Forward by Kunzang Yuthok - Tibetan Rights Campaign

You might be wondering why participate? We know that Tibetan women will not be given a fair chance, so Tibetan women and their organizations should boycott. Whether to participate or to boycott was the first discussion between Tibet Support Groups (TSGs) and Tibetan Associations (TAs).

The decision was to participate rather than to gag our voices, which would have pleased the Chinese government. We decided that since there was no boycott initiative by the major groups of WomenUs Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), that the Chinese government was preparing 500 Tibetan women (10% of the entire Chinese delegation) and also, we believe it is our duty to be the free voices to tell the world what is happening to our sisters in Tibet.

So, over the past two years, Tibetan women and supporters have been working towards participating at the 4th United Nation's World Conference on Women (UNWCW) to be held in Beijing this September. Under the leadership of the Tibetan WomenUs Association in Dharamsala, we have attended the many Preparatory Conferences (PrepComs) in the different regions in the world.

At these meetings, we have made many new contacts and friends who are sympathetic, understanding and willing to help the plight of Tibetan people.Participation at the NGO Forum and Conference In Beijing, there will be two parallel conferences held. One is the NGO Forum held August 31 - September 8. The other is the official UN Conference to be held September 4 - 15.

Tibetan women and their organizations have applied to the NGO Forum as well as the official UN Conference. Although TSGs and TAs have participated in other parallel NGO Forums, this is the first major initiative by TSGs and TAs to participate in an official UN conference.

NGO Forum This is the meeting that has been moved to Huairou, an hourUs drive out of Beijing, in a so-far unsuccessful attempt to put it out of the limelight.

At the PrepCom in New York this March, we received verbal assurance that Tibetan women and their supporters would be registered for the NGO Forum. This has been proved true, since Tibetan women are beginning to receive their registration forms. However, we do not know yet whether all our delegates have been registered.

The next obstacle is the issue of obtaining a visa to China. The Forum organizers and their materials assure that all who have been registered and have hotel confirmations will be granted a visa.

In a meeting in Canada, a representative from the All China WomenUs Federation refused to guarantee visas to Tibetan women even if they are citizens of other countries. However, at a local Chinese consulate, response to an inquiry about Tibetan women getting visas indicated that they would be granted. We will only know the true status when Tibet delegates apply for visas in the next month.

UN Fourth World Conference on Women All nine Tibetan and Tibet related NGOs have been denied accreditation to the official Conference. The reason given to the first eight organizations for the denial was the work of the organization was Rnot relevant to the conferenceS! The ninth was determined Rnot a bona fide NGO.S

The NGOs that have been denied are: Canada Tibet Committee (Canada), International Campaign for Tibet (USA), International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet (USA), Norwegian Tibet Committee (Norway), Tibet Support Group - UK (England), Tibetan Rights Campaign (USA), Tibetan WomenUs Association (India), Tibetan WomenUs Organization (Switzerland), and Unrepresented Nations and PeopleUs Organization (Netherlands).

But due to the lobbying effort over the course of this initiative, member states of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), responding to the blatant exclusion of particular groups -- namely, gay & lesbian groups, Catholics for Free Choice, Taiwanese and Tibetan groups -- called for a review of those applications that were denied accreditation to the Conference and provided an appeal process. All Tibet NGOs have appealed this decision and their applications will be reviewed at the ECOSOC meeting this month in Geneva.

Preparing for Beijing Although the level of participation by Tibetan women and their NGOs is not perfectly clear at this time, Tibetan women and their NGOs are in the final stages of preparing for Beijing and 80 now plan to attend. This summer, delegates will be gathering for strategy meetings.

How you can help Spread the word: Inform organizations that you belong to about the Tibetan womenUs initiative toward participation in Beijing. Contact the coordinators for an information kit. Send money: The Beijing initiative is entirely supported by donations from individuals, Tibet Support Groups and Tibetan Associations. Although most of the travel expenses have been met, funds are still needed for the strategy meetings, publications and communications.

Checks can be made to any of the coordinatorUs organizations. Be sure to ear mark it for the Beijing initiative. Lobby the ECOSOC members: Do you belong to an NGO that has consultative status with the UN, or is a WomenUs NGO? Ask them to write letters of support for the Tibetan NGOsU application to the Conference. Draft letter and addresses can be obtained by contacting one of the coordinators below.

For more information, contact your regional coordinator:

Main Coordinator: Tsering Norzom, Tibetan WomenUs Association Bhagsunag Road, McLeod Gang - 176219 Dharamsala (H.P.) India

Tel: (91) (1892) 22527

Fax: (91) (1892) 23374 or 22589

E-mail: twa@cta.unv.ernet.in