Judy sums up this year's CSW

It is high time that I finished my UN postings.

Fri March 15 was a day of ups and downs. Chapel was both an up and a down. For the last 2 weeks we have been surrounded by large silhouettes on the walls on the chapel of women who have "stories" to tell about violence in their lives. They were beautiful and haunting. Friday we did a sort of Stations of the cross around the room, stopping at each silhouette while the artist, Mary, told the story and Kathleen led us in contemplation and prayer. It was a wonderful but disturbing service. It was also sad because it would be the last chapel service at the UN Church Centre for us until next year.

The briefing by UN Women was also hopeful but uncertain as we have not yet got a concluding document and we have been here before -it could go either way.

I said goodbye to my soroptimist new friends after the briefing. It was wonderful to meet so many new like minded women. Special thanks to Sharon who was my Canadian contact and Anusha who was a negotiator and many more who welcomed me into their circle.

Back to the Episcopal Church Centre or "815" as it is affectionately known. Here we had a closing Eucharist and our last chance to see the Anglican women from around the world. Alice Medcof led the service and preached the sermon. It was a very meaningful service but again sad as we said goodbye to our Anglican sisters.

Joan Fraser from Long Island took me to Grand Central Station for a long lunch. It is a beautiful building but confusing, I got lost looking for the bathroom and for a moment wondered if I would ever find my way back.
Back to the hotel for a shower and a nap.

Ross and Joan and Lynaia Main went to Famous Dave's on 42 for a delicious barbecue dinner. I had ribs "naked" and enjoyed getting sticky and sharing time with good friends. I will miss you all.

After dinner I check my email and found that we indeed did have a concluding document. Much praise goes to the chair and to Michelle Bachelet for being single minded and dedicated to a positive ending to our 2 weeks in New York.
Visit the UNCSW website to learn more.

Sat I checked out and spent some time in the Maple Leaf Lounge at Laguardia and watched snow fall. We were late leaving as we needed deicing first.

Can you imagine my excitement when I saw my grandson Jackson as I came out of the door at Pearson. The whole family came out to pick Granny up from the airport and see "lots" of planes. I spent sat night and most of Sunday with them and got home about 7:30.
How nice to sleep in my own bed.

And now the really hard work begins. We need to continue working to ensure that the agreed conclusions are implemented and to prepare for next year.

CSW Reaches Agreed Conclusions

As many of you have likely already heard, the UN Commission on the Status of Women successfully reached agreed conclusions at the end of last week. The final document will soon be available for all to read, but for now, here is a link to UN Women's reporting on the subject.

In other news, Michelle Bachelet, the Executive Director of UN Women, announced in her closing statement to the Commission that she will be stepping down from this position in order to return to her home country of Chile. Read her full closing statement here. 

Thank you to all those who contributed to this blog over the course of UN CSW57 and to those who have followed our journey over these past few weeks. In the coming weeks, there will be more reflections from delegates on their time at CSW which we will share on the blog. In addition, I hope to have some special contributions from other IAWN partners across Canada about their work and concerns in women's empowerment. If you have a story or reflection about your own work in this area which you would like to share with the wider Church, please contact me by email.

Peace,

Caitlin Reilley Beck

Worship at UNCSW 57

As a liturgy geek and addict, whenever I attend a faith related conference, I am always excited for the opportunity to worship with a new group of people; to become a part of a temporary worshiping community, concerned with the issues of the particular gathering. Each person brings their own worship traditions with them as gifts and skills they offer, but I have found there is always a more willing suspension of 'the usual' in these contexts and people are willing to lay down their liturgical baggage for the sake of coming together as a community for this short time. There is also an effort to make conference worship special and thus people bring their best to the table. In the ecumenical context of UNCSW, this produces varied and moving worship in which there is enthusiastic participation. 

Another unique feature of worship at CSW is that it is almost entirely planned and lead by women. For many Church goers, even in contexts where women are the majority of the congregation (that is most Churches) or where women are able to be ordained, they are still often in the minority in planning and leadership roles. In addition, the worship itself is explicitly concerned with the lives and experiences of women - another less frequent part of Christian worship. It makes me think that this might be what it's like to worship with nuns - and I think nuns are swell. This is mostly because in the context of the Catholic Church, by virtue of being women, communities of nuns operate outside the Church hierarchy (because they are excluded from it which is a real shame for the Church), yet in an explicitly Church related context. They are both opting in and opting out at the same time. I am probably not explaining the paradox all that clearly, but hopefully you get what I am saying. In any case, worshiping in this context can be really cool.

