2008: Women, Peace & Security Highlights

1. EDITORIAL
Sam Cook

As 2008 draws to a close, this year's last edition of the PeaceWomen E-News offers an opportunity to reflect on some of the year's work on advancing the women, peace and security agenda. So many different actors contribute towards the advances in implementing Resolution 1325 and related commitments. For the PeaceWomen Project, collaboration with colleagues and partners around the world is an invaluable part of our work. We'd like to thank all the NGO, UN and government colleagues with whom we've worked this year. To those women working at the local level in dangerous and difficult circumstances as conflict continues to rage around the world – thank you for continuing the real and concrete work for peace. And for keeping the work of PeaceWomen going, thanks go to the wonderful women who've given their time, energy and commitment as interns for the Project this year. Thank you also to our fellow members of the NGO Working Group on women, peace and security – we're pleased to feature a message (Item 8) from the group's coordinator Sarah Taylor who joined us this year. And, as we welcome new faces, the UN office of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is particularly delighted to welcome our new director AnnJanette Rosga who joined us in November and has already invigorated the work of our office.

As we move into 2009 we look forward to continuing our work to make real the commitments to peace, freedom and human rights that have been made in this and in year's past. In this vein, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turned 60 on the 10th of December and our Feature Statement (Item 3) by WILPF on International Human Rights Day marks this important occasion. As one of our Feature Initiatives (Item 7) – a statement by the Center for Women's Global Leadership – reminds us, “universal human rights cannot be realized unless women have the right to live free of violence.” Within the realm of Resolution 1325, much of the focus in the last year has been on sexual violence against women in conflict. Certainly violence against women in conflict is not the only violence of concern nor should all violence against women be reduced to sexual violence. However, when working on conflict issues, focusing on that setting of violence is somewhat inevitable. Furthermore, it is hard to ignore the reports of widespread sexual violence, such as those coming out of the DRC in 2008, as the mainstream media, for better or worse, went into high gear on the region and issue in 2008. Nor can one ignore that sexual violence is deployed in particular ways in conflict settings and that some of the most significant international law on violence against women is that related to sexual violence.

What is important is that our work on these issues is done in ways that take into account common root causes and that address broader gender equality concerns in conflict and post-conflict situations. Significantly, we cannot address violence against women without addressing violence and conflict more broadly. Nor can the links with the issue of women's participation be forgotten – including the fact that violence is both a cause and effect of low levels of participation by women in politics and all forms of decision-making. For WILPF, realizing rights and addressing violence against women is integrally connected to preventing war and eradicating militarism, not just for women but also for society at large.

It was with these thoughts in mind that we approached some of our most significant advocacy efforts in 2008. A year ago, the Project was heavily engaged in efforts to get the Security Council to take seriously its commitment to Resolution 1325 in its day-to-day work and, as part of that, to enhance its efforts to address sexual violence in conflict. One of the major challenges we faced at that time was that there were those on the Council who were of the view that sexual violence in conflict was not something that was within that body's purview. There was a significant shift in relation to this view in June of 2008.

With the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1820 on women, peace and security on June 19th 2008, the Security Council recognized that sexual violence in conflict is a matter of international peace and security. It is that recognition, rather than the resolution's affirmation of international law, that is particularly significant. Given the Security Council's mandate in the UN Charter in maintaining international peace and security, addressing sexual violence in conflict is very much their job. The passage of the resolution has provided advocates with another tool, along with 1325, to advance the women, peace and security agenda. But, it must be remembered that it is just a tool. Its passage alone did not address the problem – a reality to which our News section (Item 2) clearly attests. As we move into 2009, we look forward to the Secretary-General's report on Resolution 1820 and hope to see addressed some of the key institutional challenges to ensuring effective information flow and action on the issue.

