First Day of CSW 62

(While this was written on March 12, it was published on March 13)

As I write this blog post, I am ending my first day at the Commission on the Status of Women. For years I have dreamt of the opportunity to come to the United Nations, to catch a glimpse of the General Assembly Hall, and to cross paths with global changemakers. Today, I was not only able to check off each of these goals, but to exceed them, as I was able to learn directly from these global changemakers, listen to multinational, multicultural, and multisectoral responses to global health challenges, and realize that I truly am meant to pursue a career in the global health policy sphere.

While this week has only just begun, the events that I attended today left an indelible impression on me as a health policy wonk as a gender equity advocate. One event that left such an impression was "The Voice of Rural Women for a Sustainable and Healthy Future." The opening remarks were given by Italy's Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Teresa Bellanova, and the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Madam Inonge Mutukwa Wina, setting the stage for a conversation about the vital importance of rural women in the agricultural sector and rural women's and girl's nutrition. We then heard from four rural female Italian farmers about the innovative strategies they use to operate their farms and the work they are doing to invest in the lives of the people that their farms touch. This event was important to contextualize the role of women in the agricultural sector and beyond that, their role in feeding and providing adequate nutrition to countries around the world. Not only are the majority of farmworkers in rural areas female, and women and girls are the most affected by malnutrition, but when women have more control over the household's financial resources, both themselves and their families are better nourished. Therefore, nations need to encourage their female farmers through better subsidies, increased access to land ownership, and allow them to participate in the political process on decisions related to agriculture.

As this week continues, I look forward to learning more about the role of women in fulfilling healthy lives, and the ways in which we can improve the health of rural women and girls through innovative and collaborative strategies.