Laura Bush celebrates International Women's Day at UN U.S. first lady Laura Bush joins radical feminists in observing International Women's Day at the U.N. Asked on NBC's Today show if Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court's 1973 decision that recognized a woman's right to legalized abortion, should be overturned, Mrs. Bush said flatly, "No. I don't think it should be overturned." http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/abortion_Laura_Bush010119.html In January 2000, President Bush said he thought that Roe vs. Wade "was a reach" and that it "overstepped constitutional bounds." Laura Bush's new friend Angela King, feminist enforcer ANGELA KING, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, read out a statement on behalf of SIMA SAMAR, Vice-President of the Interim Administration and Minister for Women's Affairs in Afghanistan. She said that as International Women's Day was celebrated around the world, the future of women in Afghanistan had a long way to go. Afghan women finally might be able to regain their rights, and the country might, at long last, have a chance for a peaceful, democratic future. The "long darkness" for the women and girls of Afghanistan might finally be over. But, reaching that goal required a lot of resources and support. As Minister for Women's Affairs, she hoped to be able to heal some of the wounds of Afghan women. As always, the main losers in the foreign-backed wars in Afghanistan had been women and children. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/obv264.doc.htm Who is Laura Bush's new friend Angela King? Afghan Women's Summit for Democracy Statement of Solidarity by Angela E.V. King, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women Brussels, 4 December 2001 "I am deeply honoured to have this opportunity to show solidarity with Afghan women at this Summit. I would like to thank Equality Now, the European Women's Lobby, V-Day, the Center for Strategic Initiatives of Women and the Feminist Majority which organized this Summit in collaboration with my Office and UNIFEM." http://www.un.org/womenwatch/afghanistan/documents/2001Dec04_aevk_st.html What is the Feminist Majority and who is Eleanor Smeal? "Smeal extended that vision into the next millennium with her plans for Feminist Expo 2000, which was held March 31 - April 2 at the new, state-of-the-art Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Expo 2000, attended by over 6,000 people, ushered in the new millennium by bringing together women's groups from every sector of society to show the strength and depth of the feminist movement in the United States and throughout the world. Expo 2000 showcased the power of the feminist movement, its ideas and vision for the 21st Century, as well as the diversity of its work, constituencies, and accomplishments. Feminist Expo 2000 ignited the women's movement on the cutting-edge issues of our time - fighting for women's equality and empowerment, expanding feminism globally, promoting a gender perspective on our nation's and world budgets, and countering the Right Wing backlash, which thrreatans abortion clinics and the rights of women, lesbians and gay men, and people of color." http://www.feminist.org/welcome/esbio.html ANGELA KING: FEMINIST ENFORCER Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) New York:19 January - 8 February 1999 Cecilia A. Verdon, IFUW Representative Angela King, Special Adviser to the Secretary General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, officially opened the twentieth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). She noted that 1999 marks the twentieth anniversary of this Committee and the tenth anniversary of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. She said that although the increase in the number of States ratifying the Convention (163) was gratifying the target of universality remained elusive. Concerted effort would be required to encourage those 20 or so States outside of the Convention to join it. 14 June 1999 Press Release WOM/1135 GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE MUST ADDRESS LACK OF LEGAL RIGHTS FOR INFORMAL RELATIONSHIPS, WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TOLD 19990614 Committee Continues Consideration of Belize's Compliance With Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women Excerpt: The Government must take a second look at its restrictive abortion law, an expert said. Belize had ratified the Convention without reservations and, therefore, laws that contravened the letter and spirit of the Convention had to be reviewed and possibly amended. ANGELA KING, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, said that concerning the input of non- governmental organizations and the specialized agencies, they had all been invited to participate and it was up to them to give or not to give written reports. Non-governmental organizations had limited resources and had particular issues to raise. For them it was key to raise those issues during the session and not during the pre-sessional working group. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/1999/19990614.wom1135.html Yakin Ertürk, Director, Division for the Advancement of Women (left) and Angela King, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women (right) in the Committee of the Whole. At the senior and higher levels, the target is 25 percent by 1997 against 16.9 percent at present, the top U. N. personnel officer Angela King said. King said out of 185 missions to the United Nations, only five were headed by a woman, including U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright. No woman currently heads a U.N. peacekeeping mission. http://www.undelete.org/catts/archives/1995-09-17.txt Chairperson Angela E.V. King, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, appointed Ms. Angela E.V. King, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women. The appointment, at the level of Assistant Secretary-General, took effect on 1 March 1997. Ms. King chairs the Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender and Equality and is supported by the Division for the Advancement of Women. Angela E. V. King was named Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) of the Department for Economic and Social Affairs on 1 February 1996. She brought to the post, which is responsible for the follow-up to the Beijing Conference and for managing the central United Nations programme for the advancement of women, wide experience in the economic, social and political work of the United Nations, in administration and in advancement of women. Since 1987, Ms. King has served at the director level in the Office of Human Resources Management, as