SESRIC participated in the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and its side events from 11-15 March 2024 in New York, USA. The main theme of the Session was “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”. The Session covered a wide range of crucial topics for the benefit of women and girls including access to finance, empowerment, alleviating poverty, social protection systems, artificial intelligence, good practices and success stories.

On the sidelines of the 68^th Session, H.E. SELÇUK participated as one of the panelists at the Side Event on “Empowering Families for Sustainable Development: Best Practices in Upholding Women’s and Girls’ Human Rights”. The event was co-organised by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Chair of the 8^th Ministerial Conference of the OIC on Women, the Chair of the Ministerial Council of the Women Development Organization, and the OIC General Secretariat on 11 March 2024.

During the opening session, moderated by H.E. Amb. Hameed A. OPELOYERU, OIC Permanent Observer to the UN, the message of the OIC Secretary General was delivered by Dr. Amina ALHAJIRI, Director General of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs at the OIC General Secretariat.

At the side event, H.E. SELÇUK delivered a presentation on “Empowering Women, Empowering Families: A Snapshot of OIC Member Countries.” In her opening remarks, she drew attention to the enduring suffering of the Palestinian people, highlighting 75 years of oppression under Israeli occupation, particularly affecting innocent women and children. She emphasized the urgent need for international forums to address the ongoing genocide in Gaza and protect human rights. H.E. SELÇUK also underscored the significant demographic presence of the OIC, with an estimated total population of around 2 billion in 2023, constituting 25.3% of the world’s total population. She noted that the OIC’s female population, surpassing 1 billion in 2023, contributes significantly to the socio-economic environment with their perspectives, talents, and strengths.

Additionally, she emphasized SESRIC’s continuous support to the OIC member countries’ development efforts, promoting social cohesion, and enhancing well-being by advancing women’s status and supporting families. SESRIC plays a pivotal role in producing crucial reports including the “OIC Women and Development Report” and “Marriage and Family Institution in OIC Member Countries”. SESRIC is also organising capacity building programmes. These include the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and the Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB).

H.E. SELÇUK urged member countries’ institutions to increase their participation in these initiatives. She stressed the importance of empowering women and prioritising issues related to family and marriage institutions. She highlighted the need to implement strategies such as the OIC Strategy for Empowerment of Marriage and Family Institution and improve access to social protection, education, healthcare, and work-life balance policies. H.E. SELÇUK called for greater cooperation to share best practices and address challenges, emphasizing the necessity of collaborative efforts across all levels.

The side event featured statements by H.E. Dr. Maya MORSY, President of the National Council for Women of the Arab Republic of Egypt; H.E. Mahinur Özdemir GÖKTAŞ, Minister of Family and Social Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye; H.E. Nandi SOUMIE Diallo, Minister of National Solidarity, Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, and Women and the Family of Burkina Faso; and H.E. Bunafsha FAYZIDDINZODA, the Chairperson of the Committee for Women and Family Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan; and H.E. Woro Srijastuti SULISTYANINGRUM, Deputy for Coordinating Quality Improvement of Children, Women, and Youth at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Their insights regarding their respective countries added valuable perspectives to the discussions.

Additionally, H.E. Sharon SLATER, President of Family Watch International, USA, and Ms. Susanne MIKHAIL, Regional Office Director for Arab States at UN Women, also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of empowering women and girls.

Furthermore, SESRIC participated in several other side events held during the session, focusing on topics such as women’s human rights, economic empowerment, women in the judiciary, care economy in an evolving world, social protection for women and girls, and the use of technology for inclusivity.

One of the significant side events attended by SESRIC was the side event titled “Breaking Chains: Women’s Quest for Life in Gaza” held on 11 March 2024. This high-level side event was organised by the League of Arab States, in partnership with the United Nations Women Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS), with the participation of prominent and powerful Arab and international figures, including female Ministers and heads of national institutions in charge of women’s affairs in various countries, high-level representatives of UN agencies, as well as experts and relevant civil society organisations.

During the event, distinguished panellists, including H.E. Dr. Amal HAMAD, Minister of Women’s Affairs of the State of Palestine, addressed the severe hardships faced by women in Gaza highlighting the dire and inhumane circumstances in which mothers struggle to provide food for their children amidst the acute shortages. The discussions also shed light on the challenges women face in obtaining basic necessities, including sanitary products, as well as the violence and abuse exhibited towards them. The panellists emphasised the critical, ongoing crisis that is affecting the well-being and survival of women and children in the region and called for immediate action to stop the genocide in Palestine.

The meeting stressed the necessity for international support for Palestinian women in line with international humanitarian and human rights laws underscoring human rights abuses, illegal activities, and crimes against women and girls in Gaza. Additionally, it emphasised the significance of showing solidarity with Palestinian women amidst the escalating violence and severe Israeli aggression in Palestine, particularly in Gaza. The side event also assessed the impact of the aggression on women and girls and discussed strategies for ensuring their safety and protection.

For more information, please visit: https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women

Photos