First World Conference on Women

Introduction

It held between 19 June and 2 July 1975 in the Mexico City. Out of 133 delegation

leaders, 113 of them were women. It was the first conference held by UN to focus solely on women's issues. It was a way for the UN to address and hopefully combat for women's right all over the world. It was an international open dialogue between global leaders around the world about the gender inequality and the need to develop the course of action for the advancement of women.

Official Conference:

There was 2 committee formed in this conference:

1. First Committee

It discussed the World Plan of Action. It evaluated 6 draft resolutions which dealt with- research and training, international cooperation, women's status, role of UN in implementation of the plan, women's health, participation of women in future meetings of UN.

2. Second Committee

It evaluated the current trends and obstacles in the roles of men and women to achieve parity in rights, opportunities and responsibilities. It recognized the de-jure and de-facto status of women.

Objectives of the First World Conference on Women

1. Full gender equality and the elimination of gender discrimination.

2. Integration and full participation of women in development.

3. Increase contribution of women in strengthening world peace.

Key Outcomes:

1. World Plan of Action and Declaration of Mexico on the Equality of Women and their contributions to development.

2. The conference made education, employment, family planning, health and nutrition and housing as key focal points to achieve the equality.

3. It not only encouraged member countries to establish/ develop policies which would lead to the development of women's lives but also led to the establishment of UN Decade for Women as a means to focus these policies as well as establishing series of conferences to follow-up.

4. Establishment of International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

5. Understood the importance of sex-disaggregated data.