Distr.
GENERAL
E/CN.6/1999/1
23 December 1998
ORIGINAL: ENGLISHCOMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Forty-third session
1-12 March 1999
Item 2 of the provisional agenda
Adoption of the agenda and other organizational mattersProvisional agenda
1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women:
(a) Review of mainstreaming in organizations of the United Nations system;
(b) Emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men;
(c) Implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern.
4. Initiation of the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action and preparation for the special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000.
5. Communications concerning the status of women.
6. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, including the elaboration of a draft optional protocol to the Convention.
7. Provisional agenda for the forty-fourth session of the Commission.
8. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its forty-third session.
Annotations
1. Election of officers
Rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council provides that, at the commencement of the first meeting of a regular session, the Commission shall elect, from among the representatives of its members, a Chairperson, one or more Vice-Chairpersons and such other officers as may be required. At its last session, the Commission elected, in addition to a Chairperson, four Vice-Chairpersons, with one Vice-Chairperson having rapporteurial responsibilities.
In its resolution 1987/21, the Economic and Social Council recommended that, in order to enhance the effectiveness of the work of the Commission, the officers elected to the Bureau of the Commission should serve for a term of office of two years. The officers elected at the forty-second session will continue to serve in their capacities during the forty-third session.
The membership of the Commission in 1999 is given in annex II below.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters
Rule 7 of the rules of procedure provides that the Commission shall, at the beginning of each session, after the election of its officers, adopt the agenda for that session on the basis of the provisional agenda.
The provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-third session of the Commission were approved by the Economic and Social Council in Council decision 1998/224. In its resolution 1996/6 on follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Council adopted a multi-year work programme for the Commission for a focused and thematic approach, culminating in a review and appraisal of the Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women; decided that the work of the Commission in relation to the work programme should be closely related to the relevant provisions of the Platform for Action, with a view to ensuring the effective implementation of the Platform for Action; and decided on the items to be included in the Commission
The Commission, in its agreed conclusions 1996/1 on methods of work for dealing with the implementation of the Platform for Action, noted that its innovative methods of work had to be understood as a process that included not only the sessions of the Commission, but also the organization of work. Broad-based participation in the preparatory process for each session of the Commission was to be encouraged, and the practice of periodically convening meetings of the Bureau of the Commission open to the participation of all interested States was to be encouraged and consolidated.
Accordingly, the Bureau of the Commission held several meetings to consider the organization and method of work for the session. It convened informal consultations in preparation for the forty-third session of the Commission on 29 September and 2 December 1998. During the latter consultation, preparations for the Commission's in-session Open-ended Working Group on the Elaboration of a Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women were also reviewed.
The proposed organization of work for the session, as contained in annex I below, reflects the agreements reached during the consultations in September and December. The Commission will be informed orally by the Secretariat of any changes that may emerge from further consultations.
At the consultations, the consensus was that there should be a general debate with a focus on emerging trends and future activities (agenda item 3 (b): emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men; and agenda item 4: initiation of the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action and preparation for the special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000). To ensure wide participation, it was agreed that individual interventions by Governments, intergovernmental organizations, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations should be limited to 5 minutes, and interventions on behalf of groups should be limited to 10 minutes. It was also agreed that a specific block of time during the general debate would be set aside for interventions by non-governmental organizations. It was further agreed that the final session of the general debate would feature presenters from national machineries for the advancement of women, selected by regional groups, for a structured dialogue on national experiences and good practices in implementation of the Platform for Action. Their presentations will be followed by a discussion.
In section III of resolution 1996/6, the Economic and Social Council requested that all United Nations documentation be kept concise, clear, analytical and timely with a focus on relevant issues and in accordance with Council resolution 1987/24 of 26 May 1987 and agreed conclusions 1995/1, approved by the Council on 28 July 1995; that reports contain recommendations for action, indicate the actors and be issued in all official languages, in accordance with the rules of the United Nations; and that other methods of reporting, such as oral reports, also be explored.
The Commission will have before it a note by the Secretariat on the status of documentation for the session.
