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.