SPRING 2023
NEWSLETTER
Social Work Day at the UN- Creating a
More Inclusive World: Overcoming
Barriers to EnABLE Environments
Social WorkDay at the United
Nations in 2023
highlighted the roleof social workers inaddressing thedifferent barriers
faced by individuals
with disabilities
around the globe. The day brought togethersocial work students, faculty, social workers,
advocates, and experts from various
countries and states from the United States
to discuss and share their experiences in thefield of social work and disability. The
theme of the event was “Creating a More
Inclusive World: Overcoming Barriers to
EnABLE Environments”. The International
Association of Schools of Social Work(IASSW), International Council of Social
Welfare (ICSW), and the International
Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) in
collaboration with the Department of
Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the
UN and the Permanent Mission of Finland
to the UN sponsored the event. The
speakers’ presentations explored how social
workers can promote a more inclusive andaccessible environment for individuals withdisabilities by tackling issues such as
education, employment, health care,housing, and other social services.

The event began with opening
remarks from IASSW member, Dr. Shirley
Gatenio- Gabel. She emphasized the needfor collaborative efforts to address complex
accessible barriers and acknowledged the
crucial role of social workers as agents ofchange. ICSW UN main representative, Dr.
Sergei Zelenev introduced the first speaker,
John Wilmoth, the officer-in-charge of the
UN DESA’s Division for Inclusive Social
Development and the director of the
Population Division. Mr. Wilmoth
highlighted DESA’s work towards
accessibility, inclusion, and the rights ofpeople with disabilities. He pointed out that
one of the biggest challenges involves thefailure to acknowledge the diverse
backgrounds and lived experiences ofindividuals with disabilities. He concluded
by recalling the ongoing need to strengthen
partnerships between governments, the UN,
civil society organizations, and people withdisabilities to create a more inclusive
environment. Helena Jauhiainen, a humanrights expert in the Permanent Mission of
Finland to the UN in New York highlighted
Finland's efforts to implement theConvention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities as well as the major gaps
encountered by this country. IFSW member,Dr. Robin Mama introduced the third
speaker, Gopal Mitra, the global lead on
disability and development in ProgrammeGroup, New York Headquarters. He
provided an overview of how to strengthen
the social service workforce for children
with disabilities. Dr. Patricia Welch Saleeby,Social Work program director, and associate
professor at Bradley University in Illinois,
provided an overview of her work as a social
worker and international advocate fordisability rights. She highlighted herinternational scholarly work promoting theinternational classification of functioning,disability, and health in clinical practice andin the application of the capability approachas an alternative framework for better
situating disability. The final speaker was
Walter X. Kalman, the executive vicepresident for the New Jersey chapter of theAmerican Association on Intellectual andDevelopmental Disabilities. He provided an
overview of the parental approach todisability specifically in the journey ofparents with individuals with disabilities.
The event concluded with questions fromthe audience and a video about theinternational perspectives of disability- avideo shown at the global student
conference, developed by the student
planning committee.
You can watch Social Work Day at the UN
via the UN LiveTV:
https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1q/k1qxtf4vjf

