Focus on the CSW

1. EDITORIAL
The PeaceWomen Team

In this edition we focus on the Commission on the Status of Women that will begin its 51st Session on the 26th of February. Last year the CSW agreed on new working methods and a programme of work for the next several years. In accordance with these new methods, the Commission will, in each session, focus on policy development in relation to one priority theme and will review previous agreements in relation to another. It is hoped that this arrangement will lead to more focused attention on meaningful implementation of agreements and the negotiation of new commitments that are targeted and measurable. This year's priority theme is “ending all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” with the review theme being “the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality.” The Secretary-General's report on the priority theme (see item 3) contains several concrete recommendations that it is hoped will be taken up by governments. Of particular interest in the women, peace and security sphere are those recommendations related to girls in high-risk situations and we have highlighted some of these below. We also feature WILPF's statement submitted to the Commission that focuses on this aspect of the priority theme (see item 4). Also featured (see item 3) is the report of the expert group meeting preceding the Commission that addressed the girl child and armed conflict and, in particular, grave violations of girls' human rights in this context. Particularly useful in this report is the highlighting of best practices in addressing these issues. A recommendation coming out of this report and that of the Secretary-General is that of ensuring accountability for violations – including sexual and gender-based violence. Several of our news stories (see item 2) highlight the prevalence and seriousness of this violence. We look forward to Member States taking the opportunity presented by the CSW to indicate their real commitment to ending impunity. This opportunity is particularly timely given that this year's theme of International Women's Day on 8 March is ending impunity for violence against women and girls.

Taking action against sexual violence in conflict is the responsibility of many actors and the UN will be launching an exciting new initiative in this regard (see item 5). We applaud this coordinated effort by entities across the system to “advocate for and to facilitate better communication and coordination of the UN's work to respond to and to end sexual violence in conflict.” As last year's Secretary-General's study on violence against women highlighted, coordinated and strategic action is key and it is encouraging to see this initiative taking this approach. Efforts at local, national and regional level are, however, vital to successfully addressing such violence and they need to be supported. The UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women, aims to do exactly this and this month's UNIFEM update (see item 8), highlights this mechanism, which marks its 10th anniversary this year. Ending violence against women and girls is vital, not only because of its immediate and individual impact but, as we have previously emphasized, because such violence functions as a barrier to women's full and equal participation and the building of sustainable peace. This important link is one seen in various parts of this edition – in the UNIFEM update in relation to women in Liberia and in Sudan and in several of our news items.

The final note in this editorial is a sad one. As many in our community are aware, a long-time advocate and leader in the women's movement, Angela King, passed away earlier this month. Ms King was key in the adoption of Resolution 1325 and her contributions and commitment are celebrated and remembered. The PeaceWomen Project extends its condolences to her family and friends. Her work and commitments have been and will continue to be an inspiration to all of us in our work for gender equality.

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As always we welcome your contributions to the newsletter's content. Contributions for the March 2007 edition should be sent to enewssubmissions@peacewomen.org by Thursday 19 March 2007.

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2. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY NEWS

CONSCRIPTION OF CHILDREN, SEXUAL ABUSE UNABATED IN DARFUR
February 2 , 2007- (IRIN) Boys in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region are increasingly at risk of being recruited into armed groups, while sexual violence against girls is unabated, despite growing official awareness, a top United Nations envoy said on Thursday.

U.N. ENVOY SAYS PEACEKEEPERS NEED EQUALITY LESSON
09 Febuary 2007 - (Reuters) The outgoing U.N. Ivory Coast envoy said on Friday the world body should use an "enforcer" to teach peacekeepers how to treat women, while combating a lack of urgency and awareness among its staff.

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON STRESSES WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP AND SECURITY DURING FIRST VISIT TO AFRICA
5 February 2007 - (UNIFEM) The incoming United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon concluded his first visit to Africa with a strong message on promotion of women's leadership and zero tolerance for sexual violence and exploitation.

