It has been one year since a focused, specific Women's Issues Program emerged within SVU. Our initial objective was the Women's Issues Panel at the 2002 SVU World Congress. The Women's Issues Panel received high regard and extensive publicity coverage at the 2002 SVU Congress. At the Congress, the SVU Board passed a Resolution establishing a permanent Women's Issues Committee/Program within SVU.

The SVU Women's Issues Program of SVU also conducted a strong Women's Issues Panel at the SVU North American Conference.

Plans are underway for the Women's Issues Panel/Program at the SVU World Congress 2004 in Olomouc. All interested women are asked to contact Lois A. Herman, Chair of the Women's Issues Program at mosie@infionline.net

Two additional major developments within the SVU Women's Issues Program have been the creation of the SVU ListServe, which provides regular distribution on selected news releases, research, funding possibilities, job opportunities, and key information, particularly with a gender focus, for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and extending to issues impacting women throughout the region and the European Union.

The SVU Women's Program ListServe has also provided a valuable interchange vehicle. The number of women on the SVU Women's ListServe continues to grow and includes representatives from the home countries, the diaspora, and well beyond.

Links have been created for the SVU Women's Program on gender studies, media, and women's issues general, such as through the Czech Center for Gender Studies, ASPEKT in Slovakia, MONA in Hungary, and AnA in Romania, as well as with the European Women's Lobby, Network of European Women's Rights, Women in Development Europe, Soroptimist International, Network of East-West Women, Association of Women in Development, and more.

The SVU Women's Program, thanks to the hard work of SVU webmaster Jiri Eichler, has a Focus On Women subsite on the SVU website - http://www.svu2000.org. All SVU women are invited to send Lois Herman ideas for website posting.

In order to build the inclusiveness of the SVU Women's Program, Lois A. Herman, Chair, has returned again in 2003 to the Czech Republic to build relationships with women's organizations and individuals, and was also on Mission in Slovakia for same.

Regular communication has been established between the SVU Women's Program and the Czech and Slovak Ambassadors to the US, and the US Embassies in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.

Lois A. Herman, Chair
SVU Women's Issues Program
mosie@infionline.net