My first day at #CSW and I got a golden ticket!!!!
With many panicked messages and phone calls, our fantastic delegation leaders finally got me to pick up my phone and I was glad I did! Rebeca and Madeline offered me a ticket and I was into the chamber.
After nearly causing an incident at security (through a drink and lots of badges) I made it through to the other side and what a sight, my breath caught as I saw this wide space in the middle of New York. My first thoughts were peaceful and thoughtful, even with so many people milling around and taking pictures.
I was quickly ushered through to the entrance hall where I am straight away faced with a statue of Nelson Mandela with his arms wide welcoming me to the building. I felt at home, as Mandela stands in Parliament Square and welcomes us when I take groups of students to visit Parliament. Mandela felt like home.
Yesterday was a true moment for me.
I have taught about the UN, it’s positives and negatives for my whole teaching career and yesterday I was literally in the room where it happened.
I queued for the lifts and went up to the 4th floor. As I showed my pass and ID, I again took a breath as I entered the upper level of the chamber - I wasn't disappointed!
I had 2 phones in my hands, live videoing on FB and Twitter. I was tweeting and posting pictures. I was writing notes and I was listening - I looked like a crazy woman!
But I felt so privileged to be in this space on behalf of Education International.
The opening was started by speeches from the President of #CSW63, the Secretary General of the UN and a representative of the Security Council. The messages were powerful. We were reminded that when women are excluded, we all weep and that when the competency of women are constantly questioned then we lose out on the best talent. My favourite quote was that "It's not enough to add women and stir", the clear call for true women's rights and not tokenistic gestures was loud.
We were told how the UN is trying to get its own house in order, with more women around the table of the Secretary-General who as an avowed feminist himself, is actively recruiting and promoting women. As he said, when women are involved in the decision making and negotiations then decisions stick and are successful. Proving that it is important to have women at all levels of decision making.
The work the Security Council are doing around the use of sexual violence during conflict is moving up a next level to now collecting data to actually measure if the actions taken are making an impact. The fact that 70% of the resolutions relate back to women and girls, and 90% of the presidential statements does the same, shows a push to recognise the issue. However to admit that more women blue helmets and negotiators.
There was so much reference to the importance of education and teaching (maybe should have been some more on the importance of women teachers but that's just me!)
I got an opportunity that only some get, to be a teeny, tiny part of the process of drafting a resolution that will have an impact on the lives of women and girls around the world if governments get it right.
The UN clearly have women and girls on the agenda, however as an organisation it is also honest about the fact that more needs to be done, and time is running out for the organisation to meet the deadline of the Beijing Declaration. However the fact that Gender Equality is "no longer an option discussed at the end of the meeting, if we have time" as said by the representative of the security council, shows that there is a large amount of political will to keep gender on the table.
Watch Video: Opening Ceremony #CSW63
Watch video: Sec-Gen Statement to CSW63
UN Secretary General's Remarks #CSW63 11/3/19
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