Subject: [fem-women2000 181] WA2000 CSW: Daily News #4 - English - 03.03.00
From: "takasaki.ayako" <ayako.takasaki@ntt.com>
Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 11:13:48 +0900
Seq: 181

To: Multiple recipients of list <b5ngonews@lists.sn.apc.org>
Subject: [B5NGONEWS] WA2000 CSW: Daily News #4 - English - 03.03.00

WA2000 CSW: Daily News #4 - English - 03.03.00

NEWS
March 3rd 2000 - New York CSW
Daily Bulletin Number 4
Co-ordinated by WomenAction  2000- http://www.womenaction.org
info@womenaction.org



Editorial
Why did we come to the UN?
We came mainly because we have many proposals that will empower citizens

and enable them to bring about positive change, but also because the UN
is a place of power where important decisions are made that govern local

and national policies. We are here to
promote  common strategies which allow us to achieve gender equality at
all levels of life.

There are many possibilities for strategizing: for some it is
negotiation, for others mobilisation or opposition or possibly a
combination of all three. No matter the difference in strategy it would
seem that what we have in common is the neccesity to
establish a free flow of information. This will not only ensure that we
reach better strategic positions in terms of quality and quantity, but
will also provide a mechanism to ensure that the political process and
areas of negotiation are transparent.
Information is power.
Irene Leon WomenAction 2000

Appropriate ICTs
Can ICTs really make a difference?
We are convinced that globalization and the emerging information society

will either advance the status of women in society or reinforce their
marginalization. African women already network and organize actions
themselves. Appropriate application of ICTs
can enable women to access information and knowledge which can assist in

overcoming the realities of poverty and exclusion. The 1995 United
Nations World Conference on Women (UNWCW) was a major impetus for
women$BCT(B advances in the use of ICTs. During the
preparatory phase of the UNWCW, women were pioneers in taking up the use

of email for information exchange, lobbying and campaigning. Though the
Internet was a relatively new tool for women, those who gained access
and learned to use it were quick to grasp
its potential to facilitate the UNWCW agenda. The development of ICTs is

taking place in a global context of gender inequalities. In Africa
disparities exist amongst women in terms of access to education, land,
credit, literacy etc. Gender intersects with
many other differences and disparities which also shape women$BCT(B ICT
needs and experiences such as: race, ethnicity, class, culture, age,
history, sexual orientation, geographic location, disability. Poverty,
war and endemic violence against women are ever
present realities in the lives of many women living in Africa.

"ICTs .. bring profound changes to our communities. They influence how
we know and understand the world. They change work methods and the ways
in which we communicate. They affect how we access and share
information. They are also an important source of
power. By acquiring the equipment and skills to use them, we gain access

to that power."


The Internet : Getting Connected, published by the African Gender
Institute and Women's Net    --- APC Africa Women

Interview
A testimony as a collage of actions
Over 500,000 women and girls from the former Soviet Union, mainly from
the Russian Federation, have been forced into sexual slavery as
prostitutes in over 50 receiving countries, including US. Because of the

opening Eastern market, the economy continues to
decline, and people became vulnerable. Dr Anele Heiges, member of the
MiraMed Institute which aims to combat the growing scourge of criminal
trafficking, explains the four main areas of intervention. First, the
Institute has to work globally to get better
laws. At the moment in Russia, Anele Heiges explains, $BAM(Begislation is
being drafted In other words, there is no law yet. The second major
area is education. To provide the population with professional skills,
many Russian volunteers, among others college
students and retired people, teach.  There are courses in English as a
second language, computer skills and ICT networking, and art for
personal expression. Thirdly, the Institute focuses on combating sex
trafficking. Finally, it has set up a program of
job creation, because as Anele Heiges says if there is no work, they go

to trafficking

In a program to involve the public in their work, MiraMed set up a
chatroom in June and September 1999,  Allowing people to break the
silence surrounding this problem It revealed a real popular desire to
solve the problem. Testimony of tears, of joy,
of gratitude$B)r(B Some policemen became involved. Today, Anele Heiges
remains optimistic. with very few means, we will do big things. At the
least, we are making the traffickers work more difficult
by Joelle Palmieri, WomenAction 2000


NGO Caucus

Towards a strong network
First Francophone meeting took place on March 1st. Almost 20 women
coming from Africa, Canada and Europe, reached this initiative. The
Caucus decided to create a discussion-list to network and to ask UN
interpreters to translate with a feminized language
such as Madame, la Pr$BqT(Bidente(Mrs. Chairman). Next meeting, next
week.

