15 March 2002: This meeting was held from 4-15 March 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York. The session’s themes were the eradication of poverty, including through women’s empowerment, and the incorporation of the gender perspective in the mitigation of natural disasters.

The Commission adopted conclusions on these themes, as well as on women and children hostages in armed conflicts, gender equality and women’s empowerment as important strategies to eradicate poverty, and the involvement of all sectors of society in pursuing gender equality and gender-sensitive environmental management and disaster reduction, response and recovery as an integral part of sustainable development.

Although delegates were unable to agree on a draft resolution on women and girls in Afghanistan, the text was subsequently approved during an additional meeting of the Commission held on 25 March. The resolution urges the Afghan Interim Authority and future Afghan Transitional Authority to: fully respect the equal human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in accordance with international human rights law; give high priority to the issue of ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; consider signing its Optional Protocol, which gives individuals the right to bring their concerns to the Convention’s monitoring body; and undertake a series of steps aimed at improving the quality of life for Afghan women and girls.

For more information visit: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/WOM1333.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/WOM1334.doc.htm