WFWPI UN Newsletter and Is and the Handbook Committee
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U N N E W S L E T T E R I S S U E 3 9 Women working together to realize one global family rooted in a culture of sustainable peace. UN HQ in New York Lopa Banerjee, Director of Civil Society Division & Executive Coordinator, Generation Equality Forum, UN IN THIS ISSUE CSW64 Goes Virtual Women; Ambassador Delphine O, Secretary General of the Generation Equality Forum; and Ambassador Yanerit BY TAMARA STARR Morgan Soto Mayor, Executive Secretary, Generation UN HQ in NY Equality Forum, Mexico. The panel was moderated by CWS64 Goes Virtual p. 1/p. 3 In a time when many have to stay inside due to COVID-19 Xenia Kellner, Co-Founder of Young Feminist Europe. How the Coronavirus Impacted CSW64 p. 4 (otherwise known as the Coronavirus), around 600 people During the panel, Ms. Banerjee expressed how Sustainable Development Goals p. 4/p.5 signed up to attend the virtual NGO CSW64 Forum disappointed she was that the CSW64 Forum had to be Women Peacebuilders p. 5 Consultation Day on March 16. canceled. However, she was very inspired to see that "A big huge welcome to our sisterhood,” Mallika Dutt said. 1500 people registered for the call and spoke about She welcomed everyone to a virtual meditation session for what gender equality meant to them, especially since "Gathering Our Collective Power" to find inner dignity, peace, UN at Geneva the Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995 in UNECE'S Promise for Gender Equality p. 1/p. 6 and to connect with “mother earth” to help open the forum. Beijing. The UN at 75 p. 7 During the forum, there was a panel that included Read more on page 3. RCEM Hosts Virtual Forum p. 7 Crises and Opportunity p. 8 UN in Geneva UNECE’s promise for gender equality: COVID-19 response and Beijing+25 UN at Vienna commitments Commission on Narcotic Drugs p. 9 Treatment of Indigenous People p. 10/p. 11 BY EXEC SECRETARY OF THE UNECE, MADAM OLGA ALGAYEROVA WFWPI Highlights International Woman's Day p. 12 2020 was supposed to be the year of gender equality, with the First Ladies Peace Summit p. 13/ p. 14 international community celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive and comprehensive agenda for gender equality and Young Voices the empowerment of women. New Internship- New Family p. 15 Interning Under Quarentine p. 16 Read more on page 6. Photo courtesy of Exec Secretary of the UNECE, Madam Olga Algayerova U N N E W S L E T T E R I S S S U E 3 9 NEWSLETTER STAFF Julia Moon Publisher Carolyn Handschin Editor-in-Chief Tamara Starr VISION Managing Editor Women working together to realize one global family rooted in a culture Grace Kellett of sustainable peace. Distribution MISSION Editorial Intern Staff Empowering women as peacebuilders and leaders in the family to transform Laleh Ashrafi the community, nation and world. Srruthi Lekha Raaja Elango Through education, advocacy, partnership, reconciliation and humanitarian service, WFWPI aims to This newsletter is published by the create an environment of peace and United Nation’s Office of the wellbeing for future generations and Women’s Federation for World Peace people of all races, cultures and International religious creeds. 4 West 43rd Street New York, NY 10036, USA NEW YORK: [email protected] GENEVA: [email protected] VIENNA: [email protected] WWW.WFWP.ORG U N N E W S L E T T E R P A G E 2 U N N E W S L E T T E R I S S S U E 3 9 UN HQ IN NY Events and programs that took place in and around the UN office in NYC. CSW64 Goes “Thank you to the almost 600 people who Together they produced a handbook to guide Virtual joined our Virtual Consultation Day…,” the CSW64 guests through the two week session. organization said in the tweet. “We are so Tamara Starr and Grace Kellett actively heartened by and proud of the feminist and participated in the Handbook Committee. Alicia CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 women activists who are still galvanizing and Prasai, former intern and WFWP volunteer, working toward gender equality during this participated in the Reception Committee for the difficult time.” “What Beijing brought in 1995 was that second year in a row. In addition, WFWPI NGO CSW NY is the organization that plans women moved from being the story, to contributed $1,000 towards the development of the NGO CSW Forum every year through the becoming the storytellers,” she said. the Forum. development of various committees which “Beijing was about the feminist movement, include the Consultation Day Committee, the the gender quality advocate from within Rally Committee, the Reception Committee, government and outside of government, Tamara Starr is the Managing Editor the Woman of Distinction Awards Committee, coming together to talk about gender for the WFWPI UN