Below are some images from worship over the past two weeks along with brief explanations in a few cases. I hope they help folks to see what it is like to worship in this context.

A collection of objects on the altar in the Chapel, some were added over the course of some of the services whereas others remained there for the duration of the conference.

Gathering for worship in the Chapel at the UN Church Center

Women from a variety of countries and traditions shared their stories and had an opportunity to lead worship.

Out of the shadows art project in the background on the Chapel walls.

Who says Anglicans don't sit in the front pew? This pew has many of the delegates from the International Anglican Women's Network.

Dance and movement are incorporated into prayer and music during worship.

Worship is lead mainly in English, but often includes readings, prayers or stories in other languages that are then translated.

Biblical reflection done in dialogue form between two women.

Movement around the Chapel is a regular feature of worship at UNCSW

Walking and dancing around the Chapel.

An Officer from the Salvation Army leads the congregation in song.

Salvation Army Timbrel Dancing

Anglican Women lead worship.

Musical support for worship provided by local musicians

Judy's Wednesday and Thursday

March 13

Wednesday in New York was a quiet waiting day. Chapel was done by the YWCA and it was lively and energetic as well as inspiring. At the UN briefing there was little new news so we talked about how to carry our message home. I spoke briefly about the use of the press. There was an editorial in the NY Times on Mon and some big British paper today and Le Devoir last week. maybe I need to write a story for the Kawartha this week.
The meeting with the Canadian team was fairly positive in that they feel positive despite the fact that 3rd reading is incomplete.

I had a live chat with Alice Medcof over lunch - we have not crossed paths often this year. The Ecumenical Women held their second dinner tonight and funnily enough it was Indian food - 2 days in a row and no reflux - amazing. Tonight my roommates and I rehearsed our part for Chapel in the morning - I usually am up and out before they get up so tomorrow will be a challenge for us all.

Hi to all who have gone home. We miss you

March 14

Thursday in New york....I am getting a little homesick. I talked to Jackson on the phone last night (and Rob) which was nice. Two more nights, one of which I am alone. The day started as usual with Chapel which we as Anglicans did. The numbers are dwindling as many more people have headed home. There was a new draft of the conclusion document circulated early this morning after they worked until 1 am or so. There were 26 agreed paragraphs then and more by this evening. Will we have a document by tomorrow at 6 pm is still up in the air but we are praying for it.

This morning I had the opportunity to have coffee with about 8 women and Thomas Mulcaire and his team. it was a positive experience and he listened to our comments and made some good observations. Walked back from 50th and 2nd to 44th and 1st so I had some exercise (with more later). I met with the Canadian rep at 1 pm in the lobby of the UN, took my camera to the communications team so they could get my pictures...including those of my family, and had a big nap after a short lunch. North America/Europe Caucus at 6:15; I went to the wrong room first but so did a handful of others, but it was a fruitful meeting. All the Anglicans in the room left at 7:30 because someone booked a dinner for us to spend time together. 12 of us ate at a Turkish restaurant, 4 canadians, 4 americans, 1 Scot, 1 from England, 1 from Australia and 1 from Sri Lanka. Back to our room after 10 pm and my room mates are packing. Tomorrow is the last official day of the Commission with a lot of good byes and hopefully a concluding document.
One more installment to go.

Four more days from Judy

March 9th (and 10th)

Yesterday was wonderful. sunny warm. I took the lining out of my coat. I had a very long long lunch with Valli the friend that I have not seen in 5 years. We talked about of families and kids (or grand kids) and mostly about our passions for advocacy for women. She has edited a book that is just coming out called " When Priests Prey" and is going to do a book launch and probably come to Toronto. Several of our group went home over the weekend.

Today I traveled by train to Long Island (I had never been there) and had lunch with friends who live there and also got my laundry done....yea...clean underwear.

Joan and Ross are so warm and generous. I hope that they come to Canada some day.

