Use the menu on the left to navigate to news pages; some highlights appear below.
$60,989.03 Turakina Maori Girls' College National Appeal $60,989.03 for Boarding Scholarships
Special thanks to all individuals, groups, parishes, and presbyterials who worked so very hard to make the Appeal such a tremendous success. The final total received including interest accrued, amounted to $60,989.03. Special thanks also to PSDS New Vision Foundation for their grant towards promotional costs and PCANZ for funding other costs.
Please note any further donations to the Turakina Appeal received, will be included in the annual APW Scholarships awarded to two Turakina Maori Girls' College students each year.
Jocelyn Hannay
National Treasurer
Presbyterian Women NZ
Success of National Appeal more than just dollars
This initiative has not only brought in thousands of dollars but it has been a successful awareness - raising exercise. Throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, Presbyterians have been reminded of their responsibility to one of the earliest missions of the national church i.e. to provide opportunity, support and encouragement for the education of young Maori women at Turakina Maori Girls' College, a Presbyterian school. The need today is as real as it was in past years. A quote from a letter written by a former principal Ethel Kinross
'................. I particularly ask your readers to remember in prayer these girls of ours as they go out from school into the battle of life. Pray that we who teach them will be guided in the ways that will help the girls most, and that they will be equipped as they leave college "with the whole armour of God". '
Today may we continue these prayers.
Heather Tate
National Convener
Dear all,
Moriah School is very pleased to announce that a computer-generated image of our Holocaust memorial sculpture, Bewilderment, is now available on YouTube. In this short 5 minute video the children talk about their project and present the memorial design they propose for Wellington City. Many thanks to our sponsors, Acumen Graphic Design Solutions, who put together this computer image and video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7l2IgxA6CU
We are now well over the million-button mark and on our way to completing our goal. The next step will be to generate funding to build the sculpture. This week the Mayor of Wellington met with our students to discuss a suitable location for building the sculpture. We came away feeling positive that, while we still have some big hurdles ahead of us, our grand ideas and dreams can be realised.
Many thanks to you all for your support so far, please continue to spread the word.
Justine Hitchcock
Principal, Moriah College
Ph: (04) 384 2401
P O Box 27-233, Marion Square, Wellington, 6141
HOLOCAUST BUTTON COUNT: 1,229,244
This enormous task is designed to help our students understand the scale of the holocaust. When we have finished we will build a memorial artwork. Please support us by sending us your spare buttons.
Commission on the Status of Women Session 54 held at the United Nations, New York, 1-12 March 2010
Introduction :
The 54th Commission on the Status of Women session focused on a 15 year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was adopted at the 4th World Conference on Women in September 1995 by 189 UN member states. The platform was a strong influence in the formation of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and includes 12 strategic objectives and actions for addressing women’s issues and gender inequalities. In conjunction with reviewing the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, the Commission also focused on reviewing its contribution to shaping a gender perspective towards the full realisation of the MDGs
As preparation and continuing input to the 54th Session, regional review processes have been undertaken by the five United Nations (UN) Regional Commissions. i.e. Economic Commissions for Africa, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, Asia & Pacific, Western Asia. The outcomes of these regional meetings are contributing to the global review process in the Commission on the Status of Women. In opening remarks by Mr Garen Nazarian, chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, he spoke of the interlinkages between many aspects of women’s lives and how progress, or lack of progress in any one area can accelerate or hinder progress in another. Gender equality is both a goal in itself as well as a means of achieving all the other development goals.
Numbers registered for the 54th CSW session were in excess of 8,000 and logistically this made participation and involvement difficult at times. The United Nations buildings are undergoing renovation and this meant that a number of buildings around the UN housed the wide variety of events scheduled. Frequently Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) representatives were unable to attend events and sessions because of lack of space and there was a level of frustration and disappointment among many. These management concerns have been bought to the attention of the NGO Committee in New York, who will pass them on to the Division for the Advancement of Women.
