2015 UNU-GEST Fellows attend Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) session in New York
Taking place from 14th to 24th of March, the 2016 Commission sought to address the theme of ‘Women‘s Empowerment and its link to sustainable development‘, and the session was comprised of representatives from member states, United Nations entities and non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. (ECOSOC) The session provided an opportunity to review progress towards gender equality through identifying challenges, setting global standards and establishing norms and policies to promote women‘s empowerment worldwide.
The session is a key opportunity for policy makers, advocates, researchers and activists to network and strategize, mobilize and plan new initiatives and actions to further the cause of gender equality and women’s empowerment. In addition to this, the Commission also focused upon evaluating progress of the 57th Session is 2013, regarding ‘The elimination and prevential of all forms of violence against women and girls‘. The event included general discussions and panels, as well as ministerial round-tables and high-level interactive dialogues to discuss and draw attention to critical aspects of the work on gender equality around the globe.
Limbani Phiri attended under the umbrella of the Men for Gender Equality Now – Malawi Chapter, and Victor Maulidi represented the NGO Gender Coordination Network. The fellows described the forum as an opportunity for them to engage and contribute to discourses regarding gender equality, women‘s empowerment, sustainable development goals and environmental initiatives in line with what was taught during the GEST Programme. Such topics focused on throughout the session included: prioritising enforcement of legal frameworks of gender equality; encouraging male involvement in ending inequalities; providing necessary support mechanism for effective policy implementation; empowering female entrepeneurs to fast-track women‘s economic empowerment; prioritising gender budgeting through tracking financial resources; ensuring climate change interventions are enacted with consideration from gender perspectives.
The UNU-GEST team congratulates the fellows on their endeavours, and as ambassadors for gender equality worldwide.