Asia- Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 15 notes multiple challenges on women

The Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 15 opened October 22 at the Miriam College in Quezon City, Philippines. Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Undersecretary General and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Executive Secretary graced the occasion.

The theme of the forum is: Weaving Wisdom, Confronting Crises, Forging the Future.

Reports from the forum said that Hezyer, who organised the AP NGO Forum just before the 1995 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, China looked back with pride the achievements made by women: It was not so much a world conference on women but a women’s conference on the world.” She cited the developments in some legislations particularly ion Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines and Nepal that have already in place national plan of actions on women. She lauded Nepal because while it is still emerging from years of strife, women consist 33 per cent of the country’s current parliament.

Heyzer noted the multiple challenges women are currently facing especially with the financial crisis and fundamentalisms. In the Asia Pacific region, 25 million women who are concentrated in the manufacturing sector have lost their jobs. Labour migration, where women comprise about 70 per cent is likewise severely affected.

“Social recovery takes twice as long women. We need to change the current development model where goods are manufactured cheaply in Asia to be consumed in the West.

The Good Shepherd Congregation is represented in the forum. The Good Shepherd Sisters became affiliated with the United Nations as a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) in consultative status with ECOSOC in November 1996.

During this forum, the GS NGO is represented by delegates from Asia/Pacific. Many Good Shepherd Sisters and l ay partners from the Philippines have also been invited to attend.

From GS Asia-Pacific Justice and Peace Network: