Greetings from The Conference of NGOs/Beijing+5 Liaison Office! This is the first update in an occasional series. Changes and additions will be sent out as the information becomes available. Please feel free to circulate this information among your network of NGOs.

The 44^th Session of Commission on the Status of Women meets 28 February through 2 March and then reconvenes as the PrepCom for Beijing+5 from 3 March through 17 March 2000. For more details about the Commission on the Status of Women session, please e-mail the NGO Committee on the Status of Women at ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com.

As more details about the PrepCom and the Special Session are finalized, we hope to keep you informed of necessary information and any changes that may have occurred.

CONGO CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about Beijing+5, please direct them to our liaison office:
Sudha Acharya, Beijng+5 Focal Point
Janice Fett, Communications Coordinator
Tel: (1-212) 986-6117
Fax: (1-212) 687-7352
E-mail:Beijing5ngo@aol.com

3 March – 17 March: PREPCOM

PRE-REGISTRATION:

The deadline to register for the PrepCom through the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) was 15 January. NGOs accredited to the Beijing conference who applied for but do not have ECOSOC status may no longer register for the PrepCom.

All NGOs with ECOSOC status who have not already registered (regardless of whether they attended the Beijing government conference in 1995) must now register through the NGO Section/Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA); contact Michele Fedoroff at 1+212-963-9248 (fax) fedoroff@un.org (e-mail). We urge all NGOs who plan to attend the PrepCom and Special Session to register even if they already hold ECOSOC passes. It will help identify the organizations that plan to attend and give us a sense of prospective numbers.

DPI NGOs should contact Helene Hoedl regarding eligibility and registration procedures.

ON-SITE REGISTRATION:

There will be on-site registration for the PrepCom as follows:

• Sunday 27 February, 9am-6pm: UN Security Office (Pass Office), corner of 45^th and 1^st Avenue across the street from the United Nations building.
• Monday 28 February: Lobby of the General Assembly, 8am-6pm. (Enter through the UN Visitor’s Entrance at 46^th Street.)
• Tuesday 28 February through Friday 3 March: Lobby of the General Assembly, 8:30am-6pm.
• Sunday 5 March, 9am-6pm: UN Security Office. (Pass Office), 45^th St. & 1^st Ave.
• Monday 6 March: Lobby of the General Assembly, 8am-6pm.
• Tuesday 7 March through Friday 10 March: Lobby of the General Assembly, 8:30am-6pm.
• Monday 13 March through Friday 17 March: Lobby of the General Assembly, 8:30am-6pm. (Please note: the United Nations is CLOSED on Thursday 16 March.)

IMPORTANT: you must bring a photo ID and the confirmation letter issued by the United Nations Secretariat to register for your badge.

NGO EVENTS:

"NGO Orientation & Training" *

Sunday 27 February OR Sunday 5 March

12pm – 5pm, Labouisse Hall, UNICEF House, 3 UN Plaza (West 44^th Street between 1^st and 2^nd Avenues), fee: $15. Pre-registration is required. The maximum attendance at each session is 200 people; only the first 200 applicants will be registered for each session. Since space is limited, we would ask that NGOs who will be in New York by 27 February plan to attend the first session in consideration of their fellow NGO organizations arriving later. Registration forms will soon be available on the CONGO Web site (www.conferenceofngos.org) and on this web site (www.womenaction.org). To obtain them immediately, please contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. Fax: 1+212-692-0724 or e-mail ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com

* Sponsored by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY and UNICEF

"Strategies for Beijing+5: 2000 and Beyond" (NGO Consultation)*

Saturday 4 March from 10am to 5pm at the United Nations. Pre-registration is required; fee $25.
DEADLINE: 23 February 2000. Registration forms will soon be available on the CONGO Web site (www.conferenceofngos.org) and on this web site www.womenaction.org. To obtain them immediately, please contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. Fax: 1+212-692-0724 or e-mail ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com

* Sponsored by the NGO Committees on the Status of Women (Geneva, New York, Vienna, facilitated by the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women, and supported by UNICEF and individual contributors.

There will be a daily schedule of NGO events during both the PrepCom and the Special Session. More details will be available soon.

NGO MEETING SPACE:

CONGO will be in close contact with the UN Division for the Advancement of Women regarding space at the United Nations, which is extremely limited. However, space has been reserved at both the Church Center and other locations.

CONGO has reserved space at the Church Center (across the street from the UN) for parallel NGO activities. Requests for meeting space must be submitted in writing via mail or fax to Rebecca Nichols, CONGO, 777 United Nations Plaza, 8^th Floor, New York, NY 10017, Fax: 1+212-986-0821, and should include the following information: (1) type of event; (2) an assurance that it will be open to the public; (3) an estimate of the number of attendees; (4) brief information on hosting organization(s); and (5) preferred date and time. CONGO will do its best to accommodate all requests, but has limited space with which to work.

The following criteria will be used for approving and assigning Meeting Space at the Church Center during the PrepCom:

1. Requesting NGOs must be accredited to the event.
2. The Meeting/Session must be open to all participating NGOs (e.g., not limited to individuals from a specific organization or those advocating a specific point of view).
3. Relevance of the subject matter to the PrepCom agenda and the priority issues in the draft report of the Secretary-General.
4. Balance among issues being considered in the PrepCom.
5. Balance among panelists/speakers to ensure representation of developing countries.
6. Uniqueness of program (i.e., no one else has asked to do something similar. In cases of similar requests, requestors may be asked to work with each other.)
7. Early requests (by date received) will be given priority, when all other criteria are equal.

ALTERNATIVE REPORTS:

The Conference of NGOs will act as a clearinghouse for alternative NGO reports. The deadline for sending in Alternative Reports has been extended to 15 February. Please send them to CONGO (The Conference of NGOs) via mail, fax or e-mail (copied into the body of the e-mail to avoid problems downloading):
CONGO
777 United Nations Plaza, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Fax: 1+212-986-0821
E-Mail: congongo@aol.com

The NGO Organizing Committee, comprised of CONGO and NGO representation from all regions and large networks/caucuses, will address the issue of how to handle any possible summary of the alternative reports.

TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION:

Please note that it would be wise to reserve hotel rooms and make travel arrangements as soon as possible. CONGO does not have the staff to help with travel and accommodation arrangements. There are many websites with information about accommodations in New York City. Three that seem to be helpful are:

www.nycvisit.com (New York City Convention & Visitors Bureau),

www.bestnychotelrates.com, and

www.excite.com/travel

SPECIAL SESSION June 2000

NGO WORKING SESSION:

The Working Session, originally scheduled for 3-4 June will now take place on 2-3 June.

Plans are not finalized for the events on Friday 2 June and Saturday 3 June. Please hold the afternoon and evening of the 2^nd open and all day on the 3^rd. We will send you more information as it becomes available.

GENERAL INFORMATION

UPDATES:

In addition to the CONGO updates, many organizations are working to keep NGOs informed about the PrepCom and Special Session.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS:

Official documents connected with the Beijing+5 process can be found on the UN Division for the Advancement of Women’s web site: