Within the framework of the project “Gender and remittances: Strengthening the capacities of Colombian women migrants as development agents from a human rights perspective,” UN-INSTRAW provides technical assistance to Sisma Mujer, an organization that monitors the situation of women’s human rights in Colombia.

UN-INSTRAW congratulates Dr. Inés Alberdi, the new Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and former member of the UN-INSTRAW Executive Board from 1989 until 1998, wishing her success in her endeavours.

Fahmida Mirza, representative of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was elected Speaker of the National Assembly. She is the first woman to occupy this post in Pakistan’s history. With 249 of a possible 342 votes from lower house of the National Assembly, Miza is the sixteenth Parliamentary, taking over from Chaudhry Amir Hussain of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid. [Photo: EFE]

On the occasion of International Women’s Day and with a view towards fostering initiatives to encourage greater participation of women in Latin America, the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of (UN-INSTRAW) gave its support to the establishment of the Network of Costa Rican Councilwomen (RECOMM).

Within the framework of International Women’s Day, the Office of the First Lady and the Gender Machinery of the Dominican Republic organized the “International Seminar Women in Sustainable Human Development”, held on 6-7 March in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

3 March, 2008

Carmen Moreno, Director of UN-INSTRAW, participated in the 52nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) being held from 25 February to 7 March 2008 at United Nations Headquarters. In her statement, and in line with the priority theme of the CSW session, Moreno emphasized that investment in the empowerment of women is a prerequisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

In the framework of the celebrations commemorating International Women’s Day, Ms Carmen Moreno, Director of UN-INSTRAW, received the visit of the First Lady of Mexico, Ms Margarita Zavala.

UN-INSTRAW participated at First International Forum on Women and Local Politics on 26 February 2008 in Córdoba, Spain. The aim of the Forum was to analyze and commonly agree upon local initiatives to confront the challenges of the processes resulting from a global and interconnected world.

19 February, 2008

UN-INSTRAW’s Executive Board will celebrate its Fifth Session at UN Headquarters on 21-22 February 2008. At this session, the Executive Board will discuss the Institute’s last activities, among other issues related to its work plan for the forthcoming months.