IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #223 Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide February 17, 2003 UPDATE ON UN AND NGO ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, MARCH 2003 1. The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will hold its 47th Session from 3 to 14 March 2003 at UN headquarters in New York. Since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, the Commission has been mandated to regularly review the twelve critical areas of concern in the Platform for Action (PFA). This year, the two thematic issues from the PFA to be reviewed are: - (a) participation and access of women to the media, and (b) information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women; and - women's human rights and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. 2. The UN Division for the Advancement of Women, which serves as the Secretariat for the Commission, organized three expert group meetings on these themes—trafficking of women, media and ICTs-- to consider approaches that have proven successful in specific contexts, to draw out generalized lessons and recommendations, and to anticipate new challenges and emerging trends. Discussion papers, notes, recommendations and final reports from these expert group meetings can be found on http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/trafficking2002/index.html; http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/media2002/index.html; http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/ict2002/index.html 3. Representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are accredited with ECOSOC and who pre-registered to attend this CSW prior to the 13 December 2002 deadline may attend the proceedings of this Commission. If you pre-registered, you should now have received a letter of confirmation from DAW. Full registration for NGOs will take place at the NGO Registration Desk, located in the United Nations Lobby of the General Assembly Building beginning on Friday, February 28 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and continuing from March 3 to Thursday March 13 from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Parallel to the meetings of government delegates, women from NGOs around the world have come to New York at the time of the CSW not only to lobby governments for action on issues under review but to use this two week "women and public policy space" as an opportunity for idea-sharing, skill-training, caucusing, networking and the launching of campaigns, projects, and other initiatives. 4. The NGO Committee on the Status of Women (Geneva, New York and Vienna), one of the Sub-Committees of CONGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative status with the UN) sponsors a series of meetings and events during the CSW as well as facilitating space for groups wishing to sponsor workshops and meetings at the Church Center, directly opposite the UN, and at other nearby locations. Events sponsored by NGOs and held outside of the UN, are open to everyone. A major event hosted by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women is the pre-CSW consultation to familiarize interested NGOs in the issues before the CSW. This event which will take place March 1 and 2 at Barnard College on 117 Street and Broadway, includes panels, keynote speakers, breakout groups, and skill-training opportunities, offers NGOs an excellent opportunity to learn more about the issues, network, organize, and familiarize themselves with what to expect during the Commission. For NGOs attending the CSW for the first time, these meetings are particularly important. Advance registration for all NGO Committee on the Status of Women activities and events is required by February 21, 2003. Many of these events have a payment attached. Overseas participants can pay at the door but registration is still necessary by the deadline. Highlights of the events are provided below and details and the registration form can be found on: http://www.ngocongo.org/ngonew/uncomsw.htm In addition to activities sponsored by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, several workshops, panels and training activities being organized for which there are no fees and for which no registration is required. Details will be available at the start of the CSW at the Church Centre. A schedule of daily events — both UN and NGO - is being prepared by DAW working in close consultation with the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. This calendar will be available on the DAW website on 3 March. Please see: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/47sess.htm CSW Proposed Organization of Work of Government Delegates - March 3-7: Morning sessions of are usually from 10 am 1 pm, afternoon sessions are from 3 pm 6pm. Workshops, panels and training activities sponsored by NGOs will take place alongside these main sessions both within UN headquarters (and therefore open only to accredited NGOs) as well as in nearby locations (open to all). - Two government-organized panels on the major CSW themes will take place the first week. The panel on participation and access of women to the media, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) will be held on March 3 and the one on women's human rights and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls is scheduled for March 4. - As part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the work of the Commission, this year's CSW will feature a round table on national experiences in institutional capacity building particularly in relation to the two thematic issues. - March 10-14: Informal Consultations, action on proposals and adoption of the report will take place in the second week of the session. - NGOs will hold a daily briefing from 9-10 am at UN headquarters to summarize issues from previous day's discussion and review issues on the agenda for that day. NGO Activities Highlights of activities hosted by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (for details see http://www.ngocongo.org/ngonew/uncomsw.htm) include: - Women, Communications, and ICTs. Saturday, March 1, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, Barnard College, Cost: $15. This high level panel on policy affecting women's access to ICTs will address such issues as community access, regulation, and the World Summit on the Information Society. - NGO Consultation: "Equality, Education and Empowerment." Sunday, March 2, 8:30 am 6:00 pm, , Barnard College. $35 registration fee includes consultation and information packet. Keynote address: Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF. Other activities will include a panel and small group discussion around specific issues. - NGO Reception. Wednesday, March 5, 6:00 pm 8:00 pm,. $20, Turkish Center, 821 UN Plaza. Includes presentation of the Woman of Distinction Award to Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM - NGO Artisan Craft Fair. Thursday, March 6, 12:00 pm 6:00 pm, , Church Center, 777 UN Plaza. Anyone bringing crafts or other artisan goods may participate. Display tables will be provided. Organizations/persons selling items must handle their own merchandise and sales. ALSO ON THE AGENDA; - International Women's Day. The official observance of International Women's Day at the U N will include an address by the Secretary General and will take place on Friday, March 7. The NGO Committee on the Status of Women is sponsoring a Saturday, 8 March event on "Women as Society Builders" from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. at the American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, New York City. Invited guest speaker: Mae Jemison, MD, Astronaut. Cost: $10. - "A Women's World Conference and/or what about /Beijing + 10?" will be the topic for discussion at the 9-10am NGO morning briefings on March 4 and 5. - Regional and thematic caucuses will also meet throughout the two weeks. Details will be available at the time of registration. CONTACT INFORMATION - Official Documents can be found on http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/47sess.htm - United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW) via email (csw47@un.org) or by fax (1 212 963-3463) - NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York. P.O. Box 3571, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y. 10163 U.S.A. Tel: 212-692-0725 Fax: 212-692-0724; Email: ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com IWTC Women's GlobalNet is a production of: International Women's Tribune Centre 777 United Nations Plaza 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (1-212) 687-8633 Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 Email: <iwtc@iwtc.org> Web: <http://www.iwtc.org> PLEASE NOTE: For back issues of IWTC Women's GlobalNet, go to our website at <www.iwtc.org> and click on either Women's GlobalNet under Resources, or What's New? 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