RI Global: Office of Communications
Contact: Adrian Brune, +1 347-759-9501
For the second consecutive year, both of the key job market indicators increased significantly for people with disabilities. In 2016, the monthly employment-to-population ratio increased from 27.0 to 27.7 percent and the average monthly labor force participation rate increased from 30.5 percent to 31.2 percent. While these increments build on the reversal of six-year downward trends for PwDs, women with disabilities have long been undermined in the workforce.
This year’s 61st Commission on the Status of Women’s Priority theme is Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work and it will review the challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls. The draft of agree conclusions from the Commission recognizes that worldwide, gender inequalities in labour markets and the world of work persist and that the pace and scale of transformation towards realizing women’s economic empowerment in the workforce has not only been unacceptably slow, but also impeded the realization of women’s human rights. The Commission has developed several recommendations for CSW61 and the changes necessary for equality in the workplace.
Rehabilitation International, as always, will attend the Commission on the Status of Women, which takes place at the United Nations Secretariat in New York from 13-24 March. It will hold a side event Women’s Economic Empowerment – the Importance of Role of Women’s Associations, which will focus on the “Norwegian model” for economic empowerment, as well as the Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association’s role in contributing to a diverse and inclusive labor market. Please join past RI President Jan Monsbakken, Secretary-General Venus Ilagan and the Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association at the Armenian Convention Center, Vartan Hall, on 17 March from 12.30 to 14.00.
Here are some other events:
Launch of Global Equal Pay Platform of Champions: Join Patricia Arquette, Abby Wambach and other champions in a call to action to achieve equal pay for work of equal value UN Women, ILO, Governments of Iceland, South Africa and Switzerland. General Assembly Hall, United Nations Headquarters, 13 March, 6.15pm – 8.30pm.
Networking Workshop — Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Development and Society: Organized by DESA/DSPD, UN Women and the Permanent Mission of Japan. Conference Room 2727 in the UN Secretariat Building on 14 March, 10am to 1pm.
Ending Violence against Women — Prevention and response to Femicide/Gender-related Killings of Women: Co-sponsored by the Government of Chile, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences and UN Women, will provide an overview of the latest policy development on femicide, as well as good practices. This side event will contribute to highlight some key trends and challenges, as well as opportunities to step up efforts for preventing and eliminating gender-related killings. Millennium Hotel, Room Riverview, ONE UN Plaza, New York, 28th Floor, East Tower, 14 March, 1.30 to 2.45pm
Accessible Cities & The Needs of Women with Disabilities & Older Women: Organized by Permanent Mission of Germany. Conference Room B – Conference Building, 15 March, 10 to 11.15am.
Intersectionality of Gender, Disability and Indigenous Identity — Experiences in Cross-Movement Collaboration to Empower Indigenous Women with Disabilities: Organized by the International Disability Alliance and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund. Armenian Cultural Center, Yerevan Hall, 630 2nd Ave, 15 March, 10.30am to 12.00pm.
Working to Improve Our Own Future — Strengthening networks of women with disabilities in humanitarian action: Organized by Permanent Missions of Australia, Finland, and Women’s Refugee Commission, UN Women. Conference Room B – Conference Building, 20 March, 1.15 to 2.30pm.
Working to Improve Our Own Future — Strengthening networks of women with disabilities in humanitarian action: Organized by Permanent Missions of Australia, Finland, and Women’s Refugee Commission, UN Women. Conference Room B – Conference Building, 20 March, 1.15 to 2.30pm.
MDGs, SRHR & Women with Disabilities — Lessons for the SDGs: Organized by Women Enabled International. Church Center of the United Nations, Hardin Room, 21 March, 4.30 to 6pm.
RI Global: Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI Global) is a worldwide network promoting the rights and inclusions of persons with disabilities (PwDs) through advocacy, habilitation and rehabilitation to achieve an inclusive world in which all people can enjoy full human rights.
