ÿWPCk  >½5*ˆÇ¹äÝÖ"ìÂ:µ–Sâi±tºFvK[ƒ˜Â6®“¦°\áSúížpgNñÙM…Π×OÒÅOu‰d|í@[îVÏôùnµ©?¦âþß%¿›!ýè (v‡Æâ»›Ü«4ÿ™R¼±d¾+^†Ì§…×ÝÚùùË )¡ññ© ž Ç«»˜2æÜö$«6·ªí¶Õ7%ηÄö™e.s3¸Ú¯=›+—~9F½¼(ß&õ¿ЙÂ̆kz| §9q„:?Ë0:˜y¶ékoc$Ça^ça¼bH– xŠ:0=Þ–Õˆïzè:ƒ÷ Äž˜e¨jquê0ë5"È‹Ã8§¢ˆ’êXš§¦RG0Wtm¸ù²6RÆ(2D_ªC%„›€©’$Ð|ðG#,‰ó¨ˆ_s9³%U@ëÜT àôá Uº|,«InÕÐMa¯ñ`ž·íÅSâ½”tmµZ¢ÑæÞVp3Š}HC+š¨·êøŽ’JÈA˜ºôO“ñFFiâ®C¼dœÎsU$Ì;›J|wަs–ùX}vrýk SuÂHRÜn¸,}Ëö“‘¸QÑ[ · Œt°d¿’óÔx^D+k³  #Á¶UNw %Å 0:Ë^ w4)8 m:QNi˜HP LaserJet 4P,ü,,,,,ü0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô›e, &bœ+ê:i¢Ø+003|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ CEDAWÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÓ  Óà@@@(ìàò òÔ€¼ðä»XXÔGABONˆÐ ° Ðó óÔ€X¬ØX»¼ðäÔÌÌò òCEDAW€€A/44/38€Ô_Ô(1989)ó óÔ_ÔÐ œì ÐÌÌ44.€€The€Committee€considered€the€initial€report€of€Gabon€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54€and€Amend.1)€atÐ ` ° Ðits€134òòthóó€meeting,€on€21€February€1989€(CEDAW/C/SR.134).Ð L œ ÐÌ45.€€In€introducing€the€report,€the€representative€of€Gabon€noted€that€he€personally€was€not€wellÐ $ t  Ðversed€in€matters€regarding€the€advancement€of€women€and€that€the€report€had€been€prepared€by€aÐ `  Ðnewly€created€ministerial€department,€the€Secretariat€of€State€for€the€Advancement€of€Women€andÐ üL  Ðfor€Human€Rights.€€The€department€monitored€all€progress€made€in€regard€to€the€status€of€womenÐ è8  Ðand€was€headed€by€a€woman.€€Its€recent€creation€explained€the€delay€in€the€submission€of€the€reportÐ Ô$  Ðand€its€imperfections.Ð À  ÐÌ46.€€Gabon€had€undertaken€in€recent€years€important€legislative€and€statutory€reforms€regarding€theÐ ˜è Ðstatus€of€women.€€Shortly€after€having€attained€independence,€the€country€had€sought€to€establishÐ „Ô Ða€State€based€on€justice€and€democracy€and€respect€for€the€principle€of€equality€between€the€sexesÐ pÀ Ðin€all€walks€of€life.€€Fundamental€rights€were€protected€and€the€Constitution€proclaimed€equal€rightsÐ \¬ Ðfor€men€and€women,€which€were€confirmed€by€enabling€legislation.€€Like€men,€women€wereÐ H˜ Ðguaranteed€access€to€free€education,€employment€and€vocational€training.€€They€could€participate€inÐ 4„ Ðall€levels€of€education;€for€example,€in€1988,€women€represented€almost€50€per€cent€of€the€studentÐ  p Ðpopulation€enrolled€in€the€faculty€of€medicine.€€He€said€that€women€participated€directly€in€nationalÐ  \ Ðand€international€activities.Ð øH ÐÌ47.€€Social€security€measures€applied€equally€to€women€and€men,€and€the€State€provided€free€socialÐ Ð  Ðservices€to€the€indigent€population,€including€free€pre„natal€and€post„natal€health€care€for€women.€Ð ¼  ÐThe€State€recognized€the€importance€of€the€integration€of€women€and€men€into€national€developmentÐ ¨ø Ðand€also€guaranteed€the€principle€of€equal€pay€for€work€of€equal€value€without€discrimination.€Ð ”ä ÐWomen€were€entitled€to€paid€maternity€leave.€€They€could€choose€their€profession€and€employmentÐ € Ð Ðand€had€full€legal€capacity.€€Personal€rights€and€individual€freedom€were€guaranteed€and€were€notÐ l!¼ Ðnegotiable.€€Marriage€did€not€detract€from€the€full€legal€capacity€of€women.€€Although€the€husbandÐ X"¨  Ðwas€the€head€of€the€family,€the€wife€co„operated€with€him€in€assuring€the€moral€and€materialÐ D#”! Ðguidance€of€the€family.€€Married€as€well€as€single€women€were€free€to€follow€a€profession,€to€openÐ 0$€" Ða€bank€account€and€to€obtain€a€bank€loan.€€Women€were€also€free€to€marry€or€not,€to€remarry€or€toÐ %l # Ðdivorce.