Discussion between UN Women and NGOs at the meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women

Briefing session, March 3^rd, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
This was a discussion with UN Women Senior Management and NGOs, representing regional caucuses of the NGO-CSW Form. This is a UN Women event in partnership with the NGO-CSW Forum.

At the 2011 CSW, Ms. Bachelet hosted a consultation with regional NGOs from the NGO-CSW forum and sought their views on UN Women’s then imminent Strategic Plan. At that meeting, NGOs spoke of their expectations of UN Women’s programme of work, in an open dialogue exchange space.

This year, regional CSOs were advised ahead of time to select 10 representatives from their Caucus to attend this consultation caucus. Caucuses included Africa, Arab States, Asia/Pacific, Europe/North America, Americas/Carribean. There were also members of the Youth Caucus present. I was one of two  representatives to represent Canada, Andre Cote the other. There were 3 from the US, and 5 from Europe.  The Consultation with regional NGOs was billed as a chance to improve communications with key regional-based and international NGO leaders, build support for UN Women’s programme of action and solicit civil society inputs on how to best engage with it.

Prior to the meeting, the North America/Europe Caucus had developed certain key points they wanted to raise, and our coordinator (Marion Boeker) had this in a written paper.

At the session were Kirstin Hetle, Dir. UN Women’s Strategic Partnerships; Adama Diop, 2^nd VP of the conference of NGOs, Lakshmi Puri, Asst Secretary General, UN Women, Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett, Dir. Programme Support Division.

UN Women spoke about the importance of outreach for UN Women. The expectation is to take notes from today, and share them and use them to move forward. They know things work differently in different countries. They spoke about the idea of establishing mini CSWs in different areas, before the CSW, so the process would be more inclusive.

Lakshmi spoke about the relationship between UN Women and Civil Society. CSOs are partners – a mid wife – and help in our great mission. She spoke about how should we organize – what should we focus on? CSOs can provide academic research and practical knowledge. Want UN Women to be seen as a Knowledge Hub. Not just with CSW, but with Rio +20 and all UN systems and organizations. In working with governments, CSOs can push the envelope for women and human rights.

Advocacy is required to make change at the local and national level. Together can make other partnerships – with the private sector, and academia. Programatic partnerships at the country level are important.

Referred to the 5 priority areas of UN Women – Economic empowerment, Violence Against Women, Peace and Security, Gender Budgeting, Human Rights, and MDGs. Will establish the advisory committees with strengths in those areas. M. Bachelet has spoken that eminent CSOs who have made a contribution to gender equality will be part of this Council and the members announced very soon.

Regional ones will be announced too – be in place in 3 months time. Will be 6 to 12 members.

Will be decentralized, and lead by CSOs with expertise in the 5 areas.

See it as a nonexclusive process – advice from NGOs present – include rural women, look at women from a broad group, not just the elite, careful not to take political sides.

Note, there are 75 countries with UN Women offices, 50 with real representatives, and others with projects.

Establish Advisory groups to strengthen partnerships. Expect to establish in 50 countries, and another 25, but later. Discussion on what is a region. Looking at a review on this.

Discussed how to get input from NGOs earlier in the process – part of SG report. National and regional participation earlier in the CSW process. Positive about establishing an alternative report.

Sees those countries, like Canada, where there are no UN Women offices, working through the National Committees. Will look at supporting and strengthening the committees.

Point about how can NGOs can hold their governments accountable. Some discussion about the Agreed Conclusions and language – ie ensure girls are included throughout the document, and access to reproductive health services.

It was pointed out by Marion Boeker that the time was not nearly sufficient for a consultation with the caucuses, and she also provided UN Women with the written points, attached below.

