Women on the move - newsletter 9
This newsletter has been made available in electronic format by the United Nations. Reproduction and dissemination of the newsletter - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available.
WOMEN ON THE MOVE
1995/ No. 9
Published by United Nations
Secretariat of the Fourth World Conference on Women
Division for the Advancement of Women
****SPECIAL ISSUE*****
FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, BEIJING 1995
Summary
- Information for participants
- List of Conference documents
- Calendar of special activities
- Rules of Procedures
- Internet Activities
- Calendar
INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS
Site of the Conference
The Fourth World Conference on Women will be held at the Beijing International Convention Centre (BICC). The address is as follows:
United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women
c/o Beijing International Convention Centre
No. 8 Beichen East Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100101
Telephone: (86-10) 493.8247, 493.8244
Fax: (86-10) 491.0256, 499.3993
The time distance between the Convention Centre and the centre of Beijing is approximately 25 minutes in non-peak hour traffic; between the Convention Centre and Beijing Capital Airport it is 20 minutes.
Pre-Conference consultations, Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 of September
Pre-Conference consultations to consider organizational and procedural matters, and the report of the contact group on gender, as well as the non-paper of the open-ended informal consultations conducted by the Chairperson of the Commission on the Status of Women from 31 July - 4 August will be held at the BICC on Saturday, 2 September, and Sunday, 3 September. They will begin at 10 a.m. on 2 September.
Opening of the Conference
A welcoming ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, 4 September, in the Great Hall of the People in the centre of Beijing. The formal opening of the Conference will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, 4 September, in the Plenary Hall (Hall 1) of the BICC.
Further information about the welcoming ceremony and the opening meeting will be given at the pre-Conference consultations to be open to all States participating in the Conference. In order that the opening meeting of the conference may begin punctually, participants are requested to be seated in the Plenary Hall by 2:30 p.m.
Registration of participants and identification cards
A centre for registration of participants and issuance of access/identification passes will be open at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 25 August, at the Tennis Hall of the Beijing Recreation Centre. The Hall is located at 600 meters from the BICC. From 1 to 6 September, the registration/pass office will be open for longer hours to ensure the smooth issuance of passes. Registration of accredited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations will begin on 28 August at the Tennis Hall.
Admission to the BICC will require, at all times, the presentation of identification cards. All participants in the Conference - government delegates, United Nations Secretariat staff, representatives of United Nations programmes and specialized agencies and of accredited intergovernmental and non- governmental organizations, members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and special guests - are therefore requested to register at the Tennis Hall.
Following registration, each participant will be issued an identification card or grounds pass.
Government Registration
In addition to these individual grounds passes, each government delegation will be issued four access cards for the Plenary Hall. At the opening session of the Conference and at other designated times, access to the Plenary Hall will be regulated by the use of such cards. Plenary Hall passes will also be issued to other participants, in addition to government delegations, in relation to the allotment of seats assigned to them in the Plenary Hall.
The process of registration will be greatly facilitated if Conference credentials containing lists of the names of participants are transmitted by each delegation prior to actual registration in person. Such information should be conveyed directly to the United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service at the Conference site.
Delegations of States participating in the Conference are reminded that credentials of representatives to the Conference must be signed either by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. All other communications in this respect shall be considered as provisional credentials until such time as formal credentials are received by the Secretary- General of the Conference or the Office of Legal Affairs.
NGO's Registration
The registration of accredited intergovernmental and non- governmental organizations and press/media representatives will also take place at the Tennis Hall. The loss of an identification card must be reported immediately to United Nations Security Personnel.
Programme of meetings
The programme of meetings will be printed in the Conference Journal, to be issued on a daily basis, giving the Conference rooms and times of meetings. Morning meetings are scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and afternoon meetings from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. When evening sessions are required, they will generally begin at 6 p.m.
Seating arrangements
At the opening of the Conference and at subsequent meetings of the Plenary in Hall 1, each government delegation will be assigned four seats, two at table and two seats behind. In Conference Halls 15 and 16, located on the second and third floor respectively of the East Annex of the BICC, where meetings of the Main Committees will be held, each government delegation will have two seats, one seat at table and one seat behind.
