CSW54 Dinner 2010 — Women's Federation For World Peace International

The Role of NGOs to Achieve MDG#3: Promote Gender Equality & Empower Women

BONNIE BERRY

CSW54: WFWPI Dinner Meeting

WFWPI hosted a Dinner Meeting in celebration of a very successful parallel event during the 54th CSW. Fifty members of the WFWPI delegation and distinguished guests attended. Bonnie Berry, WFWPI UN Representative presided as Mistress of Ceremonies. WFWP International President, Professor Lan Young Moon Park welcomed everyone warmly, reminding all in attendance of the advancements of women to leadership roles around the world and reflected on challenges past, present and future. She encouraged those present to continue to serve and love with a heart of a parent with the aim of creating one global family. Mrs. Alexa Ward, President of WFWP USA and Vice President of WFWPI proposed a toast to open dialog over dinner.

Keynote speaker, Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Land-locked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States spoke on the topic, The work of OHRLLS in relation to the MDG#3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women. He emphasized the important role that women have in fulfilling the MDGs. He also stressed that gender parity is crucial to fulfillment of MDGs. Mr. Diarra informed us about initiatives his office is undertaking to assist in educating promising young professionals from the most vulnerable nations to be leaders in implementing achievement of the MDGs.

During questions and answers following his talk, Mr. Diarra committed to partnering with WFWPI to leverage the successes of WFWPI's volunteer projects for the benefit of the most vulnerable nations and peoples around the globe. (Complete text of Mr. Diarra's speech) During the course of the the CSW the official delegations approved a declaration recommitting to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that will be submitted to ECOSOC and to the General Assembly and seven resolutions about some of the most dire challenges facing women and girls. (Full text of Declaration and Resolutions at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/outcomes.html ) WFWPI was a cosigner on an NGO joint statement to the 54th CSW regarding the health and wellbeing of girls and woman.