10-10-2000 - Advancement of Women - Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

New York

Permanent Mission address: 150 East 42 Street, Level 33, New York, New York 10017 - Telephone: 1 212 351 6600 - Fax: 1 212 351 6610

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 55th SESSION

Third Committee - Item 107: Advancement of Women

Statement by H.E. Ms Penny Wensley
Ambassador and Permanent Representative

10 October 2000

Madam Chairman

Since we last met to consider the Advancement of Women at the 54th session of the General Assembly, the United Nations and the international community has had an exceptionally busy time. Over the past year, the Beijing Plus Five (United Nations Special Session "Women 2000: Gender, Equality and Peace for the 21st Century"), Copenhagen Plus Five (Five Year Review of the World Summit for Social Development) and Millennium Summit processes provided strong impetus for members of the international community to work together to identify the challenges which still remain to the fulfillment of basic rights for all, and to map out actions to address these as we enter a new century. Those of us who took part in these processes must now return to the less dramatic, less exciting, but equally important business of implementing the commitments we have made.

In the field of women's rights, the Outcomes Document and the Political Declaration which emerged from the Beijing Plus Five process, have provided Governments and other actors in the international community with a blue-print for action. The challenge we now face is to put this blue-print into action, but we also believe there is another challenge for all of us; and that is to keep the promotion and protection of women's rights on international, regional and national agendas, despite the many competing priorities for our time, energy and resources.

The international community needs to be creative and resourceful to do this. We need to look for opportunities to make sure that the Beijing Plus Five commitments are implemented in all areas of the international agenda, not only in fields traditionally known as affecting the rights of women and girls.

Madam Chairman

The Australian Government will continue to play a strong part in the promotion and protection of women's rights as a member of the United Nations, through our strong commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and through our robust approach to the advancement of women's rights within Australia.

The coming year will provide opportunities for us and other states to keep the empowerment and advancement of women high on the international agenda. The Special Session of the General Assembly on Financing for Development in 2001 is one example. The link between gender equality and development is drawing increasing international attention. A recent World Bank Study concludes that promoting gender equality must be a central component of development strategies for all people and that gender equality strengthens countries' capacity to grow and to reduce poverty. Participating States should ensure that these themes and linkages are given attention during the Special Session.

Separately, the ten year review of the World Children's Summit will examine issues which have a particular impact on the girl-child. In September 2001, the World Conference on Racism in South Africa will refocus the world's attention on the right for all people to be treated as equals. The impact of racial discrimination and racially-motivated violence on women and girls, particularly in situations of war, deserves a special focus at this conference.

Australia believes that Member States should also take advantage of other opportunities to mainstream a gender perspective into the international agenda. For example, implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the United Nations Panel on Peacekeeping Operations (the Brahimi report) will provide opportunities for Member States to consider the role of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations.

It is important that the United Nations itself remains an uncompromising advocate of women's rights through mainstreaming and the integration of women's issues into all UN mechanisms. Australia welcomes the Secretary-General's renewed commitment to achieving gender equality as set out in his latest report on the Status of Women in the Secretariat. We will continue to monitor developments closely in this area.

In this context individual States, as well as the UN, should continue efforts to identify suitably qualified women for positions throughout the UN system, including as Special Representatives and Deputy Special Representatives of the Secretary-General. The appointment of women as decision makers at the international level will also help to promote their greater participation in regional and national decision-making processes, an area where all Member States of the United Nations should continue to strive to do better.

Australia is strongly committed to improving the operation of international human rights mechanisms, including those which promote and protect the rights of women. The Australian Government recently completed a review of its interaction with the United Nations Treaty Committee system and has announced a package of measures which aim to bring about an improvement in the operation of that system. Australia believes that reforming the system will enhance the integrity of the international human rights system and bring tangible benefits to many women around the world. One important aspect of reform is to ensure that the Committees entrusted with upholding international human rights standards have the resources they need to perform this role effectively.

Just as we think the Member States of the United Nations should look for opportunities in the UN system to ensure that women's rights are addressed effectively at the international level, Australia also believes that regional organisations and groups should take opportunities to pursue the advancement and empowerment of women. As a government with a strong commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, Australia is always looking to develop and strengthen cooperation on priority issues such as human rights through its bilateral and regional relationships.

We have played an active role in the APEC Advisory Group on Gender Integration, which aims to increase women's involvement, both as beneficiaries and participants, in the work of APEC. Australia has also long been a supporter of the promotion of equal opportunities and equal rights for women through our bilateral development assistance programs in the Asia-Pacific as well as other regions.

We are already looking at ways in which we will be able to assist the promotion of women's rights and opportunities in our future aid contributions to East Timor. This is an opportunity for Australia to help ensure that women take an active and equal role in the development and administration of a new society from the very outset. We will be doing so from a strong base. The women of East Timor have already played a very important role in the territory's transition to independence. The Gender Affairs unit in the United Nations Transitional Administration is also playing an important role in the political and social reconciliation process for women in the territory.

Australia also supports UNIFEM's program of strengthening women's economic capacities and rights, promoting women's human rights and working to eliminate violence against women around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific. We were recently very pleased to welcome ms's Executive Director to Australia as part of a regional visit which also included East Timor and a number of Pacific countries.

Madam Chairman

At the national level the Australian Government continues to seek innovative initiatives to improve the opportunities of women in all walks of life. We have introduced a new social reform agenda called "social coalitions" to tackle social problems, especially those arising from gender discrimination and inequality. The Australian Government has taken the lead in building collaborative links with business and community groups where each partner contributes their strength and expertise to address social issues. Our programs recognise that issues affecting women's rights are complex and must be approached from many different angles in order to raise awareness effectively, change attitudes and expectations and, ultimately change behaviour. Focus on prevention is a key feature of this approach.

One important program in this agenda is the Partnerships Against Domestic Violence strategy. The next phase in this strategy will be the funding of more than 100 projects which focus on community education, perpetrators of violence, children affected by domestic violence and community leadership. Another very important initiative is the establishment of a national approach on sexual assault to improve the collection and distribution of data, the sharing of best practices and the promotion of uniform legislation across Australia.

Through these and other programs the Australian Government will work to implement the strategies which were outlined in the Outcomes Document of the Beijing Plus Five Special Session.