Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics
10-12 February 2006, Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center, Makati City, Philippines

Background and Context:
 
In 1995, at the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, one of the twelve (12) areas of concern was women's participation in power and decision-making. This agenda was pursued by women in government and non-government sectors. Yet current observations indicate that "despite women's increased participation in local governments, women are found in very small numbers and have little impact in governance at the national level. Women's representation in government is tokenistic which impedes the real change and progress that women can make even when they are in power. (CAPWIP, Global Congress of Women in Politics, the Purple Book, page 49)

Along this line, in the last twelve (12) years, the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP)  organized congresses every two years to gather women and men interested in promoting women's participation in power and decision-making to discuss plans and strategies to promote women's participation in leadership and politics.

The Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics, February 10-12, 2006, Makati City, Philippines

The Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) is organizing the Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics to be held on February 10-12, 2006 at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center at Makati City, Philippines. Invited to attend are women and men who are interested in promoting women in leadership and decision-making.

The objective of the Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress is to take stock of the women's situation and progress in promoting women's political participation, identify strategic gaps and appropriate courses of action for the next decade.

Specifically, the congress will have the following objectives:

a. To review and examine the Asia Pacific situation on women in leadership, decision making and politics in the current global context;
b. To identify gaps and weaknesses in development actions to promote women's participation
c. To define future courses of action to promote women's participation in leadership and politics
     
The Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics seeks to address these objectives and define a practical platform of action that will be presented to Global Congress of Women in Politics that is also being organized by CAPWIP. This will be held on March 2, 2006 in New York City, USA  and to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), annual meeting on February 28-March 10, 2006 at the UN.

Third (3rd) Global Congress of Women in Politics in New York City, USA, February 25-26, 2006
    
The Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics will define a practical platform of action that will be presented to Global Congress of Women in Politics that is jointly organized by the Global Network of Women in Politics (GLOBAL WIP) and the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) on March 2, 2005 in New York City, USA.

The objective of the Global Congress is to
a. review and examine the global situation on women in leadership, decision making and politics in the current global context;
b. to identify gaps and weaknesses in development actions to promote women's participation;
c. to define future courses of action to promote through a platform for action for the next decade.

Those who are interested to attend the Third (3rd) Global Congress of Women in Politics may contact the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), the secretariat of the Global Network of Women in Politics (GLOBAL WIP).

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) annual meeting on February 28 - March 10, 2006 at the UN

As the preparatory body for the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was mandated by the General Assembly to play a central role in monitoring, within the UN system, the implementation of the Beijing platform for Action and advise the Economic and Social Council thereon.

From 1996,  the main focus of work of the CSW has been the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Following the adoption by the General Assembly, at its twenty-third (23rd) special session in June 2000, the Political Declaration and further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (i.e. the outcome document), the Commission's work now focuses on the implementation of both.
    
In 2006, the theme for the CSW annual meeting on February 28-March 10, 2006 at the UN is as follows:
            
a. Enhanced participation of women in development: An enabling environment for achieving gender equality and the advancement of women, taking into account, inter alia, the fields of education, health and work;                                      

b. Equal participation if women and men in decision-making processes at levels.

Papers
     
As in past congresses, the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) welcomes relevant papers that prospective participants to the Sixth (6th) Asia Pacific Congress of Women in Politics would like to present or share with the the other participants during the congress. Participants are encouraged to prepare a status report on their respective organizations or countries' efforts toward the promotion of women in leadership and decision-making. Papers should be emailed to CAPWIP ahead of time.

Who can join?

- Women and men from all walks of life who are interested to participate in drafting a ten-year plan for the promotion of women in leadership and decision-making;
- Women and men elected to positions in government, parliaments or other relevant offices;
- Women and men working for private offices or organizations who are serving in decision-making bodies;
- Women and men in academic institutions;
- Women and men in training centers/institutes for governance, leadership, gender and development;
- Women and men working for the development.

Congress Fee
     
The registration fee is US$500  per participant. This includes: conference materials and handouts, hotel twin accommodation (add US$100 for single room accommodation), breakfast, buffet lunch and two snacks for three (3) days (February 10-12, 2006), dinner is for the individual account of the participants; and airport transfer in and out.

For reservations and other inquiries, please contact the Congress' Secretariat, the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), 4227-4229 Tomas Claudio Street, Baclaran, Paranaque City, Philippines;
Telephone: (632) 851 6934;
Tel/Fax: (632) 852 2112;
Email: asiapacificcongress@gmail.com, trainings@capwip.org, capwip@capwip.org.

The Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics website: http://www.capwip.org/