| DESA News Vol. 12, No. 03 | March 2008 |
Online 4 February-14 March
52nd session, New York, 25 February-7 March
Informal Global Preparatory Meeting for the 2008 High-level Segment
New York, 6 March
New York, 6-7 March
Preparatory review session on the Monterrey Consensus, New York 10-12 March
St. George’s, Grenada, 11-14 March
10th session, New York, 17-20 March
New York, 25-26 March
Thematic debate on achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015
New York, 1-2 April
Geneva, 2-4 April
41st session, New York, 7-11 April
New York, 14 April
Oslo, 14-16 April
7th session, New York, 14-18 April
Preparatory review session on the Monterrey Consensus, New York 15-16 April
7th session, New York, 21 April-2 May
2008 organizational session (resumed), New York, 29-30 April
6 March
The theme of International Women’s Day 2008, celebrated on 6 March, will be investing in women and girls. At United Nations Headquarters, the day will be commemorated with appearances by Secretary-General Ban, Ana Vilma Alvarez de Guth, Vice President of El Salvador, Geraldine Fraser, South African Minister of Public Service and Administration, and Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs.
A high-level panel on investments in women and girls will follow, with Muriel Siebert, the first women to become a member of the New York Stock Exchange, joining the discussants from national, bilateral and multilateral institutions. The UNHQ event is being organized by the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality, a committee of gender focal points from across the UN system.
In adopting its resolution on the observance of Women's Day, the General Assembly wanted to recognize the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms require the active participation, equality and development of women. At the same time, the world body acknowledged the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security.
For the women of the world, the day's symbolism has a wider meaning. It is an occasion to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity to unite, network and mobilize for meaningful change.
For more information: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/iwd/
20 March
World Water Day 2008 will be celebrated by the UN on Thursday, 20 March. This year, the spotlight will be on the issue of sanitation coinciding with the International Year of Sanitation being observed through December. People around the world are encouraged to celebrate the day to draw attention to the world's sanitation challenge. Of special note, HRH the Prince of Orange will attend celebrations in Geneva.
The General Assembly declared 22 March as World Day for Water in 1992 to promote awareness of the extent to which water resource development contributes to economic productivity and social well-being.
For more information: http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/