The United Nations Development Fund for Women UNIFEM works for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

“Women want a world free from hatred, violence and poverty, a world of equal opportunities and rights, a world that is prosperous and secure for all” - Noeleen Heyzer, past-Director UNIFEM

UNIFEM is the Women’s Fund at the UN. It provides technical and financial assistance to:
 •    Support innovative activities empowering women in developing countries,
 •    Serve as a catalyst to ensure women’s participation in all aspects of development,
 •    Advance women’s empowerment through the UN overall system of development co-  operation.

What Does UNIFEM Do?
•    Promotes women’s human rights, including the elimination of all forms of violence  against women [EVAW] and highlights the gender dimensions of HIV/AIDS,
•    Sustains women’s leadership and participation in decision-making, particularly in the areas of peace and security,
•    Strengthens women’s economic security and rights.

 UNIFEM is an absolutely vital part of the UN because it:
 •             Brings diverse partners together at the country level to support national priorities for achieving gender equality and women’s rights; 
 •       Facilitates dialogue at the regional level to translate global agreements into action oriented strategies (e.g. Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security);
 •       Ensures that globally gender is an integral part of all Millennium Development Goals aimed at achieving gender equality and combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and environmental degradation by 2015.

 How and Where Does UNIFEM Work?
 •         Advocacy to secure political and financial support for gender equality and women’s rights,
 •            Brokering partnerships among women’s organizations, governments, the UN system and the private sector to build common agendas and strategies,
 •           Building capacity of women’s organizations,
 •          Undertaking pilot projects to test innovative approaches that empower women,
 •           Building a knowledge base on effective strategies to promote gender equality in mainstream development.

UNIFEM supports initiatives and innovative partnerships in over 100 countries with UNIFEM NZ focusing on the Pacific Islands in consultation with the UNIFEM Pacific Regional Office, Fiji.

UNIFEM New Zealand has both individual and civil society/NGO* members.  Its objectives are
·        To raise the profile of UNIFEM throughout New Zealand and promote its work;
·    To lobby the New Zealand Government for increased funding for UNIFEM and its projects;
 ·    To encourage non‑governmental organisations (NGOs) to promote and support UNIFEM – its work is crucial to millions of women worldwide;
·    To raise funds to use for UNIFEM projects such as:
Educating re CEDAW & reporting mechanisms,        Building Women’s Leadership & Participation, Strengthening Women’s Economic Rights &  Increasing their Earning Power,        Ending Violence Against Women,     Addressing the Gender Dimension of HIV/AIDS,     Making Laws Work for Women,   Implementing Commitments to Women’s Rights,     Bringing Women to the Peace Table, Providing Data to Change Public Policies  – Making women count / Counting women’s work….

Communication: UNIFEM NZ Newsletters are published quarterly, delivered by post or e-mail.
Global Updates come every two months as ‘UNIFEM Currents’, e-mailed on request.  
*Corporate members receive UNIFEM Annual Report, published by UNIFEM HQ, New York

Key dates in UNIFEM New Zealand’s Calendar for 2008

 January-February:    UNIFEM NZ’s Pacific Project “Gender Equality in Decision-making and Leadership throughout Marshall Islands” Phase 2 concludes following RMI’s General Elections in November, 2007.  Evaluation of the outcomes of WUTMI* gender trainers intensive work [including civics and voter education] in communities throughout the 24 inhabited atolls and islands proceeds.  *Our local NGO project partner is WUTMI - Women United Together in the Marshall Islands, the biggest women’s NGO in RMI, while UNIFEM NZ works in collaboration with UNIFEM Pacific, Suva.  UNIFEM Pacific is undertaking in-depth gender analysis of recent elections in several Pacific Islands.  For further info, email:  beverleyturner@nznet.gen.nz  and see website:  www.wutmi.org

March 8:                     International Women’s Day – Celebratory Breakfasts and other functions with stimulating speakers and great networking opportunities are attracting increasing numbers at venues from Kerikeri to Invercargill (23 in 2007) and new IWD event hosts are warmly welcomed…  IWD keynote speakers are always exceptional.  UNIFEM’s global theme for IWD 2008 is “Financing for Gender Equality” – theme for the Commission on Status of Women, New York.
UNIFEM IWD fundraising supports UNIFEM NZ Project work in Marshall Islands, for which we receive 4:1 matching grants from NZAID.  WUTMI’s Director will attend CID Hui in Upper Hutt.

May:                            NGO / NZAID regional meetings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch

Mid May:                     Human Rights Film Festival in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch

August:                       AGMs of Auckland and Canterbury Regional Committees

 September:                Annual General Meeting, with lunch and an eminent speaker, venue tba..  

October:                     NGO/NZAID AGM and CID AGM in Wellington

October 24:                United Nations Day: Again, UNIFEM NZ collaborates with UNANZ and Human Rights Network (Inc) to mark this special day. 

November 25:            White Ribbon Day - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:  UNIFEM NZ’s EVAW Campaign, initiated by us in 2004, expanded significantly in 2007 in collaboration with Families Commission - approx. 420,000 white ribbons were distributed and worn by men and women, girls and boys.  UNIFEM’s messages are: “Not a Minute More” and:“Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge to always speak out against violence towards women and children.”   For information, see: www.whiteribbonday.org.nz  or contact: IDEVAW Project Officer, e-mail:  whiteribbon@clear.net.nz

November 25 - December 10:         16 days of Activism against Gender Violence

 December 10:            Human Rights Day:  UNIFEM NZ + UNANZ + UNYANZ (youth) + Human Rights Network members interact to mark this special day in the UN calendar.  2008 is 60^th Anniv-ersary of UN Declaration of Human Rights; “Dignity and Justice for All of Us” is its global theme:

 Ongoing:        Spring Walks / Autumn Rambles - outdoor activities ideal for socialising etc..
Self-organised walks, runs, bike-rides supported by NGOs, community groups, friends and family with donations to UNIFEM NZ’s ‘Spring Walks’ Project for Reconstruction programmes for women - Upgrading maternity facilities and services in the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.

                         Point Seven campaign: “Honour the Promise – Invest in a Better World”.
The Council for International Development calls on the Government to commit to a timetable to increase its spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) by 2015 in line with its earlier promises to help reduce global poverty.  UNIFEM NZ is an active member of CID’s Point Seven Committee.  See:  www.cid.org.nz for Point Seven Fact sheets and campaign updates.

                                 UNIFEM badges and T-shirts showing support for Equality, Development and Peace can be ordered from the Secretary:  unifem@xtra.co.nz

 Information:   For further details on any of the above or membership inquiries, please see contacts or email Secretary:  unifem@xtra.nz  or post to UNIFEM NZ, P.O.Box 12473, Thorndon, Wellington.

 Websites:       www.unifem.org.nz     www.unifem.org         

UNIFEM New Zealand President,  Jean Corbin Thomas  <jeanct@clear.net.nz>   ph: (06) 354 0372

UNIFEM NZ Membership to 30 June, 2008

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