CONGO E-Update • 22 October 2008

The CONGO E-Update is produced by staff in New York , Geneva and Vienna , with contributions from members and affiliated partners.

In this issue:

CONGO Civil Society Development Forum 2008 – Geneva Component

Indigenous Issues

Upcoming UN/DPI NGO Briefings

1^st UN Forum on Minority Issues

Empowerment of Women

Rights of Persons with Disabilities

3^rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review

InterAction Forum 2009 and International Aid+Trade 2009

New Internet Governance Caucus Website

Globalization and Health

CONGO Committees

Campaigns and Initiatives

NGO Resources

Previously Published Events

CONGO Civil Society Development Forum 2008 – Geneva Component, 27 – 28 October 2008, Geneva

Following CONGO ’s Civil Society Development Forum (CSDF) 2008 New York Component (27 – 29 June 2008), the CSDF 2008 Geneva Component is scheduled to take place on 27 and 28 October 2008.

Those of you who wish to participate but have not yet registered - please register now to enable us to finalise the complex preparations for the venue.

More information, including the Programme, invitation letter and background documentation, is available on the CONGO CSDF 2008 – Geneva Component website.

Colombian Military Fires on Thousands of Indigenous Protesters: An Emergency Report Back from Minga – The Colombia Indigenous Mobilization – Conversation with an Indigenous Colombian Leader, 24 October 2008, New York

The United Methodist Office for the UN and the Movement for Peace in Colombia are organising an afternoon coffee break conversation with Rafael Coicué, an indigenous leader from Colombia , on 24 October 2008 from 15:00 to 16:30 hours in the Hardin Room on the 11th Floor of the Church Center in New York . The theme of the conversation is “Colombian Military Fires on Thousands of Indigenous Protesters: An Emergency Report Back from Minga – Colombia Indigenous Mobilization”.

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Esmeralda Brown (+1-212-682-3633) or Martha Hauze (+1-347-668-4210).

Fall 2008 NGO Briefings and Events, United Nations Department of Public Information (UN/DPI), New York

UN/DPI, NGO Relations, is arranging a series of NGO briefings and events for the fall of 2008 covering such topics as “relevance of the UN in the field” (23 October 2008), NGOs and disarmament (30 October 2008), human rights for women (20 November 2008), and online communications (4 December 2008).

The briefings are held in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium from 10:30 to 12:00 hours unless otherwise indicated.

The list of events and information on the venue can be found here. More information on UN/DPI is available here.

1^st United Nations Forum on Minority Issues, 15 – 16 December 2008, Geneva

The 1^st United Nations Forum on Minority Issues is scheduled to take place from 15 to 16 December at the Palais des Nations in Geneva . The thematic issue of this 1^st session is “Minorities and the Right to Education”.

Registration closes on 15 November 2008.

More information, including on registration procedures, is available here.

Equality before the Law – the Key to Women’s Empowerment – Panel Discussion, 24 October 2008, Geneva

A panel discussion entitled “Equality before the Law – the Key to Women’s Empowerment” is being held on 24 October 2008 from 13:15 to 14:45 hours in Room VII at the Palais des Nations in Geneva . The event is to seek the views and suggestions from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), on how to accelerate the achievement of the commitments made by governments to eliminate laws that discriminate against women. Co-sponsors of this panel discussion are Bosnia and Herzegovina , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , New Zealand , Norway , Rwanda , Singapore , and Slovenia .

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Consultation on Legal Measures for Ratification and Effective Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 24 October 2008, Geneva

The OHCHR is organising an open-ended meeting with stakeholders on Legal Measures for Ratification and Effective Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from 10:00 to 18:00 hours in Room XXI at the Palais des Nations in Geneva .

More information is available here.

Third Session of the Universal Period Review (UPR) Working Group, 1 – 15 December 2008, Geneva

The third Session of the UPR Working Group is scheduled to take place from 1 to 15 December 2008 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva . The first meeting will take place on 1 December at 10:00 hours and the Secretariat of the Human Rights Council invites participants to be present at least 30 minutes before the meeting starts.

Requests for accreditation should be sent to the Secretariat of the Human Rights Council, to the attention of Mr Michael Amstrong (+41-(0)22-917-9269).

The accreditation office at the “Pregny Gate” for the UPR Session is open from 9:00 to 17:00 hours from Monday to Friday.

InterAction Forum 2009 – 2009 International Aid+Trade, 7 – 9 and 9 – 10 July 2009, Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C.

