A special session of the United Nations General Assembly June 5-9, 2000 will mark the fifth anniversary of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. The June meeting will build on the UN's 25-year effort as a champion of women and girls around the world. Since 1975, the UN has held world conferences on women in Mexico City (1975), Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi (1985), and Beijing (1995).

At the 1995 meeting, delegates from 189 member states approved a Platform for Action that set out specific objectives for governments, the international community, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the private sector in order to improve the economic, political and social status of women and girls throughout the world. At the upcoming meeting, delegates will report progress made since 1995 on the platform objectives. The session will focus on positive practices and goals achieved as well as obstacles that remain.

In addition, the special session delegates will reaffirm their commitment to the goals of the Platform for Action and make new commitments in areas that present challenges to women and girls today and in future generations.

International Success: The 1995 meeting in Beijing resulted in significant progress. A blueprint for action developed at that meeting has helped women around the world advance in four key arenas: economic, political, social, and legal and human rights.

Economic: While poverty and a lack of basic health care and education remain significant challenges in many parts of the world, women have started to gain a foothold in their local economies. Changes in land ownership laws in Nigeria and Rwanda now allow women to inherit land. In Ecuador, micro enterprise programs have expanded women's access to formal financial services. Women in Bangladesh enjoy expanded employment opportunities due to the growth of the export garment industry and have organized labor unions to strengthen their bargaining power. And in Switzerland, a 1996 law prohibits gender-based discrimination and provides equal pay for equal work.

Political: Since 1995, increasing numbers of women around the world have been elected and appointed to public office. Following elections in 1999, women comprise 38 percent of South Africa's parliament. In 1997, Brazil passed a law requiring all political parties to ensure that 25 percent of the candidates are women. In Yemen, all ministries must promote at least one woman to the director general level, and in Quatar, women have won the right to vote. Women also have formed NGOs to advance their political rights. For example, women's groups in Kuwait are lobbying parliament to allow women to vote and run for office in the 2003 parliamentary elections.

Social: Women and girls throughout the world enjoy greater access to health care and education. The distribution of Vitamin A in Nepal has improved the nutrition of tens of thousands of women and newborns. In numerous countries, including Russia, women's health education centers have opened to serve local communities. With the help of international aid programs, more women in Benin, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Morocco and Uganda have access to higher education. And in Mongolia, China, India, Pakistan and Haiti, new distance learning programs have enabled women and girls to complete basic education courses.

Legal and Human Rights: Several countries have taken steps to expand women's legal and human rights. Rape is now recognized as a crime by international war crime tribunals and the Rwanda Tribunal filed its first indictment for rape and sexual abuse in 1997. Many governments have taken action to blunt an alarming increase in trafficking of women. Croatia, the European Union, Israel, and Ukraine are taking aggressive steps to fight the practice, and 20 South Asian countries have joined forces to formulate a comprehensive strategy to combat trafficking. The United States is also working to stop trafficking on several fronts, ranging from public awareness programs to specialized training for police and immigration officials. Several African countries have banned female genital mutilation, including Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Egypt. Meanwhile, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Columbia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Panama have passed new and tougher laws to combat violence against women.

The U.S. Government's Progress: At the 1995 women's conference, then-UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright announced seven commitments by the U.S. government to improve the lives of women and girls in a wide range of areas. At the June 2000 meeting, as chair of the President's interagency Council on Women, now-Secretary of State Albright will outline significant progress in six of the seven areas:

Creating a more family friendly workplace: President Clinton has sought to give parents the tools they need to meet their responsibilities at home and on the job. The Family and Medical Leave Act -- a top priority of the Administration - gives workers unpaid, job-protected leave to help them meet family obligations. The Administration continues to fight for expansions to the law. Additional funding for after-school programs, child care assistance, and Head Start have helped parents, especially mothers who work outside the home, to balance the demands of their families and jobs. And a new tax credit proposed by the President would ease the burden on families struggling to provide a relative with long-term care.

Promoting women's economic security: The Clinton Administration has made great strides in improving the economic security of American women. The President has led ongoing efforts to increase the minimum wage and was instrumental in expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Record economic growth, more business opportunities and increased access to microcredit have also enabled thousands of American women to start their own small businesses. Women currently own nearly 40 percent of all U.S. firms and the number of women-owned businesses has grown 103 percent since 1987. The President has also fought to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to combat unfair pay practices against women. And his efforts to strengthen Social Security are critical to older women who depend on the program for survival.

Preventing violence against women: The Administration has taken a comprehensive approach to fighting violence against women. Implementation of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act bolstered local law enforcement, prosecution, and victims services to better address crime against women. Funding for domestic violence shelters has quadrupled under the Administration and it is now a federal crime to cross state lines with the intent to injure or harass another person. A new nationwide 24-hour domestic violence hotline provides crisis intervention, counseling, and referrals to those in need.

