50th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Madame Chair,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,

Allow me, first of all, to express my thanks and appreciation for the excellent preparation for this meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). This meeting marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Commission and gives us an opportunity to reflect on our achievements towards enhancing gender equality and build on them in the work ahead.

At the UN World Summit last year world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration, the Platform for Action and the outcome document of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. We all have a duty to continue our efforts for further implementation of our commitments to gender equality and we must translate them into action. Some progress has been made towards gender equality since Beijing, but reports in front of us today, clearly indicate that we still have a long way to go.

Madam Chair,

The role of women in development is in my view a central aspect in the global fight against poverty. The interlinkages between development, good governance, human rights and peace and security, put gender equality at the heart of the mission and work of the United Nations.

The Government of Iceland underlines that further progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals will be limited unless gender strategies are better incorporated into our work, both at the national and international level. But elaborate strategies have no meaning if implementation is lacking.

For a number of years development partners have been striving to put policy into practice. Unfortunately, the results have been mixed. In too many cases we hear that women continue to be voiceless and disadvantaged despite intentions to empower them to be active participants that benefit from the development process.

Development agencies should also make critical reassessments of their own approaches and ask whether actions to integrate the gender perspective into their strategies and programmes have been adequate.

Madame Chair,

Violence against women is a major problem around the globe.   I would like to mention briefly the fight against trafficking of women and children. This evil, which is sadly on the increase, must be fought at all levels.  It is also essential for each government to address this problem on its own doorstep.

The Icelandic government financially supports the shelter for battered women in Reykjavík and also the organisation helping the victims of sexual abuse. This year we will also reopen a therapeutic treatment centre for violent men and it will be financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Last but not least, we are now working on a national plan of action against violence in intimate relationships and I believe it will be a major step forward in the fight to eradicate this form of violence.  I will introduce my proposal in that matter, to the Government at it´s meeting the day after tomorrow.

Madame Chair,

There is every reason to believe that a more gender equal society means less violence against women. More active and concrete measures are needed.

During the 49th session, I presented an overview of activites in Iceland in the field of gender equality, focusing on the legislation on paternity leave which took full effect in January 2003. The main aim of the act is to create conditions in which men and women are able to participate equally in paid employment and other work outside the home, and guarantee children time with both parents. It aims at encouraging men to take a more active role in the rearing and caretaking of their young children.

So far experience has been extremely positive and 90 per cent of Icelandic fathers utilize their right and take Paternity leave. 

Madame Chair,

Men must shoulder their responsibility and take an active part in the promotion of gender equality in all areas. We must all stand accountable.

I convened the first “men’s only conference” on gender equality in Iceland on December 1 2005. The aim was to underline the importance of men´s participation in promoting gender equality. The conclusions from that meeting will be attached to my distributed speech.

Madame Chair,

At that meeting it was decided to challenge men from around the world to attend an international conference that will address “Men and Gender Equality”. This international conference will be held in Reykjavík, Iceland in the first half of September this year. Allow me to use this opportunity to urge you, women and men, present here today, to encourage and support men in your countries to visit Iceland next autumn and attend the conference to discuss this important issue, “Men and Gender Equality”. 

Thank you, Madame Chair.