
25 February 2005
Commonwealth Ministers and senior officials from 50 countries will meet in New York on Sunday 27 February 2005 to take forward the implementation of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015.
On the eve of the UN Beijing+10 Review, the meeting will deliver a united message from member governments. It will express their commitment to policies promoting gender equality and to advance women's rights and their full participation in society.
The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality focuses on critical areas as democracy, peace and conflict, human rights, the rule of law, poverty eradication, economic empowerment, and HIV/AIDS.
The meeting will be chaired by the Hon Asenaca Caucau, Minister for Women, Poverty and Social Welfare, Fiji Islands. Ms Rachel Mayanja, UN Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, will speak on the Beijing+10 Review and role of the Commonwealth Plan of Action in advance of the Review.
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox will present the Commonwealth Plan of Action in the UN General Assembly Room to mark the Beijing +10 Review on Thursday 3 March 2005.
Note to Editors:
The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality was developed at 7WAMM, the 7 th Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women's Affairs in Nadi , Fiji Islands , in May/ June 2004. It can be found at www.thecommonwealth.org
The New York meeting has been organised by the Social Transformation Programmes Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
For media enquiries, please contact Sarojini Thakur on + 1 212 758 1234 or +1 212 599 6190 or fax on +1 212 702 5051.