Inter-American Program for the Promotion of Women's Human Rights and Gender Equity and Equality

Integrating  a Gender Perspective in Ministerial-level Meetings

In compliance with the mandate of the "Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women’s Humans Rights and Gender Equity and Equality" (IAP) to “Ensure that a gender perspective in consistently mainstreamed into the preparation and application of international instruments, mechanisms, and procedures within the framework of the OAS, and particularly on the agendas of ministerial-level meetings” , the CIM  instituted a process to develop recommendations to the various ministerial conferences and to follow-up on these recommendations.  

Through this process, entitled SEPIA (Spanish language acronym for ‘follow up to the Inter-American Program'), the CIM has worked with civil society, government experts and other specialized organizations to present gender mainstreaming recommendations to the Ministerial Conferences of labor (2001), justice (2002) and education (2003).  Subsequently, civil  society and government experts convene to review the  respective Ministerial plan of action/declaration, and develop lines of action to facilitate implementation of the recommendations. SEPIA IV, Gender and Science and Technology is in preparation.