This reflection was submitted by Kalpana Rai from Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal.
Kalpana (far right) delivers a presentation on comprehensive sexuality education during a side event at CSW67.
It was my first experience participating in the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the annual intergovernmental process which focuses on women and girls’ empowerment for achieving gender equality. Since it was my first time in New York City, it was difficult at first to navigate the CSW process. I met Keshia, a colleague from ARROW, who supported me throughout the program and helped me understand the CSW67 process and the various events.
The first week of CSW67 was hectic and at times, tiring as I adjusted to the change of time zone, with New York being the opposite of Nepal. I joined plenary sessions, side events and workshops and I was able to engage with other advocates and learn more about youth SRHR, CSE, safe abortion, and gender equality issues.
As the 67th session of CSW focused on innovation and technological change in education in the digital age, on behalf of Right Here Right Now-2 Nepal Coalition, Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal organised a parallel event titled ‘Innovation and Technology in Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for achieving Gender Equality’ on March 10th. I was responsible for coordinating the event. During the panel session, panelists talked about the status of Comprehensive Sexuality Education for young people in their respective contexts at national and global level. Over 45 people attended the parallel session including government representatives from Nepal’s National Women Commission, parliamentarians, CSO representatives from Asia Pacific, and other partners.
In her opening remarks, Hon. Kamala Parajuli from the National Women Commission highlighted the Nepali government’s plans and programmes for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. During the panel session, Karin Van Der Velde, Senior Programme Officer from Rutgers International, gave some insight into the global context of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and its importance for young people. She highlighted the need for CSE as a cross country issue and said it should be implemented at all levels to reach young people in and out of school. Biplabi Shrestha, Program Director of ARROW, shared on the status of CSE in the Asia Pacific region. She highlighted how ARROW and partners in different countries are advocating for its implementation. Perspectives on Bodily Autonomy & Women’s Agency in digital spaces in Nepal were shared by Shubha Kayastha, Executive Director of Body & Data. As a youth panelist, I presented the Nepal National Call for Action from a youth perspective.
During the event, I noticed there were participants from anti-rights groups in attendance. I felt stressed as I anticipated potential conflict during the discussion. Thankfully, the event went on without a hitch. This was a learning experience for me that sometimes, we have to be prepared for unanticipated hurdles. In order to handle these situations, we need to remain calm and ensure good coordination and communication.
Overall, the CSW67 journey has been a memorable experience for me in terms of my personal and professional career development. It has enhanced my understanding of how youth and CSOs can engage in global processes like CSW in the future. It has truly encouraged me to continue my journey in the field of women and girl’s empowerment and gender equality.