Follow-up action to the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) 

Resolution 1216 (2000)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

(see Doc. 8731, report of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, rapporteur: Mrs Roudy). Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf ofthe Assembly, on 17 May 2000

Thesaurus

1. The Assembly recognises the value of a world debate on issues concerning equality between women and men.

2. The Assembly maintains that inequality and disparities between women and men in the field of human rights are inconsistent with the principles of genuine democracy. That was why it considered it important that states, especially the member states of the Council of Europe, honour the commitments entered into at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.

3. Five years on, it has become necessary to assess the progress made by member states since 1995 and to decide what steps should be taken in the years to come.

4. Although many member states have implemented policies designed to improve women’s situation and reduce inequality, progress still needs to be made in many areas.

5. The Assembly reiterates its belief that women’s and young womens’ rights are inalienable and indivisible and an integral part of human rights.

6. In this context, the Assembly recalls its Resolution 1212 (2000) on rape in armed conflicts, in which it reaffirms “the inalienable right of women who have been raped to undergo voluntary termination of pregnancy if they wish”.

7. The Assembly therefore urges the governments of member states to introduce legislative and administrative measures designed to:

7.1 reduce inequality as regards access to employment and working conditions by establishing equal treatment, parental leave for both fathers and mothers and part-time work for women and men;

7.2 provide for the social protection of mothers;

7.3 recognise that violence in general constitutes a violation of human rights, and combat it, particularly by means of prevention and information campaigns aimed at all those concerned (police, judges, social workers, etc.);

7.4 ensure that women who have been subjected to violence are given assistance and increased protection by providing social and psychological and, where appropriate, financial assistance;

7.5 ensure adequate information on, and budgeting for, birth control;

7.6 ensure medical assistance for women wishing to terminate an unwanted pregnancy;

7.7 establish an education system based on parity, from the primary school stage onwards, in order to ensure equal access to all levels of training;

7.8 organise information campaigns for teachers, journalists, social workers and civil servants to heighten their awareness of equal opportunities;

7.9 encourage women to take up studies, particularly in science and the new technologies;

7.10 develop training courses for women at all stages of their life;

7.11 ensure equal access to credit for women wishing to start a business;

7.12 encourage the media to produce programmes aimed at promoting equal opportunities;

7.13 implement measures to prevent and combat trafficking in women and prostitution by harmonising criminal law in this field and stepping up national and international co-operation between the authorities concerned, including the police, the authorities responsible for migration, the customs authorities and the non-governmental organisations concerned;

7.14 encourage and promote increased participation by women in the decision-making process;

7.15 promote parity at political and public level, in particular by asking political parties to draw up lists composed of equal numbers of women and men and make their financing subject to the achievement of this objective.