LIU, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 28: Invitation to Parliamentary Day during the 56th Session of the CSW.

INFORMATION NOTEDuring the 56thSession of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) - whose prioritytheme isThe empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, developmentand current challenges,the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the UN Women are organising aparliamentary event entitledEmpowering rural women: What role for parliaments?.The meeting will take place on Wednesday29 February 2011,from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.in the Conference Room 3 at UN Headquarters in New York.ObjectivesIn keeping with its policy of contributing to major international forums by seeking to introduce aparliamentary dimension into the proceedings of intergovernmental organisations, the IPU is organising thisone-day event with UN Women in order to provide a forum for debate between parliamentarians from allover the world, and to contribute to the deliberations of the 56thCSW.The meeting will focus on strategies to empower rural women. The morning session will discuss politicalempowerment of rural women. It will look at ways of ensuring that rural women are fully part of the politicalprocess and that their voices are heard and taken into account by parliaments. It will also look at thequestion of rural women’s representation in Parliament. The afternoon session will discuss strategicobjectives for the empowerment of rural women, focusing on addressing discrimination in law (especiallywith regard to equal access to land, credit and inheritance) and access to health.The meeting will aim to identify actions parliaments can take to overcome barriers and advance the status ofrural women. It will therefore provide an opportunity to contribute to the debates at the CSW whose prioritytheme this year isThe empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication,development and current challenges.Expected outcomeAt the close of the meeting, a brief message to the CSW will be issued, stressing areas for future priorityaction, with particular emphasis on the role of parliaments in empowering rural women.Relevant documentsBackground documents to be used throughout the meeting include:Written contributions of the panellists, when available;Documents of the 56thSession of the CSW.ParticipantsThe participants in the parliamentary event will include:Parliamentarians present in New York for the 56thSession of the CSW as members of their respectivedelegations. A letter of invitation will be sent by the IPU Secretary General to all Member and non-member parliaments of the IPU.Representatives of governments, relevant organisations and funds of the UN system, and civil societywill also be invited.

LanguagesSimultaneous interpretation will be provided in the four languages customarily used at IPU Assemblies,namely English, French, Spanish and Arabic.Access badges for United Nations HeadquartersAs is customary during General Assembly sessions, security arrangements are very strict and no one mayenter the United Nations premises without a special badge (for delegates and visitors). In keeping withnormal practice, delegations and diplomatic missions in New York will be invited to attend to all mattersrelating to visas, UN Badges, hotel reservations and transportation. Participants must therefore request theirbadge fromtheir country's permanent mission to the United Nations.RegistrationPersons wishing to participate in this meeting are urged to register as soon as possible using the attachedform. Once this form has been filled out, it should be sent directly to IPU Headquarters (Fax: +41 22 91941 60; e-mail:[email protected]).Informal side-events