[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Applications are being accepted for a provincial delegate and up to 20 churchwide delegates to represent The Episcopal Church at the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York City, March 9-20, 2015.

The provincial delegate and the churchwide delegates will be able to attend the official UNCSW proceedings at the UN and will represent The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion in their advocacy at the UN, including joint advocacy with the group Ecumenical Women.

The 2015 UNCSW theme is a review of progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Program for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference for Women in 1995.  See more here.

Applications are open to an adult or youth (ages 16-20), women or men, who can speak to the theme and are willing to participate in advocacy at UNSCW. Youth should be accompanied by an adult chaperone.

Applicants should have a relevant role at the parish, diocesan and/or provincial level, be accountable to a diocesan or provincial authority, and have a process for reporting back to their local community after participating in UNCSW.

Applicants will be expected to be present in New York City for UNSCW March 6-20, or as close to the entire stay as possible. Successful applicants will be responsible for their own travel, housing and program expenses.

The delegates will be chosen by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori; applicants will be notified by mid-October.

Application is available here. Deadline is September 15.

For more information contact Lynnaia Main, Episcopal Church Global Relations Officer, lmain@episcopalchurch.org.