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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth sees women’s rights as cornerstones of both democracy and development

8 March 2006

"Women's rights and equality between the sexes are essential to the Commonwealth's overarching goals of development, democracy and human rights," said Secretary General Don McKinnon today. "We 53 Commonwealth countries stand alongside the global community in celebrating International Women's Day today, and reaffirm our own commitment to implement the newly agreed Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality by 2015."

"It is women who bear a disproportionate burden of suffering in the developing world," he said. "And with the Commonwealth itself home to 60% of global HIV/AIDS cases and 60% of the women who die each year in pregnancy and childbirth, we must take action."

The new Commonwealth Plan for Gender Equality - endorsed by Commonwealth Heads of Government in November 2005 - is designed to promote women's and girls' rights, and to help them achieve gender equality, particularly in the areas of democracy and conflict, human rights and law, economic empowerment, and HIV/AIDS. It is the Commonwealth's contribution to wider global initiatives, and builds upon existing treaties and agreements signed by governments, including the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the 1995 Beijing 'Platform for Action', and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

"Our ultimate objective is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the third Goal on Gender Equality", said Mr McKinnon. "Our vision is one in which women and men are equal partners in our common future. Our Plan is effective until 2015, and by that time we intend to see marked progress for women and girls in all areas of social, economic and political life."

The new Commonwealth Plan of Action Monitoring Group held its first meeting in New York in February. Representatives from both government ministries and civil society organisations in 15 Commonwealth countries will propose quantifiable targets under the Plan, which will be presented at the 8th Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministers Meeting in Uganda in June 2007.

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
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Email: info@commonwealth.int