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As a non-government organization (NOO), BPW International has Consultative Status, Category 1, with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It also has consultative status and special relations with the International Labor Office (ILO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
BPW International has permanent representatives at the United Nations and its agencies in New York, Geneva, Paris and Vienna. These representatives keep BPWI affiliates informed of UN activities and represent their views during meetings, particularly on issues relating to women’s status.
BPW International is actively involved in the INSTRAW Women’s Training Centre, UNlFEM, Project 5-0 International, the ILO Training Centre, Women’s World Banking and over 50 other on-going projects around the world.
BPW International has played a major role in all four World Conferences for Women from 1975 to 1995. In addition, it has sponsored, co-sponsored and participated in regional meetings which have included training seminars, workshops, conferences and trade fairs.
Here is an overview of all BPW UN representatives.
Since 1975 the Commission on Status of Women (CSW) of the United Nations met in New-York, during two weeks in February/March. At this occasion, numerous Non Governmental Organisations join New-York for the CSW NGO Forum that organise parallel events, as conferences or panel discussions. As example in the 56th CSW session of 2012 : 618 organisations and 4300 delegates accredited, 300 side events.
Around 100 BPW join New-York to attend the numerous events, high-level meetings, network with women rights activits worldwide. BPW International has a delegation of 20 Business and Professional Women to participate to the CSW debates. The members of the BPW delegation come from Australia, Nigeria, France, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Italy, Turkey, Zambia, Mali, UK, Mongolia, Kenya.
19 January 2011, NEW YORK – BPW International was elected to board of CONGO today at its 24th General Assembly. Eva Richter, UN Permanent Representative, New York and Elizabeth Vanardenne, UN (Alt) Representative, attended the meeting on behalf of BPW International. For over 50 years, The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) has been actively promoting the involvement of NGOs in the working of the United Nations.
Women hardly ever fight the world’s wars, but often suffer the most and are targets of systematic sexual violence. And yet, they are barely present in peace negotiations.