WOMEN AND ARMED CONFLICT; INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
February, 8 2007 - (Human Rights Watch) In armed conflicts raging around the globe, soldiers and paramilitaries terrorize women with rape, sexual and other physical violence, and harassment. These tactics are tools of war, instruments of terror designed to hurt and punish women, wrench communities apart, and force women and girls to flee their homes.

LIBERIAN WOMEN ARTICULATE PRIORITIES FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY
February 12, 2007 — The enhancement of national security is a key area of focus in the reconstruction of Liberia alongside the revitalization of the economy, strengthening governance and the rule of law, and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure. In addressing national security, a broader view of security must be embraced, particularly in light of the increasing incidence of gender-based violence, including rape, in communities. This was one of the key priorities identified by a group of 18 Liberian women who are in Washington, DC, to participate in the Symposium on Gender and Development in Liberia.

NEARLY 600 WOMEN KILLED IN PAKISTAN 'HONOUR KILLINGS' IN 2006
February 8, 2007 - (Irish Examiner) At least 565 women and girls in Pakistan died in so-called honour killings in 2006, the country's main rights organisation said today, nearly double the number it recorded the year before.

CHALLENGING THE MULLAHS, A SIGNATURE AT A TIME
February 7, 2007 – (International Herald Tribune) Well-behaved women rarely make history," my favorite bumper sticker says. It surely applies to Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner whose relentless campaign against discrimination has enraged the mullahs for more than 25 years.

LEBANESE WOMEN PROTEST AGAINST RETURN TO CIVIL WAR
February 6, 2007 - (AFP) About 300 Lebanese women held a sit-in protest in Beirut Monday to warn that sectarian strife could plunge the country back into civil war.

UN MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF FUND TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WITH CALL FOR ACTION
February 16, 2007 – (UN News) Senior United Nations officials today marked the tenth anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women with praise for its accomplishments and a call for more action.

ANGELA KING, LEADING ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY AND TOP U.N. OFFICIAL ON WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT, DIES
February 6, 2007 - (The Associated Press) Angela E.V. King, a Jamaican diplomat who became a leading advocate for women's equality and the first special adviser to the U.N. secretary-general on women's advancement, has died, the U.N. said Tuesday.

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For more country-specific women, peace and security news, CLICK HERE

For more international women, peace and security news, CLICK HERE

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3.Feature EVENT

51st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
26 February to 9 March 2007, UN HQ, New York

The 51st Session of the CSW is scheduled to take place in New York from 26 February to 9 March 2007. The themes for this session are:

Priority Theme: The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child
Review Theme: The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality

CSW on the Web:

The PeaceWomen Project has developed web pages for the 51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women featuring:
UN Documents & links,
NGO Documents & links,
Governmental Participation

For these pages please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/index.htm

For the official UN website of the CSW please visit: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/51sess.htm

For the NGO Committee on the Status of Women site please visit: http://www.ngocsw.org/

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Women, Peace and Security-themed CSW Parallel Events:
The PeaceWomen Project has developed a calendar highlighting women, peace and security events taking place at the 51st session of the CSW.

This calendar can be found at:
http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGOdocs/CSW_WPSevents.pdf

For all other NGO, Government, UN Entity, Inter-Governmental events at the CSW please visit:
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/conf/seforms/dspUNcalendar.asp

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UN Reports for the CSW:

Report Of The Secretary-General On Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination And Violence Against The Girl Child

An analysis of discrimination and violence against the girl child and recommendations for consideration by the Commission. Some key recommendations related to girls in armed conflict:

