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March/April 2006
WEDO
Named a UNEP Champion of the Earth
In
UN Reform, Where Are the Women?
International
Women's Day at the UN
CSW-50:
A Low-key Session Makes Little Progress
50/50
Campaign Gains New Momentum
Coming
Soon: MisFortune500
Editor:
Joan Ross Frankson
Layout:
Anique Halliday
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WEDO has been named as a 2006 Champion of the Earth by the United
Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). The award recognizes
prominent and inspirational environmental leaders from each region of
the world. WEDO is cited as "a champion in the field of women's
economic, social and gender rights and a beacon for the empowerment of
women across the environmental and development debate."
"We are honored to receive this prestigious award and feel that it is
not only a recognition of WEDO's work, but the work of women around the
world. This award recognizes that gender equality and sustainable
development are inextricably linked," said June Zeitlin, Executive
Director of WEDO. The award ceremony will take place on April 21
in
Singapore.
[READ MORE]
By June Zeitlin
WEDO and advocates expressed outrage and disappointment
that gender equality and strengthening the women's machineries within
the UN system are not being addressed in the UN Reform process. Their
sentiments were expressed in an Open Letter
to the Secretary General
and Member States endorsed by more than 300 women from over 50
countries,
and a well-covered press conference at the UN. Zeitlin says advocates
have had enough of
the kind words and promises and are determined that gender
equality does not fall off the reform agenda.
[READ MORE]
At the
UN's annual IWD panel discussion, it was anything but business as
usual; hundreds of advocates, gathered from around the world for the
Commission on the Status of Women, sang, held aloft 50/50 flyers and
cheered loudly when Secretary General Kofi
Annan said it was time for a woman to head the institution. The
panel was dubbed "Women in Decision-making: Meeting Challenges,
Creating Change."
Read the Secretary
General's speech.
View
slide show of IWD highlights.
By Doris Mpoumou
The Commission
on the Status of Women ended late with
member
states once again failing to adopt the kind of bold document that could
accelerate the implementation of the Beijing
Platform for Action. But
in the Commission’s review of how it does its work some of the new
approaches adopted will check protracted negotiations and keep the
spotlight on implementation.
[READ MORE]
On February 24-26, some 42 experienced and energetic
women’s rights activist, local councilors, parliamentarians and
academics from all regions of the world gathered in New York to assess
the impact of the global 50/50
campaign. The five-year review
identified advocacy actions that work, assessed what difference a
critical number of women in decision making can make, and developed
strategies for taking the campaign forward.
[READ MORE]
Coming soon . . .
Find
out
more.
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