I N T E R N A T I O N A L  N E T W O R K

NETWORK FORUM CONNECTING WOMEN IN CITIES, SYDNEY, 22 OCTOBER 2008

The 9th World Congress of Metropolis Connecting Cities took place in Sydney, Australia between 22 and 25 October 2008. On 22 October 2008, the Metropolis Women International Network held a forum Connecting Women in Cities. Over 100 delegates including 25 speakers from 16 different cities participated in this one-day forum. The goal of this event was to foster international cooperation and solidarity on urban issues among women at all levels of city leaderships. The forum showcased successful strategies, experiences and projects to provide learning and networking opportunities in the following three major issue areas: Women and Community (Women and family, safety and violence prevention, social inclusion, and female migration); Women and the Environment (Urban Sustainability, food security, waste management, and climate change); Women Leadership (Participation to decision making, political representation, local democracy, and women’s voice).

NETWORK GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SYDNEY, 22 OCTOBER 2008

On October 22 2008, the Metropolis Women International Network’s General Assembly was held. Reports from the presidency, the secretariats, and regional antennas were presented. The followings are some of the highlights from this Assembly:

• Mrs. Francine Senécal was appointed as President of the Metropolis Women International Network;
• Montréal will continue to perform the role of coordination with regard to the Network’s activities with Mrs. Rita Rachele Dandavino as the coordinator;
• Two new regional antennas-- Brussels and Seoul—were introduced;
• The Network will organize two major forums in the 2009-2011 period.
On 25 October 2008, the Metropolis General Assembly has decided that the Metropolis Women International Network will have an observatory seat at the Metropolis’ Board of Directors; the Network’s president Mrs. Francine Senécal will represent the Network at the Board.

METROPOLIS AWARD 2008: DISTRICT MOTHERS NEUKÖLLN, BERLIN

Among the 21 projects submitted this year, the Metropolis Award 2008 was given to Berlin (District Mothers Neukölln) for its contribution to peaceful co-existence in the city, enhancement of equality of opportunity and the gender perspective. The Metropolis Award is an annual event hosted by the Metropolis, the World Association of the Major Metropolises, to award three winning projects of metropolitan governance based on five criteria—namely, social impact, urban impact, partner impact, economic impact and technological impact. For more information, please visit the Metropolis website at: www.metropolis.org

TRAINING ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; WORLD URBAN FORUM IV, NANJING, 5 NOVEMBER 2008

At the request of the UN Habitat, the Metropolis International Institute organized in collaboration with the Metropolis Women International Network the training session Gender Mainstreaming in Local Governments.

THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF DYNAMIC CITIES NEED WOMEN : SEOUL 2009

The 2nd International Forum Dynamic Cities Need Women has been decided to hold in Seoul in the fall of 2009. The event will be co-organized by the Metropolis Women International Network and the Seoul Metropolitan Government represented by the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family. (More information to come, make sure it is put in your agenda)


Forum on "Dynamic Cities Need Women: Actions and Policies for Gender Equality", Brussels, 3-4-5 December 2007

Women and Local Politics (Montreal, 2 December 2005)
Communication on the Network's activities

Berlin Congress 2005 Documents:
Berlin 2005 Report
Network 2005-2008 Outline

Rita Rachele Dandavino (Research Coordinator, Montreal)
"Réseau International Femmes et Gouvernance Locale"

Dra Irma Rosas (University of Mexico)
"Tradition and Transformation: Xochimilco´s Women" 

Hiam Kalimat Tuguz (Municipal Council, Grand Amman)
"WIN-METROPOLIS: The Middle East and North Africa Region" 

Diana Meirelles da Motta                                                                                      
(Secretary of Urban Development and Housing of the Federal District, Brazil)
"Women and Urban Development: The Experience of Brazil and the Federal District" 


General information:
Communication on the Network's activities
Berlin 2005 Report
Network 2005-2008 Outline
Notes on the network              
Main steps (2000-2004)
Consultation report by the task force
Towards the creation of the network (Ixtapan 2004)
The network's Assembly (Berlin 2005)
Program of the Assembly (Berlin 2005)

Contact:
Mrs. Rita Rachele Dandavino, Coordinator
1550, Metcalfe Street, Suite 1400
Montreal (Quebec) Canada H3A 3P1
Telephone : 1 514 280-3553 Fax : 1 514 282-0241
Email: rdandavino@ville.montreal.qc.ca