Commission on the Status of Women Fifty-sixth session (27 February - 9 March 2012)

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The fifty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from Monday, 27 February to Friday, 9 March 2012.

News and announcements
Bureau
Themes
Organization of the session
Agreed conclusions
Documentation
NGO participation
Side events [ First week, 27 February - 2 March | Second week, 5 - 9 March ]
Preparations
Media

newNews and announcements (scroll down to see more)

Bureau

The Bureau for the 56th session comprises the following members:

  • H.E. Ms. Marjon V. Kamara (Liberia) of the African States Group, Chair
  • Ms. Ana Marie Hernando (Philippines, nominated) of the Asia-Pacific States Group, Vice-Chair
  • Ms. Irina Velichko (Belarus) of the Eastern European States Group, Vice-Chair
  • H.E. Mr. Carlos Garcia Gonzalez (El Salvador) of the Latin American and Caribbean States Group, Vice-Chair
  • Mr. Filippo Cinti (Italy, nominated), Western European and other States Group, Vice-Chair

Themes

Priority theme:
The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges

Review theme:
Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women (agreed conclusions from the fifty-second session)

Emerging issue:
Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality


Organization of the session

In accordance with its multi-year programme of work (ECOSOC resolution 2009/15), the Commission's two-week session will include the following activities: Organization of work
» Week 1   » Week 2   Print view

Week 1 Monday 27 Feb Tuesday 28 Feb Wednesday 29 Feb Thursday 1 Mar Friday 2 Mar
10.00 a.m.
– 1.00 p.m.		 - Opening of the session
- Election of officers (Item 1)
- Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters (Item 2)
- Introduction of documents
(Item 3 as a whole)

General discussion (Item 3)
(opens)
Review of the implementation of: the BPfA and the outcome of the 23rd special session of the GA - sharing of experiences and good practices on implementation of the Platform for Action, with a view to overcoming remaining obstacles and new challenges

1 p.m.: deadline for inscription on list of speakers		 Panel 1
Priority theme

The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges

Focus: economic empowerment of rural women 		General discussion (Item 3)
(continued) 		Panel 3
Review theme

Evaluation of progress in the implementation of the agreed conclusions of CSW 52 on "Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women"

Focus: national experiences in implementing the agreed conclusions of CSW 52 		Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations
1 – 3 p.m.     Preparatory panel for 2013:
Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls 		   
3 – 6 p.m. High-level round table on the priority theme
(in two parallel meetings)

The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges (Item 3 (a) (i))		 General discussion (Item 3)
(continued) 		Panel 2
Priority theme

The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges

Focus: the role of genderresponsive governance and institutions for the empowerment of rural women		 Panel 4
Review theme

Evaluation of progress in the implementation of the agreed conclusions of CSW 52 on "Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women"

Focus: progress in financing for gender equality from the perspective of international organizations and multilateral development partners 		Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations

Week 2 Monday 5 Mar Tuesday 6 Mar Wednesday 7 Mar Thursday 8 Mar Friday 9 Mar
10.00 a.m.
– 1.00 p.m.		 General discussion (Item 3)
(continued)

in parallel with

Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations		 Panel 5:
Emerging issue

Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality



3 p.m.: deadline for submission of draft proposals 		International Women's Day
[10 a.m. to 12 p.m.]

followed by:

Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations 		Follow-up to the Economic and Social Council resolutions and decisions (Item 5) - introduction and discussion

Introduction of draft proposals

in parallel with

Agreed conclusions: Informal consultations 		Action on draft proposals
1 – 3 p.m.          
3 – 6 p.m. General discussion (Item 3)
(concludes)

in parallel with

Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations		 Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations		 Closed meeting to consider the report of the Working Group on Communications (Item 4)

followed by

Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations 		Agreed conclusions:
Informal consultations		 Action on draft proposals and other outstanding issues
Provisional agenda for the 57th session of CSW (Item 6)
Adoption of the report of the CSW on its 56th session (Item 7)
Closure of the 56th session




Priority theme

The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges

High-level round table A

Monday, 27 February 2012, 3 - 6 p.m.
Conference Room 4, North Lawn Building

  • Chair: H.E. Ms. Marjon Kamara, Chair of the Commission (Liberia)

List of delegations

Discussion guide

High-level round table B

Monday, 27 February 2012, 3 - 6 p.m.
Conference Room 1, North Lawn Building

  • Chair: H.E. Mr. Carlos Garcia Gonzalez, Vice-Chair of the Commission (El Salvador)

List of delegations

Discussion guide

Panel 1
Economic empowerment of rural women

Tuesday, 28 February 2012, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conference room 4, North Lawn Building

Secretary-General’s report E/CN.6/2012/3

  • Moderator: Ms. Ana Marie Hernando, Vice-Chair of the Commission (Philippines)

Panellists

  • Ms. Malika Abdelali-Martini, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (Algeria)
    Presentation of the report of the Expert Group Meeting on enabling rural women's economic empowerment
  • Ms. Shanaz Wazir Ali, Office of the Prime Minister (Pakistan)
    Ensuring rural women's access to productive resources and assets
  • Ms. Anna Kaisa Karttunen, rural development consultant (Finland)
    Promoting rural women's access to income-generating opportunities and social protection
  • Ms. Jemimah Njuki, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (Kenya)
    Promoting food security and nutrition
  • Ms. Cheryl Morden, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
    Promoting gender-responsive financing in agriculture

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

Panel 2
The role of gender-responsive governance and institutions for the empowerment of rural women

Wednesday, 29 February 2012, 3 - 6 p.m.
Conference room 4, North Lawn Building

Secretary-General’s report E/CN.6/2012/4

  • Moderator: H.E. Carlos Garcia Gonzalez, Vice-Chair of the Commission (El Salvador)

