Media Advisory
Global Meeting to Focus on Importance of Reproductive Health to Empowering Women
26 February 2010
UNITED NATIONS, New York — The close links between reproductive health, the empowerment of women, gender equality, and their contribution to poverty reduction will be highlighted by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to be held in New York from 1 to 12 March. The Commission will mark the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action and call for a speedier implementation of its Platform.
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will make urgent appeals on behalf of the United Nations system to Member States to promote women’s empowerment, rights and health. UNFPA and its partners will also organize a number of activities during the CSW session to underline the centrality of reproductive health and rights to the Beijing Platform for Action and its 15-year review. These events include:
Monday, 1 March
• Opening Day of CSW. UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid will deliver a statement on behalf of the United Nations system.
Where: United Nations, Conference Room 1
When: 3 – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, 2 March
• Newsweek recently warned that Europe will be a shrinking continent unless it embraces “immigrants fast”. What to do? A UNFPA panel will address aspects of how immigrants can be embraced to help their host nations. The panel will focus on female migrants.
Where: United Nations Conference Room E (new building)
When: 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Wednesday, 3 March
• Panel on how to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). The event will showcase success stories and lessons learned from FGM/C interventions in African countries and among immigrant communities in Europe.
Where: United Nations, Conference Room 6 (new building)
When: 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Thursday, 4 March
• Boys and Men: Partners for Gender Equality. The session is to increase awareness of effective partnerships, including between the women’s movement and men’s groups, to promote gender equality. Among the participants are:
o Beatrice Chelangat, Executive Director of REACH in Uganda, who works on the abandonment of FGM/C;
o Christine Ricardo: Promundo, Brazil, who works with young people in Rio de Janeiro, including its shanty towns;
o Michael Kaufman, co-founder of White Ribbon Campaign, a global effort organized by men across the globe to end violence against women.
Where: Danny Kaye Visitors’ Centre, 3 UN Plaza, 44th Street and First Avenue.
When: 1 – 4 p.m.
Media Interviews
Journalists interested in interviewing UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid or other participants, please contact:
Omar Gharzeddine
Tel: +1 212 297 5028
gharzeddine@unfpa.org
