CSW61: Faith and Feminism Roundtable

Roundtable at CSW61: Strategies for Advocacy and Engagement with Relevant Stakeholders at the UN

March 16th 2017, 1:15 – 2:45pm

In September 2015, several faith-based organizations, academics, and other civil society actors came together to form a Working Group on Faith and Feminism.

By engaging individuals, communities, and organizations—including the United Nations—the Group seeks to create an innovative and impactful discourse to transform the structures and attitudes that sustain gender inequality. Recognizing the importance of engaging all relevant stakeholders in transforming misogynistic religious and cultural narratives—especially those working in local and national contexts—the Group wishes to invite interested individuals and organizations who will be attending CSW61 to a roundtable discussion.

Dr. Karima Bennoune, Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights will present her work on substantive issues regarding the detrimental effect that religious and cultural fundamentalisms have on the realization of gender equality and women’s empowerment and will speak to the importance of addressing such fundamentalisms within UN institutions.

The roundtable will seek to facilitate sharing of effective advocacy strategies from participants at local and national levels, and discussion of the potential for the Group to serve as a vehicle to bridge the gap between local activism and international advocacy.

The following questions will be posed to participants to facilitate dialogue during the roundtable:

● To what extent do religious or cultural fundamentalisms affect the work and advocacy you do at the national level and within local communities?

● Does engagement with UN policy processes such as the CSW benefit your work at the national level and within local communities? If so, could you provide some examples or case studies that highlight how engagement with the UN has benefitted your work?

● Do you see merit in collaborating with and actively engaging the Working Group on Faith and Feminism moving forward? Do you think the Group can assist you in your work at the UN, and if so, how?

The roundtable will include only civil society actors to foster fruitful and purposeful conversation with the intent to raise awareness of the Group’s work to potential new members. We look forward to the participation of all individuals and organizations!