[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Samuel McDonald, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Director of Mission for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, announced that applications are being accepted for a provincial delegate and up to 20 churchwide delegates to represent The Episcopal Church at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York City, NY, March 14-24, 2016.

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

The 2016 UNCSW Priority Theme is “Women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable development.”  The Review Theme is “The elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.” Information is available here.

Applications are open to an adult or youth (ages 14-19), women or men, who can speak to the Priority or Review Theme and are willing to participate in advocacy at UNSCW.  Youth must 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.

Delegates will be expected to be present in New York City for the UNSCW meeting March 11-25, or as close to the entire stay as possible. Delegates will be responsible for their own travel, housing and program expenses.

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

Application is available here. Deadline is September 15.

For more information contact Lynnaia Main, Global Relations Officer for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, lmain@episcopalchurch.org.