Beijing + 15 information from around the world

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1 Beijing + 15 information from around the world From March 1 to , government delegations attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women will assess progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) 15 years since it was adopted at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in Immediately prior to the CSW, on February 27 28, several thousand women will gather in New York to celebrate Beijing +15 at the Global Beijing + 15 NGO Forum for Women. The BPFA is considered to be the most comprehensive agenda for women s empowerment. It contains strategic objectives and actions on 12 critical areas of concern: women and poverty, education and training of women, women and health, violence against women, women and armed conflict, women and the economy, women in power and decision making, institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, human rights of women, women and the media, women and the environment, and the girl child. In anticipation of Beijing + 15, governments and non governmental organizations around the world are engaged in preparatory activities to assess progress made at both national and regional level and to identify gaps and challenges requiring accelerated action in the years ahead NGO Global Forum for Women: Beijing +15 The Forum will take place on February 27 & 28, This Forum immediately precedes the 54th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, which will also undertake a 15 year review and appraisal of the BPfA. Registration Online Registration Register online for 2010 NGO Global Forum for Women: Beijing +15» Early Registration (by October 15th): Adult: $130.00, Youth (25 and under): $ Registration (by January 15th): Adult: $150.00, Youth: $ Late Registration (after January 15th): Adult: $190.00, Youth: $ Registration by Mail Download the 2010 NGO Global Forum Registration Form in PDF format (99kB) to be mailed with your payment. Your registration and payment must be mailed by February 15th. Event Details 2010 marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women. In recognition of this anniversary, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women NY is organizing an NGO Global Women s Forum to consider implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). 1

2 The Forum program will include two full conference days commencing with an opening ceremony, and continuing with plenary sessions, panel discussions, and workshops. Please see the attached preliminary program. The NGO CSW is the principal locus of NGO facilitation and coordination for the Forum and is working closely with NGOs and UN partners to assure full and representative participation from all regions of the world, especially from developing countries. Please note that the NGO CSW/NY s Annual Consultation Day in preparation for CSW 54 will be part of the Forum. For additional information, visit: forum &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& AFRICA AFRICA REGIONAL TASK FORCE FOR THE BEIJING + 15 REVIEW PROCESS Women s organizations in Africa formed the Africa Regional Task Force for the Beijing +15 Review Process following the UN Commission on the Status of Women session in March The Task Force is responsible for mobilizing women s organizations and individuals in different countries to carry out activities at the national level, aimed at raising awareness on the 12 Critical Areas of Concern and ensuring that governments take further and appropriate measures and actions to implement the Beijing Platform for Action. The Africa Task Force is encouraging women s NGOs and civil society organizations to participate in national review activities and produce shadow reports, which will recognize the accomplishments made and also make suggestions on how to fill in the gaps. These reports will be collated sub regionally, and sub regional reports will inform the regional civil society report. The Economic Commission on Africa (UNECA) provided the questionnaires NGOs are using to facilitate the information collection. FEMNET has circulated the questionnaire to all members of the Africa Task Force. The Africa Task Force recognizes the urgent need to mobilize resources for civil society review processes. UNECA indicated that they do not have resources to support civil society. However, it committed to facilitate NGO discussions through teleconferencing. For additional information on the work of the Africa Task Force on Beijing + 15, contact: Naisola Likimani Advocacy Officer, FEMNET E mail: advocacy@femnet.or.ke Tel: /2 2

3 or Chigedze Chiyepi Africa Regional Coordinator E mail: cchinyepi@yahoo.com Currently, the Africa Regional Task Force is encouraging organizing at national level through the identification of organizations willing to serve as national focal points. The African Women s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), a Task Force member, is coordinating for Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi in the Eastern Africa sub region and Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Cote d Ivoire and Niger in West Africa. Below is a list of the coordinating organizations in different countries: Kenya FIDA Kenya Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) Maendeleo ya Wanawake Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) GROOTS Kenya Girl Child Network (GCN) League of Kenya Women Voters FEMNET Rwanda Profemmes Haguruka AVEGA KENYAN NGOS DEVELOP AN ACTION STRATEGY TO REVIEW BEIJING PFA In Kenya, FEMNET convened a Beijing + 15 meeting on May 19, 2009 among women s organizations who decided on the following: Each Kenyan organization would be responsible for 2 Critical Areas of Concern based on their organizational expertise, and would then mobilize other stakeholders around these areas. Stakeholders would not be limited to women s organizations, but will also include private sector, religious groups, men, and government institutions. The ongoing Kenya Constitution reform process was selected as a unique opportunity to engage and influence on issues critical to women under the BPFA. 3

