East Midlands Euro MP attends United Nations Conference on Women's Rights

11.34.46pm GMT Wed 2nd Mar 2005

Bill Newton Dunn (Liberal Democrat MEP, East Midlands) is attending the first days of the United Nations' Conference on Women's Rights.

He is the only British and the only male MEP attending.

The conference is a follow-up to the conference which took place in Beijing ten years ago in September 1995.

The debate, in the main plenary hall of the United Nations, is attended by delegates from all over the world.

A wide spectrum of topics is being examined - including equality, economic rights, segregation, literacy, divorce, income, abortion, votes and positions of power, health-care, and more.

The European Union of 25 member states speaks with a single voice, despite internal different opinions. We are represented by Luxembourg, which is the member state government whose turn it is in the EU's Council of Ministers to chair its meetings.

As well as the main debates, there are fringe meetings. Early speakers include Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of John Kerry who failed to win the American presidency last November, and the actress Meryl Streep.

Bill commented :

"Listening to the many stories of wrongs which are suffered by women across the world, I wondered how Bush and Blair had come to chose the particular country to invade out of the large choice where is no democracy and few human rights. Bush and Blair had said it was to remove Weapons of Mass Destruction from Iraq, of course, except that there were none. Blair had said in the House of Commons that Saddam Hussein could remain in power if he gave up those weapons. Now, Bush was saying it was to spread democracy throughout the world. What a pity that he had not said that at the beginning of the invasion in 2003. How many more countries and how many women still need our help, but not in the Bush-Blair way."

I listened to the Minister for Womens Affairs in the current Iraqi government. She started her short speech by reminding us that, "in early history, women had been worshipped as goddesses". She ended her short speech, saying that "today your sisters in Iraq need your support."

The conference will end on 11th March with a resolution which summarises the work still to be done. In the early days of the conference, the draft resolution is being opposed by the United States of America and by the Vatican.

ENDS