The fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women

The fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 2 to 13 March 2009.

The Priority theme: considered was: “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS”

The session was attended by representatives of Member States, UN entities and of ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world. The Trade Union Group was represented by representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Public Services International (PSI) and Educational International (EI). The Caribbean Union of Teachers Status of Women Committee (CUTSOWC) was represented by Indra Ramsingh-Geoffroy. Ms. Judith Spencer -Jarrett, Chairperson of the CUTSOWC and Ms. Virginia Albert-Poyotte, EI Regional Coordinator was also in attendance.

The labor delegation met each morning at 8.00 a.m. for briefing at the United Nations Headquarters and then to debrief at 6.00 p.m. Members of the delegation also attended an orientation at the Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies on Sunday 1 March, 2009, 2 pm to 5pm which included the following:
Briefing and interactive discussions on the background to the Commission on the Status of Women and its 53rd Session – Gemma Adaba, ITUC
The CSW53 priority theme: The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS – Chidi King, PSI
The CSW53 emerging issue: The gender perspectives of the financial crisis. – linkages with upcoming ILC 2009 discussion on equality between men and women at the heart of decent work - Jane Hodges, Chief of ILO Gender Bureau
Trade union Workshop at CSW53 Rebeca Sevilla, EI
Trade union advocacy opportunities and activities at CSW53. – Focus on CSW53 Draft Agreed Conclusions on the Priority Theme - Sarah Belanger – PSAC, Canada

Members also participated in the various regional caucuses to lobby for trade union issues on the agreed conclusions which would be the final document of the session. This augured well especially in the Caribbean and Latin American Caucus.

Besides the general discussions, there were several parallel events as well as papers on emerging issues and workshops organized by various groups. These addressed among others the following issues:
Addressing violence against women through legal reform
Key policy initiatives on equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS
Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels
The gender perspectives of the financial crisis
Capacity-building for mainstreaming a gender perspective into national policies and programes to support the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS
Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels
The gender perspectives of the financial crisis
Gender perspectives on global public health: Implementing the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs

Statements on the priority theme were made by
H.E. Ambassador Sylvie Lucas President of the Economic and Social Council
Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
Ms. Carolyn Hannan, Director, Division for the Advancement of Women, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM
Most of the Trade Union delegation attended for the first week of the 53rd session.

The agreed conclusions could be found on the following website: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/53sess.htm or by linking on the attachments