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Press Briefing with Boutros-Boutros Ghali

at the Social Summit

March, 1995

Questions to Boutros-Boutros Ghali

Q. What about the implementation of "Our Global neighborhood?":

A. Three steps

1. Profound change

2. Cosmetic Change - blow out the candles

3. Status quo

Is there possibility of #1, profound change?

I'm offering another alternative, CONSTANT CHANGE. No Profound No profound problem international community, why not be there...against status quo. Need continue change to have patience--to act, must maintain mobilization between all three, continuous change.

Q. We are having trouble selling stories about this conference---

A. UN dealing not only with peacekeeping but with long term with development. Mozambique

three years. Takes years and years how to obtain mobilization. Our new culture want quick images, T.V., change it--10 times in a minute. Social development, economic development cannot be solved immediately. How to obtain support through public opinion which is through these conferences.

Q. Changes in face of world--change in UN and institutions

A. Change is continuous change.

RIO create committee of Sustainable Development for Agenda 21

After Vienna, create new posit High Commission of Human Rights

--changes inside system -- streamline quantitative and qualitative

--Budget was around $5-6 million, now have 17,000 peacekeeping forces---need change

in structure dealing with....

--Now recommendation to change security Council.

Q. Is it not time UN address to anticipate conflict before it begins?

A. More and more involved in preventative action--If involve, done in quite way and when successful known.

Q. Poverty - said in Spanish about the poorest people at UN

A. Need change of constitution of UN and in contact with different NGO's and marginalized groups are through NGOS. One of ways is the UN will try to get in contact with grass roots and reinforce their relation.

We need you if want to obtain support of UN

BOUTROS BOUTROS GHALI

On International Women's Day we celebrate past achievements and discuss continuing problems and stimulate action for the future. This year, these are also the objectives of the natural efforts. The entire United Nations system is celebrating its 50th Anniversary but there is a far stronger link between the International Women's Day of 1995 and the United Nations as a whole.

This is the goal. The problem faced by the women everywhere lies at the heart of the global agenda. The rights and full potential of women are achieved, enduring solution to the world's most serious social, economic and political problems cannot be achieved. In many cases, efforts to improve the lives of women of the most meager means of changing entire societies for the better. This is why the global conferences and summits which are being convened by the United nations have women at the center. At the 1990 World Summit for Children, setting goals for children's nutrition and education, goals for women and children. In Rio, in 1992, the Summit highlighted the critical goal of women in sustainable development. The plan of action adopted at Rio set specific guidelines for integrating women in Agenda 21. The agenda in 1993, at the World Conference of Human Rights gave priority to the full and equal choice of women for all human rights, respect for women the rights is at the heart of the overall human rights program. The situation of women was key to the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. The rights and education of women are a major focus in linking demographic change to sustainable development. And here in Copenhagen, there is no single group which illustrate the three things of this conference better than women. The highest percentage of unemployed are women. The social marginalized are women. Poverty cannot be eliminated, productive employment cannot be expended and social integrated cannot be achieved unless women fully and unequivocally participate in the development.

BEIJING

The next step is the world conference in Beijing in September. This will go together what has been accomplished. The goal effort for peace. The promotion and protection or human rights are central. Success in these tasks means progress for everyone, young and old, men and women, children there is no better way to open the second half century of the UN then by ensuring equality, peace and development for women at the opening of the 21st century.

Two years ago, on this very day, I called for an equal division between women and men, the profession force the United Nations to reach by the 50th anniversary. We have e yet to achieve this goal. It is my hope that by the end of the century, the UN will be a place where men and women will have complete job equality.

The idea for International Women's Day first became reality in Denmark. Honored the daughter of the women who first served in the government of Denmark and organized the First Women's Day.

Question to Boutros-Boutros Ghali from Joan M. Veon, Free Lance Journalist to UN Conferences

Q. Could you please define democracy.

A. I believe that the United Nations is based on Democracy. The concept of equality between all the member states that Andarra or Santa Marino have one voice equally to a super state like the U.S., China or India. So this is the first idea. The second idea that we are adopting a basic principle which is the participate of the people. Which is the respect of human rights but different forms of democracy have to be decided by the member states. We cannot impose a certain democracy on each country. Each country, member-state has their own specificity and culture. He will have to chose how he will apply this principle. The third important idea is that we must not limit our quest for democracy within our member states but defend democracy among member states that have an authoritarian regime at the world level because more and more we will have global problems which cannot be solved by one or two or three member-states but need international community. So it is important to maintain democracy within the international community.