52. Governments at all levels, international organizations including the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, should:
(r) Protect girls in conflict, refugee and internal displacement situations, where girls are targeted for violence, and provide appropriate redress and rehabilitation to girls subjected to such violence;
(s) Prosecute all perpetrators of crimes of sexual violence against girls in situations of armed conflict, including United Nations international and national personnel;
(t) Take measures to ensure that the specific needs of girls affected by armed conflict are taken into account in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including in refugee camps, and in reconstruction efforts and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes;
(u) Incorporate information on the rights of children, giving explicit attention to girls, in the mandates, operational guidelines and training programmes of peacekeeping forces, police, and humanitarian workers in conflict and post-conflict situations;
(v) Ensure that the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children and armed conflict, established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005, under the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, includes a specific focus on the girl child with respect to each of the six grave violations against children;
(w) Work to ensure that national action plans to halt recruitment and use of children in situations of armed conflict and other grave violations, as requested in Security Council resolutions 1539 (2004) of 22 April 2004 and 1612 (2005), identify and address the specific vulnerabilities of girls in armed conflict;

For the full report visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/UNdocs/SGReport_girlchild.pdf

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The Girl Child And Armed Conflict: Recognizing And Addressing Grave Violations Of Girls' Human Rights
UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) in collaboration with UNICEF, Expert Group Meeting – Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination and Violence Against the Girl Child, September 2006

During armed conflict, girls are subject to widespread and, at times, systematic forms of human rights violations that have mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and material repercussions. These violations include illegal detention with or without family members, abduction and forced removal from families and homes, disappearances, torture and other inhuman treatment, amputation and mutilation, forced recruitment into fighting forces and groups, slavery, sexual exploitation, increased exposure to HIV/AIDS, and a wide range of physical and sexual violations, including rape, enforced pregnancy, forced prostitution, forced marriage and forced child-bearing. There is urgent need for better documentation, monitoring and reporting on the extreme suffering that armed conflict inflicts on girls, as well as on the many roles girls play during conflict and its aftermath.

For the full report, please visit: www.peacewomen.org/resources/Human_Rights/girl_child.pdf

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Report: On-Line Discussion On The Theme Of “The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination And Violence Against The Girl Child”
Organized by the Division for the Advancement of Women, 14 August-8 September 2006.

The online discussion “Elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” was organized by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), which is part of the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The discussion was held from August 14, 2006 to September 12, 2006. It was moderated by Mr. Christoph Schuepp, who also prepared this report. Mr. Schuepp presented the report to an Expert Group Meeting on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child organized by the Division for the Advancement of Women in collaboration with UNICEF, and hosted by UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre in Florence, Italy, from 25 to 28 September 2006.
The report does not give a comprehensive coverage of all inputs received but provides a summary overview of the discussion, with some illustrative examples of contributions. The results of the online discussion will feed into and contribute to a further understanding of the issue, as the experts' findings will be used as input to the Commission in the Status of Women in its deliberations on the priority theme, “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child”, during its 51st session in 2007.

The online discussion was spread over four weeks:
• Week One: “Protection of the girl child; girls in vulnerable situations”
• Week Two: “Empowerment of the girl child”
• Week Three: “Monitoring progress - data and statistics on the girl child”
• Week Four: “Wrap up and recommendations”

For the full report of this discussion visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/UNdocs/Online_discussion_repor...

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4.Feature statement

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Statement on the 51st Session of the CSW

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) looks forward to the 51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women and the opportunity it presents to further the work of Member States towards women's empowerment, human rights and gender equality. WILPF once again expresses its full and unequivocal support for the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) and the outcomes of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly (Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century). In the years since its inception in 1915, WILPF has continually worked to prevent armed conflicts and to establish the conditions for sustainable peace on a global scale. Without gender equality, sustainable peace, sustainable development and true human security is unattainable. In its work to achieve these ends, WILPF has, as an NGO with ECOSOC consultative status, participated in all of the United Nations sponsored World Conferences on Women and sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women. It remains committed to working to ensure that in these fora and others, there is continued work done on ensuring that the struggle for women's human rights, security and empowerment in all spheres goes beyond policy and is translated into reality through a process in which women are fully and effectively included.

