After two weeks of fierce negotiations at the United Nations’ annual Commission on the Status of Women, on March 15 more than 130 governments committed to ending violence against women and girls, and reached strong agreements to promote gender equality and ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services.

The International Women’s Health Coalition and our amazing partners from around the world came out in force to the UN for the negotiations. Our agenda was clear: push governments to commit to concrete strategies to empower women and girls and end gender-based violence.

We met with instant opposition from conservative governments. Countries such as Iran, Russia, Egypt, and Syria joined with the Vatican in what The New York Times called “an unholy alliance.” IWHC staff and our women’s rights caucus of more than 100 activists worked around the clock to support progressive delegations to stand strong and not to cave in to pressure. We would not let a small but vocal minority use culture and religion as excuses to deny women their rights.

Our efforts prevailed and consensus was finally reached to loud applause from supportive governments such as Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, and even the small island of Tonga! As the “agreed conclusions” document was adopted, hundreds of women’s rights activists streamed into the negotiating room to join in the cheers.

For the first time at the UN, governments reached consensus that survivors of rape are entitled to emergency contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and to timely and respectful forensic exams to support prosecution. They called for an end to child marriages. They agreed women’s right to control their sexuality is essential to preventing further violence. And they recognized the role that evidence-based sexuality education can play in reducing the harmful gender stereotypes that lead to violence.

In a sign of just how much was at stake, this year’s meeting received an unprecedented amount of media coverage after the Muslim Brotherhood condemned (and mischaracterized) the negotiations. IWHC featured prominently in many news articles, including in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Associated Press, ABC News, The Globe and Mail, Radio Free Europe, O Estado de S. Paulo, and Reuters.

Once again, we women have shown we’re an irresistible force. But our work is far from over. Now we must be vigilant to ensure that the agreements made at the UN are put into practice in local communities worldwide.

For that to happen, we must continue to support women’s groups to hold their own leaders to account.

Best regards,

Opposition to these terms was strongly argued by conservative delegations from the Holy See, which acts and speaks for the Roman Catholic Church in public and policy spheres, as well as the Africa Group, which is chaired by the representative from Benin. Their arguments were sometimes supported by Iran, Syria, and Qatar. There was a lot of push back from Switzerland, the European Union (chaired by Germany), Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico, though the U.S. was notably absent in these discussion. Language on girls in the context of rights protections and without parental guidance provisions was almost completely removed. References to early marriage and early child bearing were completely removed. Gender equality as a term is now only used twice in the entire text.

The Holy See and the Africa group repeatedly asked for a “redefinition” of the term “gender”, to add “men and women” after this term, or to footnote reference to the definition included in the BPFA. They expressed concern that the word “gender” is being used to be inclusive of homosexuality, and they want to guard against that possibility and emphasize the context of the family. There was also a lot of opposition to the phrase “sexuality education.” Opponents of this phrase asserted that parents should choose the kind of education that should be given to their children, and that the best interest of the child shall be the “guiding principle of those responsible for his or her education and guidance, and that responsibility lies in the first place with the parents,” as stated in prior agreements.

Like much of what is happening in the United States around protecting women’s sexual and reproductive rights right now, the UN is also a battle ground over freedom to choose, particularly on issues of bodily integrity, sexual autonomy, and protection of human rights. As we look to the Commission on Population and Development, progressive governments will need to step up to the challenge and demonstrate that women’s and young people’s health and rights are not up for negotiation.

In early April, we will return to the UN with our colleagues from around the world  for the 44th session of the Commission on Population and Development. This year’s theme is fertility, reproductive health and development, and we will be focusing on bringing young people’s voices to the table.

What you may not know is that at this year’s CSW, the sexual and reproductive rights of women and young people became the target of incredibly organized assaults by U.S.-based organizations.

Under the radar and over-the-top, these predominantly conservative and anti-choice groups descended upon the Commission and its participants in advance of the CSW to ensure that issues such as women’s rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and sexuality education, experienced major setbacks on the global scene.

Among the most blatant perpetrators was Family Watch International (FWI). Unable to wait until the meeting in March, they sponsored 26 UN delegates from 23 different countries to attend their first annual “Global Family Policy Forum” in Phoenix, Arizona. As their website proudly states, the January forum was organized specifically to provide UN diplomats that negotiate social and family issues at the UN two days of “expert presentations on family issues, briefing sessions and discussions on how to better protect and promote the family and family values at the UN.”