Specifically identified seating facilities will be available for other participants at the Conference.
Languages of the Conference
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the Conference. Official documents of the Conference will be made available in the languages of the Conference.
Interpretation services
Statements made in any of the six official languages will be interpreted into the other official languages. Any representative may, in accordance with rule 53 of the provisional rules of procedure, make a statement in a language other than a language of the Conference. The delegation in question should provide either an interpretation or a written text of the statement in one of the official languages. This interpretation or written text will be considered by the Secretariat to represent the official text of the statement and will be used by United Nations interpreters as the basis for interpretation into the other official languages.
There will be interpretation services for a total of three simultaneous meetings in the morning and three in the afternoon. The servicing of all official meetings, extensions of official meetings beyond their normal duration, or the provision of interpretation services to regional or other group meetings should therefore be arranged within that framework.
Meetings other than those of United Nations bodies, such as regional or interest groups, will be accommodated according to the availability of meeting rooms and services. Requests for meeting services should be directed to Mr. William Bunch, Secretariat Services Coordinator.
Circulation of prepared statements
A minimum of 30 copies and, if possible, a copy on diskette of the text of speeches to be delivered in plenary meetings and other meetings should be given in advance to the conference officer in order to enable the Secretariat to provide the best possible service.
Delegations wishing to circulate their speeches to all participants are requested to provide 350 copies to the conference officer who will be located in each conference room. All texts should be delivered before the speaker takes the floor, preferably at the start of the meeting. Conference participants are reminded that the Secretariat will not be in a position to offer reproduction services for such texts.
If written texts are provided in more than one official language, delegations should clearly indicate which texts are to be accepted as the official text. Furthermore, in order to avoid confusion, delegations should also specify whether this official text is to be "checked against delivery" or read out as written.
If participants wish their speeches to be included in the Internet system, they are required to provide a diskette containing the text of the speech.
Distribution of official documents
The main documents distribution counter will be located on the ground floor near the main entrance of the BICC. Each delegation will be assigned an individual box at the documents distribution counter in which copies of all official documents issued during the Conference will be placed.
Delegations are reminded that those document boxes, or pigeon holes, are exclusively for the distribution of official Conference documentation and may not be used for the circulation of any other papers or documents.
Each delegation is requested to advise the documents distribution counter of its daily requirements in terms of the number of copies of each document it wishes to receive during the Conference. The quantity requested should be sufficient to cover all requirements since it will not be possible to provide complete sets of documents after the end of the Conference.
Accredited NGOs and representatives of the press/media will be able to obtain official Conference documents at designated documents distribution desks. These will be located on the third floor of the BICC (for NGOs), and on the ground floor, adjacent to entrance number 17 (for press/media) respectively.
Receipt and circulation of other documents
Other documents that Governments and organizations may wish to make available to Conference participants are to be provided by those Governments and organizations in the languages and quantities available. It is suggested that Governments and organizations make approximately 500 copies available in English, with lesser numbers of the other official languages if those are provided.
Two copies of each such document should be forwarded to Mr. William Bunch, Secretariat Services Coordinator. They will be listed in an information note to be circulated at the Conference.
The Secretariat will not undertake reproduction or translation of such documents, nor official distribution of such documents. However, separate pigeonholes for government delegations for such documents will be set up on the second floor of the BICC.
Media facilities
Facilities for media coverage will be available on-site on the ground floor of the East Annex of the BICC. There will be 360 journalist work stations available on an as needed basis.
A telecommunication centre (available at commercial rates) and a press lounge are located in the same area. An additional media working area with 200 work stations will be set up at the CATIC Hotel adjacent to the BICC. Facilities will be similar to those in the BICC press working area and include a photo processing room.
There will be 200 rooms for rent to overseas media organizations, as well as 60-80 larger spaces of variable size.
Television coverage of the plenary sessions, press conferences and other official meetings and events will be carried out by UNTV through China Central Television (CCTV). Closed-circuit television monitors located throughout the press working area and the Conference site will carry the coverage. Facilities for radio and TV production will be available at the China Central Television Headquarters.
