ASSISTANCE FOR THE STATES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES GEORGES AND MITCH

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING:

The devastating effects of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch and the extensive human and material losses they caused as they traversed Central America and the Caribbean, which have affected primarily the populations of Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Saint Kitts and Nevis; and

That the damage caused by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch primarily affected women and children in those populations, because of their vulnerability;

BEARING IN MIND resolutions CP/RES. 734 (1175/98) and CP/RES. 735 (1175/98), adopted by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States on November 4, 1998; and

RECALLING that Article 37 of the OAS Charter commits the member states to "join together in seeking a solution to urgent or critical problems that may arise whenever the economic development or stability of any Member State is seriously affected by conditions that cannot be remedied through the efforts of that State,"

RESOLVES:

1. To express to the states affected by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch their sincere solidarity and support during this critical situation, urging the population to overcome these difficult times and successfully undertake the urgent and difficult task of rebuilding their countries.

2. To request the Secretary General, in his capacity as Chair of the Inter-American Emergency Aid Committee, to promote in all activities on behalf of the countries affected by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch the concept of equal opportunities for men and women and gender equity.

3. To urge all the member states to contribute, as generously as possible, to the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM).
   

4. To invite individuals, public and private institutions, and nongovernmental organizations to participate in the work of the Inter-American Emergency Aid Committee, particularly in humanitarian assistance activities.

(CIM/RES. 195 (XXIX-O/98)

DECLARATION OF SANTO DOMINGO

We, the Principal Delegates of the Inter-American Commission of Women, meeting at the headquarters of the Organization of American States on the occasion of the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates, originally scheduled to be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and canceled because of the national emergency declared in that country;

RECALLING:

That 1998 marks the 70th anniversary of the creation of the CIM, an organization that from its inception has been dedicated to the advancement of women through the formulation of proposals and recommendations to the governments of the Hemisphere, designed to achieve social, economic, and political equality for women in the Americas and a view of the roles of men and women as complementary beings of equal worth, equally responsible for the fate of humanity;

That the Charter of the OAS proclaims as a principle of the American states the basic rights of persons without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex; and

That the CIM, in compliance with this principle, has promoted the adoption of legal instruments such as:

• The Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Civil Rights to Women; and
• The Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women;

RECALLING ALSO our resolve to reaffirm the commitments undertaken in:

• The American Convention on Human Rights - Pact of San José (Costa Rica, 1969);
  
• The Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights - Protocol of San Salvador (El Salvador, 1988); and
  
• The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women - Convention of Belém do Pará (Brazil, 1994);

REAFFIRMING our objective of promoting fulfillment of the commitments, plans, and programs adopted in:

• The Consensus of Georgetown, adopted at the Post-Beijing Encounter: a Caribbean Subregional Ministerial Conference(Guyana, 1997);

• The Consensus of Santiago, adopted at the Seventh Regional Conference on the Participation of Women in Development (Chile, 1997);

• The Declarations of Principles and Plans of Action of the First and Second Summits of the Americas (Miami, 1994, and Santiago, Chile, 1998);

• The Joint Declarations of Female Ministers and Officials Responsible for Policies on Women (Santiago, 1995; Managua, 1996; Asunción, 1997; and Caracas, 1998);

RECALLING AS WELL:

That the human rights obligations assumed by the states are a basis for action in the national sphere;

That the inter-American human rights system establishes and defines a set of obligations and standards to promote and protect human rights and fundamental liberties and the organs that monitor their observance; and

That full and equal participation by women in the development of our countries is essential for promoting the dignity and rights of women in the Hemisphere; and

BEARING IN MIND:

That the Strategic Plan of Action of the CIM, presented at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, in 1995, proposed strategies for securing and strengthening the role of women through the year 2000, giving priority in that five-year period to the following topics: women's participation in power and decision-making structures, education, the elimination of violence, and the eradication of poverty;

That the objective of the CIM's Biennial Work Plan is to gear the Commission's efforts towards activities with a regional scope, within the priority areas identified, concentrating on aspects that can achieve a multiplier effect, in order to produce results with greater potential social impact; and

That the Plans of Action of the CIM and the Summits of the Americas share areas of interest that should be priorities for the 1998-2000 biennium, with a view to maximizing results and adapting to the availability of resources,

DECLARE:

1. That the rights of women, throughout their lives, are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of universal human rights.