Documentation
Note by the Secretariat on the status of documentation for the session (E/CN.6/1999/L.1)
3. Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women
(a) Review of mainstreaming in organizations of the United Nations system
In section III of its resolution 1996/6, the Economic and Social Council requested the Secretary-General to prepare annually, under item 3, a report on the measures taken and the progress achieved in mainstreaming a gender perspective within the United Nations system. A report on follow-up to, and implementation of, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is submitted annually also to the Council, and to the General Assembly, in accordance with Assembly resolution 50/203, and as reiterated in Assembly resolutions 51/69, 52/100 and 53/120. The Commission will have before it the report requested.
In section I of its resolution 1996/6, the Economic and Social Council decided that the Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality should inform the Commission of the progress of its work, for the purpose of system-wide coordination. In fulfilment of that request, the Commission will hear an oral report by the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women and Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality.
Mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system, including mainstreaming women's human rights
In its resolution 41/6, the Commission addressed the need to mainstream a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system. It encouraged the Economic and Social Council to develop specific recommendations in that regard, and highlighted the need for gender mainstreaming, inter alia, at the inter-agency level, in the coordinated follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, and in the ongoing restructuring process of the Secretariat. It also requested Governments to include information on progress in mainstreaming when submitting their reports on national action plans for the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
In its resolution 39/5, the Commission requested the Secretary-General, taking into account the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women, to see to the preparation of a joint work plan on the human rights of women for the then Centre for Human Rights and the Division for the Advancement of Women on an annual basis and to inform both the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on the Status of Women at their annual sessions, beginning in 1995, of the plans. In its resolution 1998/51, the Commission on Human Rights requested that the joint work plan continue to reflect all aspects of work under way and identify where obstacles/impediments existed and areas for further collaboration. In its resolution 1998/12, the conclusions adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women on, inter alia, the human rights of women, in which the Commission proposed that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Division for the Advancement of Women should continue to prepare the joint annual work plan and strengthen cooperation and coordination in human rights activities. The joint work plan will be incorporated into the report of the Secretary-General submitted under item 3 (a).
In response to a request of the meeting of persons chairing the human rights treaty bodies which was endorsed by the General Assembly in resolution 52/118, the Division for the Advancement of Women prepared a study on the integration of a gender perspective in the work of the human rights treaty bodies HRI/MC/1998/6, and submitted it to the tenth meeting of the Chairpersons. The persons chairing the human rights treaty bodies strongly endorsed the report and emphasized the usefulness of such a comprehensive study to the work of the treaty bodies, in particular in assessing current practices and in identifying and focusing on areas of improvements for the future (A/53/432, para. 53). The study will be before the Commission for its information.
Palestinian women
In its resolution 1998/10 on Palestinian women, the Economic and Social Council requested the Commission on the Status of Women to continue to monitor and take action with regard to the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular paragraph 260 concerning Palestinian women and children, and the Beijing Platform for Action; and requested the Secretary-General to continue to review the situation and to assist Palestinian women by all available means, and to submit to the Commission at its forty-third session a report on the progress made in the implementation of that resolution. The report of the Secretary-General on this question will be incorporated into the report of the Secretary-General submitted under item 3 (a).
Release of women and children taken hostage in armed conflicts, including those subsequently imprisoned
In its resolution 42/2, the Commission on the Status of Women requested the Secretary-General and all relevant international organizations to use their capabilities and efforts to facilitate the release of such women and children, and requested the Secretary-General to prepare, taking into account the information provided by States and relevant international organizations, a report on the implementation of that resolution, for submission to the Commission at its forty-third session. The report of the Secretary-General on this question will be incorporated into the report of the Secretary-General submitted under item 3 (a).
Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat
The General Assembly, in its resolution 53/119 on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat, called upon the Secretary-General to implement fully and monitor the strategic plan of action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000) in order to achieve the goal of 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000; encouraged the Secretary-General to appoint more women as special representatives and envoys; and requested the Secretary-General to ensure that heads of departments and offices developed gender action plans, and to further develop the policy against harassment, including sexual harassment. The Assembly requested the Secretary-General to include in his report on the implementation of that resolution, statistics on the number and percentage of women in all organizational units and at all levels throughout the United Nations system and on the implementation of gender action plans. The Commission will have before it the report requested.
