Since the last WILPF International Executive Committee, the world has undergone significant changes. New conflicts have emerged to join those that continue to rage, reemerge and devastate many lives around the world. The United Nations has undergone reform through establishing the Peace Building Commission and transforming the Commission on Human Rights to the Human Rights Council, the Conference on Disarmament has started to move after being stalled for over 10 years, and proposals to move the Committee on the Elimination Against Women (CEDAW) from New York to Geneva have caused a flurry of discussion.

This report attempts to provide an overview of the work not only of the Secretary General, but also of the organization as a whole. It compliments the monthly section mailings that have been distributed to all WILPF sections, IEC members, international affairs representatives and officers throughout the year.

The report is arranged as follows:

1. Implementing our international program

Peace and Security
Sustainable Environment
Global Economic and Social Justice
Additional Program Issues

2. Secretary General specific work

Speaking Engagements
Travel and Meetings
International Advocacy

3. Communications with sections, with the world

International Peace Update
Monthly Updates
WILPF on the Web
WILPF Email Lists

4. Staff Updates

United Nations Office (UNO)
International Secretariat (Geneva)

5. Our financial picture

6. Coalitions and Networks we have been actively engaged with.

7. Looking Ahead- 2007 and beyond

1. Implementation of WILPF's International Program

The international program of WILPF focuses on three priority areas, 1) peace and security, 2) sustainable environment and 3) global economic and social justice. International staff and sections have undertaken analysis, advocacy and action in these three areas, combining WILPF’s anti-militarism and gender lenses that ensures the organization a specific and unique niche in international and national policy advocacy.

Work done at the local level by WILPF branches include members meeting with elected and appointed government representatives, organizing and participating in demonstrations, marches, and anti-war protests, organizing educational events on specific local concerns while linking them to globally issues, and presenting papers at relevant conferences. There is a real challenge for the organization to find better ways to link our international and local advocacy through improving communication flow and the development of coordinated strategies with clearly defined and concrete objectives. Our work has an impact on both international and local levels, which can only improve if we find significant ways for every member to participate and feel the difference they are making in their community and in the world. With that in mind, the next programmatic cycle should aim to produce specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound objectives will be set for our priority issues, in a way that clearly demonstrates the impact we hope to realize towards our long term goals. Discussion and preparation of a more focused vision and programme of work should begin now in order for thorough consultation before our next Congress.

Peace and Security

The core of our work focuses on peace and security, an area in which WILPF has demonstrated expertise and dedication for nearly five generations. As the world's oldest women's peace organization, WILPF maintains a level of credibility and influence on issues related to peace and security that are grounded in our analyses and advocacy.

In the past year, WILPF has actively worked to prevent a war between Iran and the United States (and any 'coalition of the willing/killing' they might pull together) through monitoring and lobbying of the Security Council, and also by developing and distributing an Iran Action Packet to all WILPF sections. WILPF members used this tool by sending letters to Foreign Ministers, sharing the information with other peace and justice organizations and holding educational events in local their communities. Through involvement with a small coalition of NGOs in New York that included Greenpeace International, the Acronym Institute and the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, WILPF visited all Security Council Ambassadors, and chaired a luncheon for the elected members of the Council, driving home the message that negotiation rather than violence is the answer. Delegations were also lobbied in Geneva. This informal coalition also afforded WILPF information directly from the IAEA, allowing us to keep members fully updated about alarming developments and ways they might affect their governments action in Vienna. Despite the danger of conflict that remains, and the proxy conflict that has taken place in Lebanon, civil society, including WILPF, can take some credit in deescalating this issue through forcing better informed press coverage and policy decision-making.

WILPF’s 2005 International Executive Committee passed a resolution on Biological and Toxic weapons. Acting on this resolution, the organization was represented at the Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2006 Biological and Toxicological Weapons Convention Review Conference. Meetings with other NGOs, specifically the Sunshine Project and the Bioweapons Prevention Project were held to enhance our relationship and to identify a suitable role for WILPF in the upcoming Review Conference scheduled for November 2006. Our IEC resolution will be the basis for our advocacy efforts, which will include a side event, and a series of reports from the meeting for WILPF members and other NGOs.

WILPF has been closely watching the development of the new UN Peacebuilding Commission, which was created by concurrent resolutions in the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council in September 2005. Our efforts have focused on increasing awareness of the gendered dimensions of peacebuilding. Our successful advocacy efforts won specific language in the resolution of the General Assembly that insists the Commission include the perspectives of women's organizations in their work. WILPF reported on the first meeting of the commission and has published our analyses and recommendations to the commission here: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/women_reform/PBC.htm . The first two countries that will receive advice from this body will be Sierra Leone and Burundi and we will be in close contact with our sections there to coordinate information and messaging.