€€They€could€initiate€proceedings€for€divorce€and€divorce€was€not€by€mutual€consent€but€aÐ &X!$ Ðresult€of€a€matrimonial€offence.Ð ô&D"% ÐÌ48.€€The€members€of€the€Committee€expressed€their€appreciation€for€the€comparatively€frank€report,Ð Ì($' Ðemphasizing€that€the€additional€report€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54/Amend.1)€complied€much€better€withÐ ¸)%( Ðthe€guidelines€(CEDAW/C/7).€€The€Committee€welcomed€the€presentation€of€statistics€in€the€report.€Ð ¤*ô%) ÐWhile€appreciating€the€clear€introductory€statement,€members€of€the€Committee€regretted€theÐ +à&* Ðabsence€of€the€person€who€was€primarily€responsible€for€matters€concerning€the€advancement€ofÐ |,Ì'+ Ðwomen€in€Gabon€and€with€whom€they€could€have€had€a€more€active€dialogue.€€They€welcomed€theÐ h-¸(, ÐÔ_Ôpolitical€will€of€the€Government€and€its€positive€attitude€towards€the€advancement€of€women,€whichÐ ° Ðwas€reflected€in€the€existence€of€the€Union€of€Women€of€the€Gabonese€Democratic€Party€and€theÐ œì ÐSecretariat€of€State€for€the€Advancement€of€Women€and€for€Human€Rights.€€They€pointed€out,Ð ˆØ Ðhowever,€that€the€concept€of€equality€in€Gabon€seemed€to€be€different€from€the€one€enshrined€in€theÐ tÄ ÐConvention.Ð `° ÐÌ49.€€Several€members€of€the€Committee€requested€further€details€on€what€was€meant€in€practice€byÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€statement€in€the€conclusions€of€the€report€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54/Amend.1)€that€ð ðthe€situationÐ $ t Ðof€women€in€Gabonese€society€remains€a€comfortable€oneðð.€€They€stated€that€the€provision€in€articleÐ  ` Ð253€of€the€Civil€Code€to€the€effect€that€the€husband€was€the€head€of€the€family€contradicted€theÐ ü L  Ðprovisions€of€the€Convention.Ð è 8  ÐÌ50.€€It€was€asked€whether€measures€had€been€undertaken€to€publicize€the€Convention€and€membersÐ À  Ðof€the€Committee€underlined€the€importance€of€the€media€in€that€respect.€€Further€details€wereÐ ¬ü  Ðrequested€about€the€major€legal€reforms€referred€to€in€the€report€and€about€the€mandate€andÐ ˜è  Ðprogrammes€of€the€Secretariat€of€State€for€the€Advancement€of€Women€and€for€Human€Rights€andÐ „Ô  Ðits€affiliate€bodies.Ð pÀ ÐÌ51.€€Members€of€the€Committee€expressed€concern€that€the€Penal€Code€only€regulated€prostitution,Ð H˜ Ðrather€than€providing€legislation€to€prevent€it.€€They€requested€further€information€in€respect€ofÐ 4„ Ðprostitution€along€with€the€relevant€statistics€where€possible€about€the€reasons€for€the€existence€ofÐ  p Ðprostitution€in€the€country€and€about€the€percentage€of€women€who€earned€a€living€that€way.€€TheyÐ  \ Ðinquired€whether€programmes€or€institutes€existed€to€counsel€prostitutes€and€whether€there€was€aÐ øH Ðrelationship€between€prostitution€and€the€high€proportion€of€young€mothers.Ð ä4 ÐÌ52.€€Members€of€the€Committee€asked€about€the€percentage€of€women€in€the€political€structure€ofÐ ¼  Ðthe€country,€and€to€what€extent€the€National€Council€of€Gabonese€Women€could€influenceÐ ¨ø Ðgovernment€policy€regarding€the€elimination€of€discrimination.€€They€also€asked€whether€the€attitudeÐ ”ä Ðof€the€Directorate€for€the€Status€of€Women€differed€from€the€view,€apparently€generally€held,€thatÐ €Ð Ðthe€main€function€of€women€was€to€produce€children.€Ð l¼ ÐÌ53.€€It€was€also€asked€whether€the€provisions€concerning€nationality€had€any€implications€for€theÐ D!” Ðnationality€of€children.Ð 0"€  ÐÌ54.