In this issue:
Topic people are talking about: Women
 The Declaration adopted by the World Federation of UN Associations at the 38th Plenary Assembly in 2006 stated that:
“We shall particularly emphasize the rights of women because they are the ones who bear a major part of the burden of poverty, war, and environmental degradation. We call for the establishment of a UN Department for the Advancement of Women, headed by a UN Under-Secretary-General, to energize this process”.
While women are succeeding in gaining positions of influence in political, economic and other spheres at the national level, this has yet to be translated into their capacity to make a decisive policy contribution to major issues on the global agenda. In recognition of the fact that every agenda item has a gender perspective, the time has come for the United Nations to develop a system-wide approach to give greater voice and visibility to women.
 Students for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World – Win a Trip to Geneva
WFUNA's global competition to involve youth in a vision of a world free of nuclear weapons is going strong! Answer this question in an essay, by creating a poster, or a video interview: ''What do you think can lead governments to stay away from, or do away with, nuclear weapons?” The deadline for submissions has been extended to 30 May 2008 – so there is still time to participate and win a trip to a conference in Geneva with WFUNA President Hans Blix! Find out all you need to know at www.disarmamenthub.org. While you are on the website, view new interviews from around the world on the competition question.
 Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect Opens
The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, a new research institute dedicated to improving international responses to genocide and mass atrocities, was launched at the UN on 14 February 2008. Heads of State agreed in September 2005 that the international community has a Responsibility to Protect, and take action – diplomatic, legal and as a last resort, military - when a state fails to protect its populations from genocide or mass atrocities. With support from governments, NGOs and academia, the centre will be housed at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at the Graduate Center, the City University of New York. For more: www.GlobalCentrer2p.org
The Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will hold its second session from 28 April to 9 May 2008 in the Palais des Nations, Geneva. For information on how to register go to: www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom08/Aide-Memoire.pdf
 Launch of the Global Gender and Climate Alliance
The Women’s Environment and Development Organization joined forces with the UN Development Programme, the UN Environmental Programme, and the World Conservation Union to launch the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) this past December in Bali during the official UN negotiations on climate change. The GGCA was created to ensure that climate change policies, decision-making, and initiatives at the global, regional and national levels are gender responsive. The GGCA is seeking collaborative partnerships with UN agencies and other institutions interested in ensuring that gender considerations are addressed in all climate change efforts. For more information: www.wedo.org/files/Global%20Gender%20and%20Climate%20Alliance.pdf
 5th Annual Youth Assembly on MDGs at UN
The 5th Annual Youth Assembly at the UN, hosted by Friendship Ambassadors will take place 11-14 August 2008. This year’s theme is “STEP UP: Taking Plans Into Action.” The Assembly will focus on how youth can implement projects related to the Millennium Development Goals in their home countries. Online registration opened on 1 March 2008. Information and applications can be found at www.faf.org/hl_youthassembly.htm
 Film on Indigenous Rights
The Award-winning film created by Rebecca Sommer, “Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Vol.1” has been selected for screening at the Montreal Human Rights Film Festival (March 27 – April 3 2008). The film presents interviews with the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and UN officials interwoven with footage from Indigenous communities from around the world. It can be used as a training tool and to promote the mandate of the UNPFII within the UN system to politicians and diplomats. To view the film, go to: www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/multimedia.html
The 194th session of the will be meeting in New York from 27-29 March 2008. Background documents for the meeting as well as the minutes will be available in the member section of the WFUNA website as they become available.
The annual , to be held on 9 April 2008, will be honoring Ambassador William vanden Heuvel, a great American advocate and supporter of the UN, and longtime friend of WFUNA. Dr. Hans Blix will be hosting the luncheon. Ambassador Anatoly Torkunov, President of the newly formed Russian Friends of WFUNA, will be in attendance.
Representatives from the participated in the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. The following is a brief report from the Commission from Julie McKay, UNA-Australia:
The 52nd Commission on the Status of Women was opened on 25 February by the Secretary General’s announcement of a new worldwide campaign on violence against women called “UNite to End Violence”. It is hoped that this campaign will unite women’s groups, governments and civil society alike to put an end to violence against women by 2015.
At the NGO training day, held before CSW there was acknowledgement that the topic for CSW this year was somewhat more specialized than in previous years. However, financing for success and security for women is central to each and every other issue effecting women today. This was highlighted in many sessions around Security Council Resolution 1325. The development of National Action Plans for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 has been widely discussed in the context of needing funding to be allocated specifically to the implementation process.
