26 May 1988

15th plenary meeting

Women and peace in Central America

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling that when adopting the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, recognized that women must participate fully in all efforts to strengthen and maintain international peace and security and to promote international co-operation,

Recalling further that the World Conference also recognized that the situation of violence and destabilization in Central America hindered the fulfilment of the Forward-looking Strategies, which were essential to the advancement of women,

Taking note of the agreement on the procedure for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America, signed at the Esquipulas II summit meeting, in Guatemala City, on 7 August 1987, by the Presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua,

Recognizing the valuable contribution of the Contadora Group and the Support Group in the process of bringing peace to Central America,

Convinced of the exceptional importance to the peoples of Central America, particularly the women, of achieving peace, reconciliation, development and social justice in the region, as well as ensuring their economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,

Considering that the General Assembly, in its resolution 42/1 of 7 October 1987, requested the Secretary-General to promote a special plan of co-operation for Central America,

Eager to encourage the active participation of women in the promotion of peace and development in Central America,

1. Expresses its gratification at the strong desire for peace manifested by the Presidents of the Central American countries in their signing of the agreement on the procedure for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America;

2. Calls upon the Presidents of the Central American countries to continue their joint efforts to achieve peace in Central America, particularly such efforts as are aimed at establishing the Central American Parliament, for the purpose of guaranteeing propitious conditions for the attainment in the region of the objectives of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, and requests the international community to support these efforts;

3. Urges all States to support peace efforts, fully respecting the principles of the self-determination of peoples and non-intervention;

4. Urges also the international community to ensure that programmes of technical, economic and financial co-operation for the region take account of the particular needs and interests of Central American women;

5. Recommends to the Secretary-General that the special plan of co-operation for Central America should include specific activities in support of the advancement of women in the region;

6. Exhorts the Governments of the Central American countries, of the Contadora Group and of the Support Group to encourage and guarantee the full participation of women at all levels in the search for peace, pluralism, democracy and comprehensive development in the Central American region;

7. Urges national and international governmental and non-governmental women's organizations to participate in and support actively the process of peace and development in Central America.