Through the PeaceWomen project, WILPF’s efforts to realize the full and rapid implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 have continued. PeaceWomen has undergone some changes since the last International Executive Committee meeting, including changing the publication schedule of the 1325 PeaceWomen E-News from a biweekly to a monthly basis. This has increased the quality and quantity of analysis provided, and has meant we can include more substantive information from WILPF partners including the New York NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, and UNIFEM. Linkages between 1325 and the UN reform process have also been highlighted and acted upon, specifically through our submissions and presentations (June 06) to the Secretary General's High Level Panel on Systemwide Coherence. A summary of the presentation, as well as background information about the panel itself can be found here: http://www.peacewomen.org/un/women_reform/Panel_index.htm

The PeaceWomen project has also expanded its advocacy efforts related to peacekeeping operations by increasing monitoring and advocacy towards the UN Committee of 34 (C34), which is the main forum for decision-making on peacekeeping budgets and mandates. Regular reports on gender and peacekeeping have been included in the Enews, and Milkah Kihunah, one of the PeaceWomen Project Associates has served as our international focal point on peacekeeping issues and the driver of the Peacekeeping Watch project. Peacekeeping Watch was initiated by the Center for Strategic Initiatives for Women, the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice and WILPF in order to help ensure the most comprehensive documentation of these violations and timely advocacy efforts. WILPF's PeaceWomen Project continues this project today as part of its broader work on gender and peacekeeping-related issues, and under the overarching umbrella of working toward the implementation of Resolution 1325.

Disarmament activities have historically formed the core of WILPF’s security focused efforts which continues today in many WILPF sections and branches across the globe. In the last year the Swedish section has translated and published a series of disarmament documents for national advocacy. The German section has become involved in Abolition 2000 Europe. The section in Burundi has engaged in the national Disarmament, Demilitarization and Reintegration programs. WILPF France (Grenoble Branch) has been particularly busy in national level lobbying on nuclear weapons. The UK section has joined efforts to oppose the renewal of the trident nuclear weapons delivery systems. The US section works on Keeping Space for Peace and the Dutch section has activelz engaged in the Mayors for Peace Vision 2020 Campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons by the year 2020.

WILPF’s international programme identifies disarmament education as a prioritz, and to that end we have submitted a report to be included in the UN Secretary General's report on Disarmament Education, to be submitted to the 2006 UN General Assembly. We also continually hold educational events around the globe- including seminars held in Sweden, the US, and Geneva. The 2006 International Women's Day Disarmament Seminar in Geneva focused on Fissile Materials and Depleted Uranium, and the linkage to multilateral disarmament bodies- including the UNGA and the CD. The report from the seminar can be found on the WILPF website at: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/publications/iwd2006.htm

For the first time in several years, as a result of global advocacy and frustration, progress has been seen in a number of multilateral disarmament fora. Although agreement on a programme of work is still not reached the Conference on Disarmament has seen focused thematic debates this year, the closest the body has come to a program of work in ten years. The UN Disarmament Commission has agreed on an agenda for their next several meetings, which has not been the case for the past three years, and while this is not a policy setting body, recommendations that come from the UNDC have historically formed the basis for treaty negotiations and further efforts in the General Assembly and other bodies.

WILPF International’s work on disarmament is focused through the Reaching Critical Will project. This project was initiated to increase the quality and quantity of NGO participation in multilateral disarmament decision making fora, and is recognized by governmental actors, academics and disarmament NGOs as the primary information source on nuclear weapons and international diplomacy. WILPF is still the only organization in the world that publishes regular reports on disarmament efforts relating to nuclear weapons, fissile materials, negative security assurances and the prevention of an arms race in outer space through our day-of reports on the Conference on Disarmament, the General Assembly and the Disarmament Commission. . These reports are recognized by disarmament actors around the globe as the best insight to these particular multilateral bodies. WILPF also coordinates the only NGO statement to be delivered to the CD, on the occasion of International Women's Day, and is one of the two NGOs that have submitted official documents to the CD (we supplied our Model Nuclear Inventory: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/about/pubs/Inventory.html). At the UN General Assembly First Committee (that deals with questions of international peace and security), WILPF coordinates a group of NGOs that share the burden of monitoring and reporting on various subjects. These reports have been recognized for their broad scope (covering everything from terrorism to small arms to nuclear weapons to disarmament machinery) and they have served as a basis for national level lobbying activities by NGOs who are better informed and able to react because WILPF provides all statements and draft resolutions. (More information is available here: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1comindex1.html)

WILPF, working with the Lawyer's Committee on Nuclear Policy and the Western States Legal Foundation, received funding to publish a civil society analysis of the report of the Independent Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDC) chaired by Dr. Hans Blix. This project has produced a website: http://www.wmdreport.org. In addition to a comprehensive analysis of the report, this site provides background information, context, and further resources related to the report and the topics it covers. The site is meant to serve as a resource for those changing U.S. Policy related to weapons of mass destruction, and the comprehensive analysis and specific recommendations towards shifting U.S. policy will be distributed to U.S. Grassroots organizations as well as the U.S. Congress.

Environmental Sustainability

WILPF's work on environmental sustainability is closely linked to our work for peace, security and economic and social justice.

