We also held six side events on 14 and 16 March during the 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), held in New York. Each event had around 60 participants, including MPs, government officials and civil society.
- Two were on violence against women in politics. Sexism, harassment and violence against women MPs, co-organized with the Permanent Mission of Canada, looked at ways to help women MPs carry out their work freely and securely. At the event on Violence against women in politics: Name it, investigate it, eliminate it, participants looked at the factors that influence violence against women MPs and how it fits into the larger picture of violence against women. Naming and shaming all acts that target women parliamentarians, countering them with a strong response on social media and online and passing legislation to stop such acts were among the key outcomes of both side events.
- Rising extremism, macro-economic policies, and the relevance of gendered analysis, co-organized with UNDP, the Permanent Mission of Denmark and the International Civil Society Network (ICAN), called for a change in macro-economic policies to address inequalities, promote fair, equitable and sustainable development for all and sustain peace and security.
- Equality in politics: another 50 years to reach 50-50?, co-organized with the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago and UN Women, called for policies and legislation and political will to overcome the stagnation in the number of women elected to public office. Discussions highlighted the importance of monitoring women’s participation at the level of local governance, an effort led by UN Women.
- Gender equality in nationality laws, co-organized with UNHCR, looked at reducing statelessness by giving women equal rights to confer nationality to their children. This gender-based discrimination in the law has to be addressed by parliaments and other stakeholders.
- Breaking the cycle of violence against girls and boys: The role of parliamentarians, co-organized with UNICEF and the Permanent Missions of Bulgaria and Panama. The participants flagged the importance of implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child and taking bold action to protect girls and boys from harm. This needs legislation, policies and political will.
Read about the launch of the Women in Politics: 2017 map and the Parliamentary Hearing. To get a feel of the events of the week, see the Storify piece below.
