Report of the CSW55, Feb 22-March 04, 2011

Carol, in center, with her Granddaughters

As Written by: CAROL UGOCHUKWU, Member of WOW Board of Directors

Theme:  Access and Participation of Women and Girls to Education, Training, Science  & Technology,  including  for the Promotion of Women’s Equal Access to Full Employment and Decent Work”.

While, UN official representatives, Government officials and Non-Governmental officials met from February 22 to March 4 at the UN headquarters in New York, Civil Societies represented by accredited NGO’s met various locations close to UN headquarters.  This year most of the side events were scheduled outside the UN building.  The Church Center, YWCA, UN Millennium Hotel and some close by Hotels were venues for most panels.

The Newly inaugurated UN Women:

The CSW 55 was co- coordinated for the first time by the new UN Women.    According to bulletin produced by the UN Women for this conference, the organization is headed by an Under Secretary- General, Dr. Michelle Bachelet.  It will support the CSW in the formulation of policies, global standards and norms.  It also states that it will help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide technical and financial support  to countries that request for such assistant.  It will forge effective partnership with Civil Societies.  A major key role for the UN Women will be  to promote accountability within the UN systems for its own commitments  on gender equality, including, regular  monitoring  of system -wide progress.

Grant Writing Workshop:

Two members of WOW-Africa  joined Afton Beutler and Michelle who were in New York on February 23, 2011, for  a training on Proposal Writing and Evaluation. Sponsored by The Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund (VGIF) in New York..   A friend told me about this training and so I registered some of our members on line.   Michelle attended this training but she paid $50 while it was free for participants from developing countries.  I understand the training was quite useful, Michelle may provide more information on this.

Christy Cunningham, Carol Ugochukwu, and Afton Beutler

Arrival of Participants from Africa:

After weeks of correspondence to facilitate the Visa application of members of WOW-Africa coming from Africa, Seven women arrived and participated in CSW55. Afton, Christy Cunningham, Michelle, two of my grand children, and myself attended.  Afton did a great job in ensuring that all participants were registered and got their ground passes.  It took many efforts for Afton to scale through this registration hurdle.

Most of us arrived in the early hours of March 2, 2011 and joined the different panels as scheduled for the day.  Due to several security restriction,  most events took place at the Church Center, Salvation Army, UN Millennium Hotel and other hotels close to the UN. I

At 8:30 am, We had morning prayers at the Church Center followed by the  NGO briefing. We picked the NGO/CSW Parrallel Event Schedule  and our members went to different  parallel events  and caucuses.  In the evening we met at the Bedford Hotel and discussed issues raised in the different panels that we attended.

About 7 major UN Women Conferences for women has been convened:

• the 1975 the first UN Women Conference in  Mexico City in 1975,
• to the 1980 Copenhagen Conference in 1980,
• 1985 Nairobi, Kenya,
• 1995 Beijing,
• 2000 Beijing plus 5 ( B+5),
• 2005 Beijing plus Ten (B+10),
• 2010 Beijing + 15 (B+15);  whose outcome linked the advancement  of Women to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• As usual,   the discussions were  centered on the same issues:

gender  equality, empowerment  of women , human rights and women, Women’s  maternal health and reduction of Infant mortality,  education and training,  poverty eradication,, Women in Armed Conflict and Violence Against Women, the Girl child .

At the CSW 55, it was not different.   Apart from talking to the main Conference theme which “ Access and participation  of Women and Girls to Education, training and Science Education…………”.    Most parallel events focused on the main theme and also  the following:

• Gay & Lesbian, Bisexual and transgender discussed  the Yogyakarta Principle  which is described in same circles as the “Magna Charter” of the sexual Rights Movement.  These principles begin by declaring that “ Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to every person’s dignity and humanity and must not be the basis for discrimination or abuse.  It further states that “sexual orientation”   and “gender identity” is human rights and therefore states cannot limit or restrict the expressionof sexual or gender identity in any way.

• A few organizations talked about Family and Motherhood.  For instance the Nigeria, Ambassador Joy Ogwo, Permanent Representative , Permanent Mission of Nigeira to the United Nations and the President , Executive Board of  UN , Women was honoured at one of the Parallel Events at Church Center with the Excellent Mother Award.  Dr. Delois Bla, Community Major of Harlem, Ambassador Goodwill to Africa & Harlem Women International, Inc. was Chair of this panel. Co chair was  Lady Justina I. Okogun of Safe womb International Foundation, Moderator was Ngozi Eze Esq .