The content of the conference, which FWI lists on its website as “the single most important thing that Family Watch has ever done”, included sessions featuring “scientific and clinical evidence” that “homosexuality is not genetically determined” and that “in many cases, individuals who experience same-sex attraction can be helped by therapy”, as well as information on a searchable electronic database that would allow diplomats to quickly and easily access previously agreed upon “family-supportive language” from past UN documents.  Much of the time was spent developing strategies; discussing anti-woman, anti-choice tactics for the CSW and similar upcoming conferences; and opportunities for the diplomats to network, schmooze, and sightsee (including a trip to the Grand Canyon). Conference organizers are already planning a similar event for 2012, which they predict could “easily include diplomats from more than 50 countries”.

As a result of this conference and similar initiatives, advocates and delegates who oppose women’s rights and health in the global sphere were well prepared for the 55^th CSW. Although relatively few in number, reps from the Holy See, Benin, Iran, and Syria voiced strong opposition, while the usual progressive allies such as the U.S. and Europe were less vocal.

“As a result of strong opposition at the 55^th Session of the CSW, both inside and outside the negotiation room, progressive advocacy efforts failed to achieve strong reference to concepts including women’s empowerment, gender equality, and human rights in the agreed conclusions,” said Sarah Kennel, Program Officer for the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights. “Having participated in the CSW as a youth advocate on behalf of the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, opposition groups both out-numbered us and out-powered us throughout the negotiation process. As a result of their strong presence, we were forced to fight for the inclusion of already agreed upon (moderately progressive) language, rather than breaking boundaries and advocating for the inclusion of truly progressive language, with a focus on gender equality and human rights.”

The “controversial” language Kennell refers to includes concepts such as “gender”, “gender mainstreaming”, “gender equality”, “gender based analysis”, “sexuality education”, “sexual and reproductive health”, “maternal health”, and “women’s rights”, which have longstanding precedent at the UN by virtue of their presence in a number of agreed-upon UN documents and treaties. A statement by the  European Union (EU) delegation mirrors Kennell’s concerns:

“We note with disappointment the concerns expressed throughout the negotiations by some delegations with regard to concepts such as ‘gender’ and ‘gender stereotypes’. This language has been fully agreed in the past, including in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and is entirely consistent with efforts to promote the realization of gender equality. As such we were, and will remain, unwilling to go back to pre-Beijing concepts. Mr President, we hope that in the future, delegations can in fact move forward from agreed language and continue to further the overriding objective of the Commission, which is to accelerate and develop the full enjoyment and unhindered exercise of equal rights for women and girls all over the world.”

So what is to be done with the experience of this year’s CSW? We certainly can expect a bit of a bumpy ride.

“Looking ahead,” said Kenell, “it is clear that member states, NGOs and youth with progressive agendas will face increasing opposition when advocating for the inclusion of language related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, reproductive health and rights, comprehensive sexuality education and human rights.”

But the fight isn’t over yet.  Reflecting on this experience, the progressive youth movement needs to be better prepared and better funded. For Kennell, this involves “knowing the issues, knowing how to use international agreements, treaties and declarations that support our issues as advocacy tools and knowing how and when to work with ally member states.” By establishing stronger links and connections among progressive organizations, individuals, and networks, a strong movement can be build to advocate for the rights of all girls and women. The upcoming Commission on Population and Development will be a crucial site for the continued development of these issues.

To learn more about IWHC’s work at the UN, click here. To download the Agreed Conclusions in their entirety, click here.  To download the full EU statement on the Agreed Conclusion, click here.

Like-Minded Advocates for Gender Equality

At the moment, negotiations about the Agreed Conclusions are continuing and slowly moving towards language that all country delegations can agree upon. In the previous blogpost we wrote about the obstructive attitudes of the Holy See as well as the African Group towards gender equality in the Agreed Conclusions of CSW55. Let us not forget that there are many individuals and organizations around the world, many of which are our partners, who support gender equality, freedom of choice, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights from a Catholic perspective.

Authors Rineke van Dam and Joni van de Sand

Freedom of Choice

Catholics for Choice (CFC) stand for “a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health”. This organization argues from a Catholic perspective that men and women can be trusted to make moral decisions about their lives. Within their programs, they promote condom use and provision of comprehensive sexuality education information. This enables boys, girls, women and men to feel comfortable about their sexuality and live a healthy life.

Priest against HIV/Aids

Irish priest Michael J. Kelly wishes to see structural changes in the status of women. He argues for the urgency for change due to the feminization of HIV/Aids since “without a frontal attack on the injustice of gender inequality – in church, state and every walk of life- the dominance of the epidemic will continue.” According to him, the “Catholic Church must move away from its own discrimination and gender stereotypes towards women and promote their ‘active empowerment’ within it and in society.”

Gender equality as a human right

The “Gender Policy of the Catholic Church of India” was written in 2010 during the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India. The document provides a whole chapter with religious argumentation in favor of gender equality. Moreover, they argue that equality between women and men is both a human rights issue and a pre-condition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centered development.

But as important as it is to teach others this valuable skill, it’s just as important for us to make sure that every single person in our own organization is exposed to these vital tools.

That’s why this past Monday and Tuesday we held the first ever IWHC Staff AiP training right here in our NYC headquarters! During the training, just like in past AiP’s, we discussed key international agreements and why they matter, advocacy strategies, and messaging around the themes of comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive rights and health. There was a lot of information for staff to absorb and consider, but we also did some exercises and role plays to helps us think through various aspects of the work.

Akimbo contributors Lori Adelman and Audacia Ray at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women:   

I personally was grateful to be able to attend the training, which until now I had helped provide support for, but never attended in full. I found it to be extremely useful for gaining a better understanding of the work of my colleague in International Policy (IP). I was fascinated by the intricate details of the UN infrastructure, and floored to find out that, althought the UN technically operates on consensus, countries often participate in negotiations via blocks, or groups of aligned countries. I was also pleased to spend time with my co-workers in such a setting, and felt it brought all of us a bit closer. Below, I’ve shared some of my colleague’s impressions as well.

Audacia Ray, Program Officer for Online Communications and Campaigns, said the following about her experience:

“Having provided support for the AiP trainings and meetings at the UN during the last couple of years at IWHC, it was really interesting to get a deeper perspective on how advocacy at the UN functions. Though the UN seems like a very large, very bureaucratic entity with many agencies and acronyms, most of the advocacy for our issues actually happens one-on-one and is very much about building relationships and knowledge.”

Kelly Castagnaro, Director of the IWHC Communications Program, said: “It was fascinating to learn about the different UN agreements related to women and how they can be used by advocates to forge change on the national level.  The UN is a big place and while governments have busy schedules and many agendas, advocating with government delegates on how they can support the health and rights of women and girls is within our reach.  In this type of advocacy, a thorough knowledge of relevant precedent language is essential, as are excellent communications skills.  At the end of the training, I felt that I had learned a lot but still had much to learn, particularly related to how UN agencies operate and carry forth the content of these agreements with national governments.  Mostly, I left with tremendous respect for and admiration of the many talented advocates around the world who spend countless days and nights at the UN on behalf of women and girls.”

Women’s health advocates have expressed outrage and opposition to this recent development, many of them citing the nation as undeserving of a seat on the CSW due to its record on human rights- and women’s rights in particular. As a member of the CSW, Iran will be in a position to add conservative language to the CSW’s agreements.

Many speculate that Iran obtained the seat as the result of a behind-the-scenes compromise in exchange for Tehran’s agreement to drop its bid to win a seat on the UN’s Human Rights Council, a process that activists recently called “a denigration of the very principles for which the CSW and UN stand.” On the other hand, some advocates have defended Iran’s right to participate in the CSW, stating that its exclusion from the Commission would be unjust.

FoxNews reports that Iranian activists have also come forward to oppose the election:

“As word of Iran’s intention to join the women’s commission came out, a group of Iranian activists circulated a petition to the U.N. asking that member states oppose its election.

‘Iran’s discriminatory laws demonstrate that the Islamic Republic does not believe in gender equality,’ reads the letter, signed by 214 activists and endorsed by over a dozen human rights bodies.”

IWHC recognizes the importance of the CSW and all UN bodies in promoting and protecting women’s health and human rights, and will continue to mobilize women and young people to be involved in these conferences and interact with all government participants to ensure the best possible outcome for women and girls.

We will also continue to support local advocates who rely on these agreements as tools to lobby their own governments for an increased commitment to ensuring women and adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health services and protection of their human rights in the form of legislation, budgetary allocations, and comprehensive programs and services.

To read more about IWHC’s participation in the CSW, click here.

Many of the youth advocates came to CSW eager to learn new information at side events, network with colleagues from other countries, share their unique perspectives and collectively strategize about advocacy efforts. While for some youth advocates this dream was realized, for others –particularly those who do not speak English– the experience at the UN turned out quite differently than anticipated. The United Nations has six official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish – and is required to offer simultaneous translation in all of them to make sure the meetings and negotiations are truly accessible to international participants. However, some of our Latino colleagues found their access to information limited.

“My expectations were to participate and contribute in CSW from the youth perspective; to acquaint myself with other youth advocates and feminists. But, there was no translation during side events so it’s been impossible for me to communicate with other advocates because the whole world speaks English,” remarked Daniela Santos, a youth advocate from Colombia who only speaks Spanish. Such frustration is warranted as translation services in general were lacking at this year’s CSW. Few side events have had adequate translation services and even side events that take place in UN buildings were not providing easily accessible translations. The only forum where translations were consistently provided is in the General Assembly, and only if you were lucky enough to find seating in the first conference room, where headset devices can be tuned to different channels with simultaneous translation. The second conference room only broadcasts in English.

Another issue that frustrated youth advocates was the lack of opportunities to provide the youth perspective in policy discussions and strategy sessions. Many felt like they were not being taken seriously because they are young. Humberto Yllescas Quiroz of Peru explains, “As youths, we have a lot to say. The question is, is anybody listening to us?” For youth advocates who had hoped to influence this year’s agreed upon documents at CSW to include more youth-friendly language, the experience over the last two weeks was disappointing. As Yllescas laments, “Age isn’t important. What matters is that we’re all human beings. We [youth advocates] have a different point of view, but it is equally respectable as that of older advocates.”

Both Santos and Yllescas hope that future UN conferences will be more inclusive-both of participants who speak different languages and of participants from younger generations. We at the International Women’s Health Coalition hope they will too.

Caitlin Mitchell interns with the International Women’s Health Coalition’s Latin America Program.

Jóvenes se enfrentan a barreras para tener acceso en la Comisión sobre la Condición de la Mujer de la ONU

en la Comisión sobre la Condición de la Mujer , América Latina y el Caribe , de las Naciones Unidas , Salud y Derechos de la Juventud

Organizaciones como La Coalición Internacional por la Salud de la Mujer y el International Planned Parenthood Federation-Región del Hemisferio Occidental reconocen la importancia de la participación juvenil en la formulación de políticas en las Naciones Unidas. Es por esta razón por la que ambas organizaciones invitó a un grupo de jóvenes defensores cualificados de todo el mundo a participar en la 54 ª Comisión de la Condición de la Mujer (CSW), que tuvo lugar durante las dos primeras semanas de marzo aquí en Nueva York.

Muchos de los defensores juveniles llegaron a CSW con ganas de aprender nueva información en los eventos paralelos, establecer redes con colegas de otros países, compartir sus perspectivas únicas y crear estrategias en conjunto acerca de los esfuerzos de advocacy. Mientras que para algunos jóvenes defensores este sueño se hizo realidad, para otros-en particular los que no hablan Inglés-la experiencia en la ONU resultó muy diferente de lo previsto. Las Naciones Unidas tienen seis idiomas oficiales – árabe, chino, inglés, francés, ruso y español – y es necesario ofrecer traducción simultánea en todas ellas para asegurarse de que las reuniones y las negociaciones son verdaderamente accesibles para los participantes internacionales. Sin embargo, algunos de nuestros colegas latinos encontraron su acceso a la información fue limitada.

“Mis expectativas eran participar y contribuir en CSW desde mi perspectiva juvenil. Y acercarme a otros grupos de jóvenes y mujeres feministas y demás. Pero, no hay traducción en los eventos paralelos fue imposible la participación en los eventos y comunicarme con otros jóvenes o mujeres porque todo el mundo habla ingles”, comentó Daniela Santos, un joven defensor de Colombia que sólo habla español. Tal frustración está justificada porque los servicios de traducción en general se carecen en la CSW de este año. Pocos eventos paralelos han tenido parte de servicios adecuados de traducción e incluso los eventos paralelos que tienen lugar en los edificios de la ONU que no se da fácilmente traducciones accesibles. El único foro donde las traducciones eran siempre es consistente en la Asamblea General, y sólo si tenían la suerte de encontrar asiento en la sala de conferencias primero, si un dispositivo auricular puede estar sintonizados en canales distintos con traducción simultánea. La segunda sala de conferencias tenia emisiones únicamente en inglés.

