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Working Group
II Chair Asith Bhattacharjee (India) WGII discussed paragraphs
on international and national actions, including on consumption
and production patterns, international trade, action-oriented
programmes, and human rights policies.
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In
Working Group I on armed conflict, JUSCANZ (left) proposed,
while the EU supported and Bangladesh opposed, incorporation of language
from GA Resolution 54/105 on the adoption of the Rome Statute of the
ICC, which provides that, inter alia, rape and other forms of sexual
violence are war crimes. The EU suggested, and JUSCANZ opposed, text
on any other forms of sexual violence of comparable gravity. Chair
Mlacak referred the text to a contact group. |
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Panel
Discussion: "The Role of Men and Boys in Ending Gender-based
Violence"
 Organized
by the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women,
the Division for the Advancement of Women, UNICEF, UNDP, UNIFEM
and the UN Men's Group for Gender Equality, cosponsored by the CSW
PrepCom. The panel, chaired by Richard Jolly, Special Adviser
to the Administrator of UNDP (below right). Norman Tjombe,
Legal Assistance Center, Namibia (below left) discussed rape
and a new gender-neutral law in Namibia and said all rape trials
should be made public. He discussed a national conference on organizing
men against violence against women held
in Namibia. Mufti Ziauddin, Human Rights
Lawyer, Pakistan (below center), discussed Islamic Law and
implications for women and the lack of social justice in the legal
system in Pakistan.
Above
photo: Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM
Spanish-speaking
delegates request translation of the event (right)
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Noeleen
Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM (above) thanked all the
men that are working toward breaking the cycle of violence. She
discussed UNIFEM's zero violence campaign. She said the campaign
addressed four kinds of violence: in the home, traditional practices,
war and economic reasons, such as trafficking. She said the campaign
was focused at four different levels: protection, prevention, social
services and transformation of the justice system. She said 9 UN
agencies came together in partnership with governments and civil
society. She
emphasized the power of the media. Violence against women is everybody's
problem and they went to the schools to change curriculum and had
the police put posters in the stations. She highlighted protocols
between the police and the women's crisis centers.
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Michael
Kaufman, White Ribbon Campaign, Canada, discussed the epidemic
of violence against women and said throughout the world men have
been silent regarding violence against women, He said the collective
silence has allowed the violence to continue. He said the violence
is an outcome two sets of contradictory factors: men's power and
their pain. Mechanism to assert power and to compensate for their
fear and insecurity. He said understanding this is a bridge to develop
ways and policies to reach men and to involve men in being partners
with women. He said the white ribbon is worn by men and boys as
a public pledge and promise never to commit violence against women
and never to condone it. He said the campaign has spread throughout
the world and has helped to break the silence. For more information:
www.whiteribbon.ca
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Norman
Tjombe, Legal Assistance Center, Namibia, Mufti Ziauddin, Human
Rights Lawyer, Pakistan , Richard
Jolly, Special Adviser to the Administrator of UNDP
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Panel Discussion: Best
Practices in Promoting Gender Equality in Population and Development
Organized
by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Panelists included Eveline
Herfkens, Minister for Development and Cooperation, Netherlands,
Aicha Belarbi, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco,
Moderator Nafis Sadek, Executive Director, UNFPA, Mu Sochua, Minister
of Women and Veteran's Affairs, Cambodia, Hadja Mariama Bruce
Aribot, Minster for Social Affairs, Gunieau, Dr. Speciosa Wandira
Kazibwe, Vice-President, Uganda (left)
Dr.
Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, Vice-president, Uganda (left),
said there are many issues that cut across all cultures. She challenged
the UN system to put money into researching and working with men
so that men tell women what they are afraid of. She discussed
serious issues, such as HIV/AIDS and female genital mutilation,
with humor. Mu Sochua, Cambodia (below center),
outlined her strategy in using the Beijing Platform for Action
in promoting gender equality. She highlighted challenges such
as, high fertility rates, high maternal mortality rates, spread
of HIV/AIDS, and increasing rates of trafficking. Hadja Mariama
Bruce Aribot, Minister for Social Affairs, Guinea (below right),
described the "laying down of scalpels" - the eradication of FGM
practices in her country. She identified necessary conditions,
such as, inter alia, a favorable environment, well-defined targets,
well-committed people, and good follow-up and evaluation.  Aicha
Belarbi, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco,
described the nature of Islam and women, stating that gender equality
not linked only to religion but also to levels of democratization
and development. She summarized the actions by the Moroccan government
to forward women's issues, including, inter alia, programmes to
integrate women and development.
