REPORT: 2000

WFUWO has attended meetings and submitted written statements at the annual sessions of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women beginning with the 38th session in March 1994 in New York and all subsequent meetings held in New York.

At the 38th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, WFUWO presented a statement expressing deep concern regarding nuclear safety in Eastern and Central Europe and its effects on the health of this region and the rest of the world.

The World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations has attended every World Conference on Women from Mexico City in 1975 through Beijing in 1995. WFUWO actively participated in the preparatory meetings of the non-governmental committees associated with the UN, joining task forces, working on documents and written statements in cooperation with other international NGO's. WFUWO attended and presented a written statement at the High-Level Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 4th World Conference on Women in Vienna on October 17-21, 1994, and attended the NGO Forum preceeding this meeting. WFUWO actively participated in and presented a written statement at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Bejing, September 4-15, 1995. At the NGO Forum in Beijing, WFUWO held a two hour workshop entitled "Environmental Disaster and its Effects on Women and Children.

During the International Year of the Family 1994, our member organizations held an international children's literary contest entitled "My Family". A book containing the winning entries was published and distributed to schools.

Following the International Year of the Family, WFUWO continued programs to enhance and promote the health of children and families. In 1995, WFUWO adopted the slogan "A Healthy Family - A Healthy Society". This was promoted in posters, seminars, articles and programs. Brochures were printed and distributed to organizations and chapters on the four continents.

As members of the NGO Committee on the Family, WFUWO lobbied for inclusion of the family and it's related basic rights into the official texts of documents prepared to the World Social Summit, Copenhagen, 1995; Conference on Population and Development in Cairo 1994; Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995; and Habitat II in Istanbul, 1996.

In January 1995, WFUWO and its representatives attended the preparatory meeting to the World Social Summit and took an active part in the East-West Caucus. Our representatives along with other NGO's requested that all countries in Eastern and Central Europe be treated equally to prevent conflict in the region. An appeal with the cooperation of other NGO'S was made to the representative of the European Union in preparation to the World Social Summit in March,1995.

WFUWO actively participated in the World Social Summit in Copenhagen in March of 1995. On March 10,1995, WFUWO's representative raised the issue of the problems faced by Eastern and Central Europe especially the effects of the Chornobyl disaster on the region and that these issues were not receiving the attention of this conference. A letter from the NGO community was drafted to the Secretariat. At the NGO Forum in Copenhagen , WFUWO took part in the seminar "Women and Social Development".

Other preparatory meetings and briefings were attended in New York: the International Human Rights Conference; 50th Anniversary of the UN; and Habitat II Conference.

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, WFUWO dedicated the Annual Board Meeting in October 1995 in Toronto to the topic "50th Anniversary of the United Nations" and invited the general public to a special seminar on the work of the United Nations.

Topics that were covered in 1999 by member organizations in their respective countries and communities were: WFUWO and the UN; History of the UN; Ukraine at the UN - achievements and shortcomings; and Participation of WFUWO at the World's Womens Conferences up until the year 2000.

The World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations has been actively engaged in efforts against trafficking of women and children. WFUWO has written statements as well as organized conferences and meetings regarding this international issue of modern day enslavement. WFUWO cooperates and supports the work of La Strada, an NGO working in Ukraine to combat trafficking.

In 1999 "THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF OLDER PERSONS", the WFUWO organized and participated in conferences and encouraged other professional and community organizations to hold conferences and workshops addressing the concerns of the aging population in our communities.

WFUWO attended meetings and cooperated with the Department of Public Information at the UN, Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations, and UNICEF. WFUWO is a member of the Conference on Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council, NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NGO Committee on Health , NGO Committee on the Family, NGO Committee on Aging, NGO Committee on Religion and the NGO Committee on UNICEF. WFUWO received Consultative Status with UNICEF in May, 1997.

WFUWO's participation in all the conferences and weekly briefings on topics concerning women, children and the family have provided the organization with a wide array of materials used to educate, activate and motivate its member organizations.