14th March 2008
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN WOMEN’S
LOBBY DURING THE OF THE 2008 UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (25.02-07.03.2008)
1) FIRST WEEK (25.02-29.02.2008)
Composition
of the EWL delegation:
Martine Levy (Vice-President, Head of delegation); Iluta Lace Vice-President),
Cécile Gréboval (Secretariat)
A number of EWL Executive and Board members were present and supported
the work of EWL including: June Jacobs and Brigitte Triems (Executive members), Selma Acuner, Renée Gérard Efthymia Ioannidou, Eufemia Ippolito and Marlene Parenzan (Board members).
Report:
Cécile Gréboval
Work
on the agreed Conclusions
EWL drafted and submitted a first set of written amendments to the draft agreed
conclusions concerning financing for gender equality on 26.02.2008), which were given to the Slovenian EU Presidency and other
European delegations and widely distributed to NGOs’ delegates. This document was then completed on the basis of comments
submitted by a large number of NGOs and endorsed by the European Women’s Caucus on 28.02.2008. The second set of amendments
was widely distributed to delegations and NGOs as well as EWL members through mailing lists. The documents were also presented
at different NGOs’ meetings and caucuses and put on the EWL website.
Linking with
the Slovenian EU Presidency
Partly due to request from EWL, the Slovenian Presidency delegation
to CSW included a NGO representative (Sonja Lokar from the Slovenian Women's Lobby). As the Slovenian
delegation was very small, she was very busy, but EWL kept in touch regularly with her and also with Violeta Neubauer (international cooperation coordinator at the government’s Office for Equal Opportunities
of the Republic of Slovenia). EWL members attended the NGO briefing organised by the Slovenian
delegation on 27.02.2008. Sonja Lokar gave an introductory speech at the EWL side event, which gave another opportunity for
exchange and information.
EWL side event
EWL
organised a side-event on 28.02.07 entitled:”Financing for Women’s Rights, A European Perspective”. Brigitte Triems, EWL Executive member
moderated the event. Speakers
at this event were Sonja Lokar, member of the Slovenian Presidency delegation, Marion Böker, gender budgeting expert,
who made a presentation aiming at demystifying gender budgeting and Martine Levy, EWL Vice President, who presented the EWL
position paper on financing for gender equality. NGO representatives from different countries presented good examples of gender
budgeting. The meeting was attended by about 50 participants who had the opportunity to discuss and interact.
European
Caucus
EWL chaired and coordinated the two meetings of the European women’s caucus that took place
during the first week. Discussions focused on the agreed conclusions and the amendments to be put forward, strategies to influence
the outcome of the meeting and in particular the UN reform in relation to the proposed new women’s gender architecture,
which was widely supported by the NGO representatives present at CSW.
Participation in
other meetings and events
EWL is member of the global campaign supporting a stronger UN gender equality
architecture (GEAR campaign). Brigitte Triems, member of the EWL Executive Committee participated in a coordination
meeting for the GEAR campaign on 23.02.08.
Cécile Gréboval, EWL Policy Director made a presentation at the
side event of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Security Council Resolution 1325 on
28.02.08.
Members of the EWL delegation participated in all morning NGOs briefings and reported
about the European caucus. The EWL delegation also actively participated in the coordination and linkage caucuses.
EWL renewed its support to the GEAR campaign discussed during the linkage caucus.
Members
of the EWL delegation also attended the following other meetings and side events:
·
25.02. Creating, Developing and Financing: The business
of Culture and The Culture of Business (Pathways to Peace and co-sponsored by the Sophia Women’s World Conference Global
Organizers);
· 25.02:
Corporate Feminism; Enhancing Corporate Influence through Women's Empowerment.
International Council of Jewish Women
· 25.02: Financing for Gender Equality. The critical role of women's organisations.
AWID
· 25.02.08: Corporate feminism : enhancing corporate influence through women’s empowerment by ICJW and Soroptimists
· 25.02.08: Gender Budgeting - Good and Bad Practices: Gender Justice of Public
Expenditure International Alliance of Women and co-sponsored by: WILPF
· 25.02 : 'On way to gender equality in Israel' panel
included Palestinian Israeli woman Shatil - New Israel Fund
· 25.02 : Enhancing Corporate Influence thro' Women's Empowerment
- Soroptimist International and International Council Jewish Women
· 25.02 : UK Ambassadors Reception for all UK delegates
· 26.02: Funding Women's Movement. Virginia Gindersleeve International Fund.
· 26.02.08: SWWC - Sophia Women’s World Conference : Women's Intercultural Network and co-sponsored by: Women's
World Summit Foundation, Pathways to Peace, Anglican Women's Empowerment 27.02.08: Accountability in gender mainstreaming
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
· 26.02.08 Women’s entrepreneurship by UNIDO
· 26 and 27.02. Socialist International Women
· 26.02. Gender Equality Architecture Reform Campaign (Center for Women’s Global Leadership and
co-sponsored by AI, AWID,DAWN, IPPF-WH, WEDO)
· 27.02.08:Growth, power and fun - Icelandic ways of empowering women Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations
·
27.02.08:100 years of the Socialist International
Women and the International Women’s day, Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations and co-sponsored by: Socialist
International Women
·
27.02.08 : promoting gender equality in the MDG- progress, strategies
and finances by World Bank
·
Effects
of War on Women and Children - National Council of Women in GB
· Stories of Women Peacemakers on the
front line - UNIFEM
· 28.02.08: Stereotypes and Gender Roles Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations and co-sponsored
by: Permanent Missions of Portugal and Slovenia
· 28.02.08: Buyers and Traffickers: Partners in Sexual Exploitation
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and co-sponsored by: Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd,
UNANIMA International
·
28.02.08 : Perception and representation
of African men and women on equality between men and women by the Association of African Women for Research and Development
·
An Economy
for Equality- Women's National Commission UK
· 28 .02 Girls World
Wide Say No to War - WAGGS
· 28.02 Muslim and Jewish Women
Building Bridges for Understanding
· International Council of Jewish Women and US Federation
for ME Peace
·
29.02
Peace Building Is it a Woman's Job - Permanent Mission of UK to UN
·
29.02.08 : investing in Decent work for Women by trade
Union Confederation
· 29.02.08 :Euromed partnership and Istanbul Process financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women by
Permanent Mission of Republic
of Slovenia ;
· 29.02.08
: peace building isit a woman’s job by Permanent Mission of UK
· 29.02. Investing in Decent Work for Women (International Trade Union Confederation, Education International and Public
Services International)
·
29.02. Peace-Building - is it a woman’s job?
(Permanent Mission UK and co-sponsored by NGOWG, UK National Committee for UNIFEM)
EWL
dinner
EWL organised a networking / coordinating dinner with EWL members present at CSW, in order to exchange
information and discuss strategies for lobbying on 29.02.08 in which 16 members participated from 7 countries.
2)
SECOND WEEK (03.03-07.03.2008)
Composition of the EWL delegation:
Kirsti Kolthoff (President, Head of delegation) and Mojca Kleva (Board member)
A number of EWL Executive and Board members were present and supported the work
of EWL including: Tanja Auvinen, June Jacobs and Brigitte Triems (Executive members), Renée
Gérard and
Marlene Parenzan (Board members).
Report: Kirsti
Kolthoff and Mojca Kleva
The second week started with some
disappointed as the CSW Bureau decided to close all official sessions for NGOs. The Slovenian delegation
protested very strongly on behalf of the EU against this decision. The Bureau did not officially change its decision but the
doors of the Conference room were left open so that NGOs could follow the discussion on the draft Agreed Conclusions.
It was also problematic to find updated versions of the agreed conclusions, which was highlighted
in morning NGO briefing. The EWL delegation therefore decided to attend different NGO parallel events, and events organised
by UN missions. In general the EWL delegation participated in every morning NGO briefing and Kirsti Kolthoff reported about
the European Caucus of March 5th during the briefing on March 6th.
