MELF Cohort Five conclude their immersion experience in New York

The Mercy Emerging Leadership Fellows (MELF) from Cohort Five took part in an immersion experience in New York from the 6th to the 16th of March 2026. The Immersion Programme was centered on the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN and also included some cultural and historic content.

The Fellows of Cohort Five are: Angela Howard-McParland (United States); Floravel Ambas (Philippines); Josie Ruawhare (Aotearoa New Zealand); Pamela McLoughlin (Ireland); Aura Matalines, rsm (Philippines); Saska Sertimer (Guyana); Kilisitina Vaeatangitau, rsm (Aotearoa New Zealand); and Tatiana Diaz (United States).

The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) began on 9th March at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Grounded in a strong civil society presence, the session focused on “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers” through both formal negotiations and vibrant feminist organizing around the UN.

MELF Cohort 5, visiting staff from Mercy International Association, and MGA staff joined thousands of participants from around the world, engaging in a wide range of events. Inside the UN, official plenary meetings were complemented by side events and parallel events co-organized by governments, UN agencies, and NGOs, highlighting issues such as legal empowerment, accountability for gender-based violence, and access to justice for women in vulnerable situations.

Taken together, CSW70 offered civil society a crucial space to share evidence from the grassroots, build cross-movement alliances, and collectively push for more just and gender-responsive legal systems worldwide.

Mercy International Association contributed to the following parallel events:

"Gender Justice Beyond Borders: Mobilizing for Collective Action on Migration," organized by the Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice, where MGA Global Policy & Research Advocate, Cecilie Kern spoke as a panelist.

“Crossing Borders, Claiming Rights: Gender-Responsive Approaches to Migration,” organized by the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, where Cecilie was the keynote speaker.

“Generating Justice: Genocide, Ecocide, and Gender Justice,” organized by the NGO Mining Working Group. MGA contributed to the planning group for this event.

“Justice at Work: Implementing ILO Convention 190 to Eliminate Violence and Structural Barriers,” organized by the NGO Coalition to End Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, where Cecilie delivered closing remarks.

CSW70 Townhall Meeting

One of the highlights of the CSW was the traditional civil society town hall meeting with the UN Secretary-General. At the town hall, MELF fellow Tatiana Diaz had the chance to ask how the United Nations will promote the role of civil society amid growing authoritarianism. This led to a passionate response from the Secretary-General, who said that decision-making processes, including those at the UN, are enhanced, strengthened, and made more effective by the participation of civil society.

This was Antonio Guterres’ final CSW as Secretary-General of the United Nations, as he will complete his second term at the end of 2026. The election of the next Secretary-General will take place later this year, and there is a growing push for the United Nations to choose the first female Secretary-General in its 80-year history.

MELF Fellows wrote reflections on their experiences during the CSW, some of which you can read below.

To start their NYC immersion, the Fellows went to see one of New York’s most iconic sights: the Statue of Liberty. They also toured the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Both the Statue and Immigration Museum have a rich, fascinating history that set the tone for the rest of the immersion, leading with dignity and strength against adversity.

Aura Matalines, RSM (Philippines) reflected on the Statue of Liberty visit: “I was deeply struck when I learned something about the structural design of the Statue of Liberty: it was built with flexibility. The structure was intentionally designed to bend slightly with strong winds rather than resist them rigidly. That flexibility is precisely what allows it to endure the tests of time and nature.”

Pamela McLoughlin (Ireland) on exploring NYC

Over these past days we have shared something very simple: we have walked together. Each morning we walked through the streets of New York, across crossings, past busy traffic, and through crowds of strangers. For some of us the walking may have felt easy, something we do every day without much thought. For others it may have been slower or more tiring. And yet, step by step, we kept moving together. Walking has a way of making us aware. Aware of our bodies, aware of the pace of others, aware of the city around us, and aware of the journey we are sharing.

Before New York was a city of skyscrapers, it was a harbour. For millions of people, that harbour was the first glimpse of a new life. This week we stood at Ellis Island, where people from many places arrived carrying something precious: their identity, their story, and their courage. In many ways, we too have been on a journey this week. A journey of walking, listening, learning, and seeing one another more deeply. Perhaps the question we carry now is simple: how will we walk from here?

Tina Vaeatangitau, RSM (Tonga/Aotearoa New Zealand) - Commission on the Status of Women

During this journey of CSW, we witnessed a coalition of civil society organisations and individuals advocating for gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity. The courage, passion, sense of justice, and compassion of these women reminded me of Catherine McAuley.

As we know, she recognised suffering and acted, believing that Mercy should walk the streets and reach the hardest and darkest places in life. The freedom to choose which presentation to attend allowed us to select the one that most suited each person.

One of the presentations I attended was ‘Empowerment for all women through the expression of arts.’ I was struck by how the visual arts, dance, and literature enable us, both women and men, to express and shape our narratives, process our emotions, and achieve personal growth. It is wonderful how art can be deeply therapeutic and healing for so many people. I learned a great deal from all the presentations I attended throughout the week, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to experience the United Nations as a platform for nations to resolve conflicts, protect human rights, promote sustainable development, and provide humanitarian aid. I cannot help but note that the current wars and conflicts harming so many innocent people, are being driven by those leaders who mock the United Nations and what it stands for. Shame on them.

Other activities of the immersion

The MELF Fellows undertook a range of other activities while in New York, including seeing a Broadway show, Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York, which was a hilarious and sweet journey through the very city they were exploring.

The Fellows also joined Denise Scotto, a leader at the UN and beyond, in a frank and meaningful conversation about human rights and the position of women within the United Nations.

They also shared updates on the justice projects they will present at their final immersion in Ireland later this year.

It was a jampacked week, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to Dublin for their graduation in September.