CSW63: HI & Making It Work in New York, March 2019!

The Commission on the Status of Women’s 63rd session happens from March 11th to March 22nd 2019, at the United Nations headquarters, in New York City. This year’s theme is social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. This commission is part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which was built in 1946. The objective of this commission is to promote women’s rights in the world and to obtain rules and norms related to gender equality.

The CSW happens each year and gather representatives of United Nations Member States and civil society organizations at the UN headquarters in New York City. They discuss progress and gaps in the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This world conference about women, organized in Beijing in 1995, marked a turning point in the global program for gender equality. The declaration was adopted unanimously by 189 countries and is considered today as the principal document regarding gender equality. It sets objectives and strategic actions regarding the promotion of women’s rights and gender equality, in several domains of actions.

Making It Work is proud to organize a parallel event entitled “Diversity: Addressing intersectional priorities of women and girls with disabilities”, on March 15th. We co-organize this event with the Disability Rights Fund and the International Disability Alliance. Our pannelists, who are members of disabled people’s organizations and women’s organizations, include:

• Diane Bergeron, moderator, vice-president of the “Canadian National Institute for the Blind”, in Canada.
• Eza Nkaka, co-director of “Rwanda National Organization of Deaf Women”, in Rwanda.
• Esther Okech, executive director of “Kenya Female Advisory Organization” in Kenya
• Jigjid Dulamsuren, board member of  “Word Federation of the Deaf”, in Mongolia
• Mathilde Umuraza, president of  “UNABU” in Rwanda
• Meenakshi Balasubramanian, founder and executive director of “Equals- Center for social justice promotion in India”.
• Pratima Gurung, president of “National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal » in Nepal

On March 13th, Sophie Pécourt, Making It Work project coordinator, participates as a pannelist to the U.N Trust Fund's side event "Highlighting good practice in strategies aimed at the prevention of, and response to, violence against women and girls with disabilities".

Finally, we support Ford Foundation's event, "Centralising Women with Disabilities in Feminist Discourse, Funding and Programming" by DRF and Urgent Action Fund Africa, on March 11th. 

Stay tuned for these exciting opportunities and follow us at CSW63 on Facebook and Twitter!