Ambassador Ogwo in accepting the honor stated that she raised five sons.  She was a career women who combined motherhood and her career.  With her supportive husband beside her, they have a successful family.   She pointed out that being a mother will always be  her most cherished job.

At the side event organized by the Heart of the World Foundation, at the Beekman Towers Hotel 2 blocks north of the UN, on March 3, 2011, Shelly Locke, Utah Young Mother 2007, spoke on Motherhood- the Greatest Work on Earth.

Chris Igweatu, a man, paid tribute to mothers and spoke from his personal perspective. He believes that motherhood is the most important and enduring endowment and specialty ever known to humankind…

Oge okeke President, WOW-Africa, Lagos,  Ngozi Onwuzulu Coordinator WOW Abuja , Ethel Eruchalu WOW- Awka , Brittney Ifemembi, Njideka Akudinobi and I spoke on the vital roles of mothers and the issues facing them throughout the world.

Susan Roylance was the moderator and coordinator of these events.

We immediately went to the workshop moderated by Afton Beutler, Molecular and Genetic Biologist and Co -Convener  of NGO CSW Geneva, “Women’s Right to Health” working group.

The topic was “Amazing Achievements by Women, Science, Leadership and Humanitarian Work”.

Speakers were:

• Hendrica Okondo, Regional Director of the world YWCA for Africa and Middle East.  She spoke on: ‘Young Women Leadership Program the Difference it makes”.

• Ethel Eruchalu, Principal Girls Science  School, Abagana, Anambra State, Nigeria.

She spoke on: “Young Women and their Pathway to Education.”.

• Becky Douglas, Founder of the Rising Star Initiative , India,  spoke on “What a Difference Education can make on the Grass root Level”.
• Michelle helpful with getting the names of participants and also manned the projector.
• Christy attended this workshop and covered the event.  She  may have the photos.
• I was a Special Guest   who gave the opening comments and spoke about  my journey through life and the role of Education in making the difference

That workshop was well attended and the participants made favorable comments.

Third Committee Meetings:

Occasionally we went to the temporary building and  listened to Committee discussions of Government representatives.  We also went to as many parallel events as we could afford within the time available. .

Comments:

The conference was a splendid opportunity to network and for us in WOW- Africa we met with a number of organizations in Africa that we will work with. They have gone back to Africa with great resolve to work together for the common good of society.  They resolved  to  schedule a  conference with other Pro-family groups in Africa before the next CSW.    These resolutions, on issues and concerns  for men., women and children will be submitted to the  Women Affairs Ministry.  It will be a guide to Government representative at the Third Committee at the UN to ensure that right concerns of people back home are addressed.  I hope to participate in this conference.

We met a woman who is a good fundraiser and I immediately got her acquainted with Afton.

WOW's awesome intern Michelle

This year’s CSW was good but I believe that next year may be better.

These  side events are quite enlightening.  I found the Conversation  with the New Generations of African Leaders from Malawi, Nigeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Uganda, The Gambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Namibia, Liberia,  Democratic Republic of Congo(DCR) most interesting.   It was an interactive discussion where the young girls described their struggles growing up in poverty and how their training in Moremi Leadership Initiatives (MILEAD) help them triumph.  At one of the events it was noted that although these NGO parallel events were motivational and useful, greater lobbying  for effective language is advocated at the Third  Committee with  Government Representatives.  . The Global Educational Opportunities Program in Geneva, Switzerland, is an important International activity for WOW just as WOW humanitarian programs are towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals( MDGs)  and  that effort should be supported by WOW.  Afton really made so much sacrifice to be in New York  for about two weeks for the CSW.  I think that WOW has to do some fundraising for the GEO Program.

Suggestion for the Future:

A crucial missing link is  WOW connection with the pro-family groups in  the UN.   Although Suvi is a member of the Family Rights Caucus Meeting ,  with her new schedule , it is becoming increasingly difficult for her to attend most meetings.    WOW needs to network  and collaborate with  more organizations with similar  values on certain issues.   Afton does that effectively in Geneva.  We need to do more at the UN New York.  It is important for WOW also focuses  its attention on the Third committee  and lobby Government representatives on language on  family, social, human rights  and gender issues.

CSW56 2011

The CSW 56  in 2012 will be:

“ The Empowerment of Rural Women and their Role in Poverty and Hunger Eradication, Development and current Challenges”.  My dream is to try to bring real a real rural woman to tell her life story at one of events.  It is only a dream who knows if it might come true.