Women leaders. Strategic partnership. Collaboration.
Svitlana Salamatova, Author and Head of the project “Ukrainian women in support of the UN”, Head of the Independent Extended Delegation of Ukrainian Women to the UN
The annual session of the United Nations Commission of Status of Women (CSW65–2021) ended on March 26 in New York, at the UN Headquarters. Due to COVID-19, the session was held online. The Session was attended by 25,000 women and men from all over the world, who had the opportunity to attend 700+ events held as part of CSW65.
The fourth independent extended delegation of Ukrainian women of the project ”Ukrainian Women in support of the UN” of NGO ICA Ukraine, affiliated member of the international community The Institute of Cultural Affairs International, which has a special consultative status ECOSOC in the UN took part in CSW65.
The delegation included 19 women leaders from Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, representatives of state and local government, business and civil society. The delegation was formed on the basis of voluntariness, independence of the participants’ own opinion, participatory management and cooperation.
The expert profile of the delegation is 5 PhD in Economics (Nataliia Kutsmus, Oksana Byalkovska, Olena Jadallah, Olena Polishchuk, Valentina Uninets-Khodakivska); PhDs from: Psychological Sciences (Daria Shaposhnyk-Dominska), Legal Sciences
(Nataliya Tselovalnichenko), Sciences in Public Administration (Svitlana Bovdui) and medicine (Polina Gnedko); Master beauty industry of Ukraine (Natalia Kaplun); Director of documentary films and TV shows (Karyna Tetora); Experienced military (Olena Pugach); Partners of leading Ukrainian business groups (Antonina Kutova, Valentyna Vasylevska, Nadia Lysetska); Ambassador of the World Association of Wellness and Cholic Therapy (Olena Soboruk); The first goodwill ambassador for the promotion of zoo humanism in Ukraine (Inna Stanishevska); Ambassador of Peace from the International Association for Humanitarian Support and Development “Soldiers of Peace”, established by SPIA HSD, a UN peacekeeping organization with special consultative status of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (Angelika Eva Jaroslawska — Sapega).
The main topic for discussion and consultation of CSW65 was: “Full and effective participation of women and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”
In preparation for CSW65, the delegation formed its main message to the world’s community ”Women leaders. Strategic partnership. Collaboration”, which addresses the need to increase the influence of women at all levels of key decision-making and the introduction of new leadership, defined by indifference, empathy, love and care. The Delegation stated that it should promote the sustainable development of the Movement of Women’s
Movements in order to increase women’s participation in advanced science, education and enlightenment; to enhance their economic participation, including in high-tech industries, business development, self-realization and our financial independence; to improve the psychological state of women and health in general.
The Delegation’s main message was sounded by Natalia Kaplun, co-organizer of the project “Ukrainian women in support of the UN” at a press conference which held on March 11 at 2 pm in the press center Ukrinform in Kyiv city.
The Delegation formed three working groups on “Recovering the best results — women’s participation and leadership in responding to and recovering from COVID-19” by Nataliia Kutsmus the leadership; “Elimination of violence against women in public life” by Nataliya Tselovalnichenko the leadership and “Creating Alliances for the Full and Effective Participation of Women in Public Life” under Angelika Eva Jaroslavska — Sapega leadership.
Traditionally, the main symbol of the delegation is a flower of Ukrainian flag color, made by Irina Mostova, the Head of the study group on needlework in Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv Center of Citizens Active Longbeing, where the leaders of the project “Ukrainian women in support of the UN” Natalia Kaplun and Svitlana Salamatova implemented a project for women 55 +.
Members of our delegation focused the attention of Ukrainian women on gender imbalance. Karyna Tetora, the youngest member of the delegation stressed that a woman in the world of modern cinema is perceived only as an attractive actress and not as a director or camerawoman.
World statistics indicate that one in four women and one in ten men in the world suffer from violence. Inna Stanishevska emphasized the inhumane manifestations in society, namely that the manifestation of violence against animals is a direct path to violence against humans.
According to a poll of women in rural areas, in marriage they have a single desire “that my husband does not beat me.” This must be changed immediately, says Oksana Byalkovska.
