Commission on the Status of Women

Morgan, Baillie, Emilia and Reid

Earlier this month, four GSCCC girls, Morgan, Baillie, Emilia and Reid, represented Girl Scouts at the United Nations 58th Commission on the Status of Women in New York City. They were part of a group of 17 Girl Scouts who had the opportunity to advocate for girls at the United Nations through the Working Group on Girls, a coalition of over 80 nonprofit organizations, including Girl Scouts of the USA, that advocates for government representatives to work hard to solve the problems that girls around the world face.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and the advancement of women. Each year, a priority theme is chosen for CSW to help guide the discussion and the focus of the commission. The priority theme for this year focused on the challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls. The Millennium Development Goals were eight areas of focus established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2000 with the aim of ending extreme poverty in the world by 2015. At CSW, the delegates shared their thoughts on the successes, gaps and challenges of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals in their own communities and on a global scale, as well as what should be done moving forward.

Each GSCCC delegate had a specific role at CSW. Morgan was part of a writing team that developed a statement that was officially submitted to the General Assembly at CSW. Baillie spoke on a panel about political empowerment for girls. Emilia co-moderated and shared her interests in advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) opportunities for girls at a panel discussion hosted by the Girl Scouts of the USA. Reid was an advocacy liaison who monitored the General Assembly sessions and caucuses to report back to the Working Group on Girls.

Reid, Emilia, Baillie and Morgan inside the Economic and
Social Chamber at UN Headquarters.

During their week in New York, the girls also attended numerous parallel and side events, which are programs organized outside of the formal UN sessions that allow Member States, UN entities and nongovernmental organizations to further discuss this year’s priority theme. At these events, the girls heard from influential women from around the world, including Phumzile Mlabmo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women, who delivered a powerful message that every generation can choose its own story, and it’s up to girls to decide what they want to see and make it happen. 

For the four Girl Scouts who traveled to the United Nations, their experience did not end when they left New York. They have brought back what they learned to share with their peers, teachers, communities and fellow Girl Scouts. In the fall, the girls will be presenting a program for girls to learn more about the MDGs, the United Nations and empowering women and girls. More information can be found in the next edition of GO!

GSCCC delegates visited the Girl Scouts of the USA central office.

The girls had their first subway ride on the way to Teen Orientation.