ECOSOC President Addresses CONGO Board - 29 February, New York

In his speech delivered before the newly elected Board of the Conference of NGOs, Leo Mérorès, President of ECOSOC commended CONGO initiatives and programmes and shared his vision of the upcoming Annual Ministerial Review and the Development Cooperation Forum. President Mérorès emphasized the strategic role CONGO has played in its 60 years of history in strengthening the relationship between the NGOs, the United Nations and the Council and recognized the Conference of NGOs as "a major development partner in the promotion of coherent and consistent approach towards our common development goals.

7^th session of the UN Human Rights Council - 3 - 28 March, Geneva

Find below some information about up-coming meetings convened by CONGO in the framework of the 7^th session of the Human Rights Council:

Ø  11 March 2008, 14:00-15:00, Room XXI, Palais des Nations – “An introduction on the HRC and its mechanisms (for newcomers and everyone else)” – An encounter with experienced human rights practitioners on how the UN human rights system functions (or not), to help NGO representatives to better approach and use the Council and its mechanisms.

Ø  16 March 2008, Maison des Associations (Geneva) – “NGO Strategic Meeting to the 7th session of the Human Rights Council” - CONGO and the Special Committee of NGOs on Human Rights will convene an NGO Strategic Meeting, open to all NGOs accredited to the 7^th session of the Human Rights Council. The meeting will consist in an introduction panel and series of workshops focusing on substantive issues to be discussed during the third and fourth weeks of the Human Rights Council's 7th session. More information coming soon on the CONGO website  

FAS Parallel Event: Sudanese Women Speak on Darfur – 12 March, Geneva

In the midst of the 7^th Session of the Human Rights Council, Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS) is hosting a panel entitled 'The Road to Peace and Justice: Sudanese Women Speak on Darfur' to take place on 12 March, 12:00-14:00 at Room XIV of the Palais des Nations. This panel follows the African Women’s Consultation on Darfur, organised by FAS in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (24-25 January 2008) and the CSW panel, held during the 52^nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, on 29^th February, 2008 in New York. Moreover, FAS will organize two training sessions to be held both at the Maison des Associations during the HRC as follows: 1) ‘United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325: A Legal Instrument Regarding Women, Peace and Security’ will take place on Saturday 15^th March from 9am-5pm and 2) ‘Introduction to CEDAW, Human Rights System and African Union Legal Instruments’ will take place on Monday 17^th March 2008 from 9am-1pm. Register now!

Fifth Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy – 6-9 April, Kyiv, Ukraine

The 5^th Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy will take place on April 6-9, 2008 in Kyiv. A workshop organized by the Democracy Coalition Project entitled “How to Strengthen the UN Human Rights Council through Cross-Regional Collaboration?”  will be held on April 9, 2008 from 1:15 - 3:45 pm. Presenters at the workshop will include Ted Piccone of the Democracy Coalition Project, Jeremie Smith of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, and Anselmo Lee of Forum Asia, together with other human rights defenders and practitioners, gathering to discuss the performance of the Council, the UPR and the upcoming HRC elections in May 2008.

UNCTAD XII Civil Society Forum - 17-19 April, Accra, Ghana

The Civil Society Forum to take place 17-19 April just before UNCTAD XII, will provide an open space for NGOs /CSOs to hold events and to facilitate the issue of the CS statement to be delivered at the opening plenary of the main conference. Hosted by the Third World Network (TWN)-Africa the secretariat for the organization of the civil society forum is also working with UNCTAD on civil society participation at UNCTAD XII. For any inquires relating to the forum and/or if you are interested in holding a side event, please contact directly Kathleene Boohene at unctadxii-csoforum@twnafrica.org. Read more information on the CONGO website here.