LE PRESIDENT: Nous passons maintenant à l'examen du point No 8, intitulé Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement: (CL 94/13; CL 94/13-Suppl.1 ; CL 94/LIM/2).
Je passe la parole à Madame Spring, Chef du Service de la promotion des femmes dans la production agricole et le développement rural, à la FAO, qui va nous faire la communication introductive.
Ms Anita SPRING (FAO Staff): Mr Chairman and Distinguished Delegates: It is a pleasure to make my first appearance in front of the Council and to speak on this important issue. The Organization has prepared its responses in the form of two documents to Resolutions 3/87 and 4/87 of the 24th Session of the FAO Conference held in Rome in November 1987. The first document is the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development (CL 94/13) that I will make comment on shortly. The second document (CL 94/13 Sup.1) is entitled Summary Report on the Expert Consultation on Experiences of Institutional Changes Concerning Women in Development. It responds to Resolution 4/87 requesting that the Director-General convene a meeting of Experts to discuss strategies for integrating women into the process of rural development and into the various activities of the Organization.
The Consultation was held at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 21 to 23 September 1988, four days after I arrived as Service Chief. The meeting was organized by the Women in Agricultural Production and Rural Development Service with the support of the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Women in Development (IDWG/WID). The Experts invited brought knowledge and experience from all four developing regions and from public service, non-governmental organizations and research institutions. The agenda focused on the integration of gender issues in planning, monitoring and evaluating agricultural and rural development programmes and projects, and on models for staff training in women in development.
It should be pointed out, Mr. Chairman, that although the consultants heard the general outline of the Plan of Action, they developed their findings and conclusions independently. In fact, many of the points raised by the Consultants are in the Plan of Action. As the two documents are with you, it is better here to consider the main issues raised in them.
It is important to point out to the Chair and Distinguished Delegates that the Organization emphasizes a two-pronged approach for dealing with women's concerns. On the one hand we have specific projects oriented exclusively to women. These have a demonstrative role and help us to test and improve mechanisms and methodologies of technical assistance to rural women. On the other hand, we promote the integration of women's issues and of women as beneficiaries and participants in all FAO activities. This approach focuses on integrating women into mainstream programmes and projects.
The Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development specifies FAO's major objectives in overall terms. These are, first, to review and monitor the main events on Women in Development, or WID, in order to have an overview of global issues and a vision for future orientations; second, to work on WID policies and to promote them at national and international levels; third, to identify research needs at a global level and to orient national programmes to mobilize resources on behalf of women.
The Plan specifically states that for these objectives to occur, the concern for women in development issues must also be applied within FAO itself:
- the entire FAO staff itself has to be convinced of the cause;
- the internal machinery for inputing WID issues into projects and programmes has to be reinforced and this should include effective monitoring devices (I will say more of this later);
- a network of working relations to external partners in the WID endeavour has to be built; this should imply a strengthened working relationship with research institutions, with women's associations, with NGO's and with the other agencies in the UN system;
- In all, FAO will have to continue to consider integrating WID concerns into its general development philosophy and actions.
The Plan refers to activities of both the Service and the Organization as a whole, and includes specific recommendations for both the Regular Programme and field projects. It also refers to the importance of the active participation for the integration of women in development by Member Governments. The Plan basically is a charter in that it is a comprehensive and broad-sweeping road map. In each sphere, and there are four of them, the issues and objectives are delineated and these are followed by the FAO actions that are envisaged. The actions presented in the Plan are given as broad strokes of the brush in order to provide guidelines as the Organization targets particular concerns and locales.
The Table of Contents, the Plan itself concentrates on four spheres: the civil, the economic, the social and the decision-making. In each of these spheres, a wide range of activities has been proposed·
In the civil sphere, activities envisaged will be directed toward improving women's access to land, credit and membership in development organizations and co-operatives. The Plan also mentions the provision of promoting advisory and training services to countries that desire to bring their national legislation into conformity with international standards.
In the economic sphere, the Plan takes into consideration agricultural production, food processing and marketing, formal and informal sector employment, income control and economic adjustment.
I would like to draw the attention of the Council to the fact that we see the major thrust of FAO's activity to be in this sphere in order to support women in their roles as agricultural producers and entrepreneurs. Within this framework, future activities will give greater recognition to women's special needs for income-producing activities and control of income; for obtaining extension services and training opportunities; and for the introduction and development of technologies and other means to ease the burden and to increase the productivity of women's work and their access to markets·
I should note that by income-producing activities, we want to look at methods of providing substantial and sustainable income for women, using mainstream methods. We do not want to continue to formulate insignificant and non-sustainable income-generating projects with low levels of remuneration to rural women.
It is in the economic sphere that we want to re-orient project and extension efforts to focus on women, and this includes projects that deal with forestry, fishery, irrigation, crop production and protection, livestock production, credit and marketing as well as with farming systems and nutrition type topics.
As we move on to the social sphere there are three aspects to consider here: (1) population; (2) nutrition, home economics and quality of life; and (3) education. Activities in this sphere will be geared to integrating population factors and nutrition into field projects. The well-being of household members in terms of energy resources will also be a focus.
FAO also envisions actions to improve rural women's access to education and will consider ways to modernize national and local agricultural and home economics training and degree programmes for women. We want to promote practical agricultural education for rural women, to redesign curricula in home economics programmes, and to promote women in agricultural professions.
In the decision-making sphere, FAO plans to improve women's participation in institutions and in people's organizations. In this respect, the Plan envisages providing leadership and management training to women. This will give them the skills to identify and to ask for the technical advice, extension services, and land reform that they require.
To carry out the actions indicated in these four spheres, the FAO Plan of Action reviews the instruments and tools needed and advances plans for improving (1) the collection and utilization of statistics and indicators, (2) the types of training and public information, (3) interaction with other UN agencies and Member Governments, and (4) the delivery of technical assistance to farmers.
As I noted, both the Plan, through its objectives and the actions envisaged, and the Expert Consultation stress many of the same issues. I would like to highlight three in particular here.
The first has to do with Policy and Planning. The Expert Consultation recommended that FAO help sensitize Member Governments to the need for establishing and/or strengthening the units within their countries that deal with women, so that these services or bureaux can function as strong coordinating bodies to integrate women in development issues into all units and line ministries.
Both documents speak to the need to include women in policy guidelines, in national development plans and in macro- and micro-level programmes and projects.
The Experts look to FAO to assist Member Governments, when requested, in the development of policies to accomplish the inclusion of women in their development efforts.
Part of the efforts connected with policy development is the need for decision-makers, especially in line ministries and in project supervisory capacities to understand the requirements of rural women and the current and potential contribution of women to specific sectors of the economy. Conceptually, women's roles in economic and agricultural production as well as their domestic and reproductive contributions must be considered and valued. Operationally, women must be participants and not just so-called beneficiaries in a "trickle-down" type of situation.
The second major thrust of both documents is the need for large-scale training on women in agriculture. This should occur at FAO Headquarters itself, at the field level of projects and at national institutions.
We now have enough information to show that the best way to ensure the inclusion of women in mainstream development projects and in policy and planning is by training decision-makers and development personnel on the topic. Both the Plan and the Experts stressed the need for training to:
- provide this direction to national programmmes and development projects;
- influence project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; and
- provide for the collection of adequate information for data bases and baseline studies in order to ascertain the appropriate technical assistance for the needs and requirements of rural women.
In order to respond to these recommendations, FAO will: first, develop appropriate methodologies and materials for the levels of persons to be trained; these training materials will show the technical units how to formulate women's concerns into the mainstream activities of planning and projects; and second, FAO will ensure that attention is given to women in different farming systems both in terms of the technologies that can enhance their productivity and of the mechanisms that link them with development services such as credit, inputs, training, etc.
This leads to the final item that I would like to highlight here and that is promoting substantive agricultural technical advice for women farmers and entrepreneurs. Such topics as appropriate technical packages, integrative pest management, seed selection, land and animal husbandry programmes, will assist women farmers and this is required rather than a small focus on women's groups for small-scale income-generating activities or the delivery of limited technologies.
We are taking the necessary steps to start this training. Next month we begin phase one of a four-phase approach to comprehensive planning of women in agriculture at FAO Headquarters. Moreover, in our Regular Programme budget for 1989, we have included a strategy planning workshop and the delivery of the first training session. Our draft proposals for the 1990-1991 biennium prioritizes our activities as follows, and I will list four of them: there will be further development of methodologies and materials for staff training, initially at headquarters and then for field staff; we will work through the Inter-Divisional Working Group on WID to establish focal points which will coordinate our efforts with their units; we intend to strengthen the technical aspects and the institutional mechanisms and linkages between our Regular Programme and field projects by concentrating on project development and implementation that will address the needs of rural women under different farming and social systems; finally, we will focus on reorienting and
strengthening of the curricula of training programmes in home economics as we attempt to upgrade both the trainers and the rural women themselves in the terms of technical, agricultural and managerial skills.
We have internally organized these activities up to the limit of available resources and we have programmed them into our regular budget because they are a fundamental part of our activities, not an extra to be added on top. However, if we want a more comprehensive implementation, especially for training field staff, we will have to rely on extra budgetary resources.
Let me say something about monitoring and evaluation. The Plan gives particular attention to the monitoring and evaluation of the integration of women in FAO projects. Thus far, a coding system has been developed to determine the extent to which the Regular Programme and field activities target women as beneficiaries. We will also develop monitoring and evaluation techniques for use by the Inter-Divisional Working Group on Women in Development for the internal monitoring of the implementation of the Plan.
To summarize what the Plan will encompass, FAO recognizes the need for a comprehensive view and a multi-sectoral balance of WID and gender issues within the Organization as well as with the coordination of WID activities at the international level.
We know that our Plan of Action for the Integration of Women is a framework that needs to be refined. We know we must give a clear picture of priorities and how and when we can implement the actions envisaged. We are aware that as a charter it can guide us, but we must choose our foci but as I mentioned, we have already begun to place priorities and to state where and how we should begin to implement them.
To conclude, I would like to note that many sister agencies in the UN system are concerned with women and with women in development. This is rightly so. In fact, through the Administrative Committee on Coordination or the ACC, the Task Force on Rural Development, FAO has initiated a series of joint activities that focus on rural women. The work of the Task Force on rural women has recognized five priorities: the impact of famine and drought by gender; rural women and food security at the household and national levels; rural women and extension and training; improving technical technologies; and assessing credit and markets for rural women. Indeed, FAO with its mandate to provide technical advice and assistance to the agricultural community, must concentrate on providing technical agricultural solutions for the needs of women doing agriculture. Finally, it should guide its own organization and Member Governments towards better integration of women in development in the agricultural sphere.
We look forward to comments and guidelines from the Member Governments. We want to engage in a dialogue and to accomplish the major tenents of the Plan in the best possible way.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie Mme Spring de sa communication introductive de ce point important.
Rafael MORENO ROJAS (Subdirector General p.i. - Departamento de Política Económica y Social): Desearía agregar a la introducción de la Dra. Spring algunos breves comentarios en relación al tema que nos ocupa. El Plan de Acción que ha sido presentado para la consideración de este Consejo y que está contenido en el documento CL 94/13 ha sido preparado en conformidad con lo solicitado en la Resolución 3/87 de la Conferencia de la FAO sobre Actividades de la Organización Relativas a la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo.
Este Plan de Acción es exhaustivo y toma fielmente en consideración todos los aspectos de las Estrategias de Nairobi orientadas hacia el futuro para el adelanto de la mujer y el Plan de mediano plazo para la mujer y el desarrollo a nivel de todo el Sistema. Como sin duda lo habrán notado los Delegados y Delegadas al Consejo, es muy conveniente considerar el Plan de Acción en sus aspectos más amplios. Sin embargo, queremos señalar clara y honestamente que este Plan de Acción es indicativo de la acción que se pretende realizar tomando en consideración las indicaciones que el Consejo desee formular.
No es, porque no puede serlo, un programa ni una propuesta de presupuesto. Y sobre este punto, quisiera realmente hacer una consideración. En primer lugar, las actividades indicadas cubrirían el período 1990/95. Considerando que el Programa de Labores y Presupuesto del próximo bienio no ha sido fijado aún, es difícil prever o adoptar nuevos compromisos respecto a lo que en definitiva podrá realizarse en los dos bienios posteriores a 1991.
En segundo lugar, no se ha hecho por el momento ningún intento de realizar una evaluación total de los costos que implica el Plan de Acción aquí discusido. Es una tarea a la cual deberemos abocarnos.
En tercer lugar, la realización de las actividades propuestas dependerá fundamentalmente de la posibilidad de realizar programas de trabajo en los términos en que lo apruebe la Conferencia del próximo año. Cualquier necesidad futura de hacer mayores ajustes o recortes a los Programas, naturalmente amenazaría el cumplimiento de las acciones tal como ellas están descritas en el Plan de Acción propuesto.
En cuarto lugar, las acciones que aquí se proponen son de diversa naturaleza. Algunas implican cambios cuantitativos en el trabajo que estamos realizando, otras señalan la realidad de nuevas tareas en un contexto que va más allá del tema de la participación de la mujer en el desarrollo rural. Por los mismos motivos, algunos cambios pueden ser introducidos dentro del actual Programa Regular, ya en curso; otros dependerán necesariamente de la movilización de recursos extrapresupuestarios. Las orientaciones que el Consejo estime oportuno dar durante el debate de este tema serán de gran utilidad para la Secretaría, para poner en marcha el cumplimiento de los objetivos del plan de acción. Sin embargo, el Consejo estimará sin duda que la puesta en práctica del plan de acción no es algo que se pueda hacer homogenéamente en todos los años en los cuales está previsto, y habrá temas entre los años que obviamente podrán tener acciones anticipadas respecto de otros. Los informes de progreso sobre este tema que se ha propuesto incluir, serán tomados en distintos foros, y esto es un punto que entiende la Delegación de México, junto con otras Delegaciones, como Argentina, Argelia, Colombia, Cuba, España y Nicaragua, que han propiciado la presentación de la resolución que está circulada bajo el número CL 94/LIM/2: que se establecerá la necesidad de que la resolución que se apruebe en este Consejo sea presentada al mandante de este mismo plan de acción, cual es la Conferencia General de la FAO.
Nosotros, la Secretaría, estamos abiertos para trabajar en momentos posteriores, ya sea durante el debate, o en el Comité de Redacción, con las distintas Delegaciones para hacer estas previsiones o fijar los puntos dentro del borrador de resolución que permita por una parte que el Consejo le presente a la Conferencia un borrador de resolución que este Consejo haya aprobado, para que la Conferencia General, que es la que requirió la preparación del Plan de Acción, incluya el asunto dentro de su temario para ser aprobado y sancionado, tal como se ha hecho en otros grandes documentos que la Conferencia misma, en ocasiones anteriores, ha querido fijar, como era el Código para la aplicación de pesticidas y otros documentos de mayor significación.
