Preparatory Meeting 2003

Commonwealth Preparatory Meeting of Heads of National Women's Machineries to Plan 7WAMM

Date: 1-2 March 2003
Venue: The Helmsley Hotel, New York

A preparatory meeting of Heads of National Women's Machineries (NWMs) was held in New York, from 1 to 2 March 2003 to plan the Seventh Gender/Women's Affairs Ministers Meeting (7WAMM), which will take place in Fiji Islands from 30 May to 2 June 2004. 7WAMM Preparatory Meeting Report .

A total of 56 delegates, including three Ministers, participated in the 7WAMM Preparatory Meeting. Thirty-three (33) governments attended the meeting, with 17 countries represented by their New York Missions. A Commonwealth Gender Reference Group was approved by governments.

7WAMM will precede the UN Conference on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing+10) in 2005. 7WAMM will thus provide a strategic opportunity for Commonwealth Governments, the Secretariat and civil society to take stock of progress relating to the advancement of gender equality and equity since 1995 and make recommendations to advance the agenda in the next decade 2005-2015.

 Ms Angela King, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, made an  opening statement at the meeting. She lauded the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat in this area and expressed the wish for enhanced collaboration for the Beijing+10 Review in 2005 and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of measurable targets aimed at reducing poverty and improving people's lives, which were agreed upon at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000.

• Questionnaire : The Gender Section has prepared a questionnaire for Commonwealth National Women's Machineries. Country information and statistics from the questionnaire will be used to record progress, best practice, constraints and emerging issues in gender equality for a special report on gender and development in Commonwealth countries since the 1995 Beijing Conference for the Ministerial Meeting in 2004; the 2003 Secretary-General's report and other related policy, research and website materials produced by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Key Actions

The following key actions were agreed on in preparation for the 7th Commonwealth Gender/Women's Ministerial Meeting which is planned to take place in Fiji Is from 30 May - 2 June 2004:

a) A Commonwealth Gender Reference Group has been established with representatives from all regions and sub-regions of the Commonwealth and civil society representation;

b) Delegates agreed on the planning processes for the 7th Commonwealth Meeting for Ministers
Responsible for Gender/Women's Affairs;

c) A new Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender and Development for strategic actions on advancing gender equality for the next 10 years will be prepared. This new POA will also be the Commonwealth's contribution towards the United Nations Beijing +10 process.

d) Critical issues were identified for Commonwealth action, and a call for continued work in the following sectors: gender and governance/democracy, economic and social empowerment including poverty eradication and trade/globalisation, human rights including the girl-child, education/public education, violence against women and HIV/AIDS. There was a strong call for the need for targeted implementation and evidence-based advocacy.

Related Links

• The Commonwealth Secretariat's new publication: Gender Mainstreaming in Poverty Eradication and the Millennium Development Goals: A Handbook for Policy-makers and Other Stakeholders, by Naila Kabeer, was launched on 4 March 2003 at the United Nations headquarters in New York to celebrate International Women's Day.
  
  
• Contact Details of Commonwealth National Women's Machineries or Women's Bureaux in 54 Commonwealth countries