The February 2000 UN Beijing + 5 Conference: South Pacific Region

Congratulations to you - the 250 participants and speakers of the Region 9 Beijing+5 Preparatory Conference February 25 and 26 - THE CALL TO ACTION.  We applaud your substantive and compelling reports from the "field" and on the critical concerns from the Plan of Action, and on your keynote speeches, media and internet advice, serious  deliberations and significant decisions to work in collaboration for three major issues in the coming year:  Universal Health Care, Economic Justice and the Ratification and Implementation of CEDAW.

You came from Northern Ireland, Croatia, Washington, DC., Bay Area print, broadcast, TV and Internet  media, legislative bodies, and were the leaders, thinkers and action-makers from organizations of all sizes and orientations from all corners of the state.

You spoke loudly and clearly.  Your voice was heard,  and thanks to the Pacific Bell Media Center we have captured yours and your colleagues' passion,  exhortations, celebrations,  anger and joy on large screens, audio and video tape.  We hope to edit the footage into a 20 minute documentary to share your energy with the other sisters in California who couldn't attend,  and for other states and countries to see how we organize women of diverse cultures, classes, religions, abilities and agendas for collective action.

This publication chronicles the CALL TO ACTION.  It opens with the Task Force Reports and the product of the conference -  Recommended Actions as voted on by participants with the three priority actions for 2000 and beyond, closely followed by Education and cross-cut with Violence, Media, Human Rights, the Environment and the Girl-Child.

This summary report will be presented to Secretary of State Madeliene Albright, Chair of the President's Interagency Council on Women and other council members at a March 30 ceremony in  Washington, DC.  It will also be taken to the United Nations General Assembly, Beijing+5 Conference, June, 2000.   It will also be taken to the California Legislature at a CAWA network briefing this Spring and with other opinion leaders. We are launching a Legislative Circle and Media Advisory Council with the media and legislative panelists.  This agenda should be a litmus test for candidates for the Year 2000 elections.

From the Internet demonstration we now know how to do e-advocacy.  We must move from our "change circles" at the conference to "action circles" on our web site.  We will alert you by e-mail, or you can check the site for the WOMANSPEAK launch. You will also be able to get these reports on the CAWA site and can do your own research at the Activist Guide to the Internet: http://www.win-cawa.org/cawaurl.htm

We remember Bronagh Hind's closing remarks in responding to our request for an action from everyone.  She said, " I want to make women visible in peace-making at all levels, including the political level."   Bronagh is right.  We must be at every decision making table that affects women's and girls' lives.

THINK ADVOCACY AND  ACTION -  End every e-mail with a Call to Action on one of the priority issues.  We must magnify our voices to the millionth power now!