Global Social Work Student ConferenceRespecting Diversity Through Joint
Social Action: Reframing Disability to
Ability
The Global Student Conference
occurs annually in tandem with Social WorkDay at the UN. The student conference wasborn out of students’ desire to engage
interpersonally about topics discussed at SW
day at the UN. The theme of the event
focused on “Respecting Diversity ThroughJoint Social Action: Reframing Disability to
Ability”. The International Association of
Schools of Social Work (IASSW),
International Council of Social Welfare(ICSW), and the International Federation ofSocial Workers (IFSW) sponsored the event.
The event was also hosted by Fordham
University, The University of Connecticut
and Monmouth University.
The appeal of the student conference
focused on community, action, andinteraction. The event was primarily forstudents, professionals, and educators,
following a similar theme as Social WorkDay at the UN. The event started with
opening remarks from IFSW student interns,
Julia Larock (Student from Fordham
University), and Kelsey Wills (Student from
Monmouth University). They welcomed allparticipants to the event and let student
member, Kusum Adhikari, introduce thefirst speaker, Dr. Mary Beth Bruder, Directorof the University of Connecticut A.J.
Pappanikou Center for Excellence inDevelopmental Disabilities Education,
Research, and Service. Dr. Bruder provided
an overview of disability and how to build
productive life in society for people withdisabilities through interdisciplinary work.
Student member, Maira Asif, introduced thesecond speaker, Mr. Olusola SamuelOwonikoko, Director of Project Enable
Africa based in Nigeria. Mr. Owonikoko
discussed how his organization has provided
training and support services to over 250
organizations to develop inclusive policies,
practices, and programs, training over 5,000
young persons with disabilities andpromoting employment opportunities in
Nigeria.
Student co-chair and IASSW intern,
Eunices Pineda, introduced the thirdspeaker, Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé, anintersectional feminist and advocate from
Nigeria. Ms Oyèwọlé presented theimportance of using an intersectionality
framework when addressing disability
barriers and promoting disability rights. The
presentation was followed by an interactive
activity, directed by student member Maira
Asif. Rev. Dr. Holly Bonner, Director of
Spirituality and civic engagement at Wagner
College then presented the social
perceptions of disability andcounter-narratives, including her personal
story as a social worker with a disability.
Student Co-chair Kelsey Wills, introduced
the showing of a video created by thestudent committee before calling on the
final speaker, Linda Levin, a recent MSW
graduate from Fordham University andformer IFSW student intern. Ms Levinprovided a call of action to social work
students, faculty, and other participants. The
event concluded with closing remarks from
Eunices Pineda, questions, and a networking
session.
If you would like to watch the recordingfrom the student conference, please visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mFqA
2pfUWg

New Education Resource for Social Work
Educators- International Perspectives ofDisability VideoAs part of the Global Student
Conference, the student committee
developed a video International Perspectives
on Disability. The purpose of the video wasto provide an educational tool to those

unfamiliar with disability and a platform tohear the changes people with disabilities
from different countries want. Eunices
Pineda, IASSW Intern at the UN NY (andstudent at the University of Connecticut)
was the one in charge of the final editing.
Joining Eunices on the video committee
were Julianna Larock (IFSW Student
representative, and student from Fordham
University), Kelsey Wills (IFSW Student
representative, and student from Monmouth
University), Maira Asif (Student from
Rutgers University), and Kusum Adhikari(student from Adelphi University). The
video was showcased during Social WorkDay at the UN as well. It features speakers
from Pakistan, China, Ecuador and the U.S.,
all of whom have lived experience withdisabilities.
You can have access to the video via youtube
and the IASSW website:
https://www.iassw-aiets.org/featured/11162education-resource-international-perspectives-of-disability-video/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL0jU3u
t3K4

Commission on the Status of Women,
Sixty-seventh session (CSW67) Openingof the session & General discussion
The annual Commission on the
Status of Women is usually the biggest event
held at the UN with delegates flooding infrom all parts of the world, creating a very
exciting event. The opening session,
however, is mostly procedural. Nonetheless,readers may be interested to know whichcountries played leadership roles.
Commission chair, H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini
of South Africa. She welcomed all delegatesand participants to the 67th Session of theCommission for the Status of Women(CSW67). The representatives from
Argentina and Mongolia were chosen as thevice chairs of the 67th commission. The
representative of Morocco was elected tostay in the working group on communication
for the 67th and the 68th session of thecommission as well as the representatives ofBangladesh and the Dominican Republic.
The event continued with opening
remarks from the Commission’s chair, theUN Secretary-General, the president of the
Economic and Social Council, the Presidentof the General Assembly, the UN
Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology,
the Representative of Civil Society, and ayouth representative. Participation of top
officials shows the importance of the CSW.
In her opening statement, the chair statedthat she is glad that the commission was inperson this year. She expressed hersolidarity with all women and girls inconflict and disaster-affected areas. She
presented the commission's theme for thisyear, “Innovation and technological change,and education in the digital age forachieving gender equality and theempowerment of all women and girls”. She
also introduced the review theme“Challenges and opportunities in achieving
gender equality and the empowerment ofrural women and girls.” from CSW62. She
stated that the commission will evaluate theprogress in the implementation of the agreed
conclusions from the 62nd session as well as
consider an emerging issue of getting backon track in achieving gender equality in thecontext of overlapping emergencies. She
emphasized that the commission will have ayouth section for the first time where young
people will engage and discuss the priority
theme. UN Women Executive Director,
Sima Bahous emphasized the role of thecommission which is to develop norms andstandards for urgent issues such astechnology. She highlighted how genderinequality, the gender-pay gap, technology
inaccessibility, and gender violence
influence the current challenges faced by
women. The digital technology revolution
presents a new set of opportunities for
women and girls as well as challenges togender inequalities. She pointed out how
gender equality cannot be archivable if we
do not close the current technology gap. The
session concluded with general discussions
from the members of the state and delegates.
For more information about CSW67, please
visit:
https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-20
23

