Violence against women, problems of rural women given priority.

Commission of Status of Women Violence against women, problems of rural women given priority

The creation of an international network to deal with violence against women was proposed by the Commission on the Status of Women, meeting in Vienna in March. The network would pull together organizations in such fields as social welfare, criminal justice, education, health and shelter. At its thirty-second session (14-23 March), the Commission gave top priority to two topics--violence against women in the family and society and the problems of rural women.

The 32-member body, considered a "brain trust" to monitor the advancement of the status of women around the world, recommended that Governments provide rural women with adequate education and training facilities to ensure access to equal employment opportunities.

In considering the role of women in educating for peace, it urged that Governments establish national machinery at the highest political level to monitor progress on women's issues, and provide adequate resources to those mechanisms.

Governments would also be asked to take practical steps to facilitate women's participation in activities related to peace, disarmament negotiations and conflict resolution.

The United Nations system should adopt a "gender-neutral" language, suggested the Commission.

Only 3 of the 27 drafts were voted on. Two dealt with women and children under apartheid and in Namibia; a third with the situation of...