INTERNATIONAL: Beijing Plus Five - Not Minus Five!

'Some governments are still attempting to backtrack from the Beijing Platform for Action and weaken what was agreed five years ago. It is supposed to be Beijing Plus Five and not Minus Five.'

Just a few of Amnesty International's many concerns regarding the draft document under discussion at the United Nations this week include:

- The Beijing Platform for Action made explicit reference to the need for governments to ratify and implement international and regional human rights treaties for the fulfilment of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights's human rights; all such references have been removed in the current draft.

- The Beijing Platform for Action required governments to 'create or strengthen independent national institutions' for the protection of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights's human rights; the current draft only asks them to 'consider' establishing such institutions.

- The Beijing Platform for Action called for governments to 'ensure' the protection of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights human rights defenders . Currently the draft only calls on governments to 'take necessary measures', despite the adoption - since Beijing - by the General Assembly of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

'Whatever the outcome of Beijing Plus Five, Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and men around the world will continue to demand action to fully implement the Beijing Platform for Action,' Amnesty International said.