During the CSW’s 62nd session to take place 12-23March 2018, representatives of 193 UN member states, civil societyorganisations and UN entities will gather at UN headquarters in New York. Theywill discuss past progress, gaps and emerging issues affecting gender equality,with an emphasis on how technology can impact the lives of rural women. TheCommission will then draw conclusions and adopt resolutions outlining animproved path forward.
Stewart-Rattray will beone of two non-government delegates to join the team of eight delegatesrepresenting Australia this year. These non-governmentdelegates play an invaluable role by ensuring a broad range of views arerepresented at CSW, providing their expert advice to the Australian governmentand acting as liaisons with Australian and international civil societyorganisations. Australiais one of few governments that allows non-government delegates to join thesessions.
The Commission hasachieved significant progress in advancing gender equality through landmarkagreements, such as contributing to the drafting of the Universal Declarationof Human Rights, creating the 1953 Convention on thePolitical Rights of Women, which was the first internationallaw instrument to recognise and protect the political rights of women, and devisingthe Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Womenin 1979.
"I am extremely humbled,honoured and excited to help represent Australia and to address gender equalityand the empowerment of women and girls on an international stage,"Stewart-Rattray said. "We hope to accomplish a great deal during our timetogether to further gender equality and empowerment."
Stewart-Rattray is chairof ISACA’s Women’s Leadership Council and a leading champion of ISACA’s SheLeadsTechprogram, which seeks to increase the representation of womenin technology leadership roles and in the tech workforce globally.Stewart-Rattray, who hails from the Australian bush, is especially enthusedthat the upcoming session will focus on improving opportunities for women fromrural backgrounds as well as women’s participation in and access to informationand communications technology.
"I have made it my mission to make sure that women andgirls across Australia have the opportunity to make choices about their livesand their careers," Stewart-Rattray said. "My experience with ISACA’s SheLeadsTechprogram was one of the main reasons I was selected as part of the delegation,and I deeply appreciate the doors that ISACA continues to open for me in mycareer. As a girl from the Australian bush, I hope this encourages other women inrural areas and cities alike to persevere and follow their dreams."
A lack of mentors and female role models, gender bias,and unequal growth opportunities compared to men are barriers to women in thetech workforce, according to ISACA’s 2017 research, The Future Tech Workforce: Breaking Gender Barriers.Additionally, UN Women cites estimates that as much as US $28 trillion, or 26 per cent,could be added to the global annual gross domestic product by 2025 if womenplayed an identical role to men in labour markets.
Jo Stewart-Rattray, CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, FACSCP, serves on ISACA’s board of directors, chairs ISACA’s Women’s Leadership Council, and is director of informationsecurity and IT assurance at BRM Holdich, aSouth Australian-based chartered accounting and commercial advisory practice.Stewart-Rattray has more than 25 years’ experience in the IT field, includingexperience as CIO for a utility and almost 20 years in information security.She underpins her IT and security background with her qualifications ineducation and management. She specialises in consulting on governance andstrategy for industry sectors, including banking, finance, utilities,automotive manufacturing, tertiary education, retail and government.
Stewart-Rattraycontributes to cybersecurity-related research initiatives and sits on theAustralian Computer Society’s National Congress. She is past international vicepresident of ISACA; past president of the ISACA Adelaide Chapter; and past chairof ISACA’s Audit Committee, Leadership Development Committee and SecurityManagement Committee.
The Commission on the Status of Women is the principalglobal intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of genderequality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economicand Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established in June 1946. The CSW isinstrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’slives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality andthe empowerment of women.
Nearingits 50th year, ISACA® (isaca.org) is a globalassociation helping individuals and enterprises achieve the positive potentialof technology. Today’s world is powered by technology, and ISACA equipsprofessionals with the knowledge, credentials, education and community toadvance their careers and transform their organisations. ISACA leverages theexpertise of its half-million engaged professionals in information andcybersecurity, governance, assurance, risk and innovation, as well as itsenterprise performance subsidiary, CMMI® Institute, to help advanceinnovation through technology. ISACA has a presence in more than 188 countries,including more than 215 chapters worldwide and offices in both the UnitedStates and China.
HarrietHall, [email protected], +61 401 068 041 ---
