campaigns at #CSW58

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The 58th Commission on the Status of Women is currently underway in New York, USA. It started on the 10th of March and will go on till 21st of March. This annual meeting of hundreds of women, men, government officials, ministers, national delegations, girl’s groups, boy’s groups, NGOs, and other stake-holders at the United Nations is to discuss this year’s priority theme, Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls.

Inevitably there are a whole host of new initiatives and campaigns that are launched/announced at this annual meeting. This year I have started my own ‘campaign’ to gather information about all the campaigns both launched and mentioned during #CSW58 and compile them in one place. This is an incomplete list in all likelihood but my hope is that I will be able to get people to leave comments with those that are missing from this compilation to help me along!

So lets get started shall we!

Campaigns @ CSW58

Tweets about the various campaigns launched or mentioned at CSW58.

  1. Stop Rape in Conflict:  http://www.stoprapeinconflict.org/campaign_call …
  2. StopRapeCmpgn

    StopRapeInConflict@StopRapeCmpgn
    Find out more about the Campaign and take the #StopRape pledge at  http://www.stoprapeinconflict.org  #CSW58

    Tue, Mar 18 2014 09:01:47

  3. European Commission campaign: Science its a girl thing
  4. Science: it’s a girl thing! | Science: It’s a girl thing!

    European Commission › Research & Innovation › Science: It’s a girl thing! › Science: it’s a girl thing!
    Science-girl-thing
  5. Silvia_Curbelo_

    Silvia Curbelo@Silvia_Curbelo_
    Campaign to build on equality, based on the stereotypes you are trying to fight. “Science: It’s a girl thing!”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g032MPrSjFA …

    Mon, Mar 17 2014 09:23:03

  6. ITU's campaign: Girls in ICT Day 24 April
  7. #csw58 Girls in ICT Day 24 April open up their world @AWAVA_women @DV_NSW pic.twitter.com/1MjQ2WfuEJ
    Tracy Howe@TracyHowe67
    ·

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 10:55:00

  8. UN Women campaign: He for She heforshe.org
  9. Mlle_Dena

    Dena Dervanovic@Mlle_Dena
    @phumzileunwomen shares that the campaign #HeforShe reached over 19m people thus far! @UN_Women @Empower_Women #CSW58

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 11:06:07

  10. UN Women campaign: Beijing+20
  11. ELHaugseth

    Elisabeth L Haugseth@ELHaugseth
    #CSW58 @UN_Women campaign #Beijingplus20 Focuses 1)commitment 2)capacity building 3)communication 4)cities for #CEDAW  http://www.ngocsw.org 

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 10:55:34

  12. fahsana

    Anjabeen@fahsana
    From the NGO briefing, “#Empoweringwomen is empowering humanity” an upcoming @Unwomen campaign. @WomenNC @womenlive #CSW58

    ·

    Thu, Mar 13 2014 06:40:08

  13. Zimbabwe Campaign:  http://www.unicef.org/esaro/5440_zimbabwe_abuse.html …
  14. graceruvimbo

    Grace. R. Chirenje@graceruvimbo
    Zim gvt launched campaign against rape and women continue to demand stiffer sentences for rapists@FemnetProg#CSW58@263Chat

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 10:29:35

  15. The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Girls in Latin America and the Caribbean
  16. CATWLACDIR

    CATWLAC@CATWLACDIR
    Today we present the Campaign Against #SexTourism Brazil 2014-2016 At UN-CSW58. Support, Promote, sign at  http://www.catwlac.org/inicio/2014/03/07/adhierete-campana-para-erradicar-el-turismo-sexual-y-la-explotacion-sexual-comercial/ …

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 08:35:08

  17. Unbreakable Campaign by Progressio  http://www.progressio.org.uk/unbreakable …
  18. Our campaign action has been handed in to @JustineGreening at the #CSW58! Thank you to all for taking action pic.twitter.com/yBteWUU8cy
    Progressio@Progressio

    ·
    ·

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 04:26:55

  19. Plan Global: Because I am a Girl  http://plan-international.org/girls/ …
  20. WAGGGSdelegates

    WAGGGS Delegates@WAGGGSdelegates
    .@PlanGlobal‘s #BecauseIAmAGirl Campaign looked to support 4million girls directly through programs #csw58 #vawg

