Girls' Statement to the 58th Commission on the Status of Women

As mentioned in previous posts, this year we have three teenaged delegates from the Anglican Church of Canada who join other youth from around the world in the Working Group of Girls. 

During CSW 58, girl delegates drafted their statement to the Commission on the Status of Women on how the Millennium Development Goals impact girls’ lives around the globe. The statement will be read on the floor of the UN during Week 2 of CSW 58.

Here is the full-text copy of the Girls Statement:

The Millennium Development Goals attempted to achieve gender equality, however, they failed to include a comprehensive goal towards the empowerment of girls and are all too far from being achieved. Therefore, post-2015 the UN must re-evaluate methods for undertaking gender equality. 

We, the girls of the 58^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, demand that in the next development agenda the UN incorporate girls into every aspect of the agenda – politically, socially and economically. A stand-alone goal for girls requires sufficient consideration as well as a dedicated effort that includes realistic and achievable targets and indicators to ensure success. Three key areas that must be put into action are education, poverty and violence. We believe that these issues along with the consistent inclusion of girls will lead to girls’ empowerment and an ultimate worldwide respect for the girl child.

The focus of the second Millennium Development Goal was to improve access to primary education, but this target is not sufficient, nor comprehensive. A quality education is not solely based on what is learned in a primary school; it is in secondary and tertiary education where the focus must be now. This does not just mean learning within the classroom but also creating additional enrichment opportunities that allow for global learning communities. How are girls expected to succeed with only basic literacy and math skills? Globally, 1 in 5 girls don’t make it to secondary school. All across the world girls are falling into the learning gaps due to minimal resources and gender-biased learning environments. Schools should not just teach a basic curriculum but also real life lessons and issues such as respect, tolerance, human rights and health. A supportive and stimulating education taught by passionate teachers should build the confidence of girls as well as offering sports, theater, and other extra curricula – where girls can discover their voices and passions. Girls should be encouraged to pursue any subject of interest in order to eliminate stereotypes and achieve equality.

But it cannot stop here. Far too many girls today live in poverty and are hungry across the world. The causes of poverty and hunger include lack of resources, climate change and an imbalance of gender in the workforce. Achieving gender equality can assist in ending hunger and poverty.  Education is only half of the equation – after receiving an education females need to have the same opportunities as males to enter the workplace and put their skills to use. When we have equality in the workplace, every girl and thus, every woman has the opportunity to provide for themselves and for their family, putting the world one step closer to eradicating poverty and hunger.

Globally, girls are united by the same fear – the fear of gender-based violence in one form or another. The so-called “superiority” of males is seen in all parts of society and it hinders girls’ empowerment on a global scale. There has not been enough effort to address gender-based violence in the MDGs. Whether it is domestic violence, sexual violence, FGM, honor killings, human trafficking, verbal and emotional abuse, or partner abuse — girls should not have to be afraid.  From a young age, girls are told to alter their appearance, so that they are not exploited. But it is not our fault – victim shaming happens all too often. Many people are not educated on the meaning of violence and need to be educated about what this really means – especially the boys and men of today. We, as girls, believe that our bodies should never be violated and there needs to be more advocacy about gender-based violence because once a girl is abused her life is changed forever. No one can understand this feeling of violation until they have been through it – and that is why it is so important that we as girls speak out against violence. By speaking out, we help protect ourselves, and the global girls of the future. We want to live in a world where girls are united, not by fear – but by a sense of safety, pride and peace.

We believe that in the next Development Agenda being a girl should be not an impediment but an empowerment.

Youth Transforming the Unjust Structures of Society for Women and Girls

For two weeks each year around International Women’s Day on March 8th, thousands of delegates from governments and civil society gather at the United Nations in New York City for the annual Commission on the Status of Women. As part of civil society, faith based organizations such as the Anglican Church send delegates to participate in the Commission. This year, the International Anglican Women’s Network in Canada will be represented by Evie Byrne, a member of St Mary’s Kerrisdale, in the Diocese of New Westminster, at the 58^th Commission on the Status of Women. Evie will be one of three teenagers who will join the thirteen person delegation from IAWN Canada.

