The 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62) will take place at the UN’s New York headquarters from 12 to 23 March, 2018. Representatives from member states, UN entities and NGOs from around the world will come together to focus on the action needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment – and Equality Now and our partners will be there!
We will be participating in events on sex discrimination in nationality laws, sex trafficking, female genital mutilation (FGM) the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), forced pregnancy, gender-based violence and ensuring justice for adolescent girls. Read our official CSW62 statement calling on attending Member States to change their laws to ensure that women and girls are empowered with their rights protected and promoted by law.
CALENDAR – EQUALITY NOW AT CSW62
All times Eastern. Events are subject to change, so please make sure to check back periodically for updates. UN WebTV will stream selected side events.
High Level Event on Advancing Gender Equality in Nationality Laws
Wednesday, 14 March, 2018: 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
UN Express Bar, 3rd Fl
RSVP’s required by 11 March, 2018 for those without a UN badge via the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
Presented by the Permanent Missions of Australia, Madagascar, Morocco and Sierra Leone, League of Arab States, UN Children’s Fund, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Women, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
Discussion: Equality Now will make comments to Member States and UN agencies attending the event as part of our Legal Equality campaign for the repeal or amendment of sex discriminatory nationality/citizenship laws. These are laws that prevent women from passing on, acquiring, changing or keeping their nationality/citizenship on an equal basis with men. Equality Now is a co-founder and Steering Committee member of the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights.
#METOO, Says Survivors: Human Rights, Gender and Trafficking in Human Beings
Thursday, 15 March, 2018: 8:15 am – 9:30 am
UN Conference Rm 1
RSVP’s required by 12 March, 2018 for those without a UN badge via jmarra@equalitynow.org
Presented by the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Equality Now, ODIHR, UN Women, UNODC and OSCE
Discussion: Yasmeen Hassan, Global Executive Director, will speak on sex trafficking as a form of gender-based violence rooted in inequality, and the need for effective and comprehensive mechanisms to enforce international law to protect women and girls.
Leveraging the Media to End Child Marriage
Friday, 16 March, 2020: 12:30 pm
Church Center for the United Nations, Drew Room, 44 St. & 1st Ave.
RSVPs not required
Presented by Joy for Children Uganda and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)
Discussion: Shelby Quast, Americas Director, joins our partner, Joy for Children, on a panel to discuss how Equality Now advocates in the media for governments to enact and uphold laws that prevent “child marriage” and to address the gender inequalities that drive it.
Through Her Eyes: #GirlsAreUnsafe
Friday, 16 March, 2020: 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Westin Grand Central Embassy Rm, 212 E. 42nd St.
RSVP’s required by 15 March to kelsey.fitzgerald@wagggs.org
Presented by World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and UNICEF
Discussion: Christa Stewart, Program Manager End Sexual Violence & Justice for Girls, will speak on cases from Equality Now’s Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund.
Forced Child Pregnancy and Maternity
Saturday, 17 March, 2020: 2:30 pm
Church Center for the United Nations 10th Fl, 44 St. & 1st Ave.
RSVPs not required
Presented by The Latin American and Caribbean Committee For The Defense Of Women’s Rights / Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres (CLADEM)
Discussion: Christa Stewart, Program Manager End Sexual Violence & Justice for Girls, will speak on Equality Now’s ongoing case with CLADEM concerning human rights violations against “Mainumby”, a young girl from Paraguay. Following repeated rapes — allegedly by her stepfather — she became pregnant at age 10 and was forced by the State to have the baby.
Success Factors in Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
Thursday, 22 March, 2020: 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Church Center for the United Nations 10th Fl, 44 St. & 1st Ave.
RSVP’s required by 15 March via AMREF
Presented by AMREF Health Africa
Discussion: Yasmeen Hassan, Global Executive Director, will take part on a panel on successful community led strategies to end FGM and violence against women. Empowering young rural women and increasing their economic participation will also be a focus of the discussion.
Film Screenings / Q & A – SANDS OF SILENCE: WAVES OF COURAGE
Wednesday, 21 March, 2010: 9:30 pm – 11:15 pm: Cinema Village 22 E. 12th St. NYC / Purchase tickets here (see discount code below)
Thursday, 22 March, 2020: 11:00 am Westchester Community College 75 Grasslands Ave. Valhalla NY / 7:00 pm New York University 726 Broadway, 7th Fl. (Public events)
Christa Stewart, Program Manager End Sexual Violence & Justice for Girls will participate on a panel on Chelo Alvarez-Stehle’s documentary exploring the inter-connectivity of the full spectrum of sexual violence through its common denominator of silence. The 21 March event is part of the SR Socially Relevant (™) Film Festival New York. Tickets are $14. Use code SR2018-PAP for an additional 15% discount.
More on the Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission drafted what became the first international law instrument to recognize the political rights of women, and paved the way for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) – often referred to as the “bill of rights for women.” Learn more about the history of the Commission.
The Priority theme for CSW62 is: Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls. The Review theme is: Participation in and access of women to the media, and information and communications technologies and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women (agreed conclusions of the forty-seventh session).