In its development of policy in relation to eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child and its evaluation of prior commitments in relation to the role of men and boys, the Commission once again has the opportunity to translate words into actions.
WILPF looks forward to the Commission's consideration of the theme of the “elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child.” In this regard, we look forward to Member State's critically identifying gaps and challenges in implementation so as to develop policy that will allow more rapid and effective progress on this issue.

While discrimination and violence against the girl child is present world-wide and in times of peace, some of its most devastating examples and effects are seen in armed-conflict. The impact on girls of armed conflict is particularly severe. Not only are they particularly vulnerable as children, but their being girl children mean that this impact is compounded. They are, for example, subject to widespread human rights violations which are oftentimes systematic and systemic and which have effects that are psychological, emotional, physical and material. That they are differently affected and have specific needs and interest and require specific protection is recognized in several Security Council Resolutions – resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and resolutions 1261, 1314, 1379, 1460, 1539 and 1612 – all dealing with specific issues regarding children in armed conflict. International and humanitarian law provides protection for girls against harm and abuse during armed conflict and particular protections are found in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.

WILPF calls on all Member States to respect this international law and more broadly to commit to the goals and objectives that they seek to further. WILPF urges governments to implement the recommendations of the Expert Group Meeting held, preceding this session of the Commission, by the Division for the Advancement of Women, in collaboration with UNICEF on “The girl child and armed conflict: Recognizing and addressing grave violations of girls' human rights.”

In particular, WILPF urges the UN system and Member States to address sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping personnel, including through effective pre-deployment training of personnel and through the establishment and enforcement of accountability mechanisms. More broadly, and on the national level, WILPF urges governments to ensure that their national legislation conforms to international norms and standards regarding the rights of women and girls and prohibitions against violence against them; that monitoring and accountability mechanisms in relation to such violence are established and fully and effectively funded; and that national judicial systems and health care and other services are functional and accessible and attend to the needs of girls affected by violence in conflict.

WILPF also urges governments to recognize and change the attitudes and behaviors that cause and perpetuate the gender inequality in society in which such discrimination and violence is rooted. Education plays a key role in this and governments have, through their commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, committed, at the very least to the goal of universal primary education for all children – including girls. Access to quality education for girls is essential for their empowerment. Without it girls are unlikely to realize their full potential; are unlikely to fully participate in their society throughout their lives; are unable to pursue productive and sustainable livelihoods; and will remain vulnerable to all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence.

WILPF calls on Member States to actively pursue and properly fund programs to promote access to education for girls but, in addition, to educate all in society, including men and boys, about gender and about gender discrimination, its causes and consequences and to seek to include all in bringing about its elimination. The necessity of including all members of society in the elimination of discrimination provides the crucial link with the other theme considered by the Commission in its 51st Session.

In this regard WILPF welcomes the evaluation by the Commission of progress in the implementation of the previously agreed conclusions on the theme of the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality. WILPF recognizes that discrimination against women is not a problem which can be addressed through the empowerment of women alone. Gender and sex discrimination is rooted in patriarchy which defines and controls the roles of both men and women and both boys and girls. Men and boys too are constrained by these roles and the achievement of gender equality is of benefit to society as a whole, including for men and boys. It is necessary to critically examine all of these roles, to examine masculinities and femininities and, furthermore, to see that without a shift in the norms and beliefs of society as a whole in this regard, the implementation of the BPFA, the Millennium Development Goals and other commitments is impossible and true gender equality unattainable. The contribution of men and boys in this cannot be undervalued. WILPF looks forward to Member States' evaluation of their prior commitments with a view to furthering their practical implementation.

Just as the role of men and boys is critical in achieving gender equality, so too is it necessary to recognize that the elimination of discrimination and violence against the girl child cannot stand separate from the elimination of such discrimination and violence against women. And such cannot stand separate from the empowerment of women. Their empowerment and the realization of their role as equal decision makers in society makes it more likely that decisions will be made that take the needs and interest of girls into account. In addition, girls will be further empowered through the provision of role models to which they can aspire.

