Soroptimist
International UN Representative Bette Levy, was invited to speak at a UN side
event at CSW59 together with UN Special Advisers, UN agency staff and Ambassador, HE Ms. Inga Rhonda King.

‘Copenhagen Meets Beijing: The Gender
Dimensions of Social Development Policy and Praxis’,  focused on how
grassroot changes in societies can happen to the benefit of all.  Bette spoke in
her capacities as Commission for Social Development, NGO Forum Chair and CSW NGO
Executive Committee member; it is unusual for an NGO representative to be
invited to contribute to an official side event like this, and it is a true testament
to Bette’s excellent work at the UN. 

The event
was organised by the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of the
UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the Permanent
Mission of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  It discussed the overlap
between the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Copenhagen
Declaration on Social Development which are mutually reinforcing declarations. 
If the principals of these are combined, they could be used to make huge advancements for gender
equality and help drive the work done by government in accelerating the empowerment
of women and girls.

The event’s
moderator, Ms Daniela Bas, Director of the Division of Social Policy and
Development for UNDESA, summed up the purpose and drive behind the event:

“Both the
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Copenhagen Declaration for
Social Development are 20 years old this year”, explained Ms Bas, who also
explained the relationship between the two declarations, “The gender dimension
embraces many other disadvantaged groups including the disabled, indigenous
people, older women and others… The UN charter says that we are here to serve
the people – so we have to serve the people. Everything we do must lead back to
that.”

 

Photo: Ms Daniela Bas, Director of the Division of Social Policy and
Development for UNDESA

These words
were especially meaningful at a CSW where progressive governments, NGOs and
civil society showed frustration at the lack of commitment and progress made towards gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.  The
need for committed action was highlighted by a number of questions from the
audience.

Bette Levy
saw her involvement in the event, and the role of women’s NGOs at the UN very
clearly: “I have made it my business to make sure gender, women and girls
intersects across all the work the UN does. If we address issues separately and
without joined-up thinking then our actions will not work.”

As the NGO
community looks towards the upcoming post-2015 development agenda, this event
was an important opportunity to engage with UN Agencies about programmes that
work on the ground in communities.  This new development agenda must ensure that
the commitments that are already internationally agreed aims, are actually achieved.

 

 Photo: SI UN Representative Bette Levy speaking at the event in her capacities as Commission for Social Development NGO Forum Chair and CSW NGO
Executive Committee member.