IWTC Women's GlobalNet #314
Activities and Initiatives of Women Worldwide

December 11, 2006
By Lilla Osztrovszki

Deadline fast approaching to register for the 2007 UN CSW Commission on the Status of Women

The 29 December, 2006, deadline is fast approaching for accredited NGOs to register for participation in the 51^st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) which will be held from 26 February to 9 March 2007 at UN headquarters in New York. In accordance with its 2007-2009 multi-year program of work, the CSW will consider “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” as its priority theme. In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the definition of "child" and "girl child" is persons younger than 18 years, unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.

The CSW will consider this issue with reference to the well being of the girl child in the Millennium Development Goals -- particularly the girl’s right to education, health care and full human development. Reference will be made to recommendations that emerged from an Expert Group Meeting that was held in Italy in September 2006 and an online discussion on the subject, convened by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) from August to September 2006, and contributed to by more than 500 participants. Recommendations in the recently released Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence Again Children, the first comprehensive, worldwide study conducted by the UN on all forms of violence against children (see IWTC Women’s Globalnet #310), will also be taken into account. The CSW expects at the conclusion of the session to make recommendations that will expedite the accomplishment of the promises made to girls in the Beijing Platform for Action.

For additional information about the Expert Group Meeting and the On-line Discussion visit: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/elim-disc-viol-girlchild/egm_elim_disc_viol_girlchild.htm

For additional information about the session, its organization of work,? and reports to be considered, please visit the Division?s website: http:/www.un.org/womenwatch/daw

NGO Participation

NGOs accredited to, and in good standing with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) are eligible to attend the UN CSW.? UN/DAW sent invitation letters to eligible? NGOs in September 2006. The letter contains the organization?s ID and password for registering online.

Eligible NGOs should submit to DAW the pre-registration form listing their representatives no later then December 29, 2006. Registration online is possible using the password in the September invitation letter sent by DAW.

If you don’t have internet access, the form can be completed by typewriter and can be mailed directly to CSW51 NGO registration, Division for the Advancement of Women, 2 UN Plaza, Room DC-1282, New York, NY 10017, USA or fax it? to 917 367-0587 no later then Friday 29 December 2006. All confirmation letters will be available for download from the website.

Because of the time required to secure a visa, organizations are encouraged to submit the names of alternative representatives in case any of the proposed applicants are unable to obtain an entry visa to the USA.

NGOs who do not have ECOSOC status can attend NGO events held parallel to the CSW Session, but cannot attend meetings held at the UN.

Participation of girls

In view of the theme of this year’s CSW, a number of organizations are bringing girls as part of their delegation. The NGO Committee on UNICEF Working Group on Girls (WGG) is organizing a special program to enrich the experience of girls who will attend the 2007 CSW. NGOs are invited to send the names and contact information for girls in their delegations to wggs@girlsrights.org - so that they can receive additional information concerning activities that are specifically organized for them. Some information in English and Spanish is already available at http://www.girlsrights.org/girlchildtoday.php

NGOs who are planning to have girls in their delegations should also register them in the same manner that they register their other delegates. Girls who are not part of any ECOSOC accredited NGOs can, with the agreement of the accredited organization, be registered through that NGO, using the normal on-line pre-registration.

For additional information about the session, its organization of work, and reports to be considered, please visit the Division’s website:

www.un.org/womenwatch/daw

Parallel Events:

Daily workshops and panels, referred to as parallel events, are a key component of each year’s CSW. All requests to convene a parallel event should be made online and requested via the Parallel Event Request system. The deadline for submission is 31 December 2006. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/conf/seforms/frmLogin.asp?loginType=NGOentity

Organizers of parallel events will now have access to a dynamic calendar showing all Parallel Event requests as they are updated by the organizers and by DAW or/and the NGO Committee on the Status of Women.

NGOs who are not ECOSOC accredited and plan to organize events outside the UN or at the Church Center should contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women to have their event included in a list being compiled by the Committee.

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women will coordinate all NGO-organized Parallel Events and makes all decisions related to these events. Address queries to:
The NGO Committee on the Status of Women
708 3 Ave., 5th Floor, Room 101,
New York, NY 10017
Fax number: +1 (212) 209-7161
Focal point contact: Ms. Jackie Shapiro

DAW will coordinate all UN Missions, UN Agencies and Inter-Governmental Organizations requested Parallel Events. These events will be held on UN premises. Any queries about them should be addressed to DAW at:
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
2 U. N Plaza, DC2-12th Floor,
New York, NY 10017,
USA
Fax: +1 (917) 367-0587
Email: csw51@un.org