UN EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES WORLDWIDE

This list of events is updated frequently, and more observances are being added everyday. Please come back often to view newly added events.

Calendar of NGO-organized parallel events Calendar of parallel events organized by UN missions, agencies and Inter-Governmental Organizations

The fifty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women takes place from 26 February to 9 March 2007. In accordance with its multi-year programme of work for 2007-2009, the Commission considers "The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child" as its priority theme.

UN Headquarters New York Panel discussion International Women's Day Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls 8 March 2007, 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 2 Opening H.E. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, President of the General Assembly H.E. Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, President of the Security Council Panellists Ms. Carla Del Ponte, Prosecutor International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Ms Dilian Francisca Toro Torres, President of the Senate, Congress of the Republic of Colombia Mr. Antero Lopes, Deputy Police Advisor, Department of Peacekeeping Operations Ms. Raghida Dergham, Columnist and Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for Al Hayat Rev. Jacques A. De Graff, 100 Black Men Mr. Todd Minerson, Executive Director, White Ribbon Campaign Moderator Mr. Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Click here for more information >>   Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) Panel discussion Breaking Barriers: Achieving Balance in Numbers and Work-life Thursday, 8 March 2007, 1:00 - 2:45 pm Conference Room 2, United Nations Headquarters New York Panellists Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Dr. Sylvie Ann Hewlett, President, Center for Work-Life Policy and Director, Gender and Policy Program, Columbia University Dr. Douglas Freeman, Founder of the World Diversity Leadership Summit and CEO of VirtCom Ms. Diane White, Senior Diversity Adviser and Co Manager of Calvert's Women's Principles, Calvert Corporation Ms. Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Moderator Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women   DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING Women in an Insecure World Thursday, 8 March 2007, 6:00 - 8:30 pm Dag Hammarskjold Library, United Nations Headquarters New York Violence against women and girls transcends the bounds of culture and religion, race, age, geography and wealth. Violence affects women everywhere, in private and public spaces, during peacetime and in wartime. On 8 March, International Women's Day, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) present a special screening and discussion of Women in an Insecure World, with support from The Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations and The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations. Women in an Insecure World is the work of acclaimed Swiss filmmaker, Barbara Rady-Rupf. Filmed in Moldova, Switzerland, France, Ethiopia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and India, with further footage from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone, it highlights the myriad forms of violence against women, in particular: trafficking for forced prostitution, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, rape during armed conflict and female infanticide. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and a reception. Panellists: Veprore Shehu, Executive Director of Medica Kosova, which provides assistance to women who experienced sexual violence during the war or have been trafficked. Jennifer DeCarli, Acting Executive Director of the New York City Family Justice Center, which models a collaborative approach to provide centralized, comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence Todd Minerson, Executive Director of the White Ribbon Campaign, the world's largest effort to end men's violence against women Moderated by Pamela DeLargy, Chief of the Humanitarian Response Unit, UNFPA

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization Women's Economic Empowerment and Property Rights Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 8 March 2007, 14:30 - 16:30, Green Room (Building A 1st floor) 14:30 - 14:35 Opening Statement Marcela Villarreal on behalf of David Harcharik, Assistant Director-General, Officer-in-Charge Economic and Social Development Department 14:35 -14:45 Gender and Property Rights Paul Munro Faure, Chief, Land Tenure and Management Unit, Land and Water Division 14:45 -14:55 Women's Property and Inheritance Rights in the context of HIV and AIDS Anne Nicolaysen, Household Resource Manager Officer, Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division 14:55 -15:05 Legal and Economic Empowerment, Dispute Resolution and Protection of Women's Property Rights Angelika Brustinow, Programme Manager, Legal Empowerment of the Poor, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 15:05 - 15:15 Economic empowerment of women through access to property and assets Maria Hartl, Technical Advisory Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 15:15 - 15:25 Women's Access and Rights to Land: Gender Relations in Tenure Bruce Moore, Director, International Land Coalition 15:25 -15:35 Claiming Women's Rights to Land: Empowerment and Political Action Magdalena Kropiwnicka, Food and Hunger Policy Advisor, Action Aid International 15:35 -16:25 Open Discussion 16:25-16:30 Closing Remarks Marcela Villarreal, Director, Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division

International Labour Organization / International Training Centre (ILO/ITC) On the occasion of the International Women's Day 2007, the Gender Coordination Unit of the ILO International Training Centre is organising a photo exhibition: Broken bodies - broken dreams: violence against women exposed through the courtesy of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Integrated Regional Information Networks (OCHA/IRIN). The photo exhibition is part of OCHA/IRIN's ongoing campaign to highlight the issues of violence against women through film, text and photography. It has already been displayed in three international locations: New York, Geneva and Nairobi. The exhibition will be held at the campus of the International Training Centre of the ILO, Turin (Italy) in Pavillion U-Thant from 7th to 18th March 2007. The display area will include two short loop films: "Razor's Edge" - the controversy of female genital mutilation "Our bodies.Their battleground" - Gender-based violence during conflict. The 20 photos and relative caption boards which compose the exhibition offer a powerful testimony of the different types of gender-based violence experienced by women and girls worldwide. Violence against women is a pandemic, one that transcends the bounds of geography, race, culture, class and religion. It touches virtually every community, in virtually every corner of the globe. Too often sanctified by custom and reinforced by institutions, it thrives on widespread impunity for perpetrators in what remains a patriarchal world that is reluctant to grant women equal rights and protection from gender-based violence. The Gender Coordination Unit is grateful to OCHA/IRIN for providing this opportunity. Special thanks to Karin Heisecke, Antonia Estrada, Christopher Horwood for their availability. For more information on "broken bodies - broken dreams", please contact: brokenbodies@irinnews.org

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Women Peacemakers, International Conference, March 8th 2007 at 3pm - Room II, UNESCO HQ (Paris) This international conference will bring together distinguished women who contribute, through their work, to the promotion of peace around the world. In order to face the most complex crises the world has ever known, and because conflicts have direct consequences on women, it is fundamental that women participate fully and equally in the prevention of conflicts, in peace building processes and in the consolidation of peace. Panelists will include Swanee Hunt, former US Ambassador to Austria and founder of the Initiative for Inclusive Security; Senator Mobina Jaffer of British Columbia/Canada, former Special Envoy for Canada to the Peace Process in Sudan; Sylvie Kinigi, Senior Political Advisor on Democracy and Good Governance and Coordinator of Programme Activities, Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to the Great Lakes Region and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Burundi; Luz Mendez, President of the Advisory Council to the National Union of Guatemalan Women; and Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, member of the Swiss Parliament and the Council of Europe and founder of the organization 1000 Peace Women Across the Globe. Click here for more information >> LAUNCH OF THE "GROUP OF WOMEN AMBASSADORS TO UNESCO FOR GENDER EQUALITY" March 8 2007 LAUNCH OF THE "UNESCO INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS" March 8 2007 CHINDIART - by Rosetta Berardi Painting Exhibition, February 28 to March 8 2007 - Salle des Actes FILIPINAS by Isa Lorenzo Photography Exhibition, February 28 to March 8 2007 - Foyer I FROM BIODIVERSITY TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY by Sigrid Rothe Photography Exhibition, March 5 to March 15 2007 - Room Miro I & II DAOULA by Awa Meit�, in collaboration with Aminata Traor� Cotton Jewellery Exhibition, March 5 to March 16 2007 - Room Miro III AWAY: WOMEN, CREATIVITY, DIASPORA AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE Art Exhibition, March 8 to March 22 2007 - Segur Hall PAPER COLLAGES by Chi�ko Takamura, photographed by Tadashi Takamura Photography Exhibition, March 8 to March 22 2007 - Salle des Pas Perdus JAPAN - MIYABI: SPLENDOR AND SERENITY Evening of Japanese Art, March 8 2007, 7:30pm, Room I WOMEN AND DIASPORA, CREATIVITY AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE Round Table, March 7 2007, 3:00 pm, Room IV FEMALE LUMINARIES OF JAPAN, FROM YESTERDAY AND TODAY Round table March 9 2007, 10:00am, Room IV A DAY OF FILMS IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN PEACEMAKERS Film Screening, March 2 2007, 10:00am to 5:00pm - Fontenoy Cinema WOMEN TRAFFICKING Documentary Screening, March 13 2007, 6:30pm - Room XI Click here for more information >>

