UNGA 64th session

Third Committee

Agenda item: 62

“Advancement of women”

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT BY

MRS. ONON SODOV, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE OF MONGOLIA, ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.3/64/L.19: “IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS”

20 October 2009

Mr. Chairman,

My delegation has the honor to introduce the draft resolution entitled “Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas” on behalf of the delegations listed in the document A/C.3/64/L.19, namely Bangladesh, Benin, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mali, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Saint Lucia and my own country Mongolia.

I am delighted to announce that Jordan, Thailand, Cameron, Cote D’Ivoire, Morocco and Chile have joined the co-sponsors of this draft resolution.

After introduction, Congo, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Paraguya, Iraq, Antigua and Barbuda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Haiti,

Mr. Chairman,

The global economic downturn, fuel and food crises, the threat of climate change pose significant challenges to the situation of women in rural areas. Enhancement of gender equality and empowerment of women are crucial for rural development, poverty reduction and economic growth. In rural areas, women including women and girls with disabilities still have less access to financial, physical and social assets in comparison with men. Equal opportunity and access of women in rural areas to the employment, financial resources and social services must be provided at all levels. Reproductive health care remains inadequate in rural areas. Progress to achieve MDG 5 on improving maternal health has less been made in developing countries. The absence of health care facilities, lack of skilled staff at the primary care level in rural areas and lack of access to adequate health-care infrastructure need to be addressed as well.

In connection with above we propose new languages in OP2 sub-para (g), (j) and (t) which urge Member States to strengthen measures including increased financial resources, to accelerate progress towards the achievement MDG 5 on improving maternal health and promote the rights of women and girls with disabilities in rural areas by ensuring access on equal basis to productive employment and decent work, economic and financial resources and disability-sensitive infrastructure and services. They also urge Member States to develop the capacity of personnel working with national development strategies through training programs and the development and dissemination of methodologies and tools.

As I mentioned earlier current global combined crises affect to the situation of women in rural areas. In order to identify and address the negative impacts of these crises new OP2 bis urging Governments, UN entities and all other relevant stakeholders to take measures to identify and address the negative impacts of the current global crises on women in rural areas, including legislation, policies and programs that strengthen gender equality and the empowerment of women is being proposed.

In 2007 the General Assembly decided to declare that 15 October of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day of Rural Women. In this regards, my delegation proposes new OP8 “Inviting Governments, relevant international organizations and the specialized agencies to continue to observe the International Day of Rural Women annually, on 15 October as proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136”.

In conclusion Mr. Chairman, on behalf of all co-sponsors may I express our hope that this resolution, as in the past, will get the unanimous support in this Committee.

I thank you.