Subject: [fem-women2000 786] Women's GlobalNet #194: UN Special Session on Children
From: iwtc <iwtc@iwtc.org>
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 16:12:38 +0000
Seq: 786
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Make Your Business More Successful and Profitable Online Links and Information for all Business Professionals Save Money and Protect Your Assets with Incorporation http://click.topica.com/caaakUdaVxinVaVF16Va/CorporateServiceCenter =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #194 Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide By Anne S. Walker, Isha Dyfan and Yasna Uberoi=20 May 3, 2002 UN SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN 8-10 MAY 2002, NEW YORK (The Special Session, originally planned for 19-21 September 2001, was=20 postponed following the attack on the World Trade Center in New York and= =20 Pentagon in Washington on 11 September, 2001) This issue of IWTC Women's GlobalNet begins with a plea from young=20 people to be heard at the Special Session, then gives examples of=20 lobbying action on behalf of the rights of children being undertaken by=20 women's groups in two countries (Australia and Canada). We hope these=20 examples will encourage other groups to take action in their own=20 countries. NOTE: Despite concerted efforts early on in the drafting process The=20 Girl Child has not been completely removed from the draft policy=20 document, at least not yet!=20 Paragraph 22 states: The achievement of goals for children, particularly= =20 for girls, will be advanced if women fully enjoy all human rights and=20 fundamental freedoms, -including the right to development-, are=20 empowered to participate fully and equally in all spheres of society and= =20 are protected and free from all forms of violence, abuse and=20 discrimination. We are determined to eliminate all forms of=20 discrimination against the girl child throughout her life cycle and to=20 provide special attention to her needs in order to promote and protect=20 all her human rights, including the right to be free from coercion and=20 from harmful practices and sexual exploitation. We will promote gender=20 equality and equal access to basic social services, such as education,=20 nutrition, health care, including sexual and reproductive health care,=20 vaccinations, and protection from diseases representing the major causes= =20 of mortality, and will mainstream a gender perspective in all=20 development policies and programmes.=20 There are however renewed efforts amongst fundamentalist and right-wing=20 groups at the UN during negotiations this week to have, amongst other=20 things, sexual and reproductive care removed from the document. There is= =20 also currently no mention of the special needs of girls in the section=20 of the draft document on HIV/AIDS. Entitled "A World Fit for children" the document can be found at=20=20 http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/documentation/index.html=20 YOUNG PEOPLE PLEAD TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY Voices of Youth has received many messages on its Special Session on=20 Children (SsoC) web discussion board as well as on the young-delegates'=20 networking board over the past few weeks. Many messages are about the=20 need to work with adults, especially parents and families, on critical=20 social issues. They show that young people are acutely aware of the=20 responsibilities that face them as the world's "next generation." They=20 are searching for ways to obtain the necessary skills and experience.=20 Young delegates to the SSoC have been introducing themselves on the=20 boards. What is most striking about their messages is that they clearly=20 are looking beyond the frontiers of their own country, choosing instead=20 to represent the interests of all young people around the world. There=20 are also messages reminding readers of the adversity and suffering=20 inflicted on very many young people. Yet the overriding sense is of=20 young people convinced that they can improve the world. One young=20 delegate writes, "I will leave you with a quote, which I think sums up=20 the Special Session for me, because even though there will be lots of=20 people when we all meet in New York, what we do individually, in our=20 small groups in our own countries, makes a difference too: 'Never doubt=20 that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the=20 world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has.'"=20 Voices of Youth message Boards can be accessed at the following=20 web-sites:=20 English: http://www.unicef.org/voy/misc/ssoc.html French: http://www.unicef.org/voy/fr/misc/ssoc.html Spanish: http://www.unicef.org/voy/es/misc/ssoc.html CANADA: MESSAGE FROM CYBERSOLIDAIRE AND ACTION CANADA FOR POPULATION AND= =20 DEVELOPMENT "Today, Ayodele's life, an African girl born the same year of the=20 earlier World Summit for Children in 1990, is similar to a 10 year-old=20 girl at that moment: no running water, no school, no appropriate health=20 care. She works in the fields and takes care of her little brothers and=20 sisters. Two of her siblings died before the age of 5. Forced into=20 genital mutilation, early marriages and pregnancies, slavery, sexual=20 relations without protection and consent, millions of girls need=20 government leaders and Heads of States to act now to give them a better=20 life." "From May 8 to 10, at the United Nations=E2 Special Session on Children,= =20 government leaders, Heads of States, non-governmental organizations and=20 young people themselves will evaluate the realization of the goals=20 adopted In 1990 at the World Summit. They will also elaborate a Plan of=20 Action for the next 10 years. Will the right wing allow the specific=20 realities of girls to be taken into account? What rights will be=20 acknowledged to them? Will the international community commit themselves= =20 to realize precise objectives?" "From May 5th, with Action Canada for Population and Development,=20 Cybersolidaires will be in New York to cover the Special Session, the=20 Children's Forum and side events. Our team will disseminate news, in=20 French and English, on important issues concerning girls and teenagers=20 through listserves=E2 on women's networks and on our web site at=20 <http://www.cybersolidaires.org>. Finally, if you go to the Session, we=20 would be glad to meet you. Don't hesitate to contact. In=20 cybersolidarity! Nicole Nepton and Colette Leli=8Fvre,=20 info@cybersolidaires.org".