More politics than sexual equality

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33887, 5 July 1975, Page 21

More politics than sexual equality

f.X 7. P A.-Reuter —Copyright) MEXICO CITY. ' The International Women’s Conference, the latest in a series of big United Nations meetings on social issues, ended in Mexico City with a' string of political resolutions and only a sketchily - debated 10year plan promoting sexual equality. The 14-day conference issued a final declaration

linking women's rights to.' the demand by developing!, countries for reform of the] I world’s economic system in] their favour and demands |- for the elimination of! Zionism. || Earlier in the day the conference approved a 50-page United Nations plan recom- , mending that each country give its women better educa- , tion and medical care, legal ] equality, more jobs and political power and break down! traditional prejudices con-1 ] fining women to home and; ■children. Many feminist delegates were annoyed by the conference’s preoccupation with I international issues such as the Middle East and global I economics. A LOT OF TIME The Australian chief dele-; gate, Ms Elizabeth Reid.! adviser to the Prime Minis-; ter (Mr Gough Whitlam); jtold N.Z.P.A.-Reuter: “The! politicisation of the confer-1 ence has been damaging because it has taken up a lot of time. “A lot of these issues like the new economic order and colonialism do have relevance for women but no-! body has bothered to point jout the connection.” ' Several governments have; expressed reservations about! the United Nations action' plan adopted by consensus. I ] Latin American countries] particularly objected to a! : clause calling for free con-1 traception. Many developing countries! i regarded the final declara-] ■tion as a trial run for fuller] I debates at the United; Nations later this year. Iran has offered to host a; similar meeting in 1980 to] check on women’s progress] around the world. 30 RESOLUTIONS The conference agreed on] ! some 30 resolutions, many I backing up aspects of the; 'United Nations plan, but!' others going further onp women’s issues. One resolution condemned! forced prostitution of; women and girls and called; Son governments to stamp) out the international traffic; in w r omen. Another called on govern-; ments and United Nations agencies to hire more staff,; ! women if possible, and fund more projects helping! women. A third condemned “the degrading exploitation of; women as a sex symbol and ! as the instrument of economic interests by certain! media.” An American resolution; called on governments to] guarantee paid leave to] ! pregnant women and to!

make employers hold their! jobs open a vear after the; .birth. I Among political resolu-i tions was pne calling on all women to support the Palestinian cause against Israel. Another wanted the United States to give Panama complete control over the canal — the issue is currently under negotiation between" the two countries. The United Nations- | sponsored unofficial conference, attended by 5000 I women, also ended in Mexico City yesterday.