Details concerning press facilities and media accreditation are contained in a separate information note issued by the United Nations Department for Public Information.
Press conferences
Daily press briefings by the Spokeswoman of the Conference will be held at 12:00 (in English) and 12:30 (in French) in the Press Briefing Room (Hall 2). This Hall will also be used for press conferences by delegations and UN agencies. Requests for press conferences should be directed to the Office of the Spokeswoman for the Conference.
Press releases in English and French will be issued daily and will cover all official meetings of the Conference.
Parallel Activities
A programme of seminars, panels and workshops on issues relating to the Conference is being organized by entities of the United Nations system for Conference participants. These events will be held at the Securities and Exchange Building across from the BICC. Events will begin on 5 September and continue through 14 September. The calendar for these events will be available at the Conference site.
Non-governmental organizations
An orientation session for representatives of accredited non- governmental organizations will be held on Sunday, 3 September, from 1 - 3 pm at the BICC. Identification cards will be required. Daily morning briefings for accredited NGOs will be organized at the BICC by the FWCW secretariat in cooperation with the NGOs.
Other useful information for participants
Reception on arrival at the Beijing Airport
Beginning on 20 August, participants will be welcomed in the restricted area of the Airport and directed to special information desks where they will be informed about arrangements for immigration, customs, baggage handling and transportation to hotels. Currency exchange will be available.
Heads of State or Government will be greeted upon arrival by a senior official of the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Transportation
During the Conference, shuttle buses will operate between major hotels and the Conference site. The host country will provide transportation to the welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Delegations requiring a vehicle should request it from the China Organizing Committee through completion of a vehicle- use form.
Conference delegates, as well as participants in the NGO Forum on Women '95, may buy a special public transport card for US$10 after registration procedures are completed. During the Conference, this card can be used by delegates to take shuttle buses from the airport to hotels, from hotels to the meeting places, as well as to sightseeing spots. It is also valid for unlimited travel on public buses and trolley buses. Taxis are also available.
Conference newspapers and related reporting
During the Conference, in addition to the daily Journal, it is expected that a number of independent newspapers will cover the Conference and the NGO Forum events. Press releases in English and French will be issued daily and will cover all official meetings of the Conference.
Currency, checks and credit cards
The Chinese currency is the renminbi (RMB). The unit of RMB is the yuan. Foreign currencies must be reported in the customs declaration form upon entry. Foreign currencies and foreign currency travellers' checks may be exchanged at banks and most hotels.
Banking facilities at the BICC will be open during normal conference hours. Foreign currencies will be exchanged at the exchange rate at the time of transaction.
Credit cards, such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and JCB Card are widely accepted in China. Foreign currency traveller's checks, credit cards, or cash (in RMB) may be used to pay hotel and other expenses in China.
Electricity
The standard electricity is 220 volts, 50 cycles AC. Most modern hotels have international standard 2-pin sockets, while older ones use three-pin plugs. It is advisable to bring conversion plugs or adapters, if needed.
Climate
The average temperature in Beijing in August is 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit (24.5 degrees Celsius) and 67.6 degrees Fahrenheit (19.8 degrees Celsius) in September.
Services available at the BICC
Restaurants, cafeterias and coffee shops at the BICC will be open during conference hours. In addition, a post office, banking facilities, a travel agency with hotel and tourist information, a medical centre, a computer centre, and telephone and facsimile as well as copying services are located within the BICC.
