As part of the debates and events commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) is organizing a series of online discussions dedicated to specific critical areas of action related to gender equality. These discussions will contribute to the 15-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action at the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women from 1-12 March, 2010

The online discussions are designed to catalyze debate, to analyze progress and to provide an important interactive forum where perspectives, successful initiatives and information can be shared.

UNESCO will be hosting the online discussion focusing on the theme of Gender equality, Education and Training from 10 January to 7 February. During these four weeks, discussions will be organized around a framework of thematic questions in order to stimulate debate between participants.

Week 1 (10-16 Jan) - Disconnects: missed opportunities for progress and lessons learned.
Week 2 (17-23 Jan) - Silences and hidden challenges.
Week 3 (24-30 Jan) - Crises: challenges and new opportunities.
Week 4 (31 Jan-7 Feb) - Summary of discussions: Key messages.

In addition, participants will be the first to read and learn more about new research and publications by experts in the field, including gender analyses from the 2010 Global Monitoring Report, and contributions from leading agencies and institutions. More details on the programme of the discussion will be available here soon.

Participants will be encouraged to take part in the debates as well as to contribute reports, photos and other relevant documents. Participation in the online discussion is open to all individuals, networks and organizations interested in this critical area of concern.

To register, please send an email to the Moderator at bsp.wge@unesco.org.

Read the Concept Note for more information.

Read the Conclusions of the on line discussion.


You can receive updates on the discussion by following us on Facebook and Twitter! GenderEquality@UNESCO



For a link to the other online discussions, please visit this website

Organizer: Division for Gender Equality, Bureau of Strategic Planning, UNESCO
Contact: Lydia Ruprecht, l.ruprecht@unesco.org
Moderator: Keiko Nowacka, bsp.wge@unesco.org

Background
The discussion on "Gender Equality, Education and Training" organized by UNESCO is part of a series of United Nations online discussions dedicated to the fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000); and is hosted by WomenWatch, an inter-agency project of the United Nations Inter-agency Network on Women and Gender Equality and a unique electronic gateway to web-based information on all United Nations entities’ work and the outcomes of the United Nations’ intergovernmental processes for the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.