February –March 2012

Events organised by Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC), Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD), Asia Pacific Women’s Watch (APWW), Global Network for Global Peacebuilders – GNWP, and the Huairou Commission. If you would like Isis International to post announcements or reports of your organisation’s events, please send the information and request to: admin at isiswomen dot org.

Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC)

The Right to Participate in the CSW, the Case of Iran

Moderator: Susanah Sirkin, Deputy Director, Physicians for Human Rights
Date: Wednesday, 29 February
Time: 10:30 Am to 12 Noon
Place: Main Auditorium, Salvation Army International Social Justice commission, 221 East 52nd St

A representative from UN Women, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and prominent global women’s rights activists will discuss how to guarantee the security of women who participate in the CSW. In a multi media presentation, Shirin Ebadi, prominent Iranian human rights and women’s rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, will highlight the role of international organizations to support global participation of women in the CSW and provide suggestions on how women’s right to participate in international conferences can be guaranteed. Well-known Iranian women’s rights activists will share their experiences of both concerns for and values of participating in the CSW.

WHRD IC launch of the Global Report on Situation of Women Human Right’s Defenders

The Hardin Room, 11th Floor room
CCUN building from
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
12:30pm to 2:00pm

The Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD IC) Global Report on the Situation of WHRDs2006-2010 draws on individual and collective analysis of Coalition members during the life of the Coalition, as well as case studies developed where possible with the relevant WHRDs. Case studies surface connections between context, identities of WHRDs and violations experienced. The launch of the report at the CSW and small group / panel sessions on the findings of the report, will offer an opportunity for a discussion of a range of questions related to promotion of work of WHRDs and their protection.

Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD)

Re-Thinking Development Frameworks
Rural Women’s Vision of Development

29 February 2012
15:00 – 16:30
Conference Room B, North Lawn Temporary Building

Is an economic growth model working for rural women? Hear what rural and indigenous women from Asia Pacific have to say, as they share testimonies and key messages of their development goals. The event will include a short video on how “development” projects result in forced eviction for Cambodian women.

The Asia Pacific Women’s Watch (APWW)

Joining the Dots: Exploring the Economic Empowerment of Women in Conflict Affected Areas
Wednesday 29th February
12.30pm – 2.00pm
Chapel, first Floor, Church Center UN,
777 United Nations Plaza, New York|
at the corner of 44th Street and 1st Avenue)

Joining the Dots explores the critical links between 4 key women's rights frameworks, CEDAW, BPFA, MDGs and SCR 1325 and the economic empowerment of women in conflict situations in 6 countries spanning the Asia Pacific region. The panel of speakers will share their research findings and concerns from Kyrgystan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Aceh and Fiji.

Speakers

Overview to regional research - Carole Shaw, International Justice, Equality, Rights, Access (Australia)

Women in post war situations: Insights from Sri Lanka and Nepal- Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, Women and Media Collective (Sri Lanka)

Women's economic empowerment after the 2011 ethnic conflict - Dr. Nurgul Djanaeva, Forum of Women’s NGO’s of Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan)

Connecting the Dots: Case study of post-conflict Swat - Khawar Mumtaz, Shirkat Gah (Pakistan)

Empowering Aceh Women in Post Conflict Situation: An Uphill Road Ahead

Dr. Rasheela Binti Ramli, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (Thailand)

Women, Money, Coups: Case Study on Fiji

Shabina Khan, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (Fiji)

Women's economic initiatives after the interethnic conflict in Kyrgyzstan

Avazkan Ormonova, Women's NGO "DIA" (Kyrgyzstan)

Website: www.apww-slwngof.org Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Young women’s Forum – young women from the Asia Pacific region speak out on Sexuality

Friday 2nd March 2012
8.30 – 10.00 am
CCUN building, Ground Floor, Drew Room,
777 UN Plaza (corner of 44thSt. and First Avenue) New York

The Global Network for Global Peacebuilders - GNWP,

February 28
2:30-4pm
UN Church Center,
Hardin room, 11th floor (1st Avenue and 44th street)

Investing in Peace, Investing in Women,

A panel discussion will examine the impact of current financing for UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and women and peace and security programming at the national level.

Speakers will include Catherine Mabobori, former Member of Parliament of the Republic of Burundi, Vice Chair of the National Steering Committee on Burundi's National Action Plan on SCR 1325, Peter Van de Vliet, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN and Mr. Stan Nkwain, Chief Policy and Planning Division/BCPR-UNDP.

Co-sponsored by GNWP, Cordaid, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations and the United Nations Development Program

The panel discussion on February 28th will present the multi-stakeholders' financing mechanism for Resolution 1325 in Burundi as a model of financial cooperation to promote peace and gender-equality in conflict-affected countries.