A secretarial service centre will be established in the BICC for use of Conference participants on a commercial basis.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS
Provisional agenda and annotations
(A/CONF. 177/1)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the provisional rules of procedure
(A/CONF. 177/2)
Note by the Secretariat on the organization of work of the Conference, including procedural matters
(A/CONF. 177/3)
Report of the Secretary-General on progress achieved in the implementation of the Convention of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(A/CONF. 177/7)
Report of the Secretary-General transmitting the results of regional and other international conferences
(E/CN.6/1995/5 and Add.1-7)
Note by the Secretariat transmitting that report
(A/CONF.177/8)
Report of the Secretary-General on the extend to which gender concerns have been included in the activities of the United Nations human rights mechanisms (Assembly resolution 49/161, para. 36)
(A/CONF. 177/ 9)
Information for participants (A/CONF. 177/INF/1)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the draft declaration and the draft programme of action
(A/CONF.177/L.1)
Report of the Secretary-General on the second review and appraisal of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women
(E.CN.6/1995/3 and Add.1-10)
Note by the Secretariat transmitting that report to the Conference
(A/CONF.177/4)
Update of the World Survey on the Role of the Women in Development
(ST/ESA/214, Sales No. 95.VI.1)
Note by the Secretariat transmitting the Update to the Conference
(A/CONF.177/5)
Update of the World's Women: Trends and Statistics
(ST/ESA/STAT/Ser.K/12)
Note by the Secretary-General transmitting that document
(A/CONF.177/6)
Note by the Secretariat on the contact group on gender
(A/CONF.177/L.2)
Note by the Secretariat on the information consultations, to be held in late July/early August
(A/CONF.177/L.3)
Other documents to be made available at the Conference:
Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its 39th session
(E/1995/26)
Report of the International Conference on Population and Development
(A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1)
Report of the World Summit for Social Development
(A/CONF.166/9)
SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
This a provisional list of parallel activities for the FWCW, final dates and times will be confirmed at the Conference in Beijing.
Meeting Hours: a.m. 10:00 - 1:00; lunch: 1:15 - 2:45; p.m. 3:00 - 6:00; evening: 6:15 - open
5 September 1995
Room L
Colloquium on women and health security
WHO/UNFPA (a.m.)
Panel on women, health and education
WHO/UNESCO (lunch)
Panel on women, health and violence
WHO/CHR (p.m.)
Panel on women, health and work WHO/ILO (p.m.)
Panel on women, health and AIDS
WHO (evening)
Room M
Panel on changing role of women in the economy and the impact of globalization (a.m.)
ILO/UNU/WIDER/WORLD BANK
Panel on commitment to the world's women (lunch)
UNIFEM
Panel on women in conflict situations (p.m.)
WFP/UNHCR/UNFPA
Roundtable discussion on women and men on the road to Istanbul- HABITAT II (evening)
UNCHS (HABITAT)
6 September 1995
Room L
Girl child: thematic workshops (a.m.)
UNICEF
Panel on agents of change in the 21st century (p.m.)
UNICEF
Room M
Panel discussion on industrial global change, women and socio- economic progress (a.m.)
UNIDO
High level panel on gender, environment and sustainable human development (lunch)
UNDP/UNEP
Implementing the ICPD: the women's perspectives (p.m.)
UNFPA
Panel on banking on the poor: women's economic empowerment (evening)
UNIFEM
7 September
Room L
Feeding 5 billion people by 2010: women's share (A.M.)
FAO/IFAD/WFP/WORLD BANK
Women, population and development: a success story of integrating populations needs with women's empowerment and poverty reduction in China (lunch)
FAO
Empowering rural women for the 21st century: strategies for employment and organization (p.m.)
FAO/ILO/UNIDO/ITC/UNV/DDSMS
Sounds and shows by rural women (evening)
FAO/INTERAGENCY/NGOs
Room M
Women and global governance: politics and identity (a.m.)
UNIFEM/UNESCO/CONGO
Panel on women in leadership positions (lunch)
ECA/OAU/UNDP
Panel on women and substance abuse, women and addiction (p.m.)
UNDCP/NGO Committees
World Bank collaboration with borrowers (evening)
WORLD BANK
8 September
Room L
Opening ceremony with the Jomtien partners. Presentation of Global Framework of Action on Education for Girls and Women.
Panel discussion (a.m.)
UNESCO/UNDP/WORLD BANK/UNICEF/UNFPA
Three roundtables chaired by different agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, WORLD BANK, UNFPA and UNESCO) (p.m.)
UNESCO
Literacy Day Prize award ceremony and cultural event (evening)
UNESCO
Room M
Panel discussion on human rights of women (a.m.)
