[Anglican Communion News Service] Women from 18 provinces of the Anglican Communion are converging on New York to take part collectively in the annual session of the U.N.’s Commission on the Status of Women.

On Monday, March 10, the United Nations will launch the 58th session of the commission, which this year has the theme of Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls.

Anglicans and Episcopalians were selected by their primates to attend on behalf of their provinces and will be monitoring plenary sessions and attending parallel events (panels and meetings) on topics that all speak to that theme.

After the commission concludes, the women will be returning to brief their provinces on the discussions and outcomes from the event.

The Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations is hosting several panels and events, including a presentation by Lakshmi Puri, assistant secretary general of the United Nations and deputy executive director of U.N. women. She will be presenting on The Beijing Platform for Action and the global development agenda – from the Millennium Development Goals to the Post-2015 development agenda.

Anglican Louisa Mojela, founder and group chief executive officer of women’s investment portfolio holdings limited, based in South Africa, will be presenting on Enhancing women’s investment opportunities in Africa and the world.

Mojela will also be joining Ayra Inderyas, secretary of the women desk, Diocese of Lahore, Church of Pakistan; Ariella Rojhani, senior advocacy manager of the NCD Alliance; and Ann M. Starrs, president of Family Care International; on a panel considering Accelerating access, integrating services, focusing on women: the challenges of the Millennium Development Goals, sustainable development goals, low and middle income countries, and non-communicable diseases. The panel will be moderated by global public health expert Lucille B. Pilling, who is the Episcopal Church’s delegate at UNCSW58.

The Anglican Communion attendees will also have the opportunity to hear a presentation at the Episcopal Church Center by 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee – a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker, public speaker, and women’s rights advocate. She is also founder and current president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa.

The women attending on behalf of the Anglican Communion are from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Central Africa, Congo, England, Hong Kong, Indian Ocean, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Rwanda, Scotland, South Africa and the United States.