A large delegation from ICJW will attend the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women in New York from 11-22 March 2019, including ICJW President Penelope Conway.

The Commission’s priority theme is social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. It’s review theme, reviewing progress on the agreed conclusions of CSW60, is women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable development.

ICJW’s New York delegation will attend a number of NGO side events as one of the UN’s ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs). ICJW representatives at the UN in New York have been actively involved in planning these events, through their involvement in the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, a Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

They have also helped to organize an important side event on “Critical Mass to Gender Parity—Women in Government Do Make a Difference!” on Wednesday, March 14 in the UN New York building from 10.00-11:15 am. The event, co-sponsored by ICJW, will provide a forum to discuss how women leaders have brought about positive change, especially in the area of social protection programmes, and in efforts to eliminate gender-based violence against women.  Participants will also discuss:

• What are some of the achievements and barriers as a result of the numbers?
• How can civil society enable more participation by women in government and leadership positions?

Speakers will include representation from Member States Albania, Canada and Fiji, as well as experts on women’s participation in decision-making from the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Agencies.

Along with ICJW, the event’s co-sponsors include:  Inter-Parliamentary Union, FAWCO, PPSEAWA (Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women’s Association), League of Women Voters, and Member States: Albania, Canada and Fiji