The two NGO events InterAction Forum (7 – 9 July 2009) and International Aid+Trade (9 – 10 July 2009) will, in 2009, be held back-to-back in Arlington , VA , and Washington , D.C.

For more information, please visit their website.

New Internet Governance Caucus Website Launched

A new website for the Internet Governance Caucus has been launched.

To learn more about this website and the entity behind, please visit their website.

Globalization and Health – Panel Discussion, 24 October 2008, New York

The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the General Assembly will hold a panel discussion on “Globalization and Health” on 24 October 2008 from 11:00 to 13:00 hours in Conference Room 2 at UNHQ in New York. The panel will be chaired by H.E. Mrs. Uche Joy Ogwu ( Nigeria ), Chairperson of the Second Committee, and moderated by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University .

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CONGO Committees: NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns ( New York ) – Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, 20 – 24 October 2008, New York

The CONGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns ( New York ) is arranging a week of spirituality, values and global concerns from 20 to 24 October 2008 at the UNHQ in New York . The week of events is carried out under the title “The Spirit of the UN: Our Commitment to Making the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Come Alive”.

The programme providing details on individual events can be consulted on the Committee’s website along with more information on the work and background of the Committee.       

CONGO Committees: NGO Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples ( New York ) – Committee Meeting, 23 October 2008, New York

The CONGO Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples ( New York ) is convening a committee meeting on 23 October 2008 from 13:00 to 15:00 hours in the Hardin Room on the 11^th Floor of the Church Center in New York .

For more information, please contact Sandra Sheridan. 

CONGO Committees: NGO Forum On Health ( Geneva ) – NGO Briefing: Toward a Global Strategy to Reduce Alcohol Harm, 23 October 2008, Geneva

The NGO Forum on Health (Geneva), in cooperation with The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance, the World Medical Association and the World Council of Churches, is convening an NGO briefing on the topic “Global Strategy to Reduce Alcohol Harm” on 23 October 2008 from 14:00 to 17:00 hours at the World Council of Churches in Salle IV, 1^st Floor LAC in Geneva.

To participate, please RSVP to Georg Hacker.

CONGO Committees: NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security (DPS) ( New York ) – Joint CONGO/NGO Committee DPS Annual Meeting, Program and Reception, 30 October 2008, New York

The Substantive Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security ( New York ) is arranging the “Joint CONGO/NGO Committee DPS Annual Meeting, Program and Reception”. The event will take place on 30 October 2008 with the Annual Meeting (at 14:00 hours) and Program (from 15:00 to 17:30 hours) at UN Conference Room E at UNHQ in New York and the reception (from 18:00 to 20:00 hours) on the 2^nd floor of the Church Center in New York .

For more information about this Committee and its work, please visit its website.

CONGO Committees: NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning ( Geneva ) – Meeting, 4 November 2008, Geneva

The CONGO NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning will have a regular meeting on 4 November 2008 from 13:00 to 15:00 at the NGO Resources and Services Centre at the Palais des Nations in Geneva .

For more information, please contact Kazunari Fujii.

CONGO Committees: NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief ( New York ) – Conversation, Reports of the Committee and Adoption of new By-Laws, 10 November 2008, New York

The CONGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief ( New York ) is gathering on 10 November 2008 from 13:15 to 14:30 hours on the 11^th floor of the Church Center in New York . The topic of the meeting is “Conversation, Reports of the Committee and Adoption of new By-Laws”.

For more information, please contact Kathleen Stone.

Campaigns and Initiatives

Campaign, Global Coalition, Call to action: 19 November - World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse
www.woman.ch/children/1-introduction.php

Decent Work Decent Life Campaign

http://www.decentwork.org/

Global Campaign against Poverty

http://www.whiteband.org/

Interactive global online conversation on the "Universality of Human Rights”, by WFUNA

http://www.realtimedelphi.net/

Appeal and Petition for a Nuclear Weapon-Free World

www10.plala.or.jp/antiatom/en/WC/e07wc/e-20070902_dec_riso.html

Gender Training Community of Practice (GT CoP) – UN-INSTRAW

www.un-instraw.org/en/community-of-practice/general/gender-training-community-of-practice-gt.html

NGO Resources

UN-NGO-IRENE Best Practices Network

www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/irene

NGLS 2007 Yearly Review of Civil Society

www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=462

First Committee Monitor – Resource on the General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security

www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/FCM.html

Globethics.net Library – A Global Digital Library on Ethics

http://www.globethics.net/

Resources and Calendar for Peace Issues – International Peace Bureau

http://www.ipb.org/ and www.ipb.org/i/newsletters-and-publications/VI-A-ipb-newsletters-and-calendars.html

Previously Published Events

23 October 2008: At the Conquest of the Caucasus: The Battle for Petrol and Geopolitical Challenges – Public Conference, Geneva

For more information mail to Mariejo Duc-Reynaert.

