WRITTEN QUESTION E-2827/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: Action from 1995 Beijing Conference on women

What action has been taken and is being planned by the Commission to further the goals agreed at the 1995 Beijing Conference on women contained in the Platform for Action with regard to women and the environment and women and health?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (2 October 1997)

The Commission's follow-up to the Beijing conference began with preparation of a communication ((Communication from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament on integrating gender issues in development co-operation, COM(95) 423. )) on integrating gender issues across all sectors of development co-operation. This resulted in a Resolution ((Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States on integrating gender issues in development co-operation, 20.12.1995, ref. No 12627/95. )) of the Council and Member States which endorses the communication's analysis and recommendations, and translates into the field of development co-operation the political commitments undertaken at the fourth world conference on women.

At policy level, the recent Council regulations on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and on population in developing countries ((Council Regulation (EC) No 550/97 of 21.3.1997 on HIV/AIDS related operations in developing countries - OJ L 85, 27.3.1997. Council Regulation (EC) No 1484/97 of 22.7.1997 on aid for population policies and programmes in developing countries - OJ L 202, 30.7.1997. )) take account of the main principles and goals set out in Beijing and Cairo. Gender issues have also been included in priorities under the recent environment regulation ((Council Regulation (EC) No 722/97 of 22.4.1997 on environmental measures in developing countries - OJ L 108, 25.4.1997. )). At procedural level, all programmes in Asia and Latin American countries and Mediterranean third countries over MECU 2 are required since 1994 to incorporate gender impact assessment in their design and implementation. More recently, gender impact has been included in requirements for smaller projects under budget lines such as tropical forests (B7-6201).

At programming level, since the beginning of 1995 the Commission has committed over MECU 300 to reproductive health and HIV/AIDS projects and programmes in developing countries. These focus on improving the reproductive lives of women and men through better understanding of issues and rights and through better access to good quality non-coercive services for the provision of family planning, safe motherhood, sexual health, prevention and care related to HIV/AIDS. A number of initiatives also aim to prevent violence against women. All of the programmes supported in the reproductive health area have integrated gender concepts into their design. In other health projects, increasing attention is also paid to gender issues. In environmental programming, all newly prepared rural development programmes seek to focus on sustainable management of natural resources, in particular land, soil and water, while integrating local people, particularly women, in overall planning and implementation as well as in training in environmental sensitivity and income-generating activities.

Concerning African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the Commission has a programme of technical assistance to eleven priority countries, under a contract with the Royal tropical institute of Amsterdam, which includes advisory work to make projects more focused on gender issues. This includes also projects on environment and health. In addition, the Commission is about to start a study on gender issues in the delivery of health services in Africa, which will complement two current studies on mother and child health.

Finally, the Commission has also prepared a report ((COM(97) 224 final. )) on the state of women's health in the Community which contains an overview of major health trends, patterns of mortality and morbidity as well as relevant health determinants of womens' health.

A list of examples of gender integration in recent health and environment programming is being sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.