KSK70 Diaries - 3*
*This is a series of articles consisting of assessments by Gülfer Kırbaş, who attended the 70th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on behalf of ÇemberDE.
One of the things that stuck with me most from CSW70 was that the world is much more dynamic than we think.
Listening to the speakers, especially those from the Arab world, in the sessions I attended today was quite thought-provoking for me.
This region is often portrayed through a single image in terms of women's rights. However, there is a very lively reform debate going on inside: family law, economic rights, policies to combat violence, and institutional mechanisms.
One of the speakers today was the Palestinian Minister for Women's Policies.
Listening to a minister from a country at war speak about women's rights and legal reforms was a truly powerful experience.
Moreover, this is not limited to Palestine alone.
There is talk of a reform process currently underway in 17 Arab countries, and it is gradually expanding.
At an Africa-focused event I attended today, a different topic stood out:
There is an organized backlash against women's rights in many parts of the world.
But there is another truth at the same time:
Women's movements are increasingly establishing international solidarity networks.
In another session, young women leaders spoke.
One sentence that was said there stuck in my mind:
Leadership is not about age or title, it's a way of behaving.
Indeed, the speakers possessed an energy that was far removed from bureaucratic rhetoric, reflecting a grounded understanding of reality and offering concrete solutions.
At the end of the session, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous emphasized that the CSW outcome document was adopted despite opposition from some countries.
This was felt in the hall as an important moment demonstrating that the struggle for women's rights on a global scale still has a strong political will.
The feeling that stays with me today is this:
Women in different parts of the world face very different challenges, but the movement is truly growing.
And perhaps we need to follow what is happening in the Arab world a little more closely.
Because change sometimes arises from the places we least expect.
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