€€As€regards€education,€members€of€the€Committee€inquired€about€the€rate€of€illiteracy€and€whyÐ $X" Ðthe€literacy€programmes€undertaken€in€Gabon€since€its€independence€had€been€judged€by€theÐ ô$D # ÐGovernment€to€have€failed.€€More€information€was€sought€on€the€participation€of€women€inÐ à%0!$ Ðsecondary„school€teaching,€and€in€technical„school€teaching€specifically€in€rural€areas,€and€on€theÐ Ì&"% Ðmethods€used€to€increase€the€participation€of€women€in€secondary„level€education.€€It€was€also€askedÐ ¸'#& Ðwhether€the€educational€situation€was€different€in€urban€and€in€rural€areas€and€whether€theÐ ¤(ô#' ÐGovernment€was€undertaking€measures€to€promote€the€education€of€women.€€More€information€wasÐ )à$( Ðrequested€on€the€programme€of€the€Interministerial€Working€Group€on€Sex€Education.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ55.€€Members€of€the€Committee€enquired€whether€night€work€was€prohibited€for€women,€whetherÐ T,¤'+ Ðwomen€received€technical€or€vocational€training€and€what€the€duration€of€maternity€leave€was.€€Ô_ÔAsÐ @-(, Ðregards€community€work€for€obtaining€energy€and€water,€which€was€carried€out€mainly€by€women,Ð ° Ðit€was€asked€whether€the€women€who€were€engaged€in€those€tasks€received€any€wages.Ð œì ÐÌ56.€€It€was€considered€that€the€Government€put€an€unusual€burden€on€the€shoulders€of€young€womenÐ tÄ Ðby€requiring€them€to€increase€the€population€of€the€country.€€More€information€was€sought€on€theÐ `° ÐÔ_ÔCentresÔ_Ô€for€the€Protection€of€Mothers€and€Children.€€It€was€asked€whether€the€GovernmentÐ L œ Ðconsidered€family€planning€as€a€right,€whether€sex€education€had€been€introduced€in€schools,€andÐ 8 ˆ Ðwhether€abortion€was€illegal.€€Members€of€the€Committee€wanted€to€know€whether€many€illegalÐ $ t Ðabortions€were€performed.€€Inquiries€were€made€about€the€average€number€of€children€in€a€familyÐ  ` Ðand€also€about€plans€to€build€child„care€Ô_ÔcentresÔ_Ô.Ð ü L  ÐÌ57.€€It€was€asked€whether,€contrary€to€what€had€been€stated€in€the€reportÐ Ô$  Ð(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54/Amend.1),€married€women€could€in€practice€open€a€bank€account€and€beÐ À  Ðgranted€bank€loans.Ð ¬ü  ÐÌ58.€€Information€was€also€sought€on€the€percentage€of€household€chores€and€farming€work€carriedÐ „Ô  Ðout€by€women,€and€the€extent€to€which€rural€women€had€a€share€in€the€family€income.€€SomeÐ pÀ Ðmembers€of€the€Committee€inquired€about€the€existence€of€female€extension€workers€and€askedÐ \¬ Ðwhether€women€were€also€involved€in€the€production€of€cash€crops€and€what€was€meant€in€GabonÐ H˜ Ðby€the€term€ð ðmodern€family€farmingðð€mentioned€in€the€report€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54).€€SomeÐ 4„ Ðmembers€asked€whether€Gabonese€women€considered€their€situation€in€agricultural€work€asÐ  p Ðdisadvantageous.€€It€was€asked€further€whether€efforts€were€being€made€to€convince€women€of€theÐ  \ Ðusefulness€of€training.Ð øH ÐÌ59.€€Several€members€of€the€Committee€stated€that€several€legal€provisions€referring€to€marriageÐ Ð  Ðrelationships€and€the€patriarchal€family€structure,€such€as€the€legislation€concerning€the€familyÐ ¼  Ðresidence€or€the€fact€that€a€Gabonese€man€could€forbid€his€wife€to€work€outside€the€home,€wereÐ ¨ø Ðabsolutely€discriminatory€and€contrary€to€the€spirit€of€the€Convention.€€Information€was€requestedÐ ”ä Ðon€how€the€prohibition€by€a€man€regarding€his€wifeððs€work€outside€the€home€was€implemented,€asÐ €Ð Ðwell€as€on€whether€there€were€any€signs€of€change€in€that€respect.