Quiero, Sr. Presidente, clarificar nuestro punto de vista de que la Secretaría, junto con acoger los términos en los cuales la resolución ha sido presentada, sugiere que, una vez que esta resolución sea discutida y aprobada por el Consejo, se presente como un borrador de resolución a la Conferencia General de la FAO, para su aprobación y posterior endoso.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais vous lire la liste des délégués qui ont démandé la parole sur cette question. Jusqu'à présent nous avons 23 délégués et 4 observateurs. Les délégués sont: la Finlande, la Malaisie, le Mexique, le Liban, Cuba, les Philippines, le Brésil, la Thaïlande, l'Inde, la Zambie, le Bangladesh, la France, la Yougoslavie, la Chine, la Suisse, les Etats-Unis d'Amérique, le Royaume-Uni, le Nicaragua, le Japon, le Cameroun, la Turquie, le Canada, Madagascar, l'Algérie, l'Australie, l'Italie, la République fédérale d'Allemagne, le Gabon, l'Egypte, la Colombie, le Kenya, la Libye, le Venezuela. Nous avons l'observateur du Panama, l'Union mondiale des femmes rurales, la Fédération internationale pour le progrès rural, l'Alliance internationale des femmes et le PNUD. L'observateur du Salvador vient de s'ajouter à la liste.
Nous avons donc 30 délégués et 5 ou 6 observateurs.
Je me permettrai de vous rappeler que nous avons quatre points à l'ordre du jour. Je proposerais que nous puissions tenir compte de cette contrainte de temps dans nos débats, pour pouvoir respecter le calendrier, car nous avons déjà pas mal de retard.
Je vous signale que les délégués ou les observateurs peuvent, s'ils le désirent, donner leurs communications au Secrétariat. Elles figureront au Verbatim.
Ms Gunilla KURTEN (Finland): On this agenda item, I speak on behalf of the four Nordic countries, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
The Nordic countries consider the share of women a crucial element in the development process and especially in the sector of agricultural food and rural development. We all know, for instance, that 50 to 80 percent of the food production in Africa is in the hands of women. Therefore, we have
noted with pleasure that in accordance with Resolution 3/87 adopted at the 24th Session of the Conference of FAO, the Director-General has submitted to the 94th Session of the Council a Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development. Furthermore, the Director-General has, in accordance with Resolution 4/87 convened a meeting of experts to discuss how to implement strategies for the integration of women in the process of rural development and various activities of the Organization and has submitted a summary report on these expert consultations to the Council.
We have studied the Document CL 94/13 and its supplement with great interest and have found them to be very enlightening and comprehensive covering the most important aspects of the integration of women in development. The Plan of Action is presented in a clear manner and we appreciate the strategry framework which includes also the civil status sphere and the social sphere.
As recommended by the Conference, the Plan of Action envisages that FAO will apply a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, it seeks to provide special programmes for women in development; and, on the other, it seeks to ensure their integration into all projects already at the planning stage as well as into overall national development programmes with a greater emphasis placed on the second. We note this with satisfaction. Special programmes for women should not be excluded but might be used either to fill the gap of knowledge about the situation, behaviour and needs of women, or to intervene to alleviate extensive hardship because only gender-specific measures could bring about a solution.
The Plan of Action also states that for the integration of women in development really to become effective as envisaged by the proposed strategy, "the entire FAO staff itself has to be convinced of the course" and the Plan of Action envisages that FAO will implement a staff training programme on women in development to involve the entire FAO Headquarters staff during the period 1990 to 1995.
The meeting of experts also stressed the importance of FAO staff training. This brings us to a disconcerting aspect of the whole Plan of Action. It seems to us that it deals with integration of women in development as if it were something new, that FAO will have to start preparing now and implementing in 1990 to 1995.
It does refer to the World Conference on the International Women's Year in Mexico in 1975, the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies of 1985 and a large amount of past conferences, conventions, consultations, resolutions and documents concerning women in development under the heading "Milestones of the FAO Mandate and Activities on Women in Development" in Annex 1, but the actions envisaged in the Plan are almost all presented as if they were starting from zero. It is, for instance, envisaged that FAO will in 1990 to 1995 have to integrate women in development concerns into its general development concepts, modify the conceptual base of FAO technical assistance in women In development along the lines of the foregoing strategy framework, streamline the field work accordingly, introduce a monitoring system in the field programme to ensure that gender considerations have indeed been given due attention, identify international and national public and private agencies and institutions which are capable of well-targeted delivery and could thus be used in product execution and review the possibilities of increased data collection regarding women in agriculture. If 13 years after the Conference in Mexico we are really still at this stage as regards FAO activities, we have not come very far.
Fortunately, this is not quite the true picture. There are several divisions within FAO that have already done a lot in this respect, and this could have been integrated in the Plan of Action. It is true, however, that an enormous amount of work still needs to be carried out, and the Plan has endeavoured to cover every possible aspect of women in development. It is, of course, useful to have them all dealt with in one single paper for easy reference, but what is needed now is a concrete application of the principle of effectiveness through selectivity to make the Plan operational. If we are realistic and expect to see any results within the next seven years, a selection of priorities is absolutely necessary. FAO should concentrate on its mandate area focusing the activities on the economic sphere enhancing women's role in agriculture and rural economy. The actions within FAO are those to be started with because - and here we repeat what has already been stated once - a prerequisite for the integration of women in development within the sphere of activities of FAO is that the entire FAO staff itself has to be convinced of the course.
We therefore suggest that the first priority should be the staff training programme which should involve not only FAO Headquarters staff but also the staff in the field because they have a very important role to play in the identification, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects. The training programme should start as soon as possible and be as intensive as possible. We note with satisfaction that this idea has already been put into motion. If we had to wait until 1995 to have the entire staff trained, notable concrete results could hardly be seen before the year 2000.
Another priority is the strengthening of the service for women in agricultural production and rural development and its activities. The service should at least have all its present posts filled and
it should concentrate on coordination of the activities within FAO, providing guidelines and support to the technical units in their efforts to integrate women into their programmes and projects. Only under special circumstances should the service take on the administration of projects on its own. The Interdepartmental Working Group on Women in Development should play a much more active role than so far, and the question of the need for coordination and guidance above the departmental level should also be considered. The appointment of women in development focal points in every division is strongly supported and this should also be effected immediately.
A third priority is giving preference to equally qualified women candidates in filling vacated and new FAO posts so as to raise the current 14.7% of women at the professional and managerial level to the UN system target of 30% by 1995. By cooperating with other international organizations such as the ILO, the United Nations Fund for Population Assistance, the United Nations Children's Fund, Unesco, etc., national agencies and NGOs, and making the best and most efficient use of already existing data studies, guidelines, training programmes for the staff, etc., and by concentrating on a few clearly specified piorities at a time, FAO can certainly go a long way towards the integration of women in development with the available resources.
In this connection, we find it important to recall that Resolution 3/87 specifically stresses that all the activities under the Plan of Action "should be carried out within existing resources." The time has now come also for member countries to follow the implementation of the actions to integrate women in development more closely, to train their own staff in the relevant women-in-development aspects and to make sure that women have been considered in all the various projects and programmes presented for approval whether they be extensions or new ones.
To sum up, what the Nordic countries expect is that the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development is translated into concrete measures with an accompanying timetable in accordance with the suggested priority-setting, and the Nordic countries will follow the progress with keen interest. These measures would also be an important input towards the implementation of the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies.
In addition to this, the Nordic countries wish to express their support for the substance of the Draft Resolution on the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in the Agricultural and Rural Development in document CL 94/LIM/2. We would, however, suggest that some informal discussions take place concerning certain wordings and formulations in order to have a resolution that can be approved by consensus later during this session.
Datuk Puvanarajah THIAGARAJAH (Malaysia): The Malaysian delegation is pleased with the document, the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development, prepared by the Secretriat in pursuance of Resolution 4/87 carried at the 24th Session of FAO Conference. We congratulate the Secretary and Ms Spring for the excellent document. Malaysia always has given and continues to give attention to developing programmes to upgrade women's participation in national development. The setting up in Malaysia of the National Advisory Council on the Integration of Women in Development, a multi-sectoral body comprising representatives of government and non-government sectors under the auspices of the Prime Minister's Department several years ago, provided further impetus towards accelerating this process. The main objective is to ensure that Government developmnent programmes take into consideration the full integration of women through the provision of equal opportunities. I am happy to say that today the sky is the limit to women's aspirations in any field in Malaysia. They are entitled to and do enjoy to the fullest the fruits of their endeavours. Equally, there is nothing to bar them holding positions of responsibility. Indeed, in Malaysia since Independence we have had women ministers and politicians, women ambassadors, heads of Government departments and business conglomorates, and recently even a woman judge.
My delegation, therefore, most specifically endorses the document under review and is convinced that FAO will be both realistic and pragmatic in coming up with programmes of action which may include those under document CL 94/LIM/2 so that their implementation is that much more ensured.
José Ramón LOPEZ -PORTILLO ROMANO (México): La Delegación de México le pide a usted que nos permita hacer nuestra intevención en dos partes: una primera, introductoria, de parte mía, y otra que formulará la Dra. Margarita Lizárraga.
En primer lugar, como sabe usted, México, junto con otros países, está copatrocinando un proyecto de resolución en relación a la implantación del Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo Agrícola y Rural. En este sentido, hemos observado que de la versión en español a la versión en inglés hay ciertos problemas de interpretación, los cuales consideramos que, una vez aclarados, superarán sin duda los inconvenientes o las observaciones que al respecto hemos escuchado
aquí, en la sala, y también hemos recogido en corredores. Por tanto, solicitamos a la Secretaría que nos ayude en corregir estos detalles, tomando como base la resolución en su versión española.
Asimismo, Sr. Presidente, había ciertos detalles que también habíamos discutido con la Secretaría para obviar algunos de los inconvenientes que se nos habían hecho notar, y habíamos presentado la relación nueva al respecto. No sé si usted quiere que lo vuelva a repetir aquí, aunque yo espero que los distinguidos delegados hayan tomado nota de ello. Sólo de la última observación que hicimos en el punto 4 dispositivo, en la traducción al inglés, la futura reunión de los Comités principales de la FAO, se seguía interpretando en plural, y lo que nosotros queríamos decir en español es que dichos Comités deberían evaluar el estado de avance de la implantación de estas disposiciones y del Plan de Acción en la ocasión inmediata posterior a su puesta en marcha, y no necesariamente a su realización permanente en cada una de las subsiguientes reuniones. Esto para que se traduzca adecuadamente en vista de que no fue entendido.
Respecto a las otras observaciones a la Resolución, éstas ya están recogidas por la Secretaría, y espero que las distribuya posteriormente, o que el Comité de Redacción las tome en cuenta como base de las discusiones.
Por otra parte, Sr. Presidente, no deja de extrañarnos, y yo quiero decirlo en esta ocasión, la actitud de la Secretaría. Hemos escuchado con mucha atención lo que nos ha dicho la Sra. Spring, que nos ha completado mucha de la información que teníamos, ha hecho una magnífica exposición, pero nos parece que el Dr. Rafael Moreno nos ha presentado un panorama un tanto negativo, respecto de la posibilidad de llevar a cabo lo que en la Resolución se menciona. Nosotros creemos que frente a la macrorrevisión por la que está pasando nuestra Organización y las modificaciones que todo esto está conllevando, no vemos que los ajustes que se solicitan en el proyecto de Resolución que hemos presentado, y en el Plan de Acción, conlleven a una crisis de una magnitud severa o algo parecido.
En primer lugar, debemos recordar que ya fue la Conferencia de 1975 la que emitió resoluciones relativas a estos asuntos y posteriormente en varias ocasiones se trató el asunto de la incorporación de la mujer en el desarrollo agrícola y rural. La Conferencia de 1987 emitió dos resoluciones, entre otras cosas para apoyar y lanzar el Plan de Acción y nos parece a estas alturas, precisamente, que es el Consejo el que tiene en este contexto un carácter ejecutivo; es decir el de evaluar y asegurar que tales resoluciones y Plan de Acción se promuevan y se pongan en la práctica. También asegurar que los órganos principales de nuestra Organización tomen las medidas adecuadas para llevarlos a cabo.
Nosotros lo que hacemos en el proyecto de resolución es pedir que tales acciones se realicen y no creemos por ello que deba ser otra vez la Conferencia la que revise, la que evalúe estos asuntos, si bien es cierto que al decidir sobre el Programa de Labores y Presupuesto de la Organización tendrá que tratarlos; pero ese es otro problema muy distinto al del carácter ejecutivo que está solicitando este proyecto de resolución. Por eso no consideramos que esta resolución deba ser un proyecto que deba llevarse a la Conferencia, ya tiene el mandato de la Conferencia, ya existen resoluciones precedentes ya la Conferencia de 1987 emitió dos al respecto. Este Consejo debe asegurar que se lleven a cabo, tiene pues, un mandato de carácter ejecutivo.
Por lo que respecta a la disponibilidad de recursos para los próximos bienios para financiar la implantación del Plan de Acción y de las disposiciones del proyecto de resolución que hemos presentado, nosotros creemos que no debemos ser pesimistas al respecto, ya que no tenemos ninguna visión de lo que el futuro nos va a deparar y no podemos por tanto anticipar o mejor dicho inhibir nuestra acción presente, en aras de un pesimismo no fundamentado. En vez de ello creo que deberíamos todos buscar fórmulas inteligentes para seguir adelante y convocar a los Estados Miembros para que apoyen este tipo de programas. Esperamos pues, planteamientos serios y positivos y no malos augurios.
Me permito, Sr. Presidente, pasar la palabra a la Dra. Margarita Lizárraga.
Sra. Margarita LIZARRAGA (México): Mi delegación por su conducto, Sr. Presidente, desea dar la bienvenida a la Dra. Spring y agradecerle por la excelente presentación que mucho nos ha ilustrado y nos anima. Damos la bienvenida a la discusión de este tema que, en mi concepto, deberá unirnos. Nuestra vida cotidiana de familia es la muestra de la integración entre hombre y mujer y es por eso que con frecuencia olvidamos que se pueda necesitar discutir y luchar por su integración en la sociedad y en la comunidad del trabajo, porque también allí se ha estado siempre juntos.
La expansión de la población forzó al género humano a pasar de recolector a productor/cultivador, tarea en la que para alimentarse a sí mismo y a la familia, implicó la necesidad de más brazos y la división inicial del trabajo se fue modificando incorporándose cada vez más a la mujer y así se
fue multiplicando necesariamente el papel de ésta. Con el avance del tiempo nuestra sociedad productora se diversificó con la industrialización, el comercio y la urbanización que implicó cambios tales como el que la mujer no fuese ya sólo la compañera, sino en múltiples ocasiones y particularmente en el área rural, jefe de familia, dado que fue dejada de lado en los derechos reconocidos de propiedad de tierras, acceso al crédito y todas aquellas facilidades que al faltarle complicaron aun más sus tareas.