Democracy among member-states and here we may need a change in the composition of the Security Council this has to be decided by the General Assembly we may need effective coordination between the United Nations and the different regional organizations and arrangements, we must obtain greater appointment of the non-governmental organizations. We must try to talk not only to the governments but to the grass root organizations what we call the civil society so that the multiplication of actors and the participation of greater actors in the international community will have to promote democracy among member states and at the same time, encouraging the multiplicity of actors within the member-states will encourage democracy within the member state. I would say that you have to create finally a special department dealing with democracy and we offer more than 46 electorate assistance to member-states which is one of the ways to help democracy. We have done this also in the field of sending experts to help new member-states or new democracy to write their constitution. We have assisted a certain movement of liberation to move from liberation to political party. We have encouraged...party assistance...so the UN since the end of the cold war is beginning to do something new with this assistance to democracy.

I just want to finish by saying that during the Cold War, assistance was limited to construction of the hospital or road. Because of the ideological composition, it was impossible to assist democracy. One of the advantages of the end of the Cold War that we may offer assistance through electoral to technical to democratization of the member-states of the United Nations but again they must have the political will to do it. We cannot interfere, we cannot impose on that and secondly the democratization of the international community, i.e. the democratization of the international relation, i.e. the democratization of the member-states.

Poul Neilson

85 years ago, the International Women's Day was proclaimed and celebrated for the first time. As it has been said, it actually happened here in Denmark at the Second International Socialist Women's Conference. The original purpose of the International Women's day was to educate for women's

voting rights. ...in almost all countries they have fallen into the path of political human rights. Full participation in public life is the most effective tool for achieving equality between men and women and for legitimating and strengthening the...for equal opportunities and responsibilities in economic and social life and in the family. In many societies, there is however, the huge and unacceptable gap between women's and men's opportunities. Women belong to the poorest segments of the population. They are most exposed to unemployment and most frightened by social exclusion. This must be changed. It must be welcomed that ...firm commitment of this Summit and firm reaction.

Reliance between NGO's and UN.

In this document, gender issues are not in the last paragraph but woven into the text in a consistent and ...way. Intense preparatory process of analyzing the ...of poverty...it has become clearer and clearer that....we know this...we know from the analysis of the policy in the document before us....

The conclusion is that the question of empowering in the development process is no longer a matter of attitudes a simple necessity and we have to treat it like that. The SS has injected the tangible and substantial element in the broader process leading to the Fourth Women's Conference in September. This week in Copenhagen, not only confirming gender equality but adding specific and well argued reasons why women are the key to social change. This must be given a provident role in follow up.

Among the 130 participants of the International Women's Day in 1910 was Nina Book, was a social democrat and learned historian. She became Denmark's first female minister.....

Hillary Clinton

Grateful for this opportunity to speak at International Women's Day. US initiative to expand childrens' education in the developing world. Women should be activate participants in helping their societies meet the great challenges of this an the next century. but that can only be achieved if women are empowered through education legal rights and protection from violence and are assured access to adequate social services and employment opportunities, political institution and decision-making. Empowerment and access will enable women to take their rightful places as they work in partnership with men to strengthen their families and contribute to their communities. No single factor contributes to the long-term health and prosperity of a developing nation or any nation more than investing in education for girls and women.

In countries where governments have invested in primary and secondary education for girls and women the investment has been repaid many times through higher economic productivity, greater participation of women, improved child nutrition and family life, lower infant and maternal rates, longer life expectancy, stronger family and communities. While we have witnessed significant

increases in primary school enrollments worldwide in the past two decades, much remains to be done. Today, more than 2/3's of the children who have never attended school or dropped out before finishing are girls. Almost 1 b people remain illiterate and 2/3's are women.

Recent research have demonstrated that investments in the education of girls and women are investments in the community and in the prosperity of the nation. Moreover investments in girls and women may yield a higher return than any other's in a country's development. The deliberations goals and commitments of the UNCairo--Social Summit--and fourth world conference on Women have all clearly stated that education of girls and women throughout their lives is essential to increased global prosperity and social integration.

Recognizing the critical role women must play in their own and their countries environment, I am pleased to announce today the US will allocate $100m over a 10 year period to provide enhanced educational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of girls and women in Africa, Asia and Latin America who currently live in poverty. They include a 20% increase in girls' primary school completion rates...

speeches are a composite of Cairo Copenhagen and Beijing. She gave the UN party line. I question the authority by which she comes to speak to a world body. Lastly, from what packet of the American taxpayer dollars are these monies coming from?

Today in the Plenary, Boutros Boutros Ghali

the entire UN system is 50 years old.... stronger link between International Women's Day in 1995 and the UN as a whole.

Lies at heart of global agenda.

--Efforts to improve the lives of women - change entire societies for the better. This is why UN has women at Center.

Global effort for peace

"equality, Peace and Development...

200 years ago on this very day, economic equilibrium

"Women and men have complete job equality"

Poul Neilson, Prime Minister of Denmark

85 years ago International Women's Day Proclamation - Second International Socialist Women's Conference.

--Agitated for women's voting rights.

Today voting rights are not questioned.