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A
R T I C L E S* &*
S P E E C H E S
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Beyond
Beijing: U.S. Commitments
BY MARJORIE MARGOLIES MEZVINSKY
Director, U.S. Delegation to the
U.N. Fourth World Conference on
Women
The Fourth World Conference on
Women held in September in Beijing
was a phenomenal success. The Platform
for Action broke new ground
while building on the Conferences
in the past. One nongovernmental
member said it best in comparing
it with the Third Conference held
in Nairobi: "Nairobi provided us
a compass. Beijing gives us a map."
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| * The Platform of Action
is that map. It was developed by
consensus and adopted by all 185
attending nations. It details critical
areas of concern and recommends
the concrete actions that can and
must be taken by governments, international
and local institutions, the private
sector, nongovernmental organizations
and individuals to address each
of the concerns.
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| * The Beijing
Conference was unique in being
a "conference of commitments."
In response to a proposal by the
Australian delegation, the United
States joined many nations in
announcing a number of actions
it would take immediately to further
the goals and objectives of the
Platform. These commitments, now
begun, represent the Administration's
first steps in implementing the
Platform for Action.
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COMMITMENTS
The President's Interagency
Council on Women. This
is the oversight body at the
federal level for the implementation
of the Platform. It is a mechanism
for high level government
officials to analyze their
agencies' policies and programs
in terms of the Platform's
recommendations and develop
new initiatives. First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton is
its honorary chair and Secretary
Donna Shalala its acting chair.
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| Changes in the work
place. The Women's Bureau
at the Department of Labor
has initiated a year-long
campaign to obtain pledges
from employers, organizations
and community groups to make
systemic changes in policies
and practices in the workplace
to improve the conditions
for women and their families.
More than 500 pledges have
been received to date in the
areas of job security, work
and family responsibilities
and the valuing of women's
work.
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| Prevention of violence
against women. The Office
on Violence Against Women
at the Justice Department
will lead a comprehensive
national effort to fight
domestic and other forms
of violence against women
through tough new laws and
assistance to states and
localities. The Administration
declared October to be Domestic
Violence Awareness month.
President Clinton signed
an Executive Memorandum
directing all federal agencies
to train their employees
about domestic violence
and resources that are available.
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| Microenterprise.
The Treasury Department
will coordinate a Federal
Microenterprise Initiative.
This will publicize micro-credit
and micro-enterprise (very
small business) programs,
set benchmarks for programs
to use in assessing their
own efforts and better
coordinate and facilitate
existing efforts.
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| Life-span health
initiatives. The
Department of Health
and Human Services is
taking action on a range
of problems taking into
account the additional
problems faced by women
of low income and from
ethnic and racial minorities.
Programs include efforts
to: reduce smoking among
children and adolescents
by 50%; reduce teen
pregnancy; establish
a Governing Council
on Children and Youth;
inaugurate the National
Women's Health Clearinghouse;
introduce new initiatives
on breast and cervical
cancer, the impact of
poverty related diseases
on women, and the inclusion
of women in clinical
trials; support contraceptive
research and development;
continue commitment
to the Women's Health
Initiative; and develop
a public agenda on HIV/AIDS
specific to women, adolescents
and children.
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| CEDAW. The
Administration reaffirmed
its commitment to
pursue the ratification
by the United States
of the Convention
on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW).
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| These are the
starting points
for the Administration.
Some agencies have
already indicated
they are developing
further commitments
and initiatives.
The Council anticipates
working closely
with state and local
government and encouraging
them to engage in
similar actions.
There is plenty
of work for all
of us at every level
of government and
in all segments
of society.
The above is
an exclusive
excerpt from
WOMANSWORD
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