COMMCAPreparatory Process for the Summit on Gender, Integration and Development

Inter-American Commission of WomenOrganization of American States

Washington ,D.C., USA 05 October 2009

COMMCA in theCentral American Integration System (SICA)

• Subregional Network of National Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women of Mexico, CA and the Caribbean, created in 1990

• Arises from the need to create closer ties of cooperation among the National Mechanisms and the urgency to include women’s institutionality in the integration process

• Incorporated in SICA at the 26th Meeting of Presidents and Heads of Government of the Member Countries of the System. Decision 13 signed on 30 June 2005 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Attributes

Sectoral body of SICA governing gender matters, its aims are to:

• Open an institutional space for women in the regional decision process

• Incorporate and mainstream gender vision in integration themes

Mission

Under the powers granted under the Tegucigalpa Protocol and the Rules of Regulatory Acts of SICA , COMMCA:

• Makes determinations regarding political, economic, social and cultural matters that promote and link the development of the countries making up SICA

• Promotes policy proposals in the regional sphere aimed at transforming the condition, situation and position of Central American women for gender equity

COMMCA ADVANCES AND CHALLENGESCOMMCA ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES

COMMCA

INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES (to date)INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES (to date)

COMMCA

INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES (in process)INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCES (in process)

Regional Agenda on Gender

• We face a new stage aimed at consolidating not only the advances obtained thus far, but also a Regional Agenda on Gender.

• This will require combining between our own agenda of themes of interest to COMMCA and to the women of the region, and the regional integration agenda.

• We consider that three actions are important in order to move ahead in this direction: – Execution of the Strategic Plan 2009-2013– Hold the Summit on Gender, Integration and Development 2009– Strategic alliances with political and social entities in and outside of

SICA

Work Priorities Second Half of 2009

1. Institutional strengthening of COMMCA

2. Regional Strategic Planning

3. Celebration of the Summit on Gender, Integration and Development

The Summit

Mandate: Decision 50 from the Minutes of the 33rd Meeting of Heads of State and Government of SICA, December 2008:

“Instruct the SG-SICA to, in coordination with COMMCA and the Chair pro tempore, initiate as soon as possible the intersectoral preparatory work with the Councils of Ministers that may be necessary in order to celebrate, in the second half of 2009, an Extraordinary Meeting of Presidents for debate on the theme of gender, integration and development and to prepare the Inter-American Year of Women in 2010”

Summit Objectives

• From the regional arena, drive actions that promote dialogue and convergence for presidential agreements on gender, integration and development, in the context of the world economic crisis, such that the different SICA bodies and international donors commit to giving their support for the agreed actions.

• Prepare for the celebration in 2010 of the Inter-American Year of Women proclaimed by the Organization of American States (OAS)

Relevance for the Region

• The mandate sets a high-impact precedent with respect to decision making and policy design from a gender perspective in the region.

• Holding the Summit will make it possible to address themes of special interest for the promotion and advancement of women’s rights in the region.

Relevance for the region

• The countries’ commitment to gender will be ratified in both the regional and international sphere.

• Aimed at the articulation of themes of interest for the region that will strengthen gender institutionality in the countries and in the region as a whole, with the accompaniment of different actors and alliances that drive gender themes.

Crosscutting ThemesCrosscutting Themes

Gender ViolenceGender Violence

1 2 3

Economic Autonomy

• The Summit will come about with the commitment of Member States and Associates that guarantee and strengthen the advances obtained in women’s economic rights.

• It is essential that issues such as employment, productive assets (access to credit, land tenure), public budgets and care economy be addressed in the current context.

Political Participation• In institutionality, it is necessary to move forward in

the search for mechanisms so that special attention is given to ensuring equal opportunities in selection and administrative processes to designate decision-making posts, as well as those at other levels in SICA.

• Assess the feasibility of harmonizing the legislation, institutions and instruments of SICA Member States, in the area of gender

SICA Institutionality

• Have a gender mainstreaming strategy in SICA, combined between the COMMCA agenda and the Central American integration agenda in different areas of interest for the region

SICA/COMMCASICA/COMMCA

AGREEMENTS AGREEMENTS FOR THE FOR THE

PRESIDENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL SUMMITSUMMIT

AGREEMENTS AGREEMENTS FOR THE FOR THE

PRESIDENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL SUMMITSUMMIT

IDENTIFICATION IDENTIFICATION OF INPUTSOF INPUTSStrategic Strategic

Crosscutting Crosscutting ThemesThemes

(CONCEPTUAL, (CONCEPTUAL, ASPECTS, ASPECTS, EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS AND OTHERS)AND OTHERS)

IDENTIFICATION IDENTIFICATION OF INPUTSOF INPUTSStrategic Strategic

Crosscutting Crosscutting ThemesThemes

(CONCEPTUAL, (CONCEPTUAL, ASPECTS, ASPECTS, EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS AND OTHERS)AND OTHERS)

PROCESS OF DISCUSSION AND SOCIALIZATION FOR CONSENSUSPROCESS OF DISCUSSION AND SOCIALIZATION FOR CONSENSUSPROCESS OF DISCUSSION AND SOCIALIZATION FOR CONSENSUSPROCESS OF DISCUSSION AND SOCIALIZATION FOR CONSENSUS

Regional political, technical and communication strategyRegional political, technical and communication strategyJuly to December July to December 20092009

SUMMIT AGENDASUMMIT AGENDA07 December 2005

• Intersectoral preparatory meetings

8 December 2009

• Inaugural session• Panels (5)• Simultaneous forums (4)

on themes of interest for the region

07 December 2005

• Intersectoral preparatory meetings

8 December 2009

• Inaugural session• Panels (5)• Simultaneous forums (4)

on themes of interest for the region

9 December 2009

• Extraordinary Meeting of SICA Presidents– COMMCA video (3 minutes)– Expert presentation– Dialogue between Presidents and

Ministers– Reading and signature of

presidential agreements• Press conference• Space for CIM (to be

determined)• COMMCA Ministers/CIM

meeting• Closing session

9 December 2009

• Extraordinary Meeting of SICA Presidents– COMMCA video (3 minutes)– Expert presentation– Dialogue between Presidents and

Ministers– Reading and signature of

presidential agreements• Press conference• Space for CIM (to be

determined)• COMMCA Ministers/CIM

meeting• Closing session

PROCESS OF CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION

GENDER AGENDA IN SICAGENDER AGENDA IN SICA GENDER AGENDA IN SICAGENDER AGENDA IN SICA toto 2013 2013

toto 2013 2013

1. COMMCA (TS in SICA)

2. Consideration of women and their demands

3. Articulation of key actors

Gender mainstreaming in processes of

integration

Gender equality and equity in the region

Thank you very much!E-mail INAMU PPT-COMMCA

despacho@inamu.go.cr

http: www.sica.org/commca