2. That it is imperative to ensure full observance of the human rights of women so as to eliminate all discriminatory situations and recognize women's legal capacity and equality under the law.

3. Our continuing resolve to support all strategies designed to strengthen and modernize the Commission and its relations with other agencies of the Inter-American system.

AMBASSADOR MINERVA BERNARDINO: TRIBUTE AND CONDOLENCES

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING:

That Ambassador Minerva Bernardino devoted her life to advancing recognition of women’s rights;

That as a protagonist in the fight for women’s rights she worked tirelessly to found, promote, and defend the world’s first intergovernmental organization dedicated to recognition of the political and civil rights of women: the Inter-American Commission of Women;

That she placed her talent and energy at the disposal of the Commission, serving not only as a pioneer in its creation and Principal Delegate of the Dominican Republic, but also as President, Vice President, and Honorary Advisor;

That, moreover, as her country’s delegate to the First United Nations General Assembly (London, 1946), she played a crucial role in the formation of the UN Commission on the Status of Women; and

That her death, on August 29, 1998, deprived us of a figure renowned throughout the Americas as a woman of outstanding talent who was tireless and persistent in pursuit of the causes she espoused,

RESOLVES:

1. To pay tribute to the extraordinary work of Ambassador Minerva Bernardino, especially on behalf of the CIM, and to express the Commission’s heartfelt grief at the loss of such an outstanding fighter in the battle for women’s rights in the region.

2. To request the President of the Inter-American Commission of Women to transmit this resolution to the Government of the Dominican Republic and to the relatives of Ambassador Minerva Bernardino.

ALLIANCES FOR THE GLOBALIZATION OF EQUITY

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING that human rights in the universal sense include women's rights, and that world trends should be directed towards strengthening positive actions, based on respect and equal opportunity, that enable women to achieve their potential; and

BEARING IN MIND:

That the European countries and international and regional organizations have progressed in their recognition of women’s rights, providing women with opportunities to play a prominent role in the various aspects of development and the strengthening of democracy; and

That this situation could be of benefit to the CIM through a strategic alliance with the most important international and regional organizations to bring about an exchange of experience, information, cooperation, and training,

RESOLVES:

1. To instruct the CIM Executive Committee to initiate activities designed to create a broad strategic and cooperative alliance with other organizations, both regional and international, such as the European Union, that will facilitate an ongoing exchange of experience regarding progress in the areas of respect for women's rights and the optimal use of international cooperation resources, both financial and technical, to strengthen the CIM and its member states.

2. To recommend to the Executive Committee that it adopt this cooperative approach toward other organizations throughout the world that support the CIM's mission and vision in the context of defending women's rights.

CIM/RES. 198 (XXIX-O/98)

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

RECALLING:

That the Twenty-eighth Assembly of Delegates adopted resolution CIM/RES. 189 (XXVIII-O/96), convening the Inter-American Meeting of Consultation of the CIM, to address the subject "Women’s participation in power and decision-making structures," with emphasis on the implementation of measures for the development of work plans by governments;

That, pursuant to that mandate, the CIM held the Meeting of Consultation from February 17 to 19, 1998, and this was the high point of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the CIM; and

That, at the conclusion of that meeting, the participating experts made specific strategic recommendations that could be implemented and produce results in the short term;

BEARING IN MIND:

That women's participation in power and decision-making structures is a priority topic of the Strategic Plan of Action of the CIM and is considered essential to the implementation of policies which incorporate a gender focus in the member states of the Organization;

That the CIM has contributed to and actively participated in international fora such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's Seventh Regional Conference on the Integration of Women into the Economic and Social Development of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Santiago, Chile, in November 1997, and in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly; and

That this subject has also been discussed at other summits and regional meetings, such as "Vital Voices," held in Montevideo, Uruguay in, October 1998; and

CONSIDERING that the final report of the Inter-American Meeting of Consultation (document CIM/doc.39/98) contains a Plan of Action consisting of: (1) subregional diagnostic studies; (2) a diagnostic study of the Hemisphere overall; and (3) areas for priority action,

RESOLVES:

1. To adopt the Plan of Action of the CIM on Women’s Participation in Power and Decision-Making Structures, approved at the Inter-American Meeting of Consultation of the CIM, and to request that the Permanent Secretariat publish it as soon as possible.

