Rural Development Leadership Network


Rural Women at the UN



Women's Empowerment: Grassroots Rural US Women's Perspectives

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), was established in 1946 to promote women's rights around the world.
panel

Starry Krueger, Tia Oros Peters, Michelle Cole Barnes, Shirley Williams Mcclain, Shirley Sherrod, Nkwanda Jah, Joan Lucas, Mily Treviño-Sauceda

CSW monitors the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, works to mainstream a gender perspective in UN activities and endorses progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, as part of realizing gender equality and the empowerment of women.

During the annual two-week session of CSW representatives of UN Member States, there are "parallel events", organized by Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) like the Rural Development Leadership Network. We organize a panel on the CSW theme for the session, presenting the perspectives of diverse grassroots rural women on that topic.


Rural Women - RDLN Delegates to CSW 2019

Michelle Cole Barnes: Ordained Minister, Group Home Owner (Alabama)
Tiffany Carr, Outreach Coordinator, Southwest Georgia Project (Georgia)
Cynthia Ellis: Duke of Edinburgh award program Belize, Champion (Belize, Central America)
Nkwanda Jah: Executive Director, Cultural Arts Coalition (Florida)
Joan Lucas: Maya Women's Center (Belize, Central America)
Shirley McClain: Playwright, Director, Actor (North Carolina)
Tia Oros Peters: Executive Director, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples
Shirley Sherrod: Executive Director, Southwest Georgia Project (Georgia)
Mily Treviño-Sauceda: Vice President, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas (California)

Zayniah Hudson, Jae'la Johnson, Gala Marcus: Youth Representatives
Moderator: Starry Krueger: President, Rural Development Leadership Network

Adapting the theme of the CSW gathering this year, RDLN's topic was "Women's Empowerment: Perspectives of Grassroots U.S. Rural Women." The diverse panel of rural leaders is listed below, with their affiliation and a video of their presentation. We were honored to have open the session with a song, recognizing the indigenous roots of this area.

CSW Speakers

Click on speaker videos below. Click "Youtube" for larger window.


Panel Opening/Singing
The Honorable Deborah Sanchez (Chumash, O'odham and Raramuri), (singer), Native American studies faculty, judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California, and Board Secretary/Treasurer of the Seventh Generation Fund. She has worked to maintain the annual ceremony of the Chumash crossing the ocean channel, in their traditional canoe from the mainland to Limuw (also known as Santa Cruz Island).

Shirley Sherrod
Executive Director, Southwest Georgia Project

Mily Treviño-Sauceda
Executive Director, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas

Tia Oros Peters
Executive Director, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples

Nkwanda Jah
Executive Director, Cultural Arts Coalition, Florida

Michelle Cole Barnes
Ordained Minister, Group Home Owner, Alabama

Joan Lucas
Maya Women's Center, Belize, Central America

Shirley McClain
Playwright, Director, Actor, North Carolina

Q & A
Violence Against Women