It is now half past 12 at night, and negotiations on the agreed conclusions have gotten really tense. Some agreements made thus far bring the women’s rights agenda some considerable steps forward. Which is
a great accomplishment of governments, NGOs and individual activists striving
for progress.
However, the contentious issues are still on the table. Which include sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the undermining paragraph on sovereignty. The delegations have begun to discuss them late this evening, and since then it has been going downhill fast. The atmosphere in the room has gotten tense, people are getting exhausted, but not giving up. It has become increasingly clear that the conservative countries are not really committed to having agreed conclusions. It is as if they want to send out a signal to the world that the international community can not agree on women's rights. There is even a push backwards on previously agreed language in the Beijing Platform for Action - which is the 0-line for the CSW as it is! This is a tremendous set-back.
Behind closed doors some of the top-diplomats are trying to come to an agreement now. We here in the Vienna café of the UN building have shared all our inputs over and over again. It is now up to the delegations to show to the world that women's rights are human rights!
= Joni van de Sand =
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