The CSW61 Approach: Pushing for Equality in the Workplace
Guest Blogging by Stephanie Malalag
The Legion of Good Will gave me the honor to be part of their representatives team at the 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which took place from March 13, 2017 to March 24, 2017 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Many delegates from the Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited NGOs attended the session, with many of them coming from all over the world. The CSW’s primary focus was centered on women’s economic empowerment in the world of work. Although the issues need to be ameliorated so that women and girls are seen as equals when facing gender discrimination, gender equality has greatly improved over the course of 2 decades. It’s been observed that the political participation, leadership, and economic empowerment of women has increased in numbers as the years go by, but we have not reached the 50-50 mark yet. As a result, the CSW has made it a goal to create a world of gender equality and a Planet 50-50 by 2030.
The Commission on the Status of Women created an “Agreed Conclusions” document of the session that gathered the significant details in recognizing what needs to be done in creating an equal economic environment between men and women and giving importance to women’s economic empowerment in the workplace. The acknowledgement and awareness of women’s economic empowerment in the world of work has been slow over the years, despite some improvements that have been made in many countries. The Commission recognizes that there is still an ongoing issue of gender gaps in women’s employment and that they are at a disadvantage in the workplace. As a result, effective policies and initiatives need to be developed and improved. The CSW gives great importance to Sustainable Development Goal #5, which is significant in women’s economic empowerment. This Commission advises all international and local organizations, especially ones that are focused on issues surrounding women, governments, and the private sector to:
1. Strengthen normative and legal frameworks for full employment and decent work for all women.
2. Address the growing informality of work and mobility of women workers.
3. Manage technological and digital change for women’s economic empowerment.
4. Strengthen women’s collective voice, leadership, and decision making.
5. Strengthen private sector role in women’s economic empowerment.
By applying these recommendations at national, regional, and global scales, we could possibly see a world of gender equality and a Planet 50-50 by 2030.
The Legion of Good Will had the opportunity to showcase their work and how their organization has improved on the issue surrounding gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and girls’ social and educational importance during one of the UN side events. It was a great experience to be able to listen to three participating organizations’ successful initiatives that have strengthened women empowerment among their members and help them gain the confidence they need. The LGW was also able to showcase their work through their informative Legion of Good Will magazine to many representatives from Member States and organizations all over the world, which focuses on the advancement of women empowerment.
Overall, the Commission on the Status of Women session was an amazing event to witness. Having the opportunity to see many congregations of different Member States and organizations gathering for one purpose was fascinating. The LGW was thankful for the opportunity to be part of the 61st session of the CSW. The empowerment of women and girls is a critical subject in the world of education, economic, and social culture, and the advancement of this movement will help shape a better future for women and girls in many parts of the world for future generations to come.
During my visit for the UN CSW16 event, I was able to meet one of the representatives for the Philippines, Ms. Elaine Diana L. Lorenzo, and present to her the Legion of Good Will Magazine.
About the author:
Stephanie Malabag is a student at Rutgers majoring in Public Health. She has been interning and volunteering with us for the past months looking to get experience in the non-profit field.
Her mission statement is: To be an inspiration and role model for others, with the mind of a leader, but with a character that values humility, integrity, and compassion in the goals that I set my mind to.