CEDAW Passes Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Over Republican objections, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a women's rights treaty that Democrats hope will be ratified more than 20 years after it was signed by the United States.

The 12-7 vote on the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) came after two weeks of delays by Republicans who argued that the committee should not consider the treaty until ranking Republican Jesse Helms, N.C., was available to speak against it. Helms is recuperating from heart surgery and is not expected to return to the Senate until September. He and other opponents argue that a CEDAW committee has told some countries to legalize prostitution and abortion. Two Republicans-Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Gordon H. Smith of Oregon-joined the panel's Democrats in voting to approve the treaty. The Bush administration requested the treaty's ratification in February, but since then, it has asked for more time to review it. The 12-7 vote was with the following republicans voting in favor of it: Gordon Smith (R-OR), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Hagel (R-NE), Frist (R-TN), and Sam Brownback (R-KS).

On the heels of today's victory, the full Senate will next debate US ratification of the United Nations' Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) for the first time since it was drafted in 1979. The United States is the only industrialized nation that has yet to ratify CEDAW. So far, 170 countries - or two-thirds of the United Nations membership - have ratified the treaty, pledging to give women equal rights in all aspects of their lives including political, health, educational, social and legal.

 EVENTS

Democratising Development: Social Accountability through PRSPs

September 25. Washington, DC. World Vision and the World Bank would like to invite you to a one-day event on the role that Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) can play in fostering greater social accountability. This purpose of the even will be to debate on how PRSPs can further ensure that policy and institutional reforms work towards poverty reduction. It aims to take forward the debate on PRSPs - including consideration of how the strategies can help the poor. The meeting will draw together speakers from government, academia, civil society and multilateral agencies and will take place prior to the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings on Wednesday 25th September at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC. Speakers invited include: Joe Stiglitz, Ted van Hees, Warren Nyamugasira, Alan Whaites, Stefanie Grant and Nick Stern. Each session will also include opportunities for discussion from the floor. As an open conference the organisers invite participation from all those interested in the experience and potential of PRSPs. Participants should register by emailing Diane_Halasz@wvi.org no later than August 30, 2002. Space is limited and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

BWN Women and Diversity Leadership Summit, Gala, and Global Day

October 23 - 24, Washington DC. Business Women's Network (BWN) invites you to join them in honoring women and diversity. Each year, BWN holds its annual Women and Diversity Leadership Summit, Gala, and Global Day in Washington, DC.

• Leadership Summit - The Summit will provide women and minorities an unprecedented opportunity to network with leaders in business and government, provide support in the ever-changing world of business, and learn best practices of top organizations. Last years speakers included: Governor Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware; Senators Bond and Hagel; Harvard Professor and Renowned Business Consultant, Rosabeth Moss Kantor; Theresa Fay Bustillos, President of the Levi Strauss Foundation; Travel Tycoon, Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Nancy Evans, founder and Editor-at-Large of iVillage.
  
  
• Diversity Gala - The Gala celebrates our nation's progressive business, government, and organizational leaders who realize that celebrating differences and promoting equal opportunity have increasingly positive impacts on a corporate or organizational brand, workplace culture, and financial performance. During the Gala, ten distinguished CEO's, Presidents and Senior Leaders will be awarded for championing diversity leadership, being visionaries plotting the growth of diversity as a business imperative, creating truly progressive diversity initiatives in all areas of business, and for outstanding community and philanthropic activities.
  
  
• Global Day - Global Day activities will center on the issues that are of critical importance to women worldwide. Women's trade and business opportunities, development initiatives, global business experiences and strategies as well as health issues will be explored. Global Day will also provide an excellent opportunity to connect with businesswomen from the U.S. and around the globe as they share their stories and experiences.

Year after year, this BWN celebration has proven to be a huge success in the eyes of all those in attendance. This networking and educational event serves as an all-inclusive tool for women worldwide with panel topics such as marketing and finance, technology and global communications. For more information or to register, visit http://www.bwni.com/2002summitgala/.

For more information on obtaining a visitor visa to attend these events, please contact Leila Kerroudj at (202) 463-3796 or email: leila@tpag.com.

