Yesterday I was privileged to attend the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) at the United Nations, as a representative of the League of Women Voters. Thousands of men and women from all over the world have come together to discuss issues relating to women’s empowerment and their common search for financial and political equality throughout the world.
As I stood in line waiting to get my entrance badge I chatted with women from Spain, England, Jordan, Egypt and Kyrgyzstan. Many women from Africa were in full colorful dress, and the cold rain dampened no one’s enthusiasm. Once inside I attended the panel discussion Women in Politics: Successes, Failures and Challenges, where representatives from Israel, Poland, Fiji and Albania described their country’s efforts to overcome oppression and discrimination, and to discourage violence against women.
Listening to the men and women discuss their strategies and successes reminded me that our struggles for political equality, including our struggle for woman suffrage, should help us to understand the challenges facing women everywhere. I am thrilled and humbled to be part of such a conference which runs until March 24. I will keep you posted on other interesting meetings I attend. For further information check out their website: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw60-2016.