Papal Visit Purim Millennium Snow in Jer. The largest international gathering to address women's rights will convene at the UN today. Delegations from 189 countries will open a special session of the General Assembly to examine the lives and welfare of women around the world. Environment Minister Dalia Itzik will head the Israeli delegation, which is scheduled to make its presentation late today. There has been substantial progress in women's rights, because women are living longer, more women are employed, and rape in armed conflict has been firmly declared a war crime, the president of the assembly, Theo Ben-Gurirab of Namibia, said before the conference opened.
Women continue to face discrimination and marginalization, both subtle and blatant.
Women do not share equally in the fruits of production. Women constitute 70 percent of the world's poor. Governments lack the political will and fail to provide the financial resources to implement the Beijing platform, Ben-Gurirab said. At this week's session, governments are expected to consider what practical actions they can take, individually and collectively, to further the advancement of women through inclusive government, empowerment, and gender equality. They will also review progress since Beijing.