Panellists

  • Ms. Binetou Nimaga, Ministry of Women's Affairs, Children and the Family (Mali)
    Strengthening institutional capacity to address food security and nutrition from a gender perspective
  • Mr. Andres Teodoro Wehrle Rivarola, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Paraguay)
    Promoting gender equality in agrarian reforms
  • Ms. Lilly Be'Soer, Voice for Change (Papua New Guinea)
    Leveraging rural women's leadership and agency
  • Mr. Victor Lutenco, Office of the Prime Minister (Moldova)
    One-window model of service provision for rural women

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

Review theme

Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women (agreed conclusions from the fifty-second session)


Panel 3
National experiences in implementing the agreed conclusions on financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women

Thursday, 1 March 2012, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conference Room 4, North Lawn Building

  • Issues paper
  • Moderator: Mr. Filippo Cinti, Vice-Chair of the Commission (Italy)

Panellists

  • Mr. Gerhard Steger, Ministry of Finance (Austria)
    Making public finance management systems and sectoral interventions gender-responsive
  • Mr. Mohammed Chafiki, Ministry of Finance (Morocco)
    The institutionalization of gender-responsive budgeting in Morocco: results at sector and local level
  • Ms. Maria Almeida, Ministry of Finance (Ecuador)
    Ecuador's gender-sensitive budget tracking methodology
  • Ms. Ing Kantha Phavi, Ministry of Women's Affairs (Cambodia)
    Financing the implementation of national priorities for the empowerment of women
  • Ms. Stephanie Seguino, University of Vermont (USA)
    Critical analysis of progress on financing for gender equality and issues of policy coherence

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

 

Panel 4
Progress in financing for gender equality from the perspective of international organizations and multilateral development partners

Thursday, 1 March 2012, 3 - 6 p.m.
Conference room 4, North Lawn Building

  • Issues paper
  • Moderator: Ms. Irina Velichko, Vice-Chair of the Commission (Belarus)

Panellists

  • Ms. Patti O'Neill, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
    Tracking financing for gender equality through the OECD-DAC gender equality marker
  • Ms. Lydia Alpizar, Association of Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (Costa Rica)
    Presentation of findings from AWID's report "Where is the Money for Women's Rights"
  • Ms. Saraswathi Menon, UN Women
    Strengthening the UN system's accountability for financing for gender equality: a system-wide gender marker
  • Ms. Jeni Klugman, World Bank
    Progress in implementing commitments for financing for gender equality: the perspective of international financial institutions
  • Ms. Liane Schalatek, Heinrich Böll Foundation (Germany)
    Making climate finance gender-responsive

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

Emerging issue


Panel 5
Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality

Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Conference room 4, North Lawn Building

  • Issues paper
  • Moderator: Mr. Filippo Cinti, Vice-Chair of the Commission (Italy)

Panellists

  • Ms. Edna Akullq, Self Help Foundation Uganda (Uganda)
    Promoting gender equality through education and social entrepreneurship
  • Ms. Sahar Othman, Sharek Youth Forum (Occupied Palestinian Territory)
    Promoting gender equality through employment and political participation
  • Mr. Roberto Cárcamo Tapia, Colectivo de Jóvenes por la Igualdad de Género (Chile)
    Youth organizing to promote gender equality
  • Mr. Shishir Chandra, Men’s Action for Stopping Violence Against Women (India)
    Changing gender stereotypes to foster a culture of gender equality
  • Ms. Rozaina Adam, Member of Parliament (Maldives)
    Promoting gender equality through political participation and legislative processes

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

Other panels


Panel on the priority theme of CSW 57 (2013)
 Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls

Wednesday, 29 February 2012, 1.15 - 2.45 p.m.
Conference Room 4, North Lawn Building

  • Issues paper
  • Moderator: Ms. Irina Velichko, Vice-Chair of the Commission (Belarus)

Panellists

  • Ms. Nduku Kilonzo, Liverpool VCT (Kenya)
    Provision of support services to women and girls victims/survivors of violence
  • Ms. Marai Larasi, End Violence against Women Coalition (UK)
    Primary prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls
  • Ms. Margarita Quintanilla, PATH/InterCambios (Nicaragua)
    Emerging practices in providing support services and primary prevention of violence against women and girls

This event will be webcast. Click here to receive an email reminder.

Agreed conclusions

The outcome of the Commission’s consideration of the priority theme takes the form of agreed conclusions, negotiated by all States. These identify gaps and challenges in the implementation of previous commitments. They also provide action-oriented recommendations for all States, relevant non-governmental bodies, mechanisms and entities of the UN System and other relevant stakeholders, in order to accelerate implementation.
» Draft agreed conclusions presented by the Bureau (MS Word, 68K)


NGO participation

The active participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is a critical element in the work of the CSW. UN Women facilitates the participation of NGOs in sessions of the Commission.
» More information


Side events held on United Nations premises

Click here for the calendar of side events of Permanent Missions and UN entities:
[ First week, 27 February - 2 March | Second week, 5 - 9 March ]

The programme of side events or activities organized outside the formal programme of the fifty-sixth session of the Commission will provide an excellent opportunity for Member States, UN entities and NGOs to discuss themes of the Commission and other critical gender equality issues.

For more information on side events please click here.


Preparations

UN Women in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Programme (WFP) convened an expert group meeting (EGM) on 'Enabling rural women's economic empowerment: institutions, opportunities and participation' from 20 to 23 September, 2011 in Accra, Ghana.
» More information

A preparatory expert panel on the priority theme was held during the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on Thursday, 24 February 2011.
» Watch the video
» More information


Media

Press
» Media contacts

Social media
The Commission on the Status of Women is on Facebook and Twitter - join the discussion and share information through the hashtag #CSW56.