From 10-21 March 2025, delegates from UN Member States, civil society, and other stakeholders will convene at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). This global policy-making body is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity. It is instrumental in promoting the rights of women and girls, shaping global standards and policy agendas, and documenting the reality of the lives of women and girls across the globe.
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The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.
The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s and girls’ rights, documenting the reality of their lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
In 1996, ECOSOC in resolution 1996/6 (see p. 20) expanded the Commission’s mandate and decided that it should take a leading role in monitoring and reviewing progress and problems in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and in mainstreaming a gender perspective in UN activities.
During the Commission’s annual two-week session, representatives of UN Member States, civil society organizations and UN entities gather at UN headquarters in New York. They discuss progress and gaps in the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the key global policy document on gender equality, and the 23rd special session of the General Assembly held in 2000 (Beijing+5), as well as emerging issues that affect gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Member States agree on further actions to accelerate progress and promote women’s and girls’ enjoyment of their rights in political, economic, and social fields. The outcomes and recommendations of each session are forwarded to ECOSOC for follow-up.
Justice Coalition of Religious
This guide was produced by the Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR), a coalition of 23 non-governmental organizations that are accredited to collectively represent over 200 congregations of Roman Catholic women and men Religious at the United Nations (UN). Congregations of Religious sustain the long-standing tradition of serving people who experience the marginalisation, oppression, and vulnerability resulting from unjust global systems. At the grassroots, Sisters, Brothers, priests, and their mission partners are leaders in the provision of essential services. While these efforts offer vital temporary assistance, our common home cries out for lasting global transformation, a transformation that requires addressing the root causes of human and environmental suffering. We are thereby called to the work of advocacy.
Justice Coalition of Religious coordinates the efforts of Religious and their ministry partners – across more than 100 countries – in pursuit of our common mission: To facilitate collaboration among members and partners of Catholic Religious congregations working at the grassroots and at the United Nations in order to: (1) strengthen one another’s capacity for advocacy and (2) advocate collectively for social, economic, and environmental justice and peace in international, regional, and national fora.
Guided by Catholic Social Teaching and the Universal Human Rights Framework, JCoR envisions a just and peaceful world where the dignity of every person, particularly the most marginalized, and the sanctity of all creation are upheld. In this world, all people can fully participate in the social, economic, political, and cultural life of society, working together to foster the common good. We strive to realise this future world by coordinating the efforts of Religious to call on political leaders to take action for a just, equitable, and rights-based implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations’ Agenda for 2015-2030.
Download the JCoR Guide to the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Visit the page of recommended events (a must read!)
CSW69 Details
When & Where
10-21 March 2025, United Nations Headquarters in New York
Watch
Join online to follow the proceedings of CSW69 at webtv.un.org (streamed in multiple languages)
Official Website
Click on the following link to access the CSW69 website
Schedule
Click on the following links to view the official meetings of the Annual Session and a list of official side events
Current drafts of CSW69 outcome documents
Click here to access the draft political declaration and multi-year programme of work
NGO CSW Forum
During the Commission on the Status of Women, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY) hosts the NGO CSW Forum, a program encompassing numerous events that prioritize civil society engagement.
The Commission on the Status of Women schedule is composed of the following three types of events:
Annual Session
The official gathering of the Commission that convenes high-level government representatives and registered civil society actors to discuss and set policies on gender equality and the rights of women and girls
Side Events
Side events coincide with the Annual Session. They are official events organized by UN agencies and Member States, in collaboration with civil society, to raise awareness and influence policy dialogues
Parallel Events
Parallel events take place outside the official United Nations CSW space. They are organized by civil society and provide a space for the public to engage in open dialogues
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