On 27&28 February, the Global NGO Forum was held and I attended on the 28th. This programme covered reports from the Regional Forums prior to the 54th Session and involved a large number of panellists from all corners of the world. Regional meetings took place over lunch times and reports from these made to the full forum. The programme also included a variety of entertainment items. The organisation of the NGO Forum was challenging due to the large number of attendees and the management of large number of speakers.
The New Zealand Government Delegation included Minister of Women’s Affairs, Pansy Wong; Sonya Rimene and Lisa Hardie, Ministry of Women’s Affairs; Barbara Arnold, Vice President NZ NCW, NGO representative.
NGO representatives were Jane Prichard, Pacific Women’s Watch; Beverley Turner, Pacific Women’s Watch, Louise Croot, International Federation of University Women; Dr Judy McGregor, Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) , Business & Professional Women (BPW); Sue O’Shea, EEO, BPW; Rachel Harris, World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts (WAGGGS); Angela McLeod, BPW; Di Paton, YWCA Aotearoa New Zealand; Sarah Davies, YWCA Aotearoa NZ; Mary McIntyre, APW NZ.
Ecumenical Women (EW):
EW Orientation Day was held on Saturday 27 February in preparation for the EW’s advocacy work at the 54th session of CSW. EW chose to focus their advocacy efforts on three of the twelve areas of the Beijing Platform for Action
EW’s advocacy work is in conjunction with the statement drafted by members and affiliates and submitted as an official document at the CSW session.
Website : www.ecumenicalwomen.org/advocacy/CSW-2010
Regarding the role of faith at the United Nations, Christine Housel, Global Project Manager for Geneva based World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), said, “Our advocacy guide is titled Faith at the UN, Gender in the Church and this is a core part of our vision. It is saying that people of faith and issues of faith have a role at the UN and we need to help the UN realize that these can be a positive and real contribution. Many people in the UN are becoming more aware of the importance of partnering with people in faith communities, because they are looking for positive partners. They recognize Ecumenical Women as one of the groups providing these opportunities and our goal is to spread our influence in both breadth and depth.”
Two EW Advocacy Dinners were arranged during the first week of the CSW session and these were times of sharing advocacy information between the committee and members and also sharing information from other Caucuses and delegations. These mealtimes together were of great support and friendship.
Ecumenical Women applied for 8 speaking opportunities on the floor of the Commission and were granted six of these. This entitled the Coalition to make oral statements to the various aspects of the Beijing Platform for Action review and reflected the respect that leaders and organisers have for the Coalition input. Copies of EW statements and inputs are available on the EW website www.ecumenicalwomen.org
Prior to the 54th CSW session, EW members were invited to submit worship material to support the publication of Your Daughters shall Prophesy : Mediations on the Beijing Platform for Action. The first part of the collection introduces reflections, prayes and items for action written for each of the 12 areas of concern of the Beijing Platform for Action. The second part presents meditations on institutional barriers to women’s advancement as identified by EW in their statement to the 54th session. Meditations published have been contributed by a wide range of authors, from Lebanon to USA, from the Philippines to India, from Latin America to New Zealand. Thank you to Pamela Tankersley who contributed to this publication and joined others to continue the call to meet the promise of abundant life for all. Digital copies of this publication are available for download at www.ecumencialwomen.org . Materials in this resource may be used for worship and educational purposes.
Pacific Island Forum :
A lunchtime event on Women in Decision Makers in Action, hosted by Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and sponsored by Australian government was a packed out event. Standing room only for the event which discussed women's political leadership in the Pacific. Moderated by Hon Pansy Wong Minister for Women's Affairs and Minister for Ethnic Affairs, New Zealand and featuring as speakers Hon Minister Fiame Mataafa, Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa; Hon Minister Willy Talavi, Minister for Internal Affairs, Tuvalu; and Ruth Maetala, Director Research Planning and Policy Division, Ministry for Women Youth and Children Affairs, Solomon Islands. This interactive session attended by many Ambassadors from the Pacific discussed the importance of a gender balance at the highest levels of decision-making in the Pacific region. Each of the speakers spoke of their own experiences of being a woman in politics and the challenges of women's representation in Pacific parliaments.