With some 2000 representatives from NGOs in attendance and more than 200 parallel sessions, making it the largest CSW ever, there is a sense of increased momentum and international cooperation which is felt by NGOs and governments alike.
recently launched the web blog http://bloganua.blogspot.com to inform the public about the issues related to their work, with special attention on climate change and corporate social responsibility and to create a platform for exchanging ideas and opinions.
, along with other partners, is organizing the ‘Switch to Green’ Conference and Expo 2008 for government, business, and civil society to come together to take action on climate change from 4-5 April. Topics for discussion include: the priorities for action for climate friendly future, practical steps to ‘live green’, setting targets for business and the public sector, and planning for a low carbon future. A parallel expo will showcase green products and services that are on the market today. For more information: www.switchtogreen.unaa.org.au
will be holding its annual Sustainable Development Forum in New York on 2 May 2008. Among the attendees will be the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Al Gore. For info: www.unab.org.br
The has developed a partnership with to work on issues of peace and security. The UNAs are planning one day workshops in Tehran and Edinburgh in 2009, in order to promote Middle East Disarmament and, in particular, a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East.
will be speaking at the “Millennia 2015: Women, actors of development for the global challenges” conference in Brussels from 7-8 March 2008. www.millennia2015.org
The is co-organizing the 2nd African-Arab Youth Festival to be held in Uganda from 9 to 13 March 2008. Topics will include democratic reform in Africa and the Arab world, youth political culture, and conflict resolution.
Online registration for the Third WFUNA Asia and Pacific Model UN will open on 24 March. The conference is being hosted by the taking place from 21-25 July 2008 in Incheon City. Each UNA from a country that is a member of ESCAP is invited to send a delegation of four students and one UNA representative to the conference. This year’s theme will be “Achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015: Reducing Global Poverty and Improving Living Standards through a More Proactive Approach.”
The and the Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs will be hosting the 2nd annual Vienna International Historic Model UN conference from 9-13 March 2008. Go to: www.histomun.at
will be hosting the Canadian International Model UN conference from 12-15 March 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario. Go to: www.canimun.org
will be hosting the 5th annual Belgrade International Model UN conference from 27-30 March 2008. Go to: www.unaserbia.org.yu
will be hosting the Moscow International Model UN conference from 14-18 April 2008. WFUNA President Hans Blix, WFUNA Secretary-General Pera Wells, and UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, Kiyo Akasaka will be in attendance. www.modelun.ru
will be hosting the 3rd Annual International Model UN conference of Catalonia from 30 April- 3 May in Barcelona. Go to: www.anue.org/en/cmun
All of these Model UN conferences will be held under the auspices of WFUNA.
Ashley McDonald, the new Office Administrator in WFUNA’s NY office, was born to an Irish father and a Dutch mother in New York. From 2005-2007 she attended Columbia University where she studied Political Science focusing on Latin America and the Middle East. Growing up in a multi-cultural city, Ashley learned to speak Spanish as a second language.
Irene Martinetti is the Director of Programs of the WFUNA office in Geneva. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. and M.A. in East Asian Studies from Ca’ Foscari University, Italy. Irene has extensive research experience in issues ranging from human rights and international security policy, to UN studies and East Asian politics and foreign policy, with a particular focus on China. Her previous work experiences include employment as Senior Research Associate at the Center for UN Reform in New York and as Business Development Manager for Panalpina China Ltd.
Mimoza Ardolic is the Youth Program Coordinator in the New York office. She is currently studying International Administration at Vaxjo University in Vaxjo, Sweden, and is a member of the UN Youth Association of Vaxjo.
Anna Dick is the Peace and Disarmament coordinator at the Geneva office. She is in the process of obtaining a degree in Cross-cultural Negotiation with a focus on foreign languages from the Université of Savoie, France. Her research interests include economics, geopolitics, conflict resolution, and gender.
Vânya Tsutsui is the Human Rights and MDGs coordinator at the Geneva office. She holds a Bachelor and Licentiate Degree in Social Sciences from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Her research interests include German political theory and Latin American Studies. Vânya’s has worked with the Consulate General of Switzerland and the Martius-Staden Institute.
 For the 9th time in 11 years, the 2007 State of the Future Report was picked among the top 30 books and reports on the future published in 2007 among 500 reviewed by Future Survey last year. Examples of other top picks includes:
IPCC's Climate Change 2007
UN-Habitat 's State of the World’s Cities.