€€Similarly,€the€provisions€in€theÐ l¼ ÐCivil€Code€concerning€adultery€constituted€a€flagrant€discrimination€against€women.€€ClarificationÐ X ¨ Ðwas€sought€regarding€the€reference€to€ð ðoutside€those€cases€allowed€by€customðð€in€article€268€of€theÐ D!” ÐCivil€Code€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54/Amend.1).€€Some€members€of€the€Committee€asked€whether€theyÐ 0"€  Ðwere€right€in€assuming€that€article€226€of€the€Civil€Code€implied€the€simultaneous€existence€of€aÐ #l! Ðmonogamous€and€a€polygamous€marriage€regime.€€Other€members€asked€why€women€did€not€seemÐ $X" Ðto€initiate€court€proceedings€in€cases€of€discrimination€and€whether€it€was€because€of€a€lack€ofÐ ô$D # Ðeducation€or€a€fear€of€social€consequences.€€It€was€also€asked€whether€there€was€a€feministÐ à%0!$ Ðmovement€pressing€for€an€amendment€of€the€family€law.€€As€regards€divorce,€it€was€asked€whetherÐ Ì&"% Ða€women€would€be€entitled€to€alimony€if€the€divorce€was€granted€because€of€the€fault€of€the€woman.€Ð ¸'#& ÐIt€was€asked€further€whether€common„law€wives€received€any€assistance€in€the€case€of€illness.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌ60.€€It€was€asked€why,€as€stated€in€the€report€(CEDAW/C/5/Add.54),€the€widow€and€orphans€of€aÐ |*Ì%) Ðdeceased€male€were€excluded€from€the€partition€of€his€property,€why€children€born€out€of€wedlockÐ h+¸&* Ðwere€not€entitled€to€financial€support€from€their€parents€and€what€was€involved€in€acknowledgingÐ T,¤'+ Ða€child.€€It€was€also€asked€whether€women€had€in€practice€the€right€to€asked€for€divorce€and€what€theÐ @-(, Ðsocial€attitudes€towards€divorced€women€were.Ð ° ÐÌ61.€€In€reply€to€the€questions€raised,€the€representative€of€Gabon€said€that€the€problems€faced€byÐ ˆØ Ðwomen€in€developing€countries€did€not€differ€from€those€in€industrialized€countries.€€African€societyÐ tÄ Ðwas€mainly€paternalistic,€however,€and€that€notion€continued€to€exist€even€among€young€people.€€HeÐ `° Ðregretted€that€he€was€not€in€a€position€to€reply€to€the€questions€raised,€but€he€assured€the€CommitteeÐ L œ Ðthat€he€would€convey€the€questions€to€the€competent€authorities€in€his€country.€€He€noted€theÐ 8 ˆ Ðusefulness€of€the€meeting€in€increasing€his€personal€understanding€of€womenððs€problems,€and€statedÐ $ t Ðthat€if€the€Minister€responsible€for€the€report€had€attended,€she€would€have€been€able€to€have€had€aÐ  ` Ðfruitful€dialogue€with€the€members€of€the€Committee€to€defend€her€report€and€to€answer€their€veryÐ ü L  Ðpertinent€questions.€€In€his€opinion,€the€frankness€of€the€report€almost€bordered€on€exaggeration€andÐ è 8  Ðit€would€have€better€served€the€desired€ends€had€reference€been€made€not€only€to€legal€provisions,Ð Ô$  Ðbut€also€to€the€actual€situation€of€women.€€He€confirmed€that€his€Government€was€making€manyÐ À  Ðefforts€to€promote€the€advancement€of€women.Ð ¬ü  ÐÌ62.€€The€members,€while€appreciating€the€efforts€of€the€representative€of€the€Government€to€presentÐ „Ô  Ðthe€report,€emphasized€the€importance€of€States€parties€taking€their€obligations€seriously€and,Ð pÀ Ðfurthermore,€of€having€a€constructive€dialogue€with€the€representative€of€the€State€party.€€TheyÐ \¬ Ðexpressed€the€hope€that€the€replies€would€be€given€either€in€the€very€near€future€or€included€andÐ H˜ Ðpresented€in€the€second€periodic€report€before€the€ninth€session.