As the United Nation’s largest gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment, the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women was a privilege to attend. It is purposefully planned to take place in March to coincide with International Women’s Month. It is inspirational to be in a room filled with women from around the globe working for the same causes. It has been thirty years since the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and one would expect that we had advanced much further in society. However, as I sat listening to the global voices of women, it became clear that the distribution of power continues to be gender inequitable and gender continues to be viewed as an ideology rather than a human right. Although many laws have been approved to allow women in all spaces, including political, reality often falls far short of the ideal. In Chile for example, the rights of women are first to be questioned in times of crisis, and cuts increasing gender gaps define the strategy that’s important in the redistribution of power. In Papua New Guinea despite the tremendous progress made, many gaps and societal stereotypes about the various fields for women, like ecology, still remain. That includes challenges in economic disparities that remain ignored. After eighteen years there has only been an increase of 4% in employment of women. This is a call to defeminize jobs. That means transforming hearts and minds regarding wage differentials working against women. These are but two examples that may seem extreme, however, Since the Beijing 30+, 1 in 4 countries (including the United States) have backlashed on gender equality, rolling back women’s rights. Therefore, we still have a long way to go, and much more work to do in unlocking opportunities so that all women and girls will have access to power in the future. With the gathering of women in the parallel Spring session of the International UU Women’s Convocation it is abundantly clear that this group is up to the gender challenges we continue to face. As a result, I returned home renewed and invigorated to make a noticeable impact and to cause a measurable change in the lives of women and girls.
Heart to Heart,
Rev. Addae