****************************************************************************** This document has been made available in electronic format by the United Nations. Reproduction and dissemination of the document - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available. ****************************************************************************** UNITED NATIONS Distr. GENERAL A/CONF.177/3 25 August 1995 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Item 6 of the provisional agenda* * A/CONF.177/1. ORGANIZATION OF WORK, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MAIN COMMITTEE Organizational and procedural matters Note by the Secretariat 1. At its thirty-ninth session, on 6 April 1995, the Commission on the Status of Women, acting as the preparatory body for the Fourth World Conference on Women, approved the provisional agenda and proposed organization of work for the Conference (see document E/1995/26, resolution 39/1). At the same session, the Commission also decided to transmit the provisional rules of procedure for the Conference, contained in annex II to document A/49/887 and Corr.1, to the General Assembly for approval. The General Assembly, in decision 49/482, approved the provisional rules of procedure for the Conference. The proposals contained herein have been prepared on the basis of the above-mentioned documents. I. PRE-CONFERENCE CONSULTATIONS 2. In its resolutions 45/129 and 46/98 the General Assembly endorsed Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/12, in which the Council recommended that a world conference on women be held in 1995 and requested that the Commission on the Status of Women act as the preparatory body for the conference. In its resolution 47/95 the General Assembly expressed its appreciation to the Government of China for its offer to act as host for the Conference, to be held in Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995. In resolution 39/1 the Commission on the Status of Women recommended that the Conference be preceded by two-day pre-Conference consultations at the venue of the Conference. The pre-Conference consultations will take place on 2 and 3 September 1995. The purpose of the consultations, which will be open to all participating States, is to reach final agreement on recommendations to be made on all procedural and organizational matters to be dealt with by the Conference at the opening meeting, including the election of officers, the composition of the General Committee, the distribution of posts in the General Committee among regional groups, the adoption of the rules of procedure, the adoption of the agenda and organization of work, the appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee and arrangements for the preparation of the report of the Conference. II. ELECTION OF OFFICERS 3. Rule 6 of the provisional rules of procedure for the Conference (A/CONF.177/2) provides that the Conference shall elect from among the representatives of participating States the following officers: a President, 27 Vice-Presidents, an ex officio Vice-President from the host country, a Rapporteur-General and Chairpersons of the Main Committees established in accordance with rule 47. Those officials should be elected on the basis of ensuring the representative character of the General Committee. The Conference may also elect such other officers as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. 4. Rule 10 provides that the Conference will have a General Committee composed of the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Rapporteur-General and the Chairpersons of the Main Committees. In accordance with standard practice, the Presidency of the Conference would go to the host country. The 27 Vice-Presidents would be distributed according to the following geographical pattern: seven representatives from African States, six from Asian States, three from Eastern European States, five from Latin American and Caribbean States and six from Western European and other States. 5. Regional groups should endeavour to ensure that they will be in a position to make known their nominations for the posts in the General Committee at the pre-Conference consultations. III. ADOPTION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE 6. The Conference will have before it the provisional rules of procedure approved by the General Assembly. The provisional rules of procedure are contained in document A/CONF.177/2. IV. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 7. The Commission on the Status of Women, acting as the preparatory body of the Conference, recommended for adoption by the Conference the provisional agenda set out in document A/CONF.177/1. V. ORGANIZATION OF WORK, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MAIN COMMITTEE A. Organization of work 8. The proposed organization of work recommended by the Commission on the Status of Women is contained in annex II to Commission resolution 39/1. That proposed organization of work envisaged two main committees. Following the Commission's thirty-ninth session, the Chairperson and the Bureau held further consultations, and an organization of work based on a single main committee was perceived to have a broad consensus. Accordingly it is proposed that the Conference organize its work around a plenary, one main committee and two working groups. B. Allocation of items 9. It is proposed that items 1-8, 10 and 11 of the provisional agenda be considered in plenary meeting, and that item 9 (Platform for Action) be allocated to the Main Committee. Negotiations on the Platform for Action will be carried out in the Main Committee while the general debate on item 8 is taking place in plenary meeting. Upon the conclusion of its work, the Main Committee will submit a report to the Conference. C. General debate 10. The general debate on item 8 (General exchange of views: (a) Second review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the year 2000; (b) Main conclusions and recommendations of regional preparatory conferences; and (c) National priorities and commitments) will take place from the afternoon of 5 September to 13 September. Each delegation may present one statement during the general debate. 11. It is proposed that a time limit of seven minutes be established for statements by representatives of Governments, five minutes for statements by representatives of intergovernmental organizations and United Nations programmes and specialized agencies, and five minutes for statements by representatives of non-governmental organizations. D. Establishment of the Main Committee 12. The Main Committee will meet from the morning of 5 September to 14 September. Its Chairman will be elected by the Conference in accordance with the provisions of rule 6 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Conference. In accordance with the provisions of rule 51, the Main Committee will elect its own officers. It is proposed that, in accordance with rule 47 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Conference, the Main Committee elect three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur on the basis of equitable geographical distribution. It is recommended that agreement be reached on the slate of candidates for posts falling within the ambit of the Main Committee before the opening of the Conference, thus permitting elections by acclamation and dispensing with the requirement of a secret ballot. E. Timetable for the work of the Conference 13. The proposed timetable for the work of the Conference is contained in the annex to the present note. A proposed timetable for the work of the Main Committee, which foresees the establishment of two working groups, is also attached. The proposed programme of work of the Main Committee is structured to normally permit 24 hours between the completion of a section of the Platform for Action by a working group and its consideration by the Main Committee. F. Organization of meetings 14. The resources available to the Conference allow for a maximum of three simultaneous meetings in the morning and three in the afternoon, with interpretation facilities, including committees, subcommittees, working groups and informal consultations. Interpretation facilities can be provided to regional or interest group meetings only when these are held in place of formal meetings. 