CONFERENCES/MEETING

Young Men as Allies in the Promotion of Health and Gender Equity
August 27 - 30, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Building on their first regional seminar, Instituto PROMUNDO, along with PAHO/WHO, PAPAI (Recife, Brazil), ECOS (São Paulo, Brazil), Salud y Genero (Mexico) and IPPF/WHO will organize a Latin American Regional Conference and International Training Workshop for approximately 200 participants. This conference and workshop will promote an exchange between Latin American researchers, health educators, health service providers, policy makers and young people regarding the involvement of young men in health promotion including SRH, gender equity promotion and gender violence prevention. The conference will take place in Portuguese, Spanish and English. For more information, please Contact: Instituto PROMUNDO, Event organizer: Patricia Abecassis (p.abecassis@promundo.org.br), Tel: + 55 21 2544-3114/3115, Fax: + 55 21 2220-3511. To download the conference flyer and preliminary agenda, visit http://www.paho.org/genderandhealth

Beyond Sex and Gender: the Future of Women's Studies
September 19 - 21, Belfast, Ireland. This conference will include panel discussion on topics such as: Post-Colonialism/ Gendered Identity; Contemporary Violences; Beyond Sex and Gender and Class Ideologies in Turkey; Questioning Gender Bodies/ Materiality; Postcolonialism/ National/ Transnational Identity; Measuring Gender; Politics of Feminism; Family/Parenting; Visual Violences in Eastern Europe; Women and Politics. The conference will be held at the Grosvenor Conference Centre. For more information, contact: Siobhan Bogues or Stephen Walker, WSN Conference Secretariat, School of Sociology and Social Policy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, Tel: 44 (028) 90 209 200, Fax: 44 (028) 90 209 300, Email: siobhan@caresector.thegap.com, Web: http://researchservices1.qub.ac.uk/wsconf.

3rd World Congress of Rural Women
October 2 - 4, Madrid, Spain. The 3rd World Congress organized by The Institute for Women, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and co-financed by the European Social Fund, will be held from October 2 - 4, 2002 in Madrid, Spain. The aim of the congress is to discuss different issues related to the situation of rural women in a global context, sustainable development, gender and food safety, the impact of the new technologies, empowerment, public policies supporting rural women, etc. It is intended to encourage debate and considerations relating to the search for new alternatives and to exchange different experiences. Contact Information: Technical Secretariat
International Presence, C/ Viriato, 20 - 3ºD, 28010 Madrid, Spain, Tel: 34 91 4450122, Fax: 34 91 445 30 86, Email: cmmujer@presencia-inter.com. Web: http://www.mtas.es/mujer/rural/mujer_rural/english/index.htm.

AWID's 9th International Forum on Women's Rights and Development
October 3 - 6, Guadalajara, Mexico. REGISTER NOW…there are only 350 spaces left! "Re-Inventing Globalization" will address the following question: How can we re-invent globalization to further the rights of all women? The AWID Forum is now the largest recurring event on gender equality outside of the United Nations system. It provides a unique opportunity to develop strategies, share ideas and build skills- all to advance gender equality and social justice. From October 3 - 6, 2002 hundreds of policy makers, practitioners, researchers, grass roots activists, policy makers, students and practitioners will gather in Mexico. They will consider not only the economic, but also the political, social, ecological and cultural implications of a globalizing world on women's lives. They will look at globalization through women's eyes, engage in thought-provoking debates, and present energizing ideas and perspectives. For more information or to register, visit www.awid.org.

Gender, Citizenship and Governance
October 15-17, Cochin, India. The gender team of the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) is pleased to announce the final conference of the Gender, Citizenship and Governance (GCG) Program which will be held in Cochin, Kerala, India the 15 - 17 October, 2002. The conference has two broad objectives. One is to build international support for gender equitable governance. Another is to disseminate the key findings of the action research projects undertaken within the Gender, Citizenship and Governance Program so as to clarify what is meant by "good governance" from a gender perspective and analyze the strategies required to make governance institutions work in the interest of gender equality. The International Conference on Gender, Citizenship and Governance brings together activists, practitioners, politicians and donors working on gender and governance issues worldwide. For further information about the Conference, please visit the Gender, Citizenship and Governance Website at: www.kit.nl/gcg. Alternatively contact Sofia Karnehed at KIT Gender: The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) KIT Gender, PO Box 95001, 1090 HA Amsterdam, The Netherlands, email: s.karnehed@kit.nl, Phone: + 31 (0)20 568 86 60, Fax: + 31 (0)20 568 84 09, Website: www.kit.nl/gcg.

Towards our Liberation: An International Women's Conference Against Imperialist War and Plunder
November 1 - 4, Vancouver, Canada. GABRIELA-Philippines and Grassroots Women -Vancouver call women around the world to participate in an international women's conference exploring the growing military interventions and attacks that are particularly targeting marginalized women of the Third World. Being held in Vancouver, Canada, the conference will provide a forum for women to reflect, unite and take action in response to this actual and expanded aggression. Organized under the auspices of the International League of People's Struggles (ILPS), the conference will include delegates from numerous mass organizations internationally. Speakers will address the themes of wars of aggression, imperialist globalization, fundamentalism and role of women in the struggle for national and social liberation.
Brochures for the conference are available on the Grassroots Women website at http://grassrootswomen.tripod.com.