At our last Congress, the human right to clean water was identified as one of WILPF's priorities and opportunities to address this issue were sought. International staff have pushed the human right to water in the lead-up to the Human Rights Council in several informal meetings with governmental representatives, including the President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico. Requests were made by WILPF to ensure its inclusion in the future work of the Council. During the Council meeting itself, there were no opportunities to raise the issue formally, though opportunities to do so in the future exist and will be acted upon.

On the local level, WILPF sections and branches were actively engaged in events commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Activities included a youth festival, in Minsk, organized by WILPF Belarus; an event at the Nobel Institute in Oslo- Nuclear Energy and Chernobyl, 20 years after, and; the UK section produced a leaflet “Women Say No to Nuclear Power” and represented WILPF at a conference run by the UK and Irish Nuclear Free local authorities.

Due to the anniversary of Chernobyl and the prominence of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, WILPF has also linked militarism and the environment over the past year highlighting the specific relationship between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. In a number of reports from the first session of the Conference on Disarmament, the linkage, and more specifically the multi-generational impact of the nuclear chain were highlighted.

WILPF was visible at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), thanks to support from our Norwegian section we were able to bring Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez, an Indigenous North American to New York for the 2006 session which was focused on energy. . In preparation for the CSD, international staff developed and circulated a sample advocacy letter specifically highlighting the issue of the resurgence of nuclear energy. We worked closely with other NGOs to change the perception that nuclear power is sustainable. With GRACE Policy Institute and other NGOs, we advocated for an International Sustainable Energy Agency and participated in panel discussions on the problems associated with nuclear power—addressing economic, health, environment and proliferation concerns.. Our efforts were overwhelmingly successful as the three references to nuclear power in the final outcome document are all negative and heavily qualified. We will be visiting UN Missions to identify friendly governments and the best advocacy strategy, in preparation for the 2007 CSD session, where policy decisions will be made In addition, efforts to promote an International Sustainable Energy Agency and circulate the model statute for it have been undertaken, the statute was delivered to the UN High Level Panel on Systemwide Coherence at their request. In addition, WILPF continues to protest the conflicting dual mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency- charged with both the promotion of nuclear technology and the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons.

WILPF staffing levels has meant the organization does not had the capacity to monitor or engage with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), nor to adequately follow discussions or conduct effective advocacy in the UN General Assembly Third (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) and Fourth Committees (Special Political and Decolonization). In relation to the UN, discussions in these two committees contain linkages to our work for environmental sustainability, better attention should be paid to them in the future.

WILPF did act on the opportunities presented to address issues related to the rights of Indigenous Peoples. WILPF was able to assist members of the Western Shoshone tribe in their submission to the Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination. We also held a panel discussion during the Economic and Social Council meeting in Geneva (7 July) wherein one of the speakers (Ambassador Ronald Barnes) addressed the issue of Indigenous Peoples and Employment.

Global Economic and Social Justice

Through the hard work of our 2006 Human Rights Intern, Michelle Aravelo-Carpenter, WILPF has been able to effectively contribute to the development of the new Human Rights Council. This body of the UN General Assembly replaces the Commission on Human Rights, which was a body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In order to ensure maximum NGO participation in the work of the Human Rights Council, WILPF organized a series of round table discussions between governments elected to the Council, NGOs and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. These round tables focused on modalities for NGO participation in the work of the Council- reports from them can be found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/Roundtable_NGO_Participation.htm

Some structures change, but the politics essentially do no. As was our concern during the entire Cold War period, one of our primary goals with the Human Rights Council is to prevent of the separation of economic, social and cultural rights from civil and political rights. At the time of the close of the Commission on Human Rights, WILPF highlighted this concern both through individual meetings with governments and through public speaking engagements.

During the first meeting of the Human Rights Council, WILPF worked with other organizations to submit statements on Human Rights Education (http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/HumanRightsCouncil06/jointstatement_hrel.htm), the Review of Mechanisms and Mandates (http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/HumanRightsCouncil06/jointstatement_ngoparticipation.htm) and on Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territory's (http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/HumanRightsCouncil06/jointstatement_palestine.htm). None of this would have been possible without the substantive contribution and consultations with WILPF Special Advisor on UN Matters- Edith Ballantyne.

Along with the statements submitted during the Human Rights Council, WILPF, in conjunction with the Geneva NGO Commission on the Status of Women, hosted a panel discussion “Women's Human Rights at Cross Roads”. The panel, chaired by NGO CSW President and WILPF Geneva UN Representative, Krishna AhoojaPatel, included the following speakers and topics: Women’s Right to Economic Empowerment (Chitra Radhakishun), The Significance of Gender Equality in the Globalising Information Society (Manjit Dosanjh), Right to be Born and Survive in Dignity (Lois Herman), Women, Rape & War: Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts in International Criminal Law (Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter), Women’s Rights Issues at the Human Rights Council (Maria-Francisca Ize-Charrin, Dutima Bhagwandin.