15. In accordance with the provisions of rule 49 of the provisional rules of procedure, the Conference may establish such committees and working groups as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. Subject to the decision of the Plenary of the Conference, the Main Committee may also set up subcommittees and working groups. It should be noted, however, that committees, subcommittees and working groups can be established only to the extent permitted by the conference service facilities available at the Conference site. 16. Meetings will normally be scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. In order to ensure the most efficient use of available resources, it is essential that all meetings start promptly at the time scheduled. VI. CREDENTIALS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CONFERENCE: APPOINTMENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE 17. Rule 4 of the provisional rules of procedure provides that a Credentials Committee of nine members shall be appointed at the beginning of the Conference and that its composition shall be based on that of the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations at its forty-ninth session. 18. At the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly, the Credentials Committee was composed of China, Fiji, Honduras, Namibia, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Suriname, Togo and the United States of America. VII. REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE 19. In accordance with the practice followed at previous United Nations conferences, it is recommended that the report of the Conference consist of the decisions of the Conference, a brief account of the proceedings and a repertorial account of the work of the Main Committee and of the action taken in plenary meeting on its recommendations. Annex PROPOSED TIMETABLE FOR THE WORK OF THE CONFERENCE First week (4-8 September) Saturday, 2 September and Sunday, 3 September Pre-Conference consultations PLENARY Monday, 4 September 3 p.m. Item 1 Opening of the Conference Item 2 Election of the President Item 3 Adoption of the rules of procedure Item 4 Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters Item 5 Election of officers other than the President Item 6 Organization of work, including the establishment of the Main Committee Item 7 a/ Credentials of representatives to the Conference: (a) Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee (b) Report of the Credentials Committee Item 8 General exchange of views: (a) Second review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the year 2000 (b) Main conclusions and recommendations of regional preparatory conferences (c) National priorities and commitments ________________________ a/ Item 7 (b) (Report of the Credentials Committee) will be scheduled for consideration in plenary meeting at a date to be determined. Tuesday, 5 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Wednesday, 6 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) 12 noon Closure of the list of speakers on item 8 Thursday, 7 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Friday, 8 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Second week (11-15 September) Monday, 11 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Tuesday, 12 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Wednesday, 13 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (continued) Thursday, 14 September 10 a.m. Item 8 General exchange of views (concluded) 3 p.m. Recommendations of the Main Committee on the Platform for Action (item 9) Friday, 15 September 10 a.m. Recommendations of the Main Committee on the Platform for Action (item 9) (concluded) 3 p.m. Item 10 Adoption of the Declaration and the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women Item 11 Adoption of the report of the Conference Closure of the Conference MAIN COMMITTEE First week (4-8 September) Tuesday, 5 September 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Organization of work Adoption of document A/CONF.177/L.3 Wednesday, 6 September 3 p.m. Adoption of chapter V of the draft platform for action Thursday, 7 September 10 a.m. Adoption of chapter IV, chapeau, and section I of the draft platform 3 p.m. Adoption of chapter IV, section J, and chapter VI of the draft platform Friday, 8 September 10 a.m. Adoption of chapter IV, section E of the draft platform 3 p.m. Adoption of chapter I of the draft platform Second week (11-15 September) Monday, 11 September 10 a.m. Adoption of chapter IV, sections A and G of the draft platform 3 p.m. Adoption of chapter IV, section F of the draft platform Tuesday, 12 September 10 a.m. Adoption of chapter IV, section C of the draft platform 3 p.m. Adoption of chapter IV, section L of the draft platform Wednesday 13 September 10 a.m. Adoption of chapter IV, sections H and K of the draft platform 3 p.m. Adoption of chapters II and III, and chapter IV, sections B and D of the draft platform Thursday, 14 September 10 a.m. Adoption of the draft declaration WORKING GROUPS First week (4-8 September) Tuesday, 5 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section C of the draft platform for action Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section I of the draft platform 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter V of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section I; chapeaux of chapter IV of the draft platform Wednesday, 6 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter VI of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of the draft declaration 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section J of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section E of the draft platform Thursday, 7 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter I of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section E of the draft platform 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter II of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section G of the draft platform Friday, 8 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section C of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section A of the draft platform 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section L of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section F of the draft platform Second week (11-15 September) Monday, 11 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section C of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section H of the draft platform 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter IV, section L of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section K of the draft platform Tuesday, 12 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter II of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section B of the draft platform 3 p.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter II of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of chapter IV, section D of the draft platform Wednesday 13 September 10 a.m. Working Group I Consideration of chapter III of the draft platform Working Group II Consideration of the draft declaration -----