2. To recommend to the CIM delegates that they promote measures to implement the strategies proposed in the Plan of Action, and that they report on their progress to the next Assembly of Delegates.

3. To instruct the Executive Committee to request from the competent organs of the OAS a legal assessment of the compatibility of affirmative action measures designed to promote political participation by women, including the quota system, with the principle of eliminating gender-based discrimination, with national laws, and with the corresponding international instruments.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:

The report of the Special Rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on the Status of Women in the Americas (CIM/doc.37/98), presented to the OAS General Assembly at its twenty-eighth regular session as part of the Annual Report of the IACHR; and

That the member states of the Organization have proclaimed in the OAS Charter, as one of their principles, respect for the fundamental rights of the individual, without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex; and

RECALLING that, at the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, the heads of state and government reaffirmed in the Declaration of Santiago that "respect for and promotion of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a primary concern of our governments,"

RESOLVES:

To request the Executive Committee:

1. To continue to work with the Special Rapporteur of the IACHR in following up on and implementing the recommendations set forth in the report and, if possible, to include the CIM Executive Secretary in the working group referred to in the first recommendation of the Rapporteur's report.

2. To establish, where appropriate, in coordination with the Special Rapporteur, a system for monitoring:

a. All legislation regarding the status of women in the Hemisphere;

b. Measures to correct discrimination, where it exists;

c. Efforts made to enforce laws benefiting women that are not being complied with; and

d. Progress by member states and regional blocs in this area.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING:

That the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, "Convention of Belém do Pará," was adopted by acclamation on June 9, 1994, by the OAS General Assembly at its twenty-fourth regular session;

That the Convention came into force on March 5, 1995, and that to date it has been ratified by 28 countries; and

That it is advisable to promote the signature and ratification of the Convention by all member states as soon as possible; and

RECOGNIZING:

That although efforts are being made throughout the Hemisphere to prevent, punish, and eradicate violence against women, it continues to exist on a scale that makes it imperative to continue to implement strategies designed to free the women of the Americas of this scourge;

That the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) have programs dedicated to eradicating violence against women;

That the Twenty-eighth Assembly of Delegates adopted resolution CIM/RES. 191 (XXVIII-O/96), "Unified Standards for Preparation of Delegates’ Reports," which provides that there should be a description of measures taken to implement the Convention of Belém do Pará;

That at the last two Assemblies of Delegates, resolutions CIM/RES. 170 (XXVII-O/94) and CIM/RES. 186 (XXVIII-O/96) were adopted to promote the Convention; and that they recommend the design and implementation of programs to prevent and eradicate violence against women; and

That the OAS General Assembly has adopted the following resolutions to promote the Convention: resolution AG/RES. 1432 (XXVI-O/96), "Status of Women in the Americas," which, among other measures, urges member states to ratify the Convention of Belém do Pará; and resolution AG/RES. 1456 (XXVII-O/97), "Promotion of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, 'Convention of Belém do Pará,'" which instructs the Permanent Secretariat of the CIM, in order to ensure follow-up of the Convention of Belém do Pará, to report to the General Assembly every two years on the progress made in application of the Convention, and the results achieved through initiatives and programs pursued in the member states to combat violence against women,

RESOLVES:

1. To urge member states and the principal delegates of the countries that have not yet signed and/or ratified the Convention of Belém do Pará to continue promoting the signature and ratification of the Convention by all member states.

2. To recommend to the principal delegates and officers of the CIM that they implement the measures proposed in resolutions CIM/RES. 170 (XXVII-O/94), CIM/RES. 186 (XXVIII-O/96), AG/RES. 1432 (XXVI-O/96), and AG/RES. 1456 (XXVII-O/97).

