Dear John

Just last month, Equality Now and our partners attended the UN's annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where for two full weeks, world leaders focused on how to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.

As always, Equality Now and our partners were there to learn, educate, network, and hold governments to account. What did those world leaders agree on? And what are our key takeaways from this global session of UN member states, UN agencies and civil society?

A big stage for big issues

Equality Now took the opportunity CSW provides to raise issues of concern and make recommendations by hosting, co-hosting, or speaking at more than a dozen events. Legal equality, including constitutional equality and equality in family law; access to justice for sexual violence, especially for women and girls with disabilities; and digital rights, especially the right to be free from violence like tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, and more - we put a spotlight on all these, on what governments can do to address them, and on how they’re connected to women’s economic equality and rights.
 

Collaboration is key

This CSW, Equality Now worked with over 20 partner organizations, 10 UN member states, and numerous UN bodies and international organizations as part of official CSW sessions and side events, in addition to having many cups of coffee with key officials, meeting new potential partners, and planning for even more future conversations and collaborations.

How do we know that collaboration is the way to make real change? Because we can see it happening in real time at CSW. Governments, activists, and partners agree: real change comes from consistently raising the issues and drafting solutions alongside those who are most impacted. 

From commitment to action

The Commission's Agreed Conclusions encompassed many of the issues and recommendations made by Equality Now and our partners throughout CSW, and we are hopeful member states will act on the Commission’s recommendations and more. Looking forward, we’re also excited about:

• The adoption of a strong Global Digital Compact and Pact of the Future, including the revitalization of the CSW itself, at the Summit of the Future in September during the UN General Assembly.
• The 30th Anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action and the important CSW review of its implementation in 2025, including toward full legal equality on the basis of sex/gender.
• The election Campaign for a feminist woman UN Secretary-General in 2026, which was discussed during an official side event with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and others on women in decision-making.

Read more here, and stay tuned to hear more about the next steps on these and other initiatives from CSW68. 

In solidarity,

Antonia Kirkland 
Global Lead, Legal Equality & Access to Justice, Equality Now

PS: We interviewed some of our colleagues about their experience of CSW. Check out their reflections on the conference.