Subject: [fem-women2000 625] CSW45 NGO briefing 03/13
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 06:56:55 -0500
Seq: 625
notes by lalamaziwa from ================================ CSW45 NGO briefing 03/13 Tuesday ================================ 1. So far, there has been no discussion on 2005. 2. Topic for the Panel today is racial discrimination and gender. Regional NGO participants to the preparatory process of the conference against racism = WCAR gave briefing the status of wording around gender and racism language. * NOTE all document from the CSW45 Panel on Gender and Racism is available from WomenWatch website. http://www.un.org/womenwatch Wahtever comes out here will become part of the official document for Durban PrepCom and CSW has been a opportunity for us to link ngos inter-regionally. NGO Reports from a) Michel Urguay/REPEM/DAWN, b) Mary Jane APWLD, c) Stela WLD Africa, d) Helen from European Lobby. (a) Americas Michel Stevenson, columbia Uni. HR Institutue participated in conference against racism and also attended africa regional conference. The organization she represent participated in Chili conference. The focus was on preparing for Racism conference to enhance social participation. Several organizations were there from caribbean effectively making it conference of the americas. Gender and race did not have a place although there were places for other discriminations to be discussed. Women participating decided to have harder influence on the NGO inputs which document was presented to the government as part of social input. However, it did not have refrerence to women and particular issue pertinent to women. Women's caucus protested and demanded for a rewrite. There were problems because other organizations were not well organizations. indigenous and women were weakly organized compared to other groups. Caucus acted by dividing into groups to lobbying with difffrerent delegations in the drafting process. two groups were formed to deal with preamble and plan of action. As a result women are now included in "vulnerable" group although this does not sound good in spanish language. now it mentions "women and migrant groups"(..check fact) other paragraphs were included in presentation from governments and included in women section of the report. Now we have a continuing netowork. Exploring the possiblity to train ourselves virtually online. Some groups need to know how the lobbying process works. there's also training going on in Quito right now. Now for CSW, there were lots of advance ments politically. not much in the subject but statements that will be circulated from all regions today is very important for Durbvan. (b) Asia Pacific AP women's forum was held during 17-18 feb prepcom in Teheran. NGO drafted 2 documents (--, --) mentions universalitation ----, and ----. with inputs from ngos present and arab ngos input from durban (am 5-8 feb 2001) The document articulates interesecitionality of reace and gender with critical concerns of women on interesectionality on gender and race. referrs to national and ethnic minority women, cast, ethnic minority, etc. NGO preparation begun to consolidate in dec 2001 when APWLD conducted lobbying work shop was organized towards Teheran to train and build network and build strategy. Much is decided to ngo participation, - on logistics - screening participation of governmental ngos (eg.some countries have strong position against ngo participation) - text preparation need to be done in advance. as govenments are saying that it is already too late for ngo inputs. - need creative strategy eg. panel, etc to articulate issues. while govenment declaration platform for action does not address multiple discrimination, it does not take into account any of the ngo inputs. india etc. lobbyed suceesfully to not to renegotiate text and to exclude cast, ethinisity and "implicitly" gender. durban meeting was a venue to demonstrate token participation of ngos. ngos were allowed to participate only one hour. women participants were requested to waer chadle. indian women were asked not to wear sally during the meeting. information re drafting session need to be disseminated fully. (eg. on non participation.) issue of concern to the region (diaspora?, migrant inere-displaced, refugee, comfort, surevivor vaww, national minority, women victomized in other form of religios ---. --, etc) have been incorporated in asia-pacific ngo caucus document on race and gender. plese see the document for details. (c) Africa stella- wildaf aprticipated in dakar conf. jan 2001 this conf was preceded by ngo networking forum funded by UN HUman rights commissioner's office in botswana. NGOs discussed the outcome document. found that it had no gender. ngos also tried to come out with declaration that made sure that interesection about gender and race was integrated. for africa - racial discrimination is regarded an economic issue. colonial slave trade, colonization, globalization and saps are discussed under this context. there were resistence to referring to contemporary form of slavery in africa. sudan refused to disucuss dismissing this as "not racist phenomenon". argumet was that economic fenomenon of racism affected africa same way. we said that racism affected women differently. there were willingness to analyse SAPS and see how it affected women differently. but it would have AID implecation. for racism there's also need to look at gender eg. rape of women - how they'll be compensated. etc. much more need to be discussed. it was very difficult because ngos participation was small. but created steering committee and have representation mobilizing ngos in durban. will make sure to lobby in geneva, that african women are incorporating african women are incorporated. # full statements will be circulated by email. (d) Europe Helen Felta from European women's lobby. it is the largest umbrellaa women's group in europe with 300 ngo members in europe. Strassburg in november 2000. to begin with, most ngos did not know of the conference. NGOs came together in working gfroups. few ngos had chance participate in official process. situation in europe is very poor. funding has gone to south africa. funders also does not know about the conference thus needing briefing from our side. European NGOs ave formed coordinating committee - 4 regions elected but without no funding, no time, it is difficult. there's "tee-international?" for black women based in netherlands. and with us based in brussels. we are asking thee csw to help us not only to integrate intersectionality but help ngo get funding. see http://www.womenlobby.org for full document under "combatting racism and discrimination ...." (e) Yayori Matsui - vaww-net japan on situation with the comfort women. women's international women tribunal took place in december. it was a people's tribunal. so far 200,000 women were victimized but notheing has been. one victim said "please procecute the perpeturators" we did it ourselves. hirohito was criminal responsible for the issue. 54 comfort women from 5 countries were happy to hear that. final judgement will be issued in hague. women's initiative of so many countries. we have judgement. it sets the tone for war-crime perpetuators of the type. ---------------- Amida Adam, chief, coordinator for gender?, DAW jane conners, chief, women's rights unit to brief us on panel. she also facilitated the panel. intervention possibility is not known but get ready. address ourselves only to the issue. anyone wanting to take the floor should be seated at ngo desk. jane ^^^^^ there has been disucssion to lead up to the panel. daw in collaboration with unifen and zagreb had expert meeting. - on web it formulated theroretical framework on gender and racism and on structural recommendations re gov, ngo, etc. hope to have exciting panel today. senegal excellency to moderate. 1. caspar 2. civil society 3. tan 4. patel idea to be provocative panelist followed by interactive dialogue. panel to set the framework for the csw to input and agreed framework to be adopted. look for the draft (english) towards the end of the day. the informals should follow into night and into the morning,. NGO activities for the day ------------------------- there has been 70 activities so far. list of NGO activities for the day is distributed more copies to come later. annoucemnts --------------------------- national council of women of canada: there's be common wealth meeting to follow-up on cw women's ministerial meeting. meet 11:00 am at hardin room 11th floor _________________________________________________________________________ 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