In conclusion to the morning session Harriet Harman, UK Minister for Women and Equality, spoke on the domestic priorities for the UK which was received with great support. She called for a single entity focusing on gender equality, stregthening the position of women nationally and internationally. The establishment of this single agency would signal the UN taking the lead in this important area.

For the full speech, please follow the link:

http://www.equalities.gov.uk/staimm6geo/docs/010310%20HH%20New%20York%20Speech.doc

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (January-June 2010) hosted the European Women’s Forum–Beijing+15 in the Palace of Congress of Cadiz on 4^th- 5^th February 2010.

The Event was attended by official delegations of the 27 Member States and a number of Ministers. Unfortunately the UK Minister Vera Baird, who was due to speak on the second day of the conference was detained in London on political business, and Barbara-Ann Collins, Director of the Women’s National Commission was recommended by the UK Government to speak for the UK. Barbara had been invited to join the Delegation as a representative of UK civil society, together with invited NGO representatives from across the EU.

The WNC are delighted to welcome the 30th Anniversay of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 18 December 2009. 

CEDAW was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1979, and has so far been ratified by 186 countries.  It consists of a preamble and 30 articles, defining what constitutes discrimination against women and setting up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

The Convention is known as the international bill of rights for women, thereby providing a foundation for realising equal rights between men and women.  Please visit our CEDAW page for further information: http://www.thewnc.org.uk/work-of-the-wnc/international-articles/cedaw.html

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the annual functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council dedicated to the advancement of women, does not provide a Shadow reporting mechanism and will not accept any documents submitted by NGOs.

However, the 2010 session of CSW will be undertaking a 15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, to mark this anniversary year.  Therefore, whilst the UN as usual will not provide for the submission and publishing of NGO Shadow reports, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York does intend to post NGO Shadow reports on its Beijing +15 website.  The NGO Committee on the Status of Women is not part of the UN structure and this is therefore not a formal Shadow reporting mechanism.

Some partners are familiar with the CEDAW process, which unlike CSW does have the facility by which NGOs can submit Shadow reports to be considered by the CEDAW Committee alongside States parties' reports during the examination period (see the dedicated CEDAW page in our International section for further details).

Any organisations who wish to produce a Shadow report and have it posted on the NGO/CSW NY website should send them to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it