Violence against women
In resolution 50/166 on the role of the United Nations Development Fund for Women in eliminating violence against women, the General Assembly requested the Fund to include in its regular reports information regarding its activities to eliminate violence against women and to provide such information to the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Human Rights. It also requested the Fund to include in its regular reports information on the establishment of a trust fund in support of national, regional and international actions to eliminate violence against women and to provide such information to the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Human Rights. The Commission on the Status of Women will be provided with such information.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
In accordance with article 21.2 of the Convention, the reports of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women are transmitted to the Commission for its information. The report of the Committee on its eighteenth and nineteenth sessions (A/53/38/Rev.1) and a note transmitting the results of the Committee's twentieth session (19 January to 5 February 1999) will be before the Commission for its information.
The situation of older women
The Commission, in its resolution 41/2 on older women, human rights and development, requested the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its forty-third session on the key global issues regarding the differential impact of population ageing on men and women as a contribution to the International Year of Older Persons. In its resolution 42/4 on older women and support systems: gender and caregiving, the Commission put forward a set of recommendations to Governments and requested the Secretary-General to take those recommendations into account when preparing his report to the Commission at its forty-third session.
1999 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development
The General Assembly, in its resolution 49/161, requested the Secretary-General to continue updating the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development. The third update of the World Survey will be presented to the Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. In accordance with past practice, a preliminary executive summary of the World Survey will be presented to the Economic and Social Council, through the Commission on the Status of Women.
Programme matters
In accordance with the Regulations and Rules Governing Programme Planning, the Programme Aspects of the Budget, the Monitoring of Implementation and the Methods of Evaluation, the attention of the Commission is drawn to the programme of work and activities in the area of the advancement of women. In its resolution 52/220 (III), the General Assembly noted the creation of the new Department of Economic and Social Affairs (section 7A of the programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999). Subprogramme 2 of section 7A covers the programme on the advancement of women. The new programme narrative for section 7A pertaining to the programme on the advancement of women, as modified by the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) and approved by the Assembly in its resolution 53/207 on programme planning, will be before the Commission for its information. Also before the Commission for its information will be an excerpt from the report on the programme performance for the biennium 1996-1997 dealing with the programme of work on the advancement of women. The Commission will also be provided with the revisions to the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001 as adopted by the Assembly in its resolution 53/207, reflecting the reform process including the creation of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and which serve as the framework for the programme of work on the advancement of women for the biennium 2000-2001. The Commission will have before it a note by the Secretariat on the proposed programme of work of the Division for the Advancement of Women for the biennium 2000-2001.Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on follow-up to and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (E/CN.6/1999/2 and addenda)
Report of the Secretary-General on the differential impact of population ageing on men and women (E/CN.6/1999/3)
Report of the Secretary-General on progress in improving the status of women in the Secretariat (E/CN.6/1999/5)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting information provided by the United Nations Development Fund for Women on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 50/166 (E/CN.6/1999/6)
Note by the Secretariat transmitting the results of the twentieth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (E/CN.6/1999/CRP.1)
Note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of the Division for the Advancement of Women for the biennium 2000-2001 (E/CN.6/1999/CRP.2)
Note by the Secretary-General containing a preliminary executive summary of the 1999 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development (E/CN.6/1999/CRP.3)
Documentation for information
Report of the Secretary-General on the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (A/53/376)
Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its eighteenth and nineteenth sessions (A/53/38/Rev.1)
Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (A/53/318), as mandated in General Assembly resolution 49/164
Annual report of the activities of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (A/53/363, annex), as mandated in agreed conclusions 1997/2, twenty-ninth paragraph, of the Economic and Social Council
(b) Emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men
In its resolution 1996/6, the Economic and Social Council elaborated the Commission's terms of reference and, inter alia, decided that the Commission should identify emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men that required urgent consideration, and make substantive recommendations thereon; decided that the Commission's agenda would include annually a sub-item 3 (b) on emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men; and requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report on emerging issues under that sub-item, as appropriate, at the request of the Commission or its Bureau. The Commission also noted, bearing in mind the role of the Council in overall coordination, that increased dialogue between the Bureaux of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Economic and Social Council, the chairpersons and secretariats, as appropriate, of the other functional commissions, other subsidiary bodies and related bodies, including the relevant executive boards, would assist in identifying issues that could be addressed under the agenda item on emerging issues and trends.
