Remarks by H.E. Urmilla Joella-Sewnundun, Minister responsible for Gender Affairs of the Republic of Suriname on ECLAC’S “ROADS TOWARDS GENDER EQUITY” IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AT THE 9TH REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Mexico City, Mexico,
June 10 – 12, 2004

Thank you very much Madam Chairperson,

Allow me first of all to thank the Executive Secretary of ECLAC for organizing this important conference, as well as the Chief of the Women and Development Unit of the ECLAC, Mrs. Sonia Montano and all her employees for preparing this valuable document, as well as for the valuable and comprehensive presentation presented this afternoon, which contains excellent proposals for this 9th Regional Conference.

This important document indeed includes precious data for the current and future work in the Gender developmental process.

The valuable overview from Beijing to the Millennium Summit enables us to understand our special responsibility towards implementation of the Action Plans of all Major Conferences, in particular the Millennium Development Goals, amongst others Goal 1 on eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and Goal 3 regarding “the promotion of Gender equality and the empowerment of women”.

The Government of Suriname has already produced the “Terms of Reference (TOR)” for a structural approach of the MDGs, and has the intention to work towards the concrete implementation of the MDGs in close cooperation with UN organisations such as the UNDP, and also with participation of the Civil Society

It is the intention of my Government to present its first MDG Report to the United Nations around September 2004. The Government holds the view, that the achievement of the MDG’s is a joint responsibility of all partners in the Developmental process: the Government, NGO’s, the Civil Society in general, the Private sector, International Organisations, International Financial Institutions, Donors.

The Government of Suriname is aware of the specific effect of poverty on women and the important role of education and health in combating its devastating consequences on women.
It is against this background, that Millennium Development Goal 2 also deserves our special attention.

Goal 2, which addresses”the achievement of universal primary education”, is of extremely importance to ensure, that all boys and girls can participate on equal basis in the development of their communities and their Countries.

Madam Chair,

My Government strongly supports the view, that many structural reforms and changes are needed to achieve our Goals and to ensure that the needs of our peoples, especially in the developing Countries are met and their human rights are protected and realized.
In this regard the linkage of poverty to economic policy, growth, social equity, sustainable development in all stages of Life - as mentioned in the ECLAC Report – as well as women’s access to new technologies, is of extremely importance.

With these brief reflections I wish once more on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Suriname, to thank the ECLAC for the efficient and careful
preparations for this ninth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

We look forward to further fruitful deliberations and conclusions of this Conference,
with strong recommendations to next Years GA / CSW Special Session on the review of the Outcome of amongst others Beijing, Beijing + 5, the Millennium Declaration.

Thank you, Madame Chairperson

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