Updated: 2008-02-22 

The WILPF-UN Office in New York welcomes WILPF members to come to New York City to participate in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) taking place 25 February - 7 March 2008.

This year's main theme on which governments will negotiate policy is:
"Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women." The Commission will also be reviewing the implementation of previous CSW agreed policy on "Women's equal participation in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution and in post-conflict peace-building" adopted at the 2004 CSW, to identify remaining gaps and challenges.

We look forward to welcoming delegates to attend the Commission, participate in WILPF's advocacy with governments around the CSW themes and to be involved in the various side events taking place.

Both themes present and excellent opportunity for WILPFers. Our work on the first theme will focus on the opportunity costs for gender equality of military spending and we look forward to WILPF sections looking at this issue in their own countries. We will be sending more information in the coming weeks about our approach to these themes.

REGISTRATION
If you would like to participate in CSW 52, the Registration Deadline for the WILPF UNO is 5 December 2007. If you are unsure if you can come, register anyway. There is no cost to register. You must be a WILPF member to participate as part of the WILPF delegation.

NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED.

SEND to sam@peacewomen.org :
- your full name,
- all contact information (email address, mailing addresss and phone number)

- Section and branch information
Please also let us know if you need WILPF to provide you with a letter for visa purposes.

SIDE EVENTS
We have had several requests for WILPF to sponsor or arrange particular side events at the CSW and have a form (attached) for you to fill out if you would like to propose a WILPF side event. Please note that WILPF can only sponsor a limited number of side events due to limits placed on the number
of events per organization for which we can get space.

Please send in your completed event proposal form to sam@peacewomen.org by 5 December 2007.

MORE INFORMATION
We will be developing our own web pages with information on the CSW so please visit http://www.peacewomen.org

Also for now, please visit the official UN website for more information: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/52sess.htm

For information on the Review theme from 2004 please visit: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW/CSW2004.html

Governments will be reviewing their implementation of these commitments on women's participation:
http://www.peacewomen.org/un/ecosoc/CSW/FinalACCSW48WomenPart.pdf

Please note that WILPF is unable to provide financial support for participation and will not be involved in travel or accommodation arrangements. We will however send out more information on logistics and accommodation possibilities in the area and encourage you to network with other WILPF members on options.

We ask that you arrive in New York to participate in a WILPF strategy meeting on Saturday 23 February and the NGO Committee on the Status of Women's NGO Consultation on Sunday 24 February prior to the commencement of the CSW.

Hope to see you at the CSW!

WILPF UN Office