3. To instruct the Executive Secretariat and Permanent Secretariat of the CIM to:

a. Formulate and coordinate specific measures for cooperation with the IDB, PAHO, and other regional and international governmental and nongovernmental organizations concerned with violence against women;

b. Report to the next Assembly of Delegates on the activities carried out in fulfillment of this mandate.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

HAVING SEEN resolution CIM/RES. 188 (XXVIII-O/96), "Revision of the Regulations of the CIM and of the Rules of Procedures of the Assembly of Delegates of the CIM," which requests the Executive Committee, in consultation with the principal delegates, to examine the possibility of updating the legal instruments of the Inter-American Commission of Women and to report on the results to the next Assembly of Delegates; and

CONSIDERING that the 1996-98 Executive Committee of the CIM, pursuant to that mandate, examined all the legal instruments of the CIM, including its Statute, and presented the document "Amendments to the Juridical Instruments of the CIM" (CIM/doc.27/98), containing proposals of that nature, to the Assembly of Delegates for its consideration,

RESOLVES:

1. To adopt the amendments to the legal instruments of the CIM proposed in document CIM/doc.27/98.

2. To instruct the Executive Committee to continue to review the legal instruments of the CIM, especially the Statute, in order to propose the reforms needed to ensure the strengthening, flexibility, and effectiveness of the CIM, and to submit them for consideration by the next Assembly of Delegates.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING that the General Assembly of the OAS, in resolution AG/RES. 1303 (XXIV-O/94), asked the Secretary General to increase the number of women in senior-level positions in the General Secretariat;

Taking into consideration Article 120 of the Charter of the OAS, which states that in selecting the personnel of the General Secretariat, first consideration shall be given to efficiency, competence, and integrity; but, at the same time, in the recruitment of personnel of all ranks, importance shall be attached to obtaining as wide a geographic representation as possible; and Article 137, which states that the OAS does not allow any restriction based on race, creed, or sex with respect to eligibility to participate in the activities of the Organization and for all positions therein;

TAKING NOTE of the sixth biennial report of the Secretary General of the OAS on compliance with resolution AG/RES. 829 (XVI-O/86), "Full and Equal Participation of Women by the Year 2000";

BEARING IN MIND that the question of personnel policy reform is being considered by the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on Strengthening and Modernizing the OAS;

RECALLING the Final Report of the Inter-American Meeting of Consultation on Women’s Participation in Power and Decision-Making Structures, where it is noted that the unequal level of participation in economic life and the obstacles deriving from their education prevent women from taking their place in society;

FURTHER RECALLING the areas of priority action of the Final Report, which urges the promotion of equality of opportunity in job classifications and procedures, the encouragement of upward mobility in the civil service, and the fostering of similar principles in the various public agencies and institutions, such as the OAS;

TAKING NOTE of the recommendations of the Final Report, which tasks the CIM to encourage the appointment of women to decision -making positions in the OAS;

BEARING IN MIND that the 52nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in resolution A/RES/52/96 "Improvement of the Status of Women in the Secretariat," reaffirmed the goal of a 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000 in all posts, and called upon the Secretary General of the United Nations to achieve the goal of a 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000, especially at the D-1 level and above; and

RECOGNIZING that on December 31, 1997, 14% of the senior managers at the OAS (D1 and above) were women, and 33% of the senior professionals (P4 and P5) were women,

RESOLVES:

1. To request the General Assembly of the OAS to instruct the Secretary General to set, as a target, the goal of a 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2005 in all categories of posts within the OAS system, especially at the P4 level and higher, taking into consideration Articles 120 and 137 of the OAS Charter; and to instruct the President of the CIM to request the Preparatory Committee of the next regular session of the General Assembly to include this as an agenda item.

2. To urge the Secretary General to commit to meeting this goal; to seek his or her assurances that gender equity will be given the highest priority in his or her continuing efforts to bring about a new management culture in the Organization; and to urge him or her to present a proposal on how this can best be achieved to the Special Joint Working Group on Strengthening and Modernizing the OAS, for discussion under the item on personnel system reforms, with a request to the Chair of that Group that he or she report to the President of the CIM on the outcome of this proposal.

