b'a report reviewing the positionSeveral Soroptimists are now or haveEach year the negotiations seem globally on the main theme underpreviously been NGO members ofto become harder with supportive consideration for that year, usuallytheir country delegations: Iceland,negotiators trying to hold the line in the December prior to CSW. ByDenmark, Germany, Belgium, Austriafor women and girls rights against February a document known asfor example, whilst others such asa growing number of Member the Zero Draft is published as athe United Kingdom and Canada areStates, including the United States framework, to start discussions ingiven good access to delegationsof America, pushing back on those and between Member States and UNand negotiators.This involvementhard-won rights.Regions. not only assists in getting our Soroptimists are involved withmessage across, but also encouragesSI asks each year have made it into Governments as soon as the UNsupportive Member States to standthe text, although in some cases Secretariat issue the Zero Draftstrong when some countries areperhaps not with language as strong of Agreed Conclusions. SI issuestrying to reverse decisions made inas we would have liked. SI delegates recommendations via the SIthe past. are consulted regularly and Federations which Soroptimists canOnce CSW commences thefrequently during the negotiations, then present to their Governments.negotiations begin in earnest.and SI works quietly behind the Of course, this is not alwaysAll Member States endeavour toscenes with other Member State possible because there are somepromote the language they want tonegotiators, NGOs and UN Women.Governments which will not connectsee included. In most cases relianceWenowneedeveryonetofindoutwith or reach out to Civil Society andis on language that has previouslywhat is happening in their own NGOs, however, there are enoughbeen agreed at the UN, not always atcountry, to look at the Agreed who are willing to listen. CSW.This stress on language, whilstConclusions in relation to the work One of the actions Soroptimists canseeming pedantic, is very important,taking place on the Sustainable take in their countries is to workfor example, the use of family,Development Goals. We must together with other like-mindedfamily unit and families can allmonitor and hold every country to NGOs, well in advance of the annualbe given different interpretations,account for all UN agreements and CSW meeting, so that they can tryparticularly when translated into aresolutions related to women and collectively to generate dialogue withlanguage other than English. girls rights.the Ministers responsible for genderSI tries each year to move thingsDealingwithofficialstatementsandequality in their countries and theforward for women and girls. Onethe wording of UN resolutions and Member State delegates who will beexample is Female Genital Mutilationagreements is not an area which attending. (FGM), which has now advancedis of interest to everyone, but it is from an acceptable traditionalimportant that we continue to make This makes it so much easiercultural practice to an unacceptableour SI voice heard at this leveltofirstly,getrecognitionofthe practice of violence against girls,after all we are a Global Voice for Soroptimist asks at an early stage inwith subsequent state legislationWomen.the negotiations, and then to engagemaking this practice illegal on with that country and its delegation.several grounds.19'