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 12:39:06

  21. BanBossy banbossy.com
  22. We pledge to #banbossy &join @sherylsandberg @LeanInOrg @girlscouts @FLOTUS @Beyonce &more!  http://banbossy.com  pic.twitter.com/8bPdvIC0Mq
    UN Women@UN_Women

    ·
    ·

    Thu, Mar 13 2014 17:18:49

  23. SG's UNiTE Campaign
  24. UN_CSW

    United Nations CSW@UN_CSW
    Today, 10-11:15am, CR-C, UNiTE Campaign Panel on #SexualViolence, by @UNFPA. #CSW58 @SayNO_UNiTE

    ·

    Wed, Mar 12 2014 05:31:22

  25. Cities4CEDAW campaign una-sf.org/blog/
  26. Mayor Shelby Welsch of University City, MO, at #Cities4CEDAW Campaign @NGO_CSW_NY #CSW58 pic.twitter.com/dzxexxf0cO
    Iris Wong@iriswong23
    ·

    Thu, Mar 13 2014 15:44:37

  27. 16 Days of Activism campaign
  28. WILPFUNRep

    WILPF UN Rep@WILPFUNRep
    Balakrishnan: The 16 Days campaign from @CWGL_Rutgers has been on going for 20 years. #CSW58 #WSW2015 #WILPF100

    ·

    Thu, Mar 13 2014 15:31:55

  29. Vlogs by Mandem On The Wall's bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26545056
  30. Rest0red

    Restored@Rest0red
    New campaign by @ukhomeoffice using vbloggers addressing abuse amongst teenagers  http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26545056 … #CSW58 #vawg #endgbv #thisisabuse

    ·

    Thu, Mar 13 2014 08:13:05

  31. Say No to Exploitation of Humans for Profit campaign
  32. UCanStopSlavery

    You Can Stop Slavery@UCanStopSlavery
    Global campaign “Say No to Exploitation of Humans for Profit” launches Mar 13 11:30EST, rm C (CB) UN Headquarters #CSW58 @TIATaskForce

    Tue, Mar 11 2014 12:14:42

  33. Evcdn
    ·

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 16:16:49

  34. Equal Pay Day Campaign: equal-pay-day.com/
  35. Equal Pay Day Campaign- if women in N.A. made same as men= $430,000 in her lifetime! #CSW58 pic.twitter.com/2u2kHIbxUT
    Stephanie Smith@steph_smith303
    ·

    Tue, Mar 11 2014 10:40:05

  36. MadeEqual

    #EndGenderInequality@MadeEqual
    A 12 year old twin Sister & Brother just addressed the room to start their campaign to stop and END #FGM #Inspiring #YoungVoices #CSW58

    Tue, Mar 11 2014 09:14:47

  37. Men Care campaign mencare.org
  38. MenCareGlobal

    MenCare Campaign@MenCareGlobal
    The impetus for the MenCare campaign: to address the unfair care work divide, & because, men gravitate towards the idea. #MenCarePlus #CSW58

    Tue, Mar 11 2014 07:29:43

  39. Unite 4 Education campaign
  40. UNGEI

    UNGEI @UNGEI
    Learn more about @eduint‘s @unite4ed campaign here:  http://www.unite4education.org/  #investingirls #teachlearn #CSW58

    Mon, Mar 10 2014 11:15:50

  41. World Pulse's 'Women weave the web' campaign: bit.ly/1fCOxLd
  42. GlobalFundWomen

    Global Fund forWomen@GlobalFundWomen
    .@WorldPulse currently doing a campaign around digital access, literacy & empowerment; want girls & women to write & speak out. #CSW58

    Mon, Mar 10 2014 08:38:50

  43. Intel's She will connect campaign
  44. Empower_Women

    Knowledge Gateway@Empower_Women
    @phumzileunwomen : @UN_Women & Intel are now partnering in the “She Will Connect” to encourage the use of #ICTs for women and girls- #CSW58

