Subject: [fem-women2000 331] WA : June 5 :Editorial: NGOs walking the line for the PFA (fwd)
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 09:01:23 -0400
Seq: 331

Forwarded by lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
---------------- Original message follows ----------------
 From: karen banks <karenb@gn.apc.org>
 To: Multiple recipients of list <b5ngonews@lists.sn.apc.org>
 Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 07:15:00 +0200
 Subject: [B5NGONEWS] WA : June 5 :Editorial: NGOs walking the line for the PFA 
--

Editorial: NGOs walking the line for the PFA

If we said that many of the NGOs attending the Beijing +5 Special Session 
of the UN General Assembly this week feel frustrated with the process we 
would not be exaggerating. Since the Beijing+5 Preparatory Committee in 
March most of the NGO community have had to follow the negotiations only 
>from far away, and on arrival are being confronted with a nearly stalled 
process. The worst of it being that the texts put forward by some 
governments risk weakening the impact and words of the Beijing Platform for 
Action (PFA).

However, representatives of the NGO community have arrived; and certainly 
it is time to let the governments know that we are expecting delivery on a 
document that enables women all over the world to speed up the 
implementation of the PFA.

Part of the commitment from the NGO community to make the Beijing+5 process 
a genuine step forward has already been manifested through the elaboration 
of the alternative reports. These reports critically assess the different 
actors in the implementation of the PFA. Moreover, the NGO calendar for 
this week shows that this event will be used to build alliances and 
strategize around critical issues to strengthen and give more momentum to 
the global women's movement.

The NGO representatives present have a responsibility, not only to our 
sisters who are not here, but to all those who support the PFA, to take 
every opportunity to urge governments to make strong commitments through 
their words in the 'Outcome Document'; and not accepting phrases or words 
that would weaken the commitments made in Beijing. This might mean that the 
more quiet handing over of  NGO alternative reports have to be accompanied 
by actions showing the combative spirit of the women's movement  clear, 
loud and unyielding voices for greater justice.

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