Photo: Soroptimist week two delegates meeting
From 10-21 March 2014, a
delegation of over 50 Soroptimists gathered in New York for SI’s
largest advocacy event of the year: the 58th Session of the
Commission on the Status of
Women. SI has shared
many reports, articles and photos about what happened at CSW58,
including
analysis of the final conclusions, but this blog post aims to give a
flavour of
what happened through the eyes of some Soroptimist delegates.
“Soroptimist
are women at their best, helping other women be their best. Nowhere is
this more evident than at CSW-58, when our voices are heard by decision
makers
at the United Nations. Around
the world dedicated, passionate members are making a difference in the
lives or
women and girls. The delegation worked hard to encourage countries to
remain
strong on keeping agreed language from CSW-57. Yet, the real work is
still at
the grass roots with each Soroptimist being involved in her own local
and
national government to promote change. Globally we will have a
greater impact by having strong working relationships with our
governments.”
“A
special thanks to Pat Black and Linda Witong for their contribution on
specific
language on trafficking and Bette Levy [SI UN Rep and Committee Member
for NGO
CSW NY) who has made Soroptimist a recognized name within UN Women by
her
presence and commitment at the UN.”
Soroptimist International Assistant Programme Director,
Caroline Leach,
(SI Riverside, USA) who led the Soroptimist delegation for the second
week of
CSW.
Photo: SIAPD Caroline Leach with Ambassador Cabactulan of the
Philippines (left) and with delegates Pat Black, Linda Witong and Margaret Clark (right).
"After a week at CSW in New York my head is spinning.
There are so many different sessions to attend that it is difficult to
choose,
one really has to decide beforehand what topic one
is going to focus on. I decided to focus on two topics: how to use
technology
to get information across to women and how to work with men to advance
women
and educate other men on equal rights and abuse against women. I thought
I knew
a lot, but this week I have learned that the more I learn the more I
become
aware of how little I know. This was my first time at CSW, but
definitely not my last!"
Hafdis
Karlsdottir, SIE Finance Controller 2011-2013 (Iceland)
Photo: Advocacy training – left to right, Siew Yong Gnanalingam (Malaysia, SISWP President), Ann Garvie (UK, SI President), Christina Hujanen (USA) and Hafdis Karlsdottir (Iceland)
“We had an amazing advocacy training session…[and] a really
fabulous reception with
the entire delegation. It was great to meet all of the women from around
the
world who are attending CSW58 to improve the lives of women and girls
locally
and internationally.”
“President
Ann Garvie gave a wonderfully inspiring speech then honored our women in
New
York and their work with the UN. I am grateful to be amongst such
impressive
women. That was quite a day #1.”
“Oh the photo… I won the prize
of the night. When I opened it I discovered that it was a Lego model of
the
United Nations. I couldn’t have been more excited!”
Karen
Block, first-time CSW delegate from SI Manhattan Beach (USA), who
blogged from
CSW at http://soroptimistgal.tumblr.com/.
“These are long, hard days, starting
early in the morning with SI briefings, and often going well into the
night
with networking functions, private meetings, or studying documents.
But’s it
all worth it, as we work together to accelerate progress in the final 18
months
of the MDGs and as we, as a global community that very much includes SI,
shape
the future world that we want. And you can’t go very far without seeing a
Soroptimist scarf, wrapped around one of our excited and dedicated
delegates!”.
Reilly
Dempsey, Head of Programme and Advocacy, Soroptimist
International
Photo:
Soroptimist delegation with their eye-catching scarves before the celebration march
“The Soroptimist delegation gathered on First
Avenue for a photocall before joining the Celebration March around the
block
with other delegates to CSW. Our blue and gold scarves make us very
visible. It
was very good to talk with some of the Soroptimists whom I had not yet
seen
especially from the other Federations”.
SIGBI Federation Immediate Past President Pat Black – read Pat’s regular updates from CSW..
Photo: Soroptimists take part in the celebration march
“I was not a ‘new
girl’ on the block but have to say that this was probably the most
vibrant and
stimulating CSW I have attended. For the first time ever I really wish I
had
booked for the two weeks and been there to support Pat [Black, SIGBI
Past-President] and our other sisters through the second week”
Ann Dawson, SI Stafford (UK), SIGBI
Federation Past President, Chair of The Haven women’s refuge,
Wolverhampton
“I am energized and
have a renewed sense of the urgency to get our agenda
completed.”
Vivian Walzesky, SI of Monroe County District III
Director,Midwestern Region USA
“We are pleased that the CSW agreed
conclusions include so many of the key issues that Soroptimist
International
had highlighted”, This is testament to the efforts of many NGO
representatives,
including our own Soroptimist delegates who worked incredibly hard to
ensure
that the voices of women and girls around the world could not be ignored
by
decision-makers.”
“However, the work is not yet over. This is a compromise
agreement with some key
areas of weakness, and even where progressive wording has been agreed we
will
need to hold governments to account to ensure that words become reality.
There
is still much to be done to ensure progress for women and girls up to
and
beyond 2015”.
Hilary Ratcliffe, Soroptimist International
Programme Director. Read about a
typical day at CSW in Hilary’s blog post: “A
day in the life of the international
programme director at CSW”.
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