"As we prepare our networks representing the voices of Commonwealth women for the CHOGM Commonwealth Peoples Forum this year, the civil society build up and participation to  Commonwealth Ministers for Women meeting in 2010, and the 15th anniversary of the global commitment to equality for women in Beijing in March, the 'yes' vote must also be taken up by those who support gender equality worldwide."

"The UN has stepped up to the plate. Similarly, we encourage our Commonwealth bodies to also use the mid-term review for the CPoA as an opportunity to increase resource commitments and harmonise for effectiveness. Let's use this moment to remember the work of mainstreaming gender is more than a box waiting for a tick or the long wait for enough budget and resources to happen."

"We welcome the partnership of the Commonwealth Foundation and Commonwealth Secretariat and applaud the inclusiveness of our Commonwealth WAMM meetings in seeking out the voices of civil society.  But we must not only be heard. The diversity of our voices as Commonwealth women must be nurtured and solidly placed into all decision-making and planning processes linked to implementation of the Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender Equality," says Robinson.

A mid-term review for the CPoA is being prepared for the 9WAMM in 2010, and will provide a report card of the resourcing and commitment by the Commonwealth Secretariat towards fulfiling the mandate to women from its member governments.

Robinson, who is with the Committee for Development for Women in Kingston (CDW) says the yes vote to UN-GEAR (the UN Gender Equality Architecture Reform) can only improve the focus and resourcing of development organisations worldwide on the critical work towards ensuring women shape the development of their communities and countries.

Contact:
Nelcia Marshall-Robinson
Chair, Commonwealth Women's Network (CWN)
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www.commonwealthwomen.net

About CWN: The Commonwealth Women's Network held its inaugural meeting in 1992, and is most known as the civil society partner working with the Commonwealth Foundation to run the regular civil society forum linked to the Commonwealth Ministerial meetings on women, or WAMM. CWN is an informal body accredited to the Commonwealth Secretariat with formal links to the Commonwealth Foundation. Its work program is put together by a network of regional focal points covering Europe, Asia,
East Africa, West and South Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, and supports the CWN mission: Improving the life of women throughout the Commonwealth