Commission on the Status of Women

 

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The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), part of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), promotes gender equality and the advancement of women. Its charge is to measure progress towards equality and highlight challenges, set standards and formulate concrete policies to promote equality and women’s empowerment, and encourage mainstreaming of the gender perspective in all UN activities worldwide.

FAWCO is a member of the NGO Committees on the Status of Women (NGO CSWs) in NY, Geneva and Vienna. FAWCO members and UN Representatives regularly attend the annual CSW in New York. You can read blogs by members of FAWCO's delegations to CSW. 

FAWCO signs on to Written and Oral Statements submitted to UN Women for consideration by CSW, joining our partner women's NGOs with consultative status to ECOSOC. You can read these statements on the Advocacy page. 

 

Key Links
UN CSW http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw
NGO CSW New York www.ngocsw.org
NGO CSW Geneva www.ngocsw-geneva.ch/
NGO CSW Vienna https://ngocswvienna.org/



Featured

Women's Empowerment, Early Childhood Development and Care

By Heather Halbach, AWC Berlin

I am humbled and immensely grateful for my experience at CSW65. Watching COVID tear through the world with such devastation, ripping bare the inequality in our societies and breeding much fear was a source of personal pain over the past year, but witnessing so many compassionate, wise, dedicated and powerful people come together to advocate...

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Change starts when someone says “NO” 

By Christine Humphreys, AW Surrey

Women are now practising new freedoms in Saudi Arabia. Traditionally draped in their  hijabs, Saudi women’s rights have been limited as compared to its neighbouring countries. 

At an Arab women’s event at the CSW62 in New York, I took the empty seat next to a Saudi  participant who introduced himself as a journalist. I had...

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Notes from CSW65 on cyber harassment and migrants

By Maggie Palu, AWAquitaine

Some notes from the parallel event: "We Have Your Back" (co-sponsored by FAWCO)

Lucina di Meco – “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.”  (re digital and on-line abuse) (trolling)

Social media = a barrier to seeking public office

Chris Segona – League of Women Voters US – “What is not...

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Shocking Action by Turkey during CSW65

Turkey Anulls the Istanbul Convention 

On March 20, in the middle of CSW65, the Turkish government annulled the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (known as the Istanbul Convention - ironically) by a decree signed by Turkish President Erdogan.  

The Istanbul Convention is based on CEDAW and other human rights treaties of the...

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Thoughts from a novice attendee at CSW

by Liz MacNiven, AIWC Cologne

I have always thought that one of the benefits of being a member of FAWCO, and one thing that sets us apart from other groups I have been involved with, is our relationship with the UN. In previous years I have shied away from being part of the CSW delegation, mainly due to the expense...

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Nuggets from CSW65

By Erica Higbie, UN Rep, FAUSA

  • Advocate for financing – no meaning to any promises without a budget.
  • Opportunity to influence to Outcome Document during negotiations is very limited.  
  • We need to have access to government caucuses if we are to have any influence during negotiations.
  • Need to better understand CSW Methods of Work, which are scheduled to be discussed CSW66.
Featured

What a whirlwind!

By Stacey Kimmig, UN Rep, AIWC Cologne

 
There were too many good sessions to mention here, so I will focus on one session about forced marriage. One expects these stories to come from women in South Asia, but these women were from the US. Child marriage (marrying before the age of 18) is legal in 46 states, with 20...
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A silver lIning

By Ayuska Motha, UN Rep, AIWC Cologne

What is it called when fifty FAWCO feminists join hands across time zones to virtually and collectively inform ourselves on the status of women and their rights?

CSW65 (the UN Commission on the Status of Women)!

This was my first time attending this 2 week conference that I had been wanting to attend for...

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Outrage and Optimism

By Kathy McMillan Wilhelm, AIWC Cologne

Attending CSW65 was a powerful experience, and I am grateful for those at FAWCO who not only encouraged us to join but also guided us during the convention.  The WhatsApp group made it feel like we were a team.  

The term “Outrage and Optimism” was ever-present in my mind. I was shocked, and deeply...

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Tragedies occurring in your own backyard

By Therese Hartwell, FAUSA

The UN Commission on the Status of Women proved to be rather overwhelming online, as it is in person, at least minus the need to travel from site to site for sessions. So much information—both disturbing and inspiring.

One of the most moving sessions for me was one on forced (often under-age) marriage in the United...

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