40 Plus Soroptimists from around the world at the UN- New York!

Global NGO Forum for Women: Beijing + 15 – Pre Conference to Commission on the Status of Women- NYC Feb. 27 and 28 2010
Dawn Marie Lemonds, International Programme Director Soroptimist International
40 plus Soroptimist members ( we hope) have converged into New York City during a fierce snow storm and we know that some of our delegations were on the over 1000 flights that were cancelled. In spite of that- 1200 plus women showed up to the forum with anticipation and energy from every corner of the globe for this 2 day celebration Forum held prior to the 54th Annual Commission on the Status of Women Conference at the United Nations.
I was one of those lucky 50,000 attendees at the NGO Forum in China in 1995- where I was firmly planted in a perpetual yearning to participate in global forums where issues for women of the planet robustly emerge. The frigid morning was warmed by endless hugs, hellos, bright costumes from many countries, and the rousing sound of the Salvation Army Brownsville Corps Steel Orchestra. Vivian Pender- the chair of CSW- NGO welcomed us and established a few principles that will be the banner of advocacy this week at the Government sessions- Accountability and Enforcement- urging us to hold our governments accountable to implement the Beijing Platform for Action in all of the countries that they agreed to in 1995 (this reminded me to open my well worn copy and review it once again!)
The morning progressed with activities so reminiscent of other UN Events I have attended since- starting with a lovely cultural presentation from Southern Philippines – of indigenous dance, music and song- part of which we joined. The stage was set illustrating the life of women and even presented a dance called the “towel dance” where women, not allowed to show their emotions in their culture- instead- slapped and flipped towels as their expression of their feelings. This was sweetly presented as a possible peaceful strategy to replace war!
I will share a few more stories of today’s session in a further article- but already have more quotes and sound bites that haunt me than time to write! At this opening session we were thrilled to hear from Dr. Sima Samar- chair of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission who told us stories of the real life of Afghan women today.
We heard from a marvelous panel who addressed the history of Advancing Women’s Rights via Women’s Conferences 1975-2010- What the World Conferences on Women have accomplished- which included luminaries in the NGO community including Patricia Licuanan- from the Philippines, Charlotte Bunch from many arenas including Rutgers University-USA, and Gertrude ( Mama) Mongella president of the Pan African Parliament ( Tanzania) who told us all that we looked like we were Beijing MINUS 15 years- not PLUS! ( this encouraged us to revive our energy for the work ahead for women.)
Some of my favorite thoughts I leave you with are:
“ When women are in positions of power they must not forget that they are women and abandon women’s issues….We have to be united. We have to break the boundaries that oppress us. Our failures are shared by all of us. We have to continue to work. Our job is not done. We have to make a better place for our daughters and granddaughters.” Sima Samar
“ Women are not invitees on this planet we belong on this planet. We are not asking for our rights as a favor- they are our human rights!” Gertrude Mongella
“The women’s conferences over the past 50 years both locally and sponsored by the UN have been places where the debate opened a space for the transformation of the women’s movement…. Our challenge is to carry on the history- the gathering of women to work on all kinds of intergovernmental issues and to pressure the governments and the UN for Accountability and Implementation!” Charlotte Bunch