Canadian youth delegates with Katharine Jefferts Schori and their chaparone.

This represents a significant increase in the number of young people as a part of the Canadian Anglican group at UNCSW. Beth Adamson, the Anglican Consultative Council’s representative on the UN Working Group on Girls, points out why this is particularly crucial this year: “We are reviewing the Millennium Development Goals this year – and one of the underlying purposes is to be positioned more effectively for the Post-2015 (Development) Agenda.  And that is the agenda that girls today will inherit tomorrow.” The Millennium Development Goals are a set of eight priorities for international development that were established following the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. The Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 recognized the implications of the Millennium Development Goals for gender equality in the Church when it passed motion 13-31 stating that it “acknowledges the Millennium Development Goal for equal representation of women in decision making at all levels, and so requests … all member churches to work towards the realization of this goal in their own structures of governance.” The priority theme of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women, as alluded to above, is “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls.” In addition to the three young Canadians, this year’s Anglican group will also include eight teenagers from the Episcopal Church in Virginia and one from the Anglican Church in Papua New Guinea.

Youth leading prayer in the Opening Eucharist

While at UNCSW, these young delegates will attend orientation and events put on by the Working Group on Girls as well as other organizations, according to their individual interests. Through the orientation day, the Working Group on Girls hopes to prepare these young delegates for what is always a busy week of events, and empower them to share their own experiences and opinions with the Commission. One of the first events following orientation is the drafting session for the Girls’ Statement to UNCSW 58 – in addition to the encouragement to speak their mind, this process is also helped along by one of the other fundamental values of the Working Group on Girls, which is to work as collaboratively as possible. The youth delegates, a smaller group within UNCSW, are together not just for training and work, but also for several fun community building events throughout the first week of the Commission.

Praying for the women of the world with Ecumenical Women

Community building and collaboration are also priorities amongst the Anglican group. The girls attending this year have connected with one another and with chaperones ahead of time on Facebook. They were also be asked to collaborate on preparing and leading intercessions for the Opening Eucharist of the Anglican Communion delegation. During CSW, the Anglican group works with Ecumenical Women, a coalition of progressive, Christian, faith-based organizations; we also gather every morning in the Chapel of the Church Center at the UN for worship, led each day by one of the member groups. For the members of Ecumenical Women, our activism and passion for gender justice finds its source in our faith. Morning worship allows us time to reconnect with God and one another and provides us with the strength and energy for the important and often difficult work of the Commission. It is also an opportunity for celebration of the achievements we have made together towards the goals of gender justice.

But the work of the delegates is not limited to the two weeks of the Commission. There is a great deal of preparation before anyone even arrives in New York. They must prepare reports on what contributions they hope to make to the Commission and how the priority theme connects to their own life and experience. In her letter to IAWN Canada, Evie spoke about how gender inequality in her school has affected her: “I play rugby as a school sport and with a community team in the summer…men and women play with the same rules and regulations.  Rugby empowers women as it proves men and women can achieve the same goals and participate in the same activities…The Vancouver School Board does not yet promote or support rugby as a sport for girls.  It is taught in gym class for boys,…but it is not taught in gym class for girls.  Even at a community sport level, women’s rugby teams who play internationally have to pay their expenses, with little support from the Rugby Union of Canada, or sponsors…” Evie cited this as one of several examples of how the school environment treats people unfairly according to their gender identity or expression.

In addition to these reports, prior to their trip, delegates from Canada, must find ways to cover the cost of their trip to UNCSW which for someone traveling from Vancouver can reach $2500 for just one week in New York. This can be especially challenging since in Canada, there is no national source of funding to support delegates participating in UNCSW and in most Dioceses there is no money earmarked for this purpose and so funding is dependent on what is available in discretionary funds. Since being able to find one’s own funding is actually a condition of being chosen as a delegate, this places participation in UNCSW outside of the financial reach of many people, for example youth and young adults.