4 One key event per month will be organized, beginning in June and culminating in November with a major event to be organized during the 16 days of activism (November 25 th December 10 th ). The key strategies for popularizing and mobilizing around this process are: Incorporating activities in International human rights days activities e.g. Day of the African Child; Engaging the media; Organizing activities at the provincial level for the 9 Kenyan provinces; and Incorporating into our organizations existing activities/materials. In July the Kenya Team met with the Ministry of Gender and was invited to participate in a Taskforce to write the National Report. The team also lobbied for a stakeholders forum to provide input from civil society into the National Report. The forum will take place before the end of July. ORGANIZING FOR BEIJING + 15 IN WEST AFRICA In West Africa, FEMNET held a regional meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on June 4 5, The meeting allowed for information sharing about the Beijing + 15 review process and solicitation of commitments to participate and contribute to the process. Participants in the meeting were from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D Ivoire, Niger and Togo. The following are the Beijing + 15 national coordinating organizations in West Africa: Benin: WiLDAF Benin ONG AMEM AFEDEB Burkina Faso: Marche Mondiale de Femmes COAFEB CBDF Cote D Ivoire: FEMNET Cote D Ivoire BEFAC INTER AFJCI OFACI Niger: CONGAFEN ONG DIMOL AFJN 4

5 Togo: GF2D CCOFT WiLDAF Togo ORGANIZING FOR BEIJING + 15 IN NORTH AFRICA and the ISLANDS FEMNET plans to organize a Beijing + 15 meeting in North Africa in August The participating countries are Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. A sub regional meeting for Beijing +15 review is planned in October/November for the islands of Madagascar, Comoro, Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion and Mayotte. REGIONAL SCORECARD PROPOSED TO MONITOR GOVERNMENT PROGRESS IN AFRICA In addition to the work of the Africa Regional Task Force, the Eastern African sub Regional Support Initiative for Advancement of Women (EASSI) is monitoring how governments of Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda are implementing their commitments to the BPFA. EASSI organized a regional meeting in Kampala, Uganda on July 17 18, The meeting discussed a 'regional scorecard' on implementation of the BPFA. This meeting also marked the launch of Beijing + 15 process in the 8 countries that EASSI is working in namely, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda and Tanzania. The scorecard meeting came up with a consensus among participants to track issues of reproductive health, violence against women, women and poverty, women, peace and armed conflict and women in decision making. EASSI will hold a meeting in Northern Kenya on August 17 19, 2009 bringing women in from Northern Uganda to Kenya to discuss their experiences of Beijing and the scorecard ratings for the two countries focusing on the critical areas of concern for women, peace and armed conflict and UNSCR The EASSI and its partners will monitor at the national level and allocate scores according to the agreed rating. They plan to present an analytical report as well as advocacy strategies during the Global Beijing +5 NGO Forum in New York on February 27 and 28, 2010 based on their monitoring in East Africa. For additional information on EASSI s Beijing + 15 initiatives, contact: Marren Akatsa Bukachi Executive Director Eastern African sub Regional Support Initiative for Advancement of Women(EASSI) P.O. Box 24965, Kampala, Uganda Tel: /194 E mail: marren.akatsa@eassi.org, marren.akatsa@hotmail.com 5

6 UGANDA BPFA REVIEW NON GOVERNMENT WORKING GROUP In Uganda, the Icon Women And Young People s Leadership Academy has provided convening space for women s groups, private sector and the general public to review Uganda s progress in the implementation of the BPFA. It has supported the formation of the Uganda BPFA Review NGO Working Group which has come up with the following objectives: To build women s and young women s leadership capacities to influence social transformation in participatory policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and review processes nationally, regionally and globally; To facilitate renewed understanding, commitment and participation of women s organizations in Uganda in reviewing the implementation of the BPFA; To identify achievements, gaps and challenges faced by the government and other key players in implementing the BPFA and generate a road map to address gaps. To create effective review mechanisms and partnerships between government and NGOs in Uganda; the Africa Women s Caucus (AWC) and other Pan African women focused coalitions and institutions; and the Commission on the Satus of Women (CSW). As a way forward, the Uganda BPFA Review NGO Working Group agreed to: Review and amend the monitoring and Evaluation tool for the implementation of the BPFA developed by EASSSI; Identify and contact the different actors handling the various areas of concern and request each to review progress made; Organize a national conference; and Publish conference proceedings and present report to the NGO parallel session during the 2010 CSW session in New York. Twelve sub working groups composed of women s groups and civil society organizations have been formed to collect information around the 12 critical areas of concern. UN ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA (UNECA) EXPERT GROUP AND MINISTERIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 26 30, 2009; BANJUL, THE GAMBIA The UN Economic Commission on Africa (UNECA) is responsible for facilitating the African intergovernmental preparations for the Beijing +15 review. These include: Dissemination of questionnaires to national gender machineries to assess progress on implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (PfA); Compiling a comprehensive report based on the findings; and Convening an Experts Group meeting and a regional Ministerial meeting in Banjul, the Gambia from Oct 26 30, 2009 to review and endorse the report. 6

