E-Newsletter – January 2009

Current UN-INSTRAW work/activities

Towards Gender-Sensitive Migration: Results of Two Virtual Discussions

UN-INSTRAW released the results of two Virtual Dialogues held in September and November 2008 which aimed to bring together experts from around the globe to examine migration and development from a gender perspective. The objective of the first dialogue, “Gender, Migration and Development: Towards a participatory research framework”, in which over 90 academics and researchers participated from universities, think tanks and international organizations, was to encourage debate and analysis of women's participation in migratory flows and women’s contributions to development, as well as to enrich UN-INSTRAW's research framework and public policy advocacy with new perspectives, ideas and priorities. The second discussion, “Gender, Migration and Development: Creating gender-sensitive migration policy”, which included over 220 participants from government bodies, academia, and international and non-governmental organizations from over 40 countries, aimed at identifying priorities and challenges in migration policy, collecting global knowledge and experiences and strengthening existing networks among experts in the field. The need for greater co-operation and co-ordination between all actors involved in migration was highlighted in both discussions, namely, between the governments of countries of origin and destination, between levels and ministries of governments and between researchers and policy-makers. An additional important outcome of the virtual dialogues has been the creation of a virtual community of experts on the issues of gender, migration and development. This community of practice will serve as a more permanent community through which to promote regular interaction, reflection, evaluation, dialogue and exchange of information on the gender dimensions of migration and their impacts on development.
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UN Calls for More Collaboration to Fill Research Gaps on Gender, Peace and Security

UN-INSTRAW recently launched the results of its virtual dialogue, “Filling the Gaps: A Virtual Discussion of Gender, Peace and Security Research” which was held in October 2008. The discussion provided an opportunity for academics, researchers, NGOs, research institutes and international organizations around the world to fortify existing networks and to build a platform from which to advance more participatory and dynamic research. In particular, the discussion aimed to assess the results of the work being done in research on GPS issues and identify concrete strategies and mechanisms to strengthen the impact of research on policy-making and operational efforts. Participants highlighted the need to increase collaboration and the building of networks between academia, policy makers and activists to make peace and security research more inclusive and its impact more visible. They also stressed the importance of fully incorporating and utilizing a gender perspective in traditional academic disciplines. UN-INSTRAW suggested the use of sophisticated gender-sensitive indicators that can measure and demonstrate the process, quality, direction and impact of change. The participants further recommended the creation of more academic programs in the area of GPS with a focus on connecting academia and civil society, and the development of a Community of Practice that would strengthen collaboration and information sharing among academia, policy-makers and activists.
Read the Summary of the Dialogue
Read the 10 Key Recommendations
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UN-INSTRAW’s Gender Training Community of Practice held a Virtual Dialogue on the Current Situation of Gender Training in October 2008, which brought together 135 gender training professionals (designers and facilitators) from across the globe to reflect on the current state of gender training and to share concrete experiences. One of the main conclusions of this virtual dialogue was that to ensure gender sensitivity within institutions, more senior management should attend trainings. Participants in the dialogue were also in unanimous agreement that evaluation should be at the centre of training initiatives; for example, through the presentation of expected outputs and outcomes at the beginning of the training process, and the establishment of a baseline of information against which the quality and impact of the training process can be assessed. In this light, participants underlined the importance of adopting an Action Plan for adequate and systematic follow up to gender training. The Virtual Dialogue was the first activity of the Gender Training Community of Practice which aims to offer a space to obtain clarity on gender training issues and allow for the standardization of basic principles, guidelines and requirements. The general purpose of the CoP is to “create a virtual think-tank to strengthen the effectiveness and sustainability of training for gender equality and women's empowerment and maximize existing experience and expertise".
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Crossing Borders II: Migration and Development from a Gender Perspective

UN-INSTRAW launched their new theoretical framework “Crossing Borders II: Migration and Development from a Gender Perspective”, at an event organized in Madrid with the participation of the Spanish “Instituto de la Mujer” on 29 January 2009. Conceptualized within a human development framework and with a human rights approach that places gender equality at its centre, the new document deconstructs the paradigm of remittances for development from a gender perspective and explores emerging themes in the relationship between gender, migration and development. In the design of this conceptual framework, UN-INSTRAW carried out research to ensure that the elimination of gender inequality is a development goal and to deconstruct the paradigm of ‘remittances for development’, which is the basis of the present discourse and interventions. The Institute’s new theoretical framework proposes to redefine the principles of this paradigm, assessing human growth when measuring the impact of migratory processes, not just monetary growth and economic development. The document explores new strategies to investigate the growing autonomous migration of women, and proposes a critical analysis of the disparities and inequality that underlie the decision-making and migratory processes, and their relationships and impacts on the sending, receiving and use of remittances. This conceptual framework is articulated in seven chapters that can be read independently.
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Global Gender News

Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Bill – India

On 17 December 2008 the Indian Parliament passed the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Bill, which seeks to provide welfare measures for unorganised workers. The House of Representatives in Parliament has described the Bill as the first major step in 60 years that will benefit the poor. Amongst the workers to be covered under the Act are agricultural workers, migrant labourers and workers in the informal sector. It is estimated that 94 percent of the working class in the country employed in the unorganised sector would get the benefit of health, life and disability insurance, old age pension and group accident coverage. The Indian Government has also introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Scheme that provides a minimum of 100 days of employment to those in the unorganised sector, and would raise the income of workers.
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Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum 2009

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative announced its first conference, the SVRI Forum 2009, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 6 to 9 July 2009. The conference aims to promote research on sexual violence, highlighting innovation in research and encouraging sharing and networking in the area of combating sexual violence. Sexual violence is a global issue that requires coordinated evidence-based responses. This global event will bring together 200 participants who will discuss important issues on sexual violence, i.e. its social and cultural context, identifying gaps, building capacity, supporting research, raising awareness and networking. For more information on conference activities, deadlines for the submission of abstracts, registration deadlines, etc. please visit
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Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Doha 2008

Members of the Women’s Working Group on Financing for Development, who participated in the Follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) held on 29 November-2 December 2008, in Doha Qatar, welcomed the recognition of important aspects related to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the outcome document of the Conference. At the same time, the Women’s Working Group re-emphasized their demand for stronger gender equality policy commitments and actions on development, trade, finance, debt, aid and systemic issues that underpin poverty, asymmetries and the mal-distribution of power and resources in the global political economy. The Women’s Working Group also reaffirmed the importance of integrating a gender analysis into the wider public management arena, calling for the elimination of gender-based discrimination in all its forms, including in labour and financial markets and in the ownership of assets and property rights. They also called on decision-makers to acknowledge that macroeconomic, systemic, and financial issues are not gender-neutral and therefore demand gender-sensitive policies.
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Women Changing their World - 10 Case Studies

AWID's Building Feminist Movements and Organisations (BFEMO) Initiative undertook a series of 10 case studies between July 2007 and February 2008 to advance an understanding of feminist movements that mobilize women to make a difference in the current global context. Guidelines were developed to assist in the gathering of comparative data on the origins, structures, strategies and impacts of these movements. Through these case studies, the Initiative aims to provide other organizations and groups working to build similar types of movements with a guide for their work. AWID encourages the reading of the full case studies, and requests comments, suggestions and feedback to help them expand and refine the analysis.
Download case studies
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Conference on the Primary Prevention of Violence against Women

Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR), an international organization that mobilizes male youth to prevent violence against women, announced its upcoming conference, "Men and Women as Allies: National Conference on the Primary Prevention of Violence against Women," which will be held from 14 to 15 April 2009 in Washington, D.C. The conference aims to provide an opportunity to discuss questions related to MCSR's field of activities (such as women's and men's roles in primary prevention), and the ways in which groups dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, and men's anti-violence can work together to advance prevention, among other relevant issues. The Conference will include the participation of important keynote speakers including writer Eve Ensler, filmmaker Byron Hurt, U.S. Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and other political leaders.
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World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 – “Shaping the Post-Crisis World”

The World Economic Forum (WEC) held their Annual Meeting from 28 January to 1 February 2008 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. Some of the key objectives of this meeting were: a) finding solutions to the world economic crisis and stabilizing the global economy; b) organizing a task force of business leaders; c) reform of the international financial architecture; d) convening key policy makers and financial leaders to identify and analyze economic challenges and establish new policies that will restore stability. Special attention was given to environmental issues including food and water security, sustainability, education and the launching of new collaborative and ethical initiatives aimed at restoring confidence in confronting global challenges. Some participants acknowledged that more attention needs to be paid to the lives of women in order to avoid the worsening of the present economic crisis that could have devastating effects on women and children. Other issues discussed at the Forum that were related to women and the present global economic crisis included: a) women’s participation at the senior level in financial global institutions and at governmental levels; b) the advancement of women to promote economic growth and thus contribute to global economic recovery; c) the plight of women in developing countries; d) women’s leadership at the international level; e) discrimination against women and the role women play in sustaining labour in developing countries; f) a recognition of women’s contributions in emerging markets; and g) defending equal rights.
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Press Contact:
Tove Silveira
Communications Associate
Tel: 809-685-2111 , ext. 227
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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About UN-INSTRAW

UN-INSTRAW is an Institute devoted to applied research, training and knowledge management in partnership with governments, the United Nations Agencies, civil society and academia to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment.
Website: www.un-instraw.org