Newsletter and is and the Handbook Committee. the Director of Communications and equality.” Publications for WFWPI. This year Alexa Ward, Director of the WFWP Speakers also included Shannon Kowalski of Office of UN Relations in NY, was appointed to the International Women’s Health Coalition; Co-chair the Handbook Committee along with Melissa Upreti, Krishanti Dharmaraj, and Yvonne O’Neal. Emilia Reyes. U N N E W S L E T T E R P A G E 3 U N N E W S L E T T E R I S S S U E 3 9 He continued by underlining, “Women’s rights are human rights, and gender equality is central to all the sustainable development goals.” Every year, the Commission essentially launches a discussion in our global community, which further illuminates the need for concrete action in regards to gender equality. A statement from the Youth Representative at the Global Network of Women Peace Builders from Afghanistan during the opening of CSW64 further addressed this same goal of world peace in her speech by highlighting, “It is important to remember that to end and prevent our conflict, we must address gender impact. Afghan women, young women and girls, must meaningfully participate in the peace process and political decision making at all levels in order to ensure sustainable and inclusive peace and development.” The Women’s Federation for World Peace, International Amanda Bradley (left) and Grace Kellet (right) attend the CSW64 Opening Session in March (WFWPI) Office of UN Relations in NY prepares many months in 2020./Photo Courtesy of Amanda Bradley advance every year for its involvement in CSW. WFWPI began its preparations in July 2019 with the development of the CSW64 It was with great appreciation that the Secretary-General, Parallel Event Organizing Committee, which included Amada How the as well as the CSW64 Chair, thanked the delegates for their flexibility and cooperation during these challenging times. Bradley, Isys Onodera Israel, Jung Soo Moon, and Grace Kellett, Coronavirus During the Opening Remarks at the UN General Assembly, and was advised by Alexa Ward and Jeanne Carroll. Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN The Organizing Committee developed the theme for WFWPI’s Impacted CSW64 Women, emphasized the extraordinary nature of CSW64. parallel event, “Gender Equality: A forward looking, hopeful She used her speech to address how it was always going to perspective,” which was to be held on Wednesday, March 11, be a different year for CSW, placing emphasis on the 2020. WFWPI aimed to highlight the importance of women and men working together harmoniously for the purpose of building B Y A M A N D A B R A D L E Y anniversary of crucial resolutions that were adopted 25 years ago in Beijing. world peace. “This is a special year for gender equality. It has been 25 WFWPI’s week at CSW64 was going to include an Orientation, Young Professionals Evening, and the annual Horizon Summit, Through the recommendation of Secretary-General years after the Fourth World Conference on Women and the António Guterres, it was decided that the Sixty-Fourth adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for co-sponsored by WFWP, USA. To prepare for all of these events, Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women Action,” she stated.“The foresight and enlightenment of the WFWPI was fortunate to work with a team of 10 young (CSW64) would convene on March 9, but under a more member states who adopted such a comprehensive agenda professionals: Alicia Prasai, Amanda Bradley, Arezo Hamid, procedural nature. The Commission made an for gender equality.” The Beijing Declaration and Platform Emiko Corley, Tamara Starr, Grace Kellett, Mako Mori, Monica important decision to operate under unprecedented for Action, in its relation to the human rights of women and Weglarz, Kiran Sapra, and Sanjana Bhambhani. In addition, circumstances due to the outbreak of COVID-19, which girls, is considered to be one of the most significant events there were two contractors who assisted with the design of the currently impacts 162 countries around the globe. of our time. publications along with the planning of the Horizon Summit: For the health and overall safety of the global Secretary-General António Guterres, continuing to further Youngshim Gontijo and Simone Doroski. community, it was agreed that there would be no delineate the importance of this crucial year for gender general discussion during the Session, and that all side equality, stated, “This Commission is an opportunity to Amanda Bradley is currently a part-time events and parallel events would be cancelled. further galvanize the momentum for gender equality and Women’s Federation for World Peace, women’s rights that has been growing around the world.” International intern and has worked with NGOs at the United Nations for the past couple of years.