The High Commissioner on Human Rights has submitted a proposal for reforming the work of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies. The proposal suggests that unifying the work of the seven Treaty Bodies would make the system more effective. WILPF, along with a number of other organizations expressed concern that some issues would be marginalized or lost through this particular reform proposal, and submitted a memo to the High Commissioner's office on Treaty Body Reform. Our submission can be found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/treaty_body_reform.pdf. In order to encourage WILPF sections to become more actively engaged in monitoring human rights issues nationally, we have also prepared a Treaty Body Matrix (found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/humanrights/2006/treaty_body_matrix.htm) This matrix lists each of the treaty bodies, each of the WILPF sections, the dates of national ratification and the due dates of the next report. We hope that this will encourage sections to become more actively engaged with other local organizations in the preparation of shadow reports, or alternative reports that can be submitted in conjunction with national reports. This tool also offers the opportunity for a quick-view of which national sections of WILPF have not ratified certain human rights treaties (for example almost none of the governments of WILPF section countries have signed or ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families)

During the High Level Segment of the Economic and Social Council meeting held in Geneva, WILPF, working with the NGO CSW hosted a panel titled “Women in Power Climbing the Political Ladder”. The panel was hosted by Edith Ballantyne and featured the following topics and speakers: Finland: 100 Years of the Right to Vote and the Right to Work (Heli Bathijah), Women’s Economic Power and Peace Building (Susi Snyder- WILPF), Women’s Perspective on Productive Employment (Conchita Poncini- International Federation of University Women), Indigenous Peoples, Sustainable Employment (Ambassador, Ronald Barnes), Women’s Global Migration for Livelihoods (Sajida Ally- Migrants Rights International).

At the recommendation of the WILPF working group on Global Economic Justice, work has begun on a new project for WILPF- monitoring human rights and economic conditions of women in Export Processing Zones. The Geneva office has engaged a series of interns who have conducted desk research on this issue and we have discovered that there are currently no easy reference tools on this issue available. Bringing together information from the International Labor Organization, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, private corporations, and national governments, we are currently creating a web-based database to provide this information to the world. Recognizing that information is power, we have worked to gather information during the past year with the hope of launching a global project on the subject at the 2007 Congress in Bolivia.

WILPF members from the Philippines participated in the World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong at the end of 2005. A statement was developed through the Global Economic Justice Working Group which was delivered and circulated at the meeting. A number of events were organized and a full report can be found here: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/updates/2006/january.html#j5

Additional Program Issues

International Women's Peace Conference

At the International Congress in 2004, WILPF decided to organize an International Women's Peace Conference in Cuba. In June 2006 WILPF had not raised adequate funds to hold this conference as envisaged and decided instead to begin preparations on a delegation to visit the island and find linkages to our 2007 International Congress.

The goals of the delegation have been discussed, but not yet fully agreed and include: meeting with Federation of Cuban Women and other women's and peace organizations, possible investigation of Trinidad, or sugar producing area, gathering anecdotal evidence related to the Cuban economic model, and the interrelation between Cuba and other Latin American countries. The information gathered by the delegation will then feed into a report, which will be used as a study item in preparation for the Congress. It is hoped that the delegation will also be able to gather information about trade practices and relationships, which could also feed into the our export processing zone work. Consultations with the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) have been ongoing as to the nature, size and goals of this delegation, with the recommendation by FMC that we limit ourselves to 25 persons.

In agreeing to participate on the delegation, we are encouraging our members to do the following:
a) become familiar with the issues related to the island by following news, reading information, and linking up with their local solidarity organization.
b) agree to be one of the drafters of a report on the experience
b1) decide how this report will be fashioned, and what information needs do we have before the trip, during the trip, etc
c) help to conduct interviews with local women to feed into the report
d) agree to hold an event locally, after their return, and when the report is completed to launch the report and to also strengthen the connections with local solidarity organizations, and possibly human rights/ economic rights/ justice organizations Use this event as a fundraiser specifically for the Congress.
e) be willing to be listed, and appear in media events and interviews to talk about their experiences.

2. Secretary General specific work

Susi represented WILPF at the following conferences and events: Heinrich Boll Siftung Feminist Institute (Berlin, September 2005), presentation on gender and disarmament; Special NGO Committee on Human Rights workshop on UN Reform (Geneva, September 2005), presentation on the Peace Building Commission and the Responsibility to Protect; Women into Decision Making (London, November 2005), presentation on 1325, workshop on getting a resolution like 1325 related to trade; Greenpeace Disarmament Campaign Training (Geneva, February 2006), presentation on the link between grassroots advocacy and international diplomacy; Geneva Forum introduction to the NGO community for new disarmament diplomats (Geneva, February 2006), spoke on the resources available through WILPF and our projects; Second Annual RID-NBC (Saintes, May 2006), delivered three presentations- WMD and gender, UN disarmament machinery and NPT What next?; International Symposium on Women and Peace (Tokyo, May 2006), plenary presentation on 1325 and NGO advocacy; WILPF Sweden Congress (Stockholm, May 20056, presentation on WILPF International structure and work; Unfinished Business: Building on the NPT 2005 Review Conference (Geneva, May 2006), presentation on open ended special committees, standing bodies and supplementary fora; Salon international des initiatives de paix (Paris, June 2006), plenary presentation on 1325, workshop on 1325; World Peace Forum (Vancouver, June 2006), three workshops related to gender and disarmament; Secretary-General's High Level Panel on Systemwide Coherence (Geneva, July 2006), presentation on the need for strong women's machinery in the UN; Quaker Summer School (Geneva, July 2006) presentation on NGO perspectives on the Conference on Disarmament. All of these presentations are available upon request.