Violence against Women, Economic Empowerment and Rural Women in Conflict-Affected Situations

March 1,
4:30-6pm
UN Church Center Chapel (1st Avenue and 44th street)

This event which will analyze women's economic empowerment opportunities (or lack thereof) and their effect on preventing or aggravating rural women's vulnerability to various forms of violence. Panelists include Eli Gaze of the Kosova Women's Network and Beatrice Fofanah from United Methodist Women - Sierra Leone. Co-sponsored by GNWP, Women's Division - General Board of Global Ministries United Methodist Church and Project Girl Performance Collective (http://projectgirlperformancecollective.org/)

a non-profit theater group that uses performance to raise awareness of domestic and global issues affecting women and girls.

Conversation Circles on the thematic area Women, Peace and Security/Violence Against Women

March 6,
4:45-6:00 PM
UN North Lawn Building, Room B

This will serve as space for networking, sharing information and future strategies on issues relating to women and peace and security, and violence against women (WPS/VAW). Co-hosted by GNWP and Eng Aja Eze Foundation.The Conversation Circles will present concrete recommendations to government delegates to the CSW and propose how these could be integrated into the Agreed Conclusions (the outcome document) of the CSW.

Huairou Commission

CSW56 | Bringing Grassroots Women to CSW 2012

The Huairou Commission is co-sponsoring a number of Parallel and Side Events at the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), February 27- March 5, with various UN partners, including UN-HABITAT, UNDP, UN Women, IFAD, WFP and FAO.

Recognizing the frequent absence of poor and marginalized women in the world's primary decision-making arenas that attempt to address development problems globally, the Huairou Commission is continuing its mission to bring grassroots women to the table at major international events and support their recognition as partners in development, rather than recipients of aid. For this reason, women leaders from communities in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Uganda will participate in CSW events facilitated or co-sponsored by the Huairou Commission, where they will speak as experts on local needs, and best-practices in bottom-up, community-driven development.

As CSW 56 puts a special emphasis on the empowerment of rural women, who are responsible for the majority of the world's food production and yet continue to face cultural and legal obstacles to owning, inheriting and securing land in many countries, the majority of this year's Huairou Commission delegation is made up of rural grassroots leaders whose community work focuses on the intersection of political empowerment, land justice, the creation of livelihoods, and holistic approaches to HIV/AIDS that include these three components.

For national and international development policy to be gender-sensitive, pro-poor and accountable to communities, it is imperative that that grassroots actors, and particularly women, who are disproportionately affected by global power disparities, are included in the design and implementation of policies at all levels of decision-making.

For more details see: http://www.huairou.org/

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Rural Women's Caucus

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Bahá'í­ International Community
866 United Nations Plaza
Click here to view/download flier

Empowering Caregivers to Build Healthy, Sustainable Communities

10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Church Center, Drew Room
777 United Nations Plaza
Sponsors: Huairou Commission, GROOTS International, Int'l Council of Women
Click here to view/download flier

Grassroots Women's Solutions for Empowerment, Sustainable Livelihood and Land Justice

6:30 - 7:45 p.m.
Church Center, 1st Floor Chapel
777 United Nations Plaz
Sponsors: Huairou Commission, UNDP DGG/BDP, UN-HABITAT
Click here to view/download flier

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29

Rural Women Speak: Land, Health and Rights in Africa

8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Salvation Army, Main Auditorium
120 West 14th Street
Sponsor: FEMNET

Conditional Cash Transfer and Sustainable Social Enterprises: A Key to Rural Women's Empowerment?

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: TBA
Sponsor: The Philippine Delegation
Click here to view/download flier

 

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

Rural Women's Caucus

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Bahá'í­ International Community
866 United Nations Plaza
Click here to view/download flier

Land Rights of Rural Women

11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
North Lawn Building, Conference Room A (Enter through UN Visitors' Entrance)
Sponsors: FAO, IFAD, ILC

Measuring Change for Rural Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Church Center, Hardin Room, 11th Floor
777 United Nations Plaza
Event Organizer: Global Fund for Women

Rural Girls and Urban Migration: The Role of Communications for Development in Bridging the Divide

3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
North Lawn Building, Conference Room A (Enter through UN Visitors' Entrance)
Sponsors: UN-HABITAT, Plan International, UNESCO, Women in Cities International

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

Rural Women, Poverty, Crises, Rights

10:00 - 11:15 a.m.
North Lawn Building, Conference Room B (Enter through UN Visitors' Entrance)
Event Organizer: United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Services

 

MONDAY, MARCH 5

Learning Circle: Gender and Climate Change

12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Church Center, 2nd Floor
777 United Nations Plaza
Sponsors: Global Gender and Climate Alliance, NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY, Huairou Commission