ISO: NZL *************************************************************************** The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Secretariat. *************************************************************************** AS WRITTEN HON JENNY SHIPLEY MINISTER OF WOMEN'S AFFAIRS NEW ZEALAND ADDRESS TO UNITED NATIONS FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN BEIJING TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1995 Madame Chair New Zealand is pleased to be in China at this prestigious United Nations World Women's Conference. We congratulate your Government for its action and commitment to ensuring that this and the NGO Conference are a success. Women from all corners of the globe are watching us closely. In some cases they are looking to this Conference to provide hope for their future. In some cases they are looking to us to set a credible agenda for the next 10 years for developing and developed nations. Whichever way you look at it? action is required. The Platform for Action, which will be set as a result of this Conference's consideration, must be applicable to women and must be capable of improving women's lives and be worthy of their hopes and aspirations. At one level it means developing a Platform for Action that will bring about real change and real improvement to the lives and status of women globally. It also means we have to produce a blueprint which will stand the test of time and which can be taken back to member countries and be applied to the broad and differing needs of our varied social, political and economic circumstances. Perhaps most pressingly, we as decision makers in our own countries, must see that firstly the mechanisms are in place to ensure that gender issues are considered in all public policy matters and secondly that there is a commitment present to see meaningful and sustainable solutions delivered. In short, Governments and decision makers at all levels must see that women are empowered politically and economically so that they themselves have the tools and the ability to make the decisions which will bring about real change in their own lives, and in the lives of their children and families. An unprecedented number of the world's women are gathered here in Beijing. This indicates their renewed determination to have their voices heard . The New Zealand Government is strongly committed to the goals of this Conference - action for equality, development and peace. Equality and development will not be achieved however if peace is not understood from women’s' point of view. Peace includes being free from domestic violence, free from economic deprivation, free from the threat of rape being used as a tool of war, free from civil strife, free from fear that our children will be killed because the peace process was not understood, or was left wanting. Without peace, and a determined commitment by the international community to the peace process, our efforts at this Conference will be pointless and wasted and our goals of equality and development will be unachievable. Too often the desire for peace has been expressed by women while the stewardship of the mechanisms which are used to attempt to secure peace in the short and medium term are dominated by male decision-making structures and informal arrangements. This must change. The United Nations machinery must ensure that development and security issues are considered together, not in isolation. Only then will the balance of interests be achieved or have a chance to succeed. Peace must include being free from the threat of war both in the immediate and in the future. For New Zealand this is where our renewed effort to the peace process must begin. Hollow commitments to action in the future are insufficient. Deferring difficult issues must not be tolerated. Our children and grandchildren expect us to speak and act decisively. In this context, for New Zealand the cessation of nuclear testing and the signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty are the issues of the moment. When we met a little over a year ago in Jakarta, where we held our regional preparatory conference for this meeting, there was such hope. At that time we prepared a Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women in Asia and the Pacific. Many of you were there. In that Plan we recognized that nuclear radiation and the incineration of stockpiles of chemical weapons have had an adverse impact on the environment, particularly in the Pacific. At that time we welcomed the French moratorium on nuclear testing ` as a positive step towards addressing the concerns about the degradation of the environment'. The decision by France to resume nuclear testing in the South Pacific has destroyed this hope and raised a storm of protest at home, in the South Pacific and thankfully around the world. Governments, non- governmental groups, parliamentarians, and unprecedented numbers of ordinary people have joined in expressing their sense of outrage and have appealed to the French Government not to proceed with the test Programme. The Pacific had great hope that when the former President Mitered decided to halt nuclear testing, we had put behind us the issue of nuclear states testing their weapons in our Pacific region. Small island nations dependent for their livelihood on the sea find the risk associated with testing unacceptable. Aside from the possibility of accidents, there are serious regional concerns about the long-term consequences to the marine environment. Countries of the South Pacific are unanimous in their opposition to testing in their region on both environmental and moral grounds. Great offense is caused by continued claims that no risks exist. Indeed, if the nuclear waste storage standards which apply in France were to