3. To encourage the Executive Secretary of the CIM to reactivate the Gender Task Force.

4. To encourage the Secretary General to appoint qualified women as his or her special representatives and envoys for matters related to all areas and sectors.

5. To request the Secretary General to establish policies on gender equity in the work place and to ensure the accountability of individual managers for the implementation of these policies.

6. To instruct the President of the CIM to consult regularly with the Secretary General to develop strategies aimed at increasing the number of women in senior positions within the General Secretariat.

7. To encourage the principal delegates of the CIM to support the efforts of the Secretary General and the President of the CIM by identifying, through their permanent missions to the OAS, qualified female candidates for trust positions within the OAS, and by encouraging more women to apply for openings within the General Secretariat, the specialized agencies, and the regional commissions.

8. To request the Secretary General to report annually to the President and the Executive Committee of the CIM on the implementation of this resolution and provide them with relevant statistics from the Department of Human Resources.

9. To request the Executive Committee to report on the implementation of this resolution at the Thirtieth Assembly of Delegates.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERING that, through its Principal Delegate, the Government of Nicaragua has offered to host the thirtieth Assembly of Delegates of the CIM in the year 2000,

RESOLVES:

1. To thank the Government of Nicaragua for its kind offer.

2. To hold the thirtieth Assembly of Delegates in Nicaragua in November 2000.

3. To instruct the Executive Committee to follow up on confirmation of that offer as provided in Article 12 of the CIM Regulations.

4. To instruct the Executive Committee to take the necessary steps during preparations for the thirtieth Assembly of Delegates so that the Assembly will conclude within three days and will adopt the same format and structure as the twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates.

VOTE OF THANKS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

BEARING IN MIND that, reaffirming its commitment to women’s issues and mindful of the need to keep a gender perspective on the agenda of governments in the Hemisphere, the Government of the Dominican Republic offered to host the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM); and

CONSIDERING that Hurricane Georges caused grave damage in the Dominican Republic, creating a national emergency that obliged the Government of the Dominican Republic to withdraw its offer to host the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates, in order to direct all its attention and resources to national reconstruction tasks,

RESOLVES:

1. To thank the Government of the Dominican Republic for its offer to host the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates and for its dedication to and support for the preparations for that Assembly.
   

2. To convey to the Government and people of the Dominican Republic the condolences and solidarity of the Inter-American Commission of Women in connection with the loss of human life and grave damage inflicted by Hurricane Georges.

MEETINGS OF THE 1998-2000 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

HAVING SEEN resolution CIM/RES.54/82, "Sessions of the 1982/84 Executive Committee," adopted by the twenty-first Assembly of Delegates of the Inter-American Commission of Women, and the subsequent resolutions adopted by the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth Assemblies on the same topic;

CONSIDERING:

That the General Assembly of the OAS, at successive regular sessions, instructed its bodies, agencies, and entities to schedule its meetings in strict observance of budgetary levels, reducing, when necessary, the number and length of such meetings, even when regulatory provisions stipulate otherwise; and

That the Executive Committee of the CIM has the function of adopting the necessary decisions to carry out the mandates of the Assembly of Delegates and facilitate the actions of the Commission; and

BEARING IN MIND that Article 40 of the Regulations of the CIM provides: "The Executive Committee shall hold a regular meeting every three months at the headquarters of the Commission, or in any country of the Americas if it so decides, for as long as it deems advisable. It may also hold special meetings when the President or at least four of its members so request,"

RESOLVES:

To authorize the President of the CIM, on an exceptional basis, for 1998-2000, to convene up to three regular meetings of the Executive Committee each year, which shall last as long as necessary to enable the Committee to fulfill its functions.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR 1998-2000

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

HAVING SEEN the document entitled "Proposed Program Guidelines for 1998-2000" (CIM/doc.41/98 rev. 1), which contains amendments made by the plenary; and

