The road to Cairo.

The final statement made by DAWN to the 3rd final preparatory meeting for the United Nations Conference on Population and Development scheduled for September, 1994, in Cairo was given in full. DAWN's recommendations were briefly stated in 10 points. The women's group suggested that 1) structural adjustment assurances be made that investments in social programs would not be reduced; 2) equity and poverty adjustment and job creation be included in the development model; 3) population policy promote the well-being of people and reproductive rights of women; 4) comprehensive, high quality health services for women be provided responsibly by governments; 5) women's rights be recognized as human rights; 6) health services be reorganized to incorporate a wide range of services, including safe abortion; 7) safe, legal abortion be recognized as a necessary right; 8) gender and empowerment programs receive financial support; 9) accountability be required and women's groups' representation be included; and 10) resources be restructured to incorporate the aforementioned recommendations. The closing statement stressed the need to use a broad context and not to separate population issues from other issues of development. Women's issues are inseparably linked with women's rights, women's empowerment, and provision of comprehensive health services. Equity is a central development issue. The impact of development models on women must be considered. Development models and women's rights are both topics that need to be addressed concurrently at the conference. The Vatican's attempt to separate the issues and focus exclusively on women's rights only in religiously defined terms is blatantly political and an exercise of power domination of women. Many women's groups from a broad base of support have lobbied this forthcoming proceeding for a broader framework of women's rights within the document. Respect for women's issues will come from greater involvement of women in monitoring policies and implementation of programs.