2021-03-27
Georgian delegation, led by Maka Peradze, Head of Human Rights Secretariat of the Government Administration participated in an Annual Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which was virtually held at the United National Headquarters in New York on March 15-26, 2021.
First time this year it was launched by Kamala Harris, first woman Vice-President of the United States of America. Georgian delegation participating in the session was composed of representatives of the executive and legislative authorities, along with non-government organizations. Representatives of UN member states and UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and ECOSOC-accredited NGOs participated in the event.
Such important and priority topics were discussed at the Annual Session of the Commission on the Status of Women as a full and effective engagement of women in the decision-making process on public life and elimination of violence against women, empowerment of women and girls, gender equality and linkages with sustainable development goals (SDG).
Thematic events held within the general debates and Session 65 engaged MP Nino Tsilosani, Head of Gender Equality Council at the Parliament of Georgia; Tamila Barkalaia, Deputy Minister of IDPs from Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Security of Georgia; Lika Klimiashvili, Head of Labour and Employment Policy of the referred Ministry; Iza Kasrelishvili, Special Task Inspector of Human Rights and Investigation Quality Monitoring Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; Giorgi Bedoidze, Adviser to the Human Rights Secretariat of the Government Administration; Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia; Ekaterine Skhiladze, Deputy Ombudsman of Georgia; Gvantsa Sakanelashvili, Deputy Head of Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA); and Julia Kharashvil, Head of IDP Women Association - The Consent.
Maka Peradze, Head of Georgian Delegation focused in her speech on the progress achieved by the country in the introduction of gender equality policy. Namely, she noted that practice of accession to international conventions and reporting, approximation of the national legislation with international standards, introduction of gender equality principle in the supreme national institutional mechanisms and special role of women in the conditions of the pandemic.
Particular attention was paid to the importance of continued effort towards developing an effective state agenda on women, peace and security, profoundly hard conditions of women in the occupied territories of Georgia and challenges faced in protecting their rights.
Along with the priority topics of the session, following were also discussed: elimination of violence towards women; efforts made for co-participation, full and effective engagement of women in public life; engagement of women in the curbing of COVID-19 pandemic and crisis caused by it; significance of leadership and other issues.
Commission on the Status of Women under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is a global inter-governmental body, which aims to ensure gender equality and empowerment of women. The Commission is monitoring the Beijing Declaration and progress achieved by the task-force platform, along with the facilitated introduction and promotion of gender perspective in the UN endeavors.
Press Service of the Government Administration