Mary Scott

NCWC Representative

North American/European Caucus – 28th Feb. 2012 - CSW 56

Recommendations for the regional mandate of UN WOMEN

Meeting of 10 delegates of the NA/E Caucus with UN WOMEN- Sat., 3^rd march, 2:30 – 4 pm, CCUN 2^nd floor

For the paper: main repr. of the European Women’s Lobby CSW 56, Marion Boeker

1.       UN WOMEN can use resources more effective if it would talk to governments in the region to mutually en-gender all existing programs and link them strongly to the mandate of UN WOMEN:
a.    programs designed for Gender Equality/ temporary special measures according to CEDAW
        Art 4.1. in the region and
b.    all other regular financed policy and project programs
 UN WOMEN shall ensure that they are all en-gendered with gender and human rights criteria, gender targets and gender indicators to make them gender responsive. UN WOMEN can advice governments to install and use gender mainstreaming and budgeting, gender methodology for enhance its policies, programs and budgets for becoming an comprehensive and successful framework which works with all means for gender equality and women’s human rights.

This would create synergy effects and strengthen women’s and women’s rights NGOs position in lobbying and the work carrying out this programs and empower them to access all the programs as gender- dedicated resources and fields of activity.
 
UN WOMEN could insist on an comprehensive gender approach which would not only define measures, project calls and the programs purpose gender responsive but would install gender criteria, gender targets and gender indicators as an evaluation mechanism in the budget which provides the programs (local, national and regional governmental institutions, international organizations, private sector, donors) so to support the implementation and enforcement of gender budgeting.
Especially UN WOMEN could advice governments and the EU to design crisis packages and stimulus programs gender responsive with equal access for women to them and measure the impact.

2.       UN WOMEN could formulate further more criteria to raise money for the units funds and budget – Some donors or governmental budgets need other keywords to be able to spend
 3.       UN WOMEN shall open a second entry for NGOs to reach out for cooperation with UN WOMEN independent from governments willingness or financial capacity to support a regional/ national liaison office (example: Women from Chechnya recently cannot connect with UN WOMEN nor with the two trust funds it’s holding since Russia is the responsible government in charge and will not allow nor support)

4.       UN WOMEN can help to get problems and issues of women and girls in the region recognized and addressed with policy which are caused by the financial crisis and its impact.
 Often it is not recognized that conditions for women and girls have negatively developed now in even the OECD states especially since financial cuts have been reduced social and labour market services, educational and health services; even the infrastructure of the fights against violence against women and the protection in shelters is minimized, NGOs get less or no funding. There is no policy in place to respond or counter act.
Mainly in OECD states we do not need the money from UN WOMEN funds (except Greek women) but the attention and support, equally the cooperation and contact with UN WOMEN and UN WOMEN to address their governments and holding them accountable especially to the human rights framework.


5.       When the EU will go on closing funds for NGOs and programs for women especially on development issues like it is recently happening, the funding policy of UN WOMEN has to be re-defined. We urge UN WOMEN to have an careful eye on the cuts, the impact and the further needs of women even in our region and be flexible if needed as to our women.

6.       UN WOMEN shall always echo the voice of human rights – it will help us to enforce them in our region.
This would strengthen the regional efforts to gender equality and remind them to the legal background of gender equality as an obligation in all areas of life.

Almost all member states of the European Union (EU) and many of the Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and Council of Europe (COE) have ratified CEDAW et al.  But the de facto enforcement is unnecessary low and slowly.

7.       UN WOMEN as we NGOs in the region are working in a context for an enormous set of changes which are needed for de facto gender equality. This needs a long time and sometimes patience and a diplomatic tone. We understand this. In the same time we hope that UN WOMEN will maintain its energetic performance and will continue to fulfill its mandate towards the states of our region without becoming forced to slow done or hide away.

We support UN WOMEN and will be a partner for advice and consultation on sustainable change and strategies and resource for the sustainable power of UN WOMEN.

8.       UN WOMEN shall build up its structure and units carefully and try to let them be under the mandate and efficient. UN WOMEN shall monitor and evaluate them closely.
For a efficient linkage and cooperation of NGOs in our region with UN WOMEN we need well structured national UN WOMEN units (committees). Some are not yet very well off.

9.       UN WOMEN and its local, national and regional units in our region can count on our NGO support to hold governments accountable to the proper funding of UN WOMEN. It can outline may be materials which we can use for the fund raising process now and on the long run. We are very aware about the lacking funding in the moment. We know that a good deal of gender equality improvements we need depend on UN WOMENS strengths and vice versa.