The UN system too needs to provide positive examples and more effective frameworks and mechanisms by which to pursue the larger project of achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women – of which the themes considered by the Commission are but one part. In this regard the UN system needs to set a positive example and to provide effective frameworks and mechanisms to pursue this work. WILPF reiterates the call made by NGOs at previous sessions of the Commission and to and by the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence to more effectively pursue gender mainstreaming and to seriously upgrade and better resource the gender equality architecture of the United Nations.

In all of these issues, in order to develop more effective and responsive policies and progress, it is necessary that there be better documentation, monitoring and reporting. This is not possible without the provision of sex-disaggregated data. WILPF calls on Member States to support the development of statistical collection that is disaggregated in this manner and all Member States and the UN system itself to provide the technical and financial support to make this possible. Failure to do so indicates a lack of commitment to making a meaningful effort and to dedicating real resources to achieving gender equality. Achieving gender equality requires more than words, it requires action. Action is unlikely to be effective if it is not based on the reality revealed by data and facts.

WILPF continues to support and work towards making gender equality a reality and to ensuring collective human security and sustainable peace. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with all stakeholders to create a culture of peace and a world in which all, including girl children, are free from violence and all forms of oppression.

For the full statement please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGOdocs/wilpf.pdf

For other NGO Statements please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGO.htm

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5. FEATURE RESOURCE

A Girl's Right to Live, Female Foeticide and Girl Infanticide
Working Group on the Girl child, NGOCSW in Geneva, February 2007

In preparation for the 51st Session of the CSW, the Working Group on the Girl Child, part of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women in Geneva, published the following report: "A Girl's Right to Live, Female Foeticide and Girl Infanticide".

WILPF International took an active part in the publishing of the report, which will be presented during the 51st session of the CSW in New York (26 February to 9 March 2007), focusing on the "Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination and Violence Against the Girl Child".

For the full report please visit:

English: http:www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGOdocs/foeticide_NGOCSW.pdf

French: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGOdocs/foeticide_NGOCSW_fr.pdf

Printed copies of the report will be available during the following parallel event at the CSW:

Female Infanticide Panel
28 February, 2007,
4:00 PM - 5:45 PM
Church Center of the United Nations
777 UN Plaza, New York, NY

For further information please contact Marie Boroli, WILPF: marie.boroli@wilpf.ch

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For NGO and civil society reports, papers and statements, UN and government reports, and books, journals and articles on women, peace and security issues,
please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/resourcesindex.html

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6. FEATURE INITIATIVe

UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict

Ten partnering UN entities will host an event to raise awareness of the fact that rape is not inevitable in armed conflict and that more can be done to stop sexual violence in conflict situations. The ten entities- DPKO, OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNHCHR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WFP, and WHO- have partnered in an initiative called UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, through which they intend to advocate for and to facilitate better communication and coordination of the UN's work to respond to and to end sexual violence in conflict.

In New York, Nairobi, and Geneva, during the week of International Women's Day, event panelists in the respective cities will be asked to respond to the question: “What can the UN do to intensify its efforts to end sexual violence in conflict?” We welcome UN, governmental, and civil society representatives to join us in these events and in a global campaign, Stop Rape Now! No longer can we allow women's bodies to be the battlefields.

Event: “What can the UN do to intensify its efforts to end sexual violence in conflict?”
Monday, 05 March 2007, from 1-3pm
UN Headquarters (New York), Conference Room 4

The confirmed New York event panelists, include:

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Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (Gambia)
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General Daniel Opande, UN Force Commander, Liberia and Sierra Leone (Kenya)
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Ms. Eve Ensler, Creator of Vagina Monologues and V-DAY, a global movement to end violence against women and girls (USA)
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Ms. Sapana Pradhan Malla, Chairperson of Forum for Women Law and Development (FWLD) (Nepal)

Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Reecha Upadhyay at tel. +1 212 906 6134 or reecha.upadhyay@undp.org, should you require more information.

