1. On March 9, MIKTA -- a consultative mechanism among the middle power countries of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia -- issued a joint statement at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to commemorate International Women’s Day.

* Choi Seok-young, Permanent Representative of the ROK, the MIKTA chair, to the UN Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, made the joint statement on behalf of the five MIKTA countries.

* MIKTA is a cooperative mechanism among five middle power countries of Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia launched by their foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September 2013. The purpose of the mechanism, whose name is coined with the initials of its five member countries, is to contribute proactively to international efforts to resolve global challenges and regional issues.

2. In the statement, the member states of MIKTA reaffirmed the commitment to removing all obstacles to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, which had been made by many countries by adopting the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the fourth World Congress on Women in 1995.

◦ MIKTA, stressing that the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all women and girls is essential for the empowerment of women, in particular, expressed support for the important work of the UNHRC to end violence against women and girls.

◦ In addition, underscoring the importance of women’s participation in labor force and decision-making, the MIKTA member countries pointed out the need for a transformative, stand-alone goal on gender equality in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

3. MIKTA has issued joint statements urging North Korea to refrain from nuclear tests and other provocative actions; calling for securing safe navigation of civilian aircraft in the wake of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17; and calling for response to the threats of spreading Ebola and the promotion of global health. Its joint statement on women’s human rights marks the first outcome of cooperation among the MIKTA member countries on the international stage, including the UN.

◦ At the first MIKTA Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Seoul on February 27, the MIKTA countries agreed to step up cooperation in multilateral forums.

4. The ROK, as the MIKTA chair from September 2014 till August 2015, will lead MIKTA’s efforts to seek ways to contribute jointly to addressing main international issues and will make efforts toward the success of the fifth MIKTA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting slated to take place in Seoul in May.


* Text of the joint statement attached 

                    
               Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation