GEIA (Director, Dr. Shirley Graham, and Program Associate, Danielle Cyr) brought seven graduate students to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 62nd Sessions at the UN in New York. Pictured from left to right are GEIA Director Dr. Shirley Graham, and M.A. candidates Pratyusha Sibal and Neia Omer.
The graduate students in attendance are students in International Affairs, Development Studies and International Public Policy who participate in Prof. Graham’s courses on Global Gender Policy and Gender, War & Peace.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by Council resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.
The group attended a series of side events organised by Permanent Missions, UN entities and NGOs. Dr. Shirley Graham noted that “attendance at the 62nd Session of the CSW provided our students with a first-hand opportunity to engage directly with influencers and policymakers on key issues affecting women’s lives, as well as deepening their understanding of the mechanics of global gender policymaking”.
“Women from rural communities are not adequately represented at policy level and when they are included they are often talked at rather than listened to. There can be a preoccupation with the numbers of women attending meetings rather than efforts to understanding the multiplicity of roles women play in their communities, particularly leadership roles. Governments need to create more opportunities for women from rural communities to actively participate in decision-making on the issues that impact their daily lives” – Dr. Shirley Graham.