No request of the Commission or its Bureau for a report under item 3 (b) of the agenda for the forty-third session of the Commission has been addressed to the Secretary-General.
(c) Implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern
In its resolution 51/69, the General Assembly welcomed Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/6 in which the Council strengthened the mandate and terms of reference of the Commission on the Status of Women and endorsed the Commissions multi-year work programme for the period 1996-2000. The Assembly also welcomed the Commission's agreed conclusions 1996/1 on the Commission's methods of work for dealing with the implementation of the Platform for Action. The Council, in its resolution 1996/6, decided on a calendar for considering the Platform's 12 critical areas of concern, in the light of the need for a focused and thematic multi-year work programme on these areas and bearing in mind that the critical areas of concern are interrelated and interdependent. Accordingly, the Commission will review the following two critical areas of concern in 1999: women and health (Platform for Action, chap. IV.C); and institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women (Platform for Action, chap. IV.H).
In its agreed conclusions 1996/1, the Commission established the basis for the organization of work at its subsequent sessions. As stated in these agreed conclusions, the Commission considered that its effectiveness and efficiency could be improved through innovative methods of work, including inviting experts to participate in the substantive debate on selected issues as part of the regular work of the Commission. The practice of inviting experts was expected to deal effectively with the critical areas of concern established in the Platform for Action and to contribute to the effective follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women. The experts should be chosen from the fields of study addressed under the critical areas of concern, taking into account equitable geographical distribution and the involvement of non-governmental organizations. Panels of experts should be formed. They should include experts appointed by the Secretary-General, experts working within the United Nations system, and experts from Governments and from civil society. The selection of experts, the composition of the panels, and the allocation of time to dialogues should be decided inter-sessionally by the Bureau of the Commission, taking into consideration the proposals of the United Nations Secretariat. The Secretariat should prepare a list of candidates for the panels based on suggestions from States and civil society. The Bureau should convene meetings open to the participation of all interested States to ensure a broad base of participation. Meetings should be allotted for dialogue with organizations within the United Nations system and civil society and among governmental delegations. Sufficient time should be devoted to intergovernmental dialogue. The results of the dialogues should normally be reflected in concise, action-oriented agreed conclusions to be transmitted to the Economic and Social Council by a Commission decision, and should also contain policy recommendations and identify coordination issues to be dealt with by the Council.
As agreed at the fortieth session, the Bureau of the Commission convened consultations as noted above. At the consultations, the consensus was that there should be two panels, one on each of the critical areas of concern. It was agreed that each panel would have four experts. Two meetings would be allocated to each of the two critical areas of concern, allowing for a panel discussion and dialogue with the panel of experts and among Member States and observers. Panellists would be instructed to keep their presentations to 10 to 12 minutes each and to make their written statements available in advance.
In making its proposals concerning the composition of the panels, the Secretariat was guided by the parameters established in agreed conclusions 1996/1 of the Commission. The need to ensure a mix of relevant experience on implementation of the Platform for Action and for geographical balance guided the final selection of panellists by the Bureau. Governments were invited to submit nominations for experts who might be considered for the panels with indications regarding on which of the two panels the nominee might serve and the specific aspects on which each had expertise, by 20 October 1998.
(i) Women and health
Critical area of concern C of the Platform for Action deals with women and health. The Commission will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the thematic issues to be addressed at its forty-third session, including the conclusions and recommendations of the expert group meeting on women and health, including a framework for designing national health policies with an integrated gender perspective.
