Meeting Information

CEDAW

CEDAW TASK FORCE

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO TASK FORCE FOR THE LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

Minutes for October 26, 2001 Retreat

CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL

Emily Murase, Chair, called the meeting to order.

TASK FORCE MEMBERS Present

Krishanti Dharmaraj, WILD for Human Rights

Youmna Chlala, Amnesty International

Maria Elena Guillen, Commission on Aging /Local 790

Myrna Lopez, Office of the Mayor

Sonia Melara, Arriba Juntos

Ken Theisen, Bay Legal

Kathy Summers, Bayview Hunter’s Point Healthcare Task Force

Carmen Herrera, Human Rights Commission

DOSW Staff Attending

Ann Lehman, DOSW

Rebecca Rolfe, DOSW

Public and Other Department Staff

Nicole Damasco, Santa Cruz Commission on the Status of Women

Sheila Delaney, Santa Cruz Commission on the Status of Women

Kimberly Carver, SF Human Rights Commission

ADOPTION OF AGENDA & MINUTES

Ken Theisen moved, Youmna Chlala seconded, and the Task Force unanimously approved the agenda for the October 26, 2001 retreat. Ken Theisen moved, Maria Guillen seconded and the Task Force unanimously approved the minutes from the September 26, 2001 meeting with a correction in the title for Kathy Summers.

DISCUSSION: REVIEW TASK FORCE HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Ann Lehman provided a history of the events leading up the creation of the Task Force and the accomplishments of the Task Force work to date. Youmna Chlala provided additional background and context on the history of human rights work in the US and internationally. Ann provided Task Force members with a one-page summary of the accomplishments of the Task Force.

Task Force members participated in an exercise to identify leaders in the Human Rights movement and individuals who had supported the Task Force members in being able to participate in CEDAW work. Among the people recognized were family members, co-workers, teachers, and leaders instrumental in bringing CEDAW to San Francisco.

Emily Murase, Chair, provided each Task Force member with a certificate of appreciation for his or her work in support of CEDAW implementation in San Francisco.

Emily Murase clarified that the recommendations for goals and priorities that the Task Force is making today will need to be reviewed by the Commission and the Department on the Status of Women regarding allocation of staff time and Department resources. She also provided information on the Commission on the Status of Women’s retreat on October 13^th including Commission and Department priorities for the 02/03 fiscal year.

DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEM: REVIEW ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS AND FUTURE OF CEDAW YEAR 2003 AND BEYOND

Rebecca Rolfe provided copies of the CEDAW Ordinance and reviewed sections 12k.3, Local Principles of CEDAW, and 12k.4 Implementation of the Principles of CEDAW in San Francisco.

Task Force members brainstormed the following possible future priorities for CEDAW work in San Francisco (not in order of priority):

· Training and education to counteract opposition to CEDAW

· Stronger connections between CEDAW and International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination

· Opportunities to bring CEDAW into the private sector

· Explore partnerships w/in City Departments & community groups

· Engage the community / Establish community advocacy for CEDAW

· C/DOSW needs financial resources / budget to implement CEDAW

· Research connections w/ principles of Equal Access Ordinance

· Work w/ SFUSD represents opportunity to bring girls focus into CEDAW

· Enhance enforcement in Ordinance, need stronger enforcement than just C/DOSW (city contracts, how to engage community in enforcement?)

· Connect monitoring and enforcement

· Ask Departments who have undergone the gender analysis to provide us with feedback about "lessons learned" in the process

· Youth Summit offers opportunities to work with girls

· Ask other City departments to commit money to C/DOSW to implement CEDAW

· Review diversity of workforce, examine occupations dominated by women

· Connect w/ unions & review issues brought to unions for CEDAW issues, particularly unsafe working conditions

· Work w/ transgender communities

· Work w/ immigrant women & girls

· Work w/ incarcerated women & girls

DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEM: PROPOSE CEDAW GOALS FOR 2002

Task Force members brainstormed and prioritized the following goals outside of existing commitments for FY 2002 and beyond:

Top Priority for 2002 (3 - 4 points)

· Create a 5 year citywide action plan & transition plan for Task Force (5 points)

· Hold a public hearing / generate more PR for CEDAW (4 points)

· Revise gender analysis guidelines to include impact of all identities, make more user friendly, address language accessibility/connect w/ "Equal Access Ordinance", compare women and men (3 points)

· Give CEDAW "teeth" (enforcement) and review governmental role of task force in relation to other City Departments; address monitoring / enforcement procedures (3 points)

Next Priorities for 2002 (1 - 2 points)

· Start CEDAW implementation in private sector (non profit & for profit) (2 points)

· Strategic coalition building w/ human rights groups (example 9/11 events) (2 points)

· Streamline the gender analysis guidelines and provide training on guidelines (2 points)

· Conclude work life study, needs assessment & recommendations; work w/ unions (1 point)

· Look into girl specific issues & outreach (1 point)

· Explore union connections to do recruitment, moving women into higher paying jobs & advancement; dissemination of information (1 point)

Not Prioritized for 2002 (0 points)

· Briefing for task force on transgender issues

· Review and possibly revise gender analysis monitoring process

· Tie in international human rights efforts & local CEDAW work

· Address data collection issues

· Briefing for task force on Human Rights Commission work / role (especially in relation to enforcement)

· Examine existing state laws that are complimentary to CEDAW

· Wage analysis of non-profit vs. government vs. private sector workers

· Develop strategic connections with Equal Access Ordinance Implementation

· Additional monitoring and follow-up w/ 6 completed department gender analysis

· Strategy for incorporating CEDAW into City’s budget process

· Develop a budget strategy for C/DOSW to implement CEDAW

· More public awareness activities

· Streamline training plan

· Address upward mobility / professional development for low wage working women and women in non-traditional positions

· Gender analysis of girls services & advocacy re girls issues

· Address CEDAW issues re incarcerated women

Task Force members broke into groups to draft work plans each of the prioritized areas. These are summarized in a separate document.

Myrna Lopez moved, Sonia Melara seconded, and the Task Force approved 4 to 2 a motion to continue the work-life employee survey as old business and consider present findings and other recommendations under the 5-year plan.

Ann Lehman and Rebecca Rolfe will take the rough drafts of the work plans, revise them, and bring them back to the Task Force for review at the November meeting.

DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEM: CEDAW TASK FORCE REPORT TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Forwarded to the November 26^th Task Force Meeting.

DISCUSSION: REPORT ON PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Forwarded to the November 26^th Task Force Meeting.

DISCUSSION: VISION OF CEDAW IMPACT IN YEAR 2007

Brainstormed items above should be included in the long-term vision for CEDAW. Additional discussion on this item will happen during development of the Five Year Action Plan.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Included throughout the agenda.

DISCUSSION: EVALUATION OF THE RETREAT

Task Force completed a plus/delta evaluation of the retreat.

ADJOURN

Meeting Adjourned at 2:55