October 2009

Dear Colleagues,
The NGO Working Group on Women’s Employment and Economics of Gender is organising an interactive roundtable on 30-31 October in conjunction with the regional meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe in preparation for the 15th Year Review of the implementation of the Platform for Action of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. This meeting will help review progress on gender-sensitive economic policies and practices in the context of the economic and financial crisis; gender and the corporate sector; new partnerships, networks and alliances for gender equality.
We are inviting all major NGO networks in the region such as your organisation to join us in this interactive roundtables to present the challenges in your sub-region not only from the economic and financial aspects but in all critical areas treated in the Beijing Platform for Action. Moreover, we would like to ask you to recommend umbrella organisations that could make contributions of practical experiences and practices on such cross-cutting and emerging social issues as migration, human trafficking, demographic changes, unemployment and feminisation of poverty.

As you can see from the provisional agenda, besides regional presentations in plenary, there will be breakout interactive caucuses on the previously discussed topics where a moderator will be designated on the spot. We need your help to identify potential rapporteurs for each session who could summarise the discussions and recommendations. These would be presented at the ECE meeting from 2-3 November. Hence it is essential that the recommendations be very succinct and precise as we have a strict limitation of the number of pages . We shall provide guidelines and. information note.

Time is of the essence since we only have a little more than a month to prepare. To ensure effective results of the NGO process, we strongly suggest that participants should read the website http://www.unece.org where all the ECE documents could be found as well as to read the responses of the governments to the questionnaire sent by the ECE Secretariat.
We thank you and look forward to your collaboration and to hear from you urgently. We are sending you copies of the Provisional Agenda and the Registration Form for distribution to your members. Any queries may be sent to ngocswgeneva@gmail.com .
Yours in solidarity,
Conchita Poncini
Convener, Working Group on Women’s Employment and Economics of Gender

WORKING GROUP ON WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT AND
ECONOMICS OF GENDER

MODIFICATION OF PROVIONAL AGENDA AND GUIDELINES ON THE INTERACTIVE DISCUSSIONS/FREE CAUCUSES
1.Revised Agenda
The Provisional Agenda of 23 September 2009 on the Interactive Roundtable to be held on 30-31 October, in conjunction with the regional meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe in preparation for the 15th Year Review of the implementation of the Platform for Action of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, has been finalised by the Organising Committee, in consultation with UNIFEM and the ECE Secretariat, as follows:
1. That the Plenaries foreseen for sub-regional interactive dialogues will now be combined with the “Free Caucuses” to enable time for an exchange on issues within the Beijing Critical Areas of Concern which cutts across regions on the one hand and those that would reflect issues more specific to the respective sub-regions.
2. The programme will begin on Friday with the opening addresses and presentation by the Senior Adviser to the ECE Executive Secretary and is Gender Focal Point He will focus on what ECE expects from the NGO ECE Roundtable as essential inputs and priorities in the Beijing +15 Review Process., followed by the presentation on Corporate Responsibility and mainstreaming gender equality in economic and financial policies, The nteractive discussions on thematic issues indicated in the “free caucuses” and sub-regional regional major concerns start in the afternoon. These interactive exchange should bear in mind the implications to gender-sensitive economic policies and practices in the context of the economic and financial crisis; gender responses of the corporate sector; and how we are building networks and alliances for gender equality.
IIa. Interactive Discussions and Free Caucuses
3. As indicated in the revised agenda, there will be 4 major groupings of the Free Caucuses. Subdivided into (a) and (b). This means that (a) will take place on Friday for 2 hours and (b) Saturday for 1.5 hours.. .The discussions of Friday could continue on Saturday if unfinished but will be given second priority. At the end of the Saturday sessions, we should produce 2 sets of recommendations: ((1)) on the 8 free caucus issues that cut-across the 4 sub-regions. and (2) sub-regional recommendations of major concerns that are specific to each respective sub-region.
In the interest of time which is very limited, the issues chosen for the free caucuses have been combined into major groupings as follows.

G.1 – (a) Care Economy and Unpaid Work (social security protection,
maternal/parental leave and reconciling work and family responsibilities-)Friday; (b) macro economics and gender-responsive budgeting – Saturday

G.2 – (a) Displaced women through migration and trafficking –Friday and; (b) Minorities – Saturday

G.3 – (a)Education and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)- Friday ; (b)Environment and Climate change – Saturday

G.4 – (a) Human Rights and creating a culture of civil responsibilities;(b) the new Gender Architecture and one UN entity on Women, adopted by the General Assembly this month.

G.5 – Sub-regional recommendations on issues relevant to their respective specific sub-regions. – Saturday

NOTE: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN and the ROLE OF MEN AND BOYS cut across all the major groupings but should especially address it as a consequence of economic and financial gender gaps in macro-economic policies, for example in pension and social security schemes, and the backlash in transition economies of maternity protection that do not reconcile family care and unpaid household responsibilities with income-earning activities, exploitation of conditions of employment and decent work, all of which lead to VAW. It is also here that demographic factors as ageing, sexual exploitation leading to feminisation of poverty and conflict could also be addressed

IIb. Recommendations for the ECE Chairperson’s Conclusions.
The recommendations must be short and concise to fit into one page for inclusion in the Chairperson’s Conclusions of the ECE Intergovernmental Prepcom to Beijing +15. .

ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS EMANATING FROM THE INERACTIVE FREE CAUCUS THEMES AND SUB-REGIONAL MAJOR CONCERNS SHOULD BE STRICTED FOCUSED ON THE ECE MAIN AGENDA ITEMS AS DESCRIBED IN THE UNECE WEBSITE http//www.unece.org/gender
To facilitate the process that would lead to the drafting of theses recommendations to the ECE Prepcom, the Organisers invite all major NGO networks in your respective sub-regions to discuss among yourselves, notably among those networks that will not be present in Geneva but have best practices or failures or gaps to be brought to the attention of governments. Then prepare written recommendations before arrival in Geneva, to be sent aa preliminary draft recommendations to the Organising Committee at the following address: ngocswgeneva@gmail.com. These must reach us at least 4 days to be photocopied in time.

IIIa. Outcome Document and Record of Proceedings with Recommendations for submission to ECE as an Annex to the official ECE documents.
As in previous Pepcoms to the Beijing review preparatory processes, the ECE would include the NGO proceedings and recommendations as an Annex to the official ECE documents on Beijing +15 Review. Although the pages are limited, they could be more comprehensive to include the Beijing Critical Areas of Concern.
To ensure effective results of the NGO process, we strongly suggest that participants should read the website http://www.unece.org. Beijing +15, where all the ECE documents could be found as well as the responses of the governments to the questionnaire sent out by the ECE Secretariat.
IIIb. NGO Participation in Panels and NGO Statements to the ECE Intergovernmental Meeting, 2-3 November.. .
i. PANELS – The .ECE Senior Focal Point on Gender has selected the NGOs who will be in the 4 panels to debate the 4 ECE Agenda items as follows (with approval of the ECE Chair), in consultation with UNIFEM, which would be organised as follows:
1. Challenges and Achievements: 3 x 5 minutes each = 15 minutes. The panel’s subjects would include education, displacement, health, violence, unpaid work, role of men and boys, economic and political decision-making
2.
3. Corporate Responsibility: 3 panelists x 5 minutes = 15 minutes. a) Access to and role in decision making in corporate Boards; b) Reducing pay gaps according to ILO Convention 100 on Equal Remuneration; c) Human Resources Management Strategies: flexible time and working arrangements, reconciling work and family responsibilities , recruitment, placement and career development
4.
5. Gender-sensitive Economic and Employment Policies: 3 panelists x 5 minutes = 15 minutes (Gender responsive budgeting; labour force participation; self-employment and entrepreneurship development, access to financial resources (micro and venture capital credits), land and property rights and inheritance rights ; Reducing feminisation of poverty; social security and social protection, ageing and pension schemes; trafficking, women migrants and single-headed households

6. Panel of NGOs – 4 sub-regions NGOs + CONGO NGO CSW – How partnerships, networks and alliances to promote gender equality are built in solidarity with other civil society and International Organisations, e.g.. UNIFEM, UNDP, Council of Europe, European Commission , OECD, OSCE , etc. 5 panelists x 3 minutes each = 15 minutes

ii. NGO STATEMENTS
In addition to the participation of NGOs in the above-mentioned panels, there will be thirteen (13) slots of 5 minutes each for NGOs from the caucuses to speak from the floor,. These should be directly linked to the ECE Agenda items and divided as follows:

7. Challenges and Achievements: 4 slots -would include education, displacement, health, violence, unpaid work, role of men and boys, economic and political decision-making

8. Corporate Sector Responsibility: 2 slots – a) Access to and role in decision making in corporate Boards; b) Reducing pay gaps according to ILO Convention 100 on Equal Remuneration; c) Human Resources Management Strategies: flexible time and working arrangements, reconciling work and family responsibilities , recruitment, placement and career development. These should be tied to economic and financial policies of governments and financial institutions

9. Gender-sensitive Economic and Employment Policies: 4 slots – Gender responsive budgeting; labour force participation; self-employment and entrepreneurship development, access to financial resources (micro and venture capital credits), land and property rights and inheritance rights ; Reducing feminisation of poverty; social security and social protection, ageing and pension schemes; trafficking, women migrants and single-headed households. How are these being translated from de jure to de facto. (give examples)

10. Partnerships, networks and alliances– 3 slots – How partnerships, networks and alliances arfe built to promote gender equality in solidarity with other civil society and international rrganisations, e.g.. UNIFEM, UNDP, Council of Europe, European Commission , OECD, OSCE , etc.

NOTE The statements that will be delivered must be joint statements of participants from the free specific caucuses. The one to deliver the statement will be chosen from within these caucuses We urge that those experienced in drafting volunteer to take the lead to write and those who are used to making public statements come forward during the caucus. The statements must be photocopied : 25 for inbterpreters and about 100 for distribution in the meeting room. .
IV Guidelines for Moderators and Rapporteurs.
We urge that moderators selected be firm and experienced. Her/his role is to ascertain that the discussions are kept focussed on the issue and to be strict in keeping time for interventions to a maximum of 3 minutes. I am aware that participants tend to make long comments. I urge moderators to make a two to three minutes introduction of the subject being addressed, and not make their own comments or personal views as this is not the role of the moderators. Time should be allowed for the moderator to summarise what the specific points would be recommended for the ECE Chair’s conclusion and what would be included in the joint statement. The rapporteur should be clear on these 2 statements when drafting the proceedings.
We thank you and look forward to your collaboration and to hear from you urgently. We are sending you copies of the Revised Agenda with these Guidelines, for distribution to your members. Any queries may be sent to ngocswgeneva@gmail.com .
Yours in solidarity,
Conchita Poncini
Convener, Working Group on Women’s Employment and
Economics of Gender and
President of the Geneva CONGO Committee on the Status of Women

cc. Hillevi Perraudin, Organising Coordinator