Madame Chairperson,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). (CELAC statement of the 68 session para 1)

CELAC countries are strongly committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as to respect for all the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. (CELAC 68 para 2)

We recognize the reports summited on the implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference and reaffirm the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as of the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. (base on CELAC 68 para 3) At a time when Member States are conducting the 20-year review of the progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of these instruments, we consider vital to use this opportunity to strengthen the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in all sectors and in all areas of development. Consensus exists at the multilateral level that priority should be given to gender equality and women’s empowerment as a prerequisite for the advancement of the development agenda. (base on CELAC 68 para 4 updated, paras 60 and 62 f) A/69/182 and paras 30 and 31 A/RES/68/140)

 

CELAC welcomes the inclusion of a stand-alone goal on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls among the SDGs on the Report of the Open Working Group, as well as the inclusion of critical dimensions, such as ensure a life free from violence and discrimination, ensure access and resource distribution and ensure gender equality in decision-making. The goal should be transformative and comprehensive and address gender equality, women´s human rights, and women´s empowerment, based on substantive equality, together with the integration of a gender perspective in all other goals, targets, and indicators. (base on CELAC CSW para 20)

As we have previously stated, the Post-2015 Development Agenda, including the SDGs, must build on the lessons learnt, by directly tackling both the unequal power relations between men and women and the gender stereotypes that impede sustainable development and discriminate against women and girls. They must fully integrate gender mainstreaming across all goals and targets that are developed and address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. They must also address the broader context for the realization of gender equality, such as the impact of economic crises, violence, persistent conflict, climate change, and environmental degradation; and they must be relevant to the contexts of small island developing states as well as of middle-income countries. The new development agenda must also build stronger institutions, a more participatory and effective governance, and greater accountability to deliver evident change for women and girls. (base on CELAC CSW para 19)

CELAC also reaffirms the importance for States parties to fully comply with their international obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol. (base on CELAC 68 para 3) The implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the fulfilment of the obligations of States parties under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women are mutually reinforcing in respect of achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women.(para 4 A/RES/68/140) We thank the Committee for the report presented to the General Assembly and the measures taken to integrate the outcome of the intergovernmental process on strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system into its working methods. (base on A/69/38 pag.64)

 

Madame Chairperson,

The status of women is a matter of growing concern in our societies, particularly the feminization of poverty; the unequal burden of unpaid care work , including care for children, older persons, and persons suffering from diseases (as non-communicable diseases and HIV); and violence against women and trafficking in women and girls. (base on CELAC 68 para 9 and CELAC statement CSW para 3)

We reaffirm the importance of eradicating the persistent and growing burden of poverty experienced by women. (base on CELAC 68 para 17) We also recognize that the centrality of gender equity in the debate on development implies considering both the productive and reproductive dimension and transforming the  division of labor, which due to inequities in the reproductive field, has generated a  disproportionate burden for women, as well as gender structural inequalities that perpetuate the cycle of poverty, marginalization and inequity. (base on CELAC 68 para 10, CELAC statement CSW para 7)

CELAC reaffirms the importance of enhancing and strengthening women´s access to education at all levels; health care services, including sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences, information and education and prevention programmes for adolescent pregnancy; as well as employment, including elimination of barriers to equal conditions for women and men in the workplace and equal pay for equal work, social protection, and autonomy and economic empowerment. (base on CELAC 68 paras 10 and 16, CELAC statement CSW para 10 and CSW 58 agreed conclusions para 42 o))

CELAC is also concerned about the situation of migrant, rural and indigenous women, women with disabilities, older women and women of African descent. Our countries agree to intensify efforts to develop the fullest potential of women and girls who besides being discriminated for being women, also face other multiple discrimination factors, such as race, colour, ethnic origin, age, disabilities, language, culture, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.  (base on CELAC 68 para 10 , CELAC statement CSW para 11 and art.2 ICCPR)

The CELAC Member States, convinced that the social and economic development of our countries and the achievement of full democracy are possible only in conditions of genuine equality between men and women, are committed to fully mainstreaming a gender perspective in the design, implementation and evaluation of our public policies. (base on CELAC 68 para 5)