Esta situación evolucionó a un nivel de crisis donde nosotros mismos y las organizaciones internacionales comenzaron a reflexionar y llamar la atención sobre el problema y nos encontramos de tres décadas a la fecha tratando de equilibrar tal situación. Sabemos que por haber empezado tarde tenemos que ir más de prisa, particularmente porque en la crisis que estamos viviendo los países en desarrollo por el peso de la deuda y los programas de ajuste impuestos que nos obligan a disminuir los programas de desarrollo rural, de salud y otros, estamos viviendo el drama de que los niños que están naciendo de unos años a acá nacen ya con problemas de madres desnutridas y padecen además de carencias alimentarias en el período infantil que nos alarma, pues la desnutrición es el arma biológica más letal e indigna y que masivamente puede destruir nuestros pueblos.
En este contexto, al analizar lo que está pasando en el campo, vemos un cuadro repetido y magnificado en que las madres rurales por la fatiga del trabajo, trabajan a veces cargando a cuestas a sus hijos y la lejanía entre el hogar y el campo de trabajo les impide tener simultáneamente una buena productividad en el campo y alimentar a los hijos y cuidarlos, obligándolas a menudo a dejarlos encerrados o sueltos, exponiéndolos a accidentes, y todo sumado a una muerte temprana. Los informes de la FAO, la UNICEF y la OMS nos lo indican.
En México, las estrategias que se han instrumentado en nuestro país para promover, impulsar y desarrollar las actividades económicas y sociales de la mujer del campo, se encuentran enmarcadas en el concepto de reforma agraria integral, evidentemente se requerirá de tiempo y apoyo sostenido para lograr los resultados necesarios.
Nuestro Gobierno considera necesario que se impulse la participación organizada de la mujer campesina en actividades generadoras de ingreso que ayuden a elevar su nivel de vida, el de sus familias y el de sus comunidades; y por ello propone que la FAO, a través del Plan de Acción, coadyuve a que fortalezca la participación de la mujer campesina en la producción alimentaria, así como en actividades que permitan el abasto comunitario integrado de la producción, transformación y comercialización de los productos básicos. Por ello considera necesario el promover la
coordinación, continuidad y congruencia interinstitucionales de los Programas encaminados a lograr la participación de las mujeres en el campo, mediante el otorgamiento oportuno de insumos y servicios que demanda su actividad.
En México, la mujer profesional ocupa de forma natural un lugar en toda la escala de puestos públicos, no porque sea mujer, sino cuando es igualmente competente. Es lo que se pide y no otra cosa, también en las agencias internacionales. No se trata de considerar por separado a la mujer, eso sí que sería discriminarla. Se trata de asegurar su integración resolviendo los problemas especiales por ese papel múltiple que le toca vivir, particularmente en la sociedad rural a través de su participación equitativa en los adelantos jurídicos, sociales, económicos y tecnológicos, como se expresa en la resolución que México ha tenido la satisfacción de presentar en nombre de la delegaciones copatrocinadoras, y la cual ha sido producto del trabajo de gran número de colegas de las delegaciones permanentes de todas las regiones, sin diferencias entre norte y sur, trabajando solidaria y responsablemente y siendo ampliamente respaldados por nuestros colegas.
Esta resolución se ha basado íntegramente en el Plan de Acción presentado por la Secretaría, a la cual agradecemos por haber producido este valioso instrumento que permitirá tanto a los países como a la Secretaría tener como base para su ejecución y seguimiento. Lamentamos que llegue retrasado, pero no abundaremos en críticas que en buena medida también son válidas para nosotros por no haberle dado la debida fuerza en el seguimiento, y ahora debemos cerrar la brecha y marchar juntos sin mayores demoras, pues esto aumentaría el riesgo de que las cargas múltiples y las carencias que repercuten en desnutrición, conlleven a condenar a nuestros pueblos a su degradación física y mental y con ello aumentar el subdesarrollo.
Sabemos que la responsabilidad fundamental es de nuestros propios países, pero los organismos internacionales somos nosotros mismos, y allí está concentrada la capacidad técnica y de planificación y su papel catalizador puede ser fundamental si los técnicos y los representantes están dispuestos y capacitados para actuar. Por esta razón se ha decidido hacer esta resolución que apoya la ejecución del Plan de Acción preparado por la Secretaría y, a través de ella, confirmar el acuerdo de que sea totalmente operativo en 1995. Se pide a la Organización de no esperar más y continuar y reforzar lo que ya está haciendo e iniciar lo que falta de acuerdo con el mismo Plan de Acción.
Iniciar las acciones que puedan hacerse con los recursos existentes y que en muchos casos es una cuestión de decisión y voluntad. Sabemos que sólo con el personal pertinente, concientizado tanto a nivel de la Sede como en el campo, se podrán tener resultados. Entendemos que ya están en camino muchas de esas acciones y que por lo tanto será más fácil poder instrumentar los requerimientos planteados en la parte resolutiva de la misma.
Planteamos en resumen ciertas prioridades, porque siendo el Plan tan extenso tiene que cimentarse en una plataforma que garantice su avance armónico y sostenido.
Consideramos asimismo, que la próxima Conferencia debe tener en sus manos una propuesta con estimaciones de costos ya analizados por los Comités del Programa y de Finanzas para tomar decisiones al respecto y, por eso mismo, ayudará mucho que el 96° Consejo pueda contar con un documento en que se muestre la voluntad expresada en los resultados o progresos alcanzados a fin de que sus recomendaciones le permitan a la Conferencia tomar las decisiones que garanticen su completa y adecuada instrumentación.
Amin ABDEL MALEK (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Je voudrais tout d'abord féliciter Madame Spring pour le poste qu'elle occupe depuis peu à l'Organisation, en espérant que la femme prendra toute la place que nous lui souhaitons tous.
Je remercie également Monsieur Moreno de sa présentation du document relatif à l'intégration des femmes dans le développement.
Nous savons tous que la femme a un rôle très important à jouer dans la société ainsi que dans le développement rural; nous apprécions le rôle de l'Organisation en ce qui concerne le renforcement de l'intégration des femmes dans le développement; nous savons combien la FAO joue en ce domaine un rôle difficile, surtout dans les pays où la femme ne jouit pas de toutes les conditions nécessaires à cette intégration, là où ces principes sont en contradiction avec ceux soutenus par notre Organisation.
Il faudra certainement du temps pour résoudre ce problème; la femme ne pourra pas facilement dès à présent, et dans tous les pays, participer au développement agricole et alimentaire, et nous ne pouvons qu'appuyer sans réserve les étapes envisagées par l'Organisation.
Nous espérons que l'Organisation réussira à convaincre les pays à faire sienne cette politique d'intégration de la femme dans le développement agricole; et à ce sujet, nous appuyons le projet de résolution présenté par le Mexique, l'Argentine, l'Algérie et d'autres pays tel qu'il se trouve dans le document CL 94/LIM/2, surtout suite aux quelques amendements signalés par notre ami le Représentant du Mexique. Nous espérons que le Conseil adoptera par consensus ce projet de résolution et qu'il sera ensuite porté devant la Conférence.
Sra. Ana María HAVARRO (Cuba): Mi delegación suscribe el Plan de Acción presentado por la FAO en este período de sesiones del Consejo, y saluda el esfuerzo que la Secretaría ha realizado con la elaboración del mismo. Igualmente, saluda la presencia de la Sra. Spring y considera que para hacerle frente a este Plan de Acción resulta oportuno apoyar la Resolución que les ha sido entregado a ustedes con el número CL 94/2, la cual mi país compuso junto a un grupo de países. Es legítimo lo que plantea la misma, habida cuenta que esta Resolución subraya los mecanismos que deben ser ajustados al interior de la FAO para lograr una implementación del Plan ágil y coherente. Consideramos que este Plan de Acción contempla los principales temas que de una forma u otra inciden y se relacionan con el adelanto de la mujer. Este documento, además, ha sabido identificar los problemas que en la actualidad aún continúan siendo obstáculos reales para la plena integración de la mujer en el desarrollo de nuestros pueblos. A la vez muy acertadamente plantea un marco amplio de iniciativas que constituyen un interesante reto para esta prestigiosa Organización.
Aprovechamos la ocasión, para acoger con beneplácito la labor desarrollada por los expertos que se dieron cita en esta Sede el pasado mes de septiembre, que de manera activa intercambiaron ideas sobre experiencias de cambios institucionales referentes a la mujer en el proceso de desarrollo. A nuestro juicio este grupo le dejó a esta Organización importantes sugerencias para el futuro.
Hace 14 años, Sr. Presidente, la Comunidad Internacional ha estado enfrascada en elevar a un primer plano los problemas de la mitad de la población de este planeta, consideradas en el pasado como ciudadanas de segunda categoría. Han sido años de merecida justicia, para aquellas que durante milenios fueron víctimas de una sostenida discriminación.
Estos catorce años han servido para legitimar esta justa causa al tiempo que han mostrado sus orígenes y sus orientadas hacia el futuro para el adelanto de la mujer. La acción de Nairobi, que comprende entre 1986 hasta el 2000, preconiza medidas concretas para superar los obstáculos que se oponen a la consecución de las metas y objetivos del Decenio; reafirma la preocupación internacional por la situación de la mujer y aporta un nuevo marco para que la Comunidad Internacional renueve su adhesión al adelanto de la mujer, y a la eliminación de la discriminación basada en el sexo. La adopción de estas estrategias, que representó el consenso soberano de 157 naciones, nos urgió a pasar de la identificación a la acción y nos planteó el impostergable imperativo de fortalecer las acciones encaminadas a integrar a la mujer en el proceso de desarrollo.
Hace apenas dos meses, la América Latina y el Caribe tuvo la oportunidad de revisar y evaluar la marcha de estas acciones a la luz de la Cuarta Conferencia Regional de la CEPAL sobre la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo en la ciudad de Guatemala. De esta importante reunión salieron muchas recomendaciones para los gobiernos así como sugerencias de cooperación desde el punto de vista regional e internacional.
Se trata entonces de aprovechar este marco para analizar exhaustivamente cómo ha sido nuestro comportamiento individual y colectivo frente a esta responsabilidad histórica que significa primero ser capaces de despojarnos de cualquier resabio discriminatorio que atente cotidianamente contra estos nobles principios; y luego, ponernos rápidamente en tensión para contribuir a sacar a la luz a la mitad de la población activa de este planeta.
Ante este Plan de Acción, a mi Delegación le anima el sincero deseo de contribuir a elevar la capacidad e influencia de esta prestigiosa Organización que tiene en sus manos la hermosa tarea de estar al lado de los campesinos y campesinas pobres y luchar junto a ellos contra el hambre y la miseria.
No por gusto, en esta misma Sesión la Organización ha sido condenada a la amputación de actividades. Eso lamentablemente le sucede a todos los que en el mundo asumen una postura firme de apoyo a los más necesitados.
Es por eso que abocamos desde esta Sesión del Consejo la urgente necesidad de fortalecer el trabajo de la Organización solicitando que se le provea de los mecanismos idóneos que necesita para un mejor funcionamiento así como ayudando a encontrar las vías oportunas para su mejor gestión.
A esto, Sr. Presidente, agregamos el apoyo que mi Delegación le da a la declaración del Director General de no continuar reduciendo el actual Programa de Labores de la FAO, y dentro de ello asegurar que el Presupuesto garantice siempre las actividades que promuevan la integración de la mujer en el desarrollo.
Estamos de acuerdo también con el distinguido Delegado de México de que este Consejo tiene que tener carácter ejecutivo y nos parece que no es tiempo de convencer a nadie ya sobre esta problemática. Hay otra proposición que parte también de la Delegación de México que nos parece muy coherente y que insta a que esta Organización debe llevar a la próxima Conferencia un trabajo desmenuzado en costos y directivas.
La Conferencia Mundial sobre Reforma Agraria y Desarrollo Rural en 1979 reconoció incluso que el papel vital de la mujer en la vida socioeconómica, tanto en las actividades agrícolas como no agrícolas, era requisito previo para el éxito de las políticas, planes y programas de desarrollo rural; y en aquel momento, se propusieron medidas concretas para mejorar su condición que hoy siguen siendo válidas.
En este sentido, instamos a todos aquéllos que están en altos niveles de decisión a evitar, y a exigir, que este Período de 1986 a 2000 pase sin resultados concretos. El mundo de hoy se debate en una profunda crisis económica y política que lacera la dignidad de muchos y detiene el avance de los países en vía de desarrollo hacia mejores y más justos caminos. En este peregrinar, las mujeres han sido protagonistas de batallas inéditas por la vida. Estos pilares estoicos que no pueden ceder ante el cansancio, han creado las estrategias de sobrevivencia, hechos y actos que reflejan una vez más cuán comprometida debiera estar la Humanidad con esta importante mitad de la población mundial.
Finalmente, Sr. Presidente, no creo necesario informar del tratamiento que nuestro país le ha brindado a esta problemática. Durante estos 30 años de cambio social y político en Cuba, hemos obtenido modestos y profundos logros en lo concerniente a la igualdad de la mujer aunque todavía no estamos conformes.
Se prepara en estos momentos un Seminario Nacional de Evaluación de las Estrategias con el objetivo de analizar en qué grado todos los Organismos del Estado, Ministerios, etc., cumplen con lo
establecido en este importante documento que son las Estrategias de Nairobi. Añado esta información y otra que se trata de un Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres Campesinas que hubo de celebrarse en la Habana en la semana pasada del que salieron importantes y valiosas acciones de las mujeres cubanas en el desarrollo integral de nuestro país.
Horacio CARANDANG (Philippines): Rural development calls for the equitable distribution of benefits among the targetted beneficiaries. The fact that rural women constitute half of the total population necessitates that development efforts be as well focused on them. In the past, development assistance in agriculture has often failed to reach women.
In the Philippines, agricultural development is recognized as the key to betterment of farm families. It is farm family focused, community based and farm and home management oriented.
Rural women as members of the family and the community are progressively contributing to the family farm business and other rural development and agriculture related income generating projects. In the Philippine setting, women are the holders of the family purse. By role definition, they make most of the decisions in the utilization of the farm and home budget. Among their many contributions are included the following:
a. Profitable income generating projects which are a spin-off from the farm.
b. Selective food production for family nutrition using the bio-intensive gardening
technology. This technology emphasizes the utilization of organic fertilizer,
traditional seeds, and herbal plans as insect repellant.
c Processing and preservation of especially the perishable farm products to escape market gluts during peak seasons, add peso value to the product, prolong their shelf life, and market them during traditional periods of scarcity thus tending to stabilize prices.
d. Energy management in rural households.