CONSIDERING:

That the program guidelines determine how the Inter-American Commission of Women should conduct its work during the 1998-2000 biennium; and

That proper management of the strategic areas for action requires coordinated programming,

RESOLVES:

To adopt the 1998-2000 biennial program guidelines for the Inter-American Commission of Women, contained in the document attached to this resolution.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

HAVING SEEN the document "Program Guidelines for 1998–2000" (CIM/doc.41/98);

CONSIDERING:

That resolution AG/RES. 829 (XVI-O/86) sought to incorporate the strategies and goals contained in the Inter-American Commission of Women’s Plan of Action for the "Full and Equal Participation of Women by the Year 2000" into the future programs of the bodies, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, together with the establishment of appropriate mechanisms and procedures for the ongoing examination and evaluation of those programs in coordination with the CIM; and

That the CIM's 1994 Strategic Plan of Action is built around participation in and contributions to the political, juridical, social, and economic processes of their countries by women in the member states of the OAS, the current status of their participation, and the actions needed to ensure and guarantee their role in the run-up to the year 2000; and

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:

That resolution AG/RES. 1451 (XXVII-O/97), "Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization," instructed the General Secretariat to make every possible effort to improve the financial situation of the CIM so that it would be better equipped to carry out its activities;

That resolution AG/RES. 1586 (XXVIII-O/98), "Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization," instructed the General Secretariat to make every possible effort, in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, to improve the financial situation of the organs, agencies, and entities and, in particular, of the CIM, so that these bodies would be better equipped to carry out their essential activities; and

That the resolution "Strengthening the Inter-American Commission of Women" establishes as one of its strategies the strengthening of the Commission, at both the institutional and national levels, for the benefit of women, and further recommends submitting for approval by CIM’s Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates a draft resolution that will enable solutions to be found to the budgetary problems,

RESOLVES:

1. To request the General Secretariat and the Permanent Council of the OAS to comply with resolution AG/RES. 1586 (XXVIII-O/98), in order to improve the financial situation of the CIM.

2. To seek new forms of cofinancing, paying special attention to the creation of specific funds to strengthen cooperation among the states and promoting cost-sharing and participation in the benefits of cooperation by the institutions implementing the projects and activities in the member states.

3. To develop strategies to mobilize additional external financial resources that will improve the financial situation of the CIM and increase the resources available for cooperation with other institutions, in accordance with resources allocated in the program-budget.

THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

BEARING IN MIND:

That the General Assembly of the OAS, at its twenty-eighth regular session, adopted resolution AG/RES.1539 (XXVIII-O/98), which recognized the valuable contribution of nongovernmental organizations; and

That the civil society initiative contained in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas states that the Organization of American States "may serve as a forum for the exchange of experiences and information" and "entrust[s] the OAS to encourage support among Governments and civil society organizations ..."; and

CONSIDERING that nongovernmental organizations are making an important contribution in the area of women’s issues,

RESOLVES:

To instruct the Executive Committee, for purposes of implementing this initiative, and in collaboration with the principal delegates, to:

a. Maintain a current registry, by country, of nongovernmental and civil society organizations devoted to women’s issues;

b. Examine the possibility of establishing a system for communication and ongoing mutual assistance with such organizations; and

c. Report to the next Assembly of Delegates on the fulfillment of this resolution.

THE TWENTY-NINTH ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN,

RECALLING:

That the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), established in 1928 by a resolution of the Sixth International Conference of American States, was the world's first intergovernmental body founded expressly to fight for the civil and political rights of women in the Hemisphere;

That the General Assembly, through resolution AG/RES. 1422 (XXVI-O/96), "Cooperation within the Inter-American System to Ensure Full and Equal Participation by Women in the Development Process," invited the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to work with the CIM by drawing up joint action programs in their respective areas, so as to prevent duplication of efforts, reduce costs, and achieve optimum results;

That in resolution AG/RES. 1432 (XXVI-O/96), "Status of Women in the Americas," the General Assembly recommended to the member states that they strengthen or, where necessary, create mechanisms for the advancement of women, and that they bear in mind the need to use gender analysis in devising and executing public policy;

