Subject: IWTC Women's GlobalNet #123
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 05:50:51 +0900
Seq: 4

---------------- Original message follows ----------------
 From: "iwtc@green.igc.org" <iwtc@igc.org>
 To: iwtc-womensglobalnet@igc.org
 Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 11:14:00 -0400
 Subject: IWTC Women's GlobalNet #123
--

IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #123

Women's Initiatives and Activities Worldwide
by Tina Johnson and Vicki Semler

May 21, 1999

PREPARATIONS FOR THE BEIJING PLUS FIVE SPECIAL SESSION

THE BEIJING PLUS FIVE REVIEW PROCESS
The review process for assessing progress made in the implementation
of the Beijing Platform for Action (PFA) was a main agenda item when the

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) met in March as the
Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for 'Women 2000: Gender Equality,
Development  and Peace for the Twenty-First Century.' Also known as
Beijing Plus Five, this UN Special Session will be held June 5-9, 2000.
The PrepCom agreed that the review process would focus on: (i) best
practices; (ii) obstacles encountered; (iii) vision for the future; and
(iv)
identification of new and emerging trends. [Note: in a draft proposal
prepared by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (UN/DAW)
for the PrepCom, four issues had been suggested as cross-cutting
themes (see GlobalNet #122). However, government delegates and
NGOs alike argued that new and emerging issues should come from the
review process itself, especially from the regional meetings, rather
than
being decided on before the process had begun.]
It was also agreed that the review process would be undertaken on the
basis of--and with full respect for--the PFA, which is not open to
renegotiation.
Governments that have not already done so were invited to prepare
national action plans for implementing the PFA. The importance of
involving NGOs in the development of these plans was underlined.

BEIJING + 5 IS FOCUS OF NGO MEETINGS IN EUROPE:
(a) The Karat Coalition organized a Central-Eastern European
Preparatory Meeting for Beijing + 5 in Bucharest, Romania from May 15
16. Women from 12 countries discussed preparations for the review
process, which included alternative national and regional reports, as
well
as priority and emerging women's issues. A follow-up meeting is planned
for the autumn. Contact: AnA Centre, Tel/Fax: (40-1) 252-4959; E-mail:
<ana@ana.sbnet.ro>
(b) The WIDE-Network Women in Development Annual Conference will
take place in Ede, The Netherlands, from May 28-30. Called "Linking Up:
Reviews + 5 - Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing: Towards the 21st
Century," it is being organized by Vrouwenberaad in cooperation with
SID/WID (Society for International Development) and will provide an
opportunity to share experiences and formulate strategies around the
review process. The most recent issue of 'Connection', Vrouwenberaad's
newsletter, focused on the theme of the conference. Contact WIDE, Tel:
(32-2) 545-9070; Fax: (32-2) 512-7342; E-mail: <wide@gn.apc.org>;
Web site: <www.eurosur.org/wide/>. Or Vrouwenberaad, Tel: (31-71)
5159-392; Fax: (31-71) 5175-391; E-mail: <vboswide@antenna.nl>.
Website: <www.vrouwen.net/vboswide/>.
(c) The first national NGO-organized conference in Germany will take
place from May 27-30 in Erfurt, Thuringia, to prepare a detailed report
about the implementation of the PFA in that country. The programme
includes hearings and workshops on poverty, education, health,
violence, migrants and the girl child. Contact Brennessel E.V. - NGO
Conference, Tel: (37-361) 56-56-510; Fax: (37-361) 56-56-511; E-mail:
<brennessel.erfurt@t-online.de>.

GET INVOLVED IN GLOBAL DISCUSSIONS ON THE 12 CRITICAL
AREAS OF CONCERN:
Starting at the end of June and continuing into December, WomenWatch,
the Web site of UN/DAW, UNIFEM and INSTRAW, will be hosting on-line
discussion lists on the critical areas of concern in the PFA (with the
exception of National Machineries, which has already been discussed).
You are welcome to send your ideas and comments on the issue(s)
around which you are working; the lists will be posted on
<www.un.org/womenwatch/forum> . [Note: The <end-violence> list has
already begun and the discussion so far has just been compiled into a
book, 'Women @ Work Against Violence', which is available from
Women, Ink. for $6.50 plus shipping and handling--address as IWTC; e
mail <wink@womenink.org>.]

STAY INFORMED ON BEIJING PLUS 5 WITH PREVIEW 2000:
IWTC is preparing a series of six 24-page bulletins covering plans and
preparations for the 5 year review of the PFA (five Previews and one
Postview after the June 2000 Special Session). Preview #1 and #2 are
already available and are free to individuals and organizations in the
Global South  [Note: Preview 2000 will automatically be sent to those on

the IWTC mailing list]. Those living in the Global North can order the
set
of six for US$20, paid by US$ cheque or money order made out to IWTC,
see address below. Bulk copies are also available; please contact
Vanessa at IWTC (ext. 200) for cost and ordering information.

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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