Summary Report from Sue Calhoun, NCWC Delegate

More of Sue Calhoun's reports to follow.

This year was my fifth year attending the CSW (2008-2010 inclusive, as official delegate of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women; 2013 with the same group, although not official delegate, given that the size of delegations was cut back to 20 each in 2011). Each year, I feel I have a better understanding of the CSW, everything that is happening and how best to use my time. In particular, the morning de-briefs by UN Women are particularly helpful at putting things in perspective. Some of my key findings this year:

• ·       In looking at the MDGs post-2015, I think the analysis is that a lot has been accomplished in some areas, for example, poverty and primary education, although much remains to be done. UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said that ending violence against women has been called the ‘missing MDG’ and stressed the necessity of its inclusion in the post-2015 development framework currently under discussion.   (www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/3/i-got-flowers-today#sthash.Qc8ernK9.dpuf)  The Secretary-General’s report for CSW said that, “while the MDGs capture some important aspects of gender equality, the targets are narrow and misaligned from the full spectrum of women’s and girls’ rights set out in key global agreements. Important dimensions of gender inequality were omitted in the Goals, such as unpaid care work, violence against women and girls, sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s access to assets, the gender wage gap and women’s equal participation at all levels of decision-making.” (www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/csw)

• ·       There are increasing expectations and efforts to have men and boys on-side, with “louder, bigger voices in visibly supporting women's equality.” In her remarks at the NGO Forum and again at a CSW58 side event on "Engaging Men and Boys to achieve the MDGs for Women and Girls" on March 12, 2014, Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted UN Women's new HeForShe campaign, which encourages men all over the world to speak out against inequality faced by women and girls. (http://heforshe.org/)

·       An encouraging aspect is the increasing numbers of girls and young women who attend the CSW, and actively participate.

--- Sue Calhoun