Subject: [fem-women2000 549] Women's GlobalNer #160: "Gender, AIDS and Racism the Focus of CSW, March
From: iwtc <iwtc@iwtc.org>
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 15:05:53 -0800
Seq: 549
IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide by Anne S. Walker November 12, 2000 GENDER, AIDS AND RACISM THE FOCUS OF 45TH SESSION OF UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, MARCH 2001 The 45th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN/CSW) CSW will be held 5-16 March 2001. The focus will be on the following thematic issues: 1 Women, the girl child and human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS); 2 Gender and multiple forms of discrimination, in particular issues related to racial and ethnic discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and discrimination based on age and disability. The CSW will also adopt its new multi-year work programme for the period 2002-2005. Two expert meetings will be held in preparation for the 45th session: 1. Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and its Gender Implications, 13 -17 November 2000, and Windhoek, Namibia, and 2. Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on Gender and Racial Discrimination, 21 to 24 November 2000, Zagreb, Croatia Background to EGM on HIV/AIDS and its Gender Implications: The CSW has repeatedly discussed women and HIV/AIDS in the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, including, most recently, when it reviewed the critical area of concern "Women and Health" at its forty-third session held in March 1999. Compelled by recent alarming developments with regard to women and HIV/AIDS, the Commission decided to consider the topic as a priority theme in its work programme for the year 2001. In order to contribute to a further understanding of the issue and provide input to the report of the Secretary General, it was decided to convene an Expert Group Meeting. The meeting will elaborate action-oriented recommendations to be forwarded to the Commission. The seriousness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic has been pinpointed on several occasions at the international level and HIV/AIDS is now recognized as a phenomena with wide development and security implications. In January 2000, an unprecedented UN Security Council session was devoted exclusively to the impact of AIDS on peace and security in Africa and, as a follow-up to the Security Council debate, the Economic and Social Council is pursuing special initiatives with regards to HIV/AIDS. The International Partnership against AIDS in Africa, a joint initiative of the UN system, African Governments, donor countries, non-governmental organizations and the private sector is addressing the HIV/AIDS in Africa in a concerted effort. Background to EGM on Gender and Racial Discrimination: The UN Division for the Advancement of Women (UN/DAW), in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), will convene an EGM on the theme of "Gender and Racial Discrimination", hosted by the Government of Croatia in Zagreb, Croatia, 21 to 24 November 2000. The results of the meeting will be made available to the CSW at its 45th session in March 2001where it will take up, inter alia, the thematic issue of gender and all forms of discrimination, in particular racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It is also anticipated that the recommendations of the EGM will be integrated into the preparations for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which will be convened in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001. The recommendations of the EGM should also be of value to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and other treaty bodies, including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), as they elaborate the obligations of States parties to these instruments to ensure that women are not affected by the double burden of sex and racial discrimination and are free from the effects of xenophobia and related intolerance. In addition, the recommendations should inform the work of the Commission on Human Rights, including that of the thematic and country-specific rapporteurs and working groups. This information has been adapted from the web-site of UN/DAW. For more information concerning the 45th Session of CSW and the two EGMs, visit this web-site at: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw or contact them at: UN/DAW, DC-2, United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA IWTC Women's GlobalNet is a production of: International Women's Tribune Centre 777 United Nations Plaza 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (1-212) 687-8633 Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 Email: <iwtc@iwtc.org> You can subscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com You can unsubscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com WOMEN, INK. For quality, cutting-edge publications on women and development by, for and about women worldwide, see Women, Ink's catalogue at our web site: <http://www.womenink.org>. Or contact Women, Ink. at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: Yasna Uberoi (1-212) 687-8633 ext 212 or Mary Wong (1-212) 687-8633 ext 204. 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