WUNRN
UN NGLS Development Dossier
THE UNFINISHED STORY OF WOMEN AND
THE UNITED NATIONS
By Hilkka Pietila
2007
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY TEXT ON WOMEN -
HISTORIC AND MODERN
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HISTORIC
FIRST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
12 FEBRUARY 1946
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF THE
WORLD
"This first Assembly of the
United Nations marks the second attempt of the peoples of the world to live
peacefully in a democratic world community. This new chance for peace was won
through the joint efforts of men and women working for common ideals of human
freedom at a time when the need for united effort broke down barriers of race,
creed, and sex.
In view of the variety of tasks
which women performed so notably and valiently during the war, we are gratified
that seventeen women representatives and advisers, representatives of eleven
Member States, are taking part at the beginning of this new phase of
international effort. We hope their participation in the work of the United
Nations Organization may grow and increase insight and in skill. To this end we
call on the Governments of the world to encourage women everywhere to take a
more active part in national and international affairs, and on women who are
conscious of their opportunities to come forward and share in the work of peace
and reconstruction as they did in war and resistance.
We recognise that women in various
parts of the world are at different stages of participation in the life of
their community, that some of them are prevented by law from assuming full
rights of citizenship, and that they therefore may see their immediate problems
somewhat differently.
Finding ourselves in agreement on
these points, we wish as a group to advise the women of all our countries of
our strong belief that an important opportunity and responsibility confront the
women of the United Nations: first, to recognise the progress women have made
during the war and to participate actively in the effort to improve the
standards of life in their own countries and in the pressing work of
reconstruction, so that there will be qualified women ready to accept
responsibility when new opportunities arise; second, to train their children,
boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for
international cooperation, as well as the problems of their own countries;
third, not to permit themselves to be misled by anti-democratic movements now
or in the future; fourth, to recognise that the goal of full participatin in
the life and responsibilities of their countries and of the world community is
a common objective toward which the women of the world should
assist one another."
Signed by:
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, United
States
Mrs. Marie-Helene LeFaucheaux,
France
Miss Minerva Bernardino, The
Dominican Republic
Mrs. Bodil Begtrup, Denmark
Mrs. Frieda Dalen, Norway
Mrs. H. Verwey, The Netherlands
and 11 other women delegates to the
General Assembly
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MODERN
H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al
Khalifa of Bahrain
President of the 61st Session of the
UN General Assembly
Speaking on 12 September 2006
"I believe it is the common
responsibility of you, the Member States, to make the General Assembly and the
United Nations even more effective. As efforts to revitalize the General
Assembly are under way, we must not lose sight of the main purpose of these
actions: to meet the rising expectations of the hundreds of millions of peoples
around the world.
We have a challenging task to meet
their expectations; those that are poor, malnourished, illiterate or victims of
disease...We have a challenging task to ensure their economic and social
security which is just as important as their political and military
security...We have a challenging task to liberate them from want while seeking
to liberate them from fear...
I would also like to underline that
over half of the world's population, namely women, typically have less access
to health care, employment, decision making and property ownership. This
disparity needs to be addressed so that women and men can enjoy the same
opportunities, the same rights, and the same responsibilities in all aspects of
life. To promote gender equality, we need to empower women so that they have
more autonomy to lead their lives. To achieve these goals it is essential that
we work closely together, so that together, we can promote human rights and
achieve sustainable development."
UN NGLS Book Note: Sheikha Haya from
Bahrain is a champion of women's rights, particularly in the legal sphere and
defending women before the Islamic sharia courts in her country. She is also an
advocate of a progressive interpretation of Islamic texts as they apply to
women.
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