As a Commonwealth member country, Australia attends the Consultation of Commonwealth National Women’s Machineries (NWMs), held annually on the eve of the opening of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The meeting considers the achievements and challenges toward the implementation of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015. The Plan of Action provides the framework within which the Commonwealth will contribute to advancing gender equality.
The Plan of Action focuses on four critical areas for Commonwealth action:
- Gender, democracy, peace and conflict
- Gender, human rights and law
- Gender, poverty eradication and economic empowerment
- Gender and HIV/AIDS
Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Minister’s Meetings
Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meetings (WAMMs) have been held triennially since 1985.
Representatives from the Office for Women attended the Eighth Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers’ meeting (8WAMM) in Kampala, Uganda on 11 - 14 June 2007.
The Ninth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (9WAMM) will be held in Barbados in 2010.