Our Feature Events section (Item 5) highlights the adoption of Resolution 1820 and women, peace and security highlights from other UN processes and events that we monitored in 2008. Included here is the PeaceWomen Thematic Index of the Security Council Open Debate to mark the 8th Anniversary of 1325 and of the General Debate of the 63rd Session of the General Assembly as well as highlights and analysis from this year's session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Another international event of particular significance to WILPF was the December 3rd signing by more than 100 governments of a treaty to ban cluster munitions. WILPF worked hard to ensure gender issues and the particular needs and concerns of women were taken into account in the negotiation of the treaty. Our Feature Resource (Item 4), is a report by the Swedish section of WILPF to coincide with the treaty signing. This important publication rightly notes that “it takes more than a ban” to address issues of gender in relation to cluster munitions. The treaty is, however, an important part of overall progress in the women, peace and security agenda.

Although this policy development and articulation within the international sphere and the multilateral space of the United Nations is important, as important are implementation efforts at the national level. Our section on 1325 Implementation Efforts (Item 6) looks at developments in 2008 at this level. 2008 has seen impressive work done by governments and civil society to ensure that commitment to Resolution 1325 is manifested at the national level. This includes the launch of national action plans by Finland, Iceland and Spain and very exciting initiatives in the Pacific Region and Ireland towards such plans.

We look forward to continuing to feature the important work at the local and national level as we also continue to push for the integration of women, peace and security issues in the ongoing work of the Security Council. We hope that 2009 sees the continuing collaboration of women, peace and security advocates around the world in driving forward the women, peace and security agenda. Our offices will be closed from 19 December and we'll be back on the 5th of January 2009. Wishing you peace in the New Year.

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As always, we welcome your contributions to the newsletter's content. Contributions for the next edition should be sent to info@peacewomen.org by Thursday 22 January 2009.
2. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY NEWS

DR Congo: concern for displaced grows as girls shot, woman raped near UN camp
December 12, 2008 - (UN News) Armed militia this morning shot two young girls who were sheltered at a United Nations camp in the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), from which the Organization's refugee agency has been relocating thousands of displaced people due to concerns for their safety. The five-year-old girl died instantly and the seven-year-old was left critically injured and is fighting for her life in a local hospital.

Women refuse to be silenced by Robert Mugabe
December 11, 2008 - (The Times) It happened in the blink of an eye and with military precision. At precisely 1pm a handful of women walked to the middle of a busy junction in central Harare and began chanting antigovernment slogans.

Zimbabwe: Woza Takes to the Streets to Call for International Intervention
December 9, 2008 - (AllAfrica) As questioned are raised about the growing calls for Robert Mugabe to be removed from power and whether the calls are yet more shining rhetoric in a time of desperation, members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) took to the streets of Harare on Tuesday, demanding immediate international intervention.

Nigeria: Women Vow to Facilitate Peace in Niger Delta
December 9, 2008 - (AllAfrica) Mothers from the Niger Delta and other parts of the country have vowed to take a bold step to meet the militants face to face, saying it is time mothers should speak out to their sons.

South Africa: Women Meet to Discuss Achieving Gender Parity
December 7, 2008 - (AllAfrica) Women in government and non-governmental organisations met at the weekend to deliberate on how best to achieve the acceleration of gender parity ahead of next year's elections.

Palestinians join UN agencies in denouncing honour killings and gender abuse
December 5, 2008 - (UN News Center) Eight United Nations agencies have co-sponsored the first Palestinian ‘festival' to combat violence against women, driving home the message that so-called “honour killings” have nothing to do with honour and seeking to break the conspiracy of silence surrounding domestic abuse.

Zambia: Violence Against Women On the Rise
December 5, 2008 - (AllAfrica) "There will be no peace, security and sustainable economic development in Zambia as long as women's rights continue to be treated as a secondary issue," said Non-Governmental Organisation Coordination Committee (NGOCC) chairperson Marian Munyinda.

Montenegrin fathers urged to be role models against violence in new UN campaign
December 5, 2008 - (UN News Center) The United Nations refugee agency and its aid partners in Montenegro have enlisted popular local sports coaches to take part in a new public awareness campaign aimed at fathers that is part of broader worldwide efforts to stem sexual and physical violence against women.

PAKISTANI GIRLS GET FIRST SHOT AT EDUCATION IN UN-SUPPORTED CAMPS
December 4, 2008 - (UN News) Children uprooted by the violence in the war-torn north-western region of Pakistan have unexpectedly benefited from their plight by having the opportunity to attend school for the first time in United Nations-supported camps, reported a senior UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) official.=

Somalia: Women in Puntland Demand Greater Role in Government
December 3, 2008 - (AllAfrica) Women in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, north-eastern Somalia, are calling for greater representation in the region's parliament in the upcoming elections to reflect their role in society.

