Source: https://indico.un.org/event/1002946/

We are beginning to feel a sense of excitement brewing at the United Nations as we get closer to the start of the sixty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women (“CSW”) which will take place from March 6th through March 17th, 2023.  Representatives from Member States, UN Entities and ECOSOC accredited non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”) from all regions of the world are invited to contribute to the sessions. The Commission will consider the priority theme of, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.”  In addition, the session will also review the agreed upon conclusion of the sixty-second session which was, “Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and empowerment for rural women and girls.”

Source: https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw67-2023

CSW is the work of the UN Women and it is considered a functional commission under the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. CSW is therefore a deliberative body whose role is to make recommendations on its area of responsibility and expertise and as such, CSW can submit resolutions and recommendation to the Council.  As we look forward to CSW67 it is the hope of our Vincentian Family at the UN, that through the hard work of UN Women, Member States, other UN Entities and ECOSOC accredited NGOs that during these two weeks we are able to bring attention to the subjects of homelessness and poverty worldwide. Homelessness can be a result of poverty and both are very much connected to education, gender equality and livelihood.  Afterall, if we are to succeed in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women then we must also acknowledge that without eradicating homelessness and addressing poverty these other goals are unlikely to ever succeed.

While CSW67 is in full swing at the United Nations another group, NGO CSW/NY, a civil society organization, has organized the NGO CSW Forum.  The Forum will have more than 700 events over the two-week period of UN CSW67. The purpose of the NGO CSW Forum is to inform, engage and inspire grassroots efforts and advocacy needed to empower women and girls. It also provides a space where civil society can gather parallel to UN and outside of UN Headquarters because UN CSW67 is not opened to everyone but NGO CSW Forum is free and open to the public.

CSW is always a huge event for the United Nations and for New York City, but never more than this year.  With the UN reopening its doors for Civil Society in the Post-COVID era, we are seeing hundreds of in-person events scheduled both within the grounds of the United Nations as well as at outside venues. In addition, there are hundreds of virtual events scheduled which provide people access that are unable to travel. CSW will bring together one of the largest gatherings of powerful women from around the world who are on the forefront of creating social and economic changes for women and girls worldwide.  We wish everyone of them a productive and enjoyable CSW67.

Pat Mulé
NGO Representative AIC to the United Nations in New York