Youth

Youth involvement was a key theme evident throughout most of the events scheduled to commemorate the 56^th annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The youth are no longer simply serving as a topic of discussion.  Instead, they are given the ability to facilitate these discussions and contribute based upon their own personal experiences.  Many of the atrocities that women face, begin early in their lives when they are just young girls.  Therefore, it is important to recognize these young victims and account for their voices when formulating strategies to confront these universal problems impacting women.

The youth played a vital role in the second panel discussion I attended.  The panel discussion titled, “Promoting Connection through Advocacy: The International Role of Youth in Empowering Rural Women” was hosted by the East StroudsburgSouth High School UN ASPIRE group.  This group of motivated, intelligent, young women and men is comprised of students from both the East Stroudsburg South High School and East Stroudsburg University.  They are participants in the United Nations: Academic Impactinitiative, which “aligns students from institutions of higher education with the United Nations in actively supporting ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, literacy, sustainability and conflict resolution.”

Following a brief introduction by their teacher and advisor, Michael Healey, the students led the audience through a very engaging, educational experience. They engaged the audience in a discussion on the novel, Half The Sky by authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.  Half The Sky inspired these students to take action to change the conditions (prostitution, human trafficking, forced marriages, limited/no access to education) faced by millions of women on a daily basis.

During the panel discussion, the students would introduce one of the women highlighted in the novel by sharing their stories and how they fit into a larger issue.  Two of these larger issues are trafficking of women, who are forced into prostitution and female genital mutilation, which often results in fistulas.  The panel would then ask the audience to form smaller groups to discuss the reasons why women continue to face these horrible conditions in 2012.  Many audience members were surprised to hear about the conditions that continue to normalize these atrocities.  For example, many were not aware of the role that drugs and addiction play in the prostitution industry in developing countries.

These students created an outstanding presentation.  They showed that regardless of your age, one could play a pivotal role in addressing these global problems.  By educating young women and men about the horrible realities that exist in the world, we are motivating them to take a stand against these conditions by raising awareness.

"0 is the only acceptable number when it comes to Early, Forced Marriages"

The discussion titled, “The Impact of Early and Forced Marriage on Rural Girls,” which was one of the events organized as part of the 56^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, was scheduled to begin at 12:30pm.  However, attendees ended their lunches early in order to rush back to the conference room in the United Nation’s Church Center to reserve a seat.  As the seats quickly filled, their urgency was then applied to the few open spots on the floor, as everyone searched for a comfortable place from which they could actively participate in the panel discussion.  This panel, brought together by Plan International, provided the audiences with a wide range of viewpoints.  These points were surrounding the topic of early, forced marriage and other social ills that are attached to this practice, which unfortunately is still a norm in certain societies.  In our western, American reality, the idea of early, forced marriage is a phenomenon.  This discussion was valuable because it is one resource that helps to overcome the awareness void.  This panel consisted of some extremely intelligent women, but its youngest members provided the audience with the panel’s most candid words of empowerment. These two young women are Fatmata, 17 year-old from Sierra Leone, and Maryam, a young lady from Pakistan.  These young ladies were a vital part of the conversation because it gave the other panelists and the audience an opportunity to speak with the youth, instead of just talking about them without accounting for their perspective.

According to the panel, countries like Sierra Leone and Pakistan have rooted traditions, customs, and necessities that support the practice of early forced marriage. Families, primarily the poorest families, felt that a husband could provide their daughters with financial security and safety.  Parents saw early marriage as a way for daughters to give back to their families because these potential husbands would pay parents or work for parents in order to earn a young girl’s hand in marriage regardless of her consent or willingness to engage in that practice.  According to Fatmata and Maryam, girls are seen as a commodity that can be traded between families.  These practices are prevalent in rural, remote communities, where the presence of government and civil society resources are either limited or nonexistent. According to the panelists, early, forced marriages often lead to acts of violence against these girls by their husbands or the family of their husbands.  These girls are at risk to early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases because they are not old enough to make decisions about their sexuality and body. The current rates of maternal childbirth deaths resulting from early, forced marriage stand at unacceptable levels.

