Tuesday, March 11, 2014

I spent my first day at CSW focusing in on sessions that addressed two issues. The first was the importance of including girls and adolescents in our efforts towards women's equality--not just as after thoughts but as key components, recognizing that they have their own needs and issues in this discussion. In many instances, the only voice they have been given are in the grammatical inclusion of "for women, and girls." But in reality, girls are the women of tomorrow and they face issues today that many in places of power and influence never encountered. In order to truly achieve gender equality, girls must be a crucial part of the equation.

The second focus of the sessions I attended was addressing prostitution and trafficking. By far my favorite session of the day was one on The Swedish Model with additional representatives from France and Norway. I was impressed by the clarity with which they addressed such a complex issue--one that ranks among today's greatest violations of human rights. There were several comments that stood out to me in particular. One was in regards to the misunderstanding and dangers that can come about when people confuse the concepts of consent and freedom. The other was a statement that human rights are not only individual rights but also sacrifices made for the greater good.

Tomorrow we get to engage with CSW from a whole new level--as presenters at our own panel!

2 comments:

  1. As I read this at 8:10 a.m., you WNC Fellows are surely on the 8th floor of the Church Center preparing to give your presentations about your research of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Know you are all nervous! Take a deep breath, smile, and share your passion for women's equality. We are PROUD of each of you!

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  2. Wow, I love the idea of the first event you went to. I'm such a huge fan of young ppl being the experts of their experiences. Good to see you, a young person, repping it for your crew at CSW haha

    I'd love to hear more about the idea of confusing consent and freedom. That sounds like it could've led to a fascinating discussion. How do you think that relates to the work you've been doing on adolescents and healthy relationships?

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