In order to further our international advocacy, at least one meeting about relevant aspects of WILPF's international program were held with the following governmental representatives: Poland, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden, UK, Japan, Norway, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Ireland, Republic of Korea, Syrian Arab Republic, Iran, Finland, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, France, Slovakia, Russia, Italy, and Bulgaria.

3. Communications with sections, with the world

International Peace Update

Thanks to the incredible volunteer work of editor and International Vice President Annelise Ebbe and the gracious donation of time by her son and layout master, Jacob, the IPU has changed its look- now including more photographs and more imagery overall. There have, of course, been some problems in the changeover, and lessons have been learned about the best way to coordinate between printers in Denmark and distribution in Geneva.

The cost of publishing and mailing the IPU is almost met by the subscriptions dues that are paid to the Geneva office, but not quite. We hope to be able to print more copies of the IPU, with a cover price printed on the magazine in several currencies. We hope that by printing a cover price, and then selling bulk subscriptions to members and sections, the IPU will be sold to generate local income for our sections, and that more members (and even non members) will be encouraged to subscribe. Currently, the cost of printing each issue is about 2000 CHF and the cost of mailing is about 2000 CHF. The cost of an annual subscription is 20 CHF. We recommend therefore that the cover price be set at 10 CHF, 6 Euro, 8 USD, 10 Australian Dollars, 10 Canadian Dollars, and 5 Great Britain Pounds. We recommend that the bulk subscription rate be 5 CHF per issue. (includes mailing). This provides an incentive for people to subscribe (to save over 50% off the cover price) and we hope to include subscription cards in every future issue that will include a recommendation to buy a subscription for a friend.

Monthly Updates

The monthly section mailings have improved in their content and consistency, but still need more work. We need to improve the layout, improve the readability, and are always trying to improve the content. We have also made the monthly mailings available on the international website, as a way for members to check back on the items we have sent in one easy place. In the future we would like to feature some regular parts to the monthly mailing, as well as split the mailing into two unique parts.

The first part will be a monthly update, available to all WILPF members that will include the following: messages from the officers, updates on our international program (following the three main program priorities), updates from the UN office, updates from sections (we would like to feature an update from every section at least once per year), updates from our program working groups, new resources developed by WILPF and, action alerts that can be done locally and impact our international work. This will be a focused programmatic update. We hope to publish this in the middle of every month- on or about the 15th. Therefore we kindly request contributions be submitted no later than the 12th of each month.

We would also like to provide organizational updates, which would be distributed to a smaller list of individuals and would focus more concretely on organizational matters including: IEC and/ or Congress preparations, Committee updates (especially from the organizational standing committees), and specific questions and asks to the sections from the secretariat or committees related to building our organization. These organizational mailings will then go to: IEC members, Officers, Staff, and International Affairs Representatives. While the programmatic updates will be circulated to a broad list, newsletter style, we want the organizational issues updates to spark discussion, and will therefore be published on an electronic list that allows for people to respond to the entire list. (See more information on the email lists below).

The monthly mailings are usually sent by both email and post, and we would like to do our best to limit the number of postal mailings needed- thereby limiting our costs. We do recognize that it is much easier for many people to receive the mailings by post, and while we would like to send the bulk of the mailings by email, we will be happy to continue sending items to those who request it by post.

WILPF on the Web

The international offices of WILPF currently maintain four distinct websites: www.peacewomen.org, www.reachingcriticalwill.org (maintained mostly by UNO staff) www.peacewomen-voices.org and www.wilpf.int.ch (maintained by the Geneva office). We have talked a lot about making the look of all of our sites more uniform, and also making them more navigable.

In the last year, the international website has undergone an overhaul in design. We have modified the template for the site, hoping to increase people's ability to find their way around it. There is still work to be done, and it is honestly difficult to find time to work on the site as much as we would like to. We have also made the site more uniform in terms of fonts used, and have received gracious help from a volunteer in Geneva to do this. In addition, all interns that come to the Geneva office are trained on maintaining the site and have assisted updating it with information they have either generated or collected.

We have a lot to do to make our websites more dynamic, interesting, and useful for our membership and the world. Past suggestions include adding discussion forums, blogs, and end user update ability. We have the capacity to do all of these things with the server technology currently in place, what we haven't had is the time to install them and the time to put these sites together. While making simple changes to the site is fairly easy, the number of staff with technical web design expertise is exceptionally limited and to actually do the changes we are hoping for will require dedicated time that we haven't yet been able to find.