UNCHR/UNESCO/UNIFEM/UNICEF/UNHCR/ILO/UNICRI
Panel on reproductive health and refugee women (lunch)
UNHCR/UNFPA/WHO
Workshop on girl's education and human rights (CEDAW/UNESCO Manifesto) (p.m.)
CEDAW/UNESCO
Panel discussion on violence against women (evening)
UNHCR/UNICRI/UNIFEM/UNCHR
9 September
Room L
Panel discussion on the complementary of women's rights and the two Conventions: CRC and CEDAW (a.m.)
UNICEF/UNIFEM/IPU
Legal standards in the context of gender (Book launch) (lunch)
UNDP/RBLAC
Gender mainstreaming: obstacles and opportunities (p.m.)
UNDP/UNRISD/UNV
Panel on implementing women's health and its relation to industrial development (evening)
UNIDO/GAWH
Room M
Reclaiming civil society in the global south (a.m.-p.m.)
DAW/Centre for the Study of the Global South Panel (evening)
WORLD BANK/IDB
11 September 1995
Room L
Activities on Youth (a.m.)
DAW (UNICEF/UNESCO/UNIFEM/UNFPA)
Roundtable on reproductive health of African youth (with video) (p.m.)
UNIFEM/UNFPA/DAW
Activities on youth (p.m.)
DAW (UNICEF/UNESCO/UNIFEM/UNFPA)
12 September
Room L
Panel on women and natural resources management - water, sanitation, waste management, environment and renewable sources of energy (a.m.)
INSTRAW/DDSMS
Economics of gender equality (lunch)
WORLD BANK
Panel on economic and political empowerment of women and the need for gender statistics (p.m.)
INSTRAW/DDSMS
Panel on women's health in Africa (evening)
WHO
Room M
Panel discussion on women's empowerment and reproductive health (a.m.)
UNFPA
The missing links: financial services for the majority (lunch)
DAW/WOMEN WORLD BANKING
Roundtable on women's economic empowerment, globalization and economic restructuring (p.m.)
UNIFEM
Video documentary on export promotion: villages in Ghana and transitional economies (evening)
ITC/ILO
13 September 1995
Room L
Building bridges: women speak out on peace (a.m.)
UNIFEM
A decade of change and challenge, 1985-1995 (lunch)
REGIONAL COMMISIONS
Workshop panel on gender statistics (p.m.)
JCGP/UNSTAT
Room M
Workshop: dialogue on CEDAW (a.m.)
CEDAW/UNIFEM
Women and credit (lunch)
DAW
Panel on gender and science and technology (p.m.)
UNCTAD
Panel on women's health in the western Pacific region (evening)
WHO
14 September 1995
Room L
Gender and development: a UNU perspective (a.m.)
UNU/WIDER
Women and the media (p.m.)
UNESCO
SUMMARY OF THE PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE AND ORGANIZATION OF WORK
At its thirty-ninth session, held at United Nations Headquarters from 15 March to 7 April 1995, the Commission on the Status of Women, as the preparatory body for the Fourth World Conference on Women, approved the provisional rules of procedure of the Fourth World Conference on Women and recommended their adoption by the General Assembly.
At the opening of the first meeting of the Conference, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, or in his absence, the Secretary-General of the Conference will preside until the Conference has elected its President.The Secretary-General of the United Nations, or in his absence, the Secretary-General of the Conference shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Conference and its subsidiary bodies.
The Conference shall, to the extent possible, at its first meeting:
- Adopt its rules of procedure;
- Elect its officers and constitute its subsidiary bodies;
- Adopt its agenda, the draft of which shall, until such adoption,
- be the provisional agenda of the Conference;
- Decide on the organization of its work.
