UNION INTERPARLEMENTAIRE

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

1218LE GRAND-SACONNEX/GENEVE(SUISSE)TÉLÉPHONEFAXE-MAIL

(41.22) 919 41 50(41.22) 919 41 60[email protected]

Geneva, 8 September 2009Dear Mr. President,I am writing to invite your Parliament to attend the Seventh Information Seminar on Parliaments and theCEDAW, which will focus this year onCelebrating CEDAW and its Optional Protocol: 30 years improvingwomen’s rights.The seminar is organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Office of theHigh Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and will be held at theCentre international deconférences(CICG) on 22 October 2009, immediately following the 121stIPU Assembly.The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the mostcomprehensive international legal instrument addressing women's rights and provides a framework forpromoting gender equality. The implementation of the CEDAW is monitored by a United Nations treatybody, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which examines reports fromStates parties and issues concluding observations and recommendations for follow-up action.The seminar, which aims to strengthen parliament's role in the reporting process of the CEDAW, primarilytargets members of parliaments from those countries whose periodic report has been considered by theCEDAW Committee in the course of this year or will be considered in the near future, which is the case ofyour country. Several experts, including a member of the Committee, a member of the Committee’sSecretariat and a member of parliament with experience in this field, will facilitate the seminar.Your parliament is invited to send two members, preferably a man and a woman who have expertise inthe field of women’s rights and the status of women and/or who are members of a parliamentarycommittee dealing with this topic. Please note that the invitation is also extended to one or twoparliamentary staff dealing with these issues../..Mr. Kristian Pihl Lorentzen, MPPresident of the Danish Inter-Parliamentary Groupc/o Mr. Flemming Kordt HansenSecretary of the Danish Inter-Parliamentary GroupInternational Department +IPU-SekrFolketingetChristiansborg SlotDK-1240 COPENHAGEN KDenmarkFax:e-mail:cc:+45 33 89 37 74[email protected]Ms. Mette Vestergaard, Secretary of the Danish Inter-Parliamentary Group

2A preliminary agenda is attached for your information, together with a registration form. TheHandbookfor Parliamentarians on the CEDAW and its Optional Protocol,published in 2003 by the IPU andUNDAW and widely distributed among parliaments, will be used as a reference tool for the seminar andcan be downloaded from http://www.ipu.org/english/handbks.htm#wom-protocol.We would appreciate confirmation of your parliament’s participation in this event by 2 October at thelatest.I look forward to receiving your response.Yours sincerely,

Anders B. JohnssonSecretary General

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

OFFICE OF THE HIGHCOMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Celebrating CEDAW and its Optional Protocol:30 years improving women’s rightsSeventh Information Seminar on Parliaments and CEDAWGeneva, 22 October 2009

Programme08:30-09:0009:00-09:1509:15-10.30RegistrationWelcoming remarksThe Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is30 years old: achievements and challengesOrigins of the Convention on discrimination against women? What rights? What obligations?Taking stock of the situation today: How much progress for women’s rights? Whatchallenges?Presentations by:A member of the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against WomenA member of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights

10.30-10.4510:45-13.00

The presentations will be followed by a debateCoffee breakThe road ahead: priorities to achieve equality.What are the priorities for the next decade?The challenge of addressing violence against womenThe challenge of addressing inequality in the labor marketPresentations by:A member of the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against WomenA member of the Office of the High Commission for Human RightsA member of parliament

13.00-14:3014:30-16:30

The presentations will be followed by a debateLunchThe Optional Protocol to CEDAW is 10 years old: achievements and challenges

What is the Optional protocol?What has it achieved for women? What are the challenges ahead?

Presentations by:A member of the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against WomenA member of the Office of the High Commission for Human RightsA Member of ParliamentThe presentations will be followed by a debate16:30 - 17:30What role for Parliaments? Conclusions and recommendationsDeveloping an adequate legislative and oversight frameworkWorking with civil society and the mediaKeeping track of progressParliamentary involvement in the CEDAW reporting mechanism

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

OFFICE OF THE HIGHCOMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Celebrating CEDAW and its Optional Protocol:30 years improving women’s rightsSeventh Information Seminar on Parliaments and CEDAWGeneva, 22 October 2009

SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM(one per person)

To be returned by2 October 2009at the latestMs.□Mr.□Last Name:Name of Parliament/Chamber:Country:Function:Member of parliament:Senator:First Name:

Aide or staff person:

Full title: _______________________________________________________________________________

Participant’s direct email address

1

Personal Email:Office Email:[For parliamentarians only]Please list up to three parliamentary committees to which you belong1:2:3:Please return this form to:The SecretariatHeadquarters of the Inter-Parliamentary UnionChemin du Pommier 5Case postale 3301218 Le Grand Saconnex/GESwitzerlandTelephone:Fax:E-mail:(41 22) 919 41 50(41 22) 919 41 60[email protected]

This information will be used to provide each individual participant with a copy of the final report of the meeting. Participants will also beregistered to receive the IPU eBulletin, an electronic newsletter that provides information on IPU activities around the world.