NGO NEWS
BY TERESA KOTTURAN SCN
MARCH 2016
at
at the
the United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women March 14
Women’s Empowerment and its Link to Sustainable Development
C
ommitment to the advancement of women at
the United Nations began with the signing of the
United Nations Charter in 1945. The Preamble declared
faith “in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men
and women and of nations large and small…”
In June 1946 the Commission on the Status of
Women was established with a mandate to prepare
recommendations on promoting women’s rights in
political, economic, civil, social and educational fields.
The Commission met for the first time in 1947 at Lake
Success, New York. From mid-1960s, the Commission
began to address women’s role in economic and social
development.
The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional
commission of the United Nations Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC). It is a global policy-making body
dedicated exclusively to promoting gender equality and
the empowerment of women. It is also responsible for
monitoring, reviewing and appraising progress achieved
and problems encountered in the implementation of
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995.
Each year, the Commission provides an opportunity
to review progress made on gender equality and the
empowerment of women, identity challenges, set
global standards and norms and formulate policies to
promote gender equality and women’s empowerment
across the globe.
During the Commission meet, the Member States will
negotiate for agreed conclusions on the priority theme
and make action oriented recommendations for all
States and other relevant bodies for implementation.
It will also adopt a small number of resolutions on
different topics.
Various stakeholders – member states, NGOs and other
UN entities will be holding side events to draw attention
to critical aspects of the work on gender equality.
This hyperlink will lead one directly to the themeWomen and Sustainable Development Goals.
Clicking on each Goal will highlight how women are
affected by each of the 17 goals, as well as how women
and girls can and will be key to achieving them.
On March 8, 2016, you are invited to join the UN
Observance of International Women’s Day 2016 on
the theme: Planet 50-50 By 2030: Step it up for Gender
Equality in the Trusteeship Council Room, from 10:00
am to 12:45 pm. You can watch it live by clicking here.
Sisters of Charity Federation at the United Nations 1
The 54th Session of the Commission on
Social Development
Vincentian Family Participation: Seated from left: Margaret O’Dwyer, DC; Teresa Kotturan, SCN; Nirmala Mulackal,
SCN; Natalie Boone, LCUSA; and Faith Colligan, DC. Standing: Catherine Prendergast, DC; Carol De Angelo,
SCNY; Katie Hamm, SCH; Marion Sheridan, CSM; Regina Murphy, SCNY; and Mary Donagher, SC.
T
he Commission began on February 3 and
concluded on February 12, 2016 with the theme
“Rethinking and Strengthening Social Development in
the Contemporary World.” The NGO Community had
gathered at the Civil Society Forum on February 1 and 2
and called on the Commission to “close the gap between
our determination to ensure a life of dignity for all on
the one hand, and the reality of persisting poverty and
deepening inequality, on the other.” It also reminded the
governments the tools they have to address inequality:
the commitment to leave one one behind and to reach
the furthest behind first; long term planning and
goal setting; education, with special attention to the
education of girls; gender equality in decision making
and leadership; social protection floors; participatory
economics and financial transaction taxes to create an
inclusive society.
“Poverty continues to be the greatest global challenge of our
time,” said the Commission Chair Ion Jinga in his concluding
remarks. Too many people lack access to employment,
education, gender equality and climate mitigation services,
he continued. The session has called for ‘integrated economic
and social policies and the engagement of a broad range of
stakeholders to give life to a shared vision.’
Sisters of Charity Federation at the United Nations 2
In his address, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stated,
“economies must be put at the service of people, through
integrated social policies… there are too many people
who continue to face exclusion and are unable to realize
their full potential.” The Commission’s work is crucial
to the implementation of Agenda 2030, to ensure no
one is left behind.”
The Commission approved a draft on “Social dimensions
of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development”
to remove unacceptable levels of poverty, inequality
and social exclusion in most African Countries. The
approved draft resolution on the priority theme, stated
that each country ‘bore the primary responsibility for
its own economic and social development and that
“significant” additional domestic public resources,
supplemented by international assistance would be
crucial for that regard.
The Commission also approved the priority theme:
“Strategies for the eradication of poverty to achieve
sustainable development for all” for the 2017-2018
review and policy cycle. This is an issue close to the
heart of all Federation membership. Our commitment
to implement systemic change in all our ministries can
and will help to lift people out of poverty.
Internships &
Orientations at the UN:
Maria Tardieu - a Student Intern from the
College of Mount Saint Vincent
Nirmala Mulackal, SCN – Commission on Social
Development
Deena Vazhaparambil, SCN – February 24 –
March 23
Gertie Jock SCH and Bernice Vetter, SCH –
April 6-8, 2016 for UN Orientation
Pictured here: Maria Tadieu, student intern
from the College of Mount Saint Vincent
A new perspective: The 54th Session of the
Commission on Social Development
H
aving an experience
at the UN was a
long cherished dream for
me. It became a reality
when I was offered the
opportunity to attend the
Commission on Social
Development
from
February 1 to 12.
