Our View on Women’s Rights

Esperanza Beleo Philippines	Priscilla Julie Seychelles	Bellina Mangena Natal, Southern Africa	Amelia Ward Liberia

'Repairing the World': Anglican women bring global views to U.N. forum
Uniting to address poverty, disease and gender equity among other issues worldwide, Anglican women attending the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) led a March 6 forum seeking international solutions to expand healthcare, education, and economic justice.

Anglican women will gather to lobby U.N. for women's lives
Eighty-one Anglican women gather in New York City beginning February 24 for two weeks of meetings and lobbying in support of the Anglican Observer to the United Nations during the 49th session of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). "This gives women the opportunity to act as delegates and lobby their governments for implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, an outline created ten years ago by the UNCSW," said Archdeacon Tai Tuatagaloa-Matalavea, Anglican observer. "The Beijing Platform lists twelve specific areas, such as poverty, education, health, violence and the environment, that need to be improved if the status of women is going to rise."

Child Poverty and Mother's Union's Work to Save Lives
Mother's Union General Meeting, Villa Marina, Douglas, Isle of Man
24 th June 2004
Annual Theme: International Year of the Family – Building Relationships

2004 Women's Delegation to Afghanistan
Sr. Ellen Francis, OSH
An account of the 2004 Women's Delegation to Afghanistan with stunning photos by Sister Ellen Francis, OSH.

Commission on the Status of Women
1 – 12 March, 2004 at UN Headquarters in New York, focused on two thematic issues:
-The Role of Men & Boys in Gender Equality. A UN Expert Group Meeting on this theme was held in Brazil in October 2003. The experts were from many countries including Yemen, India, Kenya, Brazil, Barbados, Canada and Australia. Papers presented focused on the areas of socialization, HIV/AIDS, work, education. These discussion Papers can be viewed at: www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/men-boys2003/documents.html

Women’s equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace-building, with a focus on the implementation of UN Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace & Security. A UN Experts Group Meeting on this theme will be held in Ottawa, Canada on 10-13 November 2003. For details of see: www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/peace2003

The Anglican Observer’s Office is represented on the NGO Planning Committee for the upcoming CSW and on the NGO Taskforce on the Role of Men & Boys in Gender Equality. If your province is interested in sending a representative or submitting a report on best practices on any of the above themes please contact the Anglican Observer.

Impressions of being an Anglican delegate at the 48th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
A report by Marge Christi, member of the ACC Delegation to the 48th CSW.

Anglican women witness to Communion’s Strength at UN Meeting ENS, A report on the Anglican Consultative Council at the 48th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), March 1-12, 2004.
(see link on attached)

Statement of the Anglican Consultative Council to the 48th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
New York, March 1-12, 2004

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women discusses states’ progress on meeting commitments to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Countries ratifying or acceding to the Convention are legally bound to put its provisions into practice and to submit national reports, at least every four years, on measures taken to comply with their treaty obligations. The January 2004 session of the Committee, reviewed Country Reports from Belarus, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Germany, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and Nigeria. For reports see: www.un.og./womenwatch/daw/cedaw

UNIFEM launches Web Portal on U N Security Council Resolution 1325 - Women, Peace & Security
providing background information and updates on the impact of armed conflict on women and on women’s role in peace-building. Be sure to look at the 1325 Toolbox on the website for information on tracking progress and on using & teaching 1325. Visit the UNIFEM web portal at: www.womenwarpeace.org

Global Review - Beijing +10 will be held in 2005.
Coordinated by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW). U N Regional Commissions and other intergovernmental regional organizations will carry out activities in support of the preparatory processes. Meetings to ensure a regional perspective on implementation and on further actions and initiatives are to be held and the reports made available. A schedule of the intergovernmental processes related to the Beijing +10 Global Review will be available shortly.

Related Organizations

We invite you to visit the following organizations for more information concerning the ministry of Women.

Office of Women's Ministries
Episcopal Church Center

Increasing the capacity for ministry and witness for all women. Moving from representation to true inclusion in the church and beyond. National Office of the Episcopal Church. www.episcopalchurch.org/women/

Commission on the Status of Women (CSM)
Anglican Delegation to the UN

We are women of the Anglican Communion gathered together under the auspices of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations and Women's Ministries of the Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) in order to promote an effective Anglican presence at the 2004 meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW)
and thereby focus the attention of Anglican women around the world on issues important to women and children, particularly those in the third world and to further impact the fulfillment of the Millennium Goals, in particular #3, calling for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/uncsw.htm