[EMAIL PROTECTED] ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- > >GLOBALNET 78 > >International Women's Tribune Centre, 777 United Nations Plaza, New >York, NY 10017, Tel: (1-212) 687-8633. Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 . e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHER NETWORKS. > >January 22, 1997 > >by Anne S. Walker > >CEDAW EXPERTS HOLD COUNTRIES ACCOUNTABLE TO HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS > >It's been an interesting first week at the 16th Session of the Committee >on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW, the >committee that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the >Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (also known as >CEDAW or The Women's Convention) has been meeting in New York since Jan. >13, 1997. So far, reports have been heard from Morocco, Slovenia, St. >Vincent and the Grenadines, Zaire and Turkey, with reports to come this >week (Jan. 20-24) from Venezuela and Denmark, and next week (Jan.27-31) >from Philippines and Canada. A major theme that has emerged from >questions posed by the experts has been the importance of using human >rights as the standard for accountability in the eliminatio n of >discrimination against women. Recommendations from the Committee Experts >(see list below) will be made available at the CEDAW website >(<http://www.un.org/dpcsd/daw/cedaw.htm>) for all those who have access >to the World Wide Web. Others can get this i nformation from the UN >Division for the Advancement of Women, United Nations, New York, NY >10017. Ask for the Recommendations from CEDAW Experts. > >NGOs prepare "shadow" reports: Of particular interest and importance >during this first week of CEDAW meetings has been the input from women >representing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in some of the >reporting countries. UNIFEM and the International > Women's Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) co-sponsored a CEDAW orientation >programme and brought several NGO representatives to New York to take >part. "Shadow" Reports of the situation in their countries were >presented to CEDAW experts and delegates, adding an > important, collaborative dynamic to the process. Amongst the NGO >representatives were women from Bangladesh, Canada, Zaire, Turkey, >Morocco, and the Philippines. The Advisory Group for the programme >included women experts from UNIFEM, IWRAW, Internationa l Human Rights >Law Group/Women's Rights Advocacy Program, the Philippines, Malaysia, >and Costa Rica. > >NGOs share examples of how the Convention is being utilized at community >level. Examples were given at an informal gathering in New York this >week, of ways in which NGOs are using CEDAW in grassroots situations. >IWTC is keen to share more of these example s, and invites NGOs to send >in stories from their own experiences. Some of these may be used in a >future issue of The Tribune. Send them to IWTC (see above). > >How can we improve linkages between NGOs and CEDAW? CEDAW (which, >beginning in 1997 now meets twice a year with another session planned >for July 1997), convened a meeting to discuss with NGOs more ways to >improve linkages. NGOs were advised that if they w ant to submit >information and/or questions to CEDAW, they need to submit these >directly to committee members well in advance. For members' addresses, >contact UN/DAW, Fax: (1-212) 963-3463 or e-mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > >CEDAW membership in 1997: The 23 expert members of the Committee, who >are elected for a four year term and who serve in their personal >capacity, are: Charlotte Abaka, Ghana; Ayse Feride Acar, Turkey; Emna >Aouij, Tunisia; Tendai Ruth Bare, Zimbabwe; Desire > Patricia Bernard, Guyana; Carlota Bustelo del Real, Spain; Silvia Rose >Cartwight, New Zealand; Ivanka Corti, Italy; Aurora Javate de Dios, >Philippines; Miriam Yolanda Castillo, Ecuador; Yolanda Ferrer Gomez, >Cuba; Aida Gonzalez, Mexico; Sunaryati Hartono , Indonesia; Salma Khan, >Bangladesh; Yung-Chung Kim, Republic of Korea; Ahoua Ouedraogo, Burkina >Faso; Anne Lise Ryel, Norway; Ginko Sato, Japan; Hanna Beate >Schopp-Shilling, Germany; Carmel Shalev, Israel; Lin Shangzhen, China; >Kongit Sinegiorgis, Ethiop ia; and Mervat Tallaway, Egypt. > >Please lobby your governments about a claims procedure for the Women's >Convention! The 1997 session of the Commission on the Status of Women >(CSW) (March 10-21, 1997) will be critical to the future of the proposed >optional protocol for the Women's Convent ion. This protocol would >create a procedure for individuals and groups to seek remedies at the >international level for violations of their rights under the Convention. >WE URGE YOU TO LOBBY YOUR GOVERNMENTS NOW IN PREPARATION FOR THE CSW! >See Faxnet # 77 o n ways to get information that will assist you with >your lobbying.
