“pieces of the elephant”; so many government sessions, high level panels, parallel events, issue related caucuses, workshops, films, briefings, receptions... it is impossible to describe CSW. I take away so many things that will never be shared but I leave you with a snapshot of my personal inspirations: Girls and Violence: Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative


of the Sec. General on UN study on child exploitation: “Children say ‘My life is shaped by fear’; they don’t feel confident. They don’t have the confidence to speak out about it. They feel judged and feel they are blamed for the abuse. Without the trust of children NO mechanisms will work. When asked, 50 per cent of children think that violence against children is their biggest issue; 50 per cent think that sexual abuse of children is a second priority; 80 per cent didn’t seek help; they didn’t think they had the right; that the authorities would believe them.”


CSW is a journey of experiencing one’s own


Girls Voices:


13-18 about Violence Against Girls, they said that their core issues were the following: a need for positive role models, a need for an opportunity to develop a sense of self esteem, and a need to reject stereotypes and be resilient to negative pressures. Men and Boys: Gary T. Barker of Instituto Promundo


In a panel discussion presented by girls


education and the power to take advantage of the many benefits that social media and technology can bring them. This is another “space” where NGOs such as Soroptimist International can empower women around the globe. This is my brief “snapshot” of some of the


highlights we experienced at CSW. Several Soroptimists and our wonderful


revealed a startling statistic from a study of thousands of men and boys around the world: 5-10 per cent admitted to having procured sex for money and knowingly purchasing sex from a girl under 18. There are not enough prisons to lock them all up! Men and boys have to change attitudes and men and boys have to be the group to do it. Women Using Technology for Good: We hear so many stories of social media


being used for evil… but it is also a vehicle of much good and women need to be empowered, have safe spaces, knowledge,


SI Representatives to the UN New York continued to attend the event which culminated on March 4th, aiming for a statement that will be taken to ECOSOC on crucial issues that CSW NGO delegates brought to their government delegations for inclusion. CSW is a space to learn and grow and


SI Cumulative report for CSW55 on the SI website Programme Blog at: www.soroptimistinternational.org.


Advocating for Change A Global Voice at the Highest Levels


Soroptimist International has a team of representatives based at each of the main UN centres in Geneva, New York, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Nairobi, as well as at the regional centres for West Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. SI is also affiliated to the Commonwealth. As reported in the December issue of TIS,


Cinzia Palmi attended the 140th Session of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) council to witness the delivery of the 1 Billion Hungry campaign signatures. The SI online reporting system details many of the great campaigning actions SI Clubs have taken to support the campaign. Your actions formed the basis of an SI statement, ‘actions against hunger’, which you can read at the FAO ‘SI at the UN’ web page. The 1 Billion Hungry campaign is far from


over. Rising food prices and an increasingly volatile climate are impacting on the food security of millions - particularly women. The General Director concluded “hunger is a complex problem. But it is not hopeless. Behind this petition lies a global movement”. If you have not yet signed the petition you can still do so at www.1billionhungry.org. The Commission for Social Development


the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva at the end of January. They report that progress is being made in the area of maternal health (MDG 5), the number of women dying as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth has decreased by 34% and the proportion of women in developing countries receiving antenatal care at least once during pregnancy increased from 64% (1990) to 80% in 2008. SI welcomes Rose Mwangi and Alice


Anna Aiken, SI Programme Officer, has an update on recent activity Sina and Paulette attended


Odingo who began as SI Representative Designates to the UN Environment Programme (Nairobi) in January. Rose and Alice attended the UNEP Governing Council meeting at the end of February and found civil society to be a powerful group at the UNEP. Alice read a statement on behalf of the Women Major Stakeholder Group and they attended a discussion of the Women Ministers in Environment. A full report will be available shortly. Over the coming weeks the SIHQ and


recently convened in New York and Carol Themm and Lois Beilin were there for SI. Most societies continue to be characterised by significant economic and social injustices; the World Bank estimates that the world’s poor has increased from 1.4 billion (2005) to 1.7 billion in 2010. The UN Secretary General called for an integrated approach to poverty: one that funds development over war. Every year the world spends 1.4 trillion dollars on weapons and attempts to eradicate poverty will lack credibility if this continues.


UN teams are involved in many exciting events. By the time you read this, a number of these will already have taken place. A full update will appear in the June TIS but please do keep checking the SI Website for all the latest updates! In March, President Elect Alice Wells


and Programme Director Reilly Dempsey will travel to Vienna to meet with the Vienna Reps. Alice and Reilly have been invited to attend a discussion on Education and Leadership to celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8th). Alice will be taking part in the panel. They will also be meeting with policy representatives of UNIDO and the drugs and crime office.


theme of Commonwealth Day (March 14th). To celebrate, there will be a half day Parliamentary event in London on the transformational impact of education. SI is honoured to be running one of the sessions which will explore access to education with a broader focus of ‘working locally to impact globally’. Alice Wells and Alison Sutherland (Project SIerra) will join SIHQ staff for this event. Finally, if you want to receive monthly


‘Women as Agents of Change’ is the


revitalise my passion for what we do. It can be yours too if you are interested. Find more stories and quotes and the final


updates on the latest advocacy, action and awareness news, please visit the SI website to sign up to our newsletter, Global Voice!


Forthcoming UN Rep Meetings


March 21- 25th: Commission on Narcotic Drugs (Vienna) April 1st: Civil Society Interactive hearings on the 4th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (New York). April 11th – 15th: Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Vienna). May 5th – 6th: UNESCO NGO Executive Board Meeting (Paris) on the theme of International Migrations and the Social and Human Impacts, plus round tables on Human Rights, Environment and Education. May 30th – June 17th: Committee on the Rights of a Child (Geneva). Frida and Paulette, SI’s Geneva Reps, hope to attend.


TIS March 2011 Page 5


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