According to a panelist from Finland, “0 is the only acceptable number when it comes to early, forced marriages.”  The panelists highlighted several goals that need to be met in order to decrease and eventually eliminate the practice of early, forced marriages.  Legislation must be established in all countries that set 18 as the age when both girls and boys can marry.  This legislative law must have the support of both the government and civil society.  Otherwise, opponents will try to limit its effectiveness by continuing to implement certain traditions and customs. Panelists also stated that authorities need to ensure that children are properly registered at birth because girls are not often registered.  Since girls are not registered at the birth, their families can marry them off under the guise that they are older.  Early, forced marriages are a reality that many girls face in today’s world.  In order to restore rights to these young girls and change their realities, the global community must join with and motivate local leaders to provide alternatives to these families.  In addition, legal safeguards must be established against this terrible practice.

                                                  Fatmata, 17 year-old from Sierra Leone

Reflections on the 56th CSW

As I look back at the trips to NYC to visit the UN and participate in the CSW, I cannot help but think of the hardwork and the dedication of many people working to empower women throughout the world.  Many people who attended the briefings and spoke in front of others, were willing to tell their stories and make their experiences real for everybody willing to listen.  As difficult as the stories were for those involved, they knew informing others can be one of the only ways their voices will ever be heard.

One of the most unexpected and startling briefings I attended involved the sexual trafficking of Native American women in Minnesota.  The percentages of women and children involved in sexual trafficking were astronomical.  Yet, how many Americans have any idea that Native American women and children are suffering from this? And how many people understand that the men who are pimping them usually do not get more than a slap on the wrist from the law?  Problems such as this still exist within the United States and most Americans are unaware.  How can more people become aware and what can be done so this does not occur anymore?

While the CSW was filled with many heart-rending stories and experiences, people still found plenty of time to smile, laugh, and talk with new and old friends.  The March of 8th Celebration March allowed a special time for those involved in the 56th CSW to join hands, march together, and make their voices, songs, and dances seen and heard.  Following a march around a few NYC blocks, where women could be heard beating drums, chanting, and laughing, everybody joined together in a large group to sing the 56th CSW's theme song together.  This song focuses on never looking back to the past and continuing to empower women throughout the world.  I think if everyone could take something from the 56th CSW, it could be that we should not focus on past challenges and problems, but the problems of today and the new solutions that women and men all over the world are developing and using to empower women for the lives they will lead and the knowledge they will share.

Reflection

Reading through all the various blog posts and attending some of the events,  it is truly inspiring to see how much women have overcome and achieved thus far!  Even though there are still obstacles to overcome,  education and gender equality for women both seem to be improving more and more.  It makes me ask the question of what we can do to keep the equality of women going forward through everyday actions in our lives.  I feel that one of the most inspiring statements made from one of the sessions I had attended was that women,  just as men,  can have the power to play just as important of a role in their own lives and to change them for better.  This was a truly inspiring journey to take and has and will continue to make me think about what I can personally do to help make this positive change keep moving forward.

56th session of CSW: Panel 3 – National experiences in implementing the agreed conclusions of CSW 52

In the midst of the 56^th session of CSW, it was interesting to look back at some of the outcomes of one of the previous CSW sessions and think about how gender issues have progressed since then. Gender-mainstreaming seemed to be the theme of panel 3 as countries discussed the importance of making specific provisions and budgets for gender issues throughout all government ministries and departments.

The panelists from Austria, the US, Cambodia, Morocco, and Ecuador each provided unique strategies and accounts of prioritizing gender in government financing. The panelist from Austria made a particularly convincing appeal for governments to change their budgets from input-oriented to output-oriented ones. In his country, ministers are now required to detail five objectives for which the ministry’s money will be used. Of those 5, at least one has to be gender-related. In this way, ministers set goals and are held accountable to the Parliament at the end of the year for reaching these targets. This not only helps dedicate money for gender issues, but also ensures that those funds are used for what they are intended for.

Along the same lines, the panelist from Morocco noted that fighting inequality means fighting corruption. I think this point is rather poignant because it addresses the fact that dedicating money for a cause is not helpful if that money disappears into thin air with little to show from it. He went on to say that financing has to come from public and private spheres as well as civil society and that it has to be based on accountability and transparency. While I whole-heartedly agreed with what he said, I would have liked to see further discussion on ways of dealing with corruption.

