INTRODUCTION

The World Conference of the International Women's Year was a first in many respects. It was the first United Nations conference devoted specifically to women, the first U.N. conference where a majority of the delegates were women, and the first major forum held for women from throughout the world for consideration of common problems and aspirations.

International Women's Year was proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly in 1972 at the suggestion of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. The year is being marked by intensified action by the U.N. and its member nations to promote equality among men and women, to insure full integration of women in social and economic development, to underline the importance of women's increasing contribution to cooperation among States and to recognize women's role in pursuing world peace.

Upon the recommendation of the U.N. Economic and Social Council, the World Conference on International Women's Year was called as a focal point for IWY activities. The purpose of the Conference was to develop an action program for implementation of the IWY goals of equality, development and peace, to bring together participants. from nations with diverse cultural traditions and economic systems, and to encourage awareness of the need to eliminate discrimination against women.

The World Conference was preceded in 1974 and 1975 by three regional meetings sponsored by the U.N. Economic Commissions for Asia and the Far East, and Africa and Latin America. Recommendations for national and regional action made at these meetings were useful in development of the World Plan of Action adopted in Mexico City.

The Conference was held in Mexico City from June 19 to July 2, 1975. Helvi Sipila, the highest ranking woman at the U.N., was Secretary-General of the Conference. An estimated 7,000 persons, three-quarters of whom were women, attended the Conference's official and unofficial activities.

The organization and activities of the official Tribune for nongovernmental organizations as well as the work of the official Conference. are described in separate sections of this report. Other activities included a preconference Journalists' Encounter, organized for 50 journalists by the Centre for Economic and Social Information (CESI) of the U.N. Office of Public Information. The Encounter was open to all 1.500 journalists accredited by the Conference and was devoted to discussion of the goals of IWY as well as media attitudes toward IWY.

Immediately following the Conference, CESI joined with the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in sponsoring a media workshop to expand on the results of the Encounter.

Another preconference event was the Seminar on Women and Development, organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in conjunction with the U.N. Institute for Training and Research and the U.N. Development Programme. The Seminar developed guidelines for national and international action. programs for the greater integration of women in the development process.

THE OFFICIAL CONFERENCE

The official U.N. Conference was held at the Conference Centre of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Tlateloco. Each participating nation was allowed three official delegates and as many alternates and advisers as it wished. At final count, 1,300 delegates representing 133 nations, 7 intergovernmental organizations, 21 U.N. bodies and specialized agencies, 8 liberation movements, and 114 nongovernmental organizations with consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council participated.

The U.S. Delegation, which numbered 43 and included 10 Congressional advisers, was one of the largest. It was a group that reflected a wide range of professional experience and expertise.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

The official Conference considered the following topics for discussion and action:

Policies and programs to implement the objectives and goals of IWY.

The role of women in building international peace and eliminating racial discrimination.

Current trends and changes in the status and roles of women and men and major obstacles to be overcome to achieve equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities.

The integration of women in the development process as equal partners with men.

Adoption of a World Plan of Action to carry out the objectives of IWY during the next decade.

WORK OF THE CONFERENCE

The work of the Conference was divided among two main committees and the Conference Plenary.

The First Committee was charged with proposing amendments to the World Plan of Action, a draft of which had been prepared by the U.N. Secretariat and revised at a Consultative Committee meeting of 23 nations held last March at the U.N. The Second Committee debated the Conference topics of current trends and changes in the status and roles of men and women and the integration of women in the development process. Conference topics dealing with the effect of existing policies and programs on the goals of IWY and the role of women in building international peace and eliminating racism were considered in Plenary as part of the general debate.

The First Committee was faced with considering 894 amendments submitted by official delegations to the World Plan of Action. This did not include 69 amendments proposed by an ad hoc group from the Tribune. The Second Committee had nearly as many measures before it as the First Committee.

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--The European Nuclear Energy Agency was officially established February 1, within the framework of the Organization for European Economic

Cooperation.

--The Commission announced liberalization of conditions under which uranium enriched to more than 20 percent in U-235 could be made available to friendly nations under agreements for cooperation.

--Letters of commitment for $350,000 each for research reactor projects had been made to 16 countries, nine of them during 1958.

--More than 8.5 kilograms of U-235 were shipped to foreign countries. --The Second United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy was held.

1959

--Exchange visits were made between leading figures in atomic energy activities in the Soviet Union and the United States.

--Discussions continued among the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union on the cessation of nuclear weapons tests.

--The number of member states of the IAEA increased to 70. General principles of the application of safeguards were provisionally approved by the Board of Governors.

--Closer ties were established with the Organization for European Eco

nomic Cooperation.

--Two new agreements for cooperation were signed.

--The Commission established a policy of leasing nuclear material to foreign countries either through the IAEA or agreements for cooperation.

--The Commission established a staff to handle safeguards activities under agreements for cooperation and to assist in the establishment of an effective worldwide safeguards system through the IAEA.

--Training opportunities were expanded for foreign personnel at United States colleges.

--An Inter-American Nuclear Energy Commission was established as a center for consultation and to facilitate cooperation.

1960

--The Fourth General Conference of the IAEA, held in September and October, accepted principles and procedures to serve as the foundation for an international safeguards system against diversion of SNM and equipment from peaceful uses.

--The Joint reactor program of Euratom and the United States entered its second phase with preparation to issue an invitation for proposals for power reactors to be completed by the end of 1965..

--The Commission enlarged its participation in OEEC activities,

--Three new agreements for cooperation became effective..

--Eight new reactors manufactured in the United States went into operation in foreign nations, making a total of 27 reactors in foreign nations, An additional 17 were being built abroad by U.S. companies and seven more were being planned for construction.