Congo-Kinshasa: Activists Slam World's 'Grotesque Indifference'
December 3, 2008 - (AllAfrica) International lust for the enormous mineral and resource riches of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) abetted by international indifference has turned much of country into a colossal "rape mine" where more than 300,000 women and girls have been brutalised, say activists.

Africa: New UN Report Says Accountability is Significant to Ensure Gender Equality
December 1, 2008 - (AllAfrica) The African continent is scheduled to witness and experience development only when the economic empowerment of women is deemed a matter of more rapid and concrete development.

JORDAN: First all-female demining team in Middle East
December 1, 2008 - (IRIN) An all-female team of 24 deminers, the first of its kind in the Middle East, started its official duties on 30 November, working alongside dozens of men who have been combing a mine-infested area on the Syrian border.

Rwanda: Men to Combat Gender-Based Violence
November 30, 2008 – (AllAfrica) "Seeking to engage men and boys in effective ways to reduce gender inequalities and violence and promote healthy well-being of women, men, and children." That, according to Rwamrec's chairperson Fidel Rutayisire, is in short the aim of Men Engage Network in Rwanda.

PHILIPPINES: Women suffer most in Mindanao conflict
November 28, 2008 - (IRIN) Women on the southern island of Mindanao are bearing the brunt of the separatist violence now in its fourth month. Mindanao has witnessed an escalation in fighting between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) since 10 August.

Gender violence in Iraq threatens to undermine families and society, UN warns
November 26, 2008 – (UN News) The top United Nations official in Iraq has called for the urgent establishment of a national legal framework guaranteeing the protection of women, warning that continued gender violence threatens to undermine the country's families and society.

Millions join UN in urgent call to step up and eliminate violence against women
November 25, 2008 – (UN News) More than five million individuals around the world have sent a clear and unequivocal message to their governments to take decisive action in stopping the relentless cycle of violence against women, at the conclusion of an Internet-based United Nations campaign today.

Violence against women remains widespread and largely unpunished – UN officials
November 25, 2008 – (UN News) Violence against women is the least punished crime in the world, United Nations officials said today, urging governments to end the widespread impunity and to take measures to ensure that the laws and policies that aim to protect women and girls are enforced.

the Granny Peace Brigade Campaigns to Close All US Military Bases - in Latin America and Around the World
November 21, 2008 (The Women's International Perspective) Their hats adorned with artificial flowers identify them at many of the protests in which I participate. The Grannies also show up on New York City's Union Square to sing their signature anti-war lyrics to well known tunes.

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3. FEATURE statement

WILPF 2008 International Human Rights Day Statement
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

Today, 10 December 2008, marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly. The UDHR is a major achievement of the United Nations, setting a common human rights standard for all nations and peoples. Its legally binding International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and their Optional Protocols, as well as the many conventions and treaties to promote and protect human rights for all, form a remarkable body of international human rights law.

In this 60th anniversary year, the United Nations has undertaken an intensive programme of activities leading up to today's commemoration, under the slogan “dignity and justice for all of us”. It culminates in sixteen days of action against gender based violence.

The implementation of accepted human rights norms remains a significant challenge. Although the international human rights standards and their oversight have been strengthened over the years, forces and trends (by States and private companies) continue to threaten and undermine their application. Too often under the false pretext of protecting women, women are denied the right to education, mobility, the right to their own body and the free choice to plan their own future. All over the world, women have to struggle for basic human rights in many aspects of their lives.

Since its inception in 1915, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has worked for all human rights to be respected. We have equally worked for the prevention of war and the eradication of militarism, believing that these conditions negate human rights. We are convinced that human rights cannot exist without peace and freedom.