We hope to have the sites updated to a content management system that will allow approved users to update their sections of the site using a web-interface, in whatever language they prefer (we will start with French, Spanish and English). This will provide an opportunity for WILPF sections who do not have their own websites to update their part of the international website from anywhere in the world. Additionally, we would like to create subdomains for each of these sections- e.g. Nepal.wilpf.ch or Colombia.wilpf.ch. We would like to do the same for each of the program committees- e.g. Environment.wilpf.ch, where the committee would be able to update the page if they so choose. Our goal is to have this fully operational by the 2007 WILPF Congress, at which we would like to conduct a training on how to use the sites and do the updates.

WILPF Email Lists

Currently, there is one major international email-list for WILPF, the wilpf-news@igc.topica.com list. The communications committee and other members have identified a lot of problems with the wilpf-news list, problems mostly with subscribing and staying on the list. Topica isn't the most friendly host for email lists, and we have found a way to move the list to our own server- wilpf.ch. The changeover from wilpf-news will happen soon after the IEC, where all subscribers to the topica list will be automatically subscribed to wilpf-news@wilpf.ch, will be able to post messages, and will be able to subscribe or unsubscribe to the list through our website. This will allow us to increase the number of subscribers, and thereby increase the amount of information circulated. Ideally we will include all WILPF members (who choose to be included) on this list, as a quick and easy way to communicate with as many members as possible.

Recognizing that many sections operate in other languages, we would also like to create similar lists that will be in French and Spanish, with Spanish as our priority. This will, hopefully, foster discussion amongst non-English speaking members.

In addition to the wilpf-news list, the office has also developed email lists for each of the standing committees and program working groups of WILPF. All of these lists can be joined through a hidden link on our website at: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/cmtes/lists.htm

Ideally, by creating the opportunity for individuals to manage their own subscriptions to the lists, we will be able to avoid mistakes in email addresses and will be able to communicate most effectively to all members of the groups. Additionally, as these are discussion lists, all members of working groups and committees will be able to communicate with one another using one simple email address. I would like to secure agreement from each of the committee and working group convenors to serve as list moderators, with the ability to add or delete users, monitor postings, and make changes to the list as necessary.

The following lists have been created:

Standing committees:

Communications Committee: communications_cmte@wilpf.ch

Constitution Committee: constitution@wilpf.ch

Finance: standing_finance@wilpf.ch

Organizational Development: develop@wilpf.ch

Personnel: personnel@wilpf.ch

International Executive Committee: IEC_members@wilpf.ch

This is a closed discussion list, open only to designated IEC members and their alternates, the international officer team and international staff, to create a space for ongoing dialogue between IEC meetings and WILPF Congresses.

Program working groups:

Disarmament & Demilitarization: Disarm_Demilitarise@wilpf.ch

Environment: environment@wilpf.ch

Global Economic Justice: Economic_Justice@wilpf.ch

Racism: WG_Racism@wilpf.ch

Security Council Resolution 1325: WG1325@wilpf.ch

Middle East: Middle_East@wilpf.ch

UN Team: Unteam@wilpf.ch

This is a new list, in order to facilitate joint strategizing and discussion among WILPF members on our UN advocacy.

Committee preparing for the 100th Anniversary of WILPF: committee100@wilpf.ch

This is a new list, in order to coordinate activities and preparations towards WILPF's 100th anniversary.

For any WILPF member to join:

WILPF News: wilpf-news@wilpf.ch

After the IEC meeting, we will be switching the current wilpf-news@igc.topica.com to the new list, wilpf-news@wilpf.ch.

WILPF News French: lifpl-actualites(at)wilpf.ch

This list is designed to share news items and spark discussion amongst French Speaking WILPF members.

WILPF News Spanish: limpal-noticias(at)wilpf.ch

This list is designed to share news items and spark discussion amongst Spanish Speaking WILPF members.

WILPF Monthly Updates- this list is open for anyone to subscribe to, but will only receive messages once per month from the International Secretariat. Subscribe through the following web page: http://www.wilpf.int.ch/updates/up_index.htm

4. Staff Updates

United Nations Office (UNO)

In the last eighteen months there has been 100% turnover of the WILPF UN Office Staff. Milkah Kihunah and Sam Cook filled the PeaceWomen project associate positions vacated by Sarah Shteir and Kara Picarelli; Jennifer Nordstrom filled the Reaching Critical Will project associate position vacated by Rhianna Tyson, and; Jill Sternberg began as WILPF UNO Director in January 2006. Jill has just resigned from her position as UNO director. In five years, there has only been one person who has stayed in the director position in the UNO for more than one year (and a number have left after only 6 months). There are many reasons cited for the various directors resignations, yet the one consistency has been the overwhelming work load required of the position. This begs discussion by a broader group than the current staff and officers team, who have been grappling with the issue for a number of years without coming to a workable solution. It is kindly requested that the issue be discussed and a collaborative, collective resolution be worked out by the UNO staff, the Geneva Staff, Personnel Committee and the officers team.

