March 11 to 18
New York
UN Commission on the Status of Women
As one of a team of VOW delegates in New York I find myself moving along a constant continuum between hopeful enthusiasm and heavy sadness. The week was bookended by the Ethiopian plane crash and the mosque massacre in New Zealand. Facts of poverty, abuse, gender violence and despair were readily available on handouts at the UN everywhere you turned. I was reminded that 22, 000 children die every day due to poverty and of the astounding facts regarding violence against women. What kind of a species are we that attacks our own life givers and water keepers?
I remember when the Dalai Lama was asked that same question by an audience member in Ottawa years ago. How can we bear the insanity of the daily news? As you can imagine, he smiled and said something like "Oh, but remember, not all the news is reported. If every loving gesture of mother to child were described in the tabloids as when a mother smooths her daughter's hair across her forehead or holds her hand, well we would be joyful at all the love around us."
This blog is what I can offer, a very human, simplified version of who, what, where and why. As background, the UN Commission on the Status of Women was established in 1946. The key global policy document on gender equality is the Beijing Declaration. Every year member states get together at the commission and push to accelerate the intolerable state of affairs ( that has been around for a while). Outcomes and recommendations are handed over to the ECOSOC. ( Here is a 37 page document - the 'at a glance' explanation of that organ of the UN. It is described as one of the six organs of the UN. Maybe the liver? the heart?
I digress. How does the commission work? Well for two weeks there are lively panel discussions, round tables, reporting, closed meetings, open meetings, celebration of goals and regret at the gaping gaps.
The civil society organizations have more than 5,000 representatives from around the world attending the UN CSW 63.
Considering the violence in the world against women, protection systems are porous but where would we be without them? In fact, there are many women and children who are living without access to health care, public services, maternal care, safety from rape, genital mutilation, child marriage...it goes on. What are their lives like? We, in the privileged, yes,wounded and flawed, but still privileged part of the planet sometimes move too quickly through our own lives to pay attention. 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”.
As the time approached to travel from Halifax to New York, I asked myself again and again how to share this experience? What would be the right view? The in-depth policies, analysis, strategies, heart breaking situations ....there are many women who are much more eloquent in offering discussions but I know every voice count. Mine too
Voice of Women is a feminist peace organization that seeks to "amplify the voices of women." My goal was to have 14 conversations and then to 'amplify' the voice in this blog.I am not repeating the heart to heart conversations. Just connecting them with gratitude!.
From my side, each conversation would have a reference to the the gun violence of the Montreal Massacre (14 victims) and to the ongoing crisis of Murdered and Missing Indigenous women. We have the illusion of safety in this land, and although I understand there is ample goodness and hope here , this illusion often masks what needs to be done. Islamophobia is Islamophobia. Gender violence continues. Demilitarization is not embraced. We have to hear truth before we can embrace reconciliation!
The photos include the small peace banner with 3 doves, white poppies and a 'canadian flag' made out of red dresses. The red dress is a symbol calling us to attention and action for our indigenous sisters. The cloth is khadi cloth from India. Paul ( my partner) and I both spent time with Ekta Parishad (non violent Land rights organization) in India and that cloth was handspun and handwoven. I want to mention Ekta Parishad here because a group of activists are organizing the Global Peace March from New Delhi to Geneva beginning in October 2020.
I have added too many photos - please forgive me. I hope to send the blog and a digital photo of the conversation partners to each one as a thank you ! Peace, peace peace.
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