KATHMANDU: National Network for Beijing review Nepal (NNBN) today said it had prepared an NGO Report on Beijing+15 Review revolving around the prevalence of the problem, key gains, existing gaps, emerging issues, and key recommendations in the 12 critical areas of concern of Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA).

At a function organised in the capital, Bandana Rana, convenor, NNBN said the critical areas of concern identified for women’s advancement were women and poverty, education and training, women and health, violence against women, women and armed conflict, women and economy, women in power and decision making, institutional mechanism for advancement of women, human rights of women, women in media, women and environment and the girl child. “In Nepal, the formation of the Women’s Ministry, National Women’s Commission, recognition of the needs of women’s presence and participation in all sectors are some of the major achievements of the Beijing Conference,” she argued.

The year — 2010 — is the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in September 1995. In this view, a special meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 1 to 12.

Chandani Joshi, advisor to NNBN, said the meeting aimed at undertaking a 15-year review of the implementation of the BPFA under the theme of “the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action”.

“The CSW session that takes place every year on different issues of women will this year focus on the efforts made, achievements, obstacles, and strategies ahead in realising the goals of equality, peace, and development for women as enshrined in the BPFA,” she informed.

Rana said this was an important opportunity for all UN member states to assess the progress and achievements and identify key constraints towards women’s development. She also argued that they would interact with the government to effectively consolidate the women’s issues.

Representatives of the government as well as non-government organisations from Nepal are also attending the UN CSW Session. A team of 12 NNBN network members representing diverse groups and different sectors such as economy, education, health, violence against women, armed conflict, human rights, law and media are all set to attend the session.

An NNBN report supposed to be tabled at the session was finalised with input from a two-day national conference participated by more than 200 persons from 60 districts held last year.