be applied to the Mururoa Atoll, we doubt that testing would be able to proceed. Pacific Nations have asked that a comprehensive environmental impact study be undertaken prior to any further testing. A study after the event, when the damage has already been done, is in our view too late. Naturally New Zealand would prefer the Government of France to test in their own immediate environment and not in the South Pacific if they are so confident no risk exists. The people of New Zealand and the Pacific consider themselves friends of the people of France and as such we ask the Government of France to appreciate the effort New Zealanders and others in the South Pacific have put into securing the liberty of the French people in the past. New Zealanders have borne considerable cost in fighting in Europe for the protection and freedom of French and European citizens 26,000 New Zealanders lie buried in Europe, over 13,000 on French soil. This sacrifice must count for something. New Zealand feels so strongly about the need for leadership on this issue that we have sought to resume the case against French nuclear testing in the Pacific which we took to the International Court of Justice in 1973. This hearing is to begin very shortly. New Zealand is a peaceful country, a proudly nuclear-free country, whose people are fiercely dedicated to the goal of a nuclear-free Pacific and peace and security for all women throughout the world. We believe that the nuclear arms race is ` out of time'. In this context New Zealanders were also shocked and saddened when China tested only three days after the end of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference, at which the nuclear powers promised to exercise 'utmost restraint' in the run-up to signature of a test ban. We would urge China to reconsider the necessity of continuing testing when they have clearly indicated their intention to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996. We would ask that they join France, the UK and the US in accepting a truly comprehensive treaty with a zero threshold. The world has been gradually reducing its nuclear arsenals. Testing must stop so that progress on the destruction of nuclear weapons may begin. New Zealand would hope that all countries attending this Conference will return home and ensure that their Government takes the action necessary to see that nuclear testing comes to an end and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is signed in 1996. Peace is a fragile thing. It takes courage to secure it. It takes wisdom to maintain it. So Madam Chair? even at this late stage, on the eve of the expected resumption of nuclear testing at Mururoa, New Zealanders and the people of the Pacific urge the President of France to reconsider and to demonstrate the leadership that the 21st century demands by putting nuclear testing behind us, once and for all. I would ask women politicians, leaders of delegations, MPs and NGO women of the world and the delegations attending this conference to bring what pressure to bear they can to stop France from resuming nuclear testing. New Zealand is proud to be part of the Pacific. It is important to remember that the Pacific Ocean covers a quarter of the world's surface and that each Pacific country has its own cultural, historical and ethnic identity. At the same time, common experiences have forged a Pacific identity - one which is based on an attachment to the land and a reliance on the ocean. As was recognised in the Pacific Regional Platform for Action `Pacific women have a vital role in our region's environmental management and development. Their participation is essential to achieving sustainable development, resource management, energy conservation, reusing and recycling; and safeguarding the well-being of our limited land and coastal resource for future generations'. My Government has worked closely with our South Pacific neighbors in an effort to ensure that the smaller countries within our region have the opportunity to participate fully in the Beijing Conference. We are pleased that so many Pacific Island nations are represented here at this Conference. The Platform for Action which we produce here must be able to be applied globally, regionally, nationally and even locally. It is critical that it be a useable, empowering document - a blueprint for women, their community level organizations and their governments throughout the world. Here in Beijing we will need to address those areas that continue to require serious attention. Women remain under-represented in decision- making positions. Women make up the highest proportion of people living in extreme poverty. Women represent the highest percentage of refugees and displaced persons in the world. The persistence of rape, genital mutilation and other forms of violence against women continue to be of critical concern globally and progress is frustratingly slow. However, while we seek solutions to these problems, we must do so in a way that highlights the positive contributions that women can make. Women are not beset by problems, we simply want to address the underlying and fundamental issues so that real and lasting change occurs. My Government reiterates that we are seeking empowerment of women. The Platform for Action must embody actions which enable women to fully participate in all aspects of economic and political life and ensure they are able to be fully involved in the decisions which affect them. Women need to be able to take charge of their lives. This can only benefit everyone - both men and women everywhere. 