Dawn-Marie Lemonds, past Soroptimist International Programme Director and President of SI Newport Harbor Area (USA), reports on the CSW orientation session.  For more updates and photos from CSW57, visit www.soroptimistinternational.org/CSW57.

First-timers and long-timers like me crammed into the excellent orientation session presented by the CSW committee that is always provided to us to help us understand what is going on these two weeks at CSW and each navigate our journeys here in New York. Hopefully this will help you walk with us here and also monitor or do " your bit" from your armchair or office at home.

It is so exciting to know that there is higher registration for this CSW than there has been for many years- over 6000 registered and possibly thousands more that come and attend the parallel events in one of the 4 sites near the UN.

It is always helpful to go to these meetings- even when you have been here before, because you are reminded of what you knew and get caught up with some of the new and exciting activities.

All of this brief overview is available in a more comprehensive way on the website which is constantly updated. www.ngocsw.org. You can even get a copy of the handbook online that was distributed and see the updates throughout the two weeks!

Highlights of this include the following

• historical review of CSW- when it started, what the purpose was and is and what has been achieved over the Years since the beginnings in 1947!
• Of the 191 member states at the UN there are 47 member states that do the Commission. Membership is time limited and rotates.
• The Beijing Platform for Action 1995 document remains the preeminent document for issues impacting women. Since 1995 there has clearly been new agendas that have been added into the discussion including Hiv work and Climate Change for example,but this document continues to provide the framework for the work
• Millenium Development Goals- 2000-2015

In 2015 these MDGS will culminate and the world leaders will take stock of what has been achieved. Work is already underway to development the POST 2015 AGENDA. The website for development of this is www.worldwewant.org. Hundreds of NGOs have already engaged in presenting information to this and a paper has resulted for their input called THE INEQUITIES PAPER.

OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS STARTING MARCH 6- Go to the www.worldwewant2015.org/ website and express your views in 150 words,

Important work at CSW is for the government delegates to advance agreed conclusions back to ECOSOC particularly related to the theme of Violence Against Women issues and the secondary theme of equal responsibility of men and women particularly related to home and caring for people with HIV. There is a huge concern that there is an outcome document this year because last year issues related to cultural practices in particular birth issues, prevented an outcome from being achieved

What WE are doing here is multi faceted. We came here knowledgeable about the issues at hand and our work to EDUCATE,EMPOWER and Provide Enabling OPPORTUNITES for women and girls. (see the excellent paper developed by the SI Programme team with the 10 points we want to promote)

Some of us will lobby our government delegates about issues -present at two partnered parallel events -attend parallel events provided by NGOs and side events provided by UN  departments or governments -learn cutting edge issues around the world -network with other NGOs

And finally, for me……this is an amazing opportunity to go to the big tent of women and renew my convictions and reaffirm our partnerships with our sisters around the world.