New York, March 06: The United Arab Emirates urged the United Nations on Friday to work to protect women and children during armed conflicts, and to get those who are detained among them as hostages or prisoners released. It also called on the UN bodies to follow up on their conditions and provide them with necessary assistance.
UAE’s call was issued in statement made by its Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Ahmad Al Jarman at the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women on item 3 entitled ‘Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on women’ and to the special session of the General Assembly entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century being held in New York between 1-12-March 2010.
Ambassador Jarman portrayed the difficult conditions faced by Palestinian women under occupation and the brutal attacks committed daily by the Israeli occupying forces in the Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
He urged the international community to continue to provide the necessary assistance in the areas of health, education and social care for these women and girls in the occupied Palestinian territories and refugee camps
Jarman noted in his statement that the UAE has translated its belief in the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective in its plans for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, with the advancement and empowerment of women as one of its priorities, through integrating the concepts of the advancement of women and gender equality within the national programs for sustainable development in the country with the support of the provisions of the constitution and national laws that ensured the equality of citizens , men and women, in all rights and duties including the enjoyment of equal opportunities in all areas; education, work, health and social benefits.
“In addition to that, my country became party to the international and regional treaties on women including CEDAW and Human Rights as well as a number of treaties on women’s work and employment. Furthermore, we are committed to implement all the recommendations and outcomes of international conferences and summits on women. With the integration of women advancement affairs and gender equality into all programs of development in the country, women issues gained political support on the highest level. The government has assigned seven national mechanisms to be directly concerned with women’s and children’s affairs and work on implementing women advancement strategies in accordance with the recommendations of Beijing and the 23rd special session of the GA”, the ambassador said.
The statement reiterated UAE’s solidarity with Palestinian women Jarman said: “The UAE, while it expresses its solidarity and support to Palestinian women, who are living under tragic economic and humanitarian conditions due to the brutal aggressions committed by the occupying Israeli forces in Gaza, urges the international community to continue extending its support and assistance to the Palestinian women and girls in the Palestinian Occupied Territories and the refugees camps, especially in areas such as education, health care, social care, employment and economic empowerment, taking into consideration a complete integration of a gender perspective in the international assistance programs for the Palestinian people in general.
“It is necessary that the international community should intensify the efforts to put an end to the violence against the Palestinian women and expedite the process of reaching a peaceful and comprehensive permanent solution to the Palestinian problem”.
Jarman stressed that UAE urge all involved parties to take into consideration the safety and protection of women and children during armed conflicts and to release those of them detained as hostages or prisoners, and call upon the relevant UN bodies to follow up on their situation and provide them with the necessary assistance.
In conclusion, Jarman also urged for the continuation of the international efforts to enhance the political and financial support to assist millions of women in the developing and poor countries to improve their living conditions in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Human Rights, the Beijing Plan of Action and the special 23rd session of the General Assembly.
–Agencies