1995 is the first year of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. The Decade is of particular significance to New Zealand where the indigenous Maori people hold a special position in our society. Maori women, in particular, have lead a renaissance of Maori culture. Every day Maori women are demonstrating resourcefulness, innovation and leadership in the development of new programmes and structures, often through their community organizations, such as the Maori Women's Welfare League. Community initiated schemes have included the establishment of a fund to assist with starting up Maori women's businesses, the development of appropriately targeted health care services and health care education; and most impressively of all, a Programme designed to retain and pass on the Maori language to future generations. Although each of these initiatives originated in the community, they have now attracted significant government support and funding and are part of our mainstream publicly funded services. I am pleased that the Platform for Action recognizes the particular interests of indigenous women. Madame Chair - NGOs have a significant role to play, alongside governments, in improving the status of women. This has been the case throughout New Zealand's history. It was a community organization, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which campaigned over one hundred years ago for women to have the right to vote - a world first. In more recent times, initiatives like kohanga reo - the Maori language learning initiative - and the women's refuge movement, to name but two, were started off by NGOs Such initiatives went on to obtain funding from the Government in recognition of their importance. NGOs in New Zealand are actively involved in many consultative settings, so that Government can be sure that public policy is based on the lives and experiences of the diverse groups of women who make up our communities. Women's groups have a long history of having constructive input in this way. This knowledge, commitment and history have allowed my Government to work closely with New Zealand's NGOs as we have prepared for this Conference. New Zealand's delegation, which includes a number of NGO representatives, is fully aware of those areas which New Zealand NGOs regard as the key priority areas for action globally. By and large, women in New Zealand are fortunate compared with some other countries, including many in our own region. But there is still progress to be made. My Government welcomes the Beijing Conference as an opportunity to focus on and intensify the debate on the priority areas for action so that women in New Zealand can secure true equality. Although all New Zealand women have had the vote since 1893, and although we have extensive legislative protection covering the key areas such as matrimonial property, human rights, equal pay and domestic protection, we recognize that we still have areas where improvement and change must occur. We are at a point in our history where changes to society's attitudes and values are what is required. For example, although we have had equal pay legislation since 1972, there is still a significant differential in the earnings of men and women. Women currently earn 81 percent of the average male wage. We recognize that there are some complex underlying issues which need to be identified and addressed if we are to make further progress towards the goal of equality for all women. When we have completed our deliberations here in Beijing I plan to use the actions outlined in the Platform as the basis for developing a strategy for New Zealand women in terms of the areas of legislative, administrative and attitudinal change that still need attention. The Platform for Action gives due emphasis to the fact that women globally have continued to have insufficient access to the resources necessary to achieve economic independence. Whatever their situation, women need a sufficient income to break or avoid the cycle of poor health, educational disadvantage and low status. Even in countries experiencing economic recovery and growth, women are often benefiting less than their male counterparts. In countries undergoing economic and social change, women often manage the risks associated with change to a disproportionate extent. But there has also been progress over the last 10 years since Nairobi. In 1992 in Rio de Janeiro we recognized the valuable role women have to play as environmental managers if we are to achieve the goal of sustainable development; in 1993 in Vienna our governments recognized that women's rights are human rights - universal, inalienable and indivisible; in Cairo, just a year ago, we recognized just how critical women are to the formulation of effective population and development policy; and, in Copenhagen in March, we determined that women's equality and political and economic empowerment are essential if we are to effectively combat poverty and social disintegration. It is critical that this Platform for Action reflect the agreements reached in other United Nations conferences, in Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Cairo and most recently, Copenhagen. It is our responsibility to build on these ideas and these achievements and to ensure that the document we produce reflects and further develops these ideas - to ensure that women are empowered and that there is an equal partnership between men and women which will benefit us all. Again, the challenge will then be for member states to return home and apply the Plan of Action in an appropriate but proactive way for their respective nations. In recent years we have seen major achievements in recognizing and seeking solutions to the worldwide problems of violence against women. With the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the international community sent out a clear message that gender based violence will not be tolerated. In my own country we take seriously these international obligations