20-24 October 2008: European Forest Week, Brussels , Rome and Various Other Places in Europe

www.europeanforestweek.org/home/en/

20 October – 7 November 2008: OHCHR Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women – 42^nd Session, Geneva

www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws42.htm

22-30 October 2008: Peoples’ Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights, Manila

www.mfasia.org/peoplesglobalaction/index.html

25 October 2008: Taking the Health of Women and Girl Migrants Forward: A 21^st Century Challenge, Manila

For more information mail to Joyce Jett or Rebecca Elliott

29-31 October 2008New Paradigms, New Solutions – International Congress on Addictions, Mexico City

www.cij.gob.mx/CONGRESO2008/

30-31 October 2008: Workshop – Managing and Supporting Relief Staff after a Critical Event, Geneva

www.humanitarian-psy.org/default.asp?lang=en&pag=formations.asp

6 November 2008: 2008 Conference of the Road to Copenhagen Process – Last Stop for Climate Action before Poznan , Brussels

roadtocopenhagen.org

3-6 November 2008: World Urban Forum IV, Nanjing

www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=535

6-7 November 2008: Together in Diversity: A European Conference on Community Development and Interculturalism, Dublin

www.iacdglobal.org/en/interact/events/together-diversity-event-european-year-interculural-dialogue

7 November 2008: The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Poverty - Gala Evening, Geneva

For more information mail to Micheline Makou Djouma.

10-14 November 2008: 7^th International Conference on Peace and Non-Violent Action, Jaipur

www.anuvibha.in/6th-ICPNA.htm

14-16 November 2008: International Seminar on Disarmament, Terrorism and Poverty: Challenges for Peace and Human Rights Movements, Copenhagen

www.ipb.org/

24 November – 12 December 2008: 18^th Annual Human Rights and People’s Diplomacy Training Programme, Sydney and Canberra

www.dtp.unsw.edu.au/

25 November 2008: Global Public Health and the Eradication of Poverty – The 4^th Forum on the Eradication of Poverty, New York

For more information contact WFWPI or visit their website.

26-27 November 2008: Doha Civil Society Forum, Doha

www.un-ngls.org/ffd/

27-28 November 2008: Social Habitat for an Urban and Rural World, Combating Poverty Means Distributing Wealth – Conference, Neuquen , Argentina

For more information contact Gladys Elida Morales (+54-2944-15232423) or Walter Horacio Morea (+54-2944-15510757).

29 November – 2 December 2008: International Conference to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, Doha

www.un.org/esa/ffd/

29 November – 2 December 2008: Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, Doha

www.un.org/esa/ffd/

12-15 December 2008: Global Symposium – Awakening Planetary Consciousness, Lucknow ( India )

wmgd.net/symposium/2008/

15-16 December 2008: UN Forum on Minority Issues, Geneva

www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/minority/forum.htm

27 January – 1 February 2009: World Social Forum 2009 – Registration now open, Belem ( Brazil )

http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/

18-19 April 2009: Unite for Sight – 6^th Annual Global Health and Development Conference, Yale University , New Haven

www.uniteforsight.org/conference

10-13 July 2009: 2^nd International Symposium on Academic Globalization: AG 2009, Orlando – Call for Papers

www.iiis2009.org/wmsci/website/default.asp?vc=22

The CONGO E-Update is a weekly email information service of the Conference of NGOs, informing members and affiliated networks of relevant upcoming events sponsored by the United Nations, CONGO , CONGO members and its affiliated committees and task forces, and other major civil society-related initiatives. Subscription to the E-Update list is generally restricted to the UN offices and headquarters of members of the Conference of NGOs. For more information or to submit an event, please send a message to congo@ngocongo.org, at least three weeks prior to the event. To unsubscribe please send an email to congo@ngocongo.org.

Martin Wolf Andersen
Conference of NGOs ( CONGO )
Avenue de la Paix 11 • CH-1202 Geneva • Switzerland
T: +41 22 301 1000 • F: +41 22 301 2000 • W: http://www.ngocongo.org

The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations is an international membership association that facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and decisions. Founded in 1948, CONGO 's major objective is to ensure the presence of NGOs in exchanges among the world's governments and United Nations agencies on issues of global concern. CONGO has its offices and international secretariat in New York, Geneva and Vienna .

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