Real Equality Takes Intentionality Bridie Boyd is a familiar contributor to AnglicanLife. She advocates for youth, mental health and women’s equality, to name a few of her passions. In this interview Bridie talks about her experience attending the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (called UNCSW and then a year). Every year since 1946,1 the United Nations, alongside NGO’s and advocacy groups, have gathered people together to promote global gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Dialogue
Q A
Bridie, how did you get chosen to attend?
The Anglican Communion (global) is able to send eight delegates—usually four are young women and four are women in leadership. The eight delegates represent all Anglicans globally, and also their specific province. So, I was chosen to represent the Archdiocese of New Zealand, Aotearoa and Polynesia.
1 Due to COVID-19, the 2020 meeting was cancelled, but this year it was virtual.
It was initially a nomination and then a selection process. I was nominated through the Anglican Women’s Studies Council because of my work on nongendered and expansive language around liturgy and faith conversations, and also for the work I do encouraging young people, particularly women, into leadership and governance. After the nomination, which went through the Archbishop’s office, the Anglican Communion then made their selection from all the nominees. I was shocked to be simply nominated, so I was not in the least expecting to be chosen. It was incredibly special to be selected—the whole thing has been such as privilege.
UNCSW65 (2021) promotional banner for the commission held in March this year.
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Dialogue |
Interviewer — Jo Bean
Q A
Then what happened? You got to go to the United Nations?
Sort of! But it’s both a yes and a no. A few days before I was meant to fly to New York where the UNSCW64 conference was held, we went into lockdown. There had been a lot of prep work and getting to know the other delegates, so it was absolutely gutting to have it tip over at the last minute. But it was also a bit of a relief, as at that time (March 2020) New York was really struggling with COVID–19. All the delegates stayed in touch, and we continued to do our own work with women encouraged by each other. And
