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November -
December 1999 - N. 11
executive director Natalia Encolpio
associate editor Loretta Lorenzini
In this number
The Perfect Anna Maria
D'Ascenzo at the Master of Iso Ontism
by Natalia Encolpio
Six major areas of
constraint and six global change trends emerge as challenges to
implementation of the Beijing platform for action
produced by:
International Women's Tribune Centre
The
Prefect of Perugia, Dr Anna Maria D'Ascenzo, has been of the "visitor
teacher" of the Master in Human resources: Iso Ontism organized by Il
Cenacolo. The Prefect has given a lesson on the theme of
"Synergy beetween public and private". Expericences,
examples and a deep analysys of the situation of the italian society has
been the chapter of the interesting lesson which has stimulated the
partecipants.
In
the picture the Prefect of Perugia, Anna Maria D'Ascenzo (the third from
right) with the partecipants of the Master of Iso Ontism at Il Cenacolo
In
the picture The Prefect of Perugia with all the parcetipants of the Master
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In
december all the partecipants of the Master in Human resources: Iso Ontism,
organized by Il Cenacolo, has passed the final examination based on a
thesis, a discussion on the matters of the course and on a test of english.
In
the picture the professor who have examinated the partecipants of the
Master: prof. Loretta Lorenzini ( in the centre) and prof. Carlo
Poltronieri (on the right)
In
the picture all the partecipants of the Master in Human Resoruces: Iso
Ontism
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How far have we come and what are the
obstacles inhibiting process? How can we use this Beijing +5 review process
to accelerate progress on the implementation of the Platform for Action?
These are just some of the questions sparking discussion among governments
and NGOs alike. "NGOs for Women 2000", a grouping of non
governmental organizations preparing for the UN General Assembly Special
Session for Beijing Plus Five recently held a panel entitled "Beijing
+5: Setting Targets" at UN Headquarters in New York on November 22,
1999. The following information has been excerpted from these presentations.
For more information about "NGOs for Women 2000", contact Sudha
Acharya, Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United
Nations (CONGO) Focal Point for Beijing + 5 at <[email protected]>
or <[email protected]>.
1. A draft analysis of responses received
from 123 governments to the Beijing +5 questionnaire prepared by the UN
Division for the Advancement for Women (DAW) identifies six major areas of
constraint to implementation of the Platform for Action and six trends of
global change. The major obstacles are (1) discriminatory attitudes; (2)
economic change/instability; (3) conflict and displacement (due to natural
as well as manmade disasters); (4) lack of data and monitoring mechanisms;
(5) resource allocation; and (6) backlash. The following 6 trends of global
change were noted: (1) population movements and displacement of people; (2)
changes in the world of work; (3) political identity; (4) shifting
boundaries of conflict; (5) the challenge of new information and
communication technologies (ICTs); and (6) global governance and the role of
the UN. Dr Yakin Ertuk, Director of the UN Division for the Advancement of
Women (UN/DAW), presented this draft report at the "Setting Targets"
roundtable and announced that the total draft report will soon be available
on the UN's Womenwatch web site at <http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ >.
This report will be discussed at the second PrepCom for the Special Session,
February 28 to March 17, 2000.
2. Are targets and benchmarks a useful tool
to put in place at the Beijing +5 Special Session, June 5 to 9, 2000? Will
they serve as useful "prompts" in the search for a means to
accelerate the process of implementation of the Platform for Action? A
useful overview of benchmarks and targets was provided by Patricia Flor,
Chairperson of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, who noted six
functions of targets if they are to be useful. Targets should: (1) make
progress visible and measurable; (2) allow monitoring of trends to see if
progress is being made; (3) translate idealistic, goals into realistic
stages or efforts; (5) help determine responsibility for achieving targets;
and (6) allow progress to be rewarded by general recognition.
It was also noted that targets should also
possess certain characteristics if they are to be useful. They must be based
on measurable, available data and statistics that are publicly accessible;
be supported by the regular publication of trends and changes vis a
vis the targets and benchmarks; be complemented with a monitoring
mechanism and; be developed so as to impart a sense of ownership by
the major players who are involved in structuring the targets and who are
also accountable for the results, including the rewards.
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1. Optional Protocol Open for Signing! On 10
December, Human Rights Day, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was open
for signatures. The Optional Protocol is an important addition to CEDAW
because it provides a communications procedure that allows individual women
or groups of women to submit claims of violations of rights to the CEDAW
Committee. It also sets up an inquiry procedure that enables the Committee
to initiate inquiries into situations of grave or systemic violations of
women's rights. Women worldwide are mobilizing to urge their governments to
sign the Protocol as a show of political will in support of the ongoing
Beijing +5 review process. The full text can be found online at:
<www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/protocol>. The following 23 countries
signed the Optional Protocol at the Opening Ceremony on 10 December, 1999:
Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Senegal, Slovenia,
and Sweden. Is your country amongst these signatories? If not, urge your
government to sign now. 2. ICC Urgent Action Alert! The Women's Caucus on
Gender Justice, as it continues its participation in the negotiations on the
International Criminal Court, has issued an urgent action alert. At stake
are proposals defining crimes against humanity in very limiting ways that do
not take into account the realities of women in the situations that are
likely to come before the court. This is a step backwards, as definitions of
crimes against humanity agreed to in previous ICC PrepComs had included
crimes of sexual violence. The Women's Caucus requests that you contact your
foreign and justice ministries or departments, and urge them to support
gender issues and oppose attempts to limit the Court's ability to fully
respond to and redress crimes committed against women. Draft letters are
available from the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, which can be contacted
at <[email protected]>.
For additional insights into the work of the ICC Women's Caucus for Gender
Justice and an update on the issues under debate (from a gender perspective)
see their new electronic journal available on-line at <http://www.iccwomen.org>.
3. Gender Caucus at WTO in Seattle Issues Declaration! A Gender Caucus met
during the Third World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in
Seattle, Washington, November 30 - December 3, to strategize approaches to
ensure a gender perspective in the deliberations of the WTO. Protesting
against a system that places corporate over community and national interests,
the Gender Caucus, representing organizations from the Global South and
North, issued a declaration. The declaration provides a way of looking at
the issues in three clusters: Systemic and Implementation Issues;
Agriculture; and General Agreement on Trade and Services. A copy of the
declaration will be available as from Monday, November 20, 1999 at : <http://www.wedo.org>
4. Primer on WTO Available! The Women's Environment and Development
Organization (WEDO), in connection with its work with the WTO Gender Caucus,
has just released a primer introducing the basic issues surrounding the WTO
from a gender perspective. Entitled "A Gender Agenda for the World
Trade Organization" the primer includes: (1) decision-making and
governance, (2) economic equity, (3) health and safety, and (4) indigenous
knowledge. With a glossary, charts, and reference to selected web sites for
further information, this is an excellent resource for anyone interested in
moving forward with this important issue. Copies are free to individuals and
groups in the Global South, and at a cost of US$2.00 (to cover postage) to
all others. Another excellent introduction to the issues surrounding WTO,
and with references to other resources, is the November l999 issue of WEDO's
"News & Views". To receive a copy, contact: Joan Ross-Frankson,
Communications Director, WEDO, 355 Lexington Ave., 3rd Floor, New York, NY
10017. Tel: (1-212) 973-0325. Fax: (1-212) 973-0335. Email: <[email protected]>.
Web site: <http://www.wedo.org>UPDATE ON BEIJING PLUS FIVE PLANS AND
PREPARATIONS
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