Expanding health initiatives for women: The Clinton Administration has been a champion of women's health. New initiatives on breast and cervical cancer, comprehensive efforts to reduce smoking among children and youth, longer hospital stays following childbirth, and increased efforts in preventive practices (i.e. mammograms) are a few of the measures enacted by the Administration to improve the health of American women. Funding for domestic family planning services has increased dramatically and progress has been made in reducing unwanted pregnancies and the number of abortions. President Clinton also has expanded safe and effective family planning services, defeated proposals that would restrict access by minors to Title X family planning services, reversed the gag rule, and vetoed a bill banning certain late-term abortions without an appropriate exception to protect the life and health of women.

Advancing the participation of women in political and economic decision making: The number of women appointed and elected to public office has increased since 1993. There are currently 67 women serving in Congress, up from 54 in 1993, and President Clinton currently has seven women serving in his Cabinet. The President also named Madeline Albright as Secretary of State, the first women to serve as the nation's third-highest official in the Executive Branch. Under her leadership, and with the participation of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, she has integrated issues relating to women and girls into the larger scope of foreign policy. For example, the Vital Voices Global Democracy Initiative, a public-private partnership launched by Albright, has helped advance the political and economic progress of women in emerging democracies.

Implementing the Beijing Platform For Action: The President's Interagency Council for Women, headed first by Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and now by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton as honorary chair, has coordinated the implementation of the Platform For Action throughout the agencies of the U.S. government. In concert with NGOs, the Council regularly reaches out to women nationwide to get their expertise and input.

Ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination again Women (CEDAW): Among the unfinished business of the 1995 platform is the ratification of CEDAW. While 165 countries have ratified this important treaty on women's rights, the U.S. is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that has not yet done so, although the treaty was signed by President Carter in 1979. President Clinton and Secretary Albright continue to urge Senate ratification of the treaty.

New Commitments:

Great strides have been taken since the historic gathering in Beijing, where tens of thousands of women from government, NGOs, and the private sector came together to devise a blueprint for improving the status of women. However, the Platform for Action has yet to be fully implemented. Although many in the United States have enjoyed economic prosperity and record employment rates, others have been left behind. And extreme poverty and hunger still ravage women and children throughout the developing world.

The unfinished business of 1995 and a number of new challenges must be fully addressed in order to truly improve the economic, political and social status of women and girls. In particular, we must redouble our efforts in the following areas: economic opportunities for US women, AIDS/HIV, globalization, and trafficking of women and children.

Enhancing economic opportunities for US women: Much pride can be taken in the work that has been done since Beijing to provide more economic security for women in the U.S. However, economic indicators show that many women still lag behind. Equal pay legislation, an increase in the minimum wage, additional child care assistance, and expanded family leave practices will enhance women's economic security and give them a more level playing field in the workforce. The Clinton Administration is committed to pursuing these measures to ensure greater economic opportunity for women.

Fighting HIV/AIDS: The human toll of AIDS is staggering. Over 33 million people worldwide are now living with HIV/AIDS, and AIDS-related deaths hit a record 2.6 million last year. Since Beijing, the plight of HIV/AIDS has intensified, particularly for women and their families. Ninety-five percent of all HIV/AIDS cases are in the developing world and the highest rates of new infections are often among young women who will soon be mothers. Reducing new infections of HIV/AIDS among women in the developing world must be a first step in the effort to improve the social and economic status of women. The US government has and will continue to lead the way for governments, NGOs and the private sector to stop the spread of this disease.

Globalization: The rapid globalization of the economy, fueled by the growth of communications and information technology, has emerged as a critical issue since the Beijing conference in 1995. While globalization has brought many opportunities to the developing world, the benefits have not been shared equally. In fact, many women in the developing world have been undermined by globalization and now face the very real threat of being left behind.

At the UN Special Session, the United States will address these issues and propose steps to increase the participation of women in business and trade by providing better education, networking opportunities, and adequate social safety nets in the workforce. Some specific tools include training, literacy and educational programs for women, and increased grants and loans to help women in developing countries establish businesses and social programs.

Renewed action to prevent trafficking in women and children: Trafficking in women and children is one of the most serious human right crises facing the international community today. It is estimated that some 700,000 persons globally are trafficked each year, with nearly 50,000 of those victims coming into the United States. Under the leadership of President Clinton, the First Lady, Secretary Albright, and Attorney General Janet Reno, the US government has stepped forward to take aggressive action in the areas of prevention, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers. The Administration is currently working with Congress to craft legislation to fight trafficking and a number of other countries and international organizations have joined forces. But much more must be done to fully address this growing problem. The U.S. will continue to sound the alarm, working with other governments and NGO s to stand up for victims and punish traffickers.