Two-week U.N. meeting on gender equality kicks off Monday

Ahead of the two-week U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which kicks off Monday in New York, Inter Press Service features a Q&A with Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), who highlights some of the goals of the meeting. As part of CSW, world leaders are expected to discuss gender equality in the context of the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, the 1994 Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

During the "CSW session, I urge delegates to determine how they can support localised approaches that facilitate ownership of human rights and gender equality by those who are seen as the gatekeepers of social structures, systems and institutions and also by new community facilitators of change," Obaid said. "New alliances need to be built with a common understanding that part of the process of change is contesting existing practices and reaching for common understanding of the relevant human rights principles." Obaid also called for countries to increase their investment in gender equality during the interview, according to IPS (Deen, 2/28).

A State Department press release announces the U.S. delegation who will be in attendance at CSW, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (2/27).

Times of India reports on India's presence at CSW. "Criticised at international forums for the lack of action in combating violence against women and prevention of trafficking, India hopes to use this opportunity to address concerns regarding low health, education and nutritional indicators of women," the news service writes. According to Krishna Tirath, women and child development minister, leaders will present information at the meeting about the national plans in place attempting to promote health in women and girls (3/1).