Highlights of a report from Bette Levy, Representative to the UN from Soroptimist International

There was an NGO Briefing by Ms Kanda Varjrabhaya, Chair of CSW 59 that Bette Levy attended. Here are the main points:

Madam Kanda Varjrabhaya attended the brifing and was introduced to the NGO committee. M. Kanda lives in Bangkok. She is the former Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for Thailand, and past Chair of ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children. There will be 2 co-facilitators this year, one from the global north and one from the global south.

The Commission is mandated to review the BPfA and the accomplishments and challenges over the past 20 years. The Commission is called upon to strengthen the equality of women and the rights of women during the Post 2015 deliberations. She stated that governments need to work with NGOs, especially womes organizations to ensure this happens. A strategic time with the confluence of the Beijing +20, and the 70th anniversary of the UN, the end of the MDGs and the new SDGs, the 15th anniversary of 1325 and the 20th Anniversary of Copenhagen, and the World Platform for Action for Youth. For gender equality, CSW remains the primary place for empowerment of women and girls and their human rights. 

Note: There will be no agreed conclusions (outcome document) negotiated during CSW but rather on the first day of CSW 59, member states of the Commission will sign onto short, concise, and action oriented declaration and that will be negotiated prior to CSW 59.  This is a first.

UN Women will craft the first draft and that will be reworked by members of the bureau for a starting point for the members of the Commission. The work will begin in January and be completed by March 2. THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROCESS. WHERE WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE DOCUMENT BY THE NGOS? HOW COME IT WILL BE DONE BY THE FIRST DAY OF THE CSW, AND NOT NEGOTIATED DURING THE MEETING?

There will be no "emerging issues" discussed, but rather the session will be totally on the BPfA.

There will be a very high level event for at least the first 3 or 4 days of CSW. Extensive participation by Ministers. There will be some opportunity to network with experts, researchers and other stakeholders. Focus: crosscutting, systematic approach.

UN Women signed a historic MOU with the City of New York. During CSW there will be several joint events sponsored by UN Women and the City of New York.

So far: 2500 registrations and 522 organizations registered.

Neither the Bureau nor UN Women set the rules around access to the UN, that is done by UN Safety & Security. There is major concerns that this year because of the topic that there will be a huge number of  attendees and security is concerned about the capacity of the rooms for the main CSW program. There continues to be discussion about having a secondary pass which will mean organizations will have between 2 -3 badges to share among their 20 delegates. But nothing has definitely been decided yet. We should no more in January, when there is a better idea of the actual numbers. This will be the first year that the commission will take place totally within the GA building and the Conference building, since the renovations began. The north lawn building will not be used at all. So security is trying to figure out capacity. These secondary badges would only be to enter the main sessions as far as side events go there will be the same system as always that individual sponsors will hand out temporary passes for the event. Individuals are recommended to sign up (rsvp) as soon as the program is available on the website to the event organizers, capacity is often an issue here too.

440 applications for parallel events have been received and all are being reviewed. Additional space will be needed.

There will be a briefing in late January to cover more of the logistics.

What is CSW 2015 All About?

The upcoming CSW is an important one - it is reviewing the progress made since the 4th World Conference on Women, in 1995. Yes, that was 20 years ago that the world came together and agreed to the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action. States have been asked to write formal reports on what they have accomplished. Canada has submitted a report. 

Prior to the meetings of the CSW, States have come together to put together a Regional perspective. And these reports have been reviewed by NGO's (Non Government Organizations) and the NGOs have come together to write their own reports, and just as important their demands to move forward. A number of NGOs prepared a report on Canada's progress, and where action is needed.

Themes
The main focus of the session will be on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including current challenges that affect its implementation and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission will undertake a review of progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The review (Beijing+20) will also include the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, the first five-year assessment conducted after the adoption of the Platform for Action, which highlighted further actions and initiatives.
The session will also address opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda.
- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw59-2015 So the main focus of the 59th session of the CSW will be on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including current challenges that affect its implementation and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission will undertake a review of progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The review (Beijing+20) will also include the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, the first five-year assessment conducted after the adoption of the Platform for Action, which highlighted further actions and initiatives.

