Subject: [fem-women2000 56] IWTC Women's Globalnet #129
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 07:20:33 +0900
Seq: 56

 From: iwtc@igc.org
 To: iwtc-womensglobalnet@igc.org
 Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 14:51:47 -0400
 Subject: IWTC Women's GlobalNet #129
--

IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #129

Women's Initiatives and Activities Worldwide
by Anne S. Walker

September 23, 1999

UP-DATE ON UN PREPARATIONS FOR THE BEIJING PLUS FIVE REVIEW

1. Government Responses to Beijing Platform for Action (PFA)
Questionnaire: As of 7 September l999,  94 Governments and two Observer
States had responded to the UN's  questionnaire on implementation of the
PFA. Responses to the questionnaire are considered a key information
component in the overall global assessment being undertaken by the UN
Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW). This assessment will be
submitted to the Preparatory Committee in March 2000. (See IWTC's
Preview 2000 #2 for a copy of the questionnaire and more detailed
information on the overall review process).

Governments that have not yet prepared a national plan of action
(Beijing PFA paragraph 297) for implementing recommendations in the PFA,
considered one of the essential first steps in the follow-up to the 1995
UN Fourth World Conference on Women, are still encouraged to do so. As
of June 1999, 112 Governments and one Observer State had prepared such
plans and submitted them to DAW. A list of those countries can be found
on-line at <"http://www.un.org/womenwatch/followup/national/natplans.htm>
together with a useful list of summaries of national plans arranged by
region/country
<"http://www.un.org/womenwatch/followup/national/africsum.htm>. 

2. Dates and Themes Set for Regional Meetings for Beijing Plus Five:

AFRICA:  ECA - Sixth African Regional Conference on Women to assess
progress in the implementation of the Beijing and African 
Platforms for Action, 22-27 November, 1999 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). For
details, visit:
<"http://www.undp.org/gender/gb/bjbullet/region__info.html#africa>.

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC:  ESCAP - High-level meeting to Review the
Implementation of the Jakarta Declaration and Plan of Action and
Regional Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action, 26-29 October, 1999 (Bangkok, Thailand). Themes for the working
papers are:  women's political empowerment, women's economic
empowerment, a rights-based approach to the empowerment of women, and
strategies for the empowerment of women.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA:  ECE - Expert Meeting at the intergovernmental
level to review economic issues, problems and policies relating to women
in the ECE countries, 19 - 21 January, 2000 (Geneva, Switzerland). Main
areas of focus will be: (1) women and the economy; (2) institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women; (3) women and violence;
(4)women in power and decision-making.

WESTERN ASIA:  ESCWA - Arab Conference on Integrated Follow-up to Global
Conferences, 27 November - 1 December, 1999 (Beirut, Lebanon).

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: ECLAC - 8th Regional Conference,
January/February 2000 (Lima, Peru).

3. New Publication of Particular Relevance to Beijing Plus Five Review
Process: "Gender Indicators for Follow-up and Evaluation of the Regional
Programme of Action for the Women of Latin America and the Caribbean,
1995-2001, and the Platform for Action" is a recent publication issued
by ECLAC based on their work to produce a system of indicators that can
be used to follow up and evaluate regional and international agreements
pertaining to women's advancement and promotion of gender equity. The
publication can be obtained by contacting:  Women and Development Unit,
Edificio Naciones Unidas, Avenida Dag Hammarskjold, Casilla 179-D,
Santiago de Chile or on line at: 
<"http://www.eclac.cl/English/research/women/indicators/genderind.htm>.

For an excellent global update of the activities of UNDP, particularly
at the regional level, see the new electronic bulletin "UNDP Beijing+5".
For a copy, visit: <"http://www.undp.org/gender/gb/bjbullet.html>.


NGO PREPARATIONS FOR BEIJING PLUS FIVE

The Beijing Plus Five Coordinating Committee Calls for Information on
Alternative Country Reports: The Conference of NGOs in Consultative
Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO),  through its Beijing Plus
Five Coordinating Committee, would like to hear from groups preparing
alternative reports for their country and/or region. This information is
vital in determining the level of interest and action regarding national
reports since these reports would serve as a basis for, and make
possible, regional and global alternative reports. This idea generated
considerable enthusiasm during the NGO meetings held parallel to the
l999 UN Commission on the Status of Women.  So far, information has been
received from Japan and the Pacific. Please let us know of any other
reports that are under way. Contact Women's GlobalNet at <iwtc@igc.org>
or CONGO at <congongo@aol.com>.

The next issue of Women's GlobalNet will focus in more detail on the
plans and preparations of the NGO community for Beijing Plus Five. 

IWTC Women's GlobalNet is produced by:
International Women's Tribune Centre 
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017 
Tel: (1-212) 687-8633
Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 
e-mail: <iwtc@igc.apc.org>


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