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For more women, peace and security initiatives – in country, regional, global and international, visit:

http://www.peacewomen.org/campaigns/global/index.html

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7. NGOWG UPDATE

NGO Working Group Events during the CSW

During the Commission on the Status of Women, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security will hold a SCR 1325 workshop focusing on the links between SCR 1325 and the differential impact of armed conflict on the girl-child. The Working Group will also host a roundtable discussion on SCR 1325 and the Peacebuilding Commission.

SCR 1325 Workshop: The Girl Child and Armed Conflict
27 February, 2007, 9:00-10:30 am
Baha'i International Community
866 United Nations Plaza # 120
1st Avenue and 49th Street, New York, NY

Roundtable Discussion on Gender and Women's Participation in the Work of the Peacebuilding Commission
March 2, 2007, 3:00-5:00 pm
Millennium UN Plaza Hotel
U Thant Room
44th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue, New York, NY

Ms. Goretti Ndacayisaba from Burundi will also join the NGO Working Group during the CSW. Ms. Ndacayisaba, who participated in the 5th Anniversary of SCR 1325, is currently the Program Executive at DUSHIREHAMWE - a non-governmental organization dedicated to empowering the capacity building of women and their associations in order to contribute effectively and efficiently in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and management. She is also one of the founding members of the Federation of African Women Network for Peace and is actively involved in several key organizations including: the Forum for Civil Security Empowerment in Burundi (FORSC), Partners' Synergy for Women's Rights Promotion (SPPDF), and Civil Society Organizations Coalition for Elections Monitoring (COSOME).

For further information on Ms. Ndacayisaba contact: Gina Torry, NGOWG Coordinator, E-mail: gtorry@womenpeacesecurity.org

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For more information visit: http://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/

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9. UNIFEM UPDATE

Gender, Peace and Security Consortium

Liberian Women Articulate Priorities for the Reconstruction of the Country

Prior to the Liberia Partners' Forum scheduled for 13-14 February, a group of Liberian women met to participate in a Symposium on Gender and Development in Liberia. The symposium was organized by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), in collaboration with the Initiative for Inclusive Security and The World Bank. The Forum brought together representatives of the government of Liberia and donor countries and agencies to jointly review progress made by the government in the reconstruction of the country, discuss Liberia's interim poverty reduction strategy (I-PRS), and discuss financial needs for the reconstruction and development agenda.

The participants noted that the enhancement of national security is a key area of focus in the reconstruction of Liberia alongside the revitalization of the economy, strengthening governance and the rule of law, and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure. In addressing national security, a broader view of security must be embraced, particularly in light of the increasing incidence of gender-based violence, including rape, in communities.

For more information please visit: http://unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=557

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Gender Justice Workshop for South Sudan

UNIFEM supported the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) to hold a Gender Justice workshop for South Sudan on 12-14 February 2007. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Religious Affairs, Peace Commission, and the office of the Presidential Advisor for Gender and Human Rights, through financial suppport from the Government of Sweden.

UNIFEM has been at the forefront of mobilizing and facilitating the inclusion of Sudanese women into the macro and national development processes in Sudan. The overall objective of the gender justice workshop was to familiarize the participants with the concept of gender justice in the context of Southern Sudan as well as create a space for women and men to discuss openly the most pressing gender justice issues, including the range of obstacles to gender justice facing women in Sudan.

For more information please visit: http://unifem.org/news_events/event_detail.php?EventID=113

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10 Years of the UN Trust Fund to End VAW

The year 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women, which is managed by UNIFEM. The Trust Fund is the only multilateral grant-making mechanism that supports local, national and regional efforts to combat gender-based violence. These UN-supported efforts have:

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linked activists and advocates from all parts of the world;
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shown how small, innovative projects impact laws, policies and attitudes; and
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helped break the wall of silence, moving the issue onto public agendas everywhere.

