Information from the IAW Team at the UN in Geneva
Most of the information is provided by Dr. Sibylle von Heydebrand, IAW Main Representative to the UN Geneva.
Exceptions are indicated within the text.
December 10, 2025: IAW at the UN Geneva Luncheon – Advocating for Women’s Rights
Every year, as the UN Geneva Team of IAW, we are invited to the festive luncheon in December with the NGO CSW Geneva team. This year it was organized on the 10th of December. After a very nice lunch by discussing with all members, we proceeded to the workshop.
The topic of the workshop was the “Advocacy” of women rights. Many sub-topics were available such as: Education, peace, empowerment, gender inequality. Many different groups worked together and we chose “gender inequality”. We brainstormed together with 2 other ladies from the group and divided gender inequality into many branches.
- Stereotypes: ending discriminations
- Economic empowerment: Access to resources (land, property,etc)
- Value unpaid care work and promote shared responsibility
- Ending violence : Forced marriage, harmful traditional practices
- Decision making: political, economic participation and leadership
- Guaranteeing sexual/reproductive rights.
July 8, 2022: Human Rights Council concludes its 50th Regular Session after Adopting 23 Resolutions and one Decision
Summary: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2022/07/human-rights-council-concludes-fiftieth-regular-session-after
NGO CSW UN Geneva: Newsletter “News in Brief”
Members of IAW may subscribe to the Newsletter by sending a request to the Secretary of NGO CSW UN Geneva, Srruthi Lekha: s.lekha@wfwp.org.
The newsletter contains information from the NGO CSW UNG and its member organizations.
July 1, 2022 50th Session of the Human Rights Council: Urgent Debate on the Situation of Women and Girls in Afghanistan:
In a resolution, the Council reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by all women, girls and children in Afghanistan, including the right to freedom of movement, the right to education, the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including their sexual and reproductive health, the right to work and the right of access to justice on an equal basis with others.
June 28, 2022 – Joint oral statement NGO CSW UNG Carolyn Handschin, President of NGO CSW UNG, delivered an oral statement during the 50th session of the Human Rights Council. She called for mainstreaming a gender perspective in development planning, financing, and disaster risk management, for recognizing women as leaders and agents of change in protecting the environment and she called for the gender dimension of climate change to be included in all reports and policies. – The statement was co-sponsored by IAW.
June 15, 2022: Meeting of the President of the UN General Assembly with Civil Society
The President of the 76th UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid (Maldives) met with civil society representatives at the UN Geneva. IAW was represented by Dr. Esther Suter and Sibylle von Heydebrand. The latter gave an oral statement on behalf of the IAW. She appealed to put the rights of girls, in all their diversity, at the center of attention, as they are among the most vulnerable people. See in detail https://womenalliance.org/human-rights-violations-impact-on-girls/
Read Dr. Esther Suter’s detailed report on the meeting, including the five Pillars of the President of 76th UNGA and the contributions of other NGOs.