{"id":213958,"date":"1998-02-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T20:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=213958"},"modified":"2019-03-12T20:42:29","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T20:42:29","slug":"auto-insert-213958","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-213958\/","title":{"rendered":"CSW – Forty-Second Session – Press release"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Background Release             \t<\/span>WOM\/1029
\n                    \t\t\t<\/span>27 February 1998<\/p>\n

COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN TO HOLD FORTY-SECOND SESSION
\nAT HEADQUARTERS, 2 – 13 MARCH<\/p>\n

  Discussions on the human  rights of women, the girl child, women and armed
\nconflict, and violence  against women will be the  main focus of the  forty-
\nsecond session  of the  Commission on the  Status of  Women, to  be held  at
\nHeadquarters from 2 to 13 March.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The  Commission, which  is a  subsidiary body  of the  Economic and Social
\nCouncil,  is   charged  with  monitoring   implementation  of  the   Beijing
\nDeclaration  and  Platform  for  Action,  which  is  an  agenda  for women's
\nempowerment.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Under its multi-year programme of work  until 2000, the Commission focuses
\non some  of the  12  critical areas  of concern  to women  contained in  the
\nBeijing Platform for Action, adopted at the 1995  Fourth World Conference on
\nWomen.   This year's topics —  human rights of women, the girl child, women
\nand armed conflict, and violence against women —  will be debated by expert
\npanels, resulting  in action-oriented  recommendations for  adoption by  the
\nCommission.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The Secretary-General's  analytical report on  the thematic issues  before
\nthe  Commission   (document  E\/CN.6\/1998\/5)  provides  recommendations   and
\nconclusions of  expert group meetings convened  during 1997  by the Division
\nfor  the Advancement  of  Women  of the  Department of  Economic  and Social
\nAffairs, on three of  the critical areas  of concern  being taken up by  the
\nCommission.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  On "women and  armed conflict", the focus was  on gender persecution as  a
\nfollow-up  to  an  earlier  expert  group  meeting on  women  in  power  and
\ndecisionmaking   that   dealt  with   women's   participation   in  conflict
\nresolution.    The  experts  said  greater   attention  should  be  paid  to
\nunderstanding  the way  that characteristics  other than  gender,  including
\nrace,  ethnicity and sexual  orientation, play  in determining  the way that
\nwomen experience armed conflict. The fact-finding and monitoring  capacities
\nof United  Nations human rights mechanisms,  and national and  international
\nnon-governmental organizations should be strengthened, they said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Discussions  on "human  rights of  women"  focused  on their  economic and
\nsocial rights  and the  impact of  gender on  the full realization  of those
\nrights.   United  Nations Charter-based  bodies  were  urged to  pay greater
\nattention to economic and  social rights of women.   The experts  called for
\nthe  early  completion  of  work  on  the  adoption  of  optional  protocols
\nestablishing   communications  procedures   under  the  Convention   on  the
\nElimination  of   All  Forms  of  Discrimination   against  Women  and   the
\nInternational  Covenant  on  Economic,  Social and  Cultural  Rights.    The
\nCommission was  asked  to  further consider   enhancing  its  communications
\nprocedure, particularly its transparency and  to ensure the  independence of
\nthe  body reviewing communications.  The experts urged  the appointment of a
\nthematic special  rapporteur in  the field  of women's  economic and  social
\nrights.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The expert group meeting on "the girl child" focused on the rights of  the
\nadolescent  girls, particularly those  in need  of special  protection.  The
\nexperts urged  governments to  pay special  attention to  the protection  of
\ngirls from  sexual exploitation  and abuse,  harmful traditional  practices,
\nincluding  early  marriage,  teenage   pregnancy  and  sexually  transmitted<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

