Commission on the Status of Women - CSW 56
Priority theme:
The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger
eradication, development and current challenges
Review theme:
Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women (agreed
conclusions from the fifty-second session)
Emerging issue:
Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality. Medical Mission Sisters have sent their Written Statement to UN and will
be organizing a Parallel event on March 2nd at Salvation Army titled
“Trafficking – the modern day slavery”
Commission on the Status of Women -CSW 55
Celine Paramundayil, Michelle Bachelet, and friend
CSW 55 was opened at Headquarters
on 22 February 2011 in NY with 45 member states and thousands of civil society
members from all over the world. The Theme was access and participation of women and girls in education, training,
science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to
full employment and decent work. This was the first commission after the
formation of UN women.
Noting that quality education and women’s full access to and participation in science and technology were imperative for achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, the Commission on the Status of Women today urged Governments and relevant United Nations agencies to take appropriate actions to bolster women’s access to education and to specifically strengthen capacities to ensure that science education policies and curricula were relevant to their needs.
Commissions agreed conclusions, (document E/CN.6/2011/L.6) reflected the overall theme of the 45-member body’s fifty-fifth session, “access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work.
Among the vital priorities identified in the agreed conclusions, the Commission stressed that access to and participation in quality education, including in the science and technology fields, by women and girls of all ages, was an economic necessity and provided them with the skills, knowledge and aptitude necessary for life-long learning, employment, better physical and mental health, and full participation in social, economic and political development.
The agreed conclusions called for action on behalf of women and girls by Governments, United Nations agencies, and human rights and civil society groups, among others, in six key areas, including strengthening national legislation, policies and programmes; expanding access and participation in education; strengthening gender-sensitive education and training, including in the field of science and technology; supporting the transition from education to full employment and decent work; increasing retention and progression of women in science and technology employment; and making science and technology responsive to women.
In closing remarks, Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for General Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), said that while the agreed conclusions indeed reflected the commitment of Member States, they were only a “first step” and must be implemented and followed up at the national level.
MMS UN Rep Celine Paramunda had an opportunity to interact with Ms.Michelle Bachelet . ref:Photo
54th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women--New York
March 1st − March 12th, 2010
Voices of African Mothers, Inc.
“The Critical Role of Women in the Attainment of the Millennium Goals”
Moderator:
Ms. Constance Walker-Fowler
International Board Secretary
Voices of African Mothers
Special Presentation:
Ms. Leigh Winters
Youth Ambassador
Voices of African Mothers
Panelists:
Ms. Nana-Fosu Randall
President and Founder
Voices of African Mothers
Dr. Judy Kuriansky
UN Representative for the International Association of
Applied Psychology and the
World Council for Psychotherapy
Sr. Philo Morris
Main NGO Representative to the UN
Medical Mission Sisters
Ms. Mamie Thompson
International Consultant
Friday, March 5th, 2010
11:00am – 12:00 noon
Uganda House – Main Floor
336 East 45th Avenue, bet. 1st and 2nd Ave.
New York, NY
Voices of African Mothers, Inc. (VAM)
Is a 501(c)3 Organization and a Registered NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC
Email: info@vamothers.org; Website: www.vamothers.org
UN Women’s First Chief Named to New Post
15 September 2010 – The newly announced head of United Nations Women (UN Women) said today that she would bring all of her experience and good relations with heads of State and government to help fight discrimination and boost opportunities for women and girls worldwide.
Michelle Bachelet, the former first female president of Chile, told UN Radio that she would deploy her skills and experience “to produce all the agreements [and] all the synergies” within the UN system and with Member States to run the new entity, tasked with accelerating the progress of women and girls.
“Even though there are some countries where women’s rights are in excellent condition, in many parts of the world… women have a very difficult situation,” she said. “They don’t have the same opportunities as men regarding the most essential human rights. Women are discriminated [against]. Their rights are violated. There are still some places where women are mutilated. There are places where women can receive terrible punishments.”
Ms. Bachelet said she saw cause for optimism about the new entity’s prospects for success. In establishing UN Women by a unanimous vote earlier this year, Member States were affirming the necessity of meeting the needs of the world’s women.
UN Women is the merger of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues, and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW).
In announcing her appointment, Mr. Ban said yesterday that “Ms. Bachelet brings to this critical position a history of dynamic global leadership, highly honed political skills and uncommon ability to create consensus and focus among UN agencies and many partners in both the public and private sector.
Many Voices have praised her appointment, her integrity exceptional leadership and political skills will surly guide UN Women to become a global force for gender equality and women’s rights world wide.
GOOD NEWS .... GOOD NEWS TO ALL WOMEN !
2 July 2010
“The newest member of the UN family has been born today,” Mr. Ban told the Assembly after it passed the resolution setting up the new UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, to be known as UN Women. The new body will merge four of the world body’s agencies and offices: UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues, and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW).
“By bringing together four parts of the UN system dedicated to women’s issues, Member States have created a much stronger voice for women and for gender equality at the global level,” said the Secretary-General. “It will now be much more difficult for the world to ignore the challenges facing women and girls – or to fail to take the necessary action,” he added. UN Women is the result of years of negotiations among Member States and advocacy by the global women’s movement. Set to become operational next January, it will drive the world body’s efforts to promote women’s rights. UN Women is set to have an annual budget of at least $500 million – double the current combined resources of the four agencies it will comprise. Mr. Ban acknowledged that many Member States are facing resource constraints due to the global economic downturn, but expressed confidence that the new office will receive strong financial support.
One of the main goals of UN Women will be to support the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and other inter-governmental bodies in devising policies. The new body will also aim to help Member States implement standards, provide technical and financial support to countries which request it, and forge partnerships with civil society.
Within the UN, it will hold the world body accountable for its own commitments on gender equality. “UN Women will give women and girls the strong, unified voice they deserve on the world stage,” Ms. Migiro said, calling today a “positive and exciting moment” for the entire UN family. Based in New York, UN Women will be headed by an Under-Secretary-General, to be appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Celine Paramundayil