UN Women Holds an Open Dialogue on Beijing +20

Session Friday Afternoon, with UN Women, chaired by the Ambassador for Iceland, Greta Gunnarsdottir.

Lakshmi Puri spoke on the work plan, intended to mobilize all actors leading to 2015

She said we have to find a way, to awaken the outrage, that the vision of Beijing continues, and indeed, is justified. Amazing how people forget. We need to reconfirm and recommit. Beijing an important point for women's equality, where 30,000 were there. We need to bring a whole generation into the discussion, we need to talk about what are the gaps, we need to talk about more effective implementation. We need to demystify, - what does the Platform for Action mean, it is the magna carta of women's rights. We need to make sure CEDAW and other instruments brought together. Climate change and Rio process, the review of 1325, number of things, including ICPD are on going.

Objectives: to solicit political commitment, to have women's rights as a stand alone goal in post MDGs. Human Rights framework - women's rights are human rights, moving forward we need to be evidence based, and include social mobilizing. Review government reports and the voices of civil society. There will be a regional review, and global review. Success stories included and a global campaign. UN Women conceptualizing, an opportunity to empower women, empower humanity. "What if" as a reality. Will have  youth and social campaign, cooperation of media, traditional leaders, men engaged. There is a feeling injustice just not accepted. 

Need resources, March 2014 to December 2015.

Recognize that there are well funded conservative elements.
4 Cs, commitments, mobilize countries to have open discussion on what leaders say September 2015 at the hi level meeting, each has 3 minutes. What will they commit to?
Capacity building, training materials, more evidence documents, recommends a Swiss app, which links to all documents, and instruments. We need to engage youth leaders, map information, political and financial. World bank. Women's studies at universities.

Communications, fat radish group. Experts to use social media. Film visual art. Connect to marginalized groups. Think intergenerational dialogue, cities for sustainable development. 4 countries in the world where more women as mayors than men. Mayors can support local events.

Campaign will have a web hub. Tool kit, Regions, can see across regions. dates and information.

The ambassador of Suriname spoke -  need to convince other men. Why is this not reality? Call to action. Human rights education. Suriname will join the campaign.

Nancy Kirshner Rodriguez, president of the San Fransisco Status of Women spoke about what San Fransisco has done - worked on family violence, a gender budget - passed gender budget, passed CEDAW.

While not having global conference, there will be a global platform. In September, the global leaders summit to commemorate Beijing plus 20. Global summit, back to back, ngos, ceos, speak at a whole day to make commitments. Invitation. Need champions, men and women, known in their countries, Celebrating women and achievements. Influence - how we depict women. Academia as part of campaign. 

Shadow report? NGO review meeting in Geneva. What actions, and resources? 

Beijing is an opportunity. 

--Mary Scott