On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, the second day of the CSW60, the weather has changed for the better in Manhattan; the sun actually broke through for the latter half of the afternoon. Experience also proved useful, as we were able to navigate the subway system without delay, or an unexpected trip to Queens. New York looks especially nice when it is sunny and dry, and you aren’t getting splashed taxi cabs.
This morning began with the friendly face of Wendy Jyang, President of Utah China Friendship Improvement Sharing Hands Development and Commerce (UCFISHDC) who presented us with several options of side events or parallel sessions from CSW60. We decided to forgo side events at the UN headquarters and attended a parallel event at the Church Center of the United Nations across the street from the UN headquarters. The event was titled “The Gender-Based Violence Emergency Response and Protection Initiative, and was hosted by the NGO Vital Voices, AVON (the cosmetic company) and the International Organization for Migration.
(L to R): Wendy Jyang, Tony Medina, and Virginia Bennett, Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy and Human Trafficking and Labor, US State Department
We decided to attend this particular event because Vital Voices was founded in 2003 by Hilary Clinton, and in 2007 representatives from the NGO were invited to attend the original Women of the Mountains Conference.
(L to R): Tony Medina; Cindy Dyer, Vice President on Human Rights, Vital Voices; and Wendy Jyang
Prior to the panel, we were able to listen to a statement about the foreign policy priorities of the United States regarding human trafficking globally from Virginia Bennett, Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy and Human Trafficking and Labor. The panel focused on human trafficking and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and included Priti Patkar, Founder and Executive Secretary for Prerana; Khanim Rahim Latif, Director of ASUDA; Suamhirs Piraino Guzman, member of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking; and was moderated by Cindy Dyer, Vice President on Human Rights for Vital Voices.
This distinguished panel discussed GBV issues from across the globe, and I was very interested in what Ms. Latif had to say, as she is a Iraqi native from Kurdistan and reported on the horrible situation facing women and girls who are in the hands of ISIS. It attracted my immediate attention, as I have spent a considerable amount of time in those areas during my service in northern Iraq. Furthermore, Mr. Guzman shared his experiences in dealing with men, both victims and perpetrators, of GBV and human trafficking. During the Q&A session, we were able to ask a question to Mr. Guzman and share the story of Sean Reyes, Attorney General for the State of Utah, and Timothy Ballard, Founder and CEO of Operation Underground, who were panelists at the Women of the Mountains Conference, and their experiences in Columbia investigating the trafficking of local girls.
(L to R): Vital Voices Presenter, Khanim Rahim Latif, Director of ASUDA, Kurdistan, Iraq and Tony Medina
The event allowed me to utilize and hone my previously acquired skills in protocol, networking, and interacting with audiences. Although the large audience was dominated by so many active and diverse women, I was given special attention as one of the few men in the audience who was promoting gender advocacy. The panel later mentioned that the male involvement of men like Mr. Guzman and me is an important sign in resolving the most urgent challenges in GBV issues.
Sight-seeing in New York after CSW60 Sessions
Following the panel, we were given a much needed break to explore all the things that Manhattan has to offer. This included a trip to Times Square and the attractions nearby. This is my wife and I’s first visit to New York and it is exciting to see many of the famous landmarks and attractions that are here. I look forward to the discussions tomorrow, and will keep you posted.
Tony Medina, President, Utah International Mountain Forum