- A report shall be adopted by the Conference, the draft of which shall be prepared by the Rapporteur-General. Among the representatives of participating States the following officers will be elected: a President, 27 Vice-Presidents and an ex-officio Vice-President from the host country, a Rapporteur- General, and the Chairpersons of the Main Committees
The Conference shall establish two Main Committees, which may set up subcommittees or working groups. Each Main Committee, unless it decides otherwise, shall elect three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur. These committees will function as follows:
Committee I (chapters III and IV of the Platform for Action)
Committee II (chapters I, II, V and VI of the Platform for Action
The delegation of each State participating in the Conference and of the European Community shall consist of a head of delegation and such other representatives, alternate representatives and advisers as may be required. The head of delegation may designate an alternate representative or an adviser to act as a representative. Each State participating and the European Community may be represented by one representative on each Main Committee established by the Conference. It may assign to these Committees such alternate representatives and advisers as may be required.
In addition to the Committees referred to above, the Conference may establish such committees and working groups as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. Each committee may set up subcommittees and working groups.
The Chairperson of a Main Committee may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when representatives of at least one quarter of the States participating in the Conference are present. The presence of representatives of a majority of the States so participating shall be required for any decision to be taken.
The General Committee
The general debate will take place in plenary meeting. The President, the Vice-Presidents, the Rapporteur-General of the Conference and the Chairpersons of the Main Committees shall constitute the General Committee.
The President of the Conference, or in his/her absence, one of the Vice-Presidents designated by him/her, shall serve as Chairperson of the General Committee. The Chairperson of the Credentials Committee may participate, without the right to vote, in the General Committee.
The General Committee shall assist the President in the general conduct of the business of the Conference and, subject to the decisions of the Conference, shall ensure the coordination of its work.
The President of the Conference
The President may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one third of the representatives of States participating in the Conference are present. The presence of representatives of a majority of such States shall be required for any decision to be taken.
In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon him/her elsewhere by these rules, the President shall preside at the plenary meetings of the Conference; he/she shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting, direct the discussions, ensure observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. He/she shall rule on points of order.
The President, subject to these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings and over the maintenance of order thereat. The President may propose to the Conference the closing of the list of speakers, a limitation on the time to be allowed to speakers and on the number of times the representative of each participant in the Conference may speak on a question, the adjournment or the closure of the debate and the suspension or the adjournment of a meeting. The President, in the exercise of his/her functions, remains under the authority of the Conference.
Debate shall be confined to the question before the Conference and the President may call a speaker to order if his/her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.
Rules for speakers
The Conference may limit the time allowed to speakers and the number of times participants may speak on a question. Permission to speak on a motion to set such limits shall be accorded to only two representatives in favour of and two opposing such limits, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. In any event, with the consent of the Conference, the President shall limit each intervention on procedural matters to five minutes. When the debate is limited and a speaker exceeds the allotted time, the President shall call him/her to order without delay.
During the course of a debate, the President may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Conference, declare the list closed. When there are no more speakers, the President shall, with the consent of the Conference, declare the debate closed.
The right of reply
The President shall accord the right of reply to a representative of any State participating in the Conference or of the European Community who requests it. Any other representative may be granted the opportunity to make a reply. Representatives should attempt, in making such statements, to be as brief as possible and preferably to deliver their statements at the end of the meeting at which the request is made. The representatives of a State or of the European Community may make no more than two statements under this rule at a given meeting on any item. The first shall be limited to five minutes and the second to three minutes; representatives shall in any event attempt to be as brief as possible.
Proposals and amendments
Proposals and substantive amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General of the Conference, who shall circulate copies to all delegations. Unless the Conference decides otherwise, substantive proposals shall be discussed or put to a decision no earlier than 24 hours after copies have been circulated in all languages of the Conference to all delegations. The President may, however, permit the discussion and consideration of amendments, or of motions as to procedure, even though such amendments and motions have not been circulated or have only been circulated the same day.
Other procedures
The Conference shall exert all possible efforts to ensure that its work and the adoption of its report are accomplished by general agreement. Each State participating in the Conference shall have one vote.
The Conference shall normally vote by show of hands, except that a representative may request a roll-call, which shall then be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the States participating in the Conference, beginning with the delegation whose name is drawn by lot by the President. The name of each State shall be called in all roll-calls and its representative shall reply "yes", "no" or "abstention".
