NEW YORK, March 2, 2005 -- Speaking at the United Nations in New York today, the Honourable Liza Frulla, Head of the Canadian Delegation, and Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women, strongly urged nations around the world to unanimously and unequivocally reaffirm the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. "Women's human rights must be rigorously protected and promoted in all areas, from economic and political, to sexual and reproductive rights," the Minister said. "The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action are the cornerstone of our work in achieving equality for women. They reflect the consensus we reached as an international community 10 years ago. We have made tremendous strides and now is not the time to go backwards. We must stand strong to ensure the bar remains high and as Ministers, we must be steadfast in working toward our mutual goal - gender equality." The Minister participated in the high-level international meeting known as Beijing+10, where representatives from around the world reported on their progress on gender equality, and assessed the challenges that remain. Approximately 6,000 women representing more than 100 countries participated in the meeting. "What matters most now is that Canada is looking forward - to build on our strengths, to learn from our own and others' experience, and to meet our challenges," the Minister told the meeting. "We will return home with renewed dedication to the goals of, and commitments made in, the Beijing Platform for Action, and will work to give them meaning to all women, so they can see real changes that will have an impact in their day-to-day lives. Canada has been an international leader in gender equality and established one of the best legal frameworks in the world - the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada recognizes there is more work to do, and will continue to address the poverty and violence women face, and build a national child care system, for children and for gender equality. The Beijing agenda will be kept alive through the UN's worldwide work on its Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). "Canada emphasizes that these goals are intrinsic to the achievement of gender equality," the Minister stated. - 30 - For further information: Jean-Philippe Côté Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women (819) 997-7788 Nanci-Jean Waugh Director of Communications Status of Women Canada (613) 995-7839 This release is also available on our Web site: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca .
