Contact AAUW's international affairs committee chair and U.N. representative through AAUW's Executive Office at executive@aauw.org.
Preparations are underway for upcoming U.N. meetings. You can participate in many ways: (1) learn about the issues by reading materials on the websites, (2) subscribe to UN Wire at www.unwire.org, and (3) encourage your branch to organize a meeting on a U.N. meeting topic. Many of the commission meetings are web cast and available at www.un.org/webcast. The software is free and easy to download.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY – March 8, 2007
The theme for International Women's Day 2007 is: Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women and Girls. The U.N. Commission on the Status of Women will be holding an event on March 8th.
The event will be webcast from the UN starting at 10 a.m. EST.
(Before March 8th, you will want to download the simple, free software needed from this web site.)
What is the origin of International Women's Day?
In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating March 8th as International Women's Day. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. For the United Nations, International Women's Day has been observed on March 8th since 1975. The Day is traditionally marked with a message from the Secretary-General. (http://www.un.org/womenwatch)
OTHER IDEAS FOR MARCH EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
UN TO FOCUS ON DISCRIMINATION & VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS
WHAT: The annual two-week meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be devoted to the plight of girls and girls will be present to tell their stories.
WHEN: February 26 - March 9, 2007
WHERE: New York City, UN Headquarters
WHY: To set standards and urge actions that will end discrimination and violence against girls.
The history of girls rights shows that girls have been denied education, refused health care, subjected to female genital mutilation, and exploited both sexually and economically for far too long. It is time for governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to end the discrimination and violence against girls that starts at birth, not at age 18.
– NGOs must act to insure the participation of girls in decisions that affect their lives
– Governments must enact legislation that guarantees girls rights
– United Nations agencies must act to develop global forums and opportunities where girls can help shape programs that affect their lives and their communities
SPECIAL PRESS OPPORTUNITY FOR MEDIA
Some 200 girls will be part of the 4,000 NGO and government delegates from countries from every continent including Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Peru, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, the United States, among others.
Girls will speak for themselves on the floor of the United Nations, addressing governments and NGO delegates. They will organize their own caucuses, they will develop their own strategies to use when they go home, and they will be available for interviews.
This is an opportunity to tell girls stories to bring the needs and concerns of girls, from young girls to adolescent girls to the attention of those who can join them in their struggle to end discrimination and violence.
Here are some of their stories . . .
We were a family of seven, but not for long. My father abandoned us and all because my mother asked him to buy us books for schooling. We were alone at that time but later on we developed strength and courage I believe that family support, moral values, education and my faith has given me the strength to face life bravely and look forward to a wonderful future.
INDIA, age 17
Where l live, in the slum many young girls have been victim of severe poverty, being forced into prostitution. Reality here is bad. Prostitution results in pregnancy and backstreet abortions, leaving some girls dead. Other girls are seen as suitable only for a second or third marriage in polygamous relationships. She is used to bear children for the man, especially if he is rich. She is the one who labors for the new family. NGOs have saved many from this fate.
KENYA, age 16
The NGO Working Group on Girls of the NGO Committee on UNICEF was established in 1993 as part of a growing international movement, and along with the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO/CSW) supports the human rights of girls and to give voice to their concerns.
The WGG and its International Network for Girls seeks to:
– Urge governments to honor their commitments to girls
– Build a network of grassroots NGOs that advocates for girls rights
– Promote the active participation of girls as agents of change in their own lives and in their societies.
Learn more about the Working Group on Girls at
www.girlsrights.org and The NGO Committee on the Status of Women at
www.ngocsw.org 
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