The 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) takes place at United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York on March 14–24, 2016. The annual conference engages government representatives, UN entities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in addressing progress toward achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, discussing challenges and opportunities, and creating global standards and policies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.
At CSW, MenCare is presenting at one official side event and various NGO parallel events. The side event, “Sharing the Care,” highlights strategies and policies – including paid, non-transferable parental leave – that encourage men’s equal participation in childcare and domestic work. The parallel events focus on: advancing gender justice with women’s rights organizations and organizations that work with men and boys; using gender-synchronized approaches to prevent violence and improve health; sharing reflections and lessons learned from MenCare+; and addressing violence against women.
Check out the events below, and join the conversation on Twitter by following @MenCareGlobal and #CSW60.
Monday, March 14
What: Sharing the Care: How to Recognize, Reduce and Redistribute
When: 1:15pm – 2:30pm EDT
Where: United Nations Headquarters, Room CR11 (405 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017)
Presented by the Permanent Mission of Iceland, the Government Offices of Sweden, UN Women, MenEngage, and MenCare.
Recognizing and valuing unpaid care work has been broadly recognized as a strategy to advance gender equality as well as economic development. Although this aim has been outlined in declarations and global goals, solutions have fallen short. “Sharing the Care” will debate what data, policies, and programs can truly revolutionize and advance the unpaid care agenda.
Speakers:
- Shahra Razavi, Chief, Research and Data Section, UN Women (moderator)
- Diane Elson, Emeritus Professor, University of Essex and Chair of the UK Women’s Budget Group
- Eygló Harðardóttir, Minister for Social Affairs and Housing, Iceland
- Åsa Regners, Minister for Gender Equality, Sweden
- Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations
- Gary Barker, International Director, Equimundo, MenCare’s Co-coordinator
- Corina Rodriguez, Executive Committee Member, Development Alternatives for Women in a New Era (DAWN)
Click here for more information.
Friday, March 18
What: It Takes Two to Tango: Roundtable About How to Work Together on a Joint Agenda for Gender Justice with Women’s Organizations and Engaging Men and Boys Field
When: 4:30pm – 6:00pm EDT
Where: Salvation Army, Downstairs (221 E. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022)
Presented by the MenEngage Alliance and partners.
There is increasing support from women’s rights and gender equality organizations for engaging men and boys in gender justice, and the importance of working with men and boys to transform harmful notions of masculinity is receiving increasing recognition from the international community. This roundtable dialogue invites an open discussion on these trends and their impacts on women, women’s organizations, and shared goals to achieve gender justice for all. In “It Takes Two to Tango,” panelists will share their experiences of working with women and men using gender-transformative approaches.
Speakers:
- Joni van de Sand (moderator), Global Coordinator, MenEngage Alliance
- Joy Onyesoh, President Nigeria Section, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
- Phoebe Shreiner, U.S. Country Director, Breakthrough
- Cliff Leek, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Sociology, Stony Brook University
- Anthony Keedi, Program Manager: Masculinities and Engaging Men in Gender Equality, ABAAD
- Kerryn Rehse, Programme Manger, Mosaic
- Andre Lewaks, National MenCare Coordinator, Sonke Gender Justice
Click here for more information.
Monday, March 21
What: Empowering Women and Men to Prevent Violence and Promote Health Together: New Developments in Gender-Synchronized Approaches
When: 10:30am – 12:00pm EDT
Where: Church Center of the United Nations, 10th Floor (777 United Nations Plaza, #8g, New York, NY 10017)
Presented by EngenderHealth and Greeneworks.
Gender norms influence our health and well-being in fundamental ways, whether by perpetuating violence against women, by leading individuals to take risks, or by limiting access to and use of reproductive health services. To eliminate violence against women and girls and improve everyone’s health, programs must tackle inequitable beliefs and power disparities. This event will discuss current practices and the latest research on a new generation of “gender-synchronized” programs that are engaging young and adult men and women to challenge gender norms and catalyze the achievement of gender equality and improved sexual and reproductive health.
Speakers:
- Margaret Greene, PhD, GreeneWorks
- Ruti Levtov, PhD, Senior Research & Program Officer, Co-Coordinator of the MenCare Campaign, Equimundo
- Fabio Verani, MPH, Senior Technical Advisor on Gender, EngenderHealth
- Jenifer DeAtley, Director of U.S. Programs & Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Advisor, EngenderHealth
Click here for more information.
Monday, March 21
What: Expert Session on Gender-Transformative Approaches (GTA): Link and Learn from Reflections and Lessons Learned from MenCare+
When: 4:30pm – 5:50pm EDT
Where: Salvation Army, Downstairs (221 E. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022)
Presented by Rutgers and MenCare+ partners.
In an interactive discussion with experts, program managers, and advocates, this session will explore how gender-transformative approaches can contribute to sustainable development and women’s equality. Research shows that well-designed gender-transformative programs with men and boys that challenge underlying destructive gender norms have proven effective in reducing gender-based violence (GBV) and promoting equality. These programs often seek to reshape gender relations to be more equitable, in order to “free both women and men from the impact of destructive gender and sexual norms.”
Speakers:
- Giovanna Lauro, Deputy Director of International Programs, Equimundo
- Siska Dewi Noya, SGBV Specialist/Program Manager MenCare+, Indonesia Office Rutgers WPF
- Kerryn Rehse, Programme Manager, MenCare+, MOSAIC Training, Service & Healing Centre for Women South Africa
- Leyla Sharafi, Gender and Youth Specialist at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Click here for more information.
Tuesday, March 22
What: From the Istanbul Convention to Implementation: Addressing Violence Against Women with Different Approaches and at Different Levels
When: 8:30am – 10:00am EDT
Where: Church Center of the United Nations, 10th Floor (777 United Nations Plaza, #8g, New York, NY 10017)
Presented by the International Network of Liberal Women, Rutgers, Liberal International, and UN Watch.
This parallel event will address the Istanbul Convention, which aims to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. The panelists will discuss various approaches for combatting gender-based violence (GBV) in different settings, including strategies that engage men and boys.
Speakers:
- Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk, President International Network of Liberal Women (Chair)
- Juliana Nikolova, President of the Women Forum of the Liberal Party of Macedonia
- Patricia Olamendi Torres, Vice President of INLW; International Consultant for UN Women
- Jeroen Lorist, Technical Advisor Engaging Boys and Men in SRHR and Gender Based Violence at Rutgers
Click here for more information.