AG/RES. 1422 (XXVI-O/96)

COOPERATION WITHIN THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM TO ENSURE FULL AND EQUAL PARTICIPATION BY WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

BEARING IN MIND that, since the adoption of resolution AG/RES. 829 (XVI-O/86), "Full and Equal Participation of Women by the Year 2000," great strides have been made in the inter-American system; and

CONSIDERING:

That it is imperative that the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system coordinate their programs and activities among each other to a greater extent, given the strategies adopted jointly by member states in this area;

That, at its twentieth special session in Mexico City in February 1994, the General Assembly adopted resolution AG/RES. 1 (XX-E/94), which established the general policy framework and priorities for the partnership for development and struggle to overcome extreme poverty, a condition which affects women in particular;

That, at its twenty-fourth regular session, the General Assembly adopted by acclamation the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, "Convention of Belém do Pará" [AG/RES. 1257 (XXIV-O/94)], which came into force on March 5, 1995;

That the Inter-American Meeting to Evaluate the Plan of Action of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), which was convened to assess the advancement of women since 1985 and to prepare new strategies for the full and equal participation of women, drew conclusions and made recommendations, which were analyzed at the XXVII Assembly of Delegates of CIM and formed the basis of the Strategic Plan of Action of the Inter-American Commission of Women adopted at that Assembly in November 1994, through resolution CIM/RES. 172/94 (XXVII-O/94);

That, at the Summit of the Americas held in December 1994, the heads of state and government committed themselves to develop programs for the promotion and observance of human rights and to strengthen the role of women in society and of the Inter-American Commission of Women;

That the Declaration of Montrouis: A New Vision of the OAS [AG/DEC. 8 (XXV-O/95)] endorses efforts to achieve greater and more effective dialogue among the various human rights organizations and thereby better coordination and a more efficient division of labor and supports the work of the Inter-American Commission of Women; and

That women are an integral part of all social processes and that it is therefore necessary to maintain a gender perspective when drawing up plans for different areas and, where appropriate, to avoid duplication of those plans in order to reduce costs and achieve optimum results,

RESOLVES:

1. To invite the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to work with the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) by drawing up joint action programs within their respective spheres.

2. To pay tribute to the outstanding work done by Nicaragua and in particular the interest of its President, Violeta Barros de Chamorro, in ensuring proper coordination of the activities designed to follow up on the Summit of the Americas in respect of the role of women in development, and to request the CIM and the General Secretariat to continue supporting such activities.

3. To urge the Secretary General to create establish the mechanisms required to ensure proper coordination, when necessary, between the various areas of the General Secretariat and the Executive Secretariat of the CIM regarding women's issues.