The work of OHRLLS in relation to the MDG #3: promote gender equality and empower women" presented by Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, Under-Secretary-General Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, during the WFWP Dinner Meeting to commemorate the 54th Session of the Commission of the Status of Women.

WFWPI was a signer to two joint statements submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women.

A joint NGO statement by several NGOs including Women’s Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI) stated that it was not enough to have a gender balance composition in the Special Procedures, Expert Advisory Services or the Universal Periodic Review and Complaints Procedure, but that a “genderequal perspective in the Universal Periodic Review should be scrupulously respected by a systemic method of gathering and reviewing data and information disaggregated by sex and age”.

In 2007, the two major programs of ECOSOC that involve participation of NGOs with consultative status to ECOSOC are the AMR Innovation Fair and the Millennium Development Goals Awards.

WFWP International is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the first Innovation Fair, especially the Global Fair during the High Level Segment of ECOSOC in Geneva. This was a great chance for participating NGOs to showcase success stories through the presentation panel booths at the exhibition.

As an NGO in General Consultative Status accredited with ECOSOC in 1997, WFWPI is committed to being a good partner to the United Nations by focusing on peace-building world wide through our unique and special signature project, the "Bridge of Peace" Sisterhood movement and poverty eradication through our International Service Projects (ISP) in fifty developing nations.

It was and is more difficult for women to find jobs than men. In light of this circumstance, WFWP volunteers wanted to empower women in Senegal through technology and open the way to economic independence for women. To this end, WFWP established the Social Self-Support Assistance Center "JAMOO" in Dakar, in 1995. "JAMOO" means "Bringing Peace" in the local Wolof language.

To date, primary education programs of WFWPI have benefited more than 15,000 children. Chapters in other developed countries are now organizing benefits regularly so programs can be expanded in order to serve more children. We are determined to continue to impact children’s access to primary education until MDG 2 is achieved.

In 1994, the first WFWP volunteer in Niger realized the country’s mortality rates for infants, children under five and pregnant women were the worst in the world. According to a 2006 UNICEF report, out of 1,000 children below age five, 253 die, ranking Niger fourth worst in the world. WFWP volunteers in Niger recognized that the health and medical fields were in dire need of support and development. We discovered through research conducted by a WFWP representative in 1999 with village women that most mothers lose 2 to 3 children by disease or accident before they reach maturity. WFWP volunteers began focusing on improving healthcare.

Elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child.

Presentation by Mr. Shoji Nishimoto during a Luncheon Meeting sponsored by WFWPI and WFWP Japan on Sept. 7, 2006 during the 59th DPI/NGO Conference.

Presentation by Dr. Desmond Johns during a WFWPi sponsored forum leading up to World AIDS Day 2005, on November 30 at the UN HQ, New York. (Download this large file [1 MB]: right click on the link, select ’Save Target As’ and then save file to your computer.)

This article, submitted by Carolyn Handschin, UN Representative of WFWPI in Geneva has been accepted by UNESCO to be posted in their encyclopedia. Posted at www.eolss.net article #EOLSS1-39-A21.

"In Larger Freedom: Towards Development Security and Human Rights for All" prepared for the Millennium +5 Summit and submitted by Bonnie Berry, UN Representative of WFWPI in NY; posted also on un-ngls.org/sgreport-ngo-comment.html, www.ngocongo.org/mdg