THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Secretary General (CP/doc.3886/04);
BEARING IN MIND:
That the objective of resolution AG/RES. 1732 (XXX-O/00), “Adoption and
Implementation of the Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women’s Human
Rights and Gender Equity and Equality,” is the integration of a gender
perspective as a decisive strategy for implementing the Program and achieving
the ultimate aim of promoting and protecting women’s human rights and gender
equity and equality and achieving equal rights and opportunities for women and
men;
Resolutions AG/RES. 1777 (XXXI-O/01), AG/RES. 1853 (XXXII-O/02), and AG/RES.
1941 (XXXIII-O/03), with which the General Assembly received the successive
reports of the Secretary General on the fulfillment of the Program and issued
mandates for its implementation;
The commitment made by the Organization of American States, in particular
through the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), to facilitate integration
of a gender perspective in the work of all its organs, agencies, and entities by
developing training programs and disseminating information on women’s human
rights, and to support governments in the systematic compilation and
dissemination of statistical data disaggregated by sex;
The OAS gender mainstreaming project., conducted in coordination with the
CIM, and the progress of 20 organs, agencies, and entities in incorporating a
gender perspective in their areas; and
That the CIM has performed important work as the principal forum for
generating hemispheric policy on gender equity and equality, as well as in
cooperation between the OAS and the different regional and subregional agencies
and entities, and in the implementation of recommendations for promoting
sector-wide incorporation of a gender perspective in the areas of labor,
justice, education, and science, and technology;
CONSIDERING:
The endorsement by the Heads of State and Government, in the Plan of Action
of the Third Summit of the Americas, of the Inter-American Program on the
Promotion of Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality; and that it is
necessary to promote stronger initiatives in the preparatory process of the next
Summit of the Americas, to be held in Argentina;
That at that Summit the Heads of State and Government expressed their support
for efforts to address the challenges associated with globalization, to protect
the most vulnerable, and reaffirmed the importance of having the benefits of
globalization widely and equitably distributed to all regions and social sectors
of our countries;
That at the Special Summit of the Americas (Nuevo León, 2004) the Heads of
State and Government reiterated “that the empowerment of women, their full and
equal participation in the development of our societies, and their equal
opportunities to exercise leadership are fundamental for the reduction of
poverty, the promotion of economic and social prosperity, and for
people-centered sustainable development” and also reaffirmed their commitment to
continue promoting gender equity and equality and the mandates of the Summits of
the Americas in this area; and
The role of the CIM as technical advisory body to the Summit Implementation
Review Group (SIRG) on all aspects of gender equity and equality, and
recognizing the importance of the CIM in follow up to relevant Summit
recommendations, and in preparation for the Fourth Summit of the Americas; and
That, in April 2004, the Second Meeting of Ministers or of the
Highest-Ranking Authorities Responsible for the Advancement of Women in the
Member States (REMIM II), held in coordination with the CIM, adopted a
declaration and five resolutions, to strengthen and promote the implementation
of the Inter-American Program,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the fourth report of the Secretary General on the
implementation and promotion of the Inter-American Program on the Promotion of
Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality, presented in fulfillment of
resolution AG/RES. 1941 (XXXIII-O/03); and to urge him to continue to give it
his full support, with special emphasis on the priorities set by the Second
Meeting of Ministers or of the Highest-Ranking Authorities Responsible for the
Advancement of Women in the Member States (REMIM-II), held in April 2004.
2. To reaffirm its support for the work of the Inter-American Commission of
Women (CIM) as the principal forum for generating hemispheric policy on gender
equity and equality and the promotion of women’s human rights.
3. To continue to support the CIM’s efforts to:
a. Follow up on and implement the Inter-American Program, including
coordination of the first meeting of the Inter-Institutional Forum on Gender
Equity and Equality (IIFGEE) convoked by the Secretary General;
b. Integrate a gender perspective as a decisive strategy for developing the
programs and actions of each of the Organization’s organs, agencies, and
entities;
c. Implement activities and programs for integrating a gender perspective
into the results of ministerial meetings on labor, justice, education, and
science and technology;
d. Collaborate with the OAS Trade Unit and the members states, to follow up
on resolution CIM/REMIM-II/RES. 5/04, adopted by the Second Meeting of Ministers
or of the Highest-Ranking Authorities Responsible for the Advancement of Women
in the Member States (REMIM-II),
4. To request the Permanent Council, in fulfillment of the mandates of the
Summit of the Americas and the Inter-American Program, to:
a. Persist in its efforts to integrate a gender perspective into its
resolutions, activities, and initiatives, as appropriate, to ensure that they
benefit women and men on an equal and equitable basis, availing itself of the
expertise of the CIM;
b. Convene a yearly joint meeting of the CIM and the UPD, with participation
by civil society organizations, to advance the implementation of the
Inter-American Program and women’s participation in the political process, in
follow-up to the special meetings held in November 2002 and April 2004;
c. Consider increasing the resources allocated to the CIM in the
program-budget, enabling it fully to carry out its mandates;
d. To coordinate with the CIM on topics VI, VII, and VIII of the Conclusions
and Recommendations of REMJA-V, pertaining to trafficking in persons, especially
women and children, violence against women, and gender and justice, in the
preparatory and follow-up process of the Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of
Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas, which is carried out in the
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP).
5. To urge member states to:
a. Continue their efforts to develop public policies and strengthen
institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women and to enforce laws that
promote women’s human rights and gender equity and equality, including equal
opportunity for women and men at all levels;
b. Proceed, as requested by REMIM-II, to:
i. Gather and analyze data disaggregated by sex in all sectors of the
economy, so as to better understand and address the different impact of trade
liberalization on women and men;
ii. Analyze and create support programs that take account the different
impact of macroeconomic policies on men and women and that can contribute to
creating positive impacts of such policies and help to mitigate possible
negative impact on particular populations, including, among others, women who
may be affected disproportionately because of their socioeconomic role;
iii. Include gender impact considerations in developing their national
policies and positions related to the negotiation of bilateral and regional
trade agreements; as well as including gender equity and equality as a priority
within national and regional trade capacity-building strategies.
c. Promote the development of project profiles within the Hemispheric
Cooperation Program (HCP) of the Free Trade Area of the Americas process that
take into account the potential gender impact of trade liberalization.[1]/;
d. Encourage the diversification of employment opportunities available to
women and develop and strengthen policies and programs that will help women
benefit from trade as a tool for combating poverty and encouraging equitable and
sustainable development in the Hemisphere.
6. To urge the Secretary General to:
a. Continue promoting integration of a gender perspective into all programs
and policies of the Organization, promoting follow-up and support activities to
the OAS gender analysis training program, especially for new staff, and training
for trainers;
b. Reiterate the request to the organs, agencies, and entities of the
Organization to include in their annual reports to the General Assembly
information on their efforts to mainstream the gender perspective into their
policies, programs, projects, and activities;
c. Work with the CIM to ensure the integration of a gender perspective in the
development of the programs and actions of each of the Organization’s organs,
agencies, and entities;
d. Report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session, in
coordination with the CIM, on the implementation of the Program and of this
resolution by the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system.
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[1]. “Venezuela reserves its position on the paragraph pertaining to the FTAA
for reasons of principle and in view of its profound differences with regard to
the concept and philosophy reflected in the proposed model, as well as the
treatment accorded to specific matters and the established deadlines. We
reaffirm our commitment to the consolidation of a regional fair trade bloc as
the basis on which to raise integration levels. To ensure fair treatment, this
process must take account of the specific political, social, and cultural traits
of each country; sovereignty and constitutionality; and the level and size of
its economy.” |