The outcomes of CSW according to Ecumenical Women

If you have been wondering how things turned out at the UN CSW 57 this year, then I have a treat for you. Below you will find an assessment by Ecumenical Women of the agreed conclusions according to the priority areas that we highlighted for advocacy during this year's commission. Spoiler Alert: we were successful!

Now it is time for us to take these agreed conclusions and use them in our own work back home. If you have stories of how this work is going and what these agreed conclusions mean for you, please share them with us or with ecumenical women.

Also, stay tuned for more updates about next year's CSW 58 and it's priority theme "Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls." We will also be posting information about how you can attend CSW as a representative of the Anglican Church as well as information on bursaries to help you afford to go.

And now without further ado, here are the outcomes of CSW 57 as Ecumenical Women sees it:

Ecumenical Women worked to advocate around the agreed conclusions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women hosted each year through the UN Economic and Social Council.    

Ecumenical Women advocated around three broad areas during the Commission on the Status of Women and achieved success in getting supportive language around each of the three areas into the Agreed Conclusions (the final outcome of the CSW):

·     Cultural structural and economic violence are underlying factors that must be addressed

o   The Commission affirms that violence against women and girls is rooted in historical and structural inequality in power relations between women and men, and persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation of the enjoyment of human rights…The Commission also notes the economic and social harm caused by such [gender based] violence. Para 10 and 11

o   The Commission stresses that the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of women, including women’s economic empowerment and full and equal access to resources, and their full integration into the formal economy, in particular in economic decision-making, as well as their full and equal participation in public and political life is essential for addressing the structural and underlying causes of violence against women and girls. Para 19

o   Carry out continued multidisciplinary research and analysis on the structural and underlying causes of, cost and risk factors for violence against women and girls and its types and prevalence, in order to inform the development and revision of laws and their implementation, policies and strategies, and make such information public to support awareness-raising efforts; D(mmm)

·     Education is a vital part of the change process, especially societal change. Education must incorporate men and boys alongside women and girls

o   The Commission recognizes the important role of the community, in particular men and boys, as well as civil society, in particular women’s and youth organizations, in the efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. Para 28

o   Carry out awareness-raising and education campaigns, in co-operation with civil society organizations, especially women's organizations, through different means of communication, targeting the general public, young people, men and boys, to address the structural and underlying causes of violence and abuse against women and girls; to overcome gender stereotypes and promote zero tolerance for such violence; to remove the stigma of being a victim and survivor of violence; and to create an enabling environment where women and girls can easily report incidences of violence and make use of the services available and of protection and assistance programmes; (II)

o   Promote and protect the human rights of all women including their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence; and adopt and accelerate the implementation of laws, policies and programmes which protect and enable the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including their reproductive rights in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action and their review outcomes; B(nn)

·    We must pay particular attention to the needs of rural and minority populations and improve their access to resources and services

o   The Commission stresses that the right to education is a human right, and that eliminating illiteracy, ensuring equal access to education, in particular in rural and remote areas, and closing the gender gap at all levels of education empowers women and girls and thereby contributes to the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls. Para 17

o   Improve access to timely, affordable and quality health systems for women and girls, including through gender-sensitive national strategies and public-health policies and programmes that are comprehensive, affordable and better targeted to addressing their needs and that encourage women’s active participation in their design and implementation; and also enhance women’s access to affordable, safe, effective and good quality treatment and medicines, with a special emphasis on the poor, vulnerable and marginalized segments of the population; C(hhh)