7 UNECA will facilitate observer status for the Africa Taskforce at the Ministerial meeting in October It will also organize a space for civil society to have parallel activities and present their findings during the meeting. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Asia and the Pacific ASIA PACIFIC NGO FORUM ON B+15; OCTOBER; PHILIPPINES Asia Pacific Women's Watch (APWW) is organizing the Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 15 on October 2009 at Miriam College, Quezon City, Philippines. Patricia B. Licuanan, President of Miriam College and former Chairperson of the United Nations Commi ssion on the Status of Women is the Convener. The Forum's theme "Weaving Wisdom, Confronting Crises, Forging the Future" highlights the important contributions of women's organizations and networks and feminist movements in meeting the strategic objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action. APWW is inviting all interested NGOs to organize workshops and seminars, which should contribute substantive inputs and discussions to the forum theme: "Weaving wisdom" by sharing stories of women's activism and the approaches, knowledge and skills developed; "Confronting crises" by presenting papers and programmes developed in response to crisis, whether economic, environmental, political or cultural, with a particular focus on addressing the impact on women's needs and interests; and "Forging the future" by brainstorming ways for inter country and regional cooperation among civil society organizations to realize and enrich the vision of Beijing and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Participating organizations are expected to shoulder their own costs for meals and lodging in relation to the Forum. Workshop rooms and LCD projectors will be provided by the organizing committee free of charge. An International Bazaar will also be held during the AP NGO Forum, with products from both the Philippines (e.g. natural pearl accessories, woven baskets and fabrics, organic beauty products) and other countries. Participants are invited to bring beautiful crafts, spices, jams, textiles, jewellery, art, clothes and accessories that other women will want to purchase. A booth (and help to staff it) will be made available for registered participants at no extra cost. For workshop application forms and more information see: If you are interested in bringing in items to be sold at the bazaar, contact Luz Martinez at lmmartinez@mc.edu.ph EXAMPLES OF PREPARATIONS FOR B+15 AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL IN ASIA & THE PACIFIC 7

8 NEPAL & AUSTRALIA In Nepal, Saathi in coordination with other key women's organizations and activists is planning to bring out an NGO Nepal report on Beijing + 15 in time to share it with the AP NGO Forum in October and later at the Commission on the Status of Women. The document is expected to be finalized after a two day national conference in Kathmandu in the second week of September that will be attended by around 100 gender activists and women's organizations. For more information, contact Bandana Rana at bandanarana@gmail.com or saathi@gmail.com Across Australia, a series of caravans (or meetings) are taking place until the end of September to allow a broad diversity of women to participate in bringing their voice to the Beijing + 15 review. The information, which is being collected by JERA International, will then be analysed, and issues and recommendations will be prepared to feed back to participating NGOs and the Government in time for the regional review in October Women are invited to participate by running or attending a caravan or by filling out an e questionnaire. JERA International will also be holding workshops with men during November For a caravan information kit and list of caravans held in each state visit: For the questionnaire see: platform for action review survey UNESCAP HIGH LEVEL REGIONAL MEETING; NOVEMBER, BANGKOK, THAILAND The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) organized an Expert Group Meeting on May 2009 to discuss the conceptual and organizational framework for the High Level Regional Meeting on Beijing + 15 to be held November 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. To access selected papers presented at the Expert Group Meeting see: Also to support the High Level Regional Meeting, an Expert Group Meeting on gender statistics and the use of violence against women indicators in support of CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action was convened by UNESCAP on 1 3 October 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. For details see: UNESCAP circulated questionnaires to governments in Asia and the Pacific to aid in the appraisal of progress in implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty third special session of the UN General Assembly (2000) over the five year period from 2004 to The process will identify achievements, gaps and challenges as well as provide an indication of areas where actions and initiatives are most urgent to further implementation. The questionnaire can be found at: 8

