This annual event is one of the largest gatherings of UN entities, global leaders, the private sector, and women’s rights advocates to focus on the rights and empowerment of women and girls. The ABA Panels at the Virtual NGO CSW66 Forum are organized by the ABA Representatives and Observers to the United Nations, ABA Rule of Law Initiative, ABA Center for Human Rights, and ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.
This program assembled lawyers, judges, and women’s rights defenders from around the world to discuss the importance of an independent legal profession, which is indispensable to protecting women’s rights and human dignity. The panelists identified threats to women judges and lawyers and how that can impact the transparent judicial enforcement of women’s rights. Panelists shared real-world examples and case studies to combat these threats and explored how the international community can support efforts to ensure judicial independence and women as active leaders in the legal and justice professions.
Moderator:
Hon. Mimi Tsankov, ABA Representatives and Observers to the United Nations; President of the National Association of Immigration Judges; and Vice President of the National Association of Women Judges
Panelists:
Climate change solutions necessitate the full involvement of women and their meaningful political, social and economic inclusion. Women’s empowerment must be at the center of climate action because women are often disproportionately affected by climate impacts. Discriminatory gender norms, unequal access to land and other resources, and the pervasiveness of gender-based violence mean that women and girls are more at risk. Attendees learned a wide variety of valuable tools and approaches successfully used to advance women’s legal rights, access to justice, economic security, and meaningful inclusion and participation in the workforce, society, and decision making.
Opening Remarks:
Mary Smith, ABA President-Elect Nominee; ABA Representatives amd Observers to the United Nations
Moderator:
Renee Dopplick, ABA Representatives and Observers to the United Nations
Panelists:
Bar associations are expanding accessible tools to provide businesses and governments with guidance on how to implement women’s legal rights and to promote their full economic inclusion in physical and virtual workplaces. Because the consequences of workplace violence and harassment are obstacles to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, panelists shared best practices for promoting safe and inclusive workplaces within corporate practices and national action plans on business and human rights. Learn how civil society can help advance the aims of the global treaty on workplace harassment and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Opening Remarks:
Mary Smith, ABA President-Elect Nominee; ABA Representatives amd Observers to the United Nations
Moderator:
Kathleen Hom, ABA Representatives and Observers to the United Nations
Panelists
Indigenous peoples are among the first to face the direct consequences of climate change due to their dependence upon and close relationship with the environment and its resources. Indigenous women’s rights defenders shared examples of intersectional approaches to promote women’s environmental rights, enhance access to justice for women, and address climate justice gaps, including environmental justice, food security, sexual violence, property rights, and economic equity. They discussed approaches to empower indigenous women to claim their rights, participate in sustainable development, and take leadership roles in climate-related decision-making processes.
Opening Remarks:
Renee Dopplick, ABA Representative to the United Nations
Moderator:
Mary Smith, ABA President-Elect nominee; ABA Representatives and Observers to the United Nations
Panelists: