Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FSM Women’s Conference Concluded its 4th Meeting

COLONIA, Yap (FSM Information Service): June 27, 1997 – The
Fourth FSM Women’s Conference concluded its meeting yesterday, June
26, after signing the CEDAW resolution recommending to the FSM
Congress to ratify CEDAW in support for other women in other
countries who are experiencing discrimination against them.

The FSM women during the meeting agreed that discrimination
against women is not an issue here in the FSM.

The resolution was signed by the officials of the 4th FSM Women
Conference before leaving Yap for their home states.

It was felt that the objectives of the conference was met before
adjourning. The 1995 Plan of Actions was followed-up; the on-going
effort to improve the advancement of women in the nation, and
development of new strategies to speed up the process, especially the
establishment of Non-Governmental Organizations and women in
development process was appraised.

Chuuk has now a desk at the Governor’s Office manned by a woman,
Tanseny Raynolds who is the Special Assistant to the Governor on
Women’s affairs.

The conference also reviewed the progress of the implementation of
FSM commitments announced during the Fourth World Conference on
Women; and also formulated goals and objectives on Sustainable Human
Development to year 2000 and beyond.

The Conference proposed actions to improve the participation and
involvement of grassroots women, transfer responsibilities from
government organizations to the community, improve communication and
flow of information to women’s groups and individuals, improve access
to resources, the National Women’s groups and Council to become a
non-governmental organization and be the national non-governmental
organization focal point. The proposed venue for the 1999 FSM
Women’s Conference is Pohnpei. If Pohnpei agrees to host then the
other three states will be informed.

A dinner reception was hosted for the Conference at the Catholic
Mission in the evening of June 26 with two dances performed. One, a
men’s dance performed at the Community Center and the bamboo dance
was performed at the Catholic Mission.