OECD's World Energy Outlook 2006 by International Energy Agency
See the full list of top 30 books and reports on the future published in 2007 at: www.wfs.org/fstop30bks07.htm
 The United Nations Association of Jamaica (UNAJ) will celebrate its 60th Anniversary next year. The UNA has chapters throughout the island, and the executive office is in Kingston in the UNDP Building.
UNAJ is a UN-designated Peace Messenger Organization and has consultative and/or working relations with UN Agencies, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Jamaica, and several organizations sharing its interests in development, disarmament, education, environment, human rights and population issues.
Following the WFUNA’s Buenos Aires Declaration of November 2006 that encourages UNAs to establish UN Youth Associations (UNYAs) throughout the country in which the UNA operates, UNAJ has recently established one at the University of the West Indies and in several high schools. They are working to expand it to other Jamaican universities next year.
To read the full article, click here>>>>
, former Deputy to the Tenth National People’s Congress of China, was elected Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
of Austria was appointed Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. He was formerly the Permanent Representative of Austria to the UN.
Veteran diplomat was chosen by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to head the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises.
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
18 February – 7 March 2008, Geneva
General Assembly, Fifth Committee, resumed session
3 March 2008 – 28 March 2008, New York
Human Rights Council, seventh session
3 March 2008 – 28 March 2008, Geneva
Commission on the Status of Women
7 March 2008, New York
Committee for Development Policy
17 March 2008 – 20 March 2008, New York
Human Rights Committee
17 March 2008 – 4 April 2008, New York
 Attention to women’s rights and gender equality has dramatically increased in the last five decades all over the world. One of the main reasons for the increase in women’s activism during the 1940’s was the creation of the United Nations. The framers of the UN charter gave a new international status to human rights, including women’s rights. Several charter articles provide that the UN is to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, nationality, sex, or religion. By creating a framework of international laws, the UN opened opportunities for women to promote justice for themselves and their societies. Using international law, women’s advocates have been successful in overcoming the limitations built into domestic legal systems.
To read the full article, click here>>>
 Ms. Carolyn Hannan is the Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women. She was formerly the Senior Policy Advisor on Gender Equality in the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Chair of the OECD/DAC Working Party on Gender Equality. Ms. Hannan is an Australian who has lived and worked for more than 10 years in Africa, and worked on gender and development in many other countries in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
UN Connections conducted an interview with Ms. Hannan about the issue of women and democracy:
What is the current situation of women’s participation in democratization, governance and decision-making? How is the UN working to improve the situation?
We are far from achieving the goals set in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 in relation to women’s participation in decision-making. There has been progress but the pace of change is far too slow. A Map of Women in Politics 2008, just published last week by the Division for the Advancement of Women and Inter-Parliamentary Union, shows that only 17.7 per cent of parliamentarians world-wide are women and 16.1 percent of all ministerial portfolios are held by women. Rwanda has the greatest number of women in parliaments, with 48.4 per cent, followed by Sweden (47 percent), Finland (41.4 percent) and Argentina (40 percent). There are still eight countries with no women in parliament and 13 countries with no women running ministries.
To read the full article, click here>>>
 Ms. Letty Chiwara is the Cross Regional Programmes Manager at UNIFEM Headquarters in New York. Prior to joining the UNIFEM Southern Africa Regional Office in Harare as National Programme Officer in 1998, Ms. Chiwara worked as a Town Planning Officer with the government of Zimbabwe. She holds a Masters Degree from the University College London in Urban Development Planning.
Ms. Chiwara spoke to UN Connections about emerging issues at the UN relating to women:
What is UNIFEM doing at the UN in order to ensure greater implementation of Resolution 1325 (on women, peace and security)?
The way we have been trying to support the implementation of Res. 1325 is by working with women’s organizations, so that they do advocacy at the country-level for their governments to realize the importance of integrating women into peace building in post-conflict situations or in actual conflict situations. In Africa, notably Sudan and Somalia, we have held awareness-raising sessions on Res. 1325.
The major challenge we face is that governments are not taking 1325 as seriously as they have taken other internationally binding declarations on women’s rights and gender equality. They don’t have an obligation to report on 1325. The reporting process for the Beijing Platform for Action and CEDAW, are well established. We would like to see much more being done on 1325.
