Armenian Relief Society will take part in 56th session of the CSW
Armenian Relief Society will take part in 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women February 27-March 9 in New York. The annual conference attended by various non-governmental organizations will be on the topic of “Empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication”.
As the premier international platform for women’s issues and rights, Armenian Relief Society’s participation at CSW 56 pervades throughout several levels of activities and events. This year, ARS initiated its involvement by partnering with Women’s World Banking on a written statement regarding the priority theme that was submitted and approved by UN Women. The statement is part of the official record of the Commission and appears on the CSW 56 website (http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/56sess.htm).
Additionally, the ARS has sponsored and organized two parallel events and co-sponsored a third during the first week of the Commission. On Wednesday, February 29 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., again with Women’s World Banking, ARS has sponsored and organized a workshop on “Financing Powerful Women: Integrating Microfinancing and Women’s Health.” The workshop will take place at the Church Center Hardin Room, 11th Floor, 777 First Avenue at 44th Street. Discussion participants include Myrna Cunningham-Kain, this year’s recipient of the NGO Commission on the Status of Women NY’s Woman of Distinction Award; Inez Murray, Executive VP Program and Network Engagement of Women’s World Banking, and Judith Bruce, Senior Associate Policy analyst of Population Council. The workshop will be moderated by Stephanie Killian.
Immediately following at 4:30 p.m., the ARS has co-sponsored a workshop with The Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund, Soroptimist International, The American Association of University Women, Soka Gakkai International, Women Graduates-USA and The International Federation of University Women entitled, “Rural Women and Girls: Issues in Reproductive Health.” This workshop also takes place at the Church Center, however in the Boss Room, 8th Floor. Both events on Wednesday are open to the public.
On Friday, March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., the ARS has organized a high-level panel event with the Armenian Permanent Mission to the UN and His Excellency, Ambassador Garen Nazarian. Ambassador Nazarian, along with Mary Ellen Iskenderian, CEO of Women’s World Banking, and Meryl Frank, President and CEO of Makeda Global, International Leadership Development Consultant and former Ambassador/US Representative for UN CSW will discuss “From Empowerment to Sustainability: Financing, Health and Participation for Rural Women.” Stephanie Killian will represent the ARS and present the organization’s decades-long efforts in advancing rural women in Armenia and the Diaspora. The panel will take place on UN grounds in the North Lawn Building Conference Room B and will be moderated by Soon-Young Yoon, Chair of NGO CSW, also a co-sponsor. Because of this secure location, the event remains closed to the general public.
“NGO participation is critical to the success of the CSW. Along with the sponsored side events, ARS members will be attending meetings and plenary sessions dedicated to the priority theme of the Commission. Ultimately, ARS participation at CSW 56 will contribute to evaluating progress on gender equality, and identifying challenges, setting global standards and formulating concrete policies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide through the UN’s Economic and Social Council”, stated Mrs. Vicky Marashlian, Chairperson of the Armenian Relief Society, Inc., who will be heading the ARS, Inc. delegation to CSW 56.
Benefiting from a special opportunity and with consideration of the date of the UN’s 56-th Conference on the Status of Women (CSW 56), the Central Executive Board of the ARS Inc. (The ARS, Inc. International Office’ in USA) placed a special promotion on one of the huge screens on New York’s Times Square.The 30 second promo started running on February 18 and will continue until April 18, once every hour. The giant CBS screen showing the promo is located on Manhattan’s 42nd Street between 7-th and 8th Avenue.
Armenian Women’s rights center ( head Susanna Vardanyan) also will participate in 56th session in panel Panel on the priority theme for next year – CSW 57 (2013) – “Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls”.
Armenia’s permanent representative in UN Karen Nazaryan will also participate in the session.
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