International Secretariat (Geneva)

At the IEC in 2005, attendees were introduced to part time office assistant, Marie Boroli. In January, 2006, Marie was hired full time as the WILPF International Office Manager. We have had a series of interns during the year, details are in the Geneva office report. Some of these interns have been sponsored by sections: specifically: WILPF Sweden and WILPF International have implemented a joint internship project wherein a young woman spends 10 weeks in the Stockholm office of WILPF followed by 10 weeks either in the UN office or Geneva office. In addition, the German Section continues to fund part of the Human Rights internship in Geneva.

Consultants

WILPF continues to employ technology consultants (predominantly for maintenance of the internal networks and systems) in both the NY and Geneva offices. WILPF also employs consultants for translation of the PeaceWomen website, and for some projects. For the preparation and planning of the International Women's Peace Conference, we hired Brigitte Baldauf as a consultant from 1 December until 31 May 2006, when we no longer had the funding to continue her contract.

Looking Ahead

In reviewing past documents and recommendations related to WILPF international staff, one of the positions recommended has been that of Development Director. In order to do this, we need to raise significant funds- both for salary for this person as well as for the travels and research devices they will need to accomplish their work. We hope that a development director would work not only on fundraising as it relates to the creation of grant proposals, but also will look at developing the organization- truly a development director. This person would look holistically at fundraising strategies and programs and be engaged in seeking of long-term sustainable funding for WILPF, including investments, capital campaign, major donors, membership, and grants. Currently, the duties outlined in the Rainbow Report under this job description are carried out by the Secretary General and International Office Manager, and this is not sustainable for either person or the organization. We hope that members of WILPF will find ways to contribute to the long-term health and sustainability of the organization through contributing to bringing an additional person on board to work in this capacity.

5. Our financial picture

At the 2006 Officer Meeting, Geneva staff were asked to make fundraising a priority. Unfortunately, we no longer have a functional fundraising committee for WILPF international, so every aspect from researching possible donors to developing specific proposals tailored for each are left to staff.

We were fortunate to receive a large legacy gift in early 2006 which, in conjunction with the section fees, allows for our basic needs to be met (two full time staff and the basic office administration in Geneva). We still need to establish an investment scheme in Europe for a quasi-endowment in order to realize a return on significant legacy gifts, as per the decision in 2005 to invest up to 30% of legacy gifts. Assistance with the development of this quasi-endowment would be much appreciated.

Fundraising for the UNO and the Reaching Critical Will and PeaceWomen projects are done by the UN office, with input and guidance from the Secretary General.

In addition to a number of project proposals put forward to governments and private foundations, we have explored how to receive corporate gifts. We currently have a donation matching arrangement with American Express (employees who donate can do so before taxes on their check and AMEX matches their gifts). This type of arrangement can be established with other companies as well, it requires an individual employed by the company to initiate the process. Proposals are being written and submitted now for the 2007 WILPF International Congress, as foundation funding requires significant lead time.

6. Coalitions and Networks we have been actively engaged with.

WILPF has historically worked with coalitions and networks whose goals are similar to our own. We continue to work collaboratively in both New York, Geneva and other parts of the world with a variety of networks on different issues. A brief summary of our work with a number of these coalitions and networks is below.

Abolition 2000

WILPF helped to start this network of over 2000 organizations in 93 countries with the goal to achieve swift and complete abolition of nuclear weapons. We continue to sit on the Global Council of Abolition 2000 and provide and receive information about each others work. We participated in the Annual General Meeting of the network in Vancouver in June 2006, and worked closely together on sustainable energy issues around the Commission on Sustainable Development.

CONGO

WILPF has worked closely with the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations for many years. During the last two years in particular, WILPF has continued to work with CONGO, but have had some specific reservations about our continued engagement with them. Specifically these reservations come from CONGO speaking, on behalf of their membership in certain fora on issues that are not directly related to NGO access and participation in the work of the UN and its specialized agencies. CONGO has taken positions welcoming and approving of certain reforms in the UN system over the last few years without consulting its membership. Some of these positions have contradicted our own positions on changes, and we have requested that CONGO not speak on behalf of its members except in regards to NGO participation. After consultation with WILPF's special advisor on UN matters, Edith Ballantyne, a letter was drafted to CONGO expressing our concerns and indicating that we would not pay our dues until the matter was addressed. We are currently waiting for the outcome of their annual general meeting to see how these issues may or may not have been resolved.

European Women's Lobby (EWL)

WILPF continues to work with EWL, and Martha Jean Baker (UK Section) is our representative to them. Martha provides us with the newsletter of the EWL as well as specific action items that come up. If we are to continue to be a member of EWL we need to increase our national sections in the European Union- we need to have sections in at least 13 of the 25 EU member states to continue our participation. We have been able to contribute to EWL work by presenting resolutions for adoption which direct the policy work of the EWL.

Global Network on Nuclear Weapons and Power in Space

In both 2004 and again in 2006, WILPF has co-sponsored a global week of action to prevent an arms race in outer space. To further our work in this direction, WILPF has created background educational materials, a one page fact sheet, as well as a compilation of actions that can be taken locally to further the goals of WILPF and the Network. These materials are made available through WILPF's Reaching Critical Will project, and available on that website. WILPF is also listed on the globally distributed poster of the network, and the Reaching Critical Will site is given as our main point of contact.

