202-546-1545. >E-mail: [log in to unmask] >************************************************************ > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------