[APWW-Meet]

[luz <luz@isiswomen.org>]

Welcome to the APWW-Meet
An announcement list of the Asia Pacific Women Watch network
working for the advancement of the status of women.
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CSW Meeting Report by Yukiko Oda of Japan Women's Watch (JAWW)


 From CSW 48 -- Mach 2 (Tuesday)
In the morning, the NGO Briefing was held from 9:00-9:45. Since this was 
the first time, basic information on the schedule of CSW 48 and 
opportunities for NGO was provided. It was also announced a newspaper will 
be published by (peacewomen, Women's International League for Peace and 
Freedom, 2 or 3 times a week starting tomorrow {Wednesday-New York time}. 
Contribution by participants was welcomed.

At this CSW about 700 participants (or NGOs) have registered. This includes 
18 Iraqi women brought to New York by UK (government?).

Participants from APWW are busy and working efficiently. Ms. Jane Prichard 
(APWW-New Zealand) prepared a manuscript of APWWs statement by the morning 
on March 4 and Ms. Eriko Tanno (APWW-Japan)  typed and copied it in a big 
rush. Then Dr. Young Hai Park (APWW-South Korea) was to have submitted it 
with 20 copies to the secretariat of DAW ( this I have not confirmed as of 
yet). Although, Dr. Pam Rajput (APWW-India) had been asked to read the APWW 
statement  during the APWW meeting last month in Bangkok, Dr. Rajput had 
asked Dr. Park to deliver the statement a week before their departure 
because Pam was not sure if she could come to New York. The statement will 
be read by Dr. Park when NGOs intervention is available at the plenary 
either on March 3 or March 4. Dr. Park has also negotiated with other 
regional caucuses so that APWW can use the room designated for regional 
caucus for holding the APWW workshop. In this way, the venue and time of 
APWW workshop was decided as from 4-6 pm on March 4 at room 10H at the 
Church Center.

Soon after the NGO Briefing, some participants from A-P gathered in front 
of Room B, where all official documents are put on the desk. Although it 
turned out that not many AP members were there the first day, AP Caucus 
participants received printed flyer on the workshop and agreed to meet from 
9:45-10:00 everyday during the CSW in front of Room B.

There were two panel discussions at the intergovernmental meeting on the 
two themes of this year; 1) role of men and boys and 2) women's 
participation in conflict prevention, solution and peace building. The 
contents of these expert meetings will be available at the UN womenwatch 
website http://www.un.org/womenwatch/
One NGO intervention done by human rights NGO (I could not catch the name.) 
during the expert panel in the afternoon got many claps. She pointed out 
that when UN peace keeping troops, the majority who are men, are brought 
{into a country}, trafficking and gender based violence occurs. {This 
happens in all parts of the world where they are brought in}. She also 
emphasized that the UN should give more education on gender to the UN Peace 
Keeping Forces (PKF) and others.

Many side events started Tuesday. One of which I participated, although 
partially, was on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the MDG 
organized by WEDO. Ms. Caren Grown presented about an interim report of the 
UN Millennium Project Task Force 3 and discussions followed. The event and 
discussion suggested importance of connecting gender equality to the whole 
MDGs.

Later on the second day, the first Linkage Caucus was held from 5pm to 6pm. 
The Linkage Caucus will be held on Tuesday and Thursday, totally 4 times 
during the CSW 48, to share information among caucuses. It was informed 
already two thematic caucuses have been working on language of the final 
draft. The deadline of governments first reaction to the draft is 1 pm on 
March 4, Thursday.

At the Linkage Caucus meeting, the necessity to strategize for Beijing+10 
was raised. This will be discussed on Friday. Unfortunately, the next 
Linkage Caucus meeting will conflict with APWW's workshop. A woman from UK 
informed us that US will not agree upon even Beijing languages regarding 
health. Also alert was expressed by other participants that pro-life groups 
organize several side events. Participants were anxious about the agreed 
conclusion.

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