diseases. Governments  should also  address special  needs of  girls in  the
\nsituation  of armed conflict;  refugee girls;  working girls  and girls with
\ndisability.    The  experts  said  education,  family,  culture,  the socio-
\neconomic environment, law and  legal reform, and the  role of the media were
\ncritical for  creating an enabling environment  for the  realizations of the
\nhuman rights of adolescent girls and their empowerment.
\n  On  the issue of "violence  against women", the  report states that Member
\nStates might wish to consider developing a  common basis for the  collection
\nof data and statistics on the subject,  and to recommend that all such cases
\nbe   systematically  recorded.    It  calls  for  emphasis  on  legislative,
\nevidentiary and procedural reform, as well  as public awareness and advocacy
\nstrategies, to eliminate violence against women.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  At the  forthcoming session,  the Commission  is expected  to continue  to
\ntake measures to fulfil  its assigned role as  the preparatory body  for the
\nyear 2000 high-level General Assembly plenary  review and assessment of  the
\nprogress  achieved in  the  implementation of  the  Nairobi  Forward-looking
\nStrategies  for  the Advancement  of  Women  and  the  Beijing Platform  for
\nAction.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  In  a report  on  the  issue  (document A\/52\/789),  the  Secretary-General
\nsuggests that the review  could be carried  out at  the start of the  fifty-
\nfifth session of the General Assembly — between 6 and 15 September 2000  —
\nas  part  of  the  regular  session  or  as  a  special  session.    Another
\npossibility would  be to have  it as part  of the  Commission's forty-fourth
\nsession  before the fiftyfifth session of the Assembly in the year 2000.  He
\nalso indicates  that a  special session  of the  Assembly in  the year  2000
\ncould be held for the review, either from 22 to 26 May or from 5 to 9 June.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The Commission will also conduct  a comprehensive review of implementation
\nof the system-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women during the
\nperiod 1996-2001.    Structured around  the  12  critical areas  of  concern
\ncontained
\nin the  Beijing  Declaration and  Platform  for  Action, the  plan  reflects
\nrelevant mandates from other recent United  Nations conferences and summits.
\nA  progress  report   of  the  Secretary-General   (document  E\/CN.6\/1998\/3)
\noutlines  efforts of  United Nations  system entities  in 1996  and 1997  to
\ncarry out the plan.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  An oral report will  be presented by the Special Adviser to the Secretary-
\nGeneral  on Gender  Issues and  Advancement of  Women,  Angela King,  on the
\nprogress  of  work  of  the  Inter-Agency  Committee  on  Women  and  Gender
\nEquality, which she
\nchairs.     The  Committee   is  monitoring   full  integration   of  gender
\nperspectives  in
\nthe work of all thematic task  forces on conference's follow-up  established
\nby the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Also to  be considered during the  session is the joint  work plan of  the
\nDivision for the Advancement  of Women and the Office of the United  Nations
\nHigh  Commissioner   for  Human  Rights,  addressing  matters  such  as  the
\ncooperation  between  the  two  on  the  work   of  treaty  bodies  and  the
\npreparation of the various optional protocols.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Under a sub-item on emerging issues,  trends and new approaches  affecting
\nthe  situation of women  or equality  between women and  men, the Commission
\nwill
\nconsider the  status of older  women and make  relevant recommendations.   A
\nreport
\nof the  Secretary-General (document E\/CN.6\/1998\/4) on the subject focuses on
\nsupport systems for older persons, including financial assistance.  It also
\nhighlights  their  situation  and  suggests  gender-sensitive  policies  and
\nprogrammes to address their problems.  The  report observes that very little
\nresearch has
\nbeen  done  on  how  changing  caregiving  patterns  affect  women  and  men
\ndifferently.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The situation of Palestinian women will also be discussed.  A report of
\nthe  Secretary-General  (document  E\/CN.6\/1998\/2\/Add.2)  states  that  their
\ncondition  has  not improved  in  the  period  under  review.   Considerable
\nefforts were being
\nmade  by the  Palestinian authorities  and  civil  society to  improve their
\neconomic and  social conditions,  including legislative  revisions.  In  the
\nfollow-up to
\nthe Beijing Conference, the international community, including the United
\nNations system, has provided assistance at  various levels to implement  the
\nrecommendations contained in the Platform for Action, the report notes.   It
\nadds that  the status and living conditions of Palestinian women are closely
\nlinked with the progress of the peace process.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Other reports before the Commission include  one on national action  plans
\nand strategies from 85 Member States  for implementing the Beijing  Platform
\nfor Action  (document E\/CN.6\/1998\/6).  A  regional breakdown  showed that 29
\nper  cent of Member States  from Africa submitted  a plan,  41 per cent from
\nAsia and  the Pacific, 38  per cent from  Eastern Europe, 41  per cent  from
\nLatin America and the  Caribbean, and 66 per  cent from Western European and
\nOther States.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  A  report   of  the  Committee   on  the  Elimination  of   All  Forms  of
\nDiscrimination  against Women  on  its sixteenth  and  seventeenth  sessions
\n(document A\/52\/38\/Rev.1)  and a note  by the Secretary-General  transmitting
\nthe results of the  eighteenth session of the  Committee on the  Elimination
\nof  Discrimination against  Women (E\/CN.6\/1998\/CRP.1)  are also  before  the
\nCommission.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  Membership<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The 45 members  of the Commission on the  Status of Women are elected  for
\nfour-year terms  on the following basis:   13 from  African States; 11  from
\nAsian  States; four from  Eastern European  States; nine  from Latin America
\nand the Caribbean States; and eight from Western European and Other States.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  The 1998  membership of the  Commission is as  follows:   Angola, Belgium,
\nBolivia,  Brazil,  Bulgaria,  Chile,  China,  Congo,  Cote  d'Ivoire,  Cuba,
\nDominican  Republic,  Ethiopia,  France,   Germany,  Ghana,  Greece,  India,
\nIndonesia, Iran, Japan,  Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico,  Morocco,
\nNorway, Paraguay,  Peru, Philippines, Poland,  Portugal, Republic of  Korea,
\nRussian  Federation,  Rwanda,  Saint  Lucia,  Slovakia,  Sri  Lanka,  Sudan,
\nSwaziland, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States.<\/p>\n

* *** *<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Background Release              WOM\/1029                      27 February 1998 COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN TO HOLD FORTY-SECOND SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS, 2 – 13 MARCH   Discussions on the human  rights of women, the girl child, women and armed conflict, and violence  against women will be the  main focus of the  forty- second session  of the  Commission on the  Status of  Women, to  be held  at Headquarters from 2 […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1809],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1841],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-213958","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-press-release","document-source-commission-on-the-status-of-women-csw","document-subject-women","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/213958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/213958\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=213958"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=213958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}