There is a need to promote the participation of women in government decision-making and to increase their representation in public office, including at the highest government levels.  The commitment and actions to promote women’s participation in decision-making processes at the highest levels in the political, economic, cultural and social sectors should be renovated and given a priority in the national and international agendas. (base on CELAC 68 para 6 and CELAC CSW para 9)

 

Madame Chairperson,

Unfortunately, according to the report A/69/222, 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non partner sexual violence (base on A/69/222 para 2), therefore we should double our efforts to combat violence against women and girls and adopt a comprehensive, coordinated and systematic approach on this regard. (base on CELAC statement CSW para 8 and A/69/222 para 71)

We should also address emerging issues identified by the Commission on the Status of Women, including, feminicide, violence resulting from drug trafficking and the aggravation of violence resulting from the illicit use of and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (base on CELAC statement CSW para 8, CSW 57 agreed conclusions para 25 and A/69/222 para 3).

CELAC members expresses deep concern about femicides or violent gender-related killings of women and girls (base on CSW 57 agreed conclusions para 24) and recognizes the importance of training and capacity building programmes to further enhance the investigation and prosecution procedures in those cases. (base on para 20 A/69/222).

As stated in the Outcome document of the high level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, we commit ourselves to intensifying our efforts, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against indigenous women. (base on para 18 A/RES/69/2)

We are also committed to intensifying measures to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including “smuggling” and exploitation of migrants in all its forms and to guarantee the protection and care of victims of these crimes, especially of women, children and adolescents.  At the same time, we call on States to establish and strengthen appropriate focal points for coordination among countries of origin, transit and destination to combat these crimes. (CELAC statement CSW para 14)

States should ensure that public spaces, the workplace, communities and schools are safe for women and girls, (base on A/69/222 para 77) in this connection, we would like to emphasize that our region has played a leadership role. The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean pioneered the development of instruments and mechanisms at the regional and international levels, with a view to preventing and eliminating violence against women and promoting the full enjoyment of all their human rights. (CELAC 68 para 13)

We would also like to recognize the importance of issues as the elimination of female genital mutilation and supporting the efforts to end obstetric fistula, and to express the willingness of the delegations of our group to collaborate with the initiatives on this regard. (new base on A/69/211 and A/69/256)

 

Madame Chairperson,

CELAC Member States strongly support the mandate of UN Women. We welcome the strengthening of its capacity and experience in achieving its mandate as well as the Entity’s leadership in providing a strong voice for women and girls at all levels. However, we recognize that much remains to be done. The new global challenges represent a new reality that requires coordinated and coherent work at all levels. (base on CELAC 68 para 8 updated and CELAC CSW 21)

As a region composed mostly by middle income countries, we still have important challenges and vulnerabilities to fully protect the rights of women and girls. Vulnerabilities result from poverty and inequality, but also from cultural and social factors, as discrimination or gender inequalities. Progress achieved is also exposed to different risks, such as national or global crisis in the economic or political arena, natural disasters, and multidimensional challenges such as violence, organize crime and drug trafficking, which mostly affects the vulnerable groups within our population. (base on CELAC statement for UNICEF Executive Board para 4)

CELAC therefore advocates for more international dialogue, consensus and cooperation, including regional, North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, to the support national initiatives in developing countries for the designing, implementation and evaluation of national public policies promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. (base on CELAC 68 paras 11 and 21, CELAC CSW para 24 and statement for UNICEF Executive Board para 5)

 

Much progress has been made by the international community since the adoption of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, nevertheless, we should keep in mind how far we still are from reaching all those goals and commitments. (base on CELAC 68 para 20 and CELAC CSW para 22) 

Our Community calls on Member States and multilateral organizations, with the participation of all sectors of society, including the private sector, research institutions and social, cultural and political organizations, to build on the progress made, as well as to address the new challenges, with a view to strengthening and accelerating their full implementation. (base on CELAC 68 para 22, CELAC CSW para 23 and A/RES/68/140 para 30).

 

Thank you.