Asia Pacific Women Watch presented a workshop entitled . Asian and Pacific Women's Perspectives on Crisis Response. A panel moderated by Cai Yiping (Isis International). Pam Rajput, Song Wenyan, Hiroko Hara, Pawadee Tonguthai and Jane Pritchard presented on gender and climate change. A member from Tuvalu who was invited to present on what is happening in Tuvalu and the impacts of climate change on the community.
Hon Minister Naomi Fiame Mata’afe, Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa presented the Statement on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum at the 54th Session of the UN CSW.
I attended the Asia Pacific Caucus meetings during the first week of the session, but because of limited space, all Caucus meetings were limited to two each week.
GEAR (Gender Equality Architecture Reform)
The CSW concluded its 54th session with the adoption of a short text supporting the creation of the new UN gender equality entity. The new entity was a hot topic during the first week of CSW, many member states calling for a swift creation of the entity in their statements and much discussion taking place in side events organised by governments, NGOs and UN bodies. Representing New Zealand, Pansy Wong advocated strongly on the development of the gender equality entity.
On International Women’s Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon urged the member states to create the new UN gender equality entity without delay. "We hope soon to have a dynamic entity for gender equality and women's empowerment within the United Nations system. That would provide more coherent programming and a stronger voice for women. I urge the General Assembly to create this new entity without delay by adopting a resolution," he said.
Ban's statement was cheered at by both the government delegates and the NGO representatives present in the room, and he hoped that the Ambassadors present would have heard the strong support. He urged the Member States to create the UN composite gender entity by the end of the current General Assembly, as well as to allocate the funding necessary for its establishment.
Conclusions.
This year the NGO participation at the Commission on the Status of Women session was very different to previous sessions. As there was no outcome document produced at the end of the session there was very limited liaison between NGO and Government delegations to discuss input from the NGO and Government perspectives. This year the Commission produced a Declaration to be presented to the Economic & Social Council for transmission to the General Assembly and the CSW adopted several resolutions covering aspects of the Beijing Platform for Action.
This Declaration reaffirmed the Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action, welcomed the progress made so far in gender equality and the empowerment of women, emphasized that the full implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action is essential to achieve the Millennium Goals, called up the United Nations, governmental and non governmental organizations to commit themselves to intensify the efforts to implement the Beijing Platform for Action.
The energy, commitment and positivity of the Ecumenical Women leadership team and members are ensuring that the EW voice continues to be heard and acknowledged as one of value. It is a privilege and pleasure for Presbyterian Women NZ to be a member of this coalition and have the opportunity to work on the world stage through Ecumenical Women. Thank you for the opportunity to attend the Commission on the Status of Women on behalf of APW Aotearoa New Zealand and I would encourage you to support this work in whatever way you can.
Mary McIntyre, United Nations Committee, Association of Presbyterian Women Aotearoa NZ.
April 2010
From 1-12 March 2010, the Commission on the Status of Women undertook a fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. Emphasis was placed on the sharing of experiences and good practices, with a view to overcoming remaining obstacles and new challenges, including those related to the Millennium Development Goals. Member States, representatives of non-governmental organisations and of UN entities participated in the session. A series of parallel events provided additional opportunities for information exchange and networking.
Ecumenical Women, Presbytery Women NZ is a member, submitted a written statement to the Sectretary General prior to the session and this was distributed with all other written statements to attendees. Below are one or two extracts from the statement. The full statement is available here.
