The 10^th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women (27–31 May 2007) and the Third Pacific Ministers Meeting on Women
(1 June 2007) are drawing closer. The cut-off date for registrations is 20 April, so the HDP team thought it timely to start the countdown to this year’s major meeting on Pacific women with an update on who is coming, the programme, and the social events planned.
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Dernière ligne droite !

Nous sommes à quelques semaines de la dixième Conférence régionale sur la condition féminine (27-31 mai) et de la troisième Conférence ministérielle sur la condition féminine (1er juin). La date limite des inscriptions est fixée au 20 avril, aussi l’équipe du Département Développement humain a‑t‑elle jugé opportun d’enclencher le compte à rebours à l’approche de cette importante manifestation consacrée à la femme océanienne et de vous fournir un certain nombre d’informations sur les participants, le programme et les activités sociales.
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Conference Countdown

Nearly 120 delegates have registered. They include Ministers, representatives of national women’s machineries and development partners, civil society leaders. Nineteen of SPC’s 22 Island member countries and territories will be represented. This high interest, coupled with resource constraints, means that we have had to limit the number of observers.  

“We hope the Conference will be stimulating, exciting and fun,” says Elizabeth Mortland, Conference Coordinator. ”It’s a comprehensive programme and covers a wide range of subjects, from gender mainstreaming and statistics, to new research and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). We’ll also be showing video documentaries on Pacific women who make a difference.”  

Several development partners are attending, says Elizabeth, providing excellent opportunities for delegates to build relationships.

Pacific Pageant

Social events on the calendar include the Pacific Pageant, “which will be a fashion display of national and traditional dress as well as contemporary designs and styles,” says Elizabeth.

We encourage delegates to bring their national/traditional clothing to display, and to get up on the catwalk and show it off. However, people will also be available to model outfits. The pageant will take place on Tuesday 29 May at 7 pm at SPC Noumea and will be followed by a barbecue.  

Pacific candidate for UNCEDAW

The 10^th Triennial Conference on Women provides an excellent opportunity to select a single Pacific candidate to contest the June 2008 UNCEDAW Committee elections in New York.  

For many years now Pacific Island countries and territories have attempted without success to gain membership of this committee – the United Nations body of ’independent experts‘ that monitors CEDAW.  In a bid to gain a place on the committee, SPC member states have been asked to consider nominating a person to represent the Pacific. Candidates need to have an internationally proven and respected track record in gender equality work. 

At present, we have one confirmed country nomination to participate in a process that is aimed at bringing the region together to nominate and back a candidate. She is Sandra S. Pierantozzi, a Palau businesswoman and former vice-president of the republic.  

Having a Pacific island representative on this important international committee will greatly enhance opportunities to raise the ‘voice of the Pacific’ in the global arena, while encouraging countries and territories to fulfill their commitments to gender equality. 

For more information contact Conference Coordinator Elizabeth Mortland at elizabethm@spc.int
See the Triennial and Ministerial programmes at http://www.spc.int/women/women_conf_triennale.html

The HDP Team