AAUW International Symposium
November 15 - 17, Washington DC. This symposium will provide policy-makers, scholars, and practitioners an opportunity to explore how women have used their education to address four key global issues, especially in emerging nations: literacy improvement; peace education and conflict resolution; governance; education for people with disabilities. The event will feature interactive presentations, including panel discussions, demonstration/poster sessions, and dialogues. Topics will include women's roles in literacy, higher education, and economic development; the role of women's nongovernmental organizations; and women in leadership and decision-making positions. Space at the symposium is limited and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration forms can be downloaded from our website: http://www.aauw.org/7000/ef/symposium.html. Advance registration deadline: Postmarked by Monday, Sept 16, 2002. Registration deadline: Postmarked by Friday, Nov 1, 2002. For additional information, contact: International Symposium Coordinator, AAUW Educational Foundation, 1111 Sixteenth St. NW, Washington, DC 20036, Fax 202/463-7169, intsymp@aauw.org.

TRAINING, WORKSHOPS, AND COURSES

Facilitators for Gender Equality Course
Oct 20 - Nov 2. Haarlem, Netherlands. From 1996 to April 2002, Gender and Development Training Centre (G&DTC) has organized seven Training of Trainers (TOT) courses in Gender and Development in English, four in Portuguese and four in French. As a result, former G&DTC participants are implementing elements of the G&DTC TOT curriculum and methodology in many countries all over the world. The objective of this course is to strengthen the capacity and the commitment of the participants so that they will be able to support processes of gender-aware change, as facilitators or as 'change agents'. According to their own abilities and organizational needs, they will be able to organize and implement workshops or gender training courses at management and/or community level. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to facilitate processes that focus on organizational change. This G&DTC training course will provide participants not only with theoretical and conceptual knowledge concerning gender, but also with an insight into the functioning of organizational policies, structure, systems and culture. The application can be downloaded from their website at www.gender-training.nl. For more information, email gen.dtc@inter.nl.net; tel: 31-23-5342149; fax: +31-23-5312481/5513260.

Regional Training Programme on the Equal Status and Human Rights of Women
November 4 - 22, Lund, Sweden. The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will organize a training program on the equal status and human rights of women. The training program focuses on human rights and gender issues, international standards of equality and policies aimed at enhancing gender equality and covers human rights protection of women in all pertinent areas. Particular attention is paid to the linkage of specific topics to international conferences, especially the 1995 UN Conference on Women in Beijing and the +5 follow-up. Additional information on the training program, including application, is available on the website of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (www.rwi.lu.se). The program is conducted in English. The program is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Costs for international travels, accommodation and training materials in connection with the program are borne by Sida. In addition, participants are given a subsistence allowance to cover daily expenses. Closing date for applications is August 15. For more info, contact: Ms. Zophie Landahl, tel: 46 46 222 12 24, email: zophie.landahl@rwi.lu.se.

Foundation Skills for Gender Mainstreaming Workshop
November 22 - 26, New York, NY. The Capacity Development Group, Inc presents Foundation Skills for Gender Mainstreaming. This four-day workshop will be held at the IBM Conference Center in Palisades, New York from November 22-26, 2002. Join other middle management and program officers who want a practical understanding of what gender mainstreaming is, and how to apply it in their own work situation. For further information visit www.capacitydevelopment.net.

Gender Identity, Conflict and Development Course
December 1 - 14, Haarlem, Netherlands. The Gender & Development Training Centre, based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, announces its new international course on "Gender, Identity, Conflict and Development" from December 1 - 14, 2002. The workshop will be in English. The main objective of the course is to provide analytical tools to deepen the participants' understanding of the link between gender, development and conflict, militarization and the construction of masculinity, femininity as well as other identities. At the end of the course participants will have a better comprehension of the gendered nature of crisis prevention, conflict resolution, peace building and social reconstruction and will be able to apply their learning's into their working practice. Application Deadline: October 25. For more information, contact us by email (gen.dtc@inter.nl.net) or visit: www.gender-training.nl.

