Report by Patti O'Neill

Specialist Advisor, Gender and International Development, Development Cooperation Division, Ministry of foreign Affairs and Trade

within this section:

• The role of the G77 ("developing" countries)
• Achievements
• New Zealand's contribution and role

As well as reviewing progress on the Platform for Action negotiated in Beijing, the meeting in New York also had some new issues to address which had emerged between 1995 and 2000.

These included:

• older women
• mental health
• access to new technology
• recognition of the need to address some specific forms of violence against women - such as so-called "honour crimes"
• the need to address basic health issues such as malaria and tuberculosis
• sexual and reproductive health information for adolescents and the provision of services to adolescents and adolescent mothers
• the scale of the gender-specific impacts of HIV/AIDS, including the impact on children
• the role of women in conflict situations and their essential contribution to conflict resolution and peace-building
• the need for political will and commitment to improve women's status
• the role of men, and, underlying all these,
• unmet targets for levels of development co-operation.

The key contentious issues, which we knew beforehand would cause the greatest difficulties at this conference, were:

• the inclusion of references to indicators or measures for monitoring progress
• the search for "balance" in the globalisation language
• sexual orientation
• sexual rights
• abortion
• family and women's role within it
• references to the CEDAW convention
• non-achievement of development co-operation targets by the developed world
• political will and commitment
• the appropriate use of resources in the developing world, and
• unilateral coercive international measures.

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This last was the most difficult, and was resolved only after an all-night sitting at the end of the conference, with the following wording:

Take steps with a view to the avoidance of, and refrain from any unilateral measure, not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, that impedes the full achievement of economic and social development by the population of the affected countries, in particular women and children, that hinders their well-being and that creates obstacles to the full enjoyment of their human rights, including the right of everyone to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being and their right to food, medical care and the necessary social services. Ensure that food and medicine are not used as tools for political pressure. (125E)

The role of the G77 ("developing" countries)

Given the diversity and complexity of these issues, the G77 found itself unable to agree on a negotiating position, so countries negotiated individually or formed blocs. This led to:

the emergence of excellent negotiating teams and positions from Caricom (Caribbean Community Secretariat) http://www.caricom.org/ and Some Latin American Countries (SLAC) which complemented many of the positions of the Southern African countries; and

a concerted and well-orchestrated filibuster from some countries which seemed designed to thwart anything which might move us forward from Beijing.

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Achievements

The first major achievement was the maintenance of the Beijing (1995) and Cairo (1994) language.

We also achieved advances in the area of sexual and reproductive health, including new language on: access to essential obstetric care; safe and responsible sexual and reproductive behaviour by men; adolescent mothers; and providing adolescents with services and information on reproduction and sexuality.

The language on broader, primary health issues such as nutrition and the key diseases which kill women, such as cardio/pulmonary diseases, hypertension and breast, cervical and ovarian cancers, is also an improvement over Beijing language.

A balance was achieved in the issues which are covered in the document so that it is relevant to women in all situations. For example there is some important language about family-friendly policies and services as well as language about the need for good basic nutrition.

The language on violence is excellent, especially the coverage of so-called "honour crimes", dowry-related violence and deaths, acid attacks and harmful traditional or customary practices. There are also useful and relevant references to indigenous women and violence.

There were some significant steps forward on poverty and globalisation, too. Although some of the language is wordy it is useful, especially on the full and effective participation of women in the design and implementation of poverty eradication programmes and on debt.

There is some strong language on the necessity for political will and commitment, which is just as much an issue for developed as developing countries.

We managed to achieve some strong language on indicators and the need to monitor progress, and significant advances on the impact of conflict on women and children and the role of women in conflict resolution and peace-building.

And finally, there is some excellent new language on trafficking.

New Zealand's contribution and role

New Zealand was heavily involved in initiating the drafting for the numerous indigenous references. The delegation also played a valuable role as part of the JUSCANZ group. We seem particularly adept at building bridges between the blocs. Two of the New Zealand team led the JUSCANZ negotiations on poverty, globalisation, human rights and conflict, and provided backup support for other JUSCANZ negotiators.

We also supported the other Pacific delegations and developed closer working relationships with some Pacific delegations, which were followed up at the Commonwealth South Pacific symposium.

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