The annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convenes to address the persistent issues of inequality, violence, and discrimination faced by women globally.
This year’s gathering will take place at UN Headquarters in New York from March 10 to March 21.
Key Insights:
1. Eight Decades of Advocacy
In 1946, shortly after the first meetings of the UN General Assembly, Eleanor Roosevelt addressed women worldwide, initiating the Commission’s work.
Roosevelt urged governments to support women’s engagement in national and international contexts and called upon women to actively participate in peace and reconstruction efforts.
This led the UN’s Economic and Social Affairs Commission (ECOSOC) to establish a sub-commission with representatives from China, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, France, India, Lebanon, and Poland. Their role was to evaluate issues related to women’s status and provide guidance to the UN Commission on Human Rights.
From the outset, there were demands for action focusing on political rights, as well as enhancements in civil, educational, social, and economic realms. The sub-commission’s first report also recommended a UN women’s conference to advance these goals.
By June 1946, the body had officially become the Commission on the Status of Women, a subsidiary body of ECOSOC. Between 1947 and 1962, the CSW concentrated on establishing standards and formulating international agreements aimed at reforming discriminatory laws and raising global awareness of women’s issues.
Members of the UN Sub-Commission on the Status of Women gather at Hunter College in New York in 1946.
2. Significant International Agreements
Since its inception, the commission has expanded its membership, leading to the creation of some of the most widely endorsed international conventions regarding women’s rights.
Here are a few pivotal agreements.
Discover more about past and present CSW sessions here.
A woman in Kenya participates in training at an engineering workshop.
3. Addressing Diverse Needs
As UN membership grew and it became evident in the 1960s that women were being disproportionately impacted by poverty, the CSW emphasized community and rural development, agricultural activities, family planning, and technological advancements. The commission also advocated for the UN to enhance technical assistance aimed at uplifting women, particularly in developing nations.
In 1975, the UN designated that year as the International Year of Women and hosted the First World Conference on Women in Mexico. By 1977, the UN had officially recognized International Women’s Day on March 8 each year.
In 2010, after extensive negotiations, the General Assembly consolidated related sections into the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), which now partners closely with the CSW.
A woman sells forest produce at a local market in India.
4. Confronting Emerging Challenges
The annual CSW sessions examine and evaluate new issues, while also tracking progress and identifying gaps in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action. Member States collaborate to determine further actions to enhance progress.
The commission tackles pressing challenges such as climate change, gender-based violence, and ensuring women’s active participation in decision-making and sustainable development initiatives.
Each year, CSW submits its negotiated conclusions to ECOSOC for actionable steps.
Focusing on inclusivity, CSW also supports the follow-up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aimed at accelerating efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment.
A woman repairs a laptop at her phone and computer maintenance shop in Taiz, Yemen.
5. Empowering Women for Change
Recognizing effective strategies to eradicate women’s poverty is crucial, ranging from investments in policies that tackle gender inequalities to enhancing women’s leadership and agency, addressing employment disparities.
Implementing these solutions could lift over 100 million women and girls out of poverty, generate 300 million jobs, and increase per capita GDP by 20% globally.
The upcoming 2025 session (#CSW69) will convene from March 10 to March 21 at the UN Headquarters, featuring 45 members and numerous participants from across the globe.
The primary focus will be on reviewing the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including assessing current challenges to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, while contributing to the complete realization of the 2030 Agenda.
