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CSW66 Blog#1 from NGO Rep Sanne - message from the plane

Sanne Van de Voort

It’s Saturday morning as I make my way to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to take a flight to New York City. That’s where I’ll be for the next two weeks: the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the most important international annual meeting on gender equality at the United Nations.

I am part of the Dutch governmental delegation to this conference as the NGO representative, bringing the perspectives, priorities and recommendations of civil society to the government.

Together, we will be negotiating with other governments about this year’s CSW priority theme: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes

Mixed Emotions Once I reach the airport, I’m feeling a big mix of emotions: mostly I feel excitement, motivation & gratefulness. For this incredible opportunity to contribute to international decision-making on gender equality, climate & environmental action. At the same time, I’m extremely aware of my own privilege: I will be one of very few NGO representatives that will travel to New York and be allowed in the negotiation room at the United Nations Headquarters. As an EU citizen I do not have to deal with complicated visa restrictions to enter the US. I am also fully vaccinated and boostered, clearly on the privileged side of the vaccine inequity that rich countries put in place during one of the biggest public health crises the world has ever faced. And as a representative on a governmental delegation, I am not faced with the excluding measures that other civil society is facing at the United Nations Headquarters. Restricted Civic Space at the UN Until now, the UN has prohibited 'accredited observers' (such as civil society) to physically enter the UN building. Using the argument of COVID-19 safety, this exclusion has become unjustifiable at a time when COVID-measures are being relaxed in the state and city of New York.

While parts of the CSW-programme are offered online - with virtual side-events, interactive dialogues and discussions - the decision-making of the CSW will take place during in-person negotiations at the UN Headquarters. That leaves this CSW to be one of the most exclusive in its 66 year history: excluding the voices of civil society, specifically from the Global South, in multilateral decision-making in a way we haven’t seen before.
This leaves me, on the plane to New York, with an immense feeling of responsibility in my role as NGO representative. Not only towards the government of the Netherlands - who will give me the opportunity to be in the negotiation room at the UN. Also towards all those other (young) feminists, activists, and civil society organizations that are excluded from attending the negotiations this year. Because it’s feminist, community-based and youth-led organizations that are already leading the fight against climate change and gender inequality.

I am committed to bring these perspectives, priorities & solutions to the table as much as I can at this CSW.

N.B.: Immediately after I arrived in New York, it turned out that the UN changed their minds about this decision and will, with limitations, allow accredited observers inside (parts of) the UN building during the CSW. While this is positive, unfortunately it is too late for most people to still make their way to the city.

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Location: New York City, New York, Verenigde Staten

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