CSW67 Side Event- WGG Youth
Conversation Circles at the CSW67
IASSW intern Eunices Pineda and
IASSW member, Dr. Rebecca Davis served
as co-facilitators in a side event hosted by
the Working Group on Girls. The event
reviewed the gendered impacts ofinnovation and technology as well as
identifying solutions and recommendations
that promote a more inclusive and equitable
digital innovation. Girls and young womengathered for a 90-minute discussion ingroups of 10. The Conversation Circles were
led and facilitated by girls (14 - 18 yrs. old)with the support of young women and adultwomen.. The main discussion topics
included Access and Infrastructure, Genderbias and STEM awareness, Education andTraining, Harmful online interactions, andLeadership and participation. The
conversation started by asking eachparticipant to only write their first name toprotect their identity. The moderator
welcomed all the participants and directed
them to their respective rooms to start theconversation circle. Groups were assigned to
be at the virtual room for 45 minutes. The
results of the conversations were collected
after 45 minutes. Some of the common
themes were: underrepresentation inleadership, lack of support, unsafe virtualenvironments, harassment, and gender bias.
The event concluded with closing remarks
from the moderator. The recommendations
and results will be shared with UN Womenand Member States to promote newrecommendations and resources for girls andyoung women.
Rethinking how to Bridge the Gender
Digital Divide (CSW67 Side Event)

The impact of the gender digital
divide on gender equality, economic
empowerment, education, and inclusive
political participation were emphasized in aside event hosted by the African Union andthe European Union. Fatima Kyari
Mohammed, African Union Ambassador,
pointed out how bridging the gap of gender
digital technology is also bridging the gap indevelopment, particularly inequality, andempowerment. She highlighted theimportance to meet girls and women where
they are, addressing accessibility, cultural

appropriateness, literacy, and infrastructure.
She concluded that the internet andtechnology can become enablers for womenand girls. Panelist Ugochi Daniels, Chief ofStaff at the UN Agency for Palestine
Refugees, highlighted how the digital
revolution has changed the lives of billions
but continues to be disproportionately
distributed among genders. She pointed out
how migrant women are at the greatest
disadvantage due to the lack of access todigital information and secure
telecommunication. She stated that women
provided 50% of global remittances in 2020
but most of them did not have access toproper systems to transfer remittances,causing them to use traditional methods
which are more expensive and riskier. She
concluded that bridging the digital gap cancontribute to the advancement of genderequality and increase significant economic
benefits for women and girls. Maria Soraya
Rodriguez Ramos, a member of theEuropean Parliament, highlighted that
ensuring access to equality and accessible
education including a focus on digital
literacy can be a game changer to makegender equality progress. She noted that
education cannot change the world but
education can change women and girls whowill change the world.
Ms. Sinead Bovell, a youth digital
expert, provided a brief introduction about
her work at WAYE- a tech educationcompany, and how women and girls tend not
to be part of the digital conversation. Thenthe next panelist, Sweetie Anang, a STEM
advocate, spoke on technology as a key
component of economic development in
Africa. She also pointed out how theadvances in technology and social media
have increased employment opportunities
and Africa's GDP. She concluded that it isimportant to protect women and not
categorize them into a homogenous groupbut instead emphasize the diversity amongwomen around the world. The final panelist,
Chido MPemba, the African Union Youth
Senior Official, highlighted the different
initiatives within the African Union
including the 1 Million Next Level
Campaign. She emphasized the importanceof building the skills of women andcontinuing to keep up with the current
digital trends. The event concluded withquestions and discussion.
United Nations World Water Conference2023

