The Commission on the Status of Women 61st Session will open officially on Monday morning March 13th at 10.00 am in the UN General Assembly Hall. The NGO’s will start with Consultation Day on Sunday March 12 from 9.00 a.m. to 3.30 in the afternoon. Already participants are beginning to arrive delegates from the various member states and groups of women from all over the world. 8,600 people have pre-registered to attend – a record number. Yesterday afternoon the Chair of the Commission H.E. Mr. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil), gave a final briefing to NGO outlining what is planned. Of particular interest to me was information on the current status of the outcome document. The first reading is completed. Ms. Fatma Al Zahraa Hassan (Egypt), is the chair for the negotiations. This first reading was based on the compilation text of February 28 We are awaiting a new version based on the first reading.
This years’ CSW is breaking new ground addressing the issue of women’s unpaid care work. It was noted that there is a lot of similar language and common ground in a document that went from 6 pages to over 70 pages.
During the briefing I made two observations: one in relation to social protection and the second about girls. There are over 31 references to social protection systems but only two times is there reference to social protection floors. We need implementation of social protection floors as a tool towards women’s economic empowerment as social protection systems are tied to employment. I asked that this be noted in the ongoing negotiations. Secondly, there are multiple references to girls but always tagged to women … ‘girls and women’ or ‘women and girls’ but there is no stand alone paragraph on empowering girls through education as the surest way of empowering the women of the future.
There are many references to ending trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation .. noting that women and girls are particularly vulnerable to trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, forced marriage, forced labour, services and other forms of exploitation, and recognizing the link between migration and trafficking in persons.
Let me begin by acknowledging that you look pretty neat and smart. Well done for the observed gaps in the aspect of singling girl child that would have slotted the right to education with regard to children rights. Your planning and participation records a high score for our congregation not forgetting Joan.
I want to express my gratitude for the stellar work of the CSW as you come to its conclusion. May the wisdom and energy of these days echo throughout our world to the neediest among us! Thank you, Kathleen Duggan