Each year prior to the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women the NGO Community host a consultation day. This year over 1100 women and men, boys and girls representing government and UN delegates gathered. The day opened with a performance by the National Dance Institute. This institute has impacted the lives of close to 2 million public school children through award-winning arts and learning programs. Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director , UN Women addressed the gathering. The Keynote address was delivered by Mirna Cunningham Kain, Chair, UN Indigenous People’s Forum and the NGO/CSW/NY, Woman of Distinction Awardee.  Leymah Gbowee, Noble Peace Prize Laureate was a special guest. These are the women leaders of today pushing forward for a better life for all women but particulalry rural and marginalized women. There were two panels one presenting regional perspective moderated by Ilona Graenitz, Chair, NGO/CSW/Vienna and the other focused on Rural Women and was moderated by Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, Chair, NGO/CSW Geneva. I mention both these ladies as they are the counter parts of the NGO/CSW Chair in New York – Soon Young Yoon. In the afternoon there were three parallel session – Orientation for new participants to CSW;  Advocacy Training and Training for Rural Women Leaders Speak-out. The day ended with the theme song ”Keep on Movin’ Forward.’  You can get a flavour of the day in the slide show.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Good Shepherd had an Orientation for CSW 56 on February 21st, 2012 at the Office of Handcrafting Justice, Astoria, New York. Maureen McGowan, Simran Sachdev, Operations and Marketing Manager together with other staff and Good Shepherd Volunteers interested in CSW attended.  Winifred Doherty facilitated the orientation and invited some temporary representatives from the Presentation Sisters and UNANIMA International. From the Good Shepherd International Justice Peace Office Theresa Symons, Director of Programs in Malaysia attended together with two volunteer staff Marie Guessou (Cameroon) and Virginie Woo (origninaly from Angers, France).  We are grateful to all at Handcrafting Justice for their welcome and hospitality in providing lunch.  If you wish to follow the powerpoint used it is uploaded here for your convenience  CSW 56 Orientation