The next session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) will take place in the next couple of weeks (March 06-17), and it will bring to the UN Headquarters in New York representatives from all UN Member States and thousands of delegates from civil society and NGOs.
This year is the first time since the pandemic that CSW is meeting in-person. The good news is this year it will use a hybrid format with many meetings open to all who would like to attend and register (free registration) or stream on the UN TV.
SWS would like to encourage all of you to attend some of the meetings online and/or through the UN TV webcasts.
We also hope that your students (please share this with students) will enjoy this opportunity to attend some of the UN CSW67, a global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, as well as over 700 events organized by incredibly diverse NGOs and grass-roots organizations from all over the world.
Here are some relevant information and links for the three types of main events and the SW panels:
1. UN Official Meetings
2. Side Events organized by various countries (about 100 side events)
3. Parallel events, over 700 events organized by NGOs from all over the world and covering a very wide range of issues and movements.
4. SWS organized two panels – the second one will be virtual on 3/17/23 4:30 pm (see information below).
Please read below the information on how to participate virtually in the three types of meetings: Official Meetings; Side Events and Parallel Events.
CSW67 Themes and SWS Statement to CSW67
The main theme of the CSW67 will be:
Priority theme: Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls
SWS submitted a Written Statement to CSW67 as a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
The SWS full Statement can be seen here: SWS2023CSW.
CSW67 documents
You can read CSW67 official documents at https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-2023/official-documents
MAIN EVENTS (UN Meetings, Side Events, NGO Forum’s Consultation Day and Parallel Events)
IMPORTANT: In order to enjoy the most of the CSW67, it is highly recommended that you study the lists of the three types of events (UN Meetings, Side Events and Parallel /NGO Events) and build your own calendar. The events take place and you will need to carefully plan in order to prioritize.
The link to CSW67 is: https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-2023
1. UN OFICIAL MEETINGS:
Here is the link to the UN Official Meetings in the two weeks of CSW67 March 06 – 17. https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-2023/official-meetings
At the official UN meetings with government representatives, you get to hear reports and plans of actions at the highest level.
CSW official meetings will be available via webcast – you can follow these broadcasts live or on demand via United Nations Web TV at http://webtv.un.org/
2. SIDE EVENTS:
This is where you get to hear specific UN sponsored organizations (such as UN Women or UNICEF) and nation-state sponsored events. Many very relevant and interesting panels are organized by individual countries or groups of countries.
A few larger events are also organized by the UN Social and Economic Council.
Here is the link to the calendar of side events (some allow virtual access): https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-2023/side-events
3. PARALLEL EVENTS:
Events organized by civil society/NGOs – over 700 – it’s where you get to hear directly about the work NGOs are doing.
Here is a link to the NGO CSW67 Forum: https://ngocsw.org/
On the link above to the NGO CSW67 webpage you will be able to:
- Register (free) for the NGO CSW67 virtual meetings: https://ngocsw.org/ngocsw67/
- After you register, you will have to create a Whova account to access the Forum Agenda. The NGO CSW 67 Forum Agenda is also available on the Whova Mobile App: Download Link.
- Watch the ORIENTATION VIDEOS. These videos can be very helpful to give you a general understanding of the structure and content of the NGO Forum, especially if this is the first time you are attending it: https://ngocsw.org/ngocsw67/
4. SWS PANELS
SWS will hold two parallel events/panels: the first one will be in-person but the second one will be virtual.
PANEL II: Feminist Confrontations with Patriarchy in STEM, Education & Community Networks
DATE & TIME: 3/17/23 4:30 PM EST
ZOOM REGISTRATION: https://csus.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U9v1AYqfSsec8nLSoaUnVA
- Assata Zerai, Ph.D., “Deploying the principles of feminist decoloniality as care (FEMDAC) to confront experiences with racial and intersectional microaggressions (RIMAs) among Black women faculty members in the U.S. and South Africa.”
- Karine Lepillez, MA, “Technology & pandemic adaptations for girls’ education: Centrality of mentoring relationships & situated learning.”
- Yasemin Besen-Cassino, Ph.D. “Gender Inequality in STEM education: A longitudinal study of interdisciplinary internships.”
- Meghna Dutta, Ph.D. Student, “The war on gender discrimination & Witch hunting in Assam, India.”
5. THE US WOMEN’S CAUCUS AT THE UN
In the last few years, SWS members and ECOSOC and CSW representatives have been instrumental in starting up the US Women’s Caucus at the UN. The aim of the Caucus is for progressive US-based NGOs to have a larger, louder, smarter voice at the United Nations. Membership in the US Women’s Caucus is open to US-based NGOs and individuals who are committed to the principles of CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action.
IMPORTANT: This year, SWS and the US Women’s Caucus were invited by US UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to participate in a meeting with the US Mission at the UN to discuss the US priorities for CSW67. This meeting took place prior to CSW67 as the objective was to inform and get questions from US civil society/NGOs with consultative status at the UN. I would like to point out that the US – unlike other countries that include NGOs representatives in their delegation – had not engaged with civil society representatives in discussions about the US priorities – as far as I know these meetings have only been organized by the current US government and US UN Ambassador, Linda Thomas- Greenfield.
· For more information, see the Caucus website: uswomenscaucus.org
· The Caucus CSW67 virtual “The Gender Digital Divide in the US: Problems, Promises and Progress” event will be held on March 14th 2:00 pm EDT.
6. SWS CSW67 delegation
Solange Simões, Lead Delegate; Nicky Fox; Mollie Pepper; Andre Boyles, Natascia Boeri; Fumi Showers; Susan H. Lee; Jennifer Brown; Rianka Roy; Diana Papademas; Kristy Kelly; Özlem Altiok; Cecilia Idika-Kalu; Katie Kiacz ; Zhanar Tuleutayeva; Monioluwa Ogunleye; Autumn Martin; Meghna Dutta; Monica Blaisdell; Neisha Terry Young
SWS hopes you take this opportunity to engage in CSW67!