Aim for human rights at UN Commission on the Status of Women

Each year, the Commission on the Status of Women, an ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council of the United Nations) commission, convenes in New York to discuss gender equality and emancipation of women. This year Aim for human rights’ Loeky Droesen is joining the Dutch NGO delegation.

Between 2 and 13 March 2009 delegates of member states assemble at the UN headquarters to discuss the worldwide process of equality and emancipation, to identify problems and to agree upon concrete policies.

This year’s theme is “CSW 53: The Equal Sharing of Responsibilities of Women and Men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS”.

The Dutch government will also be present. NGO’s and platforms on women’s rights and emancipation such as WO=MEN, E-Quality and Aim for human rights visit the CSW. They will try to increase the share of the Dutch delegates and will lobby for policies that strengthen the position of women. Expectations are that over 2000 non-governmental organisations will be present at the conference.

During the event, Loeky Droesen will organise two thematic workshops in the so-called side events part of the CSW: one on HeRWAI, het Health Rights of Women Assessment Instrument, and one on the Aim for human rights project on a human rights tool focussed on eradicating domestic violence. This way, relevant organisations and experts around the world can get to know the tools, that we are developing together with others to fight domestic violence and guarantee health rights of women. 

Read more on the experiences in New York on the blog, that Dutch NGOs and their foreign partners will write together (part English, part Dutch).