RESOURCES

BOOKS, REPORTS, & OTHER WRITTEN MATERIALS

Balancing the Load: Women, Gender and Transport
Co-edited by: Priyanthi Fernando and Gina Porter. This book draws together local level research from 15 countries across Asia and Africa, to help understand how gender affects men and women's access to transport, and what steps can be taken at community provider and policy levels to improve the situation. It presents fascinating information about different forms of rural transport in diverse settings; the social roles transport plays; the uneven gender-influenced access to it; and the impacts poverty, culture and gender-insensitive provision have on women's lives in relation to transport. Published by Zed books. Free Copies are available (subject to availability) to organizations and individuals in the developing world. To obtain a copy please email the IFRTD Secretariat at: publications@ifrtd.org. Individuals and organizations in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand should contact Zed books at: sales@zedbooks.demon.co.uk.

World Development Indicators 2002
The World Bank's World Development Indicators 2002 is now available in print or as a CD-ROM. This report offers the most current and accurate development data on both a national level-and aggregated globally. This comprehensive statistical reference allows you to monitor the progress made toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals endorsed by the United Nations and its member countries, the World Bank, and a host of partner organizations. These goals, which focus on development and the elimination of poverty, serve as the agenda for international development efforts. To order a copy, visit www.worldbank.org/publications.

Mothers and Children in War and Conflict
Save the Children's 2002 publication on the state of the world's mothers reveals that women and children are increasingly the casualties of deliberate and systematic violence against entire populations. In recent conflicts, civilians represent as much as 90 percent of all casualties, up from 65 percent during World War II, and 5 percent at the turn of the past century. The report shows that regions in war and conflict consistently rank poorly in terms of mothers' and children's' well being. For a copy of the State of World's Mothers 2002 visit: www.savethechildren.org.

NGO_Women@asia.net
Isis International-Manila launched its newest publication, NGO_Women@asia.net, a research report culled from a wider regional study on women's use of information and communication technologies (ICT). The book contains an assessment of NGO women's groups' use of ICTs in seven countries-India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Republic of South Korea, and Philippines. It generates a set of baseline data in order to determine the environment surrounding women's access and utilization of ICTs as well as women's needs in ICT training and networking. To acquire a copy contact Elvira Colobong at elvie@isiswomen.org. Sponsored by Isis International-Manila, Asian Women's' Resource Center (AWORC) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UNESCAP).

BoardSource Governance Series
The complete BoardSource (formerly the National Center for Non-Profit Boards) Governance Series is now available. Titles include Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Creating Strong Board-Staff Partnerships, How to Help Your Board Govern More and Manage Less, and Fund-raising and the Nonprofit Board. To order copies for your organization or get more information visit www.boardsource.org.

Common Interests, Common Action: An Intergenerational Dialogue on Overcoming Poverty
The International Center for Research on Women has recently released a summary of dialogue of 15 youth and adult leaders form ten different countries which was intended to deepen understanding of the intergenerational cycle of poverty, to identify key actions to break the cycle, and to begin to build a network of youth/adult partners in this effort. To order a copy of Common Interests, Common Action: An Intergenerational Dialogue on Overcoming Poverty, visit www.icrw.org.

The Conscious Consumer: Promoting Economic Justice Through Fair Trade
This 20-page booklet that gives a comprehensive overview of the North American Fair Trade movement and includes an explanation of Fair Trade, major players in Fair Trade, its history and looking ahead. To order a copy send an email to inof@fairtrade.org with your name, address and phone number. The booklet is $2.95 a piece plus shipping and handling.

Transforming Health Systems: Gender and Rights in Reproductive Health
Published in 2002, this publication is the product of a five-year collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO), the South African Women's Health Project, and the Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health. It is meant to be a training resource for health trainers to use with health managers, planners, policy-makers, and others with responsibilities in reproductive health. Its goal is to equip participants with the analytical tools and skills to integrate the promotion of gender equity and reproductive rights into their reproductive health policies, planning, and programs. The 492-page training curriculum is also available in a CD-ROM version. Mandarin and Spanish versions are in preparation. For more information, contact Manuela Colombini, Technical Officer, Gender and Reproductive Rights, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, colombinim@who.int.

id21 Publications: Gender Violence Collection
id21 is pleased to announce a new collection of publications focusing on Gender and Violence, including:

Qualitative Methods: A Field Guide for Applied Research in Sexual and Reproductive Health
Family Health International is pleased to announce a new field guide on sexual and reproductive health. This field guide is a practical, hands-on guide for use by social scientists, public health specialists, and research teams interested in using qualitative methods to study sexual and reproductive health. For more information or to order a copy, email publications@fhi.org. Cost: $35.