Mayors for Peace

WILPF members have engaged in the Mayors for Peace Vision 2020 campaign to abolish nuclear weapons. Bringing the international security issue of nuclear weapons and nuclear targeting home to the local community and asking Mayors to get engaged on this issue vital to our collective survival. Members have engaged with their local Mayors, and the WILPF secretariat continues to provide campaign advice and guidance through an informal Mayors for Peace advisory board.

NGO Committee for Disarmament- Geneva

WILPF continues to work with this committee. This year, we coordinated an event with the committee to highlight the ways that NGOs and civil society at large could become engaged in the work of the Conference on Disarmament. We brought more than 15 organizations who work on disarmament issues together to present their materials to the conference in the very first implementation of a CD decision on NGO participation/ access taken in 2004. We also provided a briefing of the work of the CD and organized a round table discussion with Irish Ambassador Mary Whelan and Russian First Secretary Antonin Vasilev. This discussion proved quite fruitful in brainstorming other ideas as to how NGOs could be engaged, as well as how the face of NGO engagement has changed since 2004.

NGO Committee on the Status of Women- Geneva & New York

Krishna AhoojaPatel currently serves as the President of Geneva's NGO CSW. Sam Cook, PeaceWomen project associate, serves on the executive committee of the NY NGO CSW. This provides WILPF with an unique advantage in having first hand knowledge and input into the work of both committees. In addition to coordinating activities around the Commission on the Status of Women meetings (held annually in NY), the NGO CSW also provides an opportunity to promote greater gender awareness in other fora. In Geneva, we have seen this specifically around the Human Rights mechanisms. Through the NGO CSW, WILPF co-sponsored an event “Women's Human Rights at Cross Roads” during the first meeting of the Human Rights Council. WILPF also works with a number of the Geneva subcommittees.

NGO Working Group on Peace

WILPF co-chairs this working group of the NGO CSW with another organization, Femmes Africa Solidarite. The working group consists of 54 member organizations, and is the main body that organizes the annual International Women's Day Seminar. The Working Group also holds other events and meetings in Geneva related to issues of women peace and security and is currently seeking ways to better engage with other NGO committees and working groups on cross-cutting issues. The group meets quarterly and assigns task forces to carry out specific projects (such as the International Women's Day seminar).

Special NGO Committee on Human Rights

Geneva office volunteer and long-time WILPF member, Lee Weingarten, continues to serve as the treasurer of this committee. Other staff members occasionally attend meetings of the committee, as a way to coordinate NGO activities around the Geneva based Human Rights machinery. On 24 October, 2005, Susi delivered a presentation to the entire committee about ongoing UN Reform. The presentation is available upon request.

Ad Hoc Human Rights working group on NGO participation in the Human Rights Council

WILPF, in conjunction with Pax Romana, the World YWCA, the Special NGO Committee on Human Rights, and CONGO organized a series of informal round table discussions with member of the Human Rights Council on the issue of NGO participation in the work of the Council. This ad hoc group was brought together by WILPF Human Rights Intern, Michelle Arevalo Carpenter, and produced two reports and a series of recommendations that were then used as a basis for NGO advocacy during the first session of the Human Rights Council.

7. Looking Ahead- 2007 and beyond

For the international secretariat, the biggest priority for 2007 is the organization of WILPF's Triennial Congress in Bolivia- 21-27 July 2007 in Santa Cruz. While the specific theme of the Congress has not yet been decided (it will be at the upcoming International Executive Committee meeting), some basic fundraising has already begun. Framing the Congress as an opportunity for WILPF internal capacity building, as well as an opportunity to discuss issues of import to the organization, we hope to find the funding to bring together a diverse group of women from all of our national sections as well as bringing together young women for a Gertrud Baer Seminar.

There are many other events that relate directly to WILPF's current programmatic priorities that are coming up in the next year. These include: the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty preparatory committee meeting (April or May 2007), the policy setting meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development (May 2007), three meetings of the Human Rights Council (dates unknown), the Commission on the Status of Women (February-March 2007), and more. Staff capacity to cover each of these meetings in detail is limited, hopefully, through establishing the UN Team list-serve (noted above), we will be able to coordinate more engagement in the preparation and planning of all of these events and also include more members in the leadership of our activities around each.

WILPF has also begun preparations for our 100th anniversary, 2015. Mans van Zandbergen has agreed to serve as the WILPF focal point in Den Haag, for the preparations, and work has already begun. We hope that this event will bring together a massive conference of women, with diverse representation from around the world. If we plan well, and begin our preparations now, it is possible to realize a conference along the lines of the world conferences on women. The women's movement around the world needs some kind of galvanizing event, and WILPF is specially placed to coordinate this, as it will be an historical reminder of our origins and an opportunity to catapult WILPF into a leadership role in women's movements around the world.