The role of women in agriculture and rural development must be recognized and enhanced. Their roles in decision making at all levels and their participation for accelerated rural and agriculture development should be strengthened. All these require the strong support of FAO programmes and projects in the country.
The 24th Session of the FAO Conference in 1987 requested the Director-General to submit to this Council a Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development.
We are now looking at this Plan of Action. The Philippine Government has carefully studied this Plan of Action, and is in general agreement with it. Under instructions from my Government, however, I have a few minor additions to propose. Number one, in the objectives related to food processing and marketing on page 9 paragraph (b), we propose that the objective of the tie-up between production and processing and marketing be included. The reason is obvious: to have economic value goods must not only be produced, they have to be processed, packed and brought to market. As the poet says: "There is no economic value in the flower that is born to grass and wastes its sweetness in the desert air". To have economic value the flowers have to be grown, packaged and brought to market.
Secondly, under the Employment and Informal Sector, the issue of the non-recognition of off-farm income-generating activities of women should be included. We believe this is an important issue.
Thirdly, on page 16 paragraph (c) FAO Actions Envisaged, we believe that the monitoring should include monitoring the ratio of women in the decision-making and management position of existing staffing patterns of agricultural agencies at all levels.
Fourthly, another action that should be included under the same item, is "To ensure that women's concerns are reflected in national policies and programmes, and in rural and agricultural development".
Fifthly, on page 19, among the objectives of training and public information, we propose the inclusion of the institutionalization of the celebration of international and national women's day or week or year.
Sixthly, also on page 19, in the FAO Actions Envisaged, under training and public information, the third action should include methods of popular communication in line with local culture, such as, theatre, puppetry, drama, folk songs etc., when modern means of communication are not available in
certain areas. I am submitting this paper and hope that, if nobody objects, this could be included in the final revision of the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development.
Finally, let me express my support for the resolution tabled by the delegate of Mexico. We co-sponsor these resolutions in as much as they reflect the sentiments and wishes of my Government on this issue.
Joao Augusto de MEDICIS (Brazil): Let not the briefness of my statement in any way be interpreted as disproportionate to the very high priority that my Govenment attaches to the scheme. We are abiding by your suggestion. My delegation considers document CL 94/13 to be well structured, objective and to cover all pertinent areas in this subject. We would like also to thank both Ms Spring and Mr Moreno for the presentation of the report. We also seek to incorporate the pertinent issues raised in Nairobi, the Nairobi prospective strategies, abiding to the guidance provided in the UN General Assembly's resolution 4/08 and 4/62 as well as complying with the recommendations of the convention for the deliberation of all kinds of discrimination against women.
As to the draft resolution which is before this Council, my delegation considers it a very timely and adequate proposal. I am pleased to convey our full support for its approval. In this respect let me also support the delegations of Mexico and Cuba with regard to the immediate implementation of the points raised by the resolution.
Ms Marasee SURAKUL (Thailand): First of all, my delegation welcomes the documents before us. My delegation strongly supports the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development. My delegation would like to inform the Council, through you, what we have done in our country.
As in other countries, rural women in Thailand play a typical role of housewife, mother and farmer; traditionally they also act as family treasurer and manager of the household. Realising the important role and influence of women in the well-being of their families, which are the bases of the community and co-operations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operative of Thailand have launched the Women's Groups Activities with the objective to increase women's role in the development process. The project implementation involves the following activities: to motivate and educate women for better living through knowledge and understanding in nutrition, family health, family welfare and household economy, in order to improve the quality of life and the rural communities; to promote the development of income-generating projects for women, through co-operative effort, so that the economic self-reliance of women is increased; to help women to develop as effective leaders and to co-operate with agencies concerned in the implementation of the women's development programme.
My delegation would like to suggest that international, regional and sub-regional institutional co-ordination should be strengthened, particularly in relation to the exchange of information and the advancement of women and the establishment of collaborative arrangements to undertake activities with inter-related components.
The most important factor to achieve the FAO Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development is men. If they do not co-operate, it is impossible to achieve. My delegation would like to request FAO to consider this matter.
In conclusion, my delegation strongly supports the draft resolution which shows in the document CL 94/LIM/2.
Premananda TRIPATHY (India): The meeting of experts convened by the Director-General to suggest details of strategies for integration of women in the process of agricultural and rural development has made several useful suggestions. The experts have suggested a two-pronged approach: one, the need to develop specific projects oriented exclusively towards women and, two, the promotion of integration of gender issues in all FAO activities. It is also felt that there is a need both for formulation of macro-level plans and programmes addressed to women, and for the implementation of programmes at the micro and project levels.
The Indian delegation, while broadly agreeing with the main issues spelt out in the document CL 94/13, is inclined to agree with the concensus reached by the experts (as indicated in paragraph 3 of the supplementary document) that the planning process at national level should be left to the individual countries to develop their own specific machinery for addressing women's concerns though FAO should also assist in sensitizing the governments in this sphere.
May I mention here in this connection that conscious and continued effort has been made in our country to emphasise, highlight and improve the role of women in economic development, particularly in agricultural and rural development sectors.
For over three decades by now, voluntary women's committees or Manila Samities, as they are called, have been organized with govenment support, initiative and financial assistance to organize women at the block and village levels to assist in community development programmes. Apart from a fully-fledged Ministry for Women and Child Welfare at national level, several State Governments in the country have established separate women's development co-operations. DWCRA, an agency for development of women and women-related economic activities, has been established at the district levels in the country.
A certain percentage of the family-oriented economic schemes under the integrated rural development programme in operation in the country has been sought to be earmarked for women-headed families. The Farmers' Training Centres in operation in the country since the fourth Five Year Plan have been organizing training camps of farm women in rural areas. The objective is that women so trained would act as disseminator of the knowledge of new technologies and farming practices to the vast mass of rural women folk. No doubt we have to go further beyond achieved levels, but this is only to mention that we share the concern of the international community that the role of women in agriculture, food processing, marketing and other related aspects of rural development will have to be properly appreciated in the context of the need for a global thrust to banish hunger, malnutrition and poverty, and increase agriculture and food production.
Coming to the specifics of this strategy, to incorporate the WID (women in development) issues at all levels within all bodies and agencies dealing with agricultural and rural development, we would suggest that a realistic approach in the matter be adopted. A steady and methodical approach, keeping in view the diverse socio-economic backgrounds that our various national societies have, may be more advisable in this sphere than anywhere else. Integration of gender issues and equity considerations in national level planning and grass-root level planning are important considerations, and only a steady rational and practical approach, bereft of bias and hurry, is likely to yield fruits over a period of time, granting the acceptance of the approach by the national governments.
At the FAO level, a similar steady but unhurried approach would also be desirable. Resources are tight for FAO, as for the national governments. In this context has to be considered the practicability of the suggestion made by the experts in paragraph 4 of the supplementary document number l, to have at national and international levels a strong central service to co-ordinate the activity for integrating gender issues in all units and ministries.
The same applies to the suggestions made on training to be given to FAO staff at all levels, as also to staff under national governments, to sensitize them on gender issues. Institution of special cells at nodal points to monitor WID and periodic evaluation, allowing sufficient time for implementation of guidelines to be issued on the matter, may considerably reduce the necessity of large-scale training programmes at national and international levels, including micro-levels of implementing agencies.
As has been rightly observed in point no. 4 of the concluding note at page 25 of the. Document CL 94/13, "Without the interest and commitment of governments, the actions envisaged and FAO's efforts to integrate women in development will be in vain". We would expect that the national governments expeditiously indicate their concurrence so that FAO may take further follow-up action in the matter. Here we agree with our colleagues from Mexico, Argentina, Algeria and others, that a plan of action in this regard will have to be drawn up. However, to ensure its smooth implementation we would urge that the first step should be to arrange the required finances for this purpose for the scheme of training of staff of FAO and also of other member countries. This is very necessary and no less important than the willing involvement of the member countries I have just referred to. While a beginning may be made with the existing budgetary resources of FAO, full-fledged implementation of the action plan must take into account efforts made and results achieved in arranging the required finances for the purpose for which all of us must sincerely try.
Once again I would mention here that the Indian delegation fully supports the suggestions regarding the integration of women in development. We would suggest that taking into account the views expressed by the members here today a suitable draft resolution should be attempted by the drafting committee for consideration and adoption here.
LE PRESIDENT: Nous avions 40 orateurs inscrits. Jusqu'à présent nous en avons écouté 8 avec intérêt. Je fais appel à votre compréhension pour que vous teniez compte de nos contraintes de temps et je vous rappelle que pour la partie nationale de l'activité de vos pays en matière
d'intégration de la femme il est possible, si vous le souhaitez, que vous fassiez insérer cette partie de votre intervention dans le Verbatim. Cela nous économiserait un peu de temps.
Namukolo MUKUTU (Zambia): May I take this opportunity to commend Mrs. Spring and Mr. Moreno for the very clear and comprehensive introduction to the document under discussion.
The Zambian delegation is extremely happy to be associated with the decision of the 24th Session of the Conference in 1987 to cause this 94th Council Session to discuss this most important subject of the drawing up of a Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development. At the 1979 World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, WCAARD, the important role women can play in food and agricultural production was properly identified and publicly articulated by the whole world for the first time. Since 1979 many FAO conferences and council meetings have been held, each acknowledging more and more the role of women in development. The subject under discussion today, the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development is much broader than the area discussed and is more action-oriented. My delegation welcomes this action most wholeheartedly.
The world's population is more or less equally divided between men and women. There has been no scientific evidence at any given time to suggest that the male gender is superior to the female gender. Any system therefore which perpetuates discrimination of the human race on a gender basis must be condemned with the contempt it deserves. The world community must be committed to the immediate de jure and de facto equality of men and women. The family of nations must take concrete steps to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, be this political, economic, social cultural or religious. I feel rather impatient that we should talk about equality between men and women by the year 2000. What is so specific about the year 2000; why it should be the time-frame? You may be kind enough to tell me about the magic for the year 2000.
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the good work done by the FAO Secretariat in producing the Document CL 94/13 now under discussion. The document has been set in a good format, indicating the activity area, the role FAO intends to play and the role individual governments should play. We endorse both the strategic framework and the concluding note. We do, however, find the time-frame to be too cautious. We otherwise support the contents of the document and the proposed course of action by the FAO. We, however, sincerely believe that it is up to individual governments to effect the necessary measures, instruments and legislation for the integration of women in development.
While we know and appreciate the role women can play in development and the problems that will be encountered in trying to change people's attitudes, it is incumbent upon each country to introduce the necessary measures which can lead to increased integration of women in the rural and economic development.
The rate at which women can be integrated in the community development will differ from country to country. In the countries where the educational standards are more or less the same for both genders it will seem to be not too difficult to persuade people to take part in full rural development. We cannot see any pressing reason for any more delays in the immediate integration of women in the rural development. In the countries where the female gender is presently very severely segregated, especially in the field of education, more careful planning is required to allow women equal access to education and factors of production. The Document CL 94/13 under discussion seems to have avoided drawing up any plan of action on the role of religion in the integration of women in the rural development. It is my delegation's view that religion must be singled out in bold terms as one of the main forces in the perpetration of the segregation of women by men. FAO must draw up a plan of action of bringing the wishes of the FAO's 24th Conference and this Session of the Council to heads of the various religious bodies. There is a close link with politics and religion and it is my delegation's belief that dialogue at that level will bear fruit in quick progress on the subject which is so dear to our hearts.
There are other areas which need immediate action. FAO should play its role in urgently assisting a number of governments to enact laws which will enable women and widows to inherit properties left behind by their loved ones. This is one of the most important drawbacks in Africa today, inhibiting the full and committed participation of the female gender in the joint development of their estates, fearing that if their husband dies, she will have to lose all her lifetime effort in the development of their joint estate. If I were to set priorities, I would say that in Africa the inheritance problem would need to be the first problem to be tackled, once we have solved that, the rest of the development issues would follow. There is not much point in giving women access to agricultural production if all their gains can be lost in one day on the death of a spouse. This is the most discouraging phenomenon which haunts most African women today. Women must guard against talking integration, it is economic and social power they want and in this regard there are great differences from country to country and from region to region. Women as a group in the worst
countries have to exert more pressure to fight for their rights to bring about change. Certainly in Africa today women must stand up to fight for their inheritance rights and to ensure that an appropriate decision is quickly enacted.
In the light of the foregoing, I would like to conclude my intervention on this item by saying my delegation fully supports the Resolution tabled before us under CL 94/LIM/2. However, we would have wished that the Resolution had an operative paragraph on the role of religion in the integration of women in the economic mainstream.
A.K.M. Fazley RABBI (Bangladesh): The Plan of Action, as contained in the document under discussion, is yet another milestone of the FAO mandate and activities on women in development. It is a well-conceived and comprehensive action plan for the application of the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies pertaining to the sectors of agriculture, food and rural development, which are the specific areas of responsibility of FAO. The Secretariat deserves our commendation for the preparation of such an excellent document.
The Plan of Action, we believe, is a positive step towards translating recognition into action; towards making use of the talents and potentialities that have so far been neglected or not put to full use. The task is an enormous one - there has to be a change in basic conditions; a breaking down of cultural, social and psychological barriers.
While expressing our general agreement to the Plan of Action - the strategy framework, the steps of implementation of the strategy, the action envisaged for improving the instruments of action, etc., as contained in the document - we would like to emphasize the following: (a) activities at the national level involving policy design, training and institutional support need to be assisted by FAO not only through advice in terms of material help specially for the countries who cannot afford them; (b) the findings and conclusions of the expert consultation, as contained in Document CL 94/13, Sup. 1 need to be taken into account. Those include specific recommendations as to how FAO could assist member countries in the planning process, monitoring and evaluation and training. In this connection we would like to put on record that regarding the question of priority we feel that the training should get the priority over any other activities mentioned in the Action Plan; (c) the World Food Programme recently adopted a set of principles for the advancement of women providing a framework for ensuring data agenda responsiveness throughout the WFP's project cycle. We feel there could be more consultations and cooperation between FAO and WFP in this regard.
Before concluding, we would like to express our support to the Draft Resolution in Document CL 94/LIM/2.
Mme Evelyne SENGSUWAN (France): L'image traditionnelle de la femme cantonnée dans le rôle de la mère et de l'educatrice est aujourd'hui enrichie d'un objectif de promotion économique. C'est ainsi qu'il est désormais admis que le temps de travail des femmes n'a pas été diminué, mais parfois même augmenté, notamment du fait de l'évolution économique et sociale. Pendant le même temps, la femme n'a pas profité comme elle aurait dû des technologies modernes, et son statut traditionnel dans la société s'est dégradé. L'amélioration des conditions de travail ne lui a guère profité en tant que productrice, ni dans les tâches menagères. Enfin, le développement des cultures de rente a été défavorable á la progression du revenu propre des femmes.