Back to 8 am chapel tomorrow....fill you in later.

March 11th

Monday in New York began in Chapel at 8 am. My normal morning routine here. It grounds me and inspires me and helps the rest of the day go well. Then I met the soroptimists, UN briefing. That takes us to somewhere after 10 am and I am ready for a tea and muffin. Monday I napped for a bit and met the Canadian negotiators. Good news, there is a new draft of the outcome document and there is some beginnings of agreement on the text. For the Commission on the Status of women the outcome document must be agreed to by all nations on the floor, consensus not majority. When you get Arab states, African states, and all over the world, customs and religious ideations are widely divergent and it can be a challenge to get consensus. Last year there was no outcome document because consensus could not be reached.
A highlight of this year seems to be food. Last night I joined Joan and Ross and Harriet from South Soudan and and Florence from Lagos, Nigeria.I learned a lot from these wonderful women and had an amazing chicken dinner.

March 12th

Tuesday in New York starts again at 8 am in Chapel. My home friends would be amazed that I get anywhere at 8 am every day...It is rainy and windy here today. An excellent briefing this morning and a good meeting with the soroptimists. Back to my room for tea and a muffin and to dry off before I went to the UN building to again meet the Canadian negotiators. Progress has been slow as they negotiate sentence by sentence but at least they now have 16 agreed paragraphs. My umbrella died when a gust of wind inverted it for the 3rd time today. Hopefully it won't rain again before I leave.
Back to my room to try and dry off again and then off on the highlight of my day...I got to attend a briefing at the US high Commission. In other years they have met with all US reps at once and not let "foreigners "in. this time they met with just Ecumenical Women and allowed several foreigners to come.. The 3 women were very candid and allowed us to ask questions as well as telling us what they perceive is happening.. We were there about 45 minutes. Then back to dry out and off at 6 to a debrief. My room mate and I decided to treat ourselves and go out for dinner so we went to the Mint on 50th at 3rd...Indian food...not too spicy.

Carolyn's Pictures from CSW...more to come

The Rev. Carolyn Seabrook and Debbie Grisdale  (delegates representing IAWN Canada) arrive at the UN from Ottawa on March 2, 2013 for the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Clara Reeves (Youth Delegate IAWN Canada) and our guide from the UN whose name we did not catch (but she is from Senegal, speaks three languages and has a PhD.)

Michelle Bachelet (Executive Director of UN Women) during the opening session of the 57^th UN Commission on the Status of Women. Anglican women from throughout the Anglican Communion gathered at The Episcopal Church Centre,  815 Second Ave. in Manhattan to watch the webcast on March 4, 2013.

(l to r) The Rev. Carolyn Seabrook, The Rev. Canon Alice Medcof, The Rev. Beverley Stewart, Gloria Hockley, Debbie Grisdale and Clara Reeves at the Canadian Mission in New York on Mar. 4, 2013.

(l to r) Clara Reeves, The Rev. Beverley Stewart, Gloria Hockley, Minister Rona Ambrose (Status of Women Canada), The Rev. Carolyn Seabrook at the Canadian Mission for UNCSW57.

The Rev. Canon Alice Medcof and The Rev. Canon Dr. Sharyn Hall following a presentation by Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury at The Episcopal Church Centre.

Debbie Grisdale speaks with Suzanne Cooper (Chief Negotiator of the Canadian Delegation)

Representatives from Ecumenical Women and Canadian delegates from the International Anglican Women’s Network meet with Suzanne Cooper (Chief Negotiator for the Canadian Delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women UNCSW57)

Debbie Grisdale (centre) and The Rev. Carolyn Seabrook (right) discuss ‘agreed language’ in the Draft Agreed Conclusions with Suzanne Cooper (Chief Negotiator for the Canadian Delegation)

Clara Reeves (Canadian IAWN Youth Delegate) and The Rev. Canon Alice Medcof (IAWN Canada) at a gathering for Canadian delegates on Thurs. March 7, 2013

Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori (Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.) and The Rev. Carolyn Seabrook (IAWN Canada) following a panel discussion on Human Trafficking held at The Episcopal Church Centre on March 6, 2013.

Judy Dickson (right) reunites with a friend she met five years ago at CSW. Judy is representing the Soroptimist Club)