isiswiccepanel csw58Isis-Women’s International Cross-Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE) contributed to the myriad of thought-provoking discourses on women’s states in conflict-ridden areas at the recently concluded 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) by spearheading an NGO parallel event called Supporting Urgent Human Rights Interventions in Conflict Settings: Women Defenders share their field experiences held last 19 March 2014.

CSW bannerA strategizing meeting for BPFA Section J was held on Thursday, March 13 at the Vienna Cafe in the UN Building during this year’s UNCSW 58. The meeting was attended by representatives of Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Isis International, Women and Media Collective, and Search for Common Ground.

This UNCSW is of major significance as it prepares for the +20 Review next year. In this historical review, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Post 2015 development agenda and the Millennium Development Goals, will be merged into one agenda in the attempt to craft a transformative plan that not only looks at empowerment and development but attempts to transform structural areas using the BPFA 12 Critical Areas of Concern as the pillars for transformation. How the women’s movement strategizes to participate in this Review will be important.

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In addressing pressing issues regarding climate change and disaster management, it is useful to have a feminist framework in addressing such issues. This is what Luz Martinez, former Chair of Isis International, emphasised as she participated in the panel entitled ‘Gender and Sustainable Development, Climate Justice, Disaster Risk Reduction and Response: Women from Asia and the Pacific on the front-lines’ last March 10.

The interesting discussions were spearheaded by a panel that included women from the Pacific and the Philippines. Climate change is affecting the Pacific and the Philippines in more severe ways. Bringing in island states together to talk about this issue draws a stronger link into the Asia Pacific region. The panel was convened by the Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) and Global Fund for Women in collaboration with representatives and delegates of various governments in the Asia and the Pacific such as the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Philippines, the Kingdom of Tonga, and Tuvalu.

carol sobritcheaIsis International board member Dr. Carol Sobritchea calls for a faster and even implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) especially when it comes to women and girls’ concerns and substantial participation in different processes of implementation.

This was the resonating theme of her talk given as part of the interactive expert panel during the March 12 official meeting at the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). A professorial lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Dr. Sobritchea was part of the Panel 2 meeting that discussed the CSW’s priority theme of accountability and participation of women and girls in the implementation of the (MDGs).

IsisWomenIsis women’s presence at the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) contributed to the great discussions since the opening of the CSW58 last 10 March 2014 at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, USA.

The first week alone, Isis women made presentations in collaboration with fellow feminists and human rights advocates working on pressing issues that affected women and girls globally. These discussions were held at the various parallel NGO events.

On March 10, two panels focusing on social media and young women advocates working on the UNSCR1325 were held as part of the ‘Linking the Networks – Enhancing Social Media Strategies to Advance UNSCR 1325 in Asia – A Grass Roots Initiative’ project spearheaded by the Australia-based Justice Equality Rights Access (JERA) International in partnership with Isis International and Asia Pacific Women’s Watch as regional partners. Panel 1 was entitled ‘Social Media and Engaging Young Women with UNSCR1325 in Asia’ and panel 2 was entitled ‘Raising Young Women’s Voices in the Localisation of UNSCR 1325.’

This film is a part of "Linking the Networks - Enhancing Social Media Strategies to Advance UNSCR 1325 in Asia - A Grass Roots Initiative", a partnership project between JERA International, Isis International and Asia Pacific Women's Watch.