Otra cuestión que frustró a los jóvenes defensores fue la falta de oportunidades para proporcionar la perspectiva de los jóvenes en los debates políticos y sesiones de estrategia. Muchos sentían que no estaban siendo tomadas en serio porque son jóvenes. Humberto Quiroz Yllescas del Perú explica, “Como jóvenes, tenemos mucho que decir. La pregunta es, ¿hay alguien quien nos escucha? “Para los jóvenes defensores que tenían la esperanza de influir los documentos convenidos en este año de CSW para incluir un lenguaje más acogedores para los jóvenes, la experiencia en las últimas dos semanas fue decepcionante. Como Yllescas lamenta, “La edad no es importante. Lo que importa es que estamos todos los seres humanos. Nosotros [los jóvenes defensores] tienen un punto de vista diferente, pero es igualmente respetable como la de mayores defensores”.

Tanto Santos y Yllescas esperanzan de que las futuras conferencias de la ONU serán más inclusivas, tanto de los participantes que hablan idiomas diferentes y de los participantes de las generaciones más jóvenes. Nosotros en La Coalición Internacional por la Salud de la Mujer esperamos que también lo hagan.

Caitlin Mitchell es un pasante con el programa de América Latina en la Coalición Internacional por la Salud de la Mujer.

The Youth Coalition and YouAct have had members present and shaking things up at the UN, including some of the young people who attended IWHC’s Advocacy in Practice training. Last week the group ruffled some feathers with their t-shirts (pictured), and had this to say in a press statement:

On Friday, during the lunch break for government delegates, the coalition of young people made a statement for the support of their rights. Fifteen young men and women, wearing T-shirts with statements such as ‘Dead healthy women’, ‘unplanned pregnancies’ and ‘misinformed’, took a strong stand for
achieving the goals that were set in Beijing fifteen years ago. “We demand access to comprehensive sexuality information, services and supplies for all young people. We need it today – and today needed to be yesterday.”

The young people from more than 20 countries and every continent collectively demand their sexual and reproductive rights:
- All young people must have access to comprehensive sexuality
education and sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception and emergency contraception, in order to avoid unintended pregnancies.
- Accessible, affordable and safe abortions should be made part of the minimum packages of sexual and reproductive health services.
- All young people should have access to psycho-social health services for prevention of gender-based violence and violence against women.

The cohort of young people believe that decision makers attending the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women need to listen to the needs and demands of young people and promote their human rights including sexual and reproductive rights to ensure the health and wellbeing of women, young people, and all people worldwide.

Learn More:
Youth Coalition Factsheet: Young People and Universal Access to Reproductive Health
>IWHC Factsheet: Overlooked and Uninformed: Young Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

At this year’s 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), attendees have experienced waits of up to seven hours to gain access to the United Nations, only to face overcrowded and inaccessible sessions marred by poor or nonexistent translation services.

This year marks the 15-year anniversary of the milestone Beijing Platform for Action. Adopted by 180 governments, the Platform for Action reaffirmed and extended global agreements on sexual and reproductive rights and health for women and young people, including the right to comprehensive sexuality education and access to health services. Yet with governments poised to discuss how far the countries have come in implementing the Beijing agreement, many advocates claim that government negotiations around implementation are taking place behind closed doors.

Further, advocates were denied input into the review process, since this year’s Declaration had been agreed upon ahead of time, and adopted without consultation to civil society. “This year, there is very little space for governments to engage with civil society,” said Ama van Dantzig, a youth advocate from the Netherlands.

Dr. Mabel Bianco, Specialist and Board Member of the Latin American and the Caribbean Women’s Health Network, notes that while there are more women in attendance at the CSW meetings each year,  their voices seem to be absent from the meeting. “These processes need to be transparent. It’s very important for advocates and delegates to see directly what their governments are doing,” said Bianco.

“Women around the world are experiencing great hardship from preventable causes, yet there’s no sense of urgency about these issues, or inclusion of our voices in the implementation discussions,” said Imane Khachani, a doctor and member of the Youth Coalition. “At the 15-year anniversary of Beijing, it’s a missed opportunity to discuss key actions for moving forward.”

For more information, please contact Lori Adelman, 609.287.4521 (mobile)/ 212.9798500 (office)/ ladelman@iwhc.org.

The Aipers discussed the significance of global agreements on women’s health and rights,  effective messaging on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, and advocacy strategies at the UN and in country they can put into practice following the training.

In addition to a special video greeting, our Aip participants have sent a few photos:

Aipers at work

We whipped up a blizzard just for our Camerounian partners!

Mapping an effective advocacy strategy

The full Advocacy in Practice Crew