My third day at CSW saw a markedly reduced number of side and parallel sessions.  I learned from Erica that one should plan on being here the first week as that is when all the high level speakers are here and there are many more sessions. Something to note for next year.

I also decided that since FAWCO can bring...

First up was an ECOSOC session on the 58^th Commission on the Status of Women that considered position statements from civil society, which included the following issues:

• Rule of Law and women’s participation in legal processes
  
  
• Women’s participation in decision making – private sector and government/political
  
  
• Underlying economic and political structures that support discrimination against women
  
  
• Unequal distribution of care work and unpaid work
  
  
• Women...

The first session today was a short panel discussion, followed by a passionate airing of views on religion and culture as forces that impede women’s realization of their human rights. Women from Pakistan, Egypt, Somalia, India, and Nigeria shared their views on the influence they have in their countries:

• The most feminist laws of the age were introduced by the Quran...

Today was my last full day at the UN for CSW 58. I met Erica and we both attended the open Economic and Social Council's session where draft resolutions were discussed and statements from the floor were accepted.  A nice young woman sitting next to me, Sang Liao, an intern at the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the UN, has...

Today, I had time to get my official CSW 58 badge so was able to attend not only Parallel Meetings in the church center but also go "inside" the UN buildings where there were more "Side Meetings". I took full advantage of this and attended two sessions on Human Trafficking, a session on Girls Education in Afghanistan, a session on...

As I walked with Erica Higbie, FAWCO's UN Rep in New York, to the UN area, I was filled with anticipation - nervous and excited, imagining myself in the UN Great Hall / the General Assembly with dignitaries from member states.  However, Erica informed me that the so-called "Paralllel Meetings" put on by NGOs are outside the UN buildings and open...

Monday March 17th
"Data-Revolution" is the CSW58 buzzword and it means doing a better job of capturing gender statistics for the Post-2015 Agenda. Mexico presented a program on making women more visible through indicators and tracking statistics that are gender specific. Governments need to capture disaggregated information on unpaid work, care-giving, access to healthcare and resources, wealth, income, violence, education,

Consultation Day March 9th
Consultation Day is sponsored by NGO CSW (civil society’s Committee of the Status of Women) and traditionally takes place on the Sunday before the Commission on the Status of Women.

This year’s NGO CSW Women of Distinction Award winner was Sharon Bhagwan Rolls for her empowerment of women through radio in Fiji, where women have little...