Exercising the right to have an equal voice in international policy-making and the questions of war and peace, The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom calls for:

• the right of peoples to exercise political and economic sovereignty over their land and its resources;

• the right of peoples to live in peace and freedom without fear of violence, occupation or military rule;

• the right of peoples to determine their own systems of economic and social development and relations in harmony with the planet;

• the right of women to receive equal pay for equal work;

• the right of all people to be free from sexual slavery, other forms of bonded labour and exploitation;

• the right of all peoples to participate fully in the social, economic and political life in their country.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is the oldest women's peace organization in the world, established in 1915 to oppose the war raging in Europe . It has been working ever since to study, make known, and abolish the causes of war, and to support human rights and general and complete disarmament.

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4. feature Resource

On 3 December 2008 More than 100 Governments gathered in Oslo to sign a ban on cluster munitions. To coincide with this event, WILPF's Swedish Section launched a new publication that looks at the issue of cluster munitions and gender:

Cluster Munitions and Gender – it Takes More Than a Ban
WILPF Swedish Section / Internationella Kvinnoförbundet för Fred och Frihet, IKFF, 2008

The lack of equality between the sexes takes on different shapes and expressions. It is tangible when it comes to how cluster munitions victims have access to emergency medical care, long term rehabilitation and how society treats them after the accident, depending on if they are women or men, girls or boys. Differences between the sexes are noticeable in allocation of resources, working opportunities and access to information about cluster munitions.

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5. FEATURE EventS

2008 WOMEN, PEACE & SECURITY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS

WILPF & PeaceWomen Project Monitoring of UN events & Processes in 2008:

• Security Council October Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security: 1325 8th Anniversary
• Security Council June Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security: Sexual Violence in Conflict & UNSCR 1820
• Security Council November Open Debate on Article 26 of the UN Charter
• General Assembly 63rd Session General Debate
• 52nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

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UN SECURITY COUNCIL OCTOBER OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
United Nations Headquarters, New York, 29 October 2008

The Permanent Mission of China, which held the Security Council Presidency during the month of October, organized this debate that took place on 29 October 2008. All 15 members of the Security Council, 35 Non-Security Council Member States, 3 UN Entities and 1 Civil Society representatives made interventions.

Governmental, UN and Civil Society Statements:

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THEMATIC COMPILATION OF STATEMENTS AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY

The PeaceWomen Project has compiled excerpts, arranged by theme, from statements made during the Security Council Open Debate held on 29 October 2008.

The compilation deals with the following themes:

- Women's Participation
• Peace processes & conflict prevention
• DDR/security sector reform
•General references

- Security Council Integration of 1325

- UN System
• Appointment of women to high-level positions within UN system
• Gender unit and senior gender advisor in Department of Political Affairs
• Creation of a UN entity for women

- National Implementation

- Sexual and gender-based violence
• Resolution 1820
• Ending impunity
• General references

- Gender and Peacekeeping

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SECURITY COUNCIL JUNE OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
19 June, 2008, UN HQ

The Security Council, under the Presidency of the United States, held an Open Debate on women, peace and security with a focus on ending sexual violence in conflict.

To access the Member States and speaker statements index, please click HERE

Thematic Compilation Of Statements At UN Security Council Open Debate On Women, Peace And Security
The PeaceWomen Team

The PeaceWomen Project compiled excerpts, arranged by theme, from statements made during the Security Council Open Debate held on 19 June 2008. The compilation deals with the following themes:

• Link with International Peace & Security/ Rape as a - Weapon” of War
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Peacekeeping
• Ending Impunity
• Protection & Victim Response
• Prevention of Conflict and Violence
• Participation of Women
• Resolution 1325 Implementation

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UN SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON ARTICLE 26 OF THE UN CHARTER
19 November, 2008

Under the Presidency of Costa Rica, the Security Council held an open debate on “strengthening collective security and armament regulation,” offering an opportunity to reinvigorate and reenergize work to implement Article 26 of the UN Charter, specifically to reduce global spending on armaments and refocus spending on true human security needs.

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GENDER & DISARMAMENT INDICES – UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 63rd Session GENERAL DEBATE,
September 23-27 & 29, 2008
PeaceWomen & Reaching Critical Will – Projects of the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom

The PeaceWomen & Reaching Critical Will teams monitored statements delivered during the General Debate of the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly. The indices contain relevant excerpts and links to full statements.