United Nations Geneva Panel discussion: The UN working together to respond to sexual violence in conflict 8 March 2007, 12:30 - 14:00 Palais des Nations, Room XI On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Sub-Working Group on Gender and Humanitarian Action has the pleasure to extend this invitation to an inter-agency panel discussion on the United Nations joint response to sexual violence in conflict. The event will take place in Geneva on International Women's Day, Thursday 8 March 2007, from 12.30 - 14.00 in Room XI of the Palais des Nations. The panel is co-sponsored by DPKO, OCHA, OHCHR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, WFP and WHO, who are working together on a new joint inter-agency initiative: UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict. The purpose of the initiative is to improve the United Nations's response to sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. To honour International Women's Day, panel discussions will be held in Geneva, Nairobi and New York to discuss achievements and gaps in the United Nations response to sexual violence in crisis situations. The following panelists will participate in the Geneva event: Opening remarks: Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General, Health Action in Crises, WHO. Panelists: Wilma Doedens, Technical Specialist, Humanitarian Response Unit, UNFPA . Belinda Holdworth, Protection Officer and Manager, Protection Capacity Support Unit, Displacement and Protection Support Section, OCHA. . Ben Majekodunmi, Human Rights Officer, Rule of Law Unit, OHCHR. . Yvette Stevens, Independent Consultant, Humanitarian and Development Issues and Former UN Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator . Gry Tina Tinde, Special Adviser to the High Commissioner on Gender Issues, UNHCR. . Moderator: Jan Powell, Freelance Journalist (invited). . For those who do not hold a valid UN badge to enter the Palais des Nations, please confirm attendance to OCHA, Hannah Winfield at winfield@un.org by 6 March 2007. Entry badges to the Palais des Nations can be obtained on the day of the meeting at the Pregny Gate, 14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva upon presentation of a valid passport or identity card. In case of any further questions, please contact WHO, Chen Reis, reisc@who.int.

United Nations Vienna Vienna International Centre, 8 March 2007. The day's events are jointly organized by all of the VIC-based organizations (IAEA, UNOV, UNIDO, UNODC, CTBTO). Women and Water Thursday, 8 March 2007, 11:45-14:00 UN/UNIDO Boardroom C04 Keynote Speaker: Ms. Maria Rauch-Kallat, former Austrian Minister for Women and Health, as well as former Minister for Environment, Youth and Family on the subject of 'Women and Water' Message of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Pradeep Aggarwal, IAEA, 'Water Resources Management' Dr. Binta Ahmed, VIC Medical Service, 'Women and Waterborne Diseases' Opening of the exhibition 'Water is Life' by the Chinese Artist Zhao Yu Sheng Charity flower sale organized by the VIC Women's Group: Thursday 8 March and Friday 9 March 2007, 08:30 - 18:00, VIC Rotunda

