A sia P acific F orum on W omen L aw and D evelopment (APWLD)

1. AsiaPacificForumonWomenLawandDevelopment (APWLD)

2. APWLDis an independent, non-government, non-profit, organization. It is human rights network of 150 members: lawyers, academics, social scientists and grassroots women’s organisations from 23 countries of the Asia Pacific region

3. Structure of the Organisation • Thai Association – (Women’s Studies Centre – Chiang Mai University) • Regional Council (22) • Programme and Management Committee (7-9) • Secretariat (11) • Regional Coordinator • 3 Programme Officers • Administrative Staff • Volunteers/Interns • WHR WG and 5 Task Forces (8-12)

4. Pacific • Melanesia – Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea (PNG), New Caledonia, Bouganville, Wallis & Futuna • Micronesia – Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru • Polynesia – Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island

5. Asia Pacific Region ASIA • Southern Asia – Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Afghanistan • South-eastern Asia – Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao • Eastern Asia – China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, Korea • Central Asia – Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan

6. Network/Partners • Local and National NGOs • International and Regional NGOs • Intergovernmental Agencies • UN Agencies: UNIFEM, UNIFEM, UNDP/RRRT • DONORS

7. World Forum on Women • The United Nation’s Third World Forum on Women, Law and Development facilitated the formation of APWLD • Developed from the Dialogues initiated during this Forum and continued to 1986 and was registered in 1988

8. APWLD’s objectives: • To promote basic concepts of human rights in the region evolved through the struggles of women and men and enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other relevant international human rights instruments • To enable women in the region to use law as an instrument of change for the empowerment of women in their struggle for freedom, justice, peace, equality, security and development

9. Funding Partners- • 1988 – The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) – This is a field which is not only fraught with complexities but it is also a field in which results can be expected only on a very long term basis. However, investments in the development of women is very essential for it means the direct development of the human resource potential of half the nation. (Nimalka Fernando – Regional Coordinator 1989)

10. Funding Partners • 1988 – present -The Ford Foundation • 1989 –present - The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) • 1989 – Danchurchaid • 1993 – present - Hivos • 1995- Government of Netherlands • 1997 – present - International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (ICHRDD) in Canada • 1999 – present - Novib oxfam and HBF

11. Funding Partners – special projects • Global Fund for Women • Cordaid • Mamacash • Others

12. APWLD has six programmes • Women’s Human Rights • Violence against Women • Women and Environment • Rural and Indigenous Women • Labour and Migration • Women’s Participation in Political Processes

13. Strategies- Activities • Advocacy – UN/Regional/International • Capacity Building/training • Information and Communication – Media and Website • Research and Publications • Networking /movement building

14. World Conference against Racism (WCAR) • Incorporating women’s voices into the WCAR • WCAR adopt a gendered approach to the declaration and plan of action, identifying the inter-sectionality of gender, race and other forms of discrimination in specific sections of the outcomes document.

15. Include consultations with other UN Special Rapporteurs and Representatives • UNSR on Rights to Housing and Adequate Standard of Living • UNSR on Migrants • UNSR on Extra judicial killings • UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders • UNSR Food, Health etc.

16. World Social Forum, Mumbai, Asian Social Forum, Hyderabad, SUPPORTED MOVEMENTS … the participation of marginalised members in peoples’ fora -

17. Work in collaboration with partners/Co-organising regional and sub regional consultations and meetings for women fisherfolk, indigenous women, peasant women, Dalits and other marginalised groups

18. conducted campaigns Food Sovereignty /TNCs out of Agriculture!

19. Trade agreements – Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) • 2000 Pesticide Action Network (PAN AP) and APWLD conducted research on the impact of the AoA women in the region • WEN task force sent a member and a grassroots fisherwoman from Kelera, India to attend the World Food Summit

20. Food Sovereignty Campaign • One of the greatest injustices RIW face is unfair trade practices and rules on agricultural goods and services. • APWLD’s focus has been in 2 main areas • A) education • B) campaigning against the economic policies of WTO

21. North/South • Including voices of women – issues • Tsunami - research

22. Stop Licence to Rape!

23. Women Oppose War

24. Defend Women’s Human Rights Defenders

25. RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS • PROVIDED INFORMATION • AS A RESOURCE FOR THE NETWORK่ • Forum News (3 times a year) • proceedings of workshops • compilation of laws • on critical and emerging issues such as • Women and Globalisation • Talking about Taboos • Interlinkages between Violence against Women and Women’s Right to Adequate Housing • Dignity Denied • Empty Promises, Empty Stomachs (impacts of AOA) • Gender and Identity Based Politics • Young Women in Armed Conflict Situations • Guidelines for conducting Consultation with UNSRVAW

26. Publications • Women and Globalisation • Talking about Taboos • Interlinkages between Violence against Women and Women’s Right to Adequate Housing • Dignity Denied • Empty Promises, Empty Stomachs (impacts of AoA) • Food Sovereignty training kit • Gender and Identity Based Politics • Young Women in Armed Conflict Situations • Guidelines for conducting Consultation with UNSRVAW • Women Human Rights Defenders Resource Book

27. Capacity Building training • and technical assistance to members – • Feminist Legal Theory and Practice Training since 1994 • gender and politics training • advocacy/campaigns training

28. Background • The Pacific Women’s Bureau was established in 1982 • The advancement of women and progress towards gender equality are mutually reinforcing and require and integrated approach at regional and national levels.

29. Reference Documents • Pacific Platform for Action • MDGs • CEDAW and other international instruments

30. Partners/network • The PWB works with Pacific Island Countries and territories governments and civil society • Media

31. Technical support • Gender analysis • Mainstream gender in their policies, plans and programmes, and monitor and evaluate them from a gender perspective • Capacity building government national machineries • Monitors progress

32. 10th triennial of Pacific Women/3rd Ministerial Meeting • SPC member governments • Ministers/MPs • Heads of Govt Departments and Ministries • Partners and donors • NGOs/Civil Society

33. Progress • National Plans of Action • Statistical Data

34. The Ministers called for • Recognition of the need for urgent action to make a reality of the Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality and the gender mainstreaming inherent in the Pacific Plan, which centres on regional development

35. Cont. • The need to ensure the participation of marginalised groups of women, such as young women and those with disability, in national programmes for women. • The need to boost national statistics offices so they could collect better statistics on the status of women and • Acknowledgement of the contributions of the women’s movement and non-government organisations and contribution to Pacific Island societies

36. Challenges • Capturing results of activities • Impacts • Regional/International For a – strategic engagement • Governance – • Funding – long term • -core funds • Project as opposed to Programmes

37. Q&A