as we continue to explore ways to reduce the incidence of domestic violence. At present we have legislation before our Parliament which is intended to provide special legal remedies to victims of violence in the home. The new law will widen the categories of people who can be protected and allow the Courts to impose conditions to prevent violence occurring. Last year my Government put in place legislation making it illegal to distribute, exhibit and possess publications, films and videos which are `likely to be injurious to the public good'. Publications included are those which promote or support the sexual abuse of children, sexual violence, torture or extreme violence. In New Zealand we can also be justly proud of our human rights record. Although we have had human rights legislation in place for many years, we have now further strengthened that legislation by extending its provisions to include disability, including HIV/Aids status, age, employment status, family status, political opinion and sexual orientation. Ten years ago in Nairobi we said that the participation of women in the decision-making and appraisal processes of the United Nations was essential if the organization was to effectively serve women's interests. Now, ten years on and as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, it is truly disappointing that this organization has never come close to reflecting, in its composition the fundamental principle contained in its own Charter - the equality of women and men. Indeed, since its inception, the United Nations has consistently failed to draw from and fully utilize the talents of half the world's population - women! We believe that to be effective, the United Nations must reflect in its composition and organization those principles it advocates globally. It must lead by example in efforts to ensure the full participation of women in all aspects of decision-making. The United Nations must not only promote the ideal, it must also reflect it in every aspect of its work. The serious under-representation of women in the United Nations Secretariat, particularly at the senior levels, has long been a matter of concern to my delegation Here in Beijing we are calling on the United Nations to account for the lack of progress in this area. My delegation believes that the current structures tend to marginalise women's issues and to mute women's voices. This is not the solution for women or for the many international issues the United Nations faces. On many occasions New Zealand has spoken about the need to ensure that women's concerns are fully integrated into all aspects of the United Nations' activities and structures, not marginalised in one part of the Secretariat. We must be heard in all forums that count if we are really going to make progress. This has never been more critical than it is now. The credibility of the United Nations is at stake and additional steps, both urgent and practical, must be taken. Fundamental change is long overdue. We need data and statistics which are reliable and help to give a complete picture of the world's women. We need soundly based research and the capacity for gender analysis to be integrated into all aspects of the United Nations' work, system-wide, from the Security Council to economic and social development areas. In this regard, a key issue that needs to be addressed is support for the work of the CEDAW Committee. My Government hopes that as a consequence of the focus which the Beijing Conference will bring to women's issues, there will be an increase in the number of countries which ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and a marked improvement in the commitment of states to meet their reporting obligations. As the Convention provides the legal underpinning for the position of women around the world, the CEDAW Committee has a critical role, monitoring and promoting the advancement of women. This Committee is responsible for ensuring that we deliver on the promises we made to the women of our countries when we signed the Convention. The Committee needs adequate resources to function effectively. The experts who sit on the Committee are currently not given adequate backup to do their important work. This is just one indication of the lack of sufficient priority being given to women's issues within the United Nations system. It is an ongoing cause of frustration and disappointment and must be addressed. Let 1995 be the year the United Nations makes significant progress to put these matters right! This Conference is setting our agenda through to the end of the century and beyond. If we are serious about advancing the status of women worldwide we need to put in place a robust framework which will assist us to make progress so that in ten years' time we are not simply repeating these same calls. This will only be achieved through a coordinated, system-wide follow-up to the Beijing Conference. The fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the priorities of the United Nations and to put in place a new blueprint. The serious problems facing the world today will never be solved until women are able to use their full potential on behalf of themselves, their families, and their global and local communities, as the World Bank and others have discovered. We are responsible for developing those priorities and strategies which will guide our efforts towards a better future for women in the 21st century. Our daughters and sons, their children and grandchildren, have high expectations of us and of the United Nations. We must not let them down. Let us ensure a result in Beijing that is worthy of the hopes and aspirations of women throughout the world and by the turn of the century we will have achieved major change. Thank you Madame Chair.