Il apparaît de plus en plus que les efforts entrepris pour le développement doivent s'assurer la participation des femmes. Or, elles ne sont pas suffisamment prises en considération en tant qu'élements acteurs du processus que les projets veulent enclencher.
Cette lacune est liée en grande partie à une mauvaise perception de la contribution complémentaire des hommes et des femmes dans les systèmes de production et dans les systèmes familiaux.
Le modèle occidental de la famille reste trop souvent transposé aux pays en voie de développement. Il est nécessaire que les femmes et les hommes bénéficient d'un accès égal au développement, en tenant compte des spécificités socio-culturelles de chacun.
Aussi c'est avec un intérêt tout particulier que ma délégation a examiné le plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement. Il s'agit d'un document fort bien structuré et je tiens à remercier le Secrétariat de l'ampleur du travail qui a été accompli.
Ma délégation adhère aux orientations du programme proposé; elle espère que la FAO mènera avec efficacité la réalisation de ce plan en concentrant son action dans les domaines relevant de sa compétence.
Evidemment, ces activités en faveur des femmes auront des implications dans de nombreux domaines traités par d'autres organisations et je souligne, par conséquent, l'intérêt d'une étroite collaboration avec les autres institutions multilatérales et bilatérales.
Je commenterai brièvement quatre points précis du plan d'action.
Le premier concerne les mesures envisagées pour intégrer de façon plus systématique les questions concernant les femmes dans les plans de développement élaborés dans les gouvernements; la France approuve cette orientation qu'elle considère comme prioritaire. En effet, l'amélioration de la situation économique des femmes dépend des conditions générales de l'économie, mais aussi d'une volonté bien affirmée des responsables politiques.
Ma seconde observation est relative au suivi et à l'évaluation de la mise en oeuvre du plan. Ces dispositions sont tout à fait appropriées pour s'assurer de façon périodique de l'efficacité du programme. Elles lui permettront également une flexibilité dans sa mise en oeuvre.
Je mettrai aussi l'accent sur l'intérêt d'améliorer les instruments statistiques pour recueillir des données ventilées par sexe; ces éléments permettront de mesurer plus précisément l'impact des projets sur les femmes.
En ce qui concerne les dispositions qui seront mises en place au sein de la FAO en matière de sensibilisation et de formation du personnel, la délégation française se félicite de leurs orientations; elles sont indispensables mais il faut veiller à ne pas privilégier ces actions au détriment des activités de terrain.
Avant de terminer, j'indiquerai que mon pays s'efforce, de façon encore modeste mais progressive, d'intégrer la composante "femme" dans ses projets, mais faute de pouvoir atteindre pleinement cet objectif, actuellement, il nous paraît nécessaire de développer deux types d'actions:
Premièrement, lancer des projets dont les bénéficiaires directs seront les femmes, et on peut citer á cet égard l'appui à des associations ou des groupements de femmes, notamment des groupements de production, la mise en place des moyens techniques permettant d'alléger le travail des femmes, aussi bien en tant que productrices que dans leurs tâches ménagères, le soutien et les mécanismes d'appui aux femmes créant de petites entreprises agricoles.
Inclure dans les projets de développement des projets spécifiquement destinés aux femmes: cela exigera à l'évidence qu'une évaluation soit faite afin de mettre à leur disposition les moyens de production dont elles assurent où peuvent assurer la mise en oeuvre, je veux parler des intrants et des crédits d'équipement technique, etc..
J'espère que le Conseil adoptera la Résolution figurant au document CL 94/LIM/2.
Ms Ljiljana VELASEVIC (Yugoslavia): The Yugoslav Delegation supports the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development, being of the opinion that the role of women in overall socio-economic development is very important and should by no means be neglected.
With regard to the Draft Resolution on the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Agricultural and Rural Development, which is presented by the delegations of Mexico, Argentina, Algeria and others, on behalf of the Yugoslav delegation I would like to support this resolution and also suggest some small changes.
Under Item 2, in the last line, instead of the words "which can be carried out with existing resources" we suggest the words "within the limits of the available resources" so that the sentence then reads: "In this respect, it considers priority should be accorded to the following activities within the limits of the available resources."
Under Item 4, at the beginning after the words "Requests that FAO's main committees", in our opinion the following words should be inserted "whenever appropriate" so that the sentence will read "Requests that FAO's main committees whenever appropriate include on the agenda...", etc. without any further change.
Under Item 5 in the third line after the words "Development in FAO's main fields of competence" we think that the following words should be inserted "inter alia through voluntary contributions", so that the sentence reads "Asks Governments to make all possible efforts to contribute to the implementation of the Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development in FAO's main fields of competence, inter alia through voluntary contributions, facilitating the tasks of FAO with regard to the planning and execution of the Plan of Action."
Under Item 7, instead of the words "Ninety-sixth Session" the following words should he proposed, "Ninety-eighth Session" because the 96th Session of the Council will be just before the Conference and the 97th Session just after the Conference.
Dong QINGSONG (China) (original language Chinese): Document CL 94/13, submitted by the Secretariat, is a very comprehensive one. It gives us a detailed Plan of Action to strengthen the integration of women in development. A Chinese proverb says that women are half of Heaven. This means that women have a place and play a role which is just as important as that of men in the socio-economic sector.
Today, the international community attaches growing importance to the problem of women and has already taken important steps in various fields to improve the status of women and allow them to play their role in full. However, it is undeniable that in many different circumstances there are still discriminatory factors and there are roles which affect women and their education, employment, access to inputs and income. These are all areas where women do not have equitable treatment, and therefore it is justifiable for FAO to attach very great importance to the integration of women in development. In the past, FAO has undertaken many different activities within the framework of implementing UN resolutions on women. It has also worked to increase the number of women on FAO's staff, and especially in the professional level. This has contributed positively to improving the status of women at the political, economic and social levels.
We are, therefore, of the opinion that the Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development is realistic and can be implemented. We support this Plan of Action and admire the efforts made by FAO in this connection.
Mr. Chairman, the development of a Plan of Action is only a first step in this very vast field. The implementation of the Plan still requires action on the part of all parties involved, and this is why we believe that FAO should collaborate closely with the governments of member states and international institutions concerned to mobilize and prepare all the necessary resources and adopt all the necessary measures so as to implement the Plan without any delay.
Finally, document CL 94/LIM/2 which contains a resolution is something that we fully endorse. We hope that Council will approve this Draft Resolution.
LE PRESIDENT: Vu les contraintes de temps, je signale au Conseil que la Délégation de l'Indonésie a accepte de remettre sa contribution au Secrétariat et nous lui en savons gré.
Rudolf de POURTALES (Suisse): Selon vos recommandations, je serai bref, et d'ailleurs tout ce qui a été dit jusqu'à présent, me le permet; je dis cela tout en confirmant que la Délégation Suisse considère comme très important le rôle de la femme dans le développement.
Nous appuyons ce qu'a dit la Délégation de la Finlande au nom du groupe nordique et tout particulièrement, s'agissant de l'intégration des aspects féminins dans tous les programmes et activités de la FAO.
Ma délégation est en faveur de la Résolution quant au fond mais nous pensons qu'elle est trop détaillée notamment au point 2.e): des ordres qui relèvent de la gestion sont donnés au Directeur général; nous pensons qu'il faut conserver la séparation des pouvoirs entre le Conseil et la Direction, la gestion relevant de cette dernière.
Ray ALLEN (United Kingdom): I would like to begin by thanking Anita Spring for her very comprehensive and clear introduction to this debate. We would also like to endorse the statement made by the distinguished delegate of Finland on behalf of the Nordic countries. We would also like to congratulate the FAO Secretariat on the quality of the Plan of Action, paper CL 94/13, and welcome the Summary Report paper, CL 94/13 - Sup. 1. Clearly, a lot of effort has gone into these papers.
We strongly support the need to integrate wormen-in-development concerns into FAO's general development concepts.
The recognition of the role of women in development needs to be integrated into all aid activities. We see this as a more effective way of helping women than through creating special funds for women's projects. With such an approach there is a danger of marginalizing the issue. We agree that training is a critical area, not only for people in recipient countries, but also for all FAO staff to increase their awareness and insight into the greater role women can potentially play, not only as beneficiaries but also agents of development. Women's role as agents is particularly important in the agricultural sector.
Although we recognize the need to strengthen women's involvement in the agricultural degree programmes (as mentioned in section 3, paragraph 2(c), of the paper CL 94/13) we would like to see their role strengthened in all agricultural programmes. This is a line we are actively pursuing under our own Technical Cooperation Programme. We are particularly pleased to note the emphasis given to the importance of sustained income generation and the role of the extension services. We have long recognized the significance of the latter in our own programme and consider it desirable that extension activities should be directed at women. We strongly support the emphasis given to education throughout the Plan.
Staff need guidelines on how to incorporate women in development concerns into projects and we welcome the initiative for guidelines for FAO staff. A comprehensive approach to women in development is needed and the Action Plan is right to emphasize this, however, this is only the beginning. It is essential to monitor the programme in implementing the Plan and we look forward to seeing progress reports at regular intervals. ESHW and ESPD clearly will play a lead role in the implementation of the strategy and we would like an assurance that the section is now adequately staffed.
Turning to the draft resolution before us in document CL 94/LIM/2, my delegation is grateful to the co-sponsors and recognizes the value of their work. The resolution encapsulates key issues and much of the discussion in this debate. With some very minor modifications, which I understand the sponsors have accepted, the draft is entirely satisfactory to my delegation. We would be interested to learn the reaction of the co-sponsors to the amendments proposed by the distinguished delegate of Yugoslavia. We prefer to retain the original text in paragraph 7 of document CL 94/LIM/2 that the Conference should receive a progress report.
Concerning the mechanics of dealing with this resolution we support the proposals we have heard, namely, that this Council should forward this resolution as a draft for final adoption by the Conference. In the absence in Council of such mechanisms as friends of the chair, or a Resolution Committee, as a general rule we consider it preferable procedure for Council (through its report) to offer Conference negotiated advice or negotiated decisions rather than adopt resolutions which have been negotiated in the Drafting Group.
Returning to the substance of this item, my delegation was concerned to hear the comments of the secretariat concerning the problems regarding new budget commitments, and the suggestion that implementation would be highly dependent on extra-budgetary funds. For over two years the central theme of discussion in FAO Governing Bodies has concerned the introduction of priorities for FAO spending. It has been about dropping and phasing out activities which have outlived their usefulness and finding space to take up new and more relevant tasks. It is fair to say in the past that FAO has not given significant attention to the role of women. This, perhaps, explains the phenomena of intellectualized isolation which was noted by the distinguished delegate of Finland.
We hope that the expert groups currently reviewing certain aspects of FAO will take cognizance of what has been said in this debate and, if they have not done so already, have discussions with the Departments dealing with women in agricultural production. It is now time to make amends for this neglect not just by words but by actions and deeds. The shape of the Regular Programme must change to meet the new challenges.
Ms Roberta VAN HAEFTEN (United States of America): The United States commends and supports the Plan of Action. It is well-conceived and far-reaching in-scope. It is also noteworthy for its clear recognition and systematic statement of the wide range of obstacles to the full integration of women in development efforts in agriculture, food and rural development, as well as for its specific actions prepared to address these problems. We also welcome the appearance of Dr. Anita Spring for the first time before Council and appreciate the perspective and additional details she has provided concerning FAO's plans.
FAO has lagged in incorporating gender considerations into its programmes. The time to move forward is long overdue. We note FAO's initiatives, according to the Plan, addressed the programme areas outlined by the 24th Conference which needed increased focus, that is, national structures for
monitoring, poverty alleviation, agrarian reforms, and rural development, national policies and strategies that focus on more equitable distribution of factors and the product of economic development. This includes legal, political and institutional measures in order to ensure land tenure, land access reform, improved technology delivery systems, grass-roots participation in development, and increased investment credit for the rural sector, favourable national and international trade environments, natural resources management, and a sustained ecological base on which rural development depends.
We agree that priorities must be set, and encourage FAO to focus on factors affecting women's productive role in agriculture. With regard to FAO as an institution, we agree that convincing the staff of the importance of factoring gender issues into FAO's activities, project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation will be important to the overall success of FAO's work. We are glad to learn that training will begin in just a few weeks. Systematic monitoring of progress will also be important as implementation of the Plan moves ahead. The clear assignment of action responsibility for the implementation of the Plan contained in Annex 2, as well as the work of the Inter-Divisional Working Group on Women in Development in ensuring organization-wide coordination and assessing the progress of the Plan will be important mechanisms.
We urge FAO management to assure that the technical units fulfill their responsibilities. It is especially important that all FAO's units cooperate to ensure the success of this Plan. We strongly agree with the emphasis in the Plan on incorporating women in development concerns into the mainstream of FAO's work, as well as in the recognition given to women's needs for substantial income-generating activities, control and de-control of income and appropriate training activities. We are especially pleased to learn that FAO is already making allocations from its current budget to begin to undertake these initiatives. They are not something extra; they go to the heart of FAO's work. Just as gender concerns should be taken into account in all aspects of FAO's work, so should they be integrated into the analysis, documentation and debate of FAO's subsidiary bodies.
Turning to more specific comments, section 3 of the Plan addresses the civil status sphere and efforts to eliminate the legal and attitudinal bases of discrimination. This is a sphere in which FAO (as a multilateral organization) has a comparative advantage over a bilateral organziation. FAO should be able to make a useful contribution in these sensitive areas. In these issues - discussion of population aspects - the Plan notes the relationship between demographic factors, women's role status and rural agricultural development. This broader conceptualization of the population issue is encouraging, particularly if it encourages strategies that target improving the economic welfare of women as a means of improving family planning. We note the plans for preparing and publishing a Guidelines Manual for project planners and designers, as well as for designing training courses on women in development issues and related implementation measures. We urge continued close cooperation and coordination between FAO and multilateral organizations, such as UNIFEM, UNDP, UNICEF and others, as well as bilaterals on mutual women in development concerns, and in particular the sharing of experience in these areas to avoid duplication of efforts. We strongly support the Plan to establish systems of collecting and analyzing data in a gender disaggregated manner as well as the special roster of women candidates for technical assistance project assignments. We have already spoken to the head of Women in Development Programme about coordinating attempts to develop rosters of women candidates and candidates with women in development expertise to provide technical assistance.
In a similar vein we encourage collaboration between women in development sections of FAO and IFAD. My delegation could also support most of the points in the draft resolution. We think that the Plan of Action merits strong support from this Council. On the other hand we are not sure of the proper procedures to be used in the Council for dealing with this resolution since, as the delegation of the UK has pointed out we have no Resolutions Committee. For this reason my delegation tends to favour the suggestion by the delegation of the United Kingdom for handling this resolution.
