Release your inner strawberry

Well we have finally cracked the whole getting up on time thing - discovery of the BBC World Service on the cranky clock radio in the apartment!! Nothing quite like waking up to the BBC to get you stirring rather quicker.

This morning we attended the NGO briefing on the main UN floor. The Bureau for the CSW attended and introduced themselves, and we were given some 'do's and don'ts' by the NGO group Chairman. Sitting in the UK seats on the floor was something of an excitement - and what is interesting is just how worn and non-technical the whole UN set up is. We somehow expected slick new and high tech - the reality is elderly, cranky, and with translation channels badly affected by mobile phone signals! However, we were very taken with getting behind the UK sign!

Fiona then attended UNIFEM – 'Getting some Action' – the Role of NGOs in implementing SCR 1325. There was a short presentation on Women's Rights & Gender Equality, the new Aid Environment and Civil Society Organisations, and diversity of women's organizations and the work on issues of finance and gender equality.

Pauline attended a session run by Sweden and the other Nordic countries concerning measures to combat men's violence against women, honour-related violence and oppression and measures to combat trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes. The session highlighted how forward Sweden, Denmark and Norway are with this agenda and how user friendly their documentation is in comparison with the UK. The action plans and documents give sound practical advice and direction lacking in some other countries. Do look at the Reports and Links page on our website for web sites and details.

Pauline was on a roll and then headed for Panel on "Experiences on Financing for Women’s Health," sponsored by UNFPA and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The panel included Mari Simonen, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (External Relations, United Nations Affairs, and Management).

Following the meeting we had held in London with Oxfam and representatives of the Africa Women's Protocol, Eve and Fiona attended an Oxfam organised meeting on the Launch of Program Packs Publication on the Protocol. This was a packed meeting at which various representatives from African countries talked about how the African Women’s Protocol was being implemented in their country.

Now - about your inner strawberry...... have you found yours? Do you know where it is? How do you FEEL about it?

What you may be wondering is the whole strawberry thing about? WELL................................

We went to a meeting to discuss the possibilities of a Fifth World Women's Conference and we thought we would be thinking country, venue, numbers, how to publicise, purpose, how to involve Governments etc etc etc................

Not so. A very nice lady indeed initially addressed the meeting. She told us that she saw everyone in the room as a beautiful strawberry, and we were to send out our strawberry seeds and plant them in fertile soil so that we would spread the word throughout womankind.

Ok then.

Are you doing it now? Seeking that inner strawberry? Searching for some fertile area? Hmmmm

The reality of such a large conference is there are some amazing fantastic women of very many varieties. Different colours, creeds, belief structures and spirituality. So we all come at this from a different perspective, and maybe, just maybe, seeking our inner strawberry on occasions might not be a bad thing.

Inner strawberry's tucked away we headed for another fruit - the underground 24 hour Apple Store - brand new by Central Park and a haven for geeks and techies of all kinds. heading down in the glass lift we found ourselves lost in a world of music, gadgets and gloss

Madam Chairman seemed to really like it!!!