20 April 2006

Brasilia, Brazil: In late 2005 UNIFEM and UNV, with support from UNDP, launched a joint programme entitled "Engendering Budgets: Making visible women's voluntary contributions to national development in Latin America". Operations began recently in five countries - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru - and an induction seminar was held on 17 to 19 April in Brasilia with participation of more than 30 people, including staff and volunteers from UNDP, UNIFEM and UNV as well as representatives of local governments and non governmental organizations from the municipalities where the programme is underway.

The seminar was formally opened by Mr. Lucien Munoz, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Brazil, Ms. Ana Falu, UNIFEM Regional Programme Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone, and Mr. Robert Leigh, Senior Policy Specialist at UNV Headquarters. Mr. Munoz highlighted the importance of this example of collaboration in the context of UN Reform. He described the initiative as a courageous effort on the part of two UN agencies to connect strategies and integrate actions around gender in several countries in the region to assist in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The seminar provided an opportunity for many of the principle stakeholders involved in the initiative to make presentations and take part in panel discussions on the themes of participatory budgets, gender and volunteerism, and to consider action plans in the participating countries. Views on key concepts were debated and information on experiences shared. The seminar is an important step forward in ensuring that the distinctive contributions of UNIFEM and UNV are realized in reaching the goal of promoting women's capacities and abilities to be involved in political and economic processes.