GETTING READY FOR CSW63

The 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is less than a month away and WFWP staff are busy making final preparations for a whirlwind of exciting events. What exactly is the CSW and what can we look forward to during these two weeks in March?

Established in 1946, the commission is an intergovernmental body focused on women’s rights and gender equality and hosts a two-week session each year to highlight important issues for women and girls. More than 5,000 participants, including representatives of UN member states, UN entities and ECOSOC-accredited organizations across the globe gather at the UN headquarters in New York around a specific theme.

This year the focus is on “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.”

WFWP representatives from around the world will come to New York and be given the opportunity to network with hundreds of civil society organizations and bring their perspective to the discussions.

Hundreds of meetings, known as side events (inside the UN headquarters) and parallel events (in other locations around the city), will take place from March 11th to 22nd, and this includes a couple of events hosted by WFWP.

Here is an outline of WFWP events to look forward to:

March 13 - WFWPI Parallel Event with the theme “The Family and Social Protection” from 12:30 to 2pm at 4 West 43rd Street

March 16 - “Advancing the Culture of Peace” Horizon Summit, an all-day intergenerational event dedicated to fostering peace leadership. The schedule typically consists of a panel of speakers, interactive sessions, networking opportunities, and more.

To find out more, check out last year’s overview here and read reflections from participants of CSW62 here.

And don’t forget to keep an eye on social media posts and reports of all the activities in upcoming newsletters.