Talat Pasha was one of the Soroptimists who attended the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women in New York (4-15 March), where the primary theme was the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. In this week’s blog, she celebrates the experience of working with Soroptimists from around the world at CSW and welcomes the Agreed Conclusions that were adopted. Talat is Past-President of SI Karachi Central, SIGBI Assistant Project Director for Economic Empowerment and Federation Project Action Chair for SI Pakistan.
Congratulations to the Women of the World. Congratulations to Soroptimists all over the world. Congratulations to the team at CSW attending the 57th session. It is a great achievement and a great document! We all welcome the outcome of the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of women meeting. The Agreed Conclusions are a testimony to the commitment to do the right thing.
During the meeting in New York, and in the lead-up to this session, we witnessed amazing global engagement and mobilization. The sense of commitment and friendship was awe-inspiring. We were women of the world. We were souls in search of justice – with no boundaries or religion.
We were one. Each of us had only one thing on our minds. To be able to achieve a document that is acceptable to all of us and to the Member States. The commitment was high and so were the expectations of the world’s women and girls.
The team of Soroptimists at the CSW met every day with feedback from their respective countries. They worked together and no-one even gave thought to who was from where, who was representing which Federation or Country. We were Soroptimists!! Each one of us was ready to help and be there for each other. We slipped into easy, friendly relationships and have taken back fond memories of one another.
During the sessions, as we discussed the document, there were sometimes moments of tension and depression. There were days of doubts and nights filled with feelings of frustration and indignation. But finally we all have achieved it!
The document adopted by the Commission condemns in the strongest terms the pervasive violence against women and girls, and calls for increased attention and accelerated action for prevention and response, with an important focus on prevention, including through education and awareness-raising, and addressing gender inequalities in the political, economic and social spheres.
Governments have made it clear by adopting this document that discrimination and violence against women and girls has no place in the 21st century. They have reaffirmed their commitment and responsibility to undertake concrete action to end violence against women and girls and promote and protect women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We could not have asked more. All the issues have been incorporated.
The religious and cultural angles and issues that prevented criminals from being prosecuted have been addressed. The proliferation of Femicide and the collusion of medical and health staff in helping to achieve this heinous crime has been focused on.
There must be no turning back.
Words must now be translated into action. Now the dreams must change to reality. We must march towards a dawn when women and girls can live free of fear, violence and discrimination. The 21st century must become the century of inclusion and women’s full and equal rights and participation. We all have taken the first step and now let us all move in the right direction…Together!!
Read SI’s response to the Agreed Conclusions
Image: Talat Pasha on the panel for SI’s side event, "From Girl Child to Mature Woman: A Life Course Approach to Gender Empowerment and a Violence-free Life" at CSW57, where she spoke about violence affecting women and girls in South Asia.