EWL and its members are ready for CSW60!

[New York, 8 March 2016] The 60th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) will start on Monday 14 March, and the European Women’s Lobby and its members are getting ready to advance women’s rights one step further during this annual meeting of UN member states. The priority theme of this CSW is “Women’s empowerment and its link to sustainable development”. The EWL and its members have issued a joint written statement to CSW->7315], which highlights the human rights of women and girls refugees and asylum seekers. We will be working together to influence the negotiations and make sure that the CSW60 conclusions, to be adopted by the member states on 24 March, are the most progressive for women’s human rights. Click here to read our amendments to the first draft CSW60 conclusions. During CSW60, the EWL will give visibility to its demands and vision through different actions. The EWL co-organizes three side events:

“Men and youth mobilise for the abolition of prostitution” – Tuesday 15 March, 4.30-6pm, CCUN, 2nd floor. The event will give visibility to men’s and youth’s action and vision, coming from different sectors (political commitment, NGO advocacy and campaigning, artistic mobilisation, etc.), and will present inspiring examples of mobilisation and change making. Decision-makers from diverse countries will support their efforts by presenting their work towards equality between women and men. Side-event co-organized with Equality Now, the Coalition against trafficking in Women, the Men’s Development Network (Ireland), and with the support of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN. See the flyer below and here.

“Displaced Women and Girls: The Price of Gender” – Tuesday 15 March, 10-11.30am, Baha’i building. The event will bring in-depth information about the situation of women and girls refugees in different continents. The EWL and the Women’s Refugee Commission will present the first outcomes of their project #womensvoices. Side-event co-organised with NAWO (the National Assocation of Women’s Organisations UK). See the flyer below and [here.

“Respect of sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls” – Monday 14 March, 15h30-17h, Représentation permanente de l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie auprès des Nations Unies à New York. The event (in French) will look at the links between sexual rights, bodily integrity and sustainable development. Side-event co-organized with the French coordination for the EWL, based on the joint statement submitted to CSW60 on this issue.

EWL members are very active and organize many different events, on diverse topics linked to CSW60 theme and review theme (violence against women). EWL President and Policy and Campaigns Director will represent the EWL and speak at different events, including an event of the US National Committee for UN Women, on women, peace and security (‘Empowering women in the midst of was: SDG16 Promoting Peace and Inclusive Societies’->https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ngocsw60-empowering-women-in-the-midst-of-war-tickets-22620080269]) on Monday 21 March. EWL is also co-sponsoring the event around “River of Flesh”, the new book of Ruchira Gupta, on Thursday 17 March (flyer [here). Find out more about CSW here (for the official events and information) and here (for the NGO Forum and all the NGO side-events).