Brussels, 25/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - The 49th meeting of the United Nations' Women's Commission will be held in New York from 28 February to 11 March to look at the Beijing action programme and texts adopted by the 23rd extraordinary meeting of the UN General Assembly in 2000. It will also consider current problems and strategies. The UN Commission will examine measures taken at national level and encourage the sharing of information and good practices. The results of the meeting will be presented to the 60th meeting of the UN Assembly General in September this year. From 28 February to 1 March, the Commission will be attended by Luxembourg's equal opportunities minister Marie-Josée Jacobs, who will outline on behalf of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU the views of the 25 EU Member States on equal opportunities between men and women, as adopted on 4 February 2005 (see EUROPE of 5 February, p.15). Susanna Florio, Italian trade unionist and member of the European Economic and Social Committee, rapporteur on Beijing + 10, assessing progress in terms of male-female equality in Europe and developing countries, will also attend the meetings.
Ahead of the Commission meetings, 134 countries have supplied information to the UN on measures they have taken to promote sexual equality and apply the Beijing programme's recommendations. Assessment ten years on will look at work to improve access to healthcare, increase public awareness of women's basic rights, increase women's involvement in decision-making bodies at government level and in civil society, prevent violence against women and reduce armed conflict by increasing women's involvement in the peace process.