Rethinking Women and Cyberculture
Edited by Mary Flanagan and Austin Booth. The book brings together women's cyber fiction--fiction that explores the relationship between people and virtual technologies--and feminist theoretical and critical investigations of gender and techno culture. From a variety of viewpoints, the writers consider the effects of rapid and profound technological change on culture, in particular both the revolutionary and reactionary effects of cyberculture on women's lives. They also explore the feminist implications of the cyborg, a human-machine hybrid. The writers challenge the conceptual and institutional rifts between high and low culture, which are embedded in the texts and artifacts of cyber culture. Mary Flanagan is Associate Professor of Media Design at the University of Oregon. Austin Booth is Director of Collections and Research Services at SUNY Buffalo. To order a copy, visit http://mitpress.mit.edu.

ONLINE MATERIALS

BRIDGE Cutting Edge Pack on Gender, Development and Culture
This pack provides case studies and tools that point to practical ways forward, showing that it is possible to take action on gender and development in ways that counteract rather than reinforce north-south power imbalances. Stories of cultural change are retold including: a local led initiative in combating female genital mutilation in Kenya; men organizing against gender violence in Brazil, intersex activism in Bangladesh. Cultural change in development organizations is also described, such as the decision by international Non Governmental Organization ACORD to move all key decision-making positions from the UK to Africa. The Cutting Edge Pack can be downloaded free from www.ids.ac.uk/bridge/. A limited number of copies will be available on request to organizations based in the south. Contact BRIDGE at bridge@ids.ac.uk for more details. Extra paper copies will be available for sale through the IDS virtual bookshop at: www.ids.ac.uk/ids/bookshop/index.html.

Methods for Measuring Women's Empowerment
This is to inform you that the documentation from the "Working Seminar on Methods for Measuring Women's Empowerment in a Southern African context" is now available in full-text on the projects web site at: http://www.qweb.kvinnoforum.se/measuring/namibiareport.htm. The documentation answers the following questions: what methods or tools should NGOs and evaluators use to measure women's empowerment? What are the lessons learned of NGOs in a southern African context on measuring empowerment in rural Zimbabwe and among women micro entrepreneurs in Namibia? What are good indicators of empowerment among women in politics? What methodological principles and theoretical frameworks should be used when measuring empowerment? How can empowerment be defined? The working seminar was part of an ongoing project for the development of methods for measuring women's empowerment and was organized by Kvinnoforum, Sweden and Namibia National Association of Women in Business in cooperation with Community Development Foundation, Mozambique, Organization of Rural Associations for Progress in Zimbabwe and Women's NGO Coalition in Botswana. The seminar was held in Windhoek, Namibia in October 2001 and funded by the European Commission and Sida.

Prison Guard or Parent? INS Treatment of Unaccompanied Refugee Children
The Women's Commission's report, Prison Guard or Parent? INS Treatment of Unaccompanied Refugee Children, details the findings of a Women's Commission August 2001 investigation that visited detention facilities used by the INS in four states. The delegation found a disturbing lack of regard for the rights and needs of children asylum seekers and other young newcomers. The failure to make individualized determinations with regard to each child's placement and psychosocial needs leads to a broken system based more on the logistical needs of the agency charged with their care and its institutional bias toward law enforcement than on what is in the best interests of the child. To read this report visit: http://www.womenscommission.org/reports/wc_children_in_INS_detention_05.02.pdf

Fending for Themselves: Afghan Refugee Children and Adolescents Working in Urban Pakistan
The Women's Commission's report, Fending for Themselves: Afghan Refugee Children and Adolescents Working in Urban Pakistan, identifies how the recent war in Afghanistan has impacted refugee young people in urban Pakistan, worsening the situation of thousands who are compelled into harmful child labor in order to survive. Interviews with dozens of Afghan children and adolescents, their families, non-governmental and United Nations workers in Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad reveal that extremely little international humanitarian assistance or protection has reached refugees in urban areas of Pakistan despite international promises to assist those fleeing war in Afghanistan. To read this report visit: http://www.womenscommission.org/reports/reports.html

Women 2000: An Investigation into the Status of Women's Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) published "Women 2000: An Investigation into the Status of Women's Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States" in 2000. The report details the status of women's rights in twenty-nine countries, examining aspects such as the legal framework and national machinery addressing discrimination against women; educational opportunities; women's participation in public life, politics, media, the business sector, academia and civil society; violence against women, including sexual violence; women's de facto exploitation by way of prostitution and trafficking in women; the situation of women within distinctive and vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities, sexual minorities and prisoners or the situation of women and armed conflict and as refugees. To view the report, please visit:
http://www.ihf-hr.org/appeals/001109b.htm.

Do Men Matter? New Horizons in Gender and Development
This article addresses the following questions: Why are more men not featured more in gender and development policy? Is there is a need for an explicit focus on men in GAD? To view the entire article, visit http://www.id21.org/insights/insights35/insights-iss35-art00.html. Author: Frances Cleaver, Development and Project Planning Centre, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK.

Gender, Information Technology, and Developing Countries: An Analytic Study
By Nancy Hafkin and Nancy Taggart. Information and communication technology (IT) has become a potent force for transforming social, economic and political life globally. Yet, the uneven distribution of IT within societies and across the globe is resulting in a digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who do not. Most women in developing countries are in the deepest part of the divide. This report identifies some of the key barriers to women's access to information technology, as well as instances where women are participating in and benefiting from the use of information technology. To download the report, visit http://www.usaid.gov/wid/pubs/it01.htm. Contact: genderreach@dai.com.

New Global Anti-Trafficking Calendar
WomenAid International presents its first issue of the Global Anti-Trafficking Info Calendar. The Calendar aims to assist all involved in counter-trafficking efforts by facilitating the dissemination of information on global activities to combat the trafficking of human beings. Trafficking of human beings is the second largest and fastest growing criminal activity in the world and efforts to combat this require effective communication and information exchange. The United Nations and the European Parliament have repeatedly stressed the indispensable role of non-governmental organizations and individuals in combating violence in all its forms and encouraged their increased involvement. For more information contact: globalinfo@womenaid.org, Fax: 44 (0) 20 7839 2929.

Picturing a Life Free of Violence: Media and Communications Strategies to End Violence Against Women
This publication showcases a variety of media and communications strategies and materials used around the world to end violence against women. This publication highlights materials and campaigns, providing descriptions of innovative communications methods for awareness raising. It is an attempt to facilitate information sharing between organizations working to end violence against women, so that strong and effective strategies can be replicated in other contexts. The publication is accompanied by a larger electronic database containing thousands of materials available at http://www.endvaw.org/. Publisher: UNIFEM and the Media Materials Clearinghouse of the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. This publication is available free of charge by sending full contact information via fax or email to: Yvans Joseph, UNIFEM Distribution Clerk, Tel.: 212-906-6396, Fax: 212-906-6705, Email: yvans.joseph@undp.org. It is also available in PDF format at http://www.unifem.undp.org/public/freeofviolence/index.htm.

WEBSITES

Online Discussion: 5th UN World Conference on Women 2005
You are invited to participate in the WIDE (Network Women in Development) discussion forum on a Fifth UN Conference on Women in 2005. In June 2000, at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Beijing +5, the governments unanimously agreed: "… to regularly assess further implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action with the view to bringing together all parties involved in 2005 to assess progress and consider new initiatives, as appropriate, 10 years after the adoption of the Beijing PFA and 20 years after the adoption of the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies." The UN has not yet committed to having a Fifth World Conference on Women (WCW) in 2005. The possibility of convening regional meetings instead is apparently also taken into consideration. Whereas some argue that the Fifth WCW in 2005 is crucially important for keeping up the global momentum and continuation of the process for empowerment of women, others fear a backlash: the risk to lose what was gained at earlier UN women's conferences seems greater than the chance to influence global players with a feminist agenda. In order to facilitate this discussion process, WIDE has opened a discussion forum at http://www.eurosur.org/wide/UN/WCW.htm. Please send your contribution to the moderator: Barbara Specht (bs.wide@xs4all.be).

Gender Beat
Gender Beat is a monthly electronic journal by UNDP. Each monthly issue offers resources and current news of the specific topic related to gender and development. To subscribe, email gidp@undp.org.

Gender and ICTs / Virtual Seminar Series
INSTRAW has launched its research and networking project on "Gender and ICTs". The website contains a searchable database of resources, news and events, relevant links and more. Visit http://www.un-instraw.org/en/research/gender_and_ict/index.html. INSTRAW is also currently holding a virtual seminar series providing a forum for exchange of research-based knowledge and information related to gender and ICTs. Upcoming seminar topics include: Empowering Women using ICT (August 12-23); Bridging the Gender Digital Divide (August 26 - September 6). To subscribe to this ICTNet listserv Virtual Seminar Series, fill out the registration form at http://server778.dnslive.net/mailman/listinfo/ictnet_un-instraw.org.