Noboru SAITO (Japan): My delegation recognizes that the systematic approach by UN activity to the issue on women is effective and important, and that the FAO Plan of Action for this issue has great significance in the Organization in promoting steady action, considering the significance of the System-Wide Medium Term Plan for "omen in Development.
The Action Plan prepared by the Secretariat gives the detailed arrangements of the activities required and shows the responsible sectors within the framework of SWMTEP. The Secretariat's efforts here are highly appreciated.
My country is of the view that this Action Plan could be reviewed further with the preparation of programme and budget for the next biennium as it would be an important mid-terra framework for FAO activities for the next biennium and after stop. Although the basic framework for this Action
Plan seems acceptable in principle, further clarification is necessary for the following two reasons: i) coordination with present FAO programmes such as ones based on World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development; ii) the establishment of a coordinating system with other UN agencies. As the time for this Action Plan is limited FAO should prioritize its work in the areas where the Organization has experience and expertize, and should cooperate with other bodies in -the area where they have more experience and more expertize than the FAO, for the efficient and smooth preparation of the Action Plan. In this way the whole UN system could work effectively.
The final point of our statement is that the proposal of the Secretariat to give periodical review in the WCARRD report is acceptable.
Thomas YANGA (Cameroun): Je voudrais tout d'abord féliciter Mme Spring de sa brillante présentation du document qui nous est soumis ainsi que M. Moreno, qui nous a apporté des éclaircissements fort utiles.
La mobilisation et la promotion des ressources humaines féminines pour le développement constituent l'une des priorités de l'action gouvernementale au Cameroun. Cette nécessité se justifie par des faits et des chiffres très significatifs.
Il a été démontré dans l'évaluation de la Décennie des Nations Unies pour la femme que le bilan au Cameroun dans ce domaine est largement positif. Mais ce bilan révèle aussi certaines insuffisances qui ont été prises en compte dans l'élaboration des stratégies futures. Les différents recensements de population font apparaître une supériorité du nombre de femmes mais cette proportion n'est plus respectée lorsque l'on considère certains domaines spécifiques d'activité. C'est ainsi, par exemple, que la scolarisation, au niveau de l'école primaire, est de près de 80% de garçons contre 67% pour les filles.
Par ailleurs, la population active totale comporte 43% de femmes et, dans l'ensemble, cette main-d'oeuvre féminine est occupée principalement à la production agricole vivrière, car près de 88,8% d'entre elles vivent en zone rurale, mais aussi à la pêche artisanale et au petit élevage. Il faut noter, entre autres, que 3% seulement des femmes actives sont salariées.
Malgré un accroissement moyen annuel de 2,8% entre 1972 et 1984, la population agricole n'a pas connu de variation dans sa composition par sexe: 53% de la population de sexe féminin contre 47% de sexe masculin. C'est dire donc que le Cameroun doit essentiellement l'un de ses plus précieux acquis, soit l’autosuffisance alimentaire, à l'action persévérante des femmes, action qui devient d'ailleurs de plus en plus rémunératrice; il faut le signaler. La préoccupation de notre gouvernement ne se situe plus au niveau de l'intégration des femmes dans le développement mais à celui de l'optimalisation de la productivité de cette importante catégorie ainsi que de la récompense juste et équitable des efforts que les femmes fournissent dans le processus de développement du pays, tout en sauvegardant l'équilibre fondamental et absolument indispensable avec leurs autres fonctions sociales et familiales tout autant primordiales.
L'une des preuves manifestes et concrètes de la ferme volonté politique du gouvernement camerounais a été la création d'un ministère chargé de la condition féminine et dont les tâches principales sont la promotion et l'application de mesures destinées à faire respecter les droits de la femme camerounaise dans la société, la suppression de toute discrimination à son égard et l'accroissement des garanties d'égalité dans les domaines politique, économique, social et culturel.
La matérialisation de ces objectifs s'est traduite par l'élaboration et l'adoption de projets à réaliser dans le cadre du VIème Plan quinquenal de développement (1986-1991), d'un montant de 13 milliards de francs CFA, destinés spécifiquement à la mobilisation et la promotion accrues des ressources humaines féminines.
Il me plaît de signaler que le Parlement camerounais a déjà ratifié la Convention sur l'élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination à l'égard des femmes.
Cette énumération succincte de l'action gouvernementale en faveur des femmes au Cameroun prédispose ma délégation et le gouvernement de mon pays à prêter une oreille particulièrement attentive à toute action qu'une organisation telle que la FAO peut soumettre aux Etats Membres en vue d'intégrer les femmes dans le développement. Nous sommes en effet en faveur de l'intégration des femmes dans le développement et nous nous félicitons de la franchise du Secrétariat qui reconnaît, a travers le Plan d'action qu'il nous soumet, ses propres déficiences dans ce domaine; et nous appuyons les mesures qu'il envisage à cet effet à partir de l'année prochaine, comme il nous a été précisé tout à l'heure.
Par ailleurs, indiquer les actions à entreprendre est une chose et obtenir les ressources financières appropriées en est une autre. Nous estimons que ces ressources financières constituent un élément déterminant de la mise en oeuvre de ce plan d'action.
Au paragraphe 3 de la page 2 de la version française du document CL 94/13, il est décrit le processus qui nous apparaît réaliste et normal pour la mise en oeuvre d'un plan de cette nature pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement et notamment au niveau des Etats Membres, compte tenu des spécificités de chacun d'eux. Il s'agit, dans un premier temps, de connaître et de comprendre la place des femmes dans le développement agricole afin d'adopter et de promouvoir des politiques permettant de stimuler la promotion de la femme avec une certaine hiérarchisation des priorités suivant les cas. Toutefois, l'accent à mettre sur l'intégration des femmes dans les programmes de développement de la FAO doit cadrer avec l'effort global de développement.
Cependant, nous devons relever, comme plusieurs autres délégations l'ont fait à propos d'autres points de notre ordre du jour, le fait que certains documents à examiner sont mis à notre disposition avec retard, ici à Rome; cela a été le cas pour le Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement. Or ce Plan d'action que nous avons juste eu le temps de parcourir nous apparaît extrêmement important, notamment du fait de la contribution primordiale et déterminante qui est attendue des gouvernements.
En effet, il est mentionné - et nous l'appuyons - dans les conclusions du document CL 94/13 relatif au Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement que "sans l'intérêt et l'engagement des gouvernements, les mesures envisagées et les efforts accomplis par la FAO pour intégrer les femmes dans le développement resteront vains". Aussi pensons-nous qu'il serait approprié que tous les gouvernements aient l'occasion d'examiner ce Plan et de se prononcer sur son contenu avant sa mise en oeuvre qui couvrirait la période 1990-1995 selon les indications du Secrétariat.
Quant au projet de résolution publié sous la cote CL 94/LIM/2, nous l'appuyons sous réserve de quelques retouches à y apporter, conformément à la position que nous avons exprimée sur une partie du plan d'action auquel elle se réfère.
LE PRESIDENT: Je dois signaler au Conseil que le délégué du Niger, compte tenu du temps qui nous manque, a bien voulu se contenter de faire insérer au procès verbal son intervention sur le Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement. Je l'en remercie.
Omer ZEYTINOGLU (Turkey): My delegation would like to join the previous speaker in expressing its appreciation to the Secretariat for preparing such a detailed Action Plan for Integration of Women in Development. We generally agree on the major actions contained in the Plan, which we are sure will contribute to the agricultural development in developing countries by way of supporting women farmers.
Real understanding of the contribution to agricultural development of the rural women goes only a few years back. Before that, activities devoted to rural women have been comprised of family development and home economics oriented types programmes and only helped them carry out in a better way the home based work.
We believe that the implementation of the Action Plan put before us will further increase awareness about the significant role of women's productive activities, as well as their role in various social issues. In addition, support for their activities will enhance their effectiveness and eliminate social constraints facing them. It is in this context that we endorse the Action Plan and Draft Resolution related to it, submitted by Mexico and by some other delegations.
We understand that to find resources for the implementation of the Action Plan constitutes an important point. We think that FAO has already taken steps to devote adequate resources to this programme. We also look forward to seeing this Action Plan fully supported in this respect through bilateral channels.
Furthermore, we think that it is imperative that national governments give priority and attention to provide financial resources from the development budget to development actions contained in the Plan by integrating it into their own development efforts.
Real LALANDE (Canada): I would like to start my statement by what should sound by now like familiar truths, most of them having been referred to this morning. But my delegation believes strongly that these truths should now influence our action. I will try to be brief in summarising those truths.
Before doing that let me first indicate that my delegation can associate itself fully with the statement made by the representative of the Nordic countries this morning, and we can certainly associate ourselves as well with many other comments made by other delegations.
To be more specific, let me state that women are half the world's population, but we know that two-thirds of its work hours receive one-tenth of its income and own less than one-hundredth of its property. Women do a vast variety of work essential to the support of life and the development of their countries. Without their unpaid and quite often unrecognized labour the entire economic system could easily collapse. In rural areas of the developing world women grow most of the family's food and often work in their husband's cash crop fields as well. They process food for export and sell produce in the marketplace. No matter how many other calls they may have, women are also responsible for virtually all the domestic work, including child care, nursing, preparing meals and gathering fuelwood and water. More and more women must shoulder the entire burden alone. In some developing countries up to a half the households are headed by women. Poverty has forced their men to migrate in search of work. Those are the truths that I was earlier referring to.
Keeping in mind those truths, we believe strongly that the time for talking about these familiar truths and the issues that arise from these truths is long over; it is now time to act. Surely a country cannot hope to prosper if half of its resources, its women, are neglected and ignored. The Government of Canada wants to recognize this truth.
In 1984, a Women in Development Policy was adopted by Canada to help women take part in and benefit from the Canadian Development Assistance Programme. In June 1986 our Minister for External Relations and International Development tabled in Parliament a five-year plan to carry this policy into practice. In the context of the United Nations System, Canada has been concerned to ensure that women are fully integrated into the programming priorities of multilateral agencies, such as FAO. The mandate for this is clearly stated in the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies and has been further elaborated in the System-Wide Medium Term Plan for Development. It is the Canadian view that Women in Development is an integral element of all FAO programming, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and nutrition. We believe that this integrated approach must be actively encouraged as the dominant approach and that it must be appropriately reflected in specific programmes component in the Programme of Work and Budget.
I would also stress that the integrated approach, which we advocated, is aimed at ending dependency on extra-budgetary funding for women's programmes. The women in development issues should be achieved through the central or regular programming and budgetary process, and not as supplementary activities.
Furthermore, Canada has long advocated the need to increase the number of women employed in professional staff positions within the UN system. We strongly urge the FAO to take all steps necessary to redress the under-representation of women in professional staff positions, in particular senior positions that currently exist both at Headquarters and in the field.
At the FAO Conference in November last year, Canada was pleased to co-sponsor Resolution 3/87 presented by the Nordic countries on the integration of women in development. Today we are equally pleased to have before us FAO's response in document CL 94/13. Overall, we believe the Plan of Action to be sound and comprehensive. The key women-in-development issues are identified and specific strategies outlined. We acknowledge FAO's comment that this present Plan of Action is by necessity indicative, is not finite, and remains dynamic. Nevertheless, there are five areas that are of concern to us, which we would like to comment on at this time:
First, we believe that the Plan of Action should become more precise in identifying women-in-development components as they relate to specific work areas or units within FAO.
Second, we see the need for the Plan of Action to more clearly identify priorities and elaborate these clearly within the Programme of Work and Budget; we view this as FAO's responsibility, and in this connection we would like to indicate our satisfaction with Dr. Spring's introductory comment on this issue.
Third, we want to stress, once more, that the action components of the Plan of Action must be fully integrated into FAO's Regular Programme of Work and Budget. It would be totally unsatisfactory if it were to be relegated to the status of 'ad-hocery'.
Fourth, we would like to stress, as well, that a timetable should be established for the implementation and monitoring of the action components.
Fifth, we consider that a staff training programme is essential for both staff in the field, as well as at the Headquarters, to increase the attention paid to women in agricultural roles and development issues.
In conclusion, let me once more thank FAO for the work done so far, but let me at the same time urge them to continue that work at full speed. The consensus regarding rapid implementation of a Plan of Action that is evident at this Council, along with the continuing momentum that we have shown, are a clear indication for the Secretariat of the priority that Member States attach to the issue of women in development.
Canada is delighted to associate itself with the substance of the resolution proposed by Mexico, Argentina, Algeria, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Nicaragua and the Philippines. We consider, however, as was said by the representative of the Nordic countries, that some further clarification could be useful and be made to this statement before its final approval by the Council. We think as well that the approval by the Council should be made by consensus. We are thus willing to participate further in the discussion to bring such clarification.
As a last point, I would also like to underline that the importance that was given up to now by the Council on the discussion of the issue of women in development should certainly be brought to the attention of the different groups of experts involved in the review of FAO as proposed earlier by the delegate of the United Kingdom. I think this issue is important enough for them to know about the extent of our discussion.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais signaler que le délégué de Madagascar a accepté de faire inscrire sa communication dans le Verbatim, pour tenir compte de la contrainte de temps. Je l'en remercie.
Mlle Faouzia BOUMAÏZA (Algérie): Sur ce point de l'ordre du jour, ma délégation a écouté avec un vif intérêt la présentation du document CL 94/13 et son supplément CL 94/LIM/2 Sup. 1, faite par Mlle Spring à qui nous souhaitons succès et réussite dans sa nouvelle fonction.
Concernant le Plan d'action de la FAO pour l'intégration de' la femme dans le développement élaboré sur la base de la Résolution 3/87 adoptée par notre Conférence, il nous semble, d'une manière générale, constituer un bon cadre conceptuel et qui emporte notre aval. Nous approuvons en particulier les mesures envisagées par la FAO au Chapitre IV consacré à la sphère économique. Mlle Spring nous a également annoncé cinq domaines prioritaires que ma délégation approuve car ils constituent autant d'actions que nous considérons nécessaires.
Notre enthousiasme pour ce plan d'action a toutefois été tempéré par la précision qui nous a été fournie par le Secrétariat quant au fait que l'Annexe 2, consacrée à la mise en oeuvre du Plan d'action de la FAO pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement, ne constitue qu'un répertoire indicatif des domaines d'intervention.
Ma délégation aurait préféré pour sa part trouver dans le document CL 94/13 un Plan d'action plus concis, mais dans lequel on aurait consigné des actions envisagées à court terme sur la base de résolutions adoptées par notre 24ème Session de la Conférence, ainsi d'ailleurs que des conférences précédentes et du Conseil.
D'autre part, de nombreuses recommandations et résolutions ont déjà été consacrées à l'intégration de la femme dans le développement, notamment par les trois Conférences mondiales de Mexico, de Copenhague et de Nairobi qui ont jalonné la décennie des Nations Unies pour la femme. C'est pourquoi le moment est venu d'appliquer le contenu de ces différentes résolutions et décisions, excellentes d'ailleurs, déjà adoptées.
