representative drew attention to the fact that drug abuse among men was a
further potential source of violence against women and that women could be
exposed to abuse by drug addicts both in their homes and in society. Another
representative stressed the importance of developing strategies for creating
awareness about the bad effects of drugs in order to prevent abuse, as well as
of designing comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation programmes.
Activities related to preparations for the World Conference on Human Rights
15. The contribution of the Commission to the World Conference on Human Rights
was considered to be of particular significance in order that women’s rights, as
an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights, were
addressed in depth on the global agenda. Several representatives urged that the
full realization of all human rights of women should be reflected in all agenda
items both at the fourth session of the Preparatory Committee for the World
Conference on Human Rights and at the Conference itself, as well as in any final
document that might emerge from the Conference.
16. Some representatives referred to suggestion 4 made by the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its twelfth session to the World
Conference on Human Rights as a good basis for the work of the Commission.
Several representatives stressed that the World Conference should examine the
question of the compatibility of the reservations made to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women with those made to
other human rights treaties. Some representatives underlined the importance of
achieving an improved balance of men and women serving on human rights treaty
bodies and stressed that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women should have a standing equal to that of other human
rights instruments.
17. Several representatives observed that the adoption of the draft declaration
on violence against women would be a major contribution to the World Conference
on Human Rights. Some representatives emphasized the need for a better
definition of international human rights; the Conference should be asked to
highlight the rights of women as part of the mainstream fundamental human rights
guaranteed under the Charter of the United Nations. The importance of focusing
on women’s issues in the whole field of human rights - civil, political,
economic, social and cultural - was noted; some representatives described it as
calling for a qualitative change with regard to human rights philosophy and as a
new approach that would need to be fully applied by the World Conference.
18. Many representatives expressed the wish that the World Conference would
develop more responsive and effective enforcement mechanisms, especially in
addressing violations of women’s rights, particularly violence against women.
Among other specific violations of women’s rights were mentioned violence
against migrant workers and violation of women’s labour rights as well as of
women’s equal participation in and de facto enjoyment of the benefits of
development and economic life. Some representatives urged that the opportunity
created by the World Conference should be used to establish the relationship
between universal human rights, democracy and development.
19. Several representatives urged that all human rights bodies should pay due
attention to gender aspects in implementing human rights, with a view to
integrating the human rights of women into the mainstream of the system for
monitoring human rights. Many representatives expressed the need for
cooperation and coordination between all the bodies concerned within the United
Nations system in order to strengthen the promotion and protection of the rights
of women. A few representatives referred to resolution 1993/46 of the
Commission on Human Rights on integrating the rights of women into the human
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