World YWCA to attend Latin America and Caribbean FBO Forum
Marie-Claude Julsaint, World YWCA Programme Director for the America’s and Caribbean will attend the Latin America and Caribbean Faith-based Organisations Forum: ‘Strengthening Partnerships to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Stop Violence against Women and Address Migration’. The Forum, hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Conference of Religions for Peace, will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on September 16-17.
The Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean is the fourth regional forum following those held in South Africa, Malaysia and Egypt in preparation for the Global Forum on Population and Development to be held October 20-22 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Forum will showcase the activities of faith-based organisations (FBOs), especially working through interfaith coalitions in order to share the challenges, best practices, lessons learned and partnership recommendations of FBOs in working towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) mandate.
The gathered FBOs and religious leaders will discuss methods of adopting innovative approaches in addressing the ICPD agenda specifically related to migration, maternal mortality and gender based violence.
Julsaint says the forum will be a good opportunity to learn more about the faith-based organisations and networks in the Latin America and Caribbean region. “ I want to see how YWCAs in the region can better engage and strengthen existing partnerships with these networks. I also want to share our work and experience around violence against women and HIV and AIDS, and see how we can start to address migration issues.”
While in Latin America, Julsaint will visit the local YWCA of Buenos Aires and attend the first day of the YWCA of Argentina's annual general meeting. “I will have the opportunity to meet with Monica Zetzsche, Immediate Past World YWCA President and respected leader in the YWCA of Argentina and in the region. I will then visit the local YWCA of Valparaiso, in Chile and will be meeting with the YWCA of Chile's leadership, “ says Julsaint.
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