Representatives may make brief statements consisting solely of explanations of vote, before the voting has commenced or after the voting has been completed. The President may limit the time to be allowed for such explanations. The representative of a State sponsoring a proposal or motion shall not speak in explanation of vote thereon, except if it has been amended.
A proposal is considered an amendment to another proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal. Unless specified otherwise, the word "proposal" in these rules shall be considered as including amendments.
Role of the Conference secretariat
The secretariat of the Conference shall: Interpret speeches made at meetings; Make and arrange for the keeping of sound recordings of meetings; Receive, translate and circulate the documents of the Conference; Report the proceedings of the Conference in appropriate journals; Publish and circulate the report and any official records of the Conference; Arrange for the custody of the documents and records of the Conference in the archives of the United Nations; Generally perform all other work that the Conference may require in connection with its proceedings.
INTERNET ACTIVITIES AT THE FWCW
The FWCW Secretariat and UNDP will be collaborating to bring all conference proceedings online on the Internet at Beijing.
All plenary statements by governments, non-governmental organisations and international organisations, official documentation, press releases, and photos will be made available on the Internet, enabling a wide audience to follow the conference as it happens.
The Chinese government is providing an Internet hookup, together with all the necessary hardware and software to scan the statements and post them on two locations: one within the conference site, and the other at UNDP headquarters in NY.
Arrangements have been made with the Association of Progressive Communications (APC) to provide non-governmental organisations with access to all this information online. An additional link between the UN conference site and the NGO Forum will allow participants at both conferences to communicate and cover the wide range of activities.
Official documents, background papers, public information and other materials are already being made available to Internet users world-wide on the UNDP Internet host. You can access the FWCW collection through the Web at: http://www.undp.org/fwcw/daw1.htm, through the gopher at gopher.undp.org and through an auto-answering electronic mailbox at gopher@undp.org or agora@www.undp.org. If you use the agora mailbox specify in the body of the message the FWCW location above mentioned.
MAP OF THE BEIJING INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER COMPLEX (the map and photos of the BICC have been made available at the FWCW web site, at http://www.undp.org/fwcw/daw1.htm)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Prior to the Conference, a number of meetings are taking place at the national, regional and international levels, organized by NGOs as well as by the United Nations. Following is a preliminary calendar, which also includes other major United Nations conferences:
1995
21 August, New York
Youth Leadership Summit
(UN Fiftieth Anniversary)
30 August - 8 September,
Beijing China
NGO Forum
4-15 September, Beijing, China
Fourth World Conference on Women
11-15 September, Geneva
Commission on Human Rights- Working Group on Arbitrary Detention,
thirteenth session
25 September-6 October, Geneva
Commission on Human Rights- Working Group on the Right to Development
25 September-13 October, Geneva
Committee on the Rights of the Child- tenth session
16-20 October, Cambridge
Expert group meeting on the Portrayal of Women in the Media
16 October-3 November
Human Rights Committee,
Fifty-fifth session
22-24 October, New York
Special Commemorative Session of the General Assembly
UN Fiftieth Anniversary
1996
4-13 June, Istanbul, Turkey
United Nations Conference on Human Settlements
Note to readers
This is the ninth issue of Women on the Move, distributed by the Secretariat of the Fourth World Conference on Women, to inform you about its work and the preparatory activities for that event. The newsletter is published bimonthly. Women on the Move has facilitated dialogue and cooperation with UN agencies, grass- roots and regional organizations, national machineries and individuals.
If you wish to receive Women on the Move, please send a letter or a fax to the following address:
United Nations
Secretariat of the Fourth World Conference on Women
Division for the Advancement of Women
Two United Nations Plaza
DC2-1226
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel (212) 963-8385
Fax (212) 963-3463
E-MAIL addresses
From: Specify:
----------------------------------------
Internet daw@undp.org
Bitnet nygate!daw@tigger.jvnc.net
Usenet UUCPuunet!nygate!daw
Togethernetfourth_wcw@Together.org
Web: <http://www.undp.org/fwcw/daw1.htm>
