Good Shepherd Sisters and lay partners will participate in the Asia- Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 15, which will be held October 22-24, 2009 at the Miriam College, Quezon City, Philippines. About 500 women from Asia/Pacific are expected to attend.
Some 17 delegates from Asia/Pacific Justice and Peace network will represent the Good Shepherd NGO, while the Good Shepherd Sisters in the Philippines itself will have some 22 sisters and lay partners participating.
Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Undersecretary General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), will attend. Dr. Heyzer previously served as UNIFEM Executive Director in New York. She also led the NGO preparations for the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China where the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) was fiercely negotiated to ensure that the rights of women are promoted, protected and fulfilled.
It is almost 15 years since the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in September 1995. Sr. Maureen Catabian RGS, of the WJPIC (Women, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation) office in the Philippines said this year's meeting will be a preparation for the Beijing + 15 Conference that will be held in New York next year.
Patricia B. Licuanan PhD, convenor, said the Forum will be preceded by the National Women’s Summit on October 20-21.
Members of the APJP (Asia- Pacific Justice Peace) will be among those who will attend the forum.
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd became affiliated with the United Nations as a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) in consultative status with ECOSOC in November 1996.
The purpose of this affiliation is to further our mission of reconciliation, particularly in its orientation toward girls and women.
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Asia-Pacific Justice and Peace Network
 In November 2006 an APJP Regional Team was elected in Pattaya- Thailand after the JP Workshop facilitated by Sr. Shalini Podimattam and Sr.Clare Nolan. In July 2007, after an Anti Trafficking Workshop in Cebu city Philippines a GS Anti Trafficking Team was formed to support the APJP Core Team to develop this work. At the APC meeting held in 2007 Sr. Maria Rose accepted to be the Link person for Justice and Peace. This information was send to JPSM
Having realised the need for a clearer direction for Justice and Peace in the AP Region Sr.Susan Chia (Singapore) and Maria Rose (India) invited Clare Nolan to work with us. The purpose of this meeting was to support the AP Anti Trafficking Team to develop a strategic plan for Asia Pacific. To review and clarify definitions and roles of the teams To develop a strategic plan for the next few years in light of the outcomes of the ICA in Pattaya and the desires of the AP for the upcoming General Chapter in 2009.
A group of 14 Good shepherd people met at Madonna Heights, Kuala Lumpur from 2-4th December 2008 to go through the process of revitalising the AP JP Core team. Clare Nolan was the facilitator. Srs.Susan Chia and Maria Rose were present as link persons of APC. During this gathering we decided to form one core team of APJP from the two core team namely JP core team and Anti trafficking core tem. The members of this team are Maureen Catabian-co-ordinator (Philipines), Supaporn Chotiphol –rgs, (Thailand), Jinali Fernando rgs (Srilanka) Suwannee Jairuam rgs (Asia Pacific GS NGO rep for the UN) (Thailand) Gloria Bon (Malaysia)Christine Carolan (Australia)
We formulated the roles and responsibilities of the core team and an action plan for the coming year. The group decided to focus on the four Justice and Peace priorities from
Asia Pacific Intercontinental Assembly 2008. They are Migration, Anti - Trafficking, Economic justice and Care for the earth. I t supports the animation of the JP contact in the regions and submits the an annual budget to the APC. It identifies training and resources that can be available to the region. This is 3 years term which is renewable. They are accountable to JP contacts in AP, APC GSIP
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd became affiliated with the United Nations as a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) in consultative status with ECOSOC in November 1996.
The purpose of this affiliation is to further our mission of reconciliation, particularly in its orientation toward girls and women. (APJP)
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Good Shepherd Sisters and lay partners will participate in the Asia- Pacific NGO Forum on 