Events and Projects

Our Members at CSW68

Three ZONTA E-Club members attended the Commission of the Status of Women 68 as part of the UN Women UK delegation in March this year.

Here they are sharing reflections on their experience:

Monelle Garber

‘This year’s theme at the Commission on the Status of Women was Accelerating gender equality and empowering all women and girls by tackling poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.” As a delegate through UN Women UK, we joined over 6000 feminist advocates, both virtually and in person from March 10th to 22nd, to collaborate and share each others experiences. The preliminary hearings, side and parallel events covered topics like financial literacy, social protection, the care economy, and gender policies - all of which were equally empowering and insightful. While it was disheartening to learn that closing the gender gap could take nearly 300 years, education was consistently seen as a source of hope for empowering girls and women. I found myself truly inspired by hearing young girls discuss policies that they deemed important and the attention placed on more intersectional approaches in addressing gender inequality. My three key takeaways from this experience: continue investing in women, involve male allies in these discussions, and urgently push for targeted change through collaboration.’

Taiwo Shotunde

‘Experiencing the power of our collective efforts to drive change was incredibly motivating. When women thrive, entire communities benefit. Some striking statistics underscore the urgent need for action: one in ten women globally lives in extreme poverty, and by 2050, over 158 million women could be pushed into poverty. Additionally, women in the workforce earn 20% less than their male counterparts on

average. We must focus on investing in strategies that economically empower women, such as access to education, finance, and skills training. Addressing barriers like unpaid caregiving responsibilities and limited access to reproductive and sexual health services is crucial. Achieving gender equality is not merely an act of charity; it is a strategic investment. Bridging the gender gap could potentially increase global GDP by up to 20%.’

Antonia Sudkaemper

‘One huge benefit of being part of the UK delegation was meeting a lot of other passionate and ambitious women who dedicate their time to promoting gender equality across a range of different aspects. Sharing support, opportunities and resources, the group has been such a wonderful source of inspiration. To ensure participants stay in touch and make the most out of the newly formed friend- and partnerships, several regional groups formed post-summit. For the Cambridge area, I organised a Sunday brunch get-together which served as a fantastic opportunity to continue crucial conversations face-to-face and in a more intimate setting. More meet-ups are being planned, with different delegates taking the lead and sharing their gender equality related interest areas with the group.’