News From a NEW Soroptimist Rep in Geneva!

Can you imagine a UN headquarter, situated in green surroundings with sheep peacefully grazing in a park, trees in Indian summer colours - and the highest snowcapped European mountains greeting from far behind the lake? This is UN in Geneva, where I attended my first session as SI trainee representative. However not much time to dwell on watching the scenery - for two days we followed the session of ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) member states about the 15 year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of the ECE. In the huge UN Parliament the official representatives sit alphabetically ordered, e.g. Russia sits next San Marino. However the Russian Representative was mostly absent….

Wilfrida Hendrickx, Elizabeth Williamson and I were very proud that SI President Hanne Jensbo has flown in from Denmark to follow this important session. We were sitting at the back rows together with lots of other NGOs.

Since the 4th World Conference in Beijing 1995, the progress of the Advancement of Women has been reviewed every 5 years. At this Regional meeting the 15-year main review next year in New York from 1 till 12 March 2010 was prepared. First I was quite puzzled to learn that the ECE region not only encompasses European countries but also US, Canada, and the countries of the former Soviet union.

“Although we have reviewed progress in achieving the goals set at five yearly intervals, there remain obstacles and new challenges”, said Carolyn Hannan, director of UN Division for the Advancement of Women.
“Unite to end violence against women” was an important campaign launched at the Commission on the Status of Women 2008, that has significantly strengthened the focus on this scourge. Today 186 countries have ratified the Convention on the elimination if All Forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW). – However “horrific forms of violence against women in situations of armed conflict continue”, said Hannan.
In the discussion on Gender-sensitive economic policies in the context of the economic and financial crisis it was argued that the fight against violence against women should include measures tackling trafficking and prostitution, phenomena which are also directly linked to economic hardship.
However “one size does not fit all” was mentioned in view of the 15 year review: Women tend to be dealt as a monolithic mass with essentially similar needs and demands with just passing mention of minority women.
At this conference the challenges most frequently mentioned by member states and NGOs included:
- the gap between legislation and implementation
- the gender Pay gap
- the situation of migrant women who suffer multiple forms of discrimination
- the role of men in advancing gender equality, including through better sharing of family responsibilities

“Enjoy equity and equality” is on the high priority list in the SI Programme Focus Goals and so is “ End human trafficking and all forms of violence against women” in our Programme Focus Objectives. So the outcome of the Beijing +15 conference in New York next March will be of high interest for Soroptimist International

Sina Stiffler, Switzerland