11 June 2008
Suva, Fiji Islands

Members of a Pacific regional media network on UN Security Council resolution 1325 welcome the announcement the upcoming debate at the UN Security Council which will address sexual violence in conflict.

The regional women's media network on UNSC resolution 1325 is coordinated by femLINKPACIFIC (based in Suva, Fiji) and includes the Legal Literacy Project of the CWL Tonga, Leitana Nehan Women's Development Agency of Bougainville (PNG), Vois Blong Mere Solomon (Honiara).

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Paying Homage to Women’s Roles in Peace and Disarmament

by Binalakshmi Nepram Mentschel

Our world is hovering at the edge of an abyss, driven there by man’s unreason. One crisis is cresting on top of another… The sinister developments in the advance towards the brink of disaster all interact, worsened by the calamitous threat - namely the arms race and militarization. These essentially ethical problems of wars, weapons, and tools of violence have existed since time immemorial, but in the present era they have been deeply aggravated and will continue to be aggravated if a halt is not called for. - Nobel Peace Laureate Alva Myrdal

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Polynesian Countries on Track with Many MDGs but Face Challenges with Two

Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS constitute the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that most Polynesian countries have achieved or are on track to achieving.

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Women's Groups Push for Gender-Sensitive Budgets

By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, May 14 (IPS) - As women's groups and political activists intensify their global campaign for gender empowerment, there is a growing trend towards "gender budgeting" both among developed and developing nations.

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May 27 2008
Suva, Fiji Islands

Pacific Peacewomen who belong to a regional network to promote the implementation of UN security council resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security) begin meeting in Suva from tomorrow to improve their participation in peace and security processes, including the Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee meeting (to be hosted by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat) in Suva, next week

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UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women Issues Annual Call for
Proposals - Focus on Implementing Laws and Supporting Innovation

United Nations, New York - The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence
against Women, managed by UNIFEM on behalf of the UN system, issued its
2008 global annual call for proposals to support national and local
initiatives working to end violence against women in the developing world
and countries in transition on 28 April 2008.

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Ensuring Women and Gender are reflected in the Cluster Munitions Treaty Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

As the world’s oldest women’s peace organization, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) brings over 90 years of work towards disarmament to the campaign to ban cluster munitions. WILPF welcomed the signing of the February 2007 Oslo Declaration and has since closely monitored efforts to develop an international convention.

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Towards Coherent and Effective Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000)

Statement by Joanne Sandler, Executive Director, a.i. United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to the Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security 23 October 2007

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Security Council Open Debate on Resolution 1325:  October 23 2007

Yesterday the UN Security Council held an Open Debate on ensuring coherent and effective implementation of SCR 1325.  Ghana, the president of the Council, presided over the day-long session.  Fifty-two Member States, including Council members, made interventions. The UN speakers included Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Jean-Marie Guehenno (DPKO), Rachel Mayanja (OSAGI) and Joanne Sandler (UNIFEM, statement above).  Gina Torry spoke on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security.

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WILPF Statement on UN Day, 24 October 2007

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) was founded in 1915, and from the outset called for an "organization of the society of nations." In 1919 the organisation welcomed the establishment of the Leagu= e of Nations and actively followed its work. In 1948, WILPF was in the first group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to receive consultative status with the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), under Article 71 of the UN Charter, the entry point for NGOs.

Since its establishment, WILPF has been present and supportive of the Unite= d Nations, our world's peace organisation, but has also often been critical when governments, who drive and comprise the UN, fail to uphold the spirit and letter of the UN Charter.

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New York, Oct 22 2007  5:00PM

A landmark United Nations-sponsored conference aimed at generating political will and investment to slash maternal deaths has concluded with participants pledging to bolster efforts to improve women's health.

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SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR BOOST TO WOMEN'S ROLE IN PEACE AND SECURITY New York, Oct 23 2007  8:00PM

Recognizing the recent progress towards including women in the search for peace, justice and reconciliation, the Security Council today urged countries and the United Nations system to enhance female participation in decision-making and to take specific steps to protect women and girls from gender-based violence during conflicts.

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Call for gender equality in media
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Nebojsa Radic, a trainer with the World Association of Christian Communication, presents facts at the Gender and Media Advocacy workshop in Suva, on October 23

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UNIFEM AND WOMEN’S FUNDING NETWORK CALL FOR INVESTMENT IN WOMEN TO END GLOBAL POVERTY

Partnership to focus international attention on women during Stand Up Campaign on World Poverty Day

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"Building a Culture of Peace through Education and Poverty Alleviation"
14 August 2007

is the theme for the Annual General Meeting and Soli of the Catholic Women’s League Fiji which will be hosted by the Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Lami from 17 to 20th August at the Tradewinds Convention Centre.

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FEMALE WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION IN LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN CURTAILED – UN

13 August 2007 UN NEWS

Although the rate of female participation in the workforce in Latin America and the Caribbean is at an all-time high, women are still being prevented from reaching their economic potential by their child-rearing and caretaking responsibilities, as well as their low status in some countries, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

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UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF HAILS WORK OF WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE

23 July 2007

The top United Nations human rights official today praised the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, as it marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of its work in monitoring States' compliance with a landmark treaty on the issue.

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16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

November 25 - December 10, 2007

Demanding Implentation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women Since 1991, the 16 Days Campaign has helped to raise awareness about gender violence and has highlighted its effects on women globally.

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World talks on AIDS lift women's spirits (NZ Herald story)

Thursday July 12, 2007

More than 2000 women from around the world are in Nairobi this week at the first global conference on HIV and Aids among women.

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