February 28 - March 3, 2011 | United Nations Headquarters

The fifty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from Tuesday, 22 February to Friday, 4 March, and on Monday, 14 March 2011.

This yearly international conference brings together government officials, UN officials, policymakers, civil society among many other diverse groups. The central theme of focus for this year's CSW was 'Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work".

The 2011 central theme was especially important for PGA as it directly related to our initiative on women's empowerment and women's engagement in the professional and government sector as policymakers. This year's CSW also welcomed the establishment of the new United Nations gender agency, UN-Women, which will play an important role in working and supporting inter-governmental entities and forging partnerships with civil society.

PGA took part in this year's 55th CSW by having a delegation of legislators attend both the general discussions at the United Nations and the numerous side events hosted by partner NGOs from February 28-March 3, 2011. PGA's delegation included Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP (Sweden), Mrs. Ozlem Turkone, MP (Turkey), Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (Nigeria) and Dr. Donya Aziz, MP (Pakistan).

As part of the general discussion, PGA's delegation had an opportunity to attend specific panel discussions on Panel 4: Emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men - Gender equality and sustainable development and Panel 5: Elimination of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and the empowerment of women.

PGA Secretary General hosted a dinner to bring together PGA delegates, NGOs, Permanent Mission Staff and UN Officials. The dinner served to bring together both individuals attending the CSW and the 2nd PrepCom on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and resulted in discussions that looked at the cross-cutting themes between both areas and potential topics that can be addressed, especially in terms of PGA's upcoming 33rd Annual Forum on Armed Violence and Development.

Among other side events attended by PGA members included, Control the Arms Trade: Improve Human and Environmental Health organized by IPPNW, The Impact of Systematic Crisis on Women, Responses to Date and Feminist Alternatives, sponsored by the Association for Women's Rights in Development, Armed Violence and Development, co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the UN, IANSA, ForUM and Amnesty International, among several other side events.

Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP was invited to give the opening remarks in an Oxfam International film competition event called "Shooting Poverty". Ms. Cederfelt's speech spoke to the need that "By spreading democracy, strengthen and improve human rights and awareness, particularly among women and children the opportunity to educate themselves, increasing the chances of achieving peaceful solutions to military conflicts". The event was organized as part of the ATT events taking place during the week highlighting the real cost of arms trade and its impact on communities at large. For more information on this event please see, www.shootingpoverty.org.

As part of the CSW events, PGA's Delegation was invited to attend a reception at the United Nations Headquarters hosted by H.E. Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati, Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations, on the Occasion of the Official Launch of UN Women. At the reception, Mrs. Ozlem Turkone, MP (Turkey) and Dr. Donya Aziz, MP (Pakistan) took the opportunity to meet with H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

For more information on PGA's work in this area of Women's Empowerment, please contact Paras Vyas, Program Officer at paras@pgaction.org