UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE TAKES ACTION ON VIOLENCE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001036

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KWMN AORC UNGA
SUBJECT: UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE TAKES ACTION ON VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN AND OTHER PROPOSALS


1. On October 23, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Third
Committee took action on the following draft resolutions:
A/C.3/63/L.2, entitled "Preparations for the Twelfth United
Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice;"
A/C.3/63/L.4, entitled "Follow-up to the Second World
Assembly on Ageing;" A/C.3/63/L.6, entitled "Follow-up to the
implementation of the International Year of Volunteers;"
A/C.3/63/L.7, entitled "United Nations Literacy Decade:
education for all;" and A/C.3/63/L.11, entitled "UN African
Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders." All were adopted by consensus. The United
States is a co-sponsor of A/C.3/63/L.6 and A/C.3/63/L.7.


2. On October 30, the UNGA Third Committee took action on
draft resolution A/C.3/63/L.15/Revision 1, entitled
"Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula." The draft
resolution was adopted by consensus. The United States
delivered an Explanation of Position (EOP) statement
following the adoption of the draft resolution. The complete
texts of all U.S. statements can be found at
www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov.


3. On November 6, the UNGA Third Committee took action on the
following draft resolutions: A/C.3/63/L.12/Revision 1,
entitled "Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms
of violence against women;" A/C.3/63/L.20, entitled "The role
of the Ombudsman, mediator and other national human rights
institutions in the promotion and protection of human
rights;" and A/C.3/63/L.24, entitled "International year of
human rights learning." All were adopted by consensus. The
United States is a co-sponsor of A/C.3/63/L.20 and
A/C.3/63/L.24. The United States delivered an EOP statement
following the adoption of A/C.3/63/L.12/Revision 1.


4. After the adoption of draft resolution
A/C.3/63/L.12/Revision 1, representatives of Costa Rica,
Liechtenstein, Israel, Brazil, Slovenia, Mexico, New Zealand,
Chile, Venezuela, and Sweden made statements expressing
concern regarding the oral revision of Operative Paragraph

18. During last-minute consultations, several dozen
co-sponsors of the violence against women draft resolution
had tried to push for stronger language regarding the
International Criminal Court (ICC),but were resisted by the
U.S. delegation. The compromised revision struck language
recognizing the ICC's contribution in ending impunity for
perpetrators of violence against women, replacing it with a
conditional reference to the contribution that the ICC can
make, while keeping a stronger reference to the ad hoc
criminal tribunals. All of the countries which spoke against
the revision emphasized their belief that the ICC has played
an important role in fighting impunity for violence against
women. Many of the speakers also noted concern regarding the
last-minute nature of the revision, stressing that such
action should not become a precedent.
Khalilzad