To read the full article, click here>>>
On 8 March, people around the world will celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). Since 1911, IWD has been highlighting the collective power of women past, present and future. Here are some examples of how UNAs will honor the event:
The activities in the area of women's rights have been assisted by their active co-operation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and the Irish national chapter of the UN Development Fund for Women. This year, to mark IWD, they have been in close liaison with the US Embassy in Dublin, remembering the fact that some 15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. The UNA will be honoring the contributions made by individuals such as Clara Zetkin who launched the first International Women's Day, and British MP, John Stuart Mill, who was the first person in Parliament calling for women's right to vote.
The in partnership with the UNA-Sweden organized a march that will take place on IWD and include participants from community organizations, civil companies, NGOs and government organizations. UNA-DRC is organizing a series of the training courses for female activists, designed to help them understand various international and national legal instruments such as DRC’s Constitution, Geneva Convention and the Human Rights Commission. In addition to their IWD activities, the UNA organizes a Model UN each October that focuses on women's rights. This year, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, they have organized activities in Kinshasa and Kivu focusing on eradicating violence against women.
carries out several projects with women’s groups, such as:
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Series of workshops on “Communication and daily life” with women who work cultivating flowers, to enhance their personal and working relations.
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Workshops to identify alternatives to increase women’s incomes through the promotion of cooperative work
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Within their program of work with disable children, the UNA started a series of activities with mothers and other female relatives.
is holding a panel discussion on "International Women's Rights" in Vienna on 7 March 2008.
 Centro Mujeres is a Mexican community health organization that works for the empowerment and well-being of women and adolescents. In 1996 they started the women’s health and rights program "Promesa" to train community health workers to serve in their local communities. Through this program they identify, solve and prevent domestic violence against migrant women in local agricultural working camps. www.centromujeresmexico.org
 Rwanda Women's Network (RWN) works towards the improvement of the socio-economic welfare of women in Rwanda through enhancing their efforts to meet their basic needs. They created a center called the Polyclinic of Hope for women survivors of gender-based violence during the genocide. RWN offers free medical services, such as psychosocial support and counseling, and training on HIV/AIDS. www.rwandawomennetwork.org
 WIDE is a European network of women’s organizations, development NGOs, gender specialists and women’s rights activists focusing on: capacity building, networking and lobbying, and advocacy and awareness raising. They offer training courses to empower women all over the world to participate in international debates on global economy and promote women’s rights and gender equity. They help women learn about the link between gender and trade. www.wide-network.org
“Change, Diversity and Sustainability” will be the theme of the second annual World Women’s Forum that will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 21-23 October 2008. Issues on the agenda include low birth rate, ageing society, education, energy and environment. For more on the forum go to: www.womanforum.org/2008/e_index.html
 The Coalition against Trafficking in Women-International (CATW) promotes women's human rights by working internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms. One of their projects aims to curb male demand for prostitution in several countries. For example, in the Philippines, they are educating young boys and men from communities where prostitution flourishes, about the harm of women's prostitution and trafficking, men's role in perpetuating sexual exploitation and their potential role for promoting change. www.catwinternational.org
United Nations, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, New York, 2006
Violence against women is a pandemic, one that transcends the bounds of geography, race, culture, class and religion. It touches virtually every community, in virtually every corner of the globe. Too often sanctified by custom and reinforced by institutions, it thrives on widespread impunity for perpetrators in what remains a patriarchal world that is reluctant to grant women equal rights and protection from gender-based violence. Through photographs, individual case studies, and illustrative text, this book offers a powerful testimony of the different types of gender-based violence experienced by women and girls worldwide throughout their lives.
2003 Director: Adjike Assouma, Togo
 The Dilemma of Eya tells a story about a girl who is forced to follow traditional voodoo practices at the cost of her education, her family and her life. The film aims at sensitizing the public to the consequences of preventing women from being educated and having their own identity, while denouncing the living conditions of young street-porters working at the margins of society.
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UNA-Australia, along with other partners, is organizing the ‘Switch to Green’ Conference and Expo 2008 for government, business, and civil society to come together to take action on climate change from 4-5 April. Topics for discussion include: the priorities for action for climate friendly future, practical steps to ‘live green’, setting targets for business and the public sector, and planning for a low carbon future. A parallel expo will showcase green products and services that are on the market today. For more information: 
UNA-Brazil will be holding its annual Sustainable Development Forum in 
WFUNA Secretary-General Pera Wells 
UNA-Colombia carries out several projects with women’s groups, such as: