• Editorial
• Appropriate ICTs
• Interview
• NGO Caucus
• Official Process
• The Insiders Viewpoint
• Agenda

Editorial

The European Union representative speaking at Tuesday’s NGO briefing was clear: Europe wants a World Conference on Women in 2005. Though encouraging, this statement from Europe won’t be enough to reassure the vast majority of women participating at PrepCom. At this point, it is far from certain that the definitive text will be finished at the end of the week and, as if that weren’t enough, rumours are flying that there will be no more World Conferences in the future. Political manoeuvre or lack of funds? The reasons are anything but clear, and the lack of transparency about the future is wearing on the hundreds of women who have invested themselves in these meetings. Meetings that give a meaning and a perspective to their everyday activist work. WomenAction 2000 will distribute our last issue Friday morning. We hope to return in June. Communicating is the main struggle of our team members, who will continue putting their diverse media skills to use in the service of women’s rights, all around the world. To all of you who will be gone Friday morning, we want to say what an enriching experience this daily newsletter has been for us; we hope that it has been useful to conference participants. See you soon online, where you can find every issue of the newsletter in English, Spanish and French.

WomenAction 2000

Appropriate ICTs

Worldwide Media Extravaganza Marks the Launch of the World March of Women

Simultaneous press conferences in dozens of cities, a satellite link and a live webcast marked the launch of the World March. Over two years in the making, this massive world-wide effort has the support of more than 3500 women’s organizations and organizations working with women in 149 countries, not to mention the countless individual women who will participate in March activities. ICTs have been essential to organizing on this massive scale. Launched in 1998, the World March Website now has sister sites from local organizers in Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Europe, Mexico, Québec, Senegal and the USA.

The March will use every imaginable media to put the spotlight all year long on a list of demands agreed on by delegates from around the world. Press conferences, communiqué, street theater, spiritual events, marches and rallies, parades, and hundreds of other activities throughout the world aim to raise consciousness among the public, governments and international institutions, with the goal of ending poverty and violence against women.

www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000

Interview

A law for Equality in politics

Françoise Gaspard, head of the French Delegation, reminded us in an interview of the facts leading up to France’s adoption of a law in favour of political gender equality, that is, equal representation of men and women in all political bodies. According to the new French law, beginning in 2001, 45% of all persons elected in municipal (i.e. local) elections must be women. This will also be the case in France’s regional and European elections. How could a country that was so very far behind in this respect have succeeded in adopting a law on political gender equality?

"You have to go pretty far back.
In 1975, the need for equal power between men and women was brought up in the Mexico conference. Only Scandinavian NGOs really took off with this question." At that time, the main objectives were attaining women’s autonomy through economics and contraception. "As the conferences succeeded one another, a reflection emerged. In Istanbul, where Habitat II in the 90s treated the question of cities, women began saying that as long as they didn’t have power, nothing would change with regard to dwellings." Then two events in Europe made things click: the fall of the Berlin wall and the request of the former Soviet Bloc countries to join Europe. ‘These countries basically asked us: what is it to be a democracy? What is a democracy without women?’ The Council of Europe created a group of experts on the building of European statistics on women’s place in politics. Françoise Gaspard belongs to this expert group."It was around 1993 in France that French NGOs took up this question and put pressure on governments, arguing that if we did not pass a law we would never make it past the glass ceiling."

A groundswell of public opinion resulted in the new political gender equality law, which will definitively be adopted in a few days. Françoise Gaspard also highlighted the important role that NGOs in Beijing played by having decision-making integrated as a critical area of concern in the PFA. This allowed the development of an important international network on political gender equality (with Japan, India, Argentina). In conclusion, Françoise Gaspard stressed the fact that the concept of political gender equality has been able to dismantle resistance to the notion of quotas, simply because parité rhymes with égalité.

Michele Dessenne

Media training for women leaders

Journalist Nkechi Eke Nwankwo wrote a book in 1996 that changed the world for women in politics in Nigeria. "Gender Equality in Nigerian Politics", published in Nigeria with the financial assistance of the Dutch government and UNIFEM, champions the cause for equal gender representation in Nigerian politics and public life.

It provokes a serious discussion on what should be the duty and responsibility of the mass media, in the effort to build an egalitarian and equitable society under democratic rule. "Out of 569 politicians, there are 3 women in the Upper House and 12 women in the Lower House. The women were avoiding the media, not wanting to advertise themselves. It’s part of their socialization – women should be seen and not heard. Even though Violationthey want to be in politics, they don’t want to be interviewed.

But in a country with a population of 110 million there is no way you can reach the constituency without the use of media. Women in politics had no media strategy."

After the book came out, journalists began to use it to train women in media skills. They would invite women in leadership positions to a press conference and train them in how to tell the journalists about the issues they were working for. They would train women to answer questions that were not expected. They would train them to get around difficult questions by talking about what they wanted to talk about. Nkechi Eke Nwankwo decided to bring all these media training initiatives together in the Women’s Leadership Group. The group works with NGOs to train women leaders in media skills. "Our trainers are media people, well-placed in their broadcasting organizations. After the first day of training, interviews are broadcast on national and local TV. After the training, the trainers are mentors. The trainees can call them for advice."

The Group now works with NGOs to locate women who could become politicians. "Women who choose to run for office, we train. By the time they start campaigning, their names will be well known. More people will be willing to back them, increasing their chances of success."

The Group has many good ideas, but without structural funding they will not be able to continue. "If we have funding, we can concentrate on doing the work, instead of working out how to make a living." Little of the work is done using Internet. "For one, the phone lines are bad. But most importantly, we don’t have the resources. We would love to have access." Lin Pugh

NGO Caucus

Changes in Coalition Document

The Coalition in Support of the BPFA announced during the 10 March Linkage Caucus that changes have been made in the Coalition Document in response to the call from the Violence Against Women (VAW) Caucus regarding the use of the term "forced prostitution" in the document.  At the Linkage Caucus on 9 March, the VAW Caucus had strongly argued against the use of "forced prostitution" in the coalition document, stating that there should be no distinction between "forced" and "free" prostitution. The VAW Caucus representative also stressed that prostitution is in itself a Violation.

By emphasising that only "forced" prostitution is considered a human rights violation, prostituted women will have to bear the burden of proving that they had been violated.

Working on the principles of remaining consistent to the language of the BPFA, and of focusing on approaches that unify instead of divide the women's movement, the Coalition has deleted the term "prostitution" in the language of the Coalition Document and will use "sexual and economic exploitation of women" in its place. 

Cheekay Cinco

Trafficking in women in CEE/CIS

A new view to the trafficking in women in CEE/CIS from Barbara Limanowska, executive director of the Polish national women's information centre OSKA.

Experience of the NGO’s working in the field of trafficking shows that in many cases the women who decide to work abroad are neither duped or kidnapped, but are fully aware of the fact that they might be offered a job in the sex industry. The majority of them are women who agreed to work as prostitutes, or housekeepers, or workers in sweatshops, and were then cheated by their employers or intermediaries after they had begun to work. Most of these women are not "victims" of trafficking. The sex industry is almost the only place where a woman from Eastern Europe without work experience and knowledge of foreign language can find work. But also these women need protection because they are often the ones who are exploited, forced to work, lack legal job contracts and go in fear of the police. Illegal migrant women, prostitutes -pay the highest price, they are arrested, deported, banned from Western countries and enlabelled as criminals. If the rights of women are to be taken seriously and protected, trafficking cannot be seen as a separate issue, and actions taken against it cannot reduce women’s access to safe and secure means to migrate, to decent employment and education. When we talk from the perspective of trafficking only, we cannot effectively address the problems which are at it’s roots: discrimination, lack of opportunities, poverty. Looking at the issue of trafficking in the framework of human rights allows us to address its real roots. That is: conditions which encourage women to migrate, women’s extremely high rates of poverty and illiteracy, as well as general social, economic and political discrimination that all women face. To be able to really prevent trafficking we have to reframe it.

Lenka Simerska

Official Process

June subscription

Here are some important details for those who are planning to attend or be involved in the upcoming June Meeting. Please take note of the following:

1. It is very likely that the number of delegates per organization will be set at 2-3 women. If many women register, it will be limited to 2 women per organization.
2. The US government has initiated the following steps to try to get women here without too many visa hassles.They are informing all their embassies and consulates that this meeting will take place in June, and that women will be attending them. Women will need the letter of invitation or confirmation from the Division on the Advancement of  Women (DAW) to take with them for visa application. Each US embassy and consultate will be provided with steps on how to process these applications. If there are any problems, contact Peggy  Carrie, at the US Mission office in New York for assistance.
3. The US Host Committee will make available the Customs House Building, a newly renovated US government building near the UN for workshops, conferences and all Review events. It will also have teleconferencing rooms so women who cannot get into the UN building can listen to the deliberations while they are going on. Because of the number of events they expect, the deadline for requesting space for meetings, forums or any  other activities will be April 15th. All requests should be made to the Coordinating Committee.
4. A website where women can get more information and send in e-mail messages, is currently being constructed. URL is http://www.beijingplus5@host.com The website will also feature a calendar of events, expected to change a things move along.
5. CONGO will be hosting a 2 day NGO Forum on June 2-3.  The General Assembly meeting will be from June 5- 9.
6. For other details, visit the apwomen2000 archive at http://www.isiswomen.org/womenet/lists/apwomen2000/archive. See article, Preparing for B+5 June 2000 General Assembly.

Luz Martinez

Fifth World Conference?

The question in Patricia Flor’s mind – vice-chair of the PrepCom - is whether it is possible to make a document that can stand next to the Beijing Platform for Action. What is the next step? A "mega-super-global-conference on all the issues – population, environment, women would be important but hardly possible," said Flor at the NGO briefing on 10 March. "What we need to do first is strengthen the partnerships with NGOs. We acknowledge the role NGOs play and continue to play in follow-up activities. Mainstreaming should be an on-going concern of the UN, and this is part of the task of the CSW for years to come. A forum for separate debate focused on women remains necessary."

Lin Pugh

Security Council is not Hijacking CSW

Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh and present Chair of the Security Council presented a statement during the PrepCom on International Women’s Day. One apparently surprised delegate wondered at why he addressed the group. The gist of the Chair’s reply was: "I’m not trying to hijack your meeting, but to strengthen the process."

The full text is available through www.womenaction.org.

Lin Pugh

The Insiders Viewpoint

Word is getting around that the Prepcom will not get through part IV of the Outcome document

Actions and initiatives to overcome obstacles and to achieve the full and accelerated implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. Talk is that governments are stalling the process. WomenAction is conducting random interviews with members of official delegations and this is what they have to say:

"While I’m hopeful that there will be an Outcome document by the end of this week, the reality is there might still be a need for intersessional meetings. I hope these will be scheduled as close to the General Assembly in June as possible so that we won’t have to come to New York twice. This is a very expensive exercise for those of us coming from developing countries. Governments are also scrambling for resources to come to these meetings."

R. Tupou Vere, Fijian delegation

"The process is extremely slow. I’m not sure if there are invisible forces that are deliberately stalling the process. The issue of economic empowerment which is very important for us Nigerian women and African women in general, is being downplayed by the developed countries. The concerns around the World Trade Organisation are not properly addressed in the deliberations."

"NGOs should sustain their lobbying efforts. They’re doing very good work in providing us the language."

Dr. Timiebi A. Koripamo-Agary, Nigerian delegation

Mavic Cabrera-Balleza

Agenda

Racism too, is about Women’s Equality

Racism is increasing globally. Yet, women’s NGOs and government have shied away from confronting racism head on. Racism is a determinant of health. Racism is a determinant of violence and a cause of violence against women. Racism impacts the economic and education status and access to goods and services for many women. The majority of women living in poverty in the world are Black, Indigenous, and women of colour.

They have been undermined by an oppressive global economic system. In particular, governments in the North have refused to deal with the systemic nature of racism, colonialization and the growing movement of white supremacy in any real way.

As we evaluate the Beijing PFA, let us also remember that our governments have also signed on to the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

To make the link between gender and race, a briefing about the World Conference on Racism and Xenophobia will be held at 11-13:00 on Friday, March 17^th in Room B.

By Joan Grant Cummings

National Action Committee on the Status of Women.

Transforming the Platform for Action into local Action

You can come and participate in an interactive workshop with representatives from different regional and subject caucuses on strategies and ideas to implement the Platform for Action.

UN plaza, Wednesday ; March communauty. Level ; Church Center , 11.15 – 2.45 pm.

Co-hosted by Amrita Dasvarma, Beijing + 5 NGO Coordinator Australia Jessie Walker, Beijing + 5 Northwest Forum Organizer USA Philipp Thigo, Yougth Caucus and Africa Region.

WomenAction 2000 is a global information, communication and media network that enables NGOs to actively engage in the Beijing+5 review process with the long-term goal of women's empowerment, with a special focus on women and media. S. Boezak, J. Radloff, M. Cabrera-Balleza, B. Finke,