Young Feminists Release Statement for the 59th Session of CS

29th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

Young Feminists Release Statement for the 59th Session of CSW

Young Feminists from allover the world, who were present at the 59th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), released a collective statement last week, rounding off two weeks of intense discussions on women’s rights and gender equality.

These ‘new generation’ feminists converged at UN Headquarters and formed a Young Women’s Caucus, in order to reflect on the progress of young women globally in the last 20 years, and strategize on the way forward Post CSW.

The statement urges governments to practice accountability at all levels of decision-making and governance processes in order to achieve gender equality and the full realization of women’s rights. The young feminists’ statement also acknowledged the various forms of entrenched social, cultural, structural and religious patriarchy, which is particularly prevalent in the Pacific.

As such, the Pacific Young Women’s Caucus played a significant role in facilitating discussions and drafting the outcomes document, with Haus of Khameleon’s Miki Wali and Pacific Youth Council’s (PYC) Tahere Siisiialafia, heading the drafting and governance strategies team.

Says Genevieve Sukhdeo, Pacific Young Woman CSO Representative and Communications Officer for the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement:

“It is imperative that we have young women engaged in key discussions within the decision-making process and create those spaces critical to young women’s development. This is pivotal in sustaining the region’s burgeoning young feminist movement.

Patriarchal leadership is systemic in our region and has caused a sense of disconnect with young people, particularly young women. Governments and society alike need to recognize young women in all our diversities in order for us to effect the desired change, and all policies formulated with a feminist and human rights based framework in mind.”

Sharon-Bhagwan Rolls, Executive Director FemLINKPACIFIC also emphasized the significance of intergenerational-styled leadership with the following sentiments:

"The inter-generational wo'mentoring and learning through the course of the Pacific women's movement particularly since the Decade of Women to the Beijing Conference in 1995 was catalytic for someone like me. CSW 59 signifies how we have progressed as the women's movement and feminist organisations which is giving rise not only to a commitment to sustain young women's participation in our own programmes at local and national level, within our organisations and also nurturing youngwomen led initiatives. An important strategy for progressing gender equality is to ensure ongoing inter-generational processes."

The Young Feminists’ Statement can be accessed through the International Women’s Health Coalition’s website on the following link:
http://iwhc.org/resource/young-feminists-statement-for-the-59th-commission-on-the-status-of-women/

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