On February 16th, UNIFEM and partners will mark the anniversary with Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and Nicole Kidman in the ECOSOC Chamber at 1:15pm.

For more information, please visit: http://www.unifem.org/campaigns/trust_fund_10th_anniversary/event.php

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UNIFEM's Web Portal on Women, Peace and Security, CLICK HERE

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10. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY CALENDAR

Commission on the Status of Women, 51st Session
26 February-9 March 2007, UNHQ, New York
For women, peace and security parallel events visit:
http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW51/NGOdocs/CSW_WPSevents.pdf

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International Women's Day

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

For more information, please visit: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

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Panel: How Girls Survive In Situations of Violence and Armed Conflict
2nd March, 2007, 12:00-1:45 p.m, CCUN, 777 UN Plaza New York, NY

Canada s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is pleased to invite you to panel presentation on How Girls Survive in Situations of Violence and Armed Conflict with guest speakers Dr. Dyan Mazurana, Ms. Hana Saab and Dr. Neil Andersson. This panel is held in conjunction with the Fifty-first session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Unlike wars of previous centuries, conflict is now fought in communities, in the street, and homes and workplaces of ordinary citizens. Increasingly it is acknowledged that in these contexts, women, girls, boys and men experience conflict differently. Although United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on women, peace and security, identifies the need to recognize the unique experiences of women and girls in conflict, girls and adolescent girls are often overlooked within conflict contexts and in post-conflict reconstruction policy and programming. Girls and adolescent girls experience several forms of violence in conflict including forced displacement, early marriage and forced recruitment into armed groups, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, forced impregnation and rape. Through multiple identities and roles (head of household, combatant, peace activist, mother) girls and adolescent girls in conflict and post-conflict contexts have demonstrated resiliency, coping and survival skills.

* A gender and generational analysis of armed conflict, peace and justice processes and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration: northern Uganda, eastern Uganda
Dr Dyan Mazurana, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University, USA
* Adolescents Coping with Trauma in Palestine
Hana Saab, Research Associate, Social Program Evaluation Group, Queen s University, Canada
* Sexual Violence and HIV Risk in South Africa
Dr Neil Anderson, Founder and Executive Director, Community Information Empowerment and Transparency (CIET), South Africa

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International Women Parliamentarians Conference "Gender, Nation Building and Role of Parliaments"
22-23 February 2007, Kigali, Rwanda
Over the past thirteen years the government of Rwanda deliberately developed and applied innovative policies across all sectors that ensured men and women, young and old were involved in the building of a reconciled and prosperous society based on the values of gender equality which is a fundamental aspect of good governance and development. Today one can say that this 'tree of commitment' has borne fruit given the women of Rwanda make up a 48.8% of the membership of the Parliament. This is the highest representation of women in any legislative body in the world.
For more information visit: http://www.rwandawomen-mp.org

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PANEL: "Confronting Gender-Based Violence in Iraq"
6 March 2007, New York
MADRE will release Imposing Gender Apartheid on Iraq: The Legacy of Bush's War, a groundbreaking report on the incidence, causes, and legalization of gender-based violence in Iraq since the US-led invasion. The report documents the use of gender-based violence by Islamists seeking to establish a theocratic state, and by the US in its efforts to appease Islamists and enforce its occupation.

For more information visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/frame/calendar/confrontinggender.htm

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Third Regional Training Course on Gender, Citizenship and Participatory Governance for the Middle East and North Africa Region
16-23 April 2007, Beirut, Lebanon
This course is jointly organized by KIT (Royal Tropical Institute) and the Collective for Research and Training on Development Action (CRTD.A) in Lebanon. The course, tailored for the Middle East and North Africa, aims to provide a gender analysis of the governance, citizenship and related institutions and to familiarize participants with strategies to ensure that gender equality is prioritized in the governance agenda.