Thailand, October 26, 1999 -- The Intergovernmental meeting to review the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in the Asia-Pacific region, organised by the ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for the Asia-Pacific) began in Bangkok on October 26 with non-government organisations (NGOs) emphasising rights and empowerment. Sunila Abeyasekara of Sri Lanka, who was awarded the UN Human Rights Award for 1998, was keynote speaker at the October 25 NGO preparatory meet that preceded the official conference.
Abeyasekara highlighted two particular realities of Asian women rather than documents globalisation and the financial crisis, and the rise of right-wing politics. While the first has resulted in increased poverty, displacement and downsizing of government support to the social sectors, the shift in political trends includes increasing religious fundamentalism, she said.
Abeyasekara pointed out that women are the worst sufferers in situations of conflict, whether religious, ethnic or political conflict, and called upon the UN system to give greater importance to the inclusion of women in its peace-keeping activities and forces. She also pointed out that not many Asian countries have signed the international treaty banning landmines.
She also stressed that the burden of poverty is hardest on women. Globalisation has worst affected women not only because of the consequent depletion of state support to areas such as health and education services, but also through the cutbacks in employment, internal displacement because of mega infrastructure projects and cross-border migration arising from unemployment. Such displacement, migration and poverty makes up the breeding ground for illegal trafficking in people, she added.
Abeyasekara called on all Asian governments to ratify the International Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers.
About 200 government delegates and an equal number of NGOs from 60 countries in the Asia Pacific region are attending the meeting. (WFS)
