The document says equality, empowerment and human
rights for women are essential to economic development
Liberal and conservative countries have approved a United Nations document to
promote equality for women that reaffirms the sexual and reproductive rights of
all women and endorses sex education for adolescents.
The 24-page final declaration approved by consensus on Saturday by
the 45-member Commission on the Status of Women expressed deep concern
that overall progress towards the UN goal of gender equality and empowerment
of
women remained "slow and uneven''.
The commission said "the feminisation of poverty persists'' and reaffirmed
that equality for women was essential for sustained economic development.
The document called for equality, empowerment and human rights for women to
be a major plank in new UN development goals expected to be adopted next
year.
Some of the more progressive countries expressed relief that there was
no back-pedalling on international recognition of women's reproductive and
sexual rights and access to health services in the final document.
The document calls for "universally accessible and available quality
comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services, information and
education''.
This should include `"safe and effective methods of modern
contraception, emergency contraception, prevention programmes for adolescent
pregnancy ... (and) safe abortion where such services are permitted by national
law,'' the document said.
Conservatism 'against women'
Egyptian minister and women's rights activist Mervat Tallawy, who led
the country's delegation, said the final document reaffirmed all the gains
women made at the 1994 UN population conference in Cairo and the 1995 UN women's
conference in Beijing.
"We will never give in to the prevailing web of conservatism against women in
all regions of the world,'' Tallawy said.
"We shall not allow fundamentalists and extreme groups to disarm women
from their rights.''
Delegates said the final vote was delayed because Russia at the last minute
tried to insert a reference to sovereignty. It did not succeed.
Conservative countries succeeded in blocking references to different forms of
the family, or to problems that women faced because of their sexual orientation
or gender identity. The document recognises the family as a contributor to the
development of girls and women.
On the sensitive issue of sex education, the document called for
the development and implementation of educational programs for human sexuality,
"based on full and accurate information, for all adolescents and youth ... with
the appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians''.
Among the countries expressing reservations about sex education after
the document was approved were Qatar, Malta, the Holy See and Pakistan.
The commission also called for an end to early and forced marriage and female
genital mutilation. Qatar asked for a definition of "early".
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