For the first time in decades, the UN
held a global conference focused solely onwater and sanitation. Several IASSW
representatives participated in the World
Water Conference held at UN headquartersfrom March 22-24. This major conference
explored diverse issues related to water andreviewed progress on Sustainable
Development Goal 6: “Ensure availability
and sustainable management of water andsanitation for all.” Hundreds of side events
covered the major themes of the meeting:Water for Health, Water for Development,
and Water for Climate, Reliance andEnvironment. Clean water is essential for
health and the Covid pandemic underscoredglobal inequality in access to this essential
resource. Millions of people lacked access tosoap and clean water and were unable tofollow even the basic prevention strategy ofhand-washing. As is true for other SDGs,
progress has been too slow for targets to be
met by 2030 without significant scaling up
of efforts.
In parts of the world, there isavailable surface water, but it is not safe todrink without further treatment. Other

countries suffer from drought that severely
limits access to water for agriculture,industry, and for households. Conversely,
floods are devastating more and more areasof the world, from California to Pakistan.
The conference was highly interdisciplinary.
Participants included experts from publichealth, medicine, agriculture, civilengineering, disaster response, education,social work, international law and more.
They represented NGOs, governments,
universities and corporations. Innovative
projects were presented, many of whichwere partnerships between NGOs and theprivate sector or NGOs and governments.
The UN team would be interested to know if
any IASSW members are involved inwater-related projects.
For access to materials from the conference,
visit
https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023
First Plenary Meeting - UN 2023 Water
Conference

The importance of a UN meeting is
indicated by the presence of high levelparticipants. By this measure, the Water
Conference was definitely a top level event.
After a musical opening ceremony, theopening session plenary began with remarks
by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
After the election of King
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands andPresident of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon as
conference presidents, the Secretary Generalpointed out that water is humanity’s
lifeblood and a human right. He highlighted
how water overconsumption andunsustainable use have put water in adangerous position. He called on member
states to create sustainable changes that
ensure water preservation. Next, H.E CsabaKőrösi, the 77th president of the General
Assembly, highlighted the consequences ofwater mismanagement and failure to provide
sustainable solutions. He stressed theimportance of making water a global public
good by adjusting policies, legislation, andfinancing accordingly. More opening
remarks followed from the president of the
Economic and Social Council, theSecretary-General of the Conference, andthe Secretary General of Economic andSocial Affairs. Bangladesh, Belize,
Burundi, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Iceland, Poland, Romania, RussianFederation, and Saudi Arabia were assigned
as Vice-Presidents by acclamation. H.E
Catalina Velasco Camposano from
Colombia was assigned as
Rapporteur-General of the Conference.
Luis Alberto Arce Catacora,
President of Bolivia opened the general
debate. He emphasized that Bolivia
recognizes water as the most fundamental
right to life under the basis of Mother Earthand good living. In a remark that will beappreciated by social workers, he concluded
that sustainable action must be taken toprotect this fundamental human right,
emphasizing that water is not anenvironmental issue but a social and an
economic issue as well. President of Iraq,
Abdul Latif Rashid emphasized the current
water crisis in Iraq, affecting lives,
employment, human displacement, andthreatening food security and biodiversity.
He concluded on calling member states tomake measures and arrangements to ensure
water accessibility for everyone. The general
discussion was continued by Bosnia andHerzegovina, Botswana, Slovenia, Libya,
Gambia, Tuvalu, Namibia, Cuba, Vietnam,
Barbados, European Union, Aruba, andNetherlands. The opening ceremony
concluded after remarks by the youth
representative of the Netherlands.
For more information about the Water
Conference, please visit:https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023
ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023
Every year the Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) organizes the ECOSOC
Youth Forum. The event provides young
individuals a platform to discuss important
issues related to sustainable development
and the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). This year, theevent took place from 25 to 27 April 2023,
focusing on the theme of ECOSOC and the2023 UN High-level Political Forum onsustainable development (HLPF) on“Accelerating the recovery from thecoronavirus disease (COVID-19) and thefull implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development at levels”. During
the Forum, participants engage in various
interactive sessions, including panel
discussions with member states, workshops,
sharing recommendations and innovativeideas, and presentations.
For more information about the ECOSOC
Youth Forum, please visit:https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/2023-ecosocyouth-forum

