Statement by Dr. Janne Haaland Matlary
State Secretary

On Norwegian policies - on the protection of women's human rights

FOKUS. Seminar om kvinners menneskerettigheter i nasjonalt og internasjonalt perspektiv, med fokus på handel med kvinner og seksualisert vold

Oslo, 12 December 1998

1. Women and human rights in general

A few days ago the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was celebrated thorughout the world. The impact this Declaration has had over the past five decades can hardly be overestimated. If I were to express its significance in a few words, I would say that it lies in the affirmation of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family. All members. The declaration also explicitly refers to the equal rights of women and men.

In a certain sense the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the subsequent two Covenants on civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights, are all-embracing. Theoretically speaking, there should be no need to address women’s rights specifically. Experience has, however, shown that this assumption does not work in practice.

In society, women and men are treated unequally. Women's opportunities all over the world are more limited than men's. There is, for instance, systematic variations in the way different societies protect women and men against violations and suppression. The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which was adopted in 1979, is the only human rights instrument designed exclusively for women. This was a milestone in the international community’s efforts to promote women’s rights. As you may know, the Convention contains detailed provisions aimed at protecting women against discrimination. Norway ratified the Convention in 1981, and as of today it has been ratified by 162 states.

The international community has agreed on several declarations and reports which are important tools to be used by governments and non governmental organizations in promoting women’s rights. In 1993 the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. This declaration points to the fact that violence is a human rights issue and not a private matter to be confined to the individual level. The following year the UN Human Rights Commission appointed a Special Rapporteur on violence against women. The Beijing conference marked another stage in this process by stating that violence against women and the human rights of women are two of twelve critical areas of focal points, and that they are among the main areas of concern to the advancement of women.

This year a UN Diplomatic Conference adopted the statutes on the establishment of the International Criminal Court according to which the perpetrators of certain serious gender-related crimes are to be held accountable for their misdeeds.

I would also like to highlight the historic precedent set by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in which the conviction of a former mayor of genocide also included rape. Thus it is important to bear in mind that the sole mission of the various declarations dealing with women’s rights mentioned earlier is to help ensure that women can enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms as set out in the conventions.

2. Violence against women and trafficking in women

We know that women’s rights are not always satisfactorily implemented. The problem of trafficking in women clearly shows this. Article 6 of the CEDAW Convention states that the States Parties to the Convention shall take all appropriate measures to suppress all forms of trafficking in women. We have not yet found effective ways of combating this increasing problem at either national or international level.

However, the international community seems to be becoming increasingly responsive to these issues. Within the OSCE region, there is growing concern for the problems related to trafficking in women. At the OSCE implementation meeting for the human dimension in October/November this year, the issue was high on the agenda. This provided an important forum for women from Central and Eastern Europe and Russia who have been objects of such trade. The buyers are often in countries like our own. The OSCE therefore agreed that both countries of origin of the women and the countries where they are sent must join forces to combat this disgraceful trade in human beings.

I would also like to mention that the European Council is working on a convention to combat trafficking in women. The plan is to have a draft ready by July 1999. The negotiations are, however, hampered because of differences regarding the concepts “forced prostitution” and "prostitution". Norway’s opinion is that sexual exploitation should always be combated, and that it is not useful to add the word “forced” in this regard. Prostitution depersonalizes women and makes them into objects.

Trafficking in women has grown to a point where it now represent a major systematic violation of women's’ human rights. For hundreds of thousands of individuals it is one of the gravest manifestations of modern forms of slavery. The UN General Assembly has for some years expressed concern over the alarming levels of trafficking in women and girls and called for concerted action at the national, regional and international level to address the root factors that encourage this disgraceful phenomenon. The report prepared by the Secretariat for this year’s General Assembly describes action taken by governments, international organizations and NGO's to combat this particularly degrading exploitation of women and girls. A noteworthy example is the planned regional convention for Member States belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation which could result in concerted action against criminals or criminal networks, criminalizing trafficking, prosecution of related offenses and punishment of the perpetrators.

The General Assembly has during the last years adopted a resolution on trafficking in women. The main sponsor of this resolution is the Philippines, a country where many women are the victims of such trade. Many countries, including Norway, actively supports this resolution. In this years' debate, the General Assembly paid particular attention to trafficking in women. The G-77, the group of developing countries in the UN, asked for improved legal frameworks to help combat trafficking in women and girls. The Philippines underlined the need for increased international cooperation and closer cooperation between authorities and non-governmental organizations to cope with the problem.

3.Activities undertaken by Norway to combat violence against women and trafficking

Violence against women and trafficking in women are phenomena which concern most, if not all countries, in one way or another. Norway is no exception. Violence and sexual abuse are serious problems, both for our society and the individuals concerned. When this issue was brought to the forefront in the eighties, the emphasis was solely on the victims. The focus has gradually been broadened to include the perpetrators through projects such as “Alternatives to violence” and “Invitation to responsibility”. Research has revealed more and more aspects of this abuse, in particular sexual harassment in the work place and the vulnerabilities of immigrant women and disabled women. An interministerial committee at State Secretary level is currently working on a plan of action to combat violence and abuses against women.

When Norway's Gender Equality policy was discussed by the Storting in 1997, the parliament requested increased activities aimed at reducing trafficking in women. The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs will therefore coordinate the efforts of various ministries to draw up a joint platform for action designed to combat trafficking in women.

Norway is currently considering how we can join the EU's Daphne program for combating violence and commercial exploitation of women and children.

Violence against women, prostitution and trafficking in women are all connected to poverty. The increasing feminization of poverty in large parts of the world highlights how women's access to resources is subordinated to men's. We have seen a disturbing global increase in trafficking in women. This is not commercial activity as some observers have categorized it ; on the contrary, it is violent activity and a deprivation of women’s and children’s human rights.

In recent years, violence against women has become increasingly visible in international development cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral level. It is essential that women are given access to education and economic activities. Development cooperation must therefore help to empower women so they can take control over their own lives. These deliberations are therefore also important aspects of development cooperation.

In conclusion, we women are persons, not objects. We demand the simple recognition of our dignity and to be shown respect.

Thank you!