=20 For more on Cybersolidaires, go to=20 <http://www.cybersolidaires.org/obs/filles.html> For Action Canada for Population and Development, go to=20 <http://www.acpd.ca> AUSTRALIA : SUGGESTED ACTION LETTER TO SEND TO THE HEAD OF AUSTRALIA'S=20 DELEGATION TO THE SPECIAL SESSION "I am writing with reference to the forthcoming negotiations for the=20 UNGASS on Children. I believe that children in every country in our=20 world are entitled to a life in which their human rights are respected=20 and protected. Your recent decision to ratify the Optional Protocol to=20 the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child= =20 Prostitution and Child Pornography suggests that your are equally=20 committed to the human rights of children, and I do congratulate you on=20 the ratification. " "In the contest of the UNGASS on Children I ask that you ensure that the= =20 UNGASS outcomes document A World Fit for Children is consistent with=20 agreements already reached in other UN negotiations to which Australia=20 has been a party - specifically and crucially- the International=20 Conference on Population and Development (ICPD, 1994); Beijing Fourth=20 World Conference on Women (FWCW, 1995) and the respective reviews ICPD += =20 5 (1999) and Beijing + 5 (2000). " "Moreover, I ask that the Australian Government take an unequivocal=20 position in relation to the recognition and promotion of the human=20 rights of children in the document. This is a particularly appropriate=20 position for Australia to take as our laws, services and programmes=20 recognize and support children's human rights. This could be achieved by= =20 proposing strong and affirming statements in relation to the Convention=20 on the Rights of the Child (which has been scheduled to the HREOC Act)=20 and also safeguarding references to the human rights of children already= =20 contained in the document."=20 "The realization of the human rights of children is also dependent on a=20 document which recognizes the rights of parents (and other legal=20 guardians) alongside but not at the expense of, nor having precedence=20 over the rights of children. The Convention on the Rights of the Child,=20 provides a clear balance of the rights and responsibilities of parents=20 as well as the human rights of children and primacy of the best=20 interests of the child, and I strongly urge you to ensure that the=20 Australian government works towards such a balanced approach in the=20 negotiations." "Finally, we strongly urge you to support existing consensus language=20 which supports adolescents having access to certain health services (as=20 per the conference outcomes from ICPD, ICPD+5, FWCW and Beijing Plus=20 Five). The consensus language from these conferences has consistently=20 recognized the rights of adolescents to access sexual and reproductive=20 health services, information and education, and requires those services=20 to safeguard the rights of adolescents to privacy, confidentiality,=20 respect and informed consent. Within this context, the Special Session=20 on HIV/AIDS, Co-Chaired by Australia, recognizes the importance of=20 adolescents to have access to health care and health services,=20 information and education in relation to sexual and reproductive health,= =20 and we ask that the Australian Government also supports this language in= =20 the conference document. " "The United Nations Special Session on Children is a crucial opportunity= =20 in the global effort to address the many and profound issues affecting=20 children in all regions and all countries of the world. We call on you=20 to support this effort and to contribute to creating a world fit for=20 children." For further information, contact: Women's Rights Action Network=20 Australia, c/o Caroline Lambert <caro@bigpond.com> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D The Secret to Younger-Looking Skin in Weeks! Principal Secret Advanced=AE Skin Care System helps reverse visible signs of aging and revitalizes your skin to a youthful glow. Order Today- satisfaction guaranteed! http://click.topica.com/caaalpjaVxinVaVF16Vf/PrincipalSecret =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 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> Web: <http://www.iwtc.org> PLEASE NOTE: For back issues of IWTC Women's GlobalNet, go to our website at <www.iwtc.o= rg> and click on either Women's GlobalNet under Resources, or What's New? You can subscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to: <iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com>=20=20 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 2001 catalogue at : <http://www.wo= menink.org>.=20 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. Fax: (1-212) 661-2704. E-mail: <wink@womenink.org> To subscribe to the Women, Ink. monthly bulletin "BookLink", which features= new titles added to the Women, Ink. collection, write to: <wink@womenink.o= rg> WOMEN, INK. IS A SERVICE OF IWTC =3D=3D^=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D This email was sent to: fem-women2000@jca.apc.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxinV.aVF16V Or send an email to: iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register =3D=3D^=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D _________________________________________________________________________ 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