The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It holds an annual two-week session with representatives of UN Member States, civil society organizations and UN entities.
The 61st session (CSW61) is taking place from 13-24 March 2017 at UN headquarters in New York.

Effectively Integrating Menstrual Health into Existing Program Frameworks
Organized: Huru International
Date: 16 March 2017
Time: 4.30-6 pm
Venue: Armenian Convention Center
Huru International provides re-usable sanitary pads and reproductive health education to at-risk young women in East Africa so they can stay in school and stay healthy. Entering its 10th programmatic year, Huru International has developed unique expertise in effectively integrating menstrual hygiene management (MHM) into a variety of program areas with local, national, and international partners. This workshop leverages a focus on Huru’s partnership with the Peace Corps to illustrate the many ways MHM can be integrated into an organization’s pre-existing programmatic framework. Other examples will be drawn from collaborations with the Ministry of Education and District Education Officers to reach schools in Kenya and Tanzania; a partnership with FHI360, targeting out-of-school girls in border towns; development of accessible life skills education and pad distribution programs in schools for the deaf and blind throughout Nairobi; and Huru International’s production workshop that offers income-generating and skills-building work for local slum residents.

WASH needs of women working in informal sectors
Host: Permanent Mission to Niger and Singapore
Organizer: WSSCC, UN Women
Date: 20. March 2017
Time: 8.15 – 9.30 am
Location: United Nations Headquarters
The findings of a new UN Women/WSSCC study on Niger regarding the challenges women face in accessing facilities for sanitation and menstrual hygiene will be presented at the side event. There will be opportunity for women to highlight their experiences and to bring their voices to the table – above all, any measures to bring about change must be based on the participation of women working in the informal sector. Conditions for women working in informal sectors tend to be poor, and basic facilities are often absent, compromising their health, safety and dignity.
The discussion will also highlight the realities of millions of women across the world, whether a market vendor in Cameroon, a waste picker in Sri Lanka, or a sanitation worker in Bangladesh, while seeking to identify solutions for the way forward.
RVSP: Please email Anthony.Dedouche@wsscc.org Deadline for registration: 13/03/2017