Women's Networking Support Program
The Association for Progressive Communication's WNSP supports women networking for social change. Their program work areas include training, participatory research, policy and advocacy in gender and information technology, information facilitation, and regional program support. They strive to challenge the inequities faced by women, especially in the south. The APC Women's Program consists of women from more than 20 countries working in the field of gender and ICT, who also actively support women's networking. The Mission of the Women's Networking Support Program is to promote gender equity in the design, implementation, and use of information and communication technologies - with special focus on inequities based on women's social or ethnic background - through the provision of research, training, information, and support activities in the field of ICT policy, skills-sharing in the access and use of ICT, and women's network-building. The site also features useful resources for women seeking support in developing networking capacity for campaigning, lobbying, activism and fundraising. Women In Sync, their newest resource is a collection of stories about the experiences of women and their organizations that have become a part of the APCWNSP network. It is designed to be a toolkit for women's electronic networking. Visit www.apcwomen.org.

Gender Mainstreaming: "Siyanda Update" & Website
The "Siyanda Update" is a monthly newsletter featuring the latest gender mainstreaming resources. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the "Siyanda Update", please go to: http://www.siyanda.org/subscribe.htm. These resources are also available at their website http://www.siyanda.org/. Their website includes an easy-to-use database, links, and an interactive space where gender practitioners can share ideas, experiences and resources with like-minded colleagues. For access to a wide range of free gender resources, visit the following websites:

Women's World Online
Check out www.wworld.org. Visit Women's World, a new Website that puts together the analytical and literary works of feminist women. This new site features African Women's Voices, a selection of creative and analytical work that is hard to find anywhere else, communications from the peace movement in Israel-Palestine, and provides practical advise for women writers.

Women's Policy, Inc.
This website provides nonpartisan public policy research, legislative analysis, and information services to policymakers, the press, and the public on issues important to women and families. The Source is a weekly news report published by Women's Policy, Inc. Visit this site and you can automatically receive your free subscription of The Source via email. www.womenspolicy.org.

Once-A-Month Club
Check out the Once-A-Month Club, a monthly action and advocacy guide listing action resources and events in the DC metro area that you can participate in. The Innovative Development Network (IDN), a project of the Synergos Institute, issues the Once-a-Month Club. Issued at the end of the month, the guide focuses on a variety of social issues and is distributed through a variety of networks and listservs. For more information the Once-A-Month Club or to add events and actions for the next issue, please email: sspencer@womenscommission.org.

International Development Exchange
International Development Exchange would like to invite you to subscribe to their monthly IDEX eUpdate. This includes program news, an events calendar, and special announcements. To subscribe send a blank email to: idex-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com. IDEX is a San Francisco based non-profit organization that partners with grassroots organizations in eight countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, while actively engaging and educating North Americans in the challenges facing communities in these regions. To learn more about International Development Exchange, please visit: http://www.idex.org.

New Gender and Water Alliance Website
The Gender and Water Alliance has recently launched its new website. It is in four languages (English, French, Spanish and Portuguese) and provides information on gender mainstreaming in international water resources management (IWRM). The sections include case studies in gender mainstreaming, books and publications, information on activities of the GWA, and an events calendar. Visit www.genderandwateralliance.org.

AWARDS

Call for Papers: International Women's Forum against Corruption
Deadline: August 20. Presentation proposals are currently being accepted for the International Women's Forum against Corruption, which will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 31- November 2, 2002. Proposals are being accepted on the following topics: Corruption and … accessing justice; women's sexual rights; economic rights; the right to property, land and habitat; the right to information and communication rights; the right to health; the right to work; the right to education; the right to non-discrimination; the right to peace; new technologies at the service of transparency; strategies for a culture of accountability; and other topics related to corruption and gender. Registration and Rules for Proposal Presentations may be downloaded from http://www.mei.com.ar. For more information, contact Monique Thiteux-Altschul at mei@mei.com.ar.

African Women Public Service Fellowship Nomination
Deadline: October 1. The Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University has announced, as part of their international initiative, the creation of the African Women Public Service Fellowship. The fellowship was established to expand the opportunity for African women to prepare for public service in the home countries. Funded by The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, the fellowship offers African women to study in the seven-month Masters of Science in Management Program in International Public Service Organizations. The fellowship awards for these programs will support tuition, housing, travel to and from the United States, and a small stipend to cover books and miscellaneous expenses. Candidates should indicate their interest in the fellowship by outlining in their personal statement how they will use the masters degree to strengthen their public policy and public services in their own country or internationally. In addition, candidates should clearly identify themselves as African Women Fellowships applicants by writing "Fellowship Applicant" on the front page of the application form. For more information, contact: Katherine Johnson, Program Administrator, Office of International Programs, 269 Mercer St. Room 205, Tel: 212-998-7411, Fax: 212-995-4165, email: katherine.johnson@nyu.edu

Woman of the Month Award
Gender Equality Incorporated has established a "Woman of the Month Award" in recognition of the incredible commitment and contributions made by women in the world. The award represents an effort to acknowledge and encourage positive change as it materializes. GEI invites you to join us in celebrating women that you want to acknowledge. Nominations for the "Woman of the Month Award" are reviewed each month. The successful "Woman of the Month" is presented with a certificate of honor from GEI by mail. To nominate someone just send us an email and let us know more about the person you have in mind. Please send nominations and comments to: Karen Craggs, Kcraggs@genderequality.ca. Website: www.genderequality.ca.

Call for Papers: Feminization of Agriculture Needs Appropriate Responses
Deadline: September 1. The feminization of small and marginal agriculture is increasing rapidly in many parts of the world due to processes such as labor migration, part-time farming, urban life focused education and HIV/AIDS. This has an enormous impact on women, their households, rural communities and farming. Supporting women in their role as farmers requires many changes and adaptations. LEISA Magazine is accepting papers addressing the following questions: What specific needs do women in such conditions have and what adaptations have been developed by women to cope with these processes? What are the experiences of participatory program that have been supporting women to cope with change? What are good examples of technologies and methodologies suited for use by and with women? You are invited to contribute to these issues with articles (about 800, 1600 or 2400 words + 2-3 illustrations and references), suggest possible authors, and send us information about publications, training courses, meetings and websites. Editorial support is provided by ILEIA. Authors of published articles are entitled to a standard fee. ILEIA Information Centre for Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture Kastanjelaan 5, PO Box 64, 3830 AB Leusden, The Netherlands. Phone: +31 33 4326011;
Fax: +31 33 4951779; Email: ileia@ileia.nl, Web: http://www.ileia.org.

Call for Papers: The Sixth International Conference on Dowry, Bride-Burning and Son-Preference
Deadline: September 15, 2002. The Sixth International Conference on Dowry, Bride-Burning and Son-Preference has been rescheduled for January, 2 -6, 2003 in New Delhi, India. As the title indicates, the conference is extending its brief to include the related topic of son-preference, thus recognizing a key issue in the broader context of violence against women. Papers are invited on any of the following approaches: Historical studies; Textual analysis; Legal issues; Ethnographies; Theoretical perspectives; Practical proposals. Please send 100-300 word abstracts (electronic copy) to Sîan Hawthorne at the address below or by email: sh79@soas.ac.uk. Please indicate whether you would like your paper to be considered for either the academic or activist forum. For further information contact: Conference Organisers, GRR, Department of the Study of Religions, SOAS, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG.

Call for Papers: Pro-Hope International Conference on Gender-based Violence and Global Peace
Deadline: September 20. Pro-Hope International invites you to submit a paper to their upcoming conference on gender-based violence and global peace from November 18 - 20, 2002 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The objectives of the conference include: to explore the relationship of gender based violence to global peace; to sensitize policy makers on the role of Gender sensitivity in sustainable development; to create a forum for exchange of ideas among the various gender activists; and to explore further ways of mainstreaming gender in policy issues. Abstracts are invited from gender activists, the academia, human rights activists and others working on gender issues. Abstracts and inquiries should be directed to: Ms. Mojereola Mustapha, Information/Communications Officer, Pro-Hope International
2nd Floor, 110 Ogbunabali Road, PO Box 12099, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, email: projectshope@yahoo.com or Pro-hope@eudoramail.com.

Call for Papers: "Women and Development: Rethinking Policy and Reconceptualizing Practice"
Deadline: November 29, 2002. Women's Studies Quarterly is now seeking submissions for a special Spring/Summer 2004 issue on Women and Development. The issue will focus on the gendered effects of development policies and practices as well as the growing significance of post-development theory and action. They invite submissions drawing upon different feminist approaches to the study of women and development-including liberalism, Marxism, and postmodernism-from those engaged with post-development scholarship and activism along with those who create and implement policies and programs for development organizations. The issue will feature articles, essays, creative writing, teaching material, and book reviews. All submissions should be double-spaced, printed on one side of paper with 1-inch margins, and conform to the APA (in-text) citation style. Articles should not exceed 20 pages (5,000 words) in length, excluding references. Essays, short stories, and strategies for teaching (with syllabi) should not exceed 15 pages (3,750 words). Book reviews should not exceed 3 pages (750 words), and they should include a complete citation for the book under review. Please send a disk and three hard copies of submissions along with a full mailing address, daytime telephone number, and an email address to: Professor Frances Vavrus, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 W.120th Street, Box 55, New York, NY 10027, USA. Queries should be sent to either Fran Vavrus: fv84@columbia.edu or to Lisa Ann Richey: lri@cdr.dk.