Director of Recruitment and Placement and Director of Staff Administration and Training. She served as deputy to the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management and Director of the Operational Services Division. She worked closely with the Focal Point for the Improvement of the Status of Women in the Secretariat on such issues as special measures for women and policies on sexual harassment, as well as alimony and child support. She represented the Office at the Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing in 1995. From 1992-1994, she was on assignment as Chief of Mission of the United Nations Observer Mission in South Africa (UNOMSA), one of only four women who have headed a United Nations mission on preventive diplomacy and peace-building. Ms. King joined the United Nations Secretariat in 1966 from the Permanent Mission of Jamaica, where she was one of the first two women foreign service officers posted after Jamaica joined the United Nations and where she worked on matters relating to human rights and social development. In her early career in the Secretariat, she worked in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs in the preparation of the Report of the World Social Situation, and later in the Branch for the Promotion of Equality between Men and Women where she participated in the first United Nations Conference on Women in Mexico City in 1975 and the second United Nations Conference on Women in Copenhagen in 1980. She has been involved with programme planning and coordination and was the first chief of the Central Evaluation Unit. The Special Adviser for Gender Issues has been active in work for the advancement of women in the United Nations Secretariat and was a founding member of the Group on Equal Rights for Women and chairs the High-level Steering Committee on Improving the Status of Women in the Secretariat. Ms. King has a BA (Hons) in History from the University College of the West Indies and an MA in Educational Sociology and Administration from London University, as well as further graduate studies in educational sociology at New York University. In 1997 she was made a Commander of the Order of Distinction of Jamaica. In November 1999 Ms King received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies. Ms. King has one son. Who is Laura Bush's new friend Queen Noor? A former cheerleader at Princeton. The feminist queen of the Middle East "In 1978, King Hussein married Noor al-Hussein, the former Lisa Halaby, a Washington, D.C.-born architecture graduate who was working in Amman on are design of Jordan's national airline. In doing so, he gave a conservative Muslim nation a most extraordinary queen: a liberal, feminist professional from a frankly political family of prominent U.S. Democrats who had protested the war in Vietnam and blazed a trail for women at Princeton as a member of the university's first coed class. At 26, she was 17 years younger than the king, who had already divorced two wives and lost the third in a helicopter crash." http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/1999/02/09feature.html UN officials, US First Lady mark International Women's Day in New York 8 March - As International Women's Day was observed across the globe focusing on the role of Afghan women, a distinguished audience, including the First Lady of the United States Laura Bush and Secretary-General Kofi Annan, gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark the occasion and urge renewed efforts to promote gender equality. Addressing the special event that was videocast around the world, the Secretary-General said Afghan women needed more than expressions of solidarity; "they need concrete help." Referring to their plight as "an affront to all standards of dignity, equality and humanity," he called for building more schools and training more teachers to ensure every Afghan girl's right to an education. "And men will need to be educated on the right of every woman to a safe environment, free from violence, discrimination and abuse," he told the audience that included women's rights advocates, public figures, diplomats and UN officials. Mr. Annan noted that assistance to women would produce progress for all people. "When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: their children are better educated; they are healthier and better fed; they are better able to protect themselves against AIDS and other diseases; their families' income and economy improve," he said. "And what is true of families is true of communities - ultimately, indeed, of whole countries." For her part, Mrs. Bush said Afghanistan had an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild, "thanks to efforts led by the United Nations, the United States, the new Afghan Government, and our allies around the world." She detailed the US contribution to the effort, emphasizing Washington's support for education in Afghanistan. "When you give children books and an education, you give them the ability to imagine a future of opportunity, equality and justice," she said. "Education is the single most important long-term investment we can make in the future." "Today, on International Women's Day, we affirm our mission to protect human rights for women in Afghanistan and around the world," said Mrs. Bush. "And we affirm our support of all Afghans as they recover from war and injustice." Echoing this theme, the President of the UN General Assembly, Han Seung-soo of the Republic of Korea, called on donor countries to encourage the interim Afghan authorities to guarantee girls equal access to education. He stressed that women should be full partners in the post-conflict reconstruction of the country, and added that today's celebration of Afghan women should serve to spur renewed efforts to advance equality for women everywhere. In a message to the gathering, Afghanistan's Women's Affairs Minister, Sima Samar, expressed hope that the international community would not forget Afghanistan again but would instead provide substantial relief and development assistance to help rebuild the country's economy and allow Afghan women and girls to rebuild their lives. Her message was delivered by the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, Angela King. The President of the Security Council, Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway, recalled the Council's broad support for the women of Afghanistan, stressing the importance of having more women involved in peace-related activities. "Afghan women have high hopes and expectations for the future and represent a tremendous resource for Afghanistan," he said. The plight of Afghan women and the global need for gender equality was discussed extensively during a