Evie and other youth set up for her fundraising lunch.

The situation is not without hope, however, as parishes and individuals have stepped up to provide funding for delegates. This year, St Mary’s Kerrisdale has been the base of operations for fundraising to cover the costs of Evie’s trip. With the help of the combined youth group from St Philip’s Dunbar and St Mary’s, Evie hosted a fundraising lunch on Sunday, February 2^nd at St Mary’s. She also made and sold cookies after Church on Sundays, which then inspired more generous bakers from the parish to make and donate baked goods for her to sell each week. These different kinds of support offered to Evie by many generous people are all ways in which we are living out the Marks of Mission. Through these efforts, we are seeking to transform the unjust structures of society which have prevented the voices of many women and girls from being heard and valued.

Evie, along with Caitlin Reilley Beck, Youth and Family Worker at St Philip’s, Dunbar in Vancouver, and this year’s official Primate’s delegate to UNCSW, will share their experiences from New York at an event supported by their Diocesan chapter of the International Anglican Women’s Network, presently coordinated by the Ven. Ellen Clark-King sometime later in the spring.

Judy's Early Days in NYC

Day One in New York

Well we are safely here in Manhattan at the Millenium UN Plaza Hotel across from the UN and the Church  Centre. This afternoon we went to the UN and got our passes (thanks to the Soroptimists). We unpacked some and then we had dinner with the Primate's delegates from around the world. There are 20 of them, one Canadian, one American, several from Africa, South America, The Phillippines, Samoa, Australia and Scotland. For some it is their first time to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Although the actual Commission does not start until Monday, tomorrow the Ecumenical Women are hosting an orientation day. We, the steering committee, must be there at 8 am and registration begins at 8:45.
There are about 150 people registered. The highlight of the day will be a presentation by the Executive Director of UN Women. There is a panel and workshops etc with Chapel in the morning and at the at 4 pm. We end with a reception with wine and snacks around 6. It should be a fun packed day.

The best news is the all my luggage arrived safely, unlike last year AND my daughter is curling in the Ontario Intermediate competition and her team is 4 wins and 1 loss. Great curling ladies.

Well I need to do some more preparation for tomorrow so I need to sign off now.

Blessings Judy  

Day Two

Well today is over and I think that we did well in our presentations. In the morning the New Executive Director for UN Women spoke for about 1/2 an hour to a packed chapel. She is very inspirational and very faith based. She arrived in traditional African garb with several in her entourage and ended her presentation by urging us to sing again with enthusiasm.
As chair of the Advocacy Committee for Ecumenical Women my committee and I were responsible for much of the content of our orientation day. Morning and afternoon worship were very rousing and we ended the day marching in the Chapel to " We are marching in the light of God".
After the ED of UN Women spoke we all returned upstairs to hear a panel put together by Christine Mangale of the Lutheran delegation. There were 4 speakers on various aspects related to beyond 2015 and the accomplishments and roadblocks that have been encountered. The chief of the civil society section of UN Women, Lopa Banerjee, was on the panel and gave a great talk on the challenges of post 2015.

Then I spoke for about 1/2 hour on several procedural items and our "talking points" and how to use them. The Talking Points are on a postcard sized piece of card stock and are an abbreviated form of our original statement to the Commission. We will use the talking points when meeting with other groups in negotiating around the concluding document.
In the afternoon we split into 3 workshops.
1. Mission Visits which was a 1 hour presentation on how to arrange and prepare for a meeting with a mission. Here they do not have embassies, but rather missions by a country to the UN.
2. How does your Story fit into the Millenium Development Goals.
3. Looking at the Zero Draft of the agreed conclusions in light of our submission to the Commission in the fall and looking for gaps or overlaps in the document. Again I chaired this section and Alice and Lynnaia helped facilitate small group discussions. People did not seem to want to stop talking so I presume that the discussion was successful.
OK the clocks change tonight and I have a sore throat so it is time to quit
Until tomorrow.

