Maryvale students are fully engaged at the United Nations for the 70th annual Commission on the Status of Women. This year’s event, titled “Access to Justice for Women in Crisis Contexts: Pathways to Care, Recovery, Resilience, and Sustainable Peace,” brings together global leaders, advocates, and young voices working toward equity and justice for women and girls.
The students arrived in New York City on Sunday, March 8 to receive their ground passes and have attended several impactful sessions throughout the week.
One session, “Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan,” shared powerful firsthand accounts of life under Taliban rule, illustrating the severe oppression faced by women and girls. One of the presenters, Dr. Sima Samar, former Chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Special Rapporteur for Sudan, and visiting scholar at Tufts, spoke about human rights advocacy and the ongoing fight for equality. After the session, Maryvale students stayed to meet the presenters, and Dr. Samar graciously took time to answer their thoughtful questions.
Students also attended a session on violence against women, where leaders from Denmark discussed their country’s efforts to address domestic violence. In another powerful discussion, five young women shared personal testimonies about informed consent in the United States, trauma connected to the war in Ukraine, and performance bias experienced by girls pursuing STEM fields in Taiwan.
A special thank you to Sister Isabelle Izika, SNDdeN, for sponsoring our students’ participation. Sister Isabelle serves as the main representative for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at the United Nations. While the students had previously connected with her via Zoom, this was their first opportunity to meet and engage with her in person.
