UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Releases 1999

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Press Release  ECE/GEN/99/32
Geneva, 21 December 1999

FIVE YEARS AFTER BEIJING - WOMEN IN EUROPE

From 19 to 21 January 2000, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) is organizing, at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva, the European Regional Preparatory Meeting on the 2000 Review of Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.

The Meeting will be organized around four substantive issues: women and the economy; institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women; women and violence; women in power and decision-making.

This event which will gather around 400 to 500 participants, representatives of UN/ECE Governments, experts and NGOs, is organized by the UN/ECE in partnership with the Council of Europe, the European Commission, UNDP and UNIFEM.

The outcome of the Meeting is expected to open new avenues for further action on gender equality. It will constitute the input of the UN/ECE region to the global review which will culminate in the Special Session of the General Assembly on "Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century" next June in New York.

It will also be an opportunity to facilitate dialogue between NGOs and Governments. Prior to the regional preparatory meeting, an NGO forum will be held on 17 and 18 January 2000. This would allow NGOs to first meet among themselves, discuss relevant issues and select representative NGOs to present their conclusions to the meeting and to participate in the debate. It would also create the most favourable conditions for an effective dialogue in which both governmental and non-governmental representatives can be engaged in a balanced manner.

For further information please contact:

Information Unit
United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UN/ECE)
Palais des Nations, Room 356
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Tel: +(41 22) 917 44 44
Fax: +(41 22) 917 05 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org