Lee Towers sings ‘You never walk alone’ and every year at the Commission on the Status of Women I experience the truth of it. There was the incident of being greeted by a woman that I am fairly certain I never met in real life, while seated on my flight from Amsterdam to New York on March 8th. Claudia, afellow women’s rights fighter passed my seat on route to her own, inquiring ‘you are Artemis, right? I am Claudia’. Warm smiles as she passed and I felt, as I suspect she felt, strengthened as we were together in our endeavour.
Image: A UN elevator full of Dutch NGO representatives at the CSW69
On Sunday 9th, before the actual start of the CSW69, I met up with Dutch participants accredited to the UN CSW by either the Women’s Rights organization (Vrouwenbelangen) or the Dutch Women’s Council (Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad) for a casual dinner at the Panda Express on 53th street and 3rd Ave. Having a wonderful time, talking, laughing, planning, and experiencing the ‘together we stand’ purpose.
Then there was the moment on Monday 10th where Silvia sought me out in the ECOSOC room. Again, we had never met in real life, only online zoom in the G100 organization where women in countries all around the world have shouldered the task to lead towards equal rights and opportunities in 100 different fields. Silvia’s and my field is G100 Country Chair for Space Technology and Aviation. Again, fellow fighters for women’s rights meeting up and reinforcing each other.
Image: 17 IAW board members at the UN
Then there are the 27 International Alliance of Women fellow board members, chancing upon each other in Side Events, Parallel Events, in the corridors and on the streets of New York. Having a short chat on what is happening, what is needed.
Image: spontaneous talk in a UN Cafeteria
Add to that, the many, many spontaneous talks I have with people that happen to be seated next to me at official events, on benches, on the buss, at the cafeteria. I meet and greet people that are unknown to me until that moment. Short encounters to talk about women’s right and plight.
Image: spontaneous chat opportunity at a bus stop
Yesterday, the president of the Women’s Council of Indonesia accompanied by the first secretary of the Indonesian permanent mission to the UN, added her organization to the coalition-in-search-of-good-menopause-care that is forming around the world. It is clear to me that menopause care is on the minds of many women in the world and we are willing to fight for that care.
This is just a – perhaps to you all boring – summation of the way I feel connected; the way I know myself embedded in the women’s movements on our planet here. It aids me immensely to stay focused as truth be told going from event to event is tiring. Meeting with so many that do know me and acknowledge me in some small way helps me to feel useful and also vindicated for travelling here again on the dime of my organization.
Thank you for your trust in me.
