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News & Events - 1998

October

A study on "A rights-based approach to realizing gender equality" was prepared by Professor Savitri
Goonesekere, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in cooperation with the DAW. The Division had commissioned the study to serve as background paper for a workshop of gender experts from the 51³Ô¹Ï system and from the OECD/DAC Working Party on Gender Equality.

DAW prepared a comprehensive study on the integration of a gender perspective in the work of human rights
treaty bodies. The study reviews the efforts undertaken by five treaty bodies since 1993, assesses current practices
and identifies areas for future improvements. It was strongly endorsed by the tenth meeting of the Chairpersons of the treaty bodies in September 1998.

DAW organized jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO) an Expert Group Meeting on "Women and Health," in Tunis (Tunisia) from 28 September to 2 October 1998. The meeting report is now available online.

September

DAW and the 51³Ô¹Ï Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) jointly held
an Expert Group Meeting on National Machineries for Gender Equality in Santiago, Chile, 31 August to 4
September, 1998. See meeting report for further details.

DAW conducted from 31 August to 21 September, a three-week online conference/dialogue on women and
health. Participants discussed good practices as well as identify obstacles to implementing the Beijing Platform
for Action in the critical area of Women and Health.

August

The Division for the Advancement of Women will organize jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO) an Expert Group Meeting on "Women and Health," in Tunis (Tunisia) from 28 September to 2 October 1998. See meeting Aide-Memoire for further details.

July

Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women concluded its nineteenth session on 10 July,
adopting Recommendations on Reports of New Zealand, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Republic of Korea, Slovakia,
South Africa, and United Republic of Tanzania. Click here for press conference on work of the Committee.

The substantive session of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 has the advancement of women as its
theme for the high-level part of its operational activities segment. See report for details.

June

CEDAW Pre-session working group will meet NGO representatives to receive country-specific information on Wednesday, 17 June 1998 in Conference Room 6, from 3:00-5:00p.m.

NGO consultations during the upcoming CEDAW session. The Division for the Advancement of Women will facilitate informal meetings where NGOs may offer country-specific information on the States parties to be
reviewed by the Committee. These meetings will take place on 25 June and 2 July at the UN Headquarters, from 1:15-2:45 p.m

May

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will hold its 19th session, 22 June-10 July, at the UN headquarters in New York. A pre-session working group will meet 15-19 June, 1998. Countries reporting are Slovakia, South Africa, Nigeria, Panama, United Republic of Tanzania, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Peru.

April

DAW issues Women 2000: "Sexual violence and armed conflict: 51³Ô¹Ï response", an examination of steps taken by the UN to address the situation of women subjected to sexual violence during armed conflict.

March

The Commission on the Status of Women concluded its forty-second session on Friday night, 13 March, by adopting 12 texts, including "draft conclusions" on four of the critical areas of concern as outlined in the Beijing Platform for Action.

February

17 February--CEDAW states parties meeting elected eight new members and re-elected four current members. See for details.

All NGO representatives attending the 42ndsession of CSW are invited to a NGO consultation on Sunday 1 March in New York City. Advance registration is required for all by 20 February 1998.

The Commision on the Status of Women will hold its 42nd session March 2-13, 1998 at UN headquarters in New York.

of the Expert Group Meeting on Promoting Women's Enjoyment of their Economic and Social Rights is now available online -- Focussing on the implications of integrating gender factors into the interpretation of economic and social rights, the report stresses that the primary responsibility for ensuring the enjoyment by women of human rights lies with Governments, and makes recommendation for actions to be taken at the regional, national and international level.

Available now online, Report of the Expert Group Meeting on Adolescent Girls and their Rights provides important recommendations to governments, civil society, NGOs and international agencies with regard to such key issues as adolescent girls affected by wars, violence, sexual exploitation, and substance abuse; health of adolescent girls, including reproductive and sexual health. The report identifies education, the social environment, legal reform and the media as critical factors in creating an enabling environment for empowering adolescent girls.

The 18th session of CEDAW took place from 19 January to 6 February at the UN Headquarters

Communiqué

Workshop on a rights-based approach to women's empowerment and advancement and gender equality, 5-7 October, 1998, Rome