Another important focus will be to address opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda. This is important as the world moves from the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals - where does gender equality fit in?

Registration

Dear ECOSOC-Accredited NGOs,

You are invited to participate in the fifty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to be held from 9 to 20 March 2015 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The main focus of the session will be on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including current challenges that affect its implementation and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission will undertake a review of progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The review (Beijing+20) will also include the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, the first five-year assessment conducted after the adoption of the Platform for Action, which highlighted further actions and initiatives. The session will also address opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda.

Limitations on the number of participants per organization

Your organization may pre-register up to 20 individuals. We kindly ask that organizations keep the numbers to a minimum because of increasing demands on limited space.

New pre-registration deadlines

11 November 2014 to 27 January 2015

All participants must be pre-registered by 27 January 2015. Once all required information has been entered into CSO-Net, a letter confirming the participant's pre-registration can be printed and used in obtaining a visa, if necessary.

Go to: http://esango.un.org/irene/?page=viewContent&nr=24923&type=8&section=8

The address where the participant will be staying in New York during the session needs to be added in the system prior to onsite registration. Once this information has been entered, a grounds pass form can be printed. Participants will be required to show these forms at onsite registration.

Please note that participants may need a secondary pass to gain access to open official meetings of the session. In such case, one or two secondary passes per organization will be distributed at or near the registration site.

The United Nations will not facilitate arrangements, or pay for any costs, such as travel, visa or accommodation expenses, for participants. Such arrangements and costs are the exclusive responsibility of the participants. The United Nations does not charge fees for participation in the Commission on the Status of Women sessions.

Please note that participants are advised to submit their visa applications with the United States' authorities at least three (3) months in advance of the session to allow sufficient time for processing. The United Nations will not send copies of invitation letters or confirmation letters to U.S. embassies.

Additional information about the session, its organization of work, meetings and documentation, will be shortly available at http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw59-2015

Yours sincerely,

Lopa Banerjee

Chief, Civil Society Section

220 East 42nd St., 18th floor, New York, NY 10017 T: + 1 646-781-4400 E: csw@unwomen.org    www.unwomen.org

Important Dates

• The meetings of the CSW will take place in New York from March 9th to March 20th 2015.

•  Registration is open for delegates to attend, representing ECOSOC organizations, from November 11, 2014 to January 27th, 2015. A letter will be sent, by email acknowledging the registration. However, to obtain the grounds pass, information is required as to where you are staying. This can be entered after the initial registration.

• The submission of parallel events closes on December 12, 2014.

• There is a listing of regional, and thematic meetings organized by the UN agencies here.

•  The deadline for written statements was October 24th, 2014. No Deadline has been set yet for Oral Statements - usually January/February.

   

   

 

Getting Ready!

Hello Friends, near and far,

I thought last year would be my last Commission on the Status of Women, CSW, (I've gone to 10!), and my last Blog (I've done 5!), but I guess it's in my blood. The National Council of Women of Canada has asked to do do a Blog for this year, and just maybe I might be in New York, at least for a few days - that is still to be determined.

But, this is going to be a huge year for the CSW - 20 years since Beijing and the 4th World Conference on Women - so much to talk about, and to evaluate, and to push for more to be done. 

So this will be Blog about what is happening in many parts of the world, what women are saying, and doing, what plans are being made, and most important, what the messages should be when we come together in New York. 

The Blog will consist of what is happening leading up to the meetings of the CSW (March 9th to the 20th), what people are saying and doing. References and links to resources - even a resources section. 

You will be able to leave your email so you can receive notices when there are updates so you don't have to come back and check.

There will be a comments section, moderated, but if it is legitimate, I promise to get back to you!

So let's take this journey together, and this Blog can be a productive tool in the process.