News & Events - 1999
December
Opening for signature of the
Optional Protocol
Twenty-three countries signed the Optional
Protocol to the CEDAW Convention on 10 December, 1999, Human Rights Day. They
are: Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Senegal, Slovenia, Sweden.
| · | Joint statement by Ms Angela King and Mary Robinson |
| · | Address by Mr Kofi Annan |
November
Informal consultations were held by the Bureau of the Commission on the Status of Women acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century" on 23-24, 29 November, and 2-3 December, 1999. Three issues were brought to the attention of delegates for consultation: 1) the draft political declaration; 2) proposed structure for the outcome document; and 3) modalities for NGO participation in the Special Session. More>>
Workshop on "Beijing +5--Future Actions and Initiatives"
The Division for the Advancement of Women organised a workshop on "Beijing +5--Future Actions and Initiatives" at the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in Beirut (Lebanon) from 8 to 10 November 1999. The workshop elaborated action-oriented recommendations on selected emerging issues to be forwarded for discussion to the Commission on the Status of Women acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly in June 2000.
October
Tuvalu and Niger acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 6 October and 8 October 1999 respectively, bringing the number of States parties to 165.The Division for the Advancement of Women convened a
judicial colloquium to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the 10th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
July
 Ms Roselyn Asumwa Odera,
a national of Kenya, was elected Chair by the members of the Commission on the Status of
Women Acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly,
"Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21st Century". Ms Patricia Flor, a national of Germany, chairs the Commission on the
Status of Women.
June
April
March
In March 1999, the State of Maine signed a resolution to the US Senate, requesting the Senate to ratify the CEDAW Convention, stating that "the spirit of the Convention is rooted in the goals of the 51³Ô¹Ï and the United States, which seeks to affirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the person and in the equal rights of men and women." February CEDAW's 21st session's pre-session working group met NGO representatives to receive country-specific information on Monday, 8 February 1999 at the UN Headquarters, from 3.00 - 5.00 p.m. Click here for details. January CEDAW's 20th session's pre-session working group met NGO representatives to receive country-specific information on Tuesday, 12 January 1999 at the UN Headquarters, from 3.00 - 5.00 p.m. Click here for details. Communiqué |
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women held its 
Georgia was the first member state of the UN to submit a reply to the 
1999 News and Events
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