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 11:06:38

  45. Microsoft's Big Dream movement
  46. thegenderagency

    Sarah Boyd@thegenderagency
    @Empower_Women Rane Johnson of @Microsoft announces launch of Big Dream Movement to support women & girls interested in #ICT careers #CSW58

    Fri, Mar 14 2014 11:17:43

  47. Let Girls' Lead Campaign letgirlslead.org/
  48. At the global launch of ¡PODER! which highlights the work of @LetGirlsLead in Guatemala! #CSW58 #letgirlslead pic.twitter.com/UQjKBDALCM
    GYCA@_GYCA_
    ·

    Wed, Mar 12 2014 15:37:31

  49. Cyber safe girl cybersafegirl.ca/
  50. With 3 of 4 Atlantic Ministers respon for Status of Women @ cyber safe girl launch, amazing leaders #CSW58 #cybergirl pic.twitter.com/z8efz4D3oD
    Faith Matchett@Matchettfb
    ·

    Wed, Mar 12 2014 09:32:42

  51. International Women's Media Foundation  http://www.iwmf.org/get-involved/advocacy/ …
  52. africamedia_CPJ

    africa @pressfreedom@africamedia_CPJ
    @ #CSW58 side event on #women, ICTs and #pressfreedom. @IWMF will launch global survey on violence against female journalists

    Tue, Mar 11 2014 07:19:44

  53. ISIS's linking the networks campaign bit.ly/1g2Oiic
  54. Launch of linking the networks video #1325socmed #CSW58 pic.twitter.com/Ldry5zGaBF
    JERA International@jera_int
    ·

    Mon, Mar 10 2014 09:53:36

google autocomplete – is it telling the truth?

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Ad series for UN Women by Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai

Ad series for UN Women by Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai

In my previous posts here and here I have lamented how mainstream advertising agencies most often perpetuate the stereotypes when portraying women so lo and behold when I see a mainstream advertising firm taking up the issue of stereotyping I was excited to see it but unfortunately that was short-lived. This recent campaign by UN Women using Google’s instant search tool box to “reveals widespread sexism” has stirred many an emotion. They range from disbelief to evidence of what they knew already.

But is Google telling the truth? Google Instant is an “autocomplete” feature – which, according to their site is:” a search enhancement that shows results as you type.”

It is based on the company’s careful mining of hundreds of billions of searches performed each month. For anyone who wants to know how Google describe how it works here’s the official blog explaining during its launch. It is important to understand how this works before we use its results and say its telling the truth. Perhaps its seemless-ness in our daily search imparts the impression that its the truth. Google seems to know most often what I am looking for when I start typing in the search box, hence my conclusion is that it knows what I want – and when what it throws up as result is exactly what I wanted – I begin to feel that it is telling me “the truth”. I am exaggerating the chain of thought but in a sense the UN Women campaign is basing it on this principle – What google search is showing is the “truth”.

The campaign though powerful misses the important consideration which is that Google instant is based on an algorithm that uses important factors such as your location, your search history, your language, your timing, your browsing history, the “freshness” of any topic in determining what text to complete your sentence with. Here’s a dated but useful article to show how it works in detail. All these factors including Google’s policy on what it censors influences what shows up.

From a campaign point of view its capitalizing on 1 factor: shock factor, not just the shock of how deeply rooted sexism is but the shock of seamless integration of Google instant search box in our lives. Which is a good campaign but it is also using incorrectly the public perception that there is a direct linearity of relationship between what Google autocomplete throws up with what we all really think (ie is the truth). The bigger problem for me is not what this campaign is subtly but definitely using but rather the ability of a company to use its algorithmic prowess to feed us what we should be believing as the truth. The great danger this poses is that we are stuck in a loop of information that reinforces incorrect information for all future searches. One way, at least for me, was to turn autocomplete off just by changing one setting. I recommend trying it then perhaps we will really search for what we wanted rather than be sucked into believing what is being fed to us is what we were looking for.

Let this post not confuse you that I am saying sexism does not exist, let it not be misread for one minute that we are not surrounded by injustice towards women. That is the truth. But this post is not about that and if you did not understand that well then this post was lost on you.