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NEWS FROM 56TH MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

Published: Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The 56th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women opened at the United Nations in New York on 27th February 2012 and will continue until 9th March.

This annual event brings together up to 8,000 women from all four corners of the globe to discuss key issues affecting women. The main focus of the work is a series of panel discussions on the main and review themes. For 2012, the main theme is "The Empowerment of Rural Women and their Role in Poverty and Hunger Eradication, Development and Current Challenges".

Each year, CSW also looks at progress on a theme from the Beijing Platform for Action which has been dealt with previously. This year that theme is "Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women."

Mme Bachelet, the Head of UN Women made an impressive address (copy attached) at the opening session.

Ministers deliver an update of Gender Equality issues in their own country to the Commission. Certain groups of countries, such as the EU, G77, etc. also deliver a collective statement on behalf of their groups of countries. A copy of the EU Statement, which is traditionally delivered at the first session by the Minister from the country holding the Presidency of the EU, in this case Denmark, is attached

On 29th February 2012 the Minister will deliver the Irish Statement to the Commission Plenary Session.

During the course of CSW, there is also an extensive programme of parallel or side events which ar organised by the UN, its Agencies, by groups of countries, individual countries and by NGOs. Today, for example there were 27 "official" side events and 39 NGO side events so the choice is endless.

The Irish delegation to CSW is being led by Minister of State for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People Ms. Kathleen Lynch T.D.

Click here for more information of the meeting......

Click here to read Minister Lynch's EU speech......

Click here to read Michele Bachelet's introductory speech....