WO=MEN in New York

Non-violent movements are effective agents of political and social change. The greater participation of women and their leadership in such movements results in the maintenance of non-violent discipline, greater success and the achievement of more gender inclusive results . It is therefore crucial to support women’s involvement and leadership in non-violent movements as part of supporting women’s political and social participation in peace building and processes. On the 19th of March, Berghof , SIHA , UPP , and PAX organized an official virtual parallel event as part of the 68th session of the Commission of the Status of Women . Three leading feminist peace activists and distinguished researchers from Syria, Sudan, and Iraq offered their insights on women’s inclusion in non-violent movements, the role of external actors in supporting women’s leadership and insider mediation in these settings. Women’s impact on non-violent movements Zahra Hayder, a leading Sudanese activist, opened the f

Artemis with the Nelson Mandela statue at the UN "This was the 3rd year for me to actually be AT the CSW in New York. Every year, I wonder, before I go, but also when I am there, whether it is useful that I am at the CSW in person. But then I get to work, as a lobbyist and poser of hard questions (a good Jewish tradition I share with the queen of Sheba) and I find that yes, it actually does make a difference that I am present. Come to think of it, every Dutch representative of any of the NGOs that travel to the CSW, or are at any of the other meetings in the Netherlands (UN NAP1325, to name just one) knows that it makes a difference I am there. They also know that I will manage to grab the microphone and ask my thought provoking questions, make government officials and cabinet members of the Netherlands, the Nordic Council, Mexico, or any other government side event that I walk into, THINK. Think whether their idea of Women’s Work, Women’s Place in the World, Women’s Contribution

Photo: Hadija Suleiman The biggest gathering of the United Nations on gender equality and women’s rights, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), took place from March 11 to 22. Over 7,000 people from all over the world gathered in New York to discuss the 2024 priority theme: “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.” This years’ negotiations were a nail biter. Towards the end, everyone was on the edge of their seats not knowing whether there would even be a resolution document. After a week of painstaking negotiations to reach consensus on how to achieve the theme, Nigeria almost blocked the adoption of the resolution document for reasons that weren’t made known. But Mexico and Cuba made a strong case for adopting the text, and the Dutch government, a strong proponent of feminist foreign policy, played a central role in this complex pro

Op 15 maart 2024 presenteerde de Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad het online parallel event ‘Stop gender gerelateerd geweld: adresseer vrouwenarmoede en afhankelijkheid’ tijdens de Commission on the Status of Women 2024. Lewi Vogelpoel, strategisch adviseur van de Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad, vertegenwoordiger van VNVA (lidorganisatie van de Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad) en medeorganisator van het event, schreef een korte terugblik: Single Supermom had een waardevolle bijdrage met drie sprekers. Floris Brussaard deelde zijn persoonlijke kijk op hoe het is voor een kind om in armoede te leven. We hebben geleerd dat het helpen van ouders bij het opbouwen van een economisch onafhankelijk bestaan effectiever is dan alleen het geven van geschenken aan de kinderen. Isra Lee, oprichter en directeur van Single SuperMom, legde uit hoe en waarom zij het grootste netwerk voor alleenstaande ouders heeft opgebouwd en het belang ervan. En Bram Hodes, beleidsadviseur van Single SuperMom, besprak de mondiale status

Anila Noor at the CSW68 On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, amidst escalating global crises, the United Nations hosted a pivotal discussion on advancing gender equality and women's empowerment within the context of poverty and migration. Organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and co-sponsored by esteemed partners including the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations, and UN Women, the event brought together key stakeholders to address pressing issues facing migrant women worldwide. Critical Question At the heart of the dialogue was a critical question: What systemic inequalities contribute most to migrant women's poverty, and how can organizations collaborate effectively to address them? With a focus on promoting gender-responsive and human rights-based approaches to poverty reduction and migration, participants aimed to chart a course towards greater equity and justice