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Background

The Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean is a subsidiary body of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) which is convened on a regular basis, at least every three years, to identify the situation of women’s autonomy and rights at the regional and subregional levels, present public policies recommendations for gender equality, undertake periodic assessments of the activities carried out in fulfilment of regional and international plans and agreements on the subject, and serve as a forum for debates on relevant issues.

ECLAC has been given the mandate to convene the member States to sessions of the Regional Conference. In accordance with the corresponding regulations, no later than six weeks prior to each session of the Regional Conference, the ECLAC secretariat sends out invitations to the member countries and associate members of the Commission to participate in the deliberations. Other States Members of the United Nations and representatives of other bodies and programmes forming part of the United Nations system are invited to attend as observers, as are representatives of intergovernmental organizations and of non-governmental organizations enjoying consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and special guests.

Generally, a member country of ECLAC offers to host the conference. On this occasion, the Eastern Republic of Uruguay will host the meeting which will be held from 25 to 28 October 2016 in Montevideo.

 

40 years of Regional Conference on Women

On this occasion, almost 40 years will be commemorated since the First Regional Conference on the Integration of Women into the Economic and Social Development of Latin America and the Caribbean was held (Havana, 1977). In fulfillment of this mandate, ECLAC organized 12 Regional Conferences on Women, first through its Women and Development Unit, then its Division for Gender Affairs. This interaction between governments, with the active participation of the women’s and feminist movement and the support of the entire United Nations System, has become the main forum for the negotiation of a broad, profound and comprehensive regional agenda on gender equality, in which women’s autonomy and rights are front and centre. Policies for development and overcoming poverty have always been a key focus at these meetings.

 

Sub-Regional Preparatory Meetings of the Thirteenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

  • First Preparatory Sub-Regional Meeting of the Thirteenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Central American countries and Mexico, held on 02 and 03 June 2016, in the Prebisch Conference Room of ECLAC office in Mexico. See programme.
  • Second Preparatory Sub-Regional Meeting of the Thirteenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, with South American countries, held on 04 and 05 July 2016, at ECLAC headquarters, Santiago, Chile. See programme.
  • Third Preparatory Sub-Regional Meeting of the Thirteenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Caribbean countries, held on 26 and 27 July 2016, at the Sub-Regional ECLAC headquarters for the Caribbean, Port of Spain. See programme.

 

Preparatory activities

  • Caribbean seminar on women’s empowerment and migration in the Caribbean, held on 25 October 2016. See report.
  • Feminist Organizations Forum “Magaly Pineda”, held on 25 October 2016, Hotel Radisson Victoria Plaza. More information.
  • Forum "Women's Rights as Human Rights", held on 6 October 2016, Santiago, Chile. See programme.
  • National Forum "Towards the XIII Conference on Women ECLAC", held on October 6, 2016, at 17.00 in the Auditorio de la Escuela de Odontología of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. More information.
  • Workshop for journalists and communicators on the XIII Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, held on September 28, 2016, ECLAC.
  • Webinar "SDG and definition of national indicators", held on 1 September 2016 and organized by the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ).
  • Preparatory Meeting with Experts, of the Thirteenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, held on 23 and 24 August 2016 in Santiago, Chile. See programme.
  • Dialogue between civil society and the State on Afrodescendant Women, held on 22 July 2016 in Montevideo, Uruguay. See programme.