UN General Assembly
1998

held in the year 2000 to mark the dawn of the new century. Sri Lanka supports the proposal as an opportunity for developing countries to chart their own agenda for development in the new era. The countries of SAARC agreed at Colombo that to complement economic progress, a Social Charter should be drawn up for the benefit of our peoples in South Asia. This would focus on determining practical, basic norms in the areas of poverty eradication, the empowerment of women, the mobilization of youth, the promotion of health and nutrition, and the protection of children. We must make a special effort to dissipate the effects of the discriminatory, social and psychological perceptions that affect the status of women. The SAARC heads of State or Government condemned violence against women as well as acts of discrimination and humiliation which further depress the dignity of women. There was particular concern over the plight of women and girl children caught in situations of armed conflict. In Colombo, the SAARC States finalized the draft text