panel discussion which followed. Among those taking part were Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan; Sima Wali, President of Refugee Women in Development and Delegate to the UN Peace Talks on Afghanistan; Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA); and Julia Taft, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery within the UN Development Programme. Remarks by Mrs. Bush U.N. Commission on the Status of Women International Women's Day March 8, 2002 Remarks by Mrs. Bush to the United Nations As prepared. Thank you, Mister Moderator. Queen Noor; Secretary (General) and Mrs. Annan; Ambassador Kolby, Ms. (Angela) King; distinguished guests. I'm so glad to be here at the United Nations on this International Women's Day — a day that has been marked with pride and promise since 1975 — International Women's Year. I am here to voice my strong support for the courageous people of Afghanistan — women and men who have suffered for years under the Taliban regime. I applaud the international community for its concern for women and families in Afghanistan around the world. And I applaud Chairman Karzai for his leadership during this important time. The terrorist attacks of September 11 galvanized the international community. Many of us have drawn valuable lessons from the tragedies. People around the world are looking closely at the roles women play in their societies. Afghanistan under the Taliban gave the world a sobering example of a country where women were denied their rights and their place in society. Today, the world is helping Afghan women return to the lives they once knew. Women were once important contributors to Afghan society, and they had the right to vote as early as the 1920s. Many women were professions — they were teachers, doctors, and lawyers. And today many will be returning to those professions. This is a time of rebuilding — of unprecedented opportunity — thanks to efforts led by the United Nations, the United States, the new Afghan government, and our allies around the world. With opportunity comes an obligation. Much work remains to be done. The United States' current efforts reflect a long-standing commitment. The United States is the largest and one of the longest continuous supporters of UN humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, and we will continue to be. We have committed at least $1.5 million to help Afghan women work and support their families, some for the first time in years. Many women are now heads of households, having lost their husbands during the 23 years of war. In Kabul and Mazar-E-Sharif, the U.S. is sending wheat to 21 bakeries run by widows who earn a living and feed their own families. These bakeries help feed one-quarter of Kabul's population, and more will be built. Women, children and widows who were forced to flee to refugee camps are now returning home to Afghanistan. Today, the United States has helped some 150,000 people return, and we have pledged about $50.2 million dollars in support for community-based health, education, shelter, water and sanitation projects. American boys and girls are contributing a dollar each through American's Fund For Afghan Children. So far American children have sent more than $4 million dollars for food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and toys for Afghan children. A major focus is on education. Recently I met with Chairman Karzai, and I presented him with a children's dictionary which symbolized the importance the United States places on education. Prosperity cannot follow peace without educated women and children. When people are educated, all the indexes of a society improve. For example: Improvements in women's education have contributed the most by far to the total decline in child malnutrition; And mothers with a secondary education have children with mortality rates nearly 36 percent lower than mothers with only a primary school education. In two weeks, Afghan boys and girls start school — many for the first time. The world will be watching on the first day of school, as teachers take their long-vacant places and students open their books for their first lessons. Through a number of projects, the United States is committed to helping the Afghan people redevelop their educational system. The U.S. Agency for International Development is sending almost 10 million Pashto and Dari language textbooks to Afghan schools. When school starts, the primary grades will have language and math books. More books will follow for secondary education — covering all subjects. We are funding teams of teacher trainers and helping educators develop curricula. And the U.S. helped refurbish the women's dormitory at the University of Kabul so women can remain on campus, in a safe environment. For primary schools, the Academy for Educational Development just sent 40,000 backpacks filled with slates, chalk, school supplies, and toys for refugee children. This is the backpack — hand-made in Pakistan. Children who receive these backpacks may have never owned or even seen books and toys. This great effort deserves our support. When you give children books and an education, you give them the ability to imagine a future of opportunity, equality and justice. Education is the single most important long-term investment we can make in the future. At a girls' school in Northern Afghanistan, the principal, a man named Diwana Qol said, "These girls are part of our future…We will need all of our children, boys and girls, to be well educated if we are to rebuild our country from all this war." Today, on International Women's Day, we affirm our mission to protect human rights for women in Afghanistan and around the world. And we affirm our support of all Afghans as they recover from war and injustice. Farahnaz Nazir, founder of the Afghanistan Women's Association said, "Society is like a bird. It has two wings. And a bird cannot fly if one wing is broken." Our dedication to respecting and protecting women's rights in all countries must continue if we are to achieve a peaceful, prosperous, and stable world. In his State of the Union address to the United States Congress, President Bush said: "All fathers and mothers, in all societies, want their children to be educated, and live free from poverty and violence…No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them." Human dignity, private property, free speech, equal justice, education, and health care — these rights must be guaranteed throughout the world. Together, the United Sates, the United Nations and our allies will prove that the forces of terror can't stop the momentum of freedom. Thank you. # # #              Printer-friendly version Click here to be added to our mailing list.