The PeaceWomen Gender Index includes all references to gender, women, females, girls, gender equality, violence against women and women's participation.

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52nd SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
25 February – 7 March 2008, UN Headquarters, New York

The 52nd Session of the CSW took place from 25 February to 7 March 2008 at UN Headquarters in New York. The focus of the session was on the priority theme of Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Also of interest to women, peace and security advocates was the Commission's review of progress in the implementation of the agreed conclusions from the 48th Session in 2004 on “women's equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peacebuilding.”

This year WILPF's activities at the CSW centered around highlighting the opportunity cost of military spending; ensuring resources for women's equal participation; the implementation of Resolution 1325; and advocating for reform of the UN's gender equality architecture. This advocacy position is reflected in our statement to the CSW:
http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW52/NGOdocs/CSW52_WILPF_Statementp...

For our review of this session, including analysis of how 1325 and related issues were dealt with in the outcome documents and the statements of governments during the main general discussion segment and links to further CSW resources and reviews please visit:

http://www.peacewomen.org/news/1325News/Issue99.html#event

6. FEATURE 1325 IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS

2008 Highlights on 1325 National Implementation

UN-INSTRAW Resources on National Implementation

Securing Equality, Engendering Peace: A Guide to Policy and Planning on Women, Peace and Security
The purpose of this guide is to help facilitate the development of realistic action plans on women, peace and security through the provision of good practices, specific recommendations and a six-step model process.

Virtual Dialogue: “Planning for Action: Good Practices on Implementing Resolution 1325 at the National Level”
3 to 21 November 2008

In light of the 8th anniversary of the adoption of Resolution 1325 (2000), UN-INSTRAW will bring together key policy-makers, governmental representatives and civil society actors from all over the world in a three -week virtual dialogue. The aim of the discussion is to highlight existing efforts and strengthen the replication of good practices between member states, which plan to, are in the process of, or have already published a national action plan on women, peace and security.

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National Action Plans & Processes in 2008:

Pacific Region
Policy Responses and Solutions for our Pacific Region
FemLINKPACIFIC October 2008

Ireland
Stepping Up Ireland's Response To Women, Peace And Security: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325
A report by the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence, 2008

Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, a group of Irish human rights, humanitarian and development agencies, together with Irish Aid that promotes the adoption of a coherent and coordinated response to GBV.

Spain
The Government Of Spain's Action Plan For The Application Of Un Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) On Women, Peace And Security

Finland
Finland's National Plan of Action on the Implementation of UNSCR 1325
(September 2008)

Iceland
Iceland's Plan of Action on the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 (March 2008

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7. feature Initiative

Celebrating 16 Day of Activism Against Gender Violence and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL)

As the 2008 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign comes to a close, and as human rights activists celebrate the 60 th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) would like to remind the world that universal human rights cannot be realized unless women have the right to live free of violence. Today we want to honor the group of 25 women from around the world who founded the 16 Days in 1991, as well as the hundreds of groups around the world who participated in the 16 Days Campaign this year and the countless individuals who have undertaken acts of courageous activism in defense of rights in the past twelve months.

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Power of Politics Campaign
The International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W)

The International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W), a non-profit and non-partisan organization, is spearheading an important online campaign to inspire women around the world to connect with other women and spark a global dialogue around the issue of why women's political power matters.

The Power of Politics Campaign (P.O.P) in conjunction with I.M.O.W.'s new global online exhibition Women, Power and Politics is asking women around the world to take part in the exhibition and educate themselves about why women's political participation makes a difference in every woman's life.

The exhibition will showcase historical and contemporary political stories about women in provocative ways just as the spotlight intensifies on groundbreaking campaigns, elections, and leadership of women from Argentina to the United States. The exhibition is available in four languages: Arabic, French, English, and Spanish at www.imow.org

The Power of Politics campaign includes 5 steps to increase women's political knowledge, inspire each other to become active in the political process and support women who are interested in running for both informal and formal political positions worldwide and spark a global dialogue around the issue of why women's political power matters.

