www.awomi.org Cité Sagef Zac Mbao Villa N°15 Dakar – SENEGAL

PO BOX 5409 Dakar-Fann SENEGAL - Email : awomi@awomi.org Phone : + 221 338366487

55thCSWAWOMIParallelEvent

TheYOWLIMonologues:YoungAfricanWomenSpeakOutonSRHR,ClimateJusticeandYouthLeadership

‐‐TuesdayMarch1,2011–2:00pmto3:30pm–10thFlr.Rm,ChurchCenter,UNPlaza,NewYork

BackgroundThrough AWOMI’s three programs – the YoungWomen’s Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI), theWomen’s Empowerment Fund (WEFU), and the Accountability Tracking (ACT) research program – muchawareness and involvement has been generated from women and young women’s organizations at thenationalandlocallevelsacrossAfrica.Withnewemergingissueslikeclimatechange,AWOMIisdeepeningitswork on the links between policy analysis and program management, and contributes in strengtheningmechanisms that increasegains forwomenandyouthorganizing for social change.The incidenceof climatechange,coupledwiththeglobaleconomicandfoodcrises,hasledtonewchallengesaroundwomen’ssexualreproductivehealthadrightsandgender‐basedviolence.NumerousinternationalagenciesincludingtheU.N.agencies,internationalNGOs,andgovernmentsareshiftingfocustotheinfluenceofclimatechangeinthelivesofwomenandyouth.AWOMIrecognizes that it is critical todevelop theknowledge, researchadvocacyandorganizing capacity of young African women and women community leaders for them to articulate theirchallengesandmobilizetoinfluencedecisionmakers indirectingresourcestowardsthoseinthedirestneed.Consequently,aprimefocuswasgiventoclimatejustice,economicempowermentandSRHRduringthethirdeditionoftheYOWLIinDecember.AWOMIwillorganizeaparallelevent,TheYOWLIMonologues:YoungAfricanWomenSpeakOutonSexualReproductiveHealthandRights(SRHR),ClimateJusticeandYouthLeadership,duringthe55thSessionoftheCommissionontheStatusofWomen(CSW)inNewYork.

ProgramOverview:TheYOWLIMonologuesisscheduledtotakeplaceonTuesday,March1,2011from2pmto3:30pmandwillfeature a panel session during which selected YOWLI graduates will discuss and share their countryperspectivesandyoungAfricanwomen’sexperiences,opinionsandengagementincombatinggenderviolenceandwomen’srightsabusesinthecontextofclimatechangeandnaturaldisasters.In addition to presenting lessons and results from post‐YOWLI projects, the YOWLI Monologues will alsoinclude an “Africa‐Style”Monologues presentation on the aforementioned issueswith representatives fromGhana (Jemila Abdulai), Gambia (Omar Dibba), Madagascar (Tantley Ravelomanana), Namibia (EstherSheehama),Rwanda(SahiyaUmuhoza),andSierraLeone(MusaAnsumanaSoko&MoiyattuBanya).

www.awomi.org AWOMI : PO BOX 5409 Dakar-Fann SENEGAL - Email : awomi@awomi.org

Phone : + 221 338203660 -Mob: +221 774502119

ObjectivesWiththiseventAWOMIhopesto:

• ShareexperiencesandknowledgeonSRHRundertheYOWLIandpost‐YOWLIframeworks

• Examinetheimpactsandimplicationsofclimatechangeontheeconomicindependenceandsexualreproductivehealthandrights(SRHR)ofAfrica’swomenandgirls

• BrainstormandexplorepossiblemechanismsforincreasingawarenessonclimatechangemitigationandadaptationamongAfrica’swomenandyouth

• Facilitateincreaseddialogue,networking,knowledgeandbestpracticesharingbetweenAfricanwomenandyouth,inthehopesofcontributingtoarevitalizedyouthmovementonadvancingsocialandeconomicrightsinAfrica

Agenda2:00pm‐2:10pm OpeningRemarks(YassineFall,UN‐WomenSeniorEconomicAdviser)Panel2:10pm–2:20pm IntroductionbyPanelChairs (LettyChiwara,UN‐WomenAfricaDivisionChief) (AminataToure,UNFPAChiefofGender,HumanRightsandCulture–TBC)2:20pm–2:50pm Panel:AssessingtheImpactsofClimateChangeonWomenandSRHRinAfrica2:50pm–3:00pm Q&AMonologues3:00pm–3:05pm Introduction(HamedaDeedat,YOWLIFacilitatorandTrainer)3:05pm–3:25pm ScreeningofYOWLI2010Film MonologuesPresentation(YOWLIGraduates)3:25pm–3:30pm ClosingRemarks(JemilaAbdulai,AWOMIRegionalProgramCoordinator)