Linking with the Slovenian EU Presidency
The EWL delegation kept in close contact
with the Slovenian Presidency delegation during the second week and briefed members of the delegation about the concerns of
European NGOs on a daily basis. On Tuesday, March 4th, the EU Presidency Briefing took place, where the discussion
focused on the lack of participation of NGOs during the debate, on the commitment of the EU Presidency to support the proposed
new Gender Equality Architecture within the UN. Another point was to focus the debate on the subject of Financing for Gender
Equality and the Empowerment of Women, as NGOs had realized this was the problem, when little agreement was achieved after
two days of negotiations. The Presidency also presented the 5 resolutions on which informals had just started.
European Caucus meeting
The European Caucus
met on Wednesday, March 5 and was chaired by the EWL President Kirsti Kolthoff. The main subject of the discussion was the
exchange on the state of negotiations on the agreed conclusions and on information about the language supported by different
countries. Special attention was given to the language proposed by Liberia and supported by the EU Presidency on a stronger
gender equality architecture within the UN, the introduction of girl-child rights and language regarding decent work. The
disappointment regarding the little focus on the main theme of financing for gender equality was pointed out. There was a
short general discussion regarding the five resolutions.
The representative
from Northern Ireland asked for support from the EWL regarding the usage of the Resolution 1325 for Northern Ireland in the
aftermath of violent conflict. An UK official had given the opinion at a side event that the situation did not relate to a
conflict in which SCR 1325 could be used to increase women’s participation. The UK participants supported the proposal.
The North Ireland women were to write a text to send to Kirsti Kolthoff as a basis for a decision and further action.
The caucus discussed an evaluation of the CSW and agreed to try next year to
start work on amendments to the draft agreed conclusions before the gathering at the CSW in NY hoping that the document will
come early to make this possible. Concerns were raised about the fact that very few women from Eastern European countries
participated in this year’s CSW and to look into how to bring more in the future.
Sophia women’s world Conference
Kirsti Kolthoff and Brigitte Triems met
with Carolyn Hannan, who clarified that she was not supporting the initiative launched by Dr. Linda Stillmann, the “global
organizer” of the Sophia Women’s World Conference and that she had asked Linda Stillman to make this clear for
others when she was out speaking about her plans.
International Women’s
Day
International Women’s Day was celebrated on the 6th March at an event”
Investing in Women and Girls” where HE Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN made a promising speech.
Events attended:
·
Morning NGO briefings
·
Coordination Caucus 04.03 and 06.03.
·
EU Slovenian Presidency briefing, 4.3.
·
Gender accountability, “What and
How to make Demand?” (Boell Foundation) 3.3.
· What you should know about cervical cancer (NGO health CMT), 4.3,
·
4.03: Financing Education for Women
(David M Kennedy Center for International Studies
· 4.03: “Role of Sudanese
Women”
·
4.03:
“Where are we now with 1325 Peace boat?”
· “Women bear the cost: Women’s Mental Health after Pregnancy
Loss” (Concerned Women for America), 5.3.
· Investing in Women Health (NGO CMT on Health), 5.3.
·
“Mobilizing Grassroots partners
to finance empowerment and change lives, one women at a time” (Women Federation for World Peace Int.), 5.3.
·
Women and Armed Conflict: The Case of
Colombia organised by WILPF; 5.3
· Women, War and Budgeting for Peace, organised by WILPF; 6.3
·
Meeting in view of the preparation for
the 53rd Session of the CSW in 2009, 5.3.
Other
CSW outcomes
A part from the Agreed Conclusions and the 5 resolutions (Release
of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts; Ending female genital mutilation;
Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women; Strengthening of the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women; Women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS) there will be seven Moderator’s summaries, among them one
on the Emergency theme ”Gender perspectives on climate change” and one an the review theme ”Women’s
participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace building”. They
will be published on the Web-Site of the UN Division for the Advancement of Women.
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