La délégation algérienne s'est jointe aux autres délégations pour présenter la résolution contenue dans le document CL 94/LIM/2 avec le ferme espoir que celle-ci sera approuvée par notre Conseil, principal organe exécutif de la Conférence, et constitue ainsi un outil de travail dont pourrait s'inspirer le Secrétariat dans l'élaboration d'un programme de travail pour le prochain biennium. A ce propos j'ai noté que deux délégations se posent des questions sur la procédure à suivre, et si notre Conseil peut adopter une Résolution.
Ma délégation les renvoie à l'Article 6 alinéa 2 du Règlement intérieur du Conseil qui demande au Directeur général de communiquer le plus tôt possible, après la fin de chaque session ordinaire du Conseil, à tous les Etats Membres et aux membres associés de l'Organisation des Etats-Unis, aux institutions spécialisées et aux organisations non-gouvernementales avec lesquelles l'Organisation
est en relation, un rapport contenant le texte de toutes les résolutions, recommandations, conventions, etc., adoptées ou approuvées par le Conseil. Ce qui démontre que le Conseil peut très bien adopter toutes les Résolutions qu'il juge utiles.
Voilà M. le Président, ce que nous avions à dire pour le moment sur ce point important de l'ordre du jour
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie la déléguée de l'Algérie et je prie le Conseil de noter que l'Observateur du Cap-Vert fera introduire dans le Verbatim le texte de la communication qu'il devait faire, afin de tenir compte de la contrainte de temps.
Je remercie l'Observateur du Cap-Vert et je donne la parole au délégué de l'Australie.
Archibald Duncan CAMPBELL (Australia): I can be quite short. Despite an extensive brief reflecting detailed study of the Plan by my Government in Canberra, Australia is proud of the fact that, as a nation, we have long been at the forefront of action in promoting women's issues in our own national and development assistance policies. It is interesting to observe the similarities between FAO's proposed Plan of Action and our own existing and on-going approach. My delegation is pleased to be able to give full support for the FAO Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Development, and commends FAO on its preparation. We look forward to its total introduction over time, within existing FAO resources.
We support the resolution before the Council subject to minor adjustments of a non-substantive nature on presentation and uniform language that will arise out of informal discussions mentioned by the Finnish delegation. However, on this point, and as a general principle, we wondered whether resolutions in Council are the best way to proceed with business. We recognize that resolutions are not common coming up through the Council, and we expect this issue will be addressed by the group of experts undertaking the review of FAO. Without a resolution committee, as exists at the Conference sessions, are resolutions, generally speaking, the most effective way for the Council to proceed. Notwithstanding the findings of the review teams, my delegation can fully support the particular resolution as it stands.
At the present moment, a comprehensive review of FAO's philosophy, purpose, role, field activities and management structure is underway. Therefore, faced with unique opportunity to ensure women's issues are fully integrated into FAO's mainstream activities, we believe that this opportunity should not be lost. We therefore urge the experts group to hold active discussions with the Women in Agricultural Production Service and other relevant units of FAO, to ensure that their recommendations are fully consistent with the Action Plan and with the overall objectives of an effective women in development strategy.
Mme Anna Teresa FRITELLI ANNIBALDI (Italie): Dans le cadre des stratégies et orientations à l'échelle nationale et internationale, à la suite de la Conférence de Naïrobi de 1985, le Plan d'action de la FAO pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement contenu dans ce document constitue un moment de grande envergure, à notre avis, tant sur le plan politique que sur le plan social et humain. Nous sommes heureux de témoigner notre vif intérêt et notre engagement à cet égard.
Un plan d'action de nature générale qui embrasse un éventail complet des domaines d'intervention et qui puisse fournir d'une façon organique des principes d'orientation autant à l'Organisation qu'aux Etats Membres, semble positif et fructueux. Nous remercions donc la FAO pour le travail complet et excellent qu'elle a accompli.
Le Gouvernement italien a institué en juin 1984 une Commission nationale ayant pour but d'approfondir et d'aborder dans tous les domaines les problèmes liés au rôle des femmes.
En mars 1986 la Commission nationale a présenté, après une longue et soigneuse enquête, le Plan d'action national qui couvre les secteurs et les problèmes estimés prioritaires afin d'identifier et d'effectuer des interventions ciblées. Les secteurs de l'information et de la formation de la politique, des réformes législatives, de la santé, des nouvelles technologies, et des relations internationales ont été indiqués.
Une attention particulière a été consacrée à l'instruction, veillant à ce que toute l'action éducative soit inspirée à une nouvelle vision plus correcte des rôles et d'une coopération paritaire dans la
Conformément à ces principes d'intention et à un engagement opérationnel sur le plan national, a l'échelle internationale la nouvelle loi pour la coopération de l'Italie avec les pays en voie de développement souligne expressément que, dans ses interventions, la coopération italienne doit aussi envisager l'amélioration de la condition féminine et de l'enfance, ainsi que le soutien à la promotion de la femme. La spécifité de ces objectifs est un élément politique important de la nouvelle loi de coopération; il est en effet reconnu explicitement que la promotion de la condition de la femme n'est qu'un objectif secondaire ou accessoire de l'action de progrès social, mais un élément décisif de toute politique correcte et durable de coopération au développement.
En application de ces lignes directrices établies par le législateur en février 1988, la Direction générale pour la Coopération et le Développement a mis au point des "lignes d'action pour la promotion du rôle de la femme dans les pays en voie de développement". Ces lignes d'action que nous avons le plaisir de retrouver dans le Plan d'action de la FAO, doivent être considérées comme un plan d'idées et d'orientation des secteurs d'intervention compte tenu des priorités géographiques et sectorielles de la coopération italienne.
Notre philosophie en ce domaine est de les vérifier, de les adapter et de les harmoniser avec les particularités et les exigences des différents pays.
Ce n'est que dans ses réalités spécifiques que l'on peut considérer concrètement l'action á suivre. C'est vis-à-vis de ces réalités que nous devons mesurer nos efforts; dans toutes nos activités de coopération, en effet, notre ligne directrice doit être fondée sur des critères de réflexion, d'évaluation permanente, d'adaptation flexible aux exigences et aux enseignements de l'expérience, pour obtenir les résultats que nous souhaitons en commun accord avec les pays receveurs.
Il faut, d'une part, collaborer avec les pays destinataires pour identifier les besoins et les domaines prioritaires d'intervention, d'autre part, et conformément aux priorités de la politique de coopération de l'Italie, mener notre action en direction des couches sociales les plus faibles, en ce qui concerne la réalisation des projets sanitaires, agricoles et de formation.
Pour ce qui concerne la formation, elle devra partir des premiers pas de l'éducation pour développer une action de pénétration, de compréhension et d'ouverture sociale générale des esprits et des consciences á l'égard du problème féminin.
C'est donc une ligne d'intervention de vaste envergure mais aussi des actions concrètes liées á la particularité de la condition féminine vue sous un double aspect:
l'élément féminin doit être inclus dans les programmes plus vastes, destinés à la population en général sans exclure des initiatives spécifiques si elles s'avèrent nécessaires;
d'autre part, 11 faut valoriser la femme auprès des membres mêmes de la cellule familiale et des structures sociales, dans le but de leur promotion et de leur insertion active dans la politique de développement des rôles et des tâches attribués aux femmes par "tradition culturelle".
Dans le cadre de la coopération Italie-FAO, nous nous sommes déjà efforcés d'agir de façon à ce que l'intégration des femmes soit considérée comme un élément important des projets. Nous voulons continuer à travailler dans ce sens afin de renforcer la présence des femmes tant dans la formulation et l'exécution des programmes, que dans l'évaluation des résultats, en attachant une attention toute particulière à l'analyse de l'impact que les activités réalisées ont eu sur la population féminine.
Le but que nous avons devant nous est grand; une fois encore la communauté internationale est appelée à rassembler toutes les énergies possibles et les instruments disponibles pour sa réalisation. Le Plan d'action de la FAO est une étape importante en vue de l'organisation globale et rationnelle de cette mosaïque d'interventions intégrées nécessaires pour l'aménagement et la survie de la femme, et à travers elle de la société dans son ensemble.
Nous partageons cet effort, et souscrivons aux orientations proposées; et les instruments pour sa réalisation concrète recevront toute notre disponibilité et notre participation.
Nous tenons par ailleurs à souligner que ces objectifs ont avant tout besoin d'une structure institutionnelle appropriée et dans les organisations internationales et dans les différents pays, et qu'il faut une préparation et une capacité de décision et d'application.
L'Italie est favorable à la formation de ces personnels et ne manquera pas de participer à cette action conjointe de formation et de structure. Enfin, l'Italie estime que pour que cet effort international de rationalisation et d'engagement concret continuent avec le suivi et la détermination nécessaires, il faut des réflexions périodiques portant sur l'action globale et ses résultats sur les difficultés et les propositions pour l'avenir.
Un dernier mot, Monsieur le Président, pour répéter une vérité qu'il faut avoir toujours présente à l'esprit: le premier pas de l'intégration des femmes dans le développement est culturel; reconnaissons le rôle central et puissant - trop souvent sans puissance - qu'elles ont toujours joué pour le développement.
Hartmut STALB (Germany, Federal Republic of): The Report on the Role of Women in Agricultural Development submitted to the 24th Session of the FAO Conference already showed clearly that much still needs to be done to improve the integration of women in the agricultural development process. What matters most is to give them a position commensurate with the role they play in production and to ensure a greater participation in the economic and political decision-making processes. The Conference responded to the FAO Report with Resolution 3/87 and requested the Director-General to submit a Plan of Action. This Plan of Action is now available in Document CL 94/13. The Federal Government took note of the Document with great interest. It welcomes the activities proposed which fit into the current system-wide activities, above all the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies and the preliminary System-Wide Medium-Term Plan for Women in Development. The main aim of efforts must be and continues to be to improve the social and economic situation of women in the rural area. The enhancement of rural women, however, also means that more should be done on the national level to improve the access of women as important agricultural producers to inputs, including credit. Women should have a greater part than so far also in the decision-making process of FAO bodies.
My delegation hopes that it will be possible to implement the Plan of Action as submitted. We will support it to the fullest extent as well as we support the content of the Draft Resolution submitted by Mexico and some other countries.
Mme Ivone DIAS DA GRAÇA (Gabon): Ma délégation tient à féliciter Madame Spring de sa présentation du Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement, dont les objectifs et propositions de mesures sont très intéressants; sa mise en oeuvre permettra une reconnaissance plus juste du rôle de la femme, rôle très important dans toutes les activités liées à l'alimentation et à l'agriculture notamment en Afrique.
Mon Gouvernement est particulièrement attaché à la promotion du rôle de la femme à tous les niveaux, et ceci vise à leur donner accès aussi bien à la formation qu'aux postes les plus élevés de décision et d'exécution de la vie sociale et politique.
A cet égard, tout en reconnaissant l'intérêt des projets spécifiques aux femmes, nous apportons notre appui tout particulier à une intégration progressive des femmes à tous les niveaux, dans tous les domaines de la compétence de la FAO et dans les projets de développement.
Nous appuyons fermement le Plan d'action et le projet de Résolution présentés au Conseil et nous espérons que des mesures concrètes seront mises en oeuvre le plus rapidement possible.
Sur ce point, nous voudrions faire nôtres les interventions des Délégations de la Finlande et du Mexique.
Yousef Ali Mahmoud HAMDI (Egypt): We did listen with utmost interest to Mrs. Spring's presentation of this Document as well as the additional comments made by Mr. Moreno on Document CL 94/13 and CL 94/13 Sup. 1. We would like to take this opportunity to address our congratulations to the Secretariat who have prepared these excellent documents and also thank the Secretariat for the efforts undertaken to integrate women in development.
We would also like in this way to refer to the efforts made by my Government to integrate women in development endeavours and to recognize the preponderant role played by women on all levels with the political, economic or otherwise, especially including agriculture. In this regard, we would like to recall the participation of women in the agricultural development plans and rural development plans and we would also at this point like to address our sincere thanks for the assistance received in the execution of the project relative to the role of women in food production. On this basis, we
would like to voice our full support to the strategy of the Plan of Action as drawn up by FAO and we trust and hope that this Plan of Action and those strategies will achieve a concrete form in order to achieve the efforts which FAO has deployed from the very outset and in order to ensure the constant follow-up of those activities.
Our thanks are also addressed to all those who do support the Draft Resolution relevant to the Plan of Action For Integration of Women and we would invite the Council to adopt that Draft Resolution.
LE PRÉSIDENT: Le Représentant de la République Dominicaine a décidé de donner au Secrétariat son intervention pour qu'elle soit incluse dans le Verbatim. Je l'en remercie et passe la parole à l'Honorable Délégué du Kenya.
Benson MBOGOH (Kenya): My delegation wishes to associate itself with the others in congratulating the Secretariat for producing a very balanced and detailed document. In our view, it addresses the major concerns of women's participation in development, both in the developing as well as the developed countries.
The increasing concern to see women completely integrated in the development process stems not only from the considerations of social justice, it is also plain economic sense. There is no denying the fact that women, particularly in the developing countries, have always played a major role in agriculture. However, it must be recognized that many of the issues and concerns identified for action arise from factors which are deeply entrenched in the traditional cultures of the respective societies. Many are subject to different interpretations and application, not only from one society to another, even in the same country, but often between communities in the same society. As such the overall intervention in the implementation must be given a lot of thought and aim at a multi-approach in the Action Plan.
Priority would seem to lie initially in critically assessing in each member country the extent of the problem, the specific underlying causes, any ongoing positive changes, and on the basis of the facts gathered consider appropriate strategies and specific actions targeted to priority areas in individual countries.
The agenda of action proposed is detailed and for good reasons. However, the crucial areas in which action is likely to achieve profound results in many developing countries are in the areas of education and training of young women, the promotion of women in employment, and income-earning activities both in agriculture and non-agriculture sectors. Thirdly, there should be appropriate support for women's groups and organizations in their efforts to advance women's development interests.
The important issue of women in agriculture is more complex. Despite women playing a major role in agriculture, many traditional cultures, especially in developing countries, still tend to limit direct control and ownership of land by women. Reforms of such practices are complex and should be promoted by concerted national efforts. Therefore, areas which can be simultaneously explored include the creation of special programmes which promote and facilitate increased credit and financial flows to women's activities and the encouragement of credit institutions for women's lending such as the Women's Trust Bank, from which they can borrow without the requirement of collateral.
It is important to recognize and encourage the significant changes that have been and continue to be made in promoting the integration of women in development in varous countries. Indeed, since the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies of 1985, the world's community has focused more on these concerns. Kenya for her part has made significant gains in integrating women in the mainstream of development, both in government and in other sectors. Action must continue to be pressed selectively and appropriately but must aim at facilitating change from within in which FAO is seen to play an active facilitating or catalytic role.
