From 22 February to 4 March 2011, the GenderIT.org team took part in the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. The CSW is a global policy-making body of the United Nations dedicated to gender equality and the advancement of women. This year's session looked at science and technology from the perspective of women's access to education and employment. Some communication advocates felt disappointed that theme of science and technology was so narrowly defined, and argued that technology, such as internet or cellphones, enables women to exercise wider range of rights, including active political participation or sexual rights.


Read about what happened in New York, and engage in Feminist Talks on women's communication rights and what the UN Women, a new UN agency recently launched in New York, ought to look at in terms of employing media in the advancement of women's rights. To get the latest recommendations on technology from the experience of women and girls on the ground check out our 'Special CSW edition: Can technology transform women's reality?'. We also invite you to take a stand and sign the pledge - I don't forward violence! a new campaign launched by the APC to stop the spread of violence by committing not to forward abusive messages.


GenderIT.org CSW2011 Team: Dafne Plou, Flavia Fascendini, Jac sm Kee, Jan Moolman, Katerina Fialova and Sonia Randhawa


Image: Some rights reserved by SustainUS

Missing conversations

Jan Moolman
When Jan first heard that the theme of this year's CSW was going to focus on science and technology she was really excited. She shares her reflection why the framing of science and technology as a women's rights issue at this year's CSW did not really resonate with her in the end.

VAW in myriad forms: Combatting financial abuse and privacy violations

jac
Reporting from the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Jac sm Kee discovers some interesting initiatives that help young people combat intimate partner abuse, that look at physical abuse, financial abuse and violations of privacy, among others. She also reports back on discussions about the effectiveness of the CSW and CEDAW in furthering the movement for gender equality.

Take Back the Tech at the 55th Commission on the Status of Women

jac
Jac sm Kee reports back from the funkiest session at the 55th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women - the 'Take Back the Tech!: Reclaiming Technology for Women's Rights' panel debate.

On UN women, theme framing, buzz words and rockstars...

jac
Jac sm Kee reports on her second day at the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. She posts about the connectivity irony, her doubts about the framing of this year's theme, the opening session, Michelle Bachelet's - UN Women Executive Director - introductory speech, women's empowerment principles developed in consultation with the private sector and Abigail Disney's documentary series on women's role in war and peacebuilding.

Informal check in from 'the land of the free'

jac
Jac sm Kee arrives to a cold and expensive New York for the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. She reports on her first impressions.

Editor picks from conversations on women & technology @ #CSW 55, Day 4&5 - Feb 25/26

kaca
Katerina F. picks from the most interesting conversations on Twitter concerning women & rights & technology during the fourth and fifths day of the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), taking place in New York. You can follow our tweets on section J of the Beijing Platform for Action and women's communication rights under the hashtags: #csw #genderit (or #genderitES for Spanish).

Editor picks from conversations on women & technology @ #CSW 55, Day 4&5 - Feb 25/26

kaca
Katerina F. picks from the most interesting conversations on Twitter concerning women & rights & technology during the fourth and fifths day of the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), taking place in New York. You can follow our tweets on section J of the Beijing Platform for Action and women's communication rights under the hashtags: #csw #genderit (or #genderitES for Spanish).
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