Statement by the Association of Presbyterian Women of Aoteaora (New Zealand), Church Women United, Global Action on Aging, Lutheran World Federation, Presbyterian Church USA, Salvation Army, United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, World Conference of Religions for Peace, World Student Christian Federation, World Young Women’s Christian Association and World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council
Partners for change: faith-based response to the review of the Beijing Platform for Action
Ecumenical Women, a coalition of Christian organizations and denominations and non-governmental organizations, welcomes the 15-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
We affirm the promotion of gender equality and justice from a human rights perspective. We maintain that the contributions and empowerment of women and girls of all ages are fundamental, enshrined in the Platform for Action and international laws, and necessary for achieving all the Millennium Development Goals.
The Platform for Action will remain unfulfilled unless it is recognized that existing institutional structures are inherently gender-biased and need to be critically examined and radically transformed. Institutional barriers (in governmental, corporate, social, academic, educational, civil, familial, ecclesiastical and other religious structures, and the United Nations system itself) prevent equality between men and women and deny women’s rights as human rights.
Ecumenical Women affirms that God’s world was meant to be one of abundance for all persons, with fundamental rights and dignity for both women and men. Women, however, are disproportionately robbed of this abundance. We are called to challenge the gender bias of institutions (governmental, corporate, social, academic, civil, familial, ecclesiastical and other religious structures and in the United Nations itself) and seek justice for those who are blocked by institutional barriers.
It is with great pleasure to have Mary McIntyre of Bannockburn, Central Otago standing as the next National Convener for Presbyterian Women - APW, commencing her role on May 29th 2010. She requires a team of Secretary and Treasurer plus Deputy Convener to administrate the organisation. Any one with computer and /or accounting skills who may be interested to know more please contact Mary by email bbmacs@xtra.co.nz or phone 03 445 4709.
All Presbyterian women are eligible and may have had experience in business or work place, presbytery or in their parish. Those living in the Otago/Southland regions would be especially welcome. If God is calling you to this role please contact Mary.
Saturday 29 May, 2010
Pacific Islanders Church, Newtown, Wellington
9.30 a.m.—3.00 p.m.
Theme: “Women of the Pacific”
Read the full invitation
APW's United Nations Covenor Mary McIntyre has recently returned from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women( CSW )meeting. In the March 2010 Panui she discusses the importance of the attendance and role of NGO's at these meetings.
This article was published in the Southland Times. It is an interesting article on the possible restructuring of APW.
Women from Presbyterian and Uniting parishes can apply for grants for study or training. Download the application form.
Across the avenue from United Nations headquarters in New York stands the Church Centre for the United Nations, a building opened in 1963 after a dream for a Christian centre that would support the work of the United Nations became a reality. Twelve floors provide religious and other non governmental organisations concerned with the UN issues, meeting space and a focal point for activities. The vision for the centre originated with US Methodists with financial support from the Methodist Womens Division and it houses tenants such as American Baptists, Presbyterians, the World Council of Churches, the Methodists, the United Church of Christ, Quakers and Lutherans. Non governmental organisations, such as International Women’s Tribune Centre and International Peace Academy also rent space and the building has come to serve not only as a centre of church activity related to the UN but as the “heart of global civil society efforts” to make its presence felt at UN meetings. [Full article]
The Association of Presbyterian Women, APW has endorsed the now re branded campaign to ‘Boycott the Sexualisation of Childhood’ and has added its name to the many NZ groups in voicing its concern. [Full article]
The 53rd session was held at the United Nations, New York, 2-13 March 2009, http://ecumenicalwomen.org
The Priority Theme of the 53rd session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was The Equal sharing of Responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS. This 2009 session attracted over 5,000 pre-registrations from 463 non governmental organisations with over 2,000 taking up their registrations. 40 Cabinet Ministers attended in governmental delegations. There was a distinct focus on the role of men and women in care giving roles and the importance of care giving in society was strongly recognised by governmental and nongovernmental delegations.
Marilyn Waring, AUT University, spoke as a panellist on the Interactive Panel on the priority theme and was enthusiastically received.