Source: GEAR
United Nations under Secretary General for the UN Women Ms. Michelle Bachelet says she is in the process of developing a clear vision and plan for the first 100 days (three months) after the UN Women becomes operational on the 2nd of January 2011 and has since called on UN member states and other stakeholders like women’s organizationsand networks to provide concrete ideas that can inform this plan. Ms. Bachelet said this during a meeting she had with representatives of African Women leaders drawn fromregional women’s organizations and networks who met with her on 26th November, 2010 at the Transition offices of the UN Women in New York.

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) together with a wide range of African women’s organizations, activists and members of the AfricaFeminist Forum (AFF), organized to meet with Ms. Bachelet to start conversations regarding the vision for the UN Women. FEMNET in partnership with the AfricanWomen’s Development Fund (AWDF), the convener of the African Feminist Forum and with the support of Urgent Action Fund – Africa facilitated a high level delegation ofAfrican women leaders to travel to New York to meet with the newly appointed head of the UN Women. FEMNET is a focal point organization for Africa in the Network of theGender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign.

The delegation of African women leaders included Dr. Thelma Awori, Chairperson, Isis –WICCE, Dr. Hilda Tadria Chairperson, AWDF Ms. Ticky Monekosso Treasurer, FAS,Ms. Imane Belghiti Association Nationale AL HIDN (Consultative Status with ECOSOC, UN) GEAR Campaign, Focal Point North Africa/ Board Member, FEMNETand Ms. Norah Matovu Winyi Executive Director, FEMNET.

Ms. Bachelet mentioned that the policy team within the UN Women will make deliberateefforts to develop new and compelling arguments for supporting women’s empowermentand gender equality programmes (WEGE). These could be political, social or economic arguments, which will be used in persuading member states to prioritize these issues intheir national plans and budget allocations and monitor closely the impact of the programmes. The arguments for supporting WEGE will also be relevant to the resource mobilization efforts in order for the UN Women to achieve the initial budget of USD 500 million.

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