The 54th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women began in New York on 1 March.

Leanne Miller, Mary O’Reeri, and Carole Shaw are representing Australia at the twelve-day event, which brings together representatives from around the world to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, and set new policies and standards to promote the advancement of women.

Miller is an Indigenous activist and the executive director of the Koori Women Mean Business Inc. She also attended the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 2006, was involved in the drafting of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Shadow Report in 2009, and took part in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Gathering in 2002, 2008, and 2009.

O’Reeri is a primary school teacher from the Beagle Bay Aboriginal Community in Western Australia who organised the Blank Page Summit on Suicide in 2009.

Shaw is the director of Justice Equality Rights Access International, and is actively involved with a number of global and Australian bodies promoting and supporting women.

The event also marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action – an international plan to achieve equality for women in areas such as poverty, education, health, the economy, human rights, power and decision-making.

A representative of the Federal Minister for the Status of Women Tania Plibersek said that the event gives Australia the opportunity of highlighting its successes in promoting equality between women and men and considering what more needs to be done to create a fairer, more equal society.

“The three delegates will bring a wide range of opinions and experiences to the Commission ensuring strong Australian representation which will assist to advance the status of women.”