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Eveline
Herfkens, Minister for Development and Cooperation, Netherlands,
stressed that youth are the missing link and urged governments
to include youth on their delegations as the Netherlands has.
She discussed Dutch development cooperation in Africa, particularly
with respect to AIDS and safe sex and reiterated the case of Uganda,
where people are beginning to discuss the issues. She said she
is the only development cooperation Minister attending the conference.
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Nafis
Sadek, UNFPA Executive Director (left) and Aicha Belarbi, State
Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco
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Panel Discussion: "Best Practices
to Prevent and Eradicate Violence Against Women and Girls"The
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom hosted a panel
discussion on women in  armed
conflicts facilitated by Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini of International
Alert. Participants highlighted: the role of women in peace keeping
and building; the role of international institutions, tribunals
and NGOs in protecting civil society during armed conflicts; and
the responsibility of states in curbing military budgets and weapon
production. Many underscored the difficulty faced by women in
reaching high-levels of decision-making due to lack of education
and political knowledge, language barriers or religious and patriarchal
traditions, and called for a change of attitude at all community
levels. Participants also evoked issues related to women in post-conflict
situations, including: trauma relief; women's need for a sense
of justice; subsequent rejection of women from political parties;
the rise of civil and domestic violence; and prioritization of
religious or political issues over gender ones. Mariam Abdulle
Gawane of the Coalition Grassroots Women's Organization, on the
situation of women in Somalia (below left), called for integration
of peace processes and women's programmes, both at the survival
and the political levels. She noted women are often not educated
on issues and tend to adopt men's viewpoint. Tsering Tsomo
of the Tibetan Women's Association said the situation of Tibetan
women had not improved since Beijing and deplored that the root
causes of armed conflict were not addressed. She called for the
promotion of non-violent women's movements. Kate Mc Cullough of
Northern Ireland Women's European Platform spoke of the situation
of women in Northern Ireland. She said women are still discouraged
from taking an active role in politics and deplored the lack of
international and national consideration of post-conflict situations.
Joan Russow (below right)illustrated the linkages
between military spending and development. She called for building
a culture of peace, a 50% reduction of military spending, and
the recognition of the International Court of Justice jurisdiction.
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Launching of the "Gender
Awareness Information and Networking System (GAINS)" organized
by the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement
of Women (INSTRAW)
GAINS
is a virtual workshop that will consist of, inter alia: a
consultative network of key stakeholders to interface researchers
with policy makers, action NGOs, development practitioners and women
at large, through ad hoc task forces on critical gender issues;
a global electronic platform of researchers from both developing
and developed countries to dialogue and undertake global collaborative
research, address emerging issues and advance knowledge from a gender
perspective; an international network of trainers on gender issues
to facilitate the transformation of knowledge into practical action
for capacity building, using e-Education and e-Training through
the digital classroom; and a global database of research and training
resources and materials. From more information visit www.un-instraw-gains.org
or email: instraw@onu.org.do
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The International Organisation
of the Francophone
The
International Organisation of the Francophone has programmes
in international policy, working for peace, democracy and human
rights, and cooperation policy, working for education, the economy
and development and cultural diversity. A few specific programmes
include the Francophone Information Highway Fund (www.francophonie.org/fonds),
the African Performing Arts Market (http://masa.francophonie.org),
Cultural activity and reading centers, and the Programme to revive
French in international organizations. For more information visit
http://www.francophonie.org
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International
Day of the Franophonie: March 20
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ENB Summary of CSW-44 and the Informal
Consultations
Linkages FWCW page
UN Division for the Advancement of Women Beijing +5 Site with official
documents and information
for participants
Special
Events during the Special Session
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BNT (version française)
