[New York, 17 March 2010] The government delegates and other participants of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the two-week meeting on women's rights that concluded at the UN headquarters last week, could not avoid to hear the message of the GEAR Campaign: "GEAR UP NOW!"

GEAR Campaign activists were talking about the new gender equality entity with government delegates, raising awareness within the thousands of civil society representatives who had gathered in New York for the CSW, and last but not least, being visible.

On 1st March, the first day of the CSW, the campaigners distributed thousands of copies of The New Times for Women in the UN headquarters. The spoof newspaper that announced the creation of the new UN women's agency on its front page, was the brainchild of the European working group of the campaign. The distribution team took good care that the ministers and ambassadors entering the opening session of the CSW got their copy. Also the civil society representatives who were queuing for their badges got their morning news. The newspaper was featured in a story on IPS. 

When the Commission on the Status of Women celebrated the International Women's Day in the presence of Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon on 3rd March, the campaigners were again ready for action. GEAR Campaign activists had occupied the front row of the balcony of the conference room. After Secretary-General's speech, the group got up and held signs saying GEAR UP NOW! The action was greeted with enthusiastic applause by the audience and a wave from the UN chief himself.

Pictures: Cécile Gréboval and Kyoko Shiota