ON THE US PROPOSED AMENDMENT

TO THE DRAFT DECLARATION OF THE 49^{TH SESSION OF THE CSW}

We, representatives of more than 50 women NGOs and networks of all countries of the region, are deeply concerned that the U.S. government is constantly interfering with the internal policies of countries in Central/Southeastern/Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The U.S. is endangering the last ten year’s work of women’s NGOs from our post-communist region who are fighting to integrate women’s rights into emerging democracies. The U.S. position at the conference threatens universal consensus on the CSW Declaration to fully re-affirm the Beijing Platform for Action with no changes, amendments, reservations, or special “explanations of opinion.” Thus, civil society of the CEE/SEE/CIS region calls on the U.S. to respect women’s rights and to join the global consensus.

Women’s Information Consultative Center (Ukraine)

Kosova Women’s Network Women's Program (Kosova)

International Association La Strada (Czech Republic)

International Women’s Rights Centre La Strada (Ukraine)

Women in Black Belgrade (Serbia)

Aspekt (Slovakia)

The Voice of Difference (Serbia)

Center for Women’s Studies and Policies (Bulgaria)

Habeas Corpus Working Group (Hungary)

Woman’s Leadership and Partnership (Russia)

Women’s Centre Against Sexual Violence (Serbia)

Center for Women’s Studies (Serbia)

Young Roma Leaders (Macedonia)

EsFem (Slovakia)

Association of Women Journalists (Russia)

Center for Creative Progress (Georgia)

Feminist League (Kazakhstan)

European Roma Rights Center

Roma Women’s Initiative (Romania)

B.a.B.e. Women’s Human Rights Group (Croatia)

ASTRA Central and Eastern European Women’s Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning;

Network for East-West Women

Slovak-Czech Women’s Fund; Organization of Women of the City of Skopje (Macedonia)

Association of Citizens Akcija Zdruzhenska (Macedonia)

Kosovar Gender Studies Center (Kosova)

Youth Network for Gender Equality CEE/CIS (Georgia)

Institute of Social and Gender Policy, (Russia)

Network of East-West Women/Polska

Interdisciplinary Gender Studies Group (Poland)

Center for Women’s Social Policy (Bulgaria)

Women Alliance for Development (Bulgaria)

Karat Coalition – Network of NGOs of Eastern and Central Europe; Forum of Women’s NGOs (Kyrgyzstan)

Rural Women’s NGO “Alga” (Kyrgyzstan)

Liberal Society Institute (Ukraine)

Ukrainian Women’s Fund

St. Petersburg Center “Strategy” (Russia)

Women’s Health and Family Planning (Ukraine)

Gender Education Research and Technologies (Bulgaria)

Center for Equality Advancement (Lithuania)

Women’s Rights Center (Armenia)