b'advocacy NEW YORKSI had six UN Representatives at the UN Headquarters in New York during 2021. Bette Levy, as Main Representative, coordinatedA report published in September 2021 by the the activities of the New York team, additionallyIndependent Expert on the enjoyment of all representing SI on the Womens Major Grouphuman rights by older persons, tells us that (WMG). Her work focused on Gender Equality,the intersection between discrimination based Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rightson age and gender, produces unique forms of (SRHR), Poverty, and Children and Families.inequality, including negative stereotypes that Bette had several opportunities to step up andcombine both ageism and sexism. take on roles within the official UN processes,On 1 October, the NGO Committee on Ageing including representing civil society at the 2021New York called attention to digital equity of High Level Political Forum (HLPF) Expert Groupall ages. Women and older persons experience Meeting (EGM), the purpose of which was todigital inequity to a greater extent than other bring together experts from UN agencies,groups in societyeither lacking access to member states, civil society, academia,technologies, or not benefitting fully from research and the private sector, to address thethe opportunities provided by technological proposed theme of the meeting and makeprogress.recommendations and action plans that will beVanesa Treers follows the Commission on the used to form the basis of the Secretary GeneralsStatus of Women (CSW) and is a member (SGs) report on the topic.of NGO CSW New York. Vanesa worked In preparation for the EGM, Bette prepared aclosely with Assistant Director of Advocacy, written statement, circulated to members ofUlla Madsen and Leigh Elwood-Brown on the WMG advocacy group and to other NGOorganising training for CSW66 in 2022. Vanessa representatives, for additional input and edits.also represents SI on the NGO Major Group, Francesca Fletcher Williams (SI Global Policywhere she monitors and reports on updates Coordinator) served as editor. Once the processfor HLPF. was completed, the statement was submittedDuring 2021, SI partnered with the Young to UN Department for Economic and SocialAmbassadors Society (YAS), in organising Affairs (DESA). Over the course of the three-dayan international consultation with youth meeting, Bette had the opportunity to representorganisations from all over the world in the WMG as an expert on UN Sustainablepreparation for the Youth 20 (Y20), the official Development Goal 1Poverty, and to makeG20 engagement group dedicated to young several oral interventions.people. The group was chaired by the Young Frances Zainoeddin is an expert on the rightsAmbassadors Society, in collaboration with of older persons including healthy ageing.the office of the Presidency of the Council In addition to representing Soroptimistof Ministers of Italy, and in coordination with International, Frances is vice-chair of the NGOthe Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Committee on Ageing, and is the UN FocalInternational Cooperation. Y20 sought to Point in New York for the Stakeholders Groupencourage young people to express their on Ageing. Frances is also actively involved inideas and visions to the Heads of State and issues concerning the rights of older persons,Government of the G20. Vanesa Treers, particularly in the context of efforts being madeFrancesca Fletcher Williams, and Allie Liu by the Open-ended Working Group on Ageingplanned and coordinated the activities and at the United Nations, calling for aconvention todiscussion groups on behalf of SI.protect and promote the rights of older persons. soroptimistinternational.org 10'