The happenings at the intergovernmental Conference seem rather pale when compared to the life, vigour and hope inspired by the NGO Forum and its participants. Two important documents. "The Review and Appraisal of Progress achieved and Obstacles encountered during the UN Decade for Women" and the second, "Forward Looking Strategies to the Year 2000" amongst others, were prepared for the UN Conference. The second of these was considered paragraph by paragraph and adopted by consensus only after the familiar squabble over words, political shows— of—strength and tugs—of-war. Most of the delegations from the Third World and the "Eastern Block" rallied around the Palestinian issue, against South Africa, and in support of Nicaragua. There was a sensational walkout from the Plenary by delegations from the Arab world when Israel rose to present its report of the achievements of the decade. The word "Zionism" became the bone of contention between two conflicting ideological groups and it was high drama on the final days of the Conference, the suspense being which of these groups - those who wanted the word included and those who wanted it excluded — would win. Ultimately, in an attempt to adopt the Conference document by consensus the word was dropped.
There was also an ongoing debate throughout the Conference between those who wanted to keep politics out and those, like the majority of developing countries, who believed that all issues were women's issues, and that it was impossible to change women's situation without examining the structures contributing to their oppression. The issue was far from resolved by the end of the Conference, but the very fact that there were delegations who perceived women's issues in the broadest sense of the word, is a hopeful sign.
The Conference did not succeed in adopting any of the resolutions put before it, and these resolutions are to be considered and adopted by the 40th General Assembly of the UN. Meanwhile, it is very important for all women to acquaint themselves with the "Report" and the "Forward Looking Strategies", so that we can monitor the implementation of the strategies and organize to ensure that the commitments made by our governments in this world Conference are fulfilled.
THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S WOMEN - REPORT 1985
This report brought out by the UN for the Conference, reviews the achievements of the Decade and identifies the main obstacles still in the way of any significant changes in women's status.
"The scales of world equality are out of balance", it says. "The side marked 'woman' is weighed down with responsibility, while the side marked 'man' rides high with power." The report summarises the responses by 121 governments to a questionnaire on the current situation of women in their countries.
The results reveal some significant advances during the Decade: in legal equality, in education and employment, in health and family planning, in political participation. But it also highlights some global trends - world recession and the debt crisis, migration and the increasing number of women headed households, development models in agriculture and industry that marginalize women — that threaten to undermine the small advances achieved during the Decade.
FORWARD LOOKING STRATEGIES:
An impact for the next 15 years
by Seona Martin
The ideas expressed in the 370-odd paragraphs enshrined in the UN document with the four-line title which begins "Forward looking strategies" are probably the most important words for women for the next 15 years.
The paragraphs cover matters affecting women from the "Equality, Development and Peace" goals of the past Decade for Women to disabled women, indigenous women, destitutes and those in detention, and monitoring obstacles and information about international and regional cooperation, with a myriad of other concerns in between.
Some have already been accepted at the Conference, some are still under consideration. But already women know about them, the ideas behind them and the goals in front of them, and already they are working to make many of them a reality.
The section on equality points out that women suffer discrimination on grounds of their sex, as well as in some cases their race or colour, and despite laws to change this, de facto or indirect discrimination often persists. In some countries, discriminatory legislation may even still exist.
Strategies recommended for improving this situation include better or changed laws and appropriate, timely and reliable methods of monitoring the status of women, as well as a call for the sharing of domestic responsibilities by all members of the family and equal recognition of women's informal and invisible economic contributions.
Governments are urged to intensify efforts to ensure the equality of women's participation in all decision making, and special consideration be given to their participation in management.
Concerning development, the participation of women has been affected by the difficult international economic situation, poverty, continued population growth, rising divorce rates, increasing migration and the growing number of female-headed households. Neither the increased employment of women or recognition of them as producers has been accompanied by social adjustments to ease their burden of child and household care.
Strategies for improvement include involving women as an integral part of deciding on the objectives and means of development and development planning, with measures to bring them into the development process on an equal basis with men and the inclusion of special women's issues. There should also be an increase in women policy and decision-makers, professionals and technicians in development areas. This section also urges the sharing of parental and domestic responsibilities by men and women, and a change in social attitudes.
Paragraphs on women's health cover matters from efforts to understand women's special health needs and immunisation of children to eradication of drug trafficking, the rights of women to control their own. fertility, information about family planning and occupational safety measures.
Paragraphs on areas of special concern point out that there is an increasing number of categories of women who because of their special characteristics are experiencing not only common problems of women but specific difficulties due to their social economic condition, age, minority status or combination of these factors.
Recommendations urge special attention for rural poor women to promote their production in food and animals, reduce their workload, improve their access to energy, provide them with adequate water, health, education and transportation.
From "Forum '85" paper, July 10,1985, Nairobi