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What They're Saying
Conference comments
"The Platform for Action is a document that Amnesty International can
do business with to hold governments accountable. And getting down to
business is exactly what governments and the United Nations now need to
do."
Pierre Sane, secretary-general,
Amnesty International
"The document does not respect human dignity; seeks to promote
abortion, depraved sexual behavior, homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual
promiscuity, and sex for children; and seeks to destroy the authority of
parents over their children."
Statement by the conservative group NGO Coalition for Women
and the Family
"Our plea is a very straightforward one not for new rights,
not for special rights, but to have the human rights that countries around
the world have said all people should enjoy. We do not see why we should
wait another decade to have the rights of lesbians explicitly recognized
in the platform."
Shelagh Day, Canadian activist
"That chapter (on health) is not facing the real needs and
expectations of women in developing countries. It is only focusing on
sexual things and you ignore what is the main concern for women in
Nigeria, in Zimbabwe and in India and so on. That is tropical diseases and
elementary and basic health services and so on."
Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro
"The bottom-line goal was met in reaffirming and in some cases
moving forward on previous international agreements. There is recognition
of the full contributions women make to their families, society and the
economy. Respect is afforded to all women and protections against
discrimination is enhanced."
U.S. delegation deputy chairwoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky
"If our governments are going to commit resources, that is
what we want. But if something else happens, the movement will go on. We
will implement our own platform of action."
Nandini Azad, Grassroots
Organizations Operating Together
in Sisterhood
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