Thirty-six (36) women representing three (3) sub-regional women watch groups and twenty-four (24) national and regional women's organizations & networks categorically expressed their affirmation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPA), and their firm position of "no re-negotiation" during BPA's tenth year review. They met on February 13-14, 2004 at the St. James Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand to plan the Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 10. The participants organized themselves to be the Conveners' Group of the NGO Forum. They also ratfied the theme of the Forum, which is "Celebrating women's gains… confronting emerging gender issues."

The minutes of the meeting stated, "The idea posed by some governments about issuing a shorter Political Declaration on the BPFA is also worrisome for the Conveners' Group." The minutes added that the Group feels that governments should be discussing "New/Emergent Issues" outside of the framework of a negotiation and "The 'New/Emergent Issues' should not merely be add-ons to existing commitments but must be framed as immediate concerns arising from the current difficult political, economic and security environment."

Overall the Conveners' Group strongly feels that the A-P NGO Forum needs to effectively project the women's movements' intent to "secure the gains of women enshrined in the BPFA while surfacing new/emergent issues that arise from an environment which had become extremely challenging for women's rights, empowerment and development." These environmental factors included: rapid globalization; militarism and the 'global war against terror'; and resurgent conservatisms & fundamentalisms.

Patricia Licuanan, Co-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Women's Watch, was chosen Chair of the Conveners' Group while Pawadee Thonguthai is the designated co-chair representing the Thai Women Watch. Annie Serrano was confirmed as the Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific NGO Forum. Committees were formed to complete the organizational set-up to prepare for and run the Forum, as well as orchestrate the advocacy and lobbying work.