Subject: [fem-women2000 621] Onsite Report from 45th Session of the UNCSW - No. 6
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 02:37:37 -0500
Seq: 621



Forwarded by lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
---------------- Original message follows ----------------
 From: kathy clarin <kathy@isiswomen.org>
 To: apwomen2000@isiswomen.org
 Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 15:09:59 +0800
 Subject: [apwomen2000] Onsite Report from 45th Session of the UNCSW  - No. 6
--

Distributed by Isis International-Manila - linking women, sharing
knowledge, engendering change
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Onsite Report from 45th Session of the UNCSW  - No. 6
source:   Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Isis International-Manila 
<mavic@isiswomen.org> <fgballeza@yahoo.com>
date: 03.13.01
---------------------------------------------------------------------
09 March 2001 -Onsite report from the 45th Session of the Commission on the 
Status of Women.

Asia-Pacific NGO Intervention  'Blocked'

On 08 March, Virada Somswasdi of the Asia-Pacific Forum for Women in Law 
and Development (APWLD) network, a member of Asia-Pacific Caucus made an 
intervention on behalf of the Caucus at the Commission on the Status of 
Women Panel on HIV and AIDS.

Before Ms. Somswasdi could finish her statement, Asit Bhattacharya, the 
Indian government's representative to the UN CSW, called the attention of 
Ms. Dubravka Simonovic, the CSW Chairperson, and moved for a point of order 
stating that that was the second time that an NGO had made an irrelevant 
intervention.  Mr. Bhattacharya further asserted that NGOs should speak on 
the topic that was currently being discussed.

After Mr. Bhattacharya's move for a point of order, Ms. Simonovic having 
consulted the Secretariat gave Ms. Somswasdi the opportunity to conclude 
her statement.

When asked what could have prompted the Indian representative's move for a 
point of order, Ms. Somswasdi said she was not clear on where such a 
statement had arisen from and pointed out that she went through the 
required procedure of submitting her name, her organisations's name and a 
copy of the statement of intervention. Moreover, her statement was also 
focused on the topic of HIV/AIDS and was not a digression from the topic of 
discussion.

Meanwhile, a number of other NGOs attending the 45th CSW Session expressed 
concern over the move to block an NGO intervention in the official panel 
deemed as irrelevant. Muthoni Wanyeki of FEMNET-Africa said during the NGO 
Briefing on 09 March that this should be a concern of all NGOs taking part 
in the CSW Session and not just of those from the Asia-Pacific. Other NGO 
representatives stressed that such move could cause a feeling of 
intimidation and embarrassment.

To discuss the best way to address the NGOs' concern, members of the 
Asia-Pacific Caucus met with Leslie Wright of the Conference of NGOs in 
Consultative Relationship with the UN (CONGO) Committee on the CSW on 09 
March. It was agreed at this meeting that  Ms. Simonovik, the CSW 
Chairperson would be invited to the NGO briefing to clarify the procedures 
for NGO intervention.

Prepared by Mavic Cabrera-Balleza
Isis International-Manila

===============================================================
APWOMEN2000 is a general announcement list created to facilitate
information and  resource sharing for the NGO review process in Asia
and the Pacific for the Beijing Platform for Action. Send postings to
<owner-apwomen2000@isiswomen.org>. APWOMEN2000 is archived at:
http://www.isiswomen.org/womenet/lists/apwomen2000/archive




 _________________________________________________________________________
 fem-Women2000@jca.apc.org for Women 2000, UN Special Session on Beijing+5
 Searcheable Archive http://www.jca.apc.org/fem/news/women2000/index.shtml
 visit fem-net HomePage for other mailing lists http://www.jca.apc.org/fem

Return to Index
Return to fem-women2000 HOME