The Irish are "ROCKING" it at the UN

Ireland at the Commission for Social Development 58 (CSocD58)

Following on from a powerful keynote address at the opening of the Commission who theme of "Affordable housing and social protection systems for all to address homelessness" Mary McAleece came back to work the next day and made significant contributions to a side event (below) hosted by Unanima entitled “The Hidden Faces of Family Homelessness: From the Perspective of Women and Children/Girls”. Immediately afterwards another former President of Ireland of Ireland, Mary Robinson was launching a "Drive For 5" with Bono. This important event was hosted by the Irish Government in the hope that the beneficiaries would be girls all over the world. #SDG4, Quality Education is one of the SDGs where Ireland is performing extremely well and so with confidence the Department of Foreign Affairs put our best foot forward at this event.

Whilst all at home are reeling or recovering from recent election shenanigans important government work continues abroad with confidence and and congratulations. Not withstanding the A list contributors there is an important presence of Religious at the UN including the International Presentation Association who are making their presence felt at side and other event. Sr. Jean Quinn, also contributed to the opening event and Sophia Housing have a significant presence at this Commission.

This is the video of the Irish Government event that was hosted by Geraldine Nason Byrne. Drive For Five. Mary Robinson and Bono with others formed the discussion panel towards the end, prior to the music performances at the end. Antonio Gutteres (Sec.Gen.) spoke at the launch and his speech can be read here. The highlight of the event were the five testimonies from four young women and a young man (at minute 29 in the video above, particularly impressive).

Highlights from the speakers at the launch of this event.

Mary Robinson decries the fact that there are 130 million girls not in education. Educated girls with 12 years of education with the 5 steps must be a political priority and every government must commit to these 5 steps.

Bono explains that we have been greatly enhanced by education in Ireland and that personally he met his band members and his wife there. What are the obstacles that are in the way of education? Bono referenced the man made crisis of climate change that will not be solved without educated girls. The protection of mother Earth cannot depend on its sons alone.

Alice Albright of the UN Gender Committee explained that forced marriage, fathers withdrawing girls from schools where men teach, girls who had babies not returning to the school are some of the reasons quoted that impact on the education of girls. Governments need to be held to account as to why they are not putting education for girls at the top of the agenda.

There are too many who don't belief in the power of girls.

When Bishop Tutu asked a young girl to tell him about her wedding day she explained, "That was the saddest day as it was the day I had to leave school." (Mary Robinson).

Look at Greta Thunberg, an educated activist who bridged the gap of intergenerational Climate Justice. This is why we need girls to be educated. We know that we are missing their contribution if we don't educate them.

Bono was encouraged to do a song about the drive for five by Mary Robinson. He explained that a marriage made in hell is the marriage between poverty and inequality. "Where you live should not determine whether you live, a single chromosome should not decide whether you should be educated or not." Bono accepts that his role is to be angry but to be angry in the background.

Girls should be asked what they need. We need not to just converse with girls in the classroom but with every citizen. What holds governments back? Government needs to match the ambition of women and girls.

Love is the realising of another's potential (Bono)

Mary Robinson concluded by referencing the fact that a young girl sat outside the Swedish Parliament for a while year and now with millions of girls made a huge difference. Women are to the forefront of Peace building, in Northern Ireland, the Lebanon and in Darfur. Girls and youth are the voices of conscience and have earned the right to disrupt. "Education education and education", is what gives voice to women today it helps them to become agents of change.

Mary Robinson describes herself as "an angry granny now with no time to wait, but I am a prisoner of hope".

The event finished with performances.

• #CSocD58 James Abro at the Multistakeholder Forum: "Houses are now commodities to be bought and sold in a purposely volatile housing market. When you 'flip houses' for quick profiteering you are also flipping people, creating long term human deficits"
• "Let's get one thing straight: there is no such thing as "the homeless". There are only individuals experiencing housing displacement. And the reasons they are doing so are unique and varied as there are stars in our sky."
• What an eye opener, people experiencing homelessness face mental illness and trauma related to just being homeless on top of everything else. -Sharon Fisher. It’s the chicken and the egg all over again #CSOCD58
• @CEOofHappYness implored participants in the multistakeholder forum at #CSocD58 to consider: 1. The Power of ONE, 2. The empowerment of women and girls when addressing homelessness, 3. To broaden the definition of who is at risk of becoming homeless #EndHomelessness #NGOCSocD58
• 
  

• Ms. Maureen Chukwurah (Worldwide Network Nigeria) shares "our systems and institutions are failing women" & shares direct & indirect policy recommendations such as accurate homelessness measurement, prevention, & skills building to generate income.”
• Disposession means losing your home. War, political unrest, natural disasters and climate change can all drive mass dispossession. #homelessness
• “The only way to stop the cycle of housing insecurity is to provide stable housing.” Learn more about the cycle at: http://safehousingpartnerships.org #CSocD58
• Sr. Margaret O’Dwyer from the Sisters of Charity reminds us that a single full-time minimum wage will not cover housing anywhere in the United States. #CSocD58
• Margaret O’Dwyer (NGO WG to End Homelessness) cites to Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that offers that everyone has the right of housing & additional declarations that consistently cite the right to housing #CSocD58
• 
  

At the NGO CSocD58 all that have been involved in the Civil Society Forum today as well as #CSocD58 events this week have discussed policy, advocacy and solutions, heard from those with lived experience and those who have collected much needed data.

On day in 01/2019 78000 ppl were homeless in NY of which >4000 lived on street. @ same time 40.000 slept rough & 13.000 stayed in shelter in LA. Huge difference in approach but both support on street or in shelter are not durable ways out of #homelessness.