The purpose of this interactive website is to create groundswell
support for a Fifth Women’s World Conference (5WWC) that in size and
influence would be a major step toward a change in planetary
consciousness through the active involvement of women at every level
of society. The first four conferences were sponsored by the United
Nations. The last was held in Beijing in 1995 and produced the
Beijing Platform for Action, which if fully implemented on a global
scale would make the world a safe place for women and children. This
will be possible only when violence of all kinds—from domestic to
war, is no longer acceptable.
Now at the beginning of the 21st century with the state of the
world as it is, it is a crucial time for women to come together to
make a difference. This conference would be the first since the
Internet made worldwide communication easy and would likely be the
largest and most effective gathering of women ever held. It would
accelerate reaching a tipping point.
ENVISIONED
A 5th WOMEN'S WORLD
CONFERENCE
IN 2010
REPORT FROM UN CSW MEETING
FEB.
26-MAR. 9, 2007
by Jean Shinoda Bolen
The call to make a difference brought 40 women representing 5WWC
to the UN with the infectious idea of a 5th Women’s World Conference
in 2010. We wore large blue and white 5WWC buttons and gave them
away as we met and talked to women from NGOs who annually come when
the UN Commission on the Status of Women meets for two weeks
(February 26-March 9, 2007). Unlike the response at previous
meetings, where the idea was met with doubt and resistance, this
year we found widespread support for a 5WWC that would be for
grassroots women and NGOs.
On the NGO Parallel Events calendar, the idea of a 5th WWC was
furthered through a lecture on Urgent Message From Mother, Gather
the Women, Save the World and a workshop on Circles of Healing,
Empowerment and Action. In addition, we gave two 5WWC workshops on
the Millionth Circle. Politically, we advanced the idea through two
5WWC caucuses: the first drafted a statement that was taken to other
caucuses, the second created a petition for individuals to sign,
signatures were collected and petitions were taken to be signed (the form can be downloaded).
A grassroots focused 5WWC in 2010 is envisioned as a process that
will involve many more millions of women before, during and after
the conference, however huge this gathering may be, through the
proliferation of circles of women and the use of the internet. At
the time of the conference, parallel gatherings of women could be
held everywhere and on every scale. The power to communicate through
advanced technology could reach additional millions of women, girls,
men and boys in schools, businesses, and all other institutions,
while media at all levels would contribute to raising consciousness
about problems and solutions.
Premise: a critical number of empowered women with maternal
concern for everything vulnerable, from the Girl Child which was the
theme of this year’s UN CSW sessions to the planet and all life on
it, could end violence and bring peace into the world.
We encourage everyone interested in seeing this happen to support
this grassroots movement by registering in our 5WWC Living
Directory, (Click on the REGISTER button below the logo on the
left), to register your organization, (Click
here to register), participate in our Discussion and Action
Forums, (Click
here to participate), contribute to our online resources(Click
here to participate) and to sign and circulate the petition
described below:
PETITION FOR A 5th WOMEN’S WORLD
CONFERENCE
We, the women of the world, clearly recognize the positive impact
that the Beijing platform, the UNSC Resolution 1325 and other
worldwide conferences have had on the lives of women. However, there
is a great need to create the political will needed to fully
implement and monitor past obligations to women and girls. This does
not exclude the need to address newly emerging issues. Now is the
critical time for the human rights of women and girls to be
addressed, affirmed, implemented, and never forgotten by the
international community.
For this reason, the vision of the 5th World Conference by 2010
becomes a need. A 5th World Conference will bring forth actions to
grassroots women around the world; it will strengthen the voice of
NGOs and improve government actions for the well being of all.
The use of today’s advanced technologies and the internet will
broaden the reach of a 5th World Conference to millions of women,
girls, boys and men in and at all levels of the worlds community
through schools, business, and all other institutions.