MACHREQ/MAGHREB GENDER LINKING & INFORMATION PROJECT
First Draft – March 2000

Beijing +5:
From International Resolutions that are Unbinding
To a Reality that Remains Unfair

Background

The nineties constituted the decade of international conferences par excellence. The UN Conference on Environment (UNCED) was convened in Rio de Janeiro (1992), followed by the UN Conference on Human Rights - Vienna 1993.

However, the question remains: Are the resolutions of those conferences especially the Platform for Action of Beijing - an outcome of the 4^th World Conference on Women - just rhetoric? Or do they constitute binding resolutions that urge governments to revise the restrictions and the laws in order to implement/achieve a real equality among men and women?

Each of the past international conferences on women (Mexico, 1975, Copenhagen, 1980, and Nairobi 1985) was a distinct turning point in the cause of equality between women and men. However, the Beijing Conference through the Program of Action laid practical foundations to empower women. The conference called for efforts to expedite the implementation of equality at the level of decision making economically, socially, culturally, and politically. 

Therefore, field follow-up of the extent of commitment of governments is a priority.  Hence, the UN General Assembly realized the importance of convening a special
session under the theme ' Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty First Century" from the 5^th to the 9^th of June 2000 at the UN Head quarters in New York – US. This session is known as Beijing +5.

The year 2000 is the fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women that was convened by the UN in Beijing.

Summary of National Action Plans for Arab Countries

Submitted in preparation of the Beijing +5 session