Daria Shaposhnyk-Dominska asked Ukrainian women to expand the range of their love and direct it to help those who have suffered from violence. Dramatic statistics call for the creation of an educational platform for young people at the state level in order to inform about the recognition and neutralization of toxic relationships that are potentially life-threatening, and the formation of zero tolerance for various types of violence.
Svitlana Bovdui assured that only by uniting women-leaders there is a chance to realize their right to safety and equal pay.
Today the world prefers the female type of thinking. An increasing number of women are beginning to take the lead in the management of companies and states. The main task is to ensure equal rights in the field of education, emphasizes Polina Gnedko.
In turn, in his speech CSW65 to women around the world, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that progress in achieving gender equality in public life and making key decisions is insignificant. Women make up 25% of parliamentarians worldwide, and only in the parliaments of the three countries (Bolivia, Cuba, Rwanda) the presence of women is more than 50%. Women under the age of 30 make up less than 1% of parliamentarians worldwide. Only 22 countries in the world are headed by women. At the current rate of progress, it will take another 130 years to achieve gender equality at the highest levels of government.
For the second time in three years, the delegation had the opportunity to ask questions to the UN Secretary-General.
And again about the war waged by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory for seven years. The delegation asked: “What should women leaders in Europe do to end the wars in this region? Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia… The number of deaths will increase if women do not take a joint step ”.
Our delegation focuses on the problem of combating violence in all its forms. In the context of the war, which has been going on for 7 years, women in Ukraine have become victims of crimes against humanity and peace in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, women are the most vulnerable and suffer from the consequences of armed aggression by the Russian Federation.
Each of the delegates had the opportunity to form their own priority of working in a global environment by preparing for a March 24 online meeting of Women and Global Security with senior U.S. Air Force officers. The delegation focuses on 5 blocks that threaten national security in Ukraine, namely:
1) The war waged by Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine;
2) Social insecurity and unsatisfactory social status of internally displaced persons and pensioners;
3) Insufficient level of human capital sales;
4) The negative impact of Russian Propaganda on Ukrainian and world society;
5) Inefficient model of public administration.
Independent expanded delegation of Ukrainian Women in the UN by agreement Institute of Cultural Affairs International sent a statement to the UN together with Associated Country Women of the World; Casa Generalizia della Società del Sacro Cuore; Conseil International des Organisations de Festivals de Folklore ed d’Arts Traditionnels;Mothers’ Union; National Association of Women’s Organizations; Northern Ireland Women’s European Platform;Solar Cookers International;Soroptimist International; Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland; Women for Water Partnership.
At the 65th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, many women in the world expressed concern about the increase in all forms of violence during the pandemic, focused their efforts on strengthening the role of women leaders in all countries, did not remain indifferent to women’s problems in other countries. ways to solve all problems. Women in the world are becoming even more active and intend to change the situation in the world for the better (UN CSW65 Agreed Conclusion).
The delegation began preparations for the annual Session Commission of Status of Women (CSW66–2022) with a priority theme: Achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls in the context of policies and programs on climate change, ecology and disaster risk reduction. Topic of the review: Economic empowerment of women in a changing world of work (agreed conclusions of the sixty-first session).
Next steps of our delegation:
● Promote the active involvement of women at all levels of key political and social decision-making, both within our country and in all other countries of the world;
● Promote the prevention of gender stereotypes and sexism;
● Contribute to the fight against violence against women in all its forms;
● To promote the idea of equal rights and opportunities for women and men, to monitor and assess the situation in Ukraine on the basis of indicators of global standards of gender equality;
● To unite women — leaders on the public platform “Women’s Geopolitical Alliance’’ and expand its influence to other countries. Our Delegation presented the concrete solutions and plan which can be brought into life for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls:
Our Delegation has concrete solutions and a plan that can be implemented to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Angelika Jarosławska Sapieha, as an international Peace Ambassador and global anti-landmine activist, emphasizes that human rights and gender equality are a priority in her mission. She presented to the sixty-fifth session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women the vision of our Delegation for the full and effective participation of women and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence.
Geopolitical Alliance of Women - Watch video here.