Health
Yesterday's meeting discussed language to be included in the Outcomes
Document.  The caucus agreed on several proposals relating to women and
HIV. The document needs to emphasize the responsibility of HIV-infected
people not to spread the virus. Surveys
and statistics are needed for all age groups (highlighting the 15 to 24
year-olds). In respect to stigmatization, the language needs to be more
concrete (Governments have to tell their public that the HIV virus can
affect everybody, independently of
lifestyle. The caucus will meet again today (1.30 pm, location to be
announced) and decide on a complete first draft of language suggestions
to the Outcome Document.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific Women Watch (APWW) functions as the Regional Caucus for
Asia-Pacific.
It identified five key issue areas as their regional priority: women and

economy; continuing human rights abuses of women; armed conflict;
institutional mechanism to promote equality for women; and political
participation in UN meetings.

Outcome of their Asia Pacific Regional Symposium stresses that the past
few years have been particularly difficult for the region. The Outcome
Document (L1/Rev.1) was considered insufficient as it fails to mention
the effect of globalization in capitalist
economic framework failing also to recognize the concept of inherent
social responsibility and equality. The region has seen an increase in
the number of women living in poverty largely caused by international
influence including globalization. Complete
failure of the international community to develop mechanisms for the
regulation and accountability of new centers of power. The caucus also
alerted that the repeated mention and emphasis on "civil society" could
mean shifting of state responsibility and
the equity to NGOs and the civil society.

As the countries reel under debt, there are cuts in the social sector.
Safety nets are a lip service.  There is reduced access to affordable
quality health care; including primary health care; increased struggle
for means of livelihood.  Food security
stands endangered. Pam Rajput said five years ago in CSW This Universe
wants Pepsi, Miss World wants Coca Cola.  What does the poor women want?

Safe drinking water! Either water is not available, or it is poisonous,
mixed with toxic waste.These
conditions have not changed since before Beijing. Development with a
human face is yet to see the light of day. Further, in the past five
years, the region has witnessed an increasing culture of violence,
trafficking, the escalating commodification of
women and girl children and violation of their human rights.

APWW will meet 10:30-16:00 3rd March 8th Floor Church Center for
drafting and strategizing.

Read Caucus Statements at: www.womenaction.org/csw44/resources.html


Cross-cutting

Olympic Games and Afghanistan
At the initiative of the NEGAR (Association of assistance to women of
Afghanistan) and of the Atlanta-Sydney Committee (fighting
discrimination against women in sports), a delegation of five young men
and women athletes of Afghanistan decided to go to
Sydney to attend, at least symbolically, the Olympic Games of the year
2000. This project demonstrates the will to an entire people to resist
destruction and the refusal of Afghan women to be buried alive.
More information: w113111@club-internet.fr

World Water Forum and Gender
The second World Water Forum will be held March 17-22 2000 in the
Netherlands. This global conference of government Ministers will prepare

international policy regarding this crucial issue. Gender and Water
falls at the CSW under Chapter K of the Beijing
Platform for Action. The International Information Centre and Archives
for the Women's Movement conducted a global e-mail based consultancy on
gender and water, from October 1999 through to February 2000. This was
part of an effort to ensure that women's
concerns are taken into consideration. The resulting recommendations to
the Ministerial Conference will be made available in Spanish, French and

English at www.iiav.nl/knowhow/water.html. The Gender and Water listserv

is continuing. To subscribe, send an
e-mail to listserv@nic.surfnet.nl <mailto:listserv@nic.surfnet.nl>. In
the message area type: Subscribe water your first name your last name.


Resources
WomenAction 2000 (NGO) www.womenaction.org
Email: info@womenaction.org
WomenWatch (UN)  www.un.org/womenwatch
UN Division on the Status of Women (UNDAW)  www.un.org/daw
Email: daw@un.org

UNIFEM www.undp.org/unifem
Email: unifem@undp.org


TAKASAKI AYAKO*** ayako.takasaki@ntt.com
Advanced Business Works
NTT Communications Corporation
tel +81 3 5353 3410,3498(Direct)
fax +81 3 5353 5662
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