The World YWCA will present a statement addressing the commissions theme of ‘Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women’ but will also express concern that the financing of women’s empowerment in the context of HIV and AIDS is not fully on the agenda of the 52nd Commission, despite the UNGASS commitments to gender equality.

Through out the CSW, the World YWCA will challenge member states to increase funding for HIV and AIDS particularly for programmes responding to women’s needs for accessible prevention, care and treatment; acknowledge women’s investment in their own movement by committing to match contributions by women for women; and increase funding to finance women responding to and affected by insecurity in fragile states.

“In fragile states, government budgets shift from social welfare to security. Women are left with the burden”, says World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda who will talk on the issue of ‘Financing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Conflict Situations’ on February 29 as part of the Third International Helvi Sipila Seminar.

Along with Gumbonzvanda, World YWCA staff attending includes Deputy General Secretary Natalie Fisher-Spalton and European Programme Director, Natallia Aleksandrovich. Noha El-Shariff, from YWCA of Canada will also participate in the CSW as part of an internship with World YWCA.

World YWCA President Susan Brennan will also be attending CSW along with World Board members Jessica Notwell (Canada) and Comfort Nwadi Ani (Nigeria).

The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. It is the principal global policy-making body. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

Related Stories

• Read full statement: World YWCA calls for increased resources for women’s rights, security and empowerment in the context of HIV and AIDS

• World YWCA events at CSW
• CSW official website
• NGOs at CSW