MR. ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL;
MINISTER YADIRA HENRIQUEZ DE SANCHEZ BARET;
DISTINGUISHED PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES;
ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVES;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

I AM VERY PLEASED TO CALL TO ORDER THIS SPECIAL SESSION OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL, CONVENED TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE OF WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL PROCESSES.

WOMEN'S AFFAIRS, INCLUDING GENDER EQUALITY ISSUES, HAVE LONG BEEN A PRIORITY MATTER FOR THIS COUNCIL AND INDEED FOR THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION IN 1928 TESTIFIES TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE STATES OF THIS HEMISPHERE TO ENSURE THAT THE WOMEN ARE ACCORDED THEIR RIGHTFUL ROLE IN THE CIVIL AND POLITICAL AGENDA OF EACH NATION. THE COMMISSION HAS VIGILANTLY AND AGRESSIVELY PURSUED ITS MISSION, MAKING THE PARTICIPATION AND SUPPPORT OF WOMEN A LEGITIMATE AND INDISPENSABLE PART OF GOVERNANCE AND CONSENSUS BUILDING IN THE AMERICAS.

I NOTE THAT THE CIM HAS GONE BEYOND THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS WHICH BOUND OUR HEMISPHERE, TO THE INTERNATIONAL FORA, NOTABLY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BEIJING, WHICH THROUGH CIM'S EFFORTS LED THIS ORGANIZATION TO ADOPT THE INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND ERADICATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ALSO KNOWN AS THE CONVENTION OF BELEM DO PARA.

THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES IS A FORERUNNER ON SEVERAL FRONTS, AND MAINTAINS THAT RECORD WITH RESPECT TO WOMEN'S ISSUES AND GENDER MATTERS. THE NUMEROUS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS, THE PERMANENT COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ON COORDINATION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE AMERICAS, THE ONGOING SUPPORT BY THE POLITICAL BODIES FOR THE COMMISSION, ARE ALL RESOUNDING TESTIMONY TO THE FIRM COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENTS IN THIS HEMISPHERE TO PROTECT WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND SECURE THEIR INTERESTS.

WE ARE GATHERED TODAY TO CONSIDER ONE ASPECT OF THE MUCH LARGER AGENDA, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE INITIATIVE BY THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN PRESENTING THIS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION. THE TOPIC IS WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL PROCESSES.

IT IS POLICY THAT DEFINES AND DIRECTS A NATION'S PATH, AND WOMEN ARE AN INTRINSIC FACET OF ALL NATIONS; IT FOLLOWS THEREFORE THAT ISSUES THAT CONCERN THE WELL-BEING OF WOMEN MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ANY NATIONAL POLITICAL FRAMEWORK.


I SUBMIT THAT IT IS WOMEN WHO WOULD BEST PRESENT THEIR VISION FOR THEIR OWN FUTURE, AND THEREFORE, THEY ARE AND MUST BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND RESPECTED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESSES OF GOVERNANCE, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING.

AT OUR SPECIAL SESSION HELD LAST WEEK IN HER HONOUR, THE DISTINGUISHED MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF SURINAME, HER EXCELLENCY MARIA E. LEVENS, ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE AND I AM PRIVILEGED TO QUOTE HER:

"WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICAL PROCESSES STRENGTHENS THE ABILITY OF COUNTRIES TO GROW, TO REDUCE POVERTY, GOVERN SAFELY, AND ENSURE HUMAN SECURITY. IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT COUNTRIES THAT REDUCE GENDER INEQUALITY IN SUCH AREAS AS POLITICS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT REWARDS."

THE MINISTER HAS, I BELIEVE ACCURATELY CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF THE DELIBERATIONS IN WHICH WE WILL BE ENGAGED TODAY, AND HAS DESCRIBED FOR THE STATES OF THIS HEMISPHERE, OUR ONGOING CHALLENGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICAL PROCESSES.