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues 2023
The twenty-second session of the
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues(UNPFII) took place from 17-28 April 2023.
The forum provides a platform forindividual communities to discuss theirconcerns, share their experiences, andengage in dialogue with member states, UN
agencies, and civil society organizations
along with other stakeholders. The forum
highlighted a wide range of issues related toindigenous peoples' rights, development,
culture, and well-being. The priority themeof the session was “Indigenous Peoples,
human health, planetary and territorial
health, and climate change: a Rights-based
Approach”. The forum raises awarenessabout the challenges faced by indigenous
communities worldwide and facilitates
discussions in the implementation of theUnited Nations Declaration on the Rights ofIndigenous Peoples.
For more information about the UN
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,
please visit:https://social.desa.un.org/issues/indigenouspeoples/unpfii/unpfii-twenty-second-session-17-28-april-2023

UPCOMING EVENTS SECTION
The High-level Political Forum 2023

This year, The High-level Political
Forum will take place from Monday, 10
July, to Wednesday, 19 July 2023. The event
is expected to have both in-person andvirtual events. The priority theme for thisyear is “Accelerating the recovery from thecoronavirus disease (COVID-19) and thefull implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development at all levels.” Theevent will unpack the effective and inclusive
recovery measures to address the impacts of
the COVID-19 pandemic on the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) and explore
actionable policy guidance for the full
implementation of the 2030 Agenda and theSDGs at all levels. Check to see if yourcountry is presenting a Voluntary National
Review (VNR). High level panels and side
events can be watched on UN WebTV.
For more information see:https://hlpf.un.org/2023
SDG Summit 2023

This year, an SDG Summit will takeplace from Monday, 18 September, toTuesday, 19 September, during the United
Nations General Assembly high-level week.
During the Summit, Heads of State andGovernment will follow-up and review the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and the 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This will be the second SDG Summit since
the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in
September 2015. 2023 marks the high-way
point in the 15 year 2030 agenda. The needto dramatically scale up efforts is sure to beemphasized. The NGO Committee forSocial Development is conducting outreachto member bodies to gather information for
input to the Summit. You are encouraged torespond to the call for short video or written
statements that will be circulated tomembers before the end of June.
The summit can be watched on UN WebTV.

For more information see:https://www.un.org/en/conferences/SDGSu
mmit2023
Farewell from Eunices, IASSW Intern
2022-2023!
As my internshipwith IASSW
comes to an end, I
would like toexpress my sincere
gratitude for theinvaluable
experience andopportunities I
have had during
my time here. As
an intern, I had theprivilege ofworking alongside exceptionally talented
and knowledgeable individuals who not only
shared their expertise but also promoted an
inclusive and collaborative environment.
The guidance, mentorship, and support I
received from my supervisor and theIASSW team have been invaluable andshaped my understanding of global issues,international policy, and sustainable
development goals. The skills andknowledge I have gained will undoubtedly
serve as a solid foundation for my futureendeavors.
I would like to extend my heartfelt
thanks to Dr. Lynne
Healy and the entire
IASSW team forproviding me withthis remarkable
opportunity. I am
deeply grateful foryour trust, guidance,and encouragement
throughout my fieldplacement. The
impact of thisexperience will resonate with me for years
to come. I look forward to using theknowledge acquired and implementing it in
my professional journey.