9 For more on the High Level Meeting and responses to the questionnaire see: &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& South Asia Sub Regional Beijing +15 Consultation Meeting; Delhi, India; September 2009 Contact: Prof. Dr. Pam Rajput, Executive Director, Women's Resource and Advocacy Centre 2064, Sector 15 C Chandigarh Tele/ fax : , , e mail: pamrajput@yahoo.co.in or pamrajput@glide.net.in &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Latin America and the Caribbean Conferencia Regional sobre la Mujer de America Latina y el Caribe; Brazil; July 2010; organized by Economic Commission for Latin Amrica and the Caribbean For more information, see: e= &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Europe NGO INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLES ON THE UN ECE BEIJING +15 REGIONAL REVIEW MEETING; October GENEVA, Switzerland Venue : Maison des Associations, 15, rue des Savoises, 1204 Geneva Friday 30th October Provisional Agenda From 8h30 Registration In situ PLENARY ROOM 1 10h00 11h00 OPENING SESSION Opening of the meeting by the Convener of the NGO CSW Working Group on Women in Employment and Economics of Gender 9

10 Expectations from NGOs by the Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary Organization of work 11h00 13h00 UNIFEM training session: Teach in on Gender and Macroeconomics: Impact of and response to the Economic & Financial Crisis and Financing for Development 13h00 14h30 Lunch break 14h30 16h00 PLENARY I: Review of major achievements and challenges for gender equality in the ECE region* Brief presentation by the ECE Secretariat on their paper Presentation by NGOs from sub regional perspectives (one presentation by each of the following sub regions: 1. South East Europe; 2. Eastern Europe Caucasus and Central Asia; 3. Western EU Countries and Western non EU countries; 4. North America: US and Canada Questions and Answers 16h00 16h30 Coffee break 16h30 18h00 Interactive Discussions by sub regions on Plenary I presentations, «Review of major achievements and challenges for gender equality in the ECE Region» Sub regional l South East Europe Rm 1A Sub regional 2 Eastern Europe Causes and Central Asia Rm 1B Sub regional 3 Western EU Countries and Western non EU countries Rm 2 Sub regional 4 North America: US and Canada Rm 3 18h00 19h00 Welcome drinks offered by the «Conseil d Etat de la République et Canton de Genève» Saturday 31 st October PLENARY ROOM 1 09h00 09h45 PLENARY II: Responsibility of the Corporate Sector and the Mainstreaming Gender and Equality Invited OECD expert on corporate responsibility 09h45 10h30 General discussion and conclusions (in place of interactive discussions) 10

11 10h30 11h30 PLENARY III: Review of Progress in Implementing Gender Sensitive Economic and Employment Policies in the Context of the Present Economic and Financial Crisis* Brief presentation by the ECE Secretariat on their paper Presentation by NGOs from sub regional perspectives Questions and Answers 11h30 13h00 Interactive discussions by sub regions on Plenary III presentations Review of process in implementing gender sensitive economic and employment policies in the context of the present economic and financial crisis. Sub regional 1 South East Europe Rm 1A Sub regional 2 Eastern Europe Caucasus and Central Asia Rm 1B Sub regional 3 Western EU Countries and Western non EU countries Rm 2 Sub regional 4 North America: US and Canada Rm 3 13h00 14h15 Lunch break 14h15 15h45 PLENARY IV: Building Partnerships, Networks and Alliances to Promote Gender Equality * Brief presentation by the ECE Secretariat on their paper Presentation by NGOs from sub regional perspectives Questions and Answers 15h45 16h30 Interactive discussions by sub regions on Plenary IV presentations Building Partnerships, Networks and Alliances to Promote Gender Equality Sub regional 1 South East Europe Rm 1A Sub regional 2 Eastern Europe Caucasus and Central Asia Rm 1B Sub regional 3 Western EU Countries and Western non EU countries Rm 2 Sub regional 4 North America: US and Canada Rm 3 16h30 18h30 CLOSING PLENARY SESSION Reports from the four sub regional caucuses Review and Adoption of the Draft Conclusions to be conveyed by the participating NGOs to the Intergovernmental Meeting *(Cross cutting issues to be addressed are migration, trafficking and demography). 11

12 Note: the results of the interactive discussions will constitute NGOs contribution to the intergovernmental process through lessons learned to stimulate implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Beijing + 15 Regional Review Meeting for Economic Commission for Europe (ECE ) Member States (UNECE brings together 56 countries located in the European Union, non EU Western and Eastern Europe, South East Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and North America); Geneva, 2 3 November 2009 The main objectives of this meeting on New challenges and opportunities for gender equality in the ECE region: key issues and policy responses are to: Take stock of the progress made in the region on gender equality and women s empowerment, and address the major challenges ahead; Discuss gender sensitive economic policies, taking into account the impact of the financial crisis on the countries of the region; Facilitate policy design and implementation based on successful experiences in engendering economic and labour market policies; Promote partnerships to increase gender equality in the region; Create a forum for discussing forward looking action; and Contribute to the global 15 year review of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. To access the provisional agenda, please see: Compiled by Mavic Cabrera Balleza <mavic@iwtc.org> International Women s Tribune Centre; September 8,