FW: [karat2000] UN Opens Debate on Women, Peace and Security <fwd>

2000. Okt. 23., H, 21:17:12 CEST

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From: jep at liverpool.ac.uk [mailto:J.E.Price at liverpool.ac.uk]
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2000 1:41 AM
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Subject: [karat2000] UN Opens Debate on Women, Peace and Security <fwd>

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Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 16:17:17 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time)
From: GREAT Network <Gender at uea.ac.uk>
Subject: UN Opens Debate on Women, Peace and Security
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MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
October 18, 2000 Contact:Micol Zarb (212) 906-5463
<mailto:micol.zarb at undp.org>micol.zarb<mailto:micol.zarb at undp.org>@undp.org

U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL CONVENES UNPRECEDENTED OPEN DEBATE LINKING WOMEN'S
EQUALITY TO WORLD PEACE ON OCTOBER 24

WHAT: Day-of news briefing and update by the United Nations Development
Fund for Women (UNIFEM) on Security Council's open debate on Women, Peace
and Security, presided over by the Republic of Namibia. This initiative
follows the Security Council's recent affirmation on the occasion of
International Women's Day, March 8, 2000, that women's full participation
in all efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts is essential for the
maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

Armed conflicts have steadily eroded hard-won socio-economic and political
gains women have made in recent decades. During conflicts and after, women
are at risk - the international human rights and humanitarian standards
that guarantee their protection are rarely enforced. Widespread threats to
women and girls have long term consequences for durable peace, security and
development.

On September 17, 2000, at the International Conference on War-Affected
Children in Winnipeg, Canada, Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM
said: "While the credibility of peace processes that exclude participants
on the basis of caste, ethnicity, religion and political affiliation are
often called into question, the systematic exclusion of more than 50 per
cent of the population on the basis of gender is rarely challenged. Why is
it that we bring warlords to the negotiating table and not women?"

WHY: Women, Peace and Security marks the first time in history that the
Security Council has debated women's experiences in conflict and
post-conflict situations. This represents a bold step forward by the
Council to strengthen its commitment to further linking lasting peace to
increased equality between men and women, including women's increased
access to political and economic decision-making.
    * Today about 1 in every 150 people on earth - a total of 40 million -
are displaced by conflict or human rights violations (Graca Machel, The
Impact of Armed Conflict on Children: A Critical Review of Progress Made
and Obstacles Encountered in Increasing Protection for War-Affected
Children, Sept. 17, 2000)
    * More than 75 per cent of displaced people are women and their
dependant children (UNHCR, www.unhcr.ch/issues/women/women.htm)
    * In former Yugoslavia there were an estimated 20,000 victims of sexual
attack. (Graca Machel, The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, Sept. 17,
2000)
    * There were 15,700 cases of rape of women and girls between the ages
of 13 and 65 recorded by the Ministry of the Family of Rwanda. Testimonies
refer to cases of rape of girls as young as 10, and to pregnant women and
new mothers who were raped in hospitals. (ECOSOC, Commission on Human
Rights, 52nd Session, Item 10, E/CN.4/1996/68)
WHEN: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 from 2:00 - 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: U.N. Secretariat Building, Press Room 226

WHO: Noeleen Heyzer, Excutive Director, United Nations Development Fund for
Women
Angela King, Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
Luz Mendez, General Coordinator for the National Union of Guatemalan Women
and participant in 1996 Guatemalan peace accords, ending 30 years of war
and violence
Faiza Jama Mohamed, Director, Africa Office, Equality Now, Human Rights
Advocate, Somalia

__________________________________________________________________________

Lorraine Corner
Regional Programme Director
UNIFEM
East & Southeast Asia Regional Office
UN Building 12th Floor
Rajdamnern Ave,  Bangkok 10200 Thailand
Tel: +66 2 280 3810
Fax: + 66 2 280 6030
E-mail: unifem-bkk at mozart.inet.co.th
UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Website: http://www.unifem-eseasia.org/
UNIFEM New York Website: http://www.undp.org/unifem/

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