Phl heads UN body on status of women

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has assumed chairmanship of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Libran Cabactulan has assumed the chairmanship of the Bureau for the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, a move that is seen as the international community’s recognition of the Philippines’ leadership.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. Every year, representatives of member states gather at UN headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide.

In a statement, Cabactulan said that the Philippines is thankful for the “confidence placed by the international community” in an important UN body.

“The Philippines is honored by this position of leadership which recognizes the country’s long-lasting and continuing commitment to gender equality and the advancement of women. Under the Philippines’ leadership, we will continue to build on the Commission’s accomplishments and help ensure that current efforts contribute to a future of gender equality and empowerment of women,” Cabactulan said.

The priority theme for the 58th session of the CSW, which will take place in March 2014, is “Challenges and Achievements in the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for Women and Girls.”

Other members of the bureau for the 58th CSW session include Christine Loew (Switzerland), representing the Western European and other states group; Neli Shiolashvili (Georgia), representing the Eastern European states; Mohamed Elbahi (Sudan), representing the African states, and Carlos Garcia (El Salvador), representing the Latin American and Caribbean states.

The Philippines served as vice chair representing the Asia Pacific group during the 56th and 57th sessions of CSW.

It facilitated the agreed conclusions of the 57th session of CSW and played an instrumental role in breaking an impasse from 2003, when states were unable to reach common ground on ending violence against women and girls.

A record 146 UN member and observer states and 11 groups of states addressed the meeting.

Nearly 3,000 representatives of nongovernment organizations attended.

Media coverage in more than 50 countries was unprecedented, including a prominent editorial in The New York Times.