AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
DRAFT WORKPROGRAM
AFRICAN UNION CONSULTATIVE MEETINGS AT THE MARGINS OF
THE 59TH SESSION OF
UN – COMMISSION ON STATUS ON WOMEN (CSW)
10 and 13 MARCH 2013
NEW-YORK, USA
AU PERMANENT OBSERVER MISSION IN NEW-YORK
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10th March 2015: AU EXPERTS AND MINISTERS MEETING
08.30-09.00 Registration of Guests
CHAIR: Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Republic of
Zimbabwe - Chair of the AU
09.00-09.15 Brief Opening Session
 Welcome Remarks by H. E. Madam
Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the AU
Chairperson on Women, Peace and
Security
 Opening Statement by H. E Mounia
Meslem Si Amer, Minister of National
Solidarity, Family and Woman Condition of
Algeria, Chair of the AU Bureau of
Ministers of Gender and Women Affairs
09.15-10-45
 Presentation of the Agreed
By Coordinator, African Group of Experts
Conclusions of the CSW
of the Third Committee, NY (Egypt)
 Discussions
10.45-11.00 Tea/Coffee Break
11.00-11.30
 Briefing on the Outcomes of the Ms Leila Ben Ali: Ag. Director AUC WGDD
Stakeholders Consultation;
 Discussions
11.30-13.00
 1ST STC (Specialized Technical Ms Leila Ben Ali: Ag. Director AUC WGDD
Committee) on Gender Equality
and Women’s Empowerment;
 Discussion.
13.00-14.00
14.00-15.00
Lunch
 The 2nd AU High Level Panel Ms Leila Ben Ali: Ag. Director AUC WGDD
on Gender Equality and
Women’s Empowerment & its
TOR;
 Discussion.
 The Theme for the African
Ms Leila Ben Ali: Ag. Director AUC WGDD
Women’s Decade;
 Discussion
15.00-16.00
16.00-17.00
 Discussion on any Items
Proposed by Member States
17.00-17.15 Closing Ceremony
Closing remarks by:
 H. E. Madam Bineta Diop, Special
Envoy of the AU Chairperson on
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Women, Peace and Security
 Chair of the AU Bureau of Ministers of
Gender and Women Affairs
End of the Day
PROVISIONAL AGENDA
African Union and Commonwealth Secretariat Joint Meeting
13 March 2015
TIME
ITEM
09.30-10.00
Registration
10.00-10.30
1. Opening Session
Welcome Remarks


10.30-12.00
African Union – H.E Dr Aisha L Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs,
African Union (tbc)
Commonwealth Secretariat – Dr Josephine Ojiambo, Deputy Secretary-General,
Political, Commonwealth Secretariat (tbc)
Practical experience of a woman political leader – Ms Zainab Bangura, SRSG Sexual
Violence in Conflict and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sierra Leone
2. Panel Discussions
Women’s political Leadership in delivering democracy and development in Africa and
the Commonwealth
Chair: TBC
12.00-13.00
Panel Speakers (tbc)
 Promoting mechanisms to address the imbalance of women’s political participation;
 Role of key stakeholders in strengthening and supporting the capacity of women in
political office to deliver on democracy and development mandates, including the
media and non-governmental organisations;
 Affirmative action policies: Quotas versus the politics of meritocracy; and
 Focusing on the pipeline of women’s political leadership – proven factors that
prepare women for transformational leadership
3. Discussions and Recommendations
Facilitated by the Chair
Way Forward
13.00-14.00
Lunch
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