UN Report: February 2007

by Sayre Sheldon, WAND representative on the NGO Working Group for Women, Peace and Security

Once again the UN comes to the time of year for evaluating what progress women have made around the world. From February 28 to March 9 the Commission on the Status of Women will be meeting. WAND will be represented by the Working Group for Women, Peace and Security which will be holding round-table meetings and trainings for increasing women's presence in peace-keeping and conflict prevention.

You may have seen the photograph of the all-female group of peacemakers assigned to Liberia made up of 100 women from India. A first -- but the fact remains that only 1% of all peacekeepers are women at present. This year's status of women meetings will focus on protecting girls from violence and in Liberia itself there have been many rapes of young girls which as yet go unpunished, so difficult is it to enact new laws after years of war.

On a more cheerful note, we at home may be debating whether we can elect a woman president but women in leadership positions around the world are increasing.