UN Commission on the Status of Women: Canadian Delegation Report-Back
Posting Date: 25 Aug 04
Author(s): Tara Ashtakala, SAP Canada

South Asia Partnership Canada organized an information session to allow SAP members and the public to learn from the Canadian delegation’s experience in New York. The delegation consisted of Nell Stewart and Sherry Hornung, Foreign Affairs Canada; Sheila Regehr, Status of Women Canada; Julia Bracken, Canadian International Development Agency; and civil society representatives Elizabeth Wright, Baha’i Community of Canada and Faruq Faisel, formerly of South Asia Partnership Canada. The meeting also gave the women’s movement, non-government organizations, private consultants, students and academics the opportunity to discuss and reflect upon decisions made and the debates emerging from the 48th session and future directions for both government and civil society to consider in advancing the domestic and international agenda on gender equality.

SAP Canada’s Pakistan and Peace & Security Program Manager Isabelle Valois chaired the seminar. She first provided some background on South Asia Partnership Canada. The work of SAP Canada focuses on three primary themes: peace and security, sustainable livelihoods and governance and democracy. Gender is a cross-cutting theme. SAP Canada has a number of upcoming activities related to these themes: the Canada Fit for Children Conference on September 13-14 will examine where policies and activities relating to South Asia can fit into Canada’s National Plan of Action for Children (which was presented to the UN General Assembly in April 2004). SAP Canada will hold a workshop in June 2004 on Women and Security with an expected 52 participants from South Asia including Afghanistan.

Ms. Valois then presented the speakers:

Chantale Walker is a Policy Advisor in the Division of Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and International Women’s Equality, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
Julia Bracken is an Analyst in the Policy Branch of the Gender Equality and Child Protection Division at the Canadian International Development Agency;
Sheila Regehr is the Acting Director General of the Policy and External Relations Directorate at Status of Women Canada;
Elizabeth Wright is the Director of the Bureau pour la promotion de la femme of the Baha’i Community of Canada.

Both SAP Canada and the speakers were pleased to see the interest the seminar had generated. The room was filled to capacity with attendees representing a diverse array of constituencies.

To read the full report, download from the link below.

Attached file: UNCSW final seminar report.rtf