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President of the Republic at the Conference dedicated to the 10th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing on 29 August 200529.08.2005
Chair,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen!
I am sincerely glad to see that the conference dedicated to the 10th anniversary the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action has brought together such dignified and numerous audience, ready to take action in order to implement women's rights. Over the last decade valuable contribution has been made to acknowledge and protect women's rights. It is a high honour for me to attend and speak at such a forum. I would be sincerely happy if participants of this meeting based on a broad societal support could increase efforts in the fields on which implementation of women's human rights is directly dependent. I do believe that this would have an immediate impact on securing global development, peace and welfare.
The Fourth World Conference on Women ten years ago in Beijing was of high importance as it helped to increase awareness of women's issues all over the world. Today we can say that major progress has been achieved in gender equality, although it is evident that tremendous work to achieve real equality remains to be done. The Beijing Declaration set ambitious goals and their implementation is still a pending challenge. Any further action to implement the Beijing Platform for Action should consider experience and changes of the last ten years.
The ten years since the Beijing conference have brought along a change in public opinion as regards gender equality. Both the press and women's organisations have become more interested in gender equality-related issues and accomplishment, also the mindset of women has changed, allowing them to be more unconstrained in taking better decisions.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The UN is a central structure in the global fight for human rights. The states that have joined the UN are fully responsible for the implementation of human rights all over the world. In September, the UN Summit in New York will discuss the UN reform as one of the most significant items on the agenda. Gender equality and protection as well as promotion of women's rights are inseparable from the main objectives of the reform - improvement of security, development and human rights for all. When reforming the UN human rights agenda the focus should also be on the protection and promotion of women's rights. Just like one of the basic reform goals is to mainstream the protection of human rights within the UN, the protection of women's rights should be more strongly integrated with the world organisation system.
The resolution on integrating the human rights of women throughout the UN system adopted by the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights stresses the need to involve women in all UN activities, including conferences, summits and sessions. Gender mainstreaming within the UN system can be accomplished in closer cooperation with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and other treaty committees. All the countries should efficiently work together with them and follow also on the national level the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The legislation of each country should include provisions which can be implemented to avoid the discrimination of women. I would like to bring just a few examples of Estonia's practice. A major landmark is the adoption of Estonia's Gender Equality Act in 2004. The law prohibits discrimination and obliges state agencies, local authorities and employers to promote gender equality of men and women. The act is a legal basis for consistent gender inequality reduction and equality promoting activities.
An important landmark is the so-called mother's salary system established by the Parental Benefit Act enforced on 1 January 2004. The aim of the parental benefit is to avoid a sharp reduction of income due to the birth of a child and to compensate for the loss of income arising from the raising of a child during his first year of life. The parental benefit is paid together with the pregnancy and maternity leave during a year. As a rule, only the mother is entitled to the benefit for the first six months, later the parents can use the parental benefit in turn. In 2006, the payment of the parental benefit will be extended by three months.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Beijing Platform for Action was justified in setting combating violence against women as one of its goals. Women and children as the weakest are likely to be victims of armed conflicts. The UN Secretary General emphasized in his report to the Security Council on 9 February 2005 that girls are particularly vulnerable in armed conflicts.
It is very important that punishment for gender-related crimes in such conflicts were inevitable, so that criminals were brought to court and victims were protected, if necessary, with international remedies. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court allows consistent fighting against crimes against humanity in the form of sexual violence. Estonia is a party to the Rome Statute and calls on all countries to join the statute. The role of the ICC is expected to become more important.
However, violence against women, including domestic violence, is an overall problem in the whole world also outside conflict zones. Violence can occur in various forms, which do not always have to be visible or recognizable.
In order to be effective in combating violence against women, first and foremost, the problem as such should be acknowledged. Unfortunately not a single state in the world can admit that they do not have problem with violence against women. This is a global political and social problem, which should be combated on national, regional and international levels.
Trafficking in women and girls is also a particularly cynical form of violence, another attack against human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. I call on all states to ratify as quickly as possible the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Smooth cooperation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children should be a priority for everyone.
Trafficking in women and children can be prevented, ensuring women equal opportunities in working life, education, execution of political power and development of an efficient policy. Elimination of gender-based discrimination should be the objective.
In Europe we are used to thinking that we are doing well as regards promotion of human rights, including women's rights. However, trafficking in people is a serious problem also in Europe and combating trafficking is one of European Union priorities.
Regional cooperation in Baltic and Nordic countries against trafficking in women involves gender mainstreaming programmes, introduction of equality in financial, business and youth policies. In brief, this is a comprehensive approach.
Also prevention of human trafficking information campaigns have proved to be successful. The Nordic and Baltic states have made a commitment to adopt, within 2005, national action plans for combating trafficking in human beings. The shared common goal is to move towards a human trafficking free region, Europe and world.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Countries and nations have joined the UN in order to jointly solve problems facing the mankind and respond to global challenges. Promotion of the rights of women can be accomplished only combining open and cooperation-oriented dialogue, sincere will and efforts. I would like to wish you an open heart and inexhaustible mind to make this forum a success and also for your further performance. I am convinced that our conference will boost a process, which aims at achieving women's rights and a better future for all based on equality.
Thank you for your attention.
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