See more coverage of this event on the main IISD ENB website

We have launched a new website to better share our reports of global environmental negotiations.

As well as current coverage of new negotiations, you can find our original reports from this event by clicking here.


 [Linkages Home]
[Women Conf. Home]
[NGO Forum]
[Send Feedback]
[Search]

IWTC Global Net: news and developments about the Fourth World Conference on Women and NGO Forum

GlobalNet # 16

9 June 1995

ORGANIZERS GAIN MAJOR CONCESSIONS FOR NGO FORUM

Irene Santiago, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Women, announced today that major concessions had been made by the China Organizing Committee. IreneUs announcement is as follows:

"I am pleased to inform you of the successful resolution of most of the outstanding issues surrounding the site for the NGO Forum on Women. After meetings in Beijing between Mr. Ismat Kittani, UN Under Secretary General and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General, officials of the China Organizing Committee, Khunying Supatra Masdit, NGO Forum Convenor and Sylvia Ordonez, NGO Forum Logistics, an agreement was concluded on 8 June, 1995. We sincerely believe that the terms of the agreement will enable the holding of a substantive and celebratory Forum such as women worldwide have been planning for years. It will also preserve the integrity of the UN process by enabling both accredited and non-accredited NGOs to have easy access to their delegations to the UN Fourth World Conference on Women."

The major points of the agreement are as follows:

  • 1. NGO Forum site and NGO satellite site in Beijing. The Forum will be held in what has become a very different site than the one we originally saw in Huairou last April. Additionally, a satellite site in Beijing near to the UN World Conference site has been made available. This satellite site will enable both accredited and non-accredited NGOs to be close to the UN site for meetings with government delegates, consultations and briefings. This satellite site is in addition to the Beijing Recreation Centre which will be the base for accredited NGOs to lobby the World Conference.
  • 2. Acceptance of ALL registered participants. This was a major concession, achieved after extensive dialogue. All participants registered as of April 30, 1995, -a total of 36,000- will be able to participate in the Forum.
  • 3. Visas. ALL registered participants will be granted visas.
  • 4. Contiguous Area. Buildings are now situated in one contiguous area on the 42-hectare site in Huairou. Many additional structures have been made available to cope with the much larger crowd than China originally expected. The one defined area will enable participants to network and have easy access to all activities.
  • 5. Facilities for ALL Activities. The China Organizing Committee (COC) and the NGO Forum Office will work together to ensure all 5,000 requests for activities will be accommodated.
  • 6. Choice of Hotels. Registered participants will have a choice of staying in either Beijing or Huairou hotels. However, the COC will try its best to provide the majority of the accommodations in Huairou to encourage participants to stay there and avoid commuting to the Forum site. A specially erected outdoor stage will make evening events possible at Huairou.
  • 7. Transportation. The COC will provide shuttle bus services to and from Huairou and within Huairou.
  • 8. Communications. The COC agreed to provide as many IDD lines as needed for press & NGOs.

At the conclusion of the negotiations, Supatra Masdit acknowledged the extraordinary contribution made by women worldwide in bringing a resolution to the site issue. She also thanked the China Organizing Committee for their efforts in making the Forum a viable one. In her letter to the members of the NGO Facilitating Committee, Supatra Masdit expressed the hope that "we can all move forward and make our Forum a success."

International Women's Tribune Centre

777 United Nations Plaza

New York, NY 10017 USA

Tel: (1-212) 687-8633

Fax: (1-212) 661-2704

e-mail: iwtc@igc.apc.org

This faxnet comes from IWTC, a women's development support group set up following the NGO forum (called IWY Tribune) held parallel to the First World Conference on Women in Mexico City, 1975. Global Faxnet has been set up by IWTC to get news quickly to women worldwide about the NGO Forum.