Finally, we must support fully the idea of FAO giving a lead in integrating women in FAO mainstream activities. However, we wish to make a further appeal that adequate representation be made for the Third World member countries as well.
Bashir EL MABROUK SAID (Libya) (Original language Arabic): At the outset, I would like to extend my thanks to Ms. Spring for her excellent and clear presentation of this document. We would like to congratulate the Secretariat on this excellent document which is a constructive step taken by the Organization in order to promote the role of women in development which is recognized by all whether in the west or in the east.
We would like to refer to an important point, namely the duties and rights of women. Prejudice against women is prejudicial to development, and this has been to the detriment of humanity in general. We would like to highlight the fact that men and women are equal and they enjoy equal rights. However, we would like to say that the duties and rights of men and women differ. We have to recognize in this meeting that the duties and rights shouldered by women should be different from those of men. However, we have given women duties that are not in line with their nature. In certain regions of the world women shoulder duties over and above their nature. They are forced to shoulder these duties and this is a falsification of women's rights. Women were forced to work here and there because unless they did this they might not find another chance in a different place. Therefore, women undertake work in order to work freely and with dignity.
In spite of the role shouldered by women in the process of development, we see that there is injustice, great injustice, in not according women their rights. The action taken by FAO is a step in the right direction. What is required is a new orientation that would replace the current traditions, and it is a call for women all over the world to be free from the shackles of man. The FAO has a leading role in this respect.
The Draft Resolution sponsored by some of our colleagues - Mexico, Argentina, Algeria, Colombia, Cuba, Spain and Nicaragua - has our support. We feel that it is acceptable in line with the amendments submitted by Mexico.
Sra. Mónica DEREGIBUS (Argentina): Quisiera pedir, Sr. Presidente, si fuera posible, que nos diera la palabra después del receso del mediodía, de manera que los países copatrocinadores de este proyecto de Resolución pudiéramos intercambiar ideas y ponerlas en conocimiento del resto de los miembros del Consejo.
Sra. María Isabel CASELLAS (Venezuela): La Delegación de Venezuela expresa su apoyo al Proyecto de Resolución sobre el Plan de Acción para la Integración de la Mujer en el Desarrollo Agrícola y Rural presentado en este Consejo.
Quiero asimismo dar las gracias al Sr. Director General de la FAO por haber convocado la Consulta de Expertos sobre las experiencias de los cambios institucionales concernientes a la mujer en el desarrollo, la cual fue solicitada por nuestra Delegación ante la Conferencia en la Resolución 4/87.
Angel BARBERO MARTÍN (España): Procuraré ser muy breve pero no queremos dejar sin expresar nuestro deseo de que el Proyecto de Resolución contenido en el documento CL 94/LIM/2, que España ha copatrocinado junto con otros países, sea objeto de resolución por parte de este Consejo, tal como ha sido expuesto por México.
Esto porque pensamos que a pesar de lo que hasta la fecha se ha realizado, estamos en el momento adecuado de asegurar la implantación de acciones concretas ya que las. fechas hasta 1995 se van sucediendo con rapidez, y cualquier retraso podría poner en peligro la total realización del Plan de Acción.
Otra cosa es que las implicaciones presupuestarias deban ser tratadas en su momento en los Comités adecuados, pero nos parece que a pesar de las actuales dificultades financieras, debemos enfocar con optimismo el futuro y sobre todo no retrasar por estas razones un movimiento como es éste de la plena incorporación de la mujer, tanto dentro de las estructuras de los organismos políticos y gestores mundiales como en el propio tejido social en el país, y en particular en el medio rural de todos los países, porque estimamos que esto es tan importante que gran parte del éxito de las futuras actuaciones de FAO depende del grado de incorporación de la mujer a ellas.
A veces, como en el caso de la meta fijada para la participación en puestos profesionales previstos en las Naciones Unidas, es necesario fijar un determinado porcentaje que en una situación total de igualdad sería innecesario, pues como dijo ya México, no se pretende obtener privilegios sino estar disponible para servir en estos puestos en las mismas condiciones, sin ninguna distinción de sexo.
Pero entendemos que como las estadísticas actualmente desgraciadamente no presentan porcentajes muy alentadores, es necesario fijar estos puntos de referencia, y en el medio rural opinamos que es la capacitación el elemento clave del Plan. Y por ello, apoyamos especialmente las líneas que nos conduzcan a mejorar este aspecto.
Por lo demás, termino aquí mi declaración y como la Delegada también de Argentina ha expuesto, nos gustaría continuar esta tarde con el debate después de haber intercambiado ideas con los demás países copatrocinadores del documento.
Washington ZUÑIGA TRELLES (Peru): Voy a ser muy breve. Mi delegación piensa que los documentos presentados al Consejo son completos y contienen los más importantes aspectos sobre el tema.
En mi país y -creo no equivocarme- en toda Latinoamérica, las mujeres en general tienen iguales derechos que los hombres ante la Ley. Participan activamente como Ministros, Jueces, Parlamentarias, Alcaldesas, Rectores de Universidad y Altos Cargos en la Administración. En el área rural, la mujer goza de derechos tradicionales desde el ayllu incaico, institución que ha dado origen a la comunidad campesina actual. La mujer tiene derecho al voto dentro de estas comunidades; es además la costumbre que el campesino, por lo general, no toma decisiones si no consulta previamente con su mujer.
La reforma agraria peruana le ha concedido amplio derecho al acceso a la propiedad de la tierra, a los insumos, al crédito a la extensión agrícola y a los factores de la producción y comercialización. Las campesinas peruanas participan activamente en la dirección y gestión de cooperativas y en las organizaciones populares. Si bien estos problemas de los derechos jurídicos habrían sido resueltos, mi Delegación considera que uno de los problemas esenciales si no el principal para liberalizar a la mujer de esta pesada carga que tiene, es la existencia del minifundio, o sea la estructura de la propiedad.
Efectivamente, uno de los problemas principales que tiene la mujer en la familia campesina es el acceso a los alimentos. La tierra, como sabemos, no es suficiente en un minifundio para sostener la familia campesina; y por consiguiente, el recurso principal que es el alimento no es accesible. Tampoco por esta razón tienen acceso a la salud, como consecuencia de una deficiente alimentación. Hay una fuerte mortandad infantil. Tampoco hay acceso a la educación porque debido al minifundio, el campesino tiene que abandonar el campo en busca de ingresos suplementarios y como consecuencia se produce una deserción escolar, principalmente en las alumnas que ayudan a la madre en el cuidado del ganado.
Y finalmente, algo que debía decirse y no sé por qué no se insiste en los documentos, es la necesidad de la planificación familiar. El campesino quiere tener acceso a los conocimientos de una planificación familiar. Este es uno de los graves problemas de los pueblos en desarrollo: el aumento tremendo de la población, que es necesario planificar.
Estoy de acuerdo con que el Grupo que ha presentado el Proyecto de Resolución para que se tomen las decisiones correspondientes en lo solicitado. Nuestra delegación apoya el proyecto.
RACHADI ISKANDAR (INDONESIA): My delegation wishes to express its appreciation for the valuable documentation and presentation of the subject under discussion, that is "FAO Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development".
I am fully confident that the plan of action consititutes a usefule guide, not only for the implementation of the Plan within the framework of FAO but also for the policy formulation and action to be undertaken at the national level.
I can assure you that the guidance has been in line with the policy of the Government of Indonesia in implementing its development programmes. The promotion of the role of women and participation of Women in development have been undertaken since the early stages of Indonesian development, such as:
- activities in family welfare programmes
- nutrition improvement programmes
- home economics
- promotion of income-generating activities for women in agriculture and fisheries
- and many more
In order to accelerate the programme for fostering the role of Women in Development, Indonesia has established a minestrial-level institution which is directly responsible to the President for the coordination and implementation of the programmes related to Women in Development.
Without neglecting the other spheres of the guidance as clearly discussed in the document, my delegation is for the view that training programmes for rural women through educational learning-by-doing process on income-generating activities are of prime importance. Due emphasis in this regards is, therefore, necessary in the implementation of the plan. This, is duscussed in paragraph 7 of document CC 94/3 and paragraph 31 of its supplement.
In conclusion Mr. Chairman my delegation endorses the document related to FAO Plan of Action for Integration of Women in Development as well as the draft resolution as tabled in document CL 94/LIM/2. 1/
Achille RAHARISON (Madagascar): Tout d'abord la Délégation malgache tient à féliciter le Secrétariat pour la qualité des documents soumis à l'examen du Conseil et à l'exposé très succinct mais clair fait par Madame Spring.
Bien entendu notre Délégation ne peut qu'apporter un appui chaleureux au plan d'action pour l'intégration de la femme dans le développement, plan qui ne fait que renforcer la politique entreprise par le Gouvernement malgache depuis plus de dix ans en faisant de la femme un des piliers pour le développement du pays. D'ailleurs, actuellement cette intégration est chose réelle à Madagascar car de hauts postes de responsabilité sont tenus par des femmes (ministre, directeur général, directeur, chef de service, juge, etc.). Plus particulièrement en ce qui concerne le département de l'agriculture, sur quatre postes de chefs de service au sein de la Direction chargée de l'agriculture, deux sont tenus par des femmes.
Pour ce qui est des femmes "agricultrices", dans le cadre du Programme national de vulgarisation agricole que nous sommes en train d'élaborer, une place importante leur est accordée, car nous sommes conscients que le développement rural doit passer par les femmes non seulement pour ce qui est de son exécution mais aussi et surtout pour les prises de décision.
Pour terminer, nous espérons que dans le cadre de l'exécution de notre Programme national de vulgarisation agricole, la FAO au même titre que les autres bailleurs de fonds nous apportera son soutien pour que l'intégration de la femme dans le développement soit vraiment une réalité.
La Délégation malgache apporte son soutien au projet de résolution présenté dans le document CL 94/LIM/2 par les Délégations du Mexique, de l'Argentine, de l'Algérie, de la Colombie, de l'Espagne et du Nicaragua. 2/
Sidibe OUSSEINI (Niger): Je vous remercie et permettez-moi au nom de Monsieur le Secrétaire d'Etat, de vous faire part de l'importance que nous attachons au document CL 94/13, bien élaboré et structuré. Que le Secrétariat soit remercié.
Monsieur le Président, la femme et sa condition sociale et économique en milieu rural sont devenues ces dernières années un thème prioritaire qui intéresse le monde entier. Et je voudrais sur la base de faits quotidiens réels attirer votre attention sur la sérénité et le discernement qui doivent guider nos débats. D'abord le contexte socio-culturel. Il est plus que fondamental et la mentalité et son changement imposés par les exigences du développement sont une question de génération et nous devons nous y engager dès à présent. Mais une chose est sûre et je ne parlerai que de ce que j'ai vécu. Au Niger, la femme nous a confirmé non seulement son rôle de moteur du développement, mais et surtout nous a fait preuve de sa solidarité et de son souci de sauvegarder la cohésion de la cellule de base, à savoir la famille et le village. Cette responsabilisation soutenue par une grande prise de conscience est valorisée par un projet de développement rural intégré intitulé Projet Keita, financé par le Gouvernement italien et exécuté par les structures de base avec l'appui des services techniques nationaux et de la FAO. Dans ce projet qui est exécuté depuis 4 ans, les femmes rurales mobilisées au sein des conseils de développement réfléchissent au devenir de leur terroir, creusent les tranchées et les demi-lunes, construisent les banquettes anti-érosives, plantent les arbres et intensifient la pratique des cultures sur les terres récupérées et cela en harmonie avec leurs fils, leurs frères et leurs maris.
1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
2/ Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion au procès-verbal.
Mais dans l'ensemble des zones couvertes par le projet qui concernent plusieurs centaines de villages, les femmes constituent plus de 60% de l'effectif des participants au programme. Ce programme a fait et continuera de faire l'objet de nombreuses visites des pays voisins et des partenaires de la coopération.
Monsieur le Président, sur un tout autre plan, il me plaît d'évoquer le rôle combien primordial de la femme dans la conduite des cultures de contre-saison, qui en année de sécheresse contribue à combler notre déficit vivrier pour plus de 30%. Comme vous le savez, la campagne des cultures de contre-saison constitue la seconde campagne agricole de l'année et les femmes sont responsables à plus de 50% des programmes de cultures de contre-saison.
Monsieur le Président, je voulais vous faire palper à travers cette digression, qu'avec un peu de sagesse, tout est possible pour un développement intégré et harmonieux de tous les membres du terroir.
Notre souci a toujours été de considérer la femme comme élément de la cellule sociale sur le même pied d'égalité pour tout ce qui est des actions de développement, surtout qu'il est établi qu'elle est un actif agricole à 100%. Cependant, tout ce qui reste à faire sera réalisé en respectant l'harmonie des structures de base. Il nous faut tous reconnaître et réhabiliter le rôle de la femme dans le processus de développement socio-économique. C'est un combat noble à mener sur le terrain, sans passion et sans idéalisme, mais dans la tolérance et à travers des actions concrètes.
C'est pour cela que nous faisons une condition, celle de la nécessité d'intégrer systématiquement dans tout programme de développement les composantes femme et jeunesse. Mais comme vous pouvez le pressentir, il sagit d'abord d'une solution nationale. Donc tout appel relatif à l’intégration'de la femme dans les activités de développement doit être lancé aux pays membres, afin qu'ils définissent mieux leurs politiques et stratégies de développement dans le sens du respect des intérêts de toutes les composantes sociales et à la FAO pour qu'elle continue comme à l'accoutumée à oeuvrer dans ce sens à leurs côtés, dans la mesure des moyens que nous voudrions bien mettre à sa disposition.
C'est pourquoi nous ne pouvons pas ne pas appuyer le projet de résolution présenté et espérons que le Conseil au cours de sa présente session l'adoptera. 1/
Mme Maria de Lourdes DUARTE (Observateur du Cap-Vert): Le.Cap-Vert, en sa qualité d'observateur, aimerait faire part de son accord en ce qui concerne le Plan d'action pour l'intégration des femmes dans le développement et aussi apporter son appui au projet de résolution, présenté par le Mexique et d'autres délégations, tel qu'il figure au document CL 94/LIM/2.
Ms Hannelore BENJAMIN (Observer for Dominica): Our delegation is pleased to endorse the broad strategy and objectives content of the document CL 94/13. Because the overall objectives and work plan may be viewed as rather ambitious it will be necessary to establish clear priorities within the overall plan. Main focus should be on those activities that promise quick prospects for achieving concrete results. Lastly our delegation supports fully the resolution for approval by the Council. 2/
Meeting rose at 13 hours.
La séance est levée à 13 heures.
Se levanta la sesión a las 13 horas.
1/ Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion au procès-verbal.
2/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request
