During the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), held at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 6th to 17th, 2023, the WCW Consortium actively participated in two significant side events.
On International Women’s Day, SIHA collaborated with the rest of the Consortium members; the Ethiopian Women Lawyer’s Association, Musawah, NAGAAD Network, and FIDA-Uganda to host a panel discussion titled “Feminist Perspectives on the Impact of Militarization on Rural Women.” Focused on rural women in conflict-affected areas like Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, the discussion emphasized the far-reaching consequences of war and militarization on these communities. It advocated for the inclusion of rural women’s voices in women, peace & security agendas and national budgets across the Horn of Africa. Policy recommendations were made to influence CSW67’s outcome document.
Aiming to spotlight the gains consolidated on family law reform in the region, SIHA and FIDA Uganda, hosted another hybrid panel event. This discussion explored the effects of loose, inconsistent, and outdated family codes on the daily lives of women and girls in urban and rural settings in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Sudan.
The two events presented during CSW67 aimed to contribute to discussions on women’s rights, family law reform, and the unique challenges faced by women and girls in conflict and post-conflict regions in the Horn of Africa.