8. NGOWG ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY UPDATE

As the relatively new coordinator of the NGOWG, I would like to wish you all a happy holiday season. As 2008 comes to a close, I would also like to take this opportunity to give a brief overview of the work of the Working Group in this past year, and a preview of what we will be working on in the near future.

Throughout 2008, the NGOWG continued its substantive work on the women, peace and security agenda at the United Nations. Through involvement in key meetings and events, through advocacy, through our extensive networks, and by raising awareness of good practice regarding the concerns of women in conflict situations, we maintain our commitment to our mandate: that a peaceful future depends on the full participation of women in all decision making to prevent violent conflict and to protect women and girls.

One of the key projects of the NGOWG has been to engage in advocacy on particular thematic and country situations. We continued this work in 2008, engaging on such topics as the language of the new women, peace and security resolution on sexual violence in conflict (SCR 1820) and on promoting the needs and concerns of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The advocacy letters on these and other issues are available on our website, http://www.womenpeacesecurity.org.

Annual events also provided opportunities for the NGOWG. At this year's UN Commission of the Status of Women, NGOWG members brought together women from around the world in a town hall meeting to discuss challenges to the implementation of 1325. Later in the year, on the 8th anniversary of the unanimous passage of 1325, the NGOWG was invited to address the Security Council. With “participation” as the theme, we used the opportunity to emphasize several areas of ongoing concern for the NGOWG, including: the overwhelming absence of women in peace negotiations; the lack of women's concerns being addressed in DDRRR policies; ongoing problems with impunity in conflict affected areas; and the lack of a gender unit in the Department of Political affairs.

In conjunction with UNIFEM and DPKO, we provided Security Council members with briefings on integrating women, peace and security concerns into the daily work of the Security Council. In addition to providing staff of Missions of countries on the Security Council with an overview of both SCR 1325 and SCR 1820, we are able to provide them with examples of good practice and situation-specific suggestions for their work. We will be continuing these briefings in early 2009 with the new members of the Council.

As we move into 2009, we will be continuing this regular work of the NGOWG. In addition, we are moving forward on some exciting new projects. We are preparing for the 10th Anniversary of SCR 1325, which includes exploring new substantive and concrete approaches to moving the women, peace and security agenda forward. We are also doing considerable work on the reporting and implementation of SCR 1820, an important new tool for our work. I will be sure to send on updates as these projects progress.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the NGOWG members and the many of you whom I have met and worked with over the last few months. It is a pleasure and an honor to be working on these issues with you all, and I look forward to continuing to do so in 2009. May it be a productive and peaceful new year!

Warmest regards,
Sarah Taylor
Coordinator, NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
sarah@womenpeacesecurity.org

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http://www.womenpeacesecurity.org

9. WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY CALENDAR

cEDAW: 43rd Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
UN HQ, Geneva, 19 January - 6 February 2009

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will be holding its 43rd session in Geneva. At its forty-third session, the Committee will have before it the following reports: the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Armenia (CEDAW/C/ARM/4); the combined second and third periodic reports of Cameroon (CEDAW/C/CMR/3); the sixth periodic report of Germany (CEDAW/C/DEU/6); the seventh periodic report of Guatemala (CEDAW/C/GUA/7); the combined initial to seventh periodic reports of Haiti (CEDAW/C/HTI/7); the second periodic report of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (CEDAW/C/LBY/2); and the combined fourth to sixth periodic reports of Rwanda (CEDAW/C/RWA/6).

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first European Conference on Politics and Gender
January 21-23 2009, Belfast
The ECPR Standing Group on Gender and Politics

The ECPR Standing Group on Gender and Politics forms a broad-based network on issues relating to the study of gender and sexuality in politics and world politics. Over the past ten years the research conducted in this field has expanded significantly and the number of group's participants in the ECPR Joint Sessions and General Conferences has increased exponentially. Therefore, in 2007, the Standing Group on Gender and Politics decided to arrange the first ever Gender and Politics conference, called the European Conference on Politics and Gender (ECPG) to be held in Belfast, 21-23 January 2009. The members of the Standing Group found it important to use the momentum to build up, strengthen and expand the gender and politics community in Europe and beyond. The aim is to turn the new conference into a bi-annual international conference on gender and politics.