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UN Secretariat Item Scan - Barcode - Record Title Page 105 Date 5/10/2006 Time 11:59:52 AM S-0985-0009-01-00001 Expanded Number S-0985-0009-01 -00001 Title items-in-Secretary-General's Statements Date Created 7/1/1980 Record Type Archival Item Container s-0985-0009: Secretary-General's Statements Print Name of Person Submit Image Signature of Person Submit CAUTION; ADVANCE TEXT Wf^JWJ/Ijj} SG/SM/2945 Not for release before W^^w^W n July 198° 10 a.m. (EST) Monday, 14 July SECRETARY-GENERAL'S STATEMENT AT OPENING OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE OF UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN, COPENHAGEN Following is the text of Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim at the opening of the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women: It is a great pleasure and a privilege for me to open the World Conference of the United Nations Decacie for Women, a Conference devoted to one of the great human objectives of our time. First of all, I should like to convey to Her najesty Queen Margrethe II my most sincere gratitude for her personal interest in this Conference and for her presence here today which is highly appreciated by all of us. We are indebted to the Government and people of Denmark for their warm hospitality. Denmark's offer and readiness to host this gathering is another effective expression of the support which, as a founder-Kcmbcr, it has consistently given to the endeavours of the United Nations. The beautiful city of Copenhagen is indeed an excellent venue for this Conference. We are meeting today at the mid-point of the Decade which is dedicated to improving the condition of women around the world. Five years ago, at the opening of the World Conference of the International Women's Year in Mexico City, I said that, we had reached a stage in our understanding of global problems and their causes which made us realize that these problems are closely interlinked. The search for their solutions must, therefore, proceed simultaneously along several paths and cimensions. The three goals of the Decade for Women are equality, development and peace. These are so fundamental that they might be said to be those of the United Nations itself. The events which constitute human experience furnish daily proof that rot one of them can be entirely detached from another. Nor can they be pursued by any segment of society, a nation or even a group of nations in isolation from others. Their attainment demands n world-wic'e movement and a level of international collaboration higher than any we have so far reached. Pc-ace is the condition without which neither true equality nor meaningful development is possible in any lasting sense. In a climate of fear and tension, social development becomes the first victim. At no time in the recent past has there been such widespread global instability, so many volatile situations, so much distrust and misunderstanding. There is frequent (more) For information media - not an official record - 2 - Press Release SG/SM/2945 11 July 1980 resort to violence both at local and international levels. The arms race increasingly consumes resources and energies which could be far better expended on controlling disease, reducing hunger and improving social conditions. There is not the sustained dialogue between nations which is necessary if the world's ills are to be remedied. This deterioration in international relations is compounded by the sombre outlook for the world economy. The developed countries are in the grip of a severe recession or are facing structural difficulties. The growth rate of the developing countries has been slowed so much as to threaten their very survival. Their external deficits are mounting. The plight of the low-income countries is particularly alarming. Such is the gravity of the situation of the third xvorld that international political stability will be further eroded if rapid changes are not forthcoming in the field of economic co-operation between nations. The North-South dialogue has so far achieved only very limited results. Therefore, as we are about to formulate a new international development strategy, it is absolutely necessary that a more vigorous effort be made to build bridges and to achieve the consensus required for establishing a new international economic order. I am speaking of these two great anxieties at the opening of this Conference because it is evident that women have the same proven concern with peace and stake in development as men. Both are equally confronted with the critical issues of our time. If the quest for solutions of the world's problems is to emanate from the popular level, as it must, it demands as much involvement from women as from men. One of the most positive results of the thinking, study and effort of the first half of the Decade for Women has been the perception of the need to integrate issues apparently specific to women into the whole question of development and peace. Without this integration, the capacity of the world's women to contribute to the promotion of peace and progress around the world will not be fully utilized. The World Plan of Action which was unanimously approved five years ago is based on this approach. This Conference has the mandate — to examine the progress that has been made in implementing the Plan; — to identify the obstacles to progress; and — to formulate action-oriented programmes for reaching the targets of the Plan in the remaining half of the Decade. I am sure that, in discharging its mandate, the Conference will carefully consider the global reviews available to it. While I would not like to anticipate your conclusions, I consider it necessary to emphasize that new approaches and constant efforts are necessary if the goals of the Plan of Action are to be realized. , Five years, of course, is a short period within which to expect dramatic results. What is needed is a realistic appraisal of the gains that have been achieved and the tasks that are still to be fulfilled. We should by no means (more) - 3 - Press Release SG/SM/2945 11 July 1980 overlook the progress that has been made. By proclaiming the Decade for Women, the international community decided to underline a fundamental change in consciousness concerning the respective positions of the male and the female halves of society. What is involved is a reform of stereotyped attitudes and perceptions. Its immense scope notwithstanding, the change is decidedly taking root. Governments, policy-makers, planners and institutions, both national and international, are showing an increasing recognition that women's participation is critical to the achievement of their goals. One area where this progress is most visible is that of legislation to ensure equality between women and men. It is encouraging that a great variety of national mechanisms have been devised by different countries for this purpose. I should like, in this regard, to acknowledge with appreciation the tireless services rendered to this cause over decades by the Commission on the Status of Women. A few months ago, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Considering the enormous diversity of cultural traditions and social systems in the world, the achievement of the common understanding which this Convention reflects is truly remarkable. The Convention is a comprehensive international instrument and I hope that, by general acceptance, it will lend an added impetus to legislative activity at the national level. Legislation and national machineries are indispensable but, by themselves, they are not enough. The fact is regrettable but well known that, not too infrequently, gaps occur between laws and social practice. Laws can become empty promises if they are not backed by sustained social action, resources and political will. This becomes all the more apparent that when we view the current realities of economic and social development affecting women, there is little cause to be complacent. By and large, women are permanently at work but not permanently employed. They work long hours but are often not proportionately rewarded. Their place in the work-force is too frequently insecure. Much of what they produce is not recognized in official statistics of national production. In many parts of the world, they are given neither the training nor the services nor the tools required to increase the productivity of their work. In most developing countries, women are especially vulnerable to chronic poor health and inadequate nutrition. This situation is all the more disturbing since the health of children is closely related to the living conditions of their mothers. Moreover, women still lag far behind men in literacy. Two out of every three persons in the world who cannot read or write are women. Even in countries with a high degree of literacy, the content of education is still not adapted to the changing nature of women's responsibilities and opportunities. (more) - 4 - Press Release SG/SM/2945 11 July 1980 These are some of the realities which you will have to consider during your deliberations. But they should not cause any degree of pessimism. What is discouraging should spur us to further effort and what is promising should strengthen us in it. Indeed, no evaluation of what is happening now would be correct if it did not take into account the surge of a new movement in many parts of the world. It is a story of incredible courage and determination. Without much help, with few facilities, with no easing of their traditional household and maternal tasks, women are increasingly taking part in economic activities essential for the survival and progress of their societies.