United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) CAMEROON (UNIC YAOUNDE) International Women's Day media briefing with the representatives of the UN system (Yaounde, 1 March) UN PRESS CLUB meeting regarding International Women's Day with focus on rural radio broadcasters to further disseminate the message to grass-roots women and traditional leaders ( Bafoussam, 5 March) Outreach and press event with over 500 participants to discuss "Ending impunity for violence against women and girls". The event will be recorded for television and radio broadcasts (Bamenda, 7 March) UN participation at official parade which will be attended by an estimated 40,000 women. The Secretary-General's message will be disseminated. (Yaounde, 8 March) CONGO (UNIC BRAZZAVILLE) To mark International Women's Day, a film festival on gender issues will be held (Brazzaville, 1-8 March) EUROPE (UNRIC BRUSSELS) International Women's Day at the Belgian Senate with discussions on "Saving Mothers' Lives - a Key to Development" and what progress on the fifth MDG means for women around the world? Event is organized by the Belgian Senate, Immpact (ITM) and UNFPA Brussels with the support of UNRIC and the Belgian Flemish and French Speaking UNA ( Brussels, 8 March) Conference to mark the International Women's Day, organized by Viseu Hospital with the support of the Higher Institute for Health and the Department for Continuing Education. UNRIC Desk Officer will deliver an address on "Women as victims of violence", focusing on the Secretary-General's report on violence against women ( Viseu, 8-9 March) INDIA (UNIC NEW DELHI) UNIC Director will address the opening ceremony of a Women's Film Festival to celebrate International Women's Day ( New Delhi, 7 March) UNIC Director will deliver the message of the Secretary-General at the official observance of IWD hosted by the Government of India's Department of Women Affairs (New Delhi, 8 March) JAPAN (UNIC TOKYO) Joint commemorative public forum on the International Women's Day at UN House (Tokyo, 8 March) KENYA (UNIC NAIROBI) Launch of the Global Joint Initiative to end Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict regions, as part of the International Women's Day observance. Several UN organizations and agencies have committed to improving the quality of sexual violence programming and to enhance accountability (Nairobi, 7 March) The Kiswahili radio programme produced by UNIC which is broadcast through Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, will air an episode by UNIFEM( Nairobi, 8 March) PERU (UNIC LIMA) Campaign on the rights of women workers, in partnership with ILO and NGOs to coincide with the week- long activities for International Women's Day (Lima, 6 March) Joint event with ILO, NGO community and Women's Secretariat on labor unions, to address women workers regarding need for legislative changes and adherence to ILO's Maternity Protection Convention ( Lima, 8 March) Cultural event to celebrate International Women's Day with women artistes ( Lima, 8 March) ROMANIA (UNIC BUCHAREST) UN system in Romania will organize the International Women's Day ballet at the Opera House, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture (Bucharest, 8 March) UNIC in partnership with UNFPA and women's monthly magazine Tabu, will organize a three week photo exhibition titled Feminine at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Bucharest) RUSSIAN FEDERATION (UNIC MOSCOW) Special event for International Women's Day focusing on trends in gender equality. The event will also mark the beginning of the International Polar Year 2007. The prominent polar explorer Vladimir Chukov will present a virtual photo exhibition devoted to the Year ( Moscow, 6 March) THAILAND (UNIS BANGKOK) International Women's Day observance organized in cooperation with UNIFEM, ESEARO and UNESCAP with performances, films, inter-agency exhibition and panel discussions (Bangkok, 8 March) TUNISIA (UNIC TUNIS) Roundtable discussion to examine strategies and good practices to ending impunity for violence against women and girls from global to local level ( Tunis, 8 March) UKRAINE (UNIC KIEV) Media event to mark International Women's Day in collaboration with UNDP "Equal Opportunities" project. Members of Parliament, human rights and gender experts, and chief editors and journalists of the Ukrainian media will attend. (Kiev, 5 March) ZAMBIA (UNIC LUSAKA) UN Communications Group will participate in the official International Women's Day celebration and march past. ( Lusaka, 8 March) ZIMBABWE (UNIC HARARE) International Women's Day celebration organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, UNIFEM, civil society and religious organizations. The Secretary-General's message will be delivered and disseminated ( Harare, 17 March) .

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) I. Thursday, 8 March 2007, 17:30-19:30hrs at the UNICTR Front Lobby: Awareness raising discussion of the theme "Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls" under the distinguished patronage of the Regional Commissioner of Arusha, His Excellency Mr. Samuel Ndomba upon invitation of Mr. Adama Dieng, UN-ASG, Registrar ICTR. Presentations will focus on the following sub-themes: 1. Community involvement in ending impunity for violence against women and girls; Key note address by His .Excellency Mr. Samuel Ndoma, Regional Commissioner for Arusha, Tanzania 2. Ending impunity for violence against women and girls, challenges and opportunities; presentation by Elsie Effange-Mbella, Gender Adviser, Office of the Registrar, ICTR 3. Ending impunity for violence against women and girls and how it affects the work of the ICTR; Presentation by Honourable Judge Arlette Ramaroson, Vice President, ICTR 4. There would be a debate following these presentations and prior to a closing statement from the President of the Tribunal Honourable Judge Erik Mose II. Saturday 10 March 2007, 17:00hrs at the General Tyre stadium: Commemorative re-match, Arusha Spouses Association versus ICTR Women.

UN Headquarters New York Elimination of all forms of violence against women: follow-up to the Secretary-General's in-depth study at national and international levels 3:00 - 6:00 pm Thursday, 1 March 2007, at United Nations Headquarters in New York This panel will support the Commission's discussion of emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men. Panelists will discuss concrete examples of good or promising practices in efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. Their presentations will be followed by an interactive discussion with the Commission on the Status of Women where representatives from Member States, United Nations entities, and non-governmental organizations will participate. The executive summary of the Secretary-General's study is available at www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/launch/english/ v.a.w-exeE-use.pdf.

UNIFEM: United Nations Development Fund for Women Commemorating 10 Years of the UN Trust Fund to End VAW 16 February 2007, ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations (view webcast of past event) The year 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women, which is managed by UNIFEM. The Trust Fund is the only multilateral grant-making mechanism that supports local, national and regional efforts to combat gender-based violence. These UN-supported efforts have: - linked activists and advocates from all parts of the world; - shown how small, innovative projects impact laws, policies and attitudes; and - helped break the wall of silence, moving the issue onto public agendas everywhere. For more information, see: http://www.unifem.org/campaigns/trust_fund_10th_anniversary/