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