The panelist from the US spoke about how social budgets could be grown through economic reform. Speaking about the dangers of macroeconomic policies, such as those advocated by the IMF, she noted that they often constrain growth, employment opportunities, and therefore, public revenues. She suggests, for example, that inflation is often related to low productivity as a result of a lack of access to social services. Investing in social programs, therefore, could help battle inflation without altering monetary policy.

The finance minister from Ecuador likewise spoke about ways of ensuring that funds are available when needed. She said that the key is planning… and not just creating year plans, but rather multi-year plans. Since economic crises do not just end after a year, having a multi-year plan can ensure that vulnerable sectors are sufficiently funded even in turbulent times.

When the floor was opened to the other countries and participants, I noticed that they were all so eager to talk about the poverty and gender plans that they had in place. It sounded to me like everyone had everything figured out and they were doing well on their own. I may be slightly exaggerating, but the point is that it felt like everyone was paying lip service to the issue at hand and the need to prove that they have made progress. What I would have rather heard is numbers of participants reached… and not just numbers, but percentages of eligible women taking advantages of the services that they offer. I would also like to hear about the challenges that they have been facing rather than what they have done. Interestingly enough, the panel chair sensed the robotic nature of it all and urged the participants not to read and to be more interactive so that everyone could benefit from a productive debate.

Դէպի Արդար Խաղաղութիւն. ՄԱԿի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի թիւ 1325 Բանացեւ, Խաղաղութիւն, Ուսումնասիրութիւն

Դէպի Արդար

Խաղաղութիւն. ՄԱԿի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի թիւ 1325 Բանացեւ, Խաղաղութիւն, Ուսումնասիրութիւն

Զրուցակիցներ`

Դեսպան Անուարուլ Գ. Չաուտրի, ՄԱԿի նախկին փոխ-քարտուղար եւ ներկայացուցիչ, «High Representative»ՄԱԿի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի Նախագահ, Մարտ 2000 եւ Յունիս 2001 Ժան Մարի

Ֆրիծ, Փրօֆէսօր, Չինչինաթիի Համալսարան

Եւա-Մարիա Լիմէց, Էսթոնիոյ Արտաքին Գործոց Նախարարութեան Ապահովութեան Բաժամունքի Համաշխարհային Հաստատութիւններու բաժնի տնօրէնուհի.

Ռոզմարի Պարպըրէթ, օգնական փրօֆեսօր, Համաշխարհային Ոճիռ եւ Արդարութիւն, Ճոն Ճէյ Գոլէճ

Ուրբաթ Մարտ 2, 2012ին տեղի ունեցաւ հետաքրքրական կլոր սեղան – բանավեճ մը “Դէպի Արդար Խաղաղութիւն. ՄԱԿ-ի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի թիւ 1325 Բանացեւ, Խաղաղութիւն, Ուսումնասիրութիւն” խորագրով: Բանավեճը մեկնաբանեց ՄԱԿ-ի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի թիւ 1325Բանացեւի ծնունդը, ինչպէս նաեւ անոր կարեւորութիւնը` ազգային գործունէութեան ծրագիրներու ծիրէն ներս ներգրաւուելու պարագային:

Բանավեճի սկիզբը խօսք առաւ Պանկլատէշի դեսպան` Պարոն Չաուտրի որ, ներկայացուց պատմական եղելութիւնները որոնց հետեւանքով որդեգրուեցաւ ՄԱԿի Ապահովութեան Խորհուրդի Բանացեւը: Ըստ Պարոն Դեսպանին, ազգային գործունէութեան ծրագիրներ պէտք է ընդունուին, որպէսզի անոնց հիման վրայ սկիզբ առնէ երկրի իշխանութեան հաշուետուութիւնը, որմէ ետք, քաղաքացիական ընկերութիւնը կը կարենայ իրագործել այդ ծրագիրները: Վերջացնելով իր խօսքը, դեսպան Չաուտրի ընդգծեց թէ ազգային գործնունէութեան ծրագիրը լաւագոյն միջոցն է:

