Category: Advocacy work
On 17 June, Paulette Senior, a representative from World YWCA delivered a joint Statement at the UN Women Board meeting in New York.
Co-signed by 22 members of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, the joint statement calls, among others, for additional support for UN Women and civil society groups working in the so-called “hard to reach communities”, as well as gender budgeting principles to be included in the resourcing frameworks of the new development agenda.
Download: NGO CSW Geneva Statement to UN Women Board (17 June 2014)
Many NGO CSW Geneva members joined the Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF), the leader of the white ribbon campaign in Switzerland (www.white-ribbon.ch) and the organizer of a public gathering in the center of Geneva on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This day also launches the campaign of “16 Days for the Elimination of Violence against Women”, that will end on 10 December, the International Day for Human Rights.
See also:
- the Event’s Flyer (in Franch)
- the White Ribbon Campaign Press Release (in French)
- the Press Article in Le Temps – (in French)
- the Press Article in La Tribune de Genève (in French)
This event also saw the launch of the NGO CSW Geneva’s 1st issue of its Advocacy Brief series on Violence against Women, which focus on sexual violence.
As part of the 1 billion rising global event, a few of these one billion rising on Violence against Violence gathered in Meyrin Center at 17:30 to dance! Watch the video on youtube !
See also the event Flyer and the www.onebillionrising.org website for more background information.
NGO CSW Geneva President and World YWCA General Secretary, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda was awarded the International Minerva Award on November 27 2012 in Roma, Italy.
Established in 1983 by Anna Maria Mammoliti, President of Il Club delle Donne, the Minerva award is given annually to remarkable women working in the fields of entrepreneurship and management, scientific research, arts, literature and social commitment. Nyaradzayi received the award under the category “Women in the world” in recognition of her more than 20 years of work and commitment for the civil and human rights of women.
“I dedicate this award to the millions of invisible heroines who are changing lives and changing communities as well as to my YWCA family”, said Nyaradzayi during the ceremony. “It is our roots that define our being. It is possible for rural girls, with experiences just like mine, growing up in poverty and in war, to have opportunities in life. This is only possible if our governments, and all of you, dare to give priority to peace, development and human rights”.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign starting on the International Day against Violence Against Women- 25 November – and International Human Rights Day – December 10.
The 2012 theme is: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women! “
More information on the Say No Violence website
10:00 to 12:30 in the CoNGO meeting Room – 11, Av. de la Paix in Geneva
a Joint event by World YWCA, WWSF and the NGO CSW Geneva
Downloads:
- Event Flyer
- Concept note on CEDAW Experiences in Taiwan: Towards Universal Application
- Key recommendation
- UN Secretary General’s Message for the International Day of Rural Women
- WWSF annual open letter to Rural Women of the World: Claim your Space in Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change!
on 12 September 2012 at 12:00 to 14:00
in room XI of the Palais de Nations.
Welcome address: Asha Kowtal WinG-India (10 mins)
Chair: Lia van Broekhoven Cordaid-GPPAC, Human Security Network (5 mins)
Panelists:
- Renu Takhellambam Gun widow and President, EEVFAM
- Lilabati Baishya Survivor of Sexual Violence, Assam, India
- Frank van Lierde Writer and Researcher, The Netherlands
Book release – “We the widows of the Gun”:
- Nengchin Khongshai Gun widow, Manipur, India
- Namrata Daniel All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch
Closing comments NoniBala Narengbham WinG-India
Organized by WinG – Co-Sponsors: Pax Romana, WILPF, GNWP, NGO CSW Geneva
Downloads:
March 8, 2012
The NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, a Committee of CoNGO is a platform, a platform for women and other civil society organizations advancing the human rights and empowerment of women at the United Nations in Geneva. The Committee joins the world today in commemorating the 2012 International Women’s Day 2012. The UN has prioritized issues of rural women, ending poverty and hunger as the core theme for 2012.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and its core affirmations to women’s empowerment for equality, peace and development, the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the gender equality commitments in the Millennium Development Goals and its targets do give a full range of entitlements to women and girls in communities. However, the huge gap that exists between policy and practice does call for accountability and increased allocation of resources to actions that transform lives and give opportunity to all women and girls.
On this International Day, as we sustain the efforts for achieving gender equality and all women’s enjoyment of human rights, we call on the governments, the private sector, civil society, UN agencies, men and women, boys and girls, and all other stakeholders to:
- Recognize and value the unpaid care work, especially of rural women and girls, and to seek ways for giving this work its appropriate human, social and economic value.
- Secure women’s right to access to and control of land, property and inheritance, as the basis for economic security and empowerment.
- Provide access to quality and affordable primary, secondary, tertiary and vocational education to women of all ages around the world.
- Invest in women’s health especially sexual and reproductive health information and services, to ensure a reduction in unacceptable rates of maternal mortality as well as provide care, treatment and support to women living with HIV.
- Provide accessible and quality financial products to women, while ensuring improved infrastructure such as communications, transport and sanitation as critical dimensions for promoting the wellbeing and status of women.
- Continue to prioritize the protection of rights of all women and especially girls in situations of conflict, and invest in their leadership as they seek solutions, healing and recovery.
- Prioritize human rights and gender justice issues in the climate change debates and especially the Rio +20 process.
- Call on the media to play a positive and proactive role in advancing the status of women, and desist from reinforcing the stereotypical negative images of women and girls especially in rural communities.
We know that sustaining the agenda for gender equality demands consistent and quality provision of evidence, hence the importance of sex and age disaggregated data. We resolve to sustain our advocacy in calling for the twenty years review of the Beijing Commitments on Women, Equality, Peace and Development with a focus on implementation and emerging issues. We affirm, recognize and celebrate the many women and girls the world over, who are innovating in fighting poverty and hunger against all odds.
This statement is also available for download here
10:00 – 13:00 – Maison des Associations, 15 rue des Savoises, Geneva
The interrelation of armed violence and violence against women
Keynote Speakers:
- Ms Ruth‐Gaby Vermot‐MANGOLD, DrPhil. Former MP and member of the Council of Europe, President of 1000 PWAG
- Ms Alanna ARMITAGE , Director UNFPA Geneva office
Panelists:
- Ms Christiane AGBOTON JOHNSON, Deputy Director of UNIDIR
- Ms Nyaradzayi GUMBONZVANDA, General Secretary of World YWCA and President of the NGO CSW Geneva
- Mr Ireneo Omositson NAMBOKA, Expert Trainer retired UNHCHR
Downloads:
A joint Event of the NGO CSW Geneva, Bangwe et Dialogue, Peace Women Across the Globe (PWAG) & UNFPA.