Opening remarks for the NGO CSW Forum 2013 were provided by Soon-Young Yoon, Chair of the NGO CSW/NY. She welcomed Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women to address the forum. This was her 3rd year participating on behalf of UN Women. Her key speaking points were:
- Oct 11 was declared by the UN as “girl child day” – the inaugural theme in 2012 was to end child marriage (www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/)
- 1 Billion Rising campaign brought together people around the world for a single cause using social media (www.onebillionrising.org)
- We cannot have peace, prosperity or progress without the full participation from women; violence against women & girls undermines these efforts
- 7 of 10 women have reported experiencing violence or sexual abuse and the unreported cases are higher; many countries still don’t have laws against domestic violence
- engage and educate men and boys to change cultural norms and expectations
- UN forum was held in 2012 to hear voices of women who have experienced violence (www.unwomen.org/the-united-nations-conference-on-sustainable-development-rio20/participants-voices/)
- Inclusiveness and quality is gender, socio-economic, and regional – violence against women it is the greatest challenge of this century; the discussion and implementation is not a procedural formality and citizens are not beneficiaries but partners;
- VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IS PREVENTABLE