11 & 12 April 2018Agendum 9
CORFF LLYWODRAETHOL YR EGLWYS YNG NGHYMRU
THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CHURCH IN WALES
The United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) is an annual event held by the United Nations in New York with a different priority theme each year. This year the theme was Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls. Each year, twenty delegates are sent from the Anglican Communion. I was lucky enough to be selected this year to represent the Church in Wales. I spent two weeks in New York attending the Commission and I have learnt so much to bring back to use in the Church in Wales in order to help us to empower rural women.
This year there were delegates from Australia, South Sudan, DRC, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Botswana, The Indian Ocean, Tanzania, Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, USA and Mexico. Unfortunately, our sister from South Africa was unable to join us. We worked together as a team to create a statement to the Anglican Consultative Council reflecting on our time at UNCSW62.
The key issues that came out of UNCSW62 were indigenous rights, access to healthcare and education, harmful practices (such as FGM and early child forced marriage), LBTQI2+ rights and intersectionality and human trafficking and modern slavery. These were major themes that were discussed in many parallel and side events. Parallel events were run by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and side events were hosted by various countries’ representatives.
There were events hosted by a variety of NGOs including World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the Anglican Communion Office to the United Nations. There were side events by countries all around the world and many interesting standpoints and opinions on various key issues for rural women and girls.
Whilst these parallel and side events were ongoing, there was activity within the UN itself. A Draft Document was released before the Commission began and during the commission it was negotiated and battled over until every nation was happy with the wording and format of the document. After this Agreed Conclusions were negotiated and they were agreed on by all countries and adopted. I was lucky enough to be in Conference Room 4 (where negotiations happen) when this was announced and throughout the closing session.
The UK Mission to the UN held nightly briefings in their office during the first week and ad hoc ones throughout the second. I attended one of these (as it was the only time I was free) and it really gave an insight to the UK standpoint and they really did listen and take on board our ideas and wishes.
I was also very fortunate in being invited to the Canadian Mission to the UN for a meeting with one of their representatives along with the Canadian delegate wherein I was able to have a conversation with him regarding matters in Wales and he said he would pass my concerns over to the UK representatives which he did.
The time I spent with fellow brothers and sisters from across the Anglican communion and the ecumenical communion strengthened my faith and my determination to work harder for universal gender equality.
Laura Williams
March 2018