That the Permanent Council, in resolution CP/RES. 717 (1147/98), adopted at its meeting on February 4, 1998, decided to "reiterate the firm commitment of the member states to promote the development of public-sector strategies and policies of benefit to women and to incorporate fully the perspective of gender into the activities and programs of the Organization and of the institutions and agencies of the inter-American system"; and

That in response to an initiative by those in the Permanent Council who coordinate efforts on the topic "Status of Women in the Americas," the OAS General Assembly adopted AG/RES. 1592 (XXVIII-O/98), in which it instructed the CIM to carry out a number of activities to strengthen its work;

CONSIDERING:

That the objective of the CIM is to promote and protect women’s rights and to support the member states in their efforts to ensure full access to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, enabling women and men to participate on equal terms in all areas of life in society and ensuring that women and men are full and equal beneficiaries of development; and

That strengthening the CIM requires ongoing political support from the OAS member states to promote the adoption of measures, the design of policies, and the execution of activities to strengthen the role of women at the national and international levels; and

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:

The Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, in which the heads of state and government agreed to strengthen, and to establish where they do not exist, national mechanisms and governmental bodies charged with promoting legal equality and equal opportunity between women and men, focusing on gender equity, and providing them with adequate financial resources on a timely basis;

The convocation of the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates by the Executive Committee, who emphasized the importance of discussing the strengthening of the CIM in response to the delegates’ firm commitment to renew, strengthen, and modernize the Commission;

The guidelines and priorities set forth in the resolution "Program Guidelines for 1998-2000"; and

The document "Strengthening the Inter-American Commission of Women" (CIM/doc.42/98), used as a basis for the Dialogue of Heads of Delegation on the matter,

RESOLVES:

That the strengthening and modernization of the CIM should be based on the following strategies:

1. Coordinate and agree on, in the framework of the CIM's Strategic Plan of Action, resolution AG/RES. 1592 (XXVIII-O/98), and the Second Summit of the Americas:

a. The preparation of a draft inter-American program on the promotion of women’s rights and gender equity, in coordination with other organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system;

b. The establishment of an information network as the ideal mechanism to ensure effective coordination and the exchange of information among the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, the sections of the OAS General Secretariat, organized civil society, CIM delegates, and national cooperation committees;

c. Support for the resumption of activities by the Gender Task Force within the OAS.

2. Urge the governments of the member states to support the activities of the CIM delegates.

3. Request that the Permanent Council, through those who coordinate efforts on the topic "Status of Women in the Americas," address the topics of women's rights, gender equity, and strengthening and modernizing the CIM on an ongoing priority basis.

4. Develop strategies to mobilize additional external resources to improve the financial situation of the CIM, and to extend the availability of such resources to include cooperation with other institutions, considering resources allocated in the program-budget, in accordance with the resolution "Strengthening the Financial Situation of the Inter-American Commission of Women."

5. Urge the permanent representative of each OAS member state that has not already done so to appoint a female or male official in the permanent mission with whom the Permanent Secretariat of the CIM may maintain contact, thereby reinforcing involvement by the principal delegates in the activities of the CIM and facilitating the transmittal of information and documents.

6. Recommend that the delegates promote the establishment of national committees for cooperation with the CIM, if they do not already exist, and, in any event, take steps to ensure that their governments provide financial support, in compliance with the commitments established in the CIM Statute and Regulations.

The national committees shall establish cooperative relations with national and international organizations whose activities have the same objectives as those of the Commission.

7. Instruct the Executive Committee to request the Preparatory Committee of the OAS General Assembly to include on the agenda for the twenty-ninth regular session the preparation of a draft inter-American program to promote the rights of women and gender equity.

8. Recommend to the Executive Committee of the CIM that it carry out systematic and periodic evaluations of its program guidelines.

9. Encourage and agree upon, within the OAS, a meeting of ministers, or of the most high-ranking authorities, responsible for policies for the advancement of women in the member states, with the participation of CIM delegates.

10. Instruct the Executive Committee to draw up a plan for implementing this resolution.