[Dpo-officemanagers] FW: [WUNRN] Important Info on Shadow Reports for CEDAW Committee re: Fiji, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Suriname

[Gender & Youth]

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Subject: [WUNRN] Important Info on Shadow Reports for CEDAW Committee re: Fiji, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Suriname

WUNRN
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING CEDAW SHADOW REPORTS, FOR FUTURE CEDAW COMMITTEE SESSION & PRE-SESSION

Dear Friends, (Women's rights NGOs in Fiji, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Suriname)
Warm greetings from IWRAW Asia Pacific!

Fiji, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Suriname have been scheduled to report to the CEDAW Committee at the 69th CEDAW session in Feb 2018.

We believe that local NGOs have a lot to gain from this process and our “From Global to Local” programme was developed to ensure NGOs can voice their issues at the international level. If your organisation is from these countries and are seeking to submit an NGO shadow report in Feb 2018, please note you should also submit information for the presession which happens in July 2017.

Why we are contacting NGO groups from these countries now:
Prior to the actual review, NGOs have the opportunity to intervene at the Pre-Session which will be taking place in July 2017 in Geneva.

a. What is the Pre-Session and why should NGOs engage with it?
·  The CEDAW pre-session happens several months before the session at which the formal review of the government is scheduled (usually 2 sessions before). This is where the CEDAW review process begins.
·  A pre-session working group of the CEDAW Committee meets to review States Parties reports and any additional information that has been submitted during the pre-session. The pre-session working group comprises about five or more members of the CEDAW Committee. During this review, the working group identifies gaps in information and sends the government a list of questions and issues that the government must answer in writing before the formal review
·  The pre-session is very important, as it determines the direction, tone and issues for dialogue between the CEDAW Committee and your government during the CEDAW Session. It is your last chance to get the government to submit written information on certain issues that the government may have overlooked or may be trying to avoid in its report. It is very important for NGOs to send information on issues related to women in their country for the CEDAW pre-session, as this can assist the CEDAW Committee’s pre-session working group in framing the questions it will ask your government during the CEDAW review.
b. What is a List of Critical Issues and Questions
Your list of issues and questions should include:
• the most important issues facing women in your country,
• what is missing in the government’s report and
• what you want the Committee to ask your government to raise their understanding/perspective about priorities and the solutions that have been implemented.

Your list of issues and questions need not be long or complicated, as long as it allows the working group to better understand what is happening in your country. It should be structured article by article, from Articles 1-16 (which are the substantive articles of the CEDAW Convention). Please refer to the shadow report guidelines for guidance on structuring of information.
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If you already have a draft shadow/alternative report, you can submit the draft with a list of priority issues and gaps in the state report. Feedback from some Committee members is that they find lists of issues or executive summaries highlighting key issues, to be more helpful than exhaustive reports at this point. Therefore, if you intend to submit a draft or final version of your shadow/alternative report, we encourage you to highlight the key concerns, issues, and questions they would like the Committee to focus on in a list of issues and questions or in an executive summary.

c. When is the Pre-Session and how do to submit information:

The Pre-Session Working Group for this session is likely to meet 24-28 July 2017 which is during the 60th Session.
NGO submissions/shadow reports must be made 3 weeks before the beginning of the 67th Session (June 9 2015 -DEADLINE) and should be sent directly to:cedaw at ohchr.org<mailto:cedaw at ohchr.org>, with a cc to IWRAW Asia Pacific (iwraw-ap at iwraw-ap.org<mailto:iwraw-ap at iwraw-ap.org>) so that IWRAW Asia Pacific can follow up with the secretariat to ensure that the information is received.

You may also post copies of the shadow report to its office in Geneva:
CEDAW Secretariat
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52, rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva
Switzerland

d. Attending the CEDAW pre-session:
The Pre-session working group sets aside some time for NGOs to address it during the Pre-session on the 24th July. NGO representatives can choose to attend the Pre-session (should they have funds to do so) and present information at the meeting of the Pre-Session Working Group. To attend the pre-session, you will need to obtain UN passes by contacting the OHCHR directly.
If you have any questions or require clarification, do contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you and working with you on your CEDAW activism!


Audrey Lee - Programme Manager
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific

Email: iwraw-ap at iwraw-ap.org<mailto:iwraw-ap at iwraw-ap.org> / iwraw_ap at yahoo.com<mailto:iwraw_ap at yahoo.com>
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