(ii) Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women
Critical area of concern H of the Platform for Action deals with institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women. The Commission will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the thematic issues to be addressed at its forty-third session, including conclusions and recommendations of the expert group meeting on national machineries for gender equality.
Documentation
Analytical report of the Secretary-General on the thematic issues before the Commission in accordance with the multi-year work programme, including, as far as possible, progress made in national implementation, based on available data and statistics (E/CN.6/1999/4)
4. Initiation of the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action and preparation for the special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000
The Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1996/6, adopted a multi-year work programme for the Commission. Accordingly, in 1999 the Commission will initiate the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action. The general discussion (see sixth paragraph of annotations for item 2 above) is expected to focus on emerging trends and future activities (agenda item 3 (b)) and agenda item 4.
5. Communications concerning the status of women
In its resolution 76 (V) of 5 August 1947, the Economic and Social Council established a procedure by which the Commission on the Status of Women would receive and consider communications relating to the status of women. In its resolution 304 I (XI) of 14 and 17 July 1950, the Council amended resolution 76 (V) and requested the Secretary-General to compile, before each session of the Commission, a list of confidential and non-confidential communications, containing a brief indication of the substance of each communication.
In its resolution 1983/27, the Economic and Social Council reaffirmed the mandate of the Commission to consider confidential and non-confidential communications on the status of women, and authorized the Commission to appoint a working group to consider such communications and prepare a report thereon for the Commission.
In its resolution 1993/11, the Economic and Social Council reaffirmed that the Commission was empowered to make recommendations to the Council on what action should be taken on emerging trends and patterns of discrimination against women revealed by such communications.
Documentation
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the confidential list of communications concerning the status of women (E/CN.6/1999/S.W. Communications List No. 32)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the non-confidential list of communications concerning the status of women (E/CN.6/1999/CRP.34)
6. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, including the elaboration of a draft optional protocol to the Convention
In its resolution 1995/29 of 24 July 1995, the Economic and Social Council decided that the Commission on the Status of Women should establish an in-session open-ended working group to consider an optional protocol to the Convention. It renewed the mandate of the working group in its decision 1996/240.
In its decision 1997/227, the Economic and Social Council renewed the mandate of the in-session Open-ended Working Group on the Elaboration of a Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, so that it might continue its work, pursuant to Council resolution 1995/29, during the forty-second and forty-third sessions of the Commission, and authorized it to meet in parallel with the Commission. It also decided to invite a representative of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to attend those meetings as a resource person.
Documentation for information
Report of the Secretary-General containing an annotated comparison of the draft optional protocol and the amendments proposed thereto with the provisions of existing international human rights instruments, taking into account the report of the Working Group to the Commission at its forty-first session (E/CN.6/1998/7)
Report of the Secretary-General containing a comparative summary of existing communications and inquiry procedures and practices under international human rights instruments and under the Charter of the United Nations (E/CN.6/1997/4)
Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its eighteenth and nineteenth sessions (A/53/38/Rev.1)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the results of the twentieth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (E/CN.6/1999/CRP.1)
7. Provisional agenda for the forty-fourth session of the Commission
Pursuant to paragraph 3 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1894 (LVII), and in accordance with sections III.5 (documentation) and IV.3 and 4 of Council resolution 1996/6, the Commission will have before it the draft provisional agenda for its forty-fourth session, with an indication of the documents to be submitted under each agenda item and the legislative authority for their preparation, in order to enable the Commission to consider those documents from the point of view of their contribution to the work of the Commission, and of their urgency and relevance in the light of the current situation.
8. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its forty-third session
In accordance with rule 37 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission shall submit to the Council a report on the work of its forty-third session.
