Commission on the Status of Women
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...