We welcomed nine members of our network from Australia, Canada, India, Nepal, and Spain to the 68th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women. As part of our 20 year anniversary, we invited our previous UN NGO Representatives to join us during CSW. Evanne Hunter ibvm, our first NGO Representative and Cecilia O’ Dwyer ibvm, who served the longest, were able to come and lead our delegates. The other delegates were Mary Eileen Donovan from Canada, current Chair of the UNNGO Advisory Committee; Wendy Ip from Canada; Daisy Kozhikkadan cj from India, Marta Santos from Spain, Province UN Representative with Lauren Grant from Australia, Youth Representative and Smitha Muthu cj from Nepal who have been with the UNNGO office since February on an immersion experience.
We met each other on the Sunday before the conference and had an orientation while sharing a meal. The delegates have been preparing for over a month guided by Cecilia. For most of our delegates, this was their first time to attend a UN conference or CSW. Their first experience was lining up for over an hour to get their CSW UN pass that will allow them to enter the UN Headquarters to attend the session. We were only given one pass so it was shared with our delegates taking turns to attend the opening session. Each one then went to attend the different briefings, sessions, side and parallel events depending on their interest. You can read their reflections below.
The delegates attended a concert by the UN Symphony Orchestra (of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council) who played concert pieces composed by women. The concert is part of their “Global Women in Music” initiative to feature female composers from around the world. As they stated, “only five percent of the concert music scheduled around the world is from women composers.” They “aim to bring female composers and conductors to spotlight their music and talent to raise awareness, motivate engagement, activism and change towards a more inclusive music industry and social environment.” It was indeed a magnificent array of music with everyone commenting how much they enjoyed the concert.
We celebrated the anniversary of the UNNGO office at an Italian restaurant in Manhattan. It was wonderful to have both IBVM and CJs engaging with other women and girls advocates and learning about the issues and how we can advocate together for women’s and girls’ rights.
Click on their name and read their reflections:
Cecilia O’Dyer ibvm
Evanne Hunter ibvm
Lauren Grant
Marta Santos
Smitha Muthu cj
Mary-Eileen Donovan
Author: Janet Palafox ibvm
Photos: (L-R standing) Evanne Hunter ibvm, Marta Santos, Lauren Grant, Daisy Kozhikkadan cj, Mary-Eileen Donovan, Wendy Ip, (seated) Janet Palafox ibvm, Smitha Muthu cj, and Cecilia O’ Dwyer ibvm.