Right
from
the
Civil Society Forum,
organized by the NGO
Committee on Social
Written by:
Development preceding
Nirmala Mulackal, SCN
the Commission, my
time at the UN was a
great learning experience. The various sessions in
the main hall and the side events brought home the
depth and the urgency of issues that are part of social
development – extreme poverty, social and economic
exclusion and growing inequalities, human rights and
the commitment needed to implement the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development. I was impressed with
the achievements and challenges of the member states
faced to implement the MDGs and their commitment
to eradicate poverty in all its forms. The side events
highlighted the immense contributions from the NGOs
at the grassroots to lift people out of poverty and reduce
inequality. Other sessions, like the high level event on
Human Trafficking, International Day of Women and
Girls in Science, and the opportunity to interact with
people from different parts of the world were some of
the other highlights of my experience. The common
cry I heard throughout the meetings was the call to
involve the people from the grass roots level – to have
greater representation for them at the Commission to
make their voices heard. Emphasis given to involve
youth people at all levels was commendable - they
are the key players in advancing the 2030 agenda for
Sustainable Development.
The High Level event on trafficking brought home
the enormity of human trafficking globally and the
importance of networking and collaboration to this
modern day slavery was another great learning for
me and I go home back to India with a deep desire
to strengthen the SCN commitment and mission to
eradicate/eliminate human trafficking.
I was amazed by the number of Religious working as
NGO Representatives at the UN and the impact their
advocacy in the name of the people at the grassroots
has made in the policies and decisions taken at the UN.
I strongly feel standing together we will ensure “no one
will be left behind”.
I go back with a deep conviction that each of us can be
an advocate, an ambassador and a catalyst of change
and can do our share to implement the Sustainable
Development Goals at our local and national levels through our schools, health centers and social action
ministries.
I hope to keep myself abreast with the Social
Development issues through UN webcasts and share
information with various SCN ministry groups and
connect with NGOs and government groups wherever
possible.
Sisters of Charity Federation at the United Nations 3
Written by:
Faith Colligan, DC
Advocating Nationally for our Brothers
and Sisters Around the Globe
Linking the National with the International
T
he President of the United States released his
FY’17 Federal Budget Proposal which includes
funding for programs that affect our sisters and brothers
living in developing countries. In their statement,
Economic Justice for All (1996), the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops called for A Catholic
Framework for Economic Life:
The economy exists for the person, not the person
for the economy.
All economic life should be shaped by moral
principles. Economic choices and institutions
must be judged by how they protect or undermine
the life and dignity of the human person, support
the family and serve the common good.
A fundamental moral measure of any economy is
how the poor and vulnerable are faring.
In January, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in
Washington, DC reiterated this moral imperative as
it prepared those gathered for visits to Members of
Congress. We were/are encouraged to “Make Poor
Persons a Federal Budget Priority;” in so doing, we
influence the United States monetary contribution
to assist in reducing international poverty through
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development and humanitarian programs. These
programs (target very specific areas but generalized
here) fund health, nutrition, disaster assistance,
migration and refugee aid, the Millennium Challenge
Account, peacekeeping operations, and the Green
Climate Fund. To keep our advocacy simple, and yet
on point, we are asking that, “the budget for povertyreducing international develop and humanitarian
programs that save lives and reduce crushing poverty
be strengthened.” Some funding is included in :
Foreign Assistance. Foreign Assistance Funding
has traditionally been just under 1% of the total US
Federal Budget. (More information: www.usccb.org/
globalpoverty/ and www.foreignassistanc.gov)
Two very effective international nutrition assistance
programs funded under different budget lines include
the McGovern-Dole Bill which provides school lunches
and take home food rations and Food for Peace (Title
II) which is a source for meeting emergency food
assistance needs.
Opportunities to advocate for these international
budget areas are often provided by: Bread for the World,
Coalition on Human Needs, Network, and other, via
email ready opportunities.
Help Alleviate WORLD HUNGER by donating food
internationally: www.freerice.com
World Humanitarian
Summit in Istanbul
One Humanity: Shared Responsibility
T
he World Humanitarian Summit will be held
in Istanbul May 23 -24, 2016 on the theme “One
Humanity: Shared Responsibility.”
It is to strengthen the coordination of humanitarian and
disaster relief assistance of the United Nation, including
special economic assistance, especially emergency
humanitarian assistance.
The Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, in his report has
put forward an ‘Agenda for Humanity’ and calls upon
the Community of “we the peoples” – governments, local
communities, private sector, international organizations
and aid providers, and the thousands of committed
and compassionate individuals to make the Summit a
turning point in the way we address the challenges facing
our common humanity. It is hoped the summit will
lead to genuine change in the way we deliver assistance
– to prevent and alleviate human suffering, to protect
life and health and to ensure respect for the human
person, to uphold the human rights of the people. The
Secretary General calls upon all Members States and
other organizations and stakeholders to accept the five
core responsibilities he has outlined in the Agenda for
Humanity (seen to Right). We are confronting some of
the greatest challenges of our time:
Ban Ki-Moon’s Agenda for Humanity:
1. Political leadership to prevent and end
conflicts
2. Uphold the norms that safeguard humanity
3. Leave no one behind
4. Change people’s lives
5. Invest in Humanity
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125 million people need humanitarian assistance
60 million people are forced from their homes
37 countries are affected
$20 Billion needed
- UPCOMING -
EVENTS & NEWS
International Women’s Day: March 8
Commission on the Status of Women – CSW 60: March 14 – 24
March 21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
at
at the
the United Nations
March 22: World Water Day
ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up: April 18 – 22
Signing of COP 21 Agreement at the UN, New York: April 22
World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul: May 23 -24
DPI/NGO Conference 2016 in Gyeongju, S. Korea: May 30 – June 1
Sisters of Charity Federation NGO Liaisons: June 14 – 16
High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development - HLPF: July 11 - 20
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