Annex I
Proposed organization of work
Week of 1-5 March 1999
Monday, 1 March
a.m. Opening of the session
Item 2 Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters
General discussion on:
Item 3 (b) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: general discussion (emerging issues and trends); and
Item 4 Initiation of the comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Platform for Action and preparation for the special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000
p.m.* Items 3 (b) and 4 Continuation of general discussion
Tuesday, 2 March
a.m.* Items 3 (b) and 4 Continuation of general discussion
p.m.* Structured dialogue of representatives of national machineries on good practices
Conclusion of general discussion
Wednesday, 3 March
a.m.* Item 3 (c) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern: women and health
Panel of experts: presentation and dialogue
p.m.* Item 3 (c) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern: women and health
Dialogue continued
Thursday, 4 March
a.m.* Item 3 (c) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern: institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women
Panel of experts: presentation and dialogue
p.m.* Item 3 (c) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern: institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women
Dialogue continued
Friday, 5 March
a.m.* Item 3 (a) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: review of mainstreaming in organizations of the United Nations system
p.m.* Item 3 Informal consultations
Week of 8-12 March
Monday, 8 Marcha
a.m.* Item 3 (a) Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women: review of mainstreaming in organizations of the United Nations system (proposed programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001) for the Division for the Advancement of Women
p.m.* Meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women with the Open-ended Working Group on the Elaboration of a Draft Optional Protocol, followed by:
Item 3 Informal consultations
6 p.m. Deadline for submission of draft proposals on items 3, 4 and 6
Tuesday, 9 March
a.m.* Item 3 Informal consultations
p.m.* Item 3 Informal consultations
Wednesday, 10 March
a.m.* Item 5 Closed meeting of the Commission to consider the report of the Working Group on Communications, followed by:
Item 3 Informal consultations
p.m.* Item 3 Informal consultations
Thursday, 11 March
a.m.* Item 3 Informal consultations
p.m.* All items Introduction of draft proposals, followed by:
p.m.* Informal consultations on all outstanding issues, if necessary
Friday, 12 March
a.m. and Report of the Open-ended Working Group on the Elaboration
p.m. of a Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Action on draft proposals and on the proposed agreed conclusions on item 3 (c)
p.m. Item 7 Provisional agenda for the forty-fourth session of the Commission
Item 8 Adoption of the report of the Commission on its forty-third session
Closure of the session
Annex II
Membership of the Commission on the Status of Women
in 1999(45 members; four-year term)Term expires
Membership on 31 December
Belgium .................................................................................................. 2002
Bolivia .................................................................................................. 2001
Brazil .................................................................................................... 1999
Burundi ................................................................................................. 2002
Chile ..................................................................................................... 1999
China .................................................................................................... 1999
Côte d'Ivoire ......................................................................................... 2001
Cuba ..................................................................................................... 2001
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ................................................ 2002
Dominican Republic .............................................................................. 1999
Egypt .................................................................................................... 2002
Ethiopia ................................................................................................ 2000
France ................................................................................................... 2000
Germany ............................................................................................... 2000
Ghana ................................................................................................... 2000
India ..................................................................................................... 2001
Iran (Islamic Republic of) ........................................................................ 2001
Italy ...................................................................................................... 2002
Japan ..................................................................................................... 2000
Lebanon ................................................................................................ 1999
Lesotho ................................................................................................. 2001
Lithuania ............................................................................................... 2002
Malaysia ............................................................................................... 2001
Mali ...................................................................................................... 1999
Mexico .................................................................................................. 2002
Mongolia .............................................................................................. 2002
Morocco ................................................................................................ 2000
Norway ................................................................................................. 1999
Paraguay ............................................................................................... 2000
Peru ...................................................................................................... 2000
Poland ................................................................................................... 2000
Republic of Korea ................................................................................. 2001
Russian Federation ................................................................................ 2002
Rwanda ................................................................................................. 2001
Saint Lucia ............................................................................................ 2001
Senegal ................................................................................................. 2002
Slovakia ................................................................................................ 1999
Sri Lanka .............................................................................................. 2001
Sudan .................................................................................................... 2001
Swaziland ............................................................................................. 1999
Thailand ................................................................................................ 2000
Turkey .................................................................................................. 2002
Uganda .................................................................................................. 2001
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ......................... 2000
United States of America ....................................................................... 1999