Day Three

For a person who hates early mornings, this junket is a pain. Up at 7 am again and in a cab by shortly after 8 to head to East 7th street for the UN NGO Consultation Day. It is an introduction to our 2 weeks here with speakers, panels, and music. about 900 people were registered. The morning began with Umuada Igbo Massachusettes who are traditional African dancers who got our blood flowing and energized us.

We were welcomed by Soon-Young Yoon, Chair of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women/New York. Then the new Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka   gave a wonderful address.

The panel was on Cities for Sustainable Development and Women's Human Rights - How can cities ensure women's human rights in sustainable development?  The speakers were excellent (but I have a bad habit of dozing in large rooms full of people when I am not the teacher....so I missed a little bit.) As I had another activity for the afternoon I left the hall at noon. I missed a panel on the "Legacy of the 1990's UN conferences" and "What do we want from Beijing Plus 20"

I returned to my hotel to attend a training for Soroptimist International on Advocacy. It was fun and educational and it was impossible to fall asleep in as they kept us very engaged. I must lend SI our Advocacy Handbook because they could use one too. We all cleared out of the suite at 6:30 and returned at 7:30 for a reception. Lasagna, sweet and sour Chicken, salads and breads followed by fruit and cookies and accompanied by wine or water (I took the water).

The other significant event today was that I got the hotel to stand by their original quote for my room. When I arrived they were charging much more than the quote. I realized that the room had been upgraded and wireless was now free and there is a complimentary breakfast but I could not see over $400 for some of the nights when my quote ranged from $150 to $271. Thank you "Michael" the manager today.

Finally I want to congratulate my youngest daughter Jennifer who has been curling in the Provincial Intermediates since Wed. She and her team skipped by Sue came second overall with a record of 5 wins and 2 losses. Job well done ladies and CONGRATULATIONS.

I'll be back tomorrow

Blessings Judy  

Day Four

Well we are now officially under way, us officially we started long ago.
Chapel at 8 am was wonderful and a great way to start the day. There is no briefing today and since I am feeling a bit under the weather I returned to my room to do some emailing etc and stay quiet. At 12:30  I went to the North America/Europe (NA/EU) caucus. This is a meeting of all the NGOs (non governmental organizations) in the North America/European region. There are other caucuses from other regions. I have never attended a caucus with so many people present, it was awesome. Betty Levy chaired and the mentioned the document which was circulated about 10 days ago as a statement. I helped with the Canadian portion of the paper. Pierette from Geneva has already done a 2 page commentary on the draft agreed conclusions which she presented and the the floor was open to comments. There were comments about poverty, food, immigrants and migrant workers, faith based organizations, sexual/reproductive rights, employment, and more. I commented on the immigrants in the Lindsay jail and about the fact that transportation is not mentioned in the document.

Several informal meetings ensued and I returned to the hotel to have lunch about 2:30.

More emails trying to arrange meetings for tomorrow and a half hour nap and it was time to get ready to go to the reception at the Canadian Mission (the equivalent to an embassy but the UN is not a country). A good reception, wine beer and soda and several trays of excellent food. The Minister for the Status of women from Canada spoke, Kellie Leitch I think) and introduced several other members of the delegation. There are 3 provincial ministers, another MP, and 6 young women sponsored by YWCA. Or YMCA . There is increasing emphasis on young people which is great. We have 3 under 18 and 2 more in their 20s in our group. The world YWCA is quite prominent and I met the Canadian head at the reception. The World Wide Girl Guides are also well represented.

One of the staff recognized me immediately and we chatted and I talked with several other NGO reps.

Back at our room and more work to do and emails to answer. I want to get to bed early to avoid getting overtired and making this throat worse.

Till tomorrow then

Blessings Judy