Յաջորդաբար, խօսք առաւ Փրօֆէսօր Ֆրից ներկաներուն հետ բաժնելով իր վերջին աշխատանքի արդիւնքները` ազգային գործունէութեան ծրագիրներու վերաբերեալ: Ներկայացնելով “Կանայք,Խաղաղութիւն, Ապահովութիւն, եւ Ազգային Ծրագիրներ” վերնագրով աշխատանքը, Փրօֆ.Ֆրից առաջարկներ ներկայացուց անոնց համար որոնք կ’աշխատին զարգացնելու կամ վերատեսութեան ենթարկելու ՄԱԿի Ապահովական Խորհուրդի թիւ 1325, 1820, 1888, եւ 1889 Բանացեւերը:

Ապա, Տիկին Լիմէց ներկաներուն հետ բաժնեց Էսթոնիոյ Արտաքին Գործոց Նախարարութեան փորձառութիւնները ինչ կը վերաբերի ազգային ծրագիրներու քրեական արդարադատուքեան

զարգացման գործընթացին: Լիմէց խօսեցաւ այս գործընթացի դժուարութիւններուն մասին, յայտնելով թէ, ըստ իրեն, այս ծրագիրը գերազանց չէ եւ ան կը ցանկայ տեսնել յառաջիկայ զարգացումներ այս ծիրէն ներս:

Moving Toward a Just Peace: UNSCR 1325, Inclusive Peacebuilding, Relevant Research On Friday, 2nd March 2012

Panel Members:

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN, President of the UN Security Council, March 2000 & June 2001Jan Marie Fritz, Professor, University of Cincinnati

Eva-Maria Liimets, Directtor of the Division of International Organizations, Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia.

Rosemary Barberet, Associate Professor and Director, Master of Arts Degree Program in International Crime and Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

An interesting session, entitled, "Moving Toward a Just Peace: UNSCR 1325, Inclusive Peacebuilding, Relevant Research" provided an analysis of how the UNSCR 1325 first began and why it is important to be adopted into national action plans. The session began with remarks from Ambassador Chowdhury who provided a timeline of the events leading up to the adoption of the Security Council Resolution. According to Ambassador Chowdhury, national action plans have to be approved in order to "...start the process of accountability, then civil society can respond to fulfillment or implementation of the plan." In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Chowdhury noted, "National action plan is the best tool." The next presenter, Professor Fritz, shared some of her recent work on national action plans. She provided the attendees her latest works including "Women, Peace, Security, and the National Action Plans" where she lists suggestions for those developing or revising plans to address the relevant points from UN Security Council Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888, and 1889. Following her presentation, Ms. Liimets provided the experiences from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as they are currently in the process of developing their national action plan. She shared with us some of the challenges of this process and claims that this plan is not excellent in her opinion and looks forward to continued progress on these developments.

Breaking Barriers as Change Makers and Peacekeepers: The Journey toward Equal Representation

The recent side event, “Change Makers and Peacekeepers: The Journey toward Equal Representation,” was an interesting discussion on the vital role women play in military service, security operations, and peacekeeping missions around the world. Sponsored by the UN Entity for Gender Equality, panelists highlighted efforts by the United Nations, international organizations, and national governments in the transformational role of women in securing peace and stability in various contexts worldwide. UN Women Assistant –Secretary-General and Executive Deputy Director Lakshmi Puri emphasized that women are one of the keys to establishing sustainable peacekeeping operations. In post-conflict affected societies, Puri also expressed the importance of gender components in UN missions and gender-sensitive training for all.

This event made me think of my work in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and how women have played a crucial role in creating avenues for peace in an often volatile region. The panel mentioned the importance of giving women the opportunity for equal representation in key leadership positions. In the Niger Delta, women have become critical agents in resolving conflicts and sustaining peace. They have contributed greatly to the formation of civil society in Nigeria, actively pushing for corporate reforms in the oil industry and supporting the development of democratic institutions. One of the speakers of today’s panel said “leadership begins with what’s possible” and “when you break one barrier, you are poised to break others.” I think these statements reflect the work of both urban and rural women in the Niger Delta.

The panel left you with the message: An institutional environment of empowerment and equality must be created and sustained in various elements of our society. Admiral Ferguson, U.S. Chief of Naval Personnel, reiterated the significant position women currently play in the U.S military and the number of opportunities that have arisen over the past twenty-five years. Continuing to encourage and place women into strategic leadership positions will serve as a catalyst in this “journey” toward equal representation. It will be interesting to watch the rise of women leaders in both state and non-state organizations in the years ahead!