The Resolution on Working Methods of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

The most significant challenge: Strengthening the Implementation 

From the Women Major Group

·         The Commission on the Status of Women has a key role in strengthening existing and emerging international norms on gender equality at the inter-governmental level, as well as in setting global standards for national, regional and global policies based on these norms as a body of the United Nations.

·         The commission has also the responsibility to monitor and review the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of its review processes and in the fulfilment of the obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other existing commitments on realization of gender equality, human rights and empowerment of women and girls, which are mutually reinforcing in realizing gender equality.   

·         However, while recognizing that the CSW has contributed significantly in the above mentioned issues, according to our experience in various countries, a growing challenge is the implementation of the commission’s agreed conclusions, finalized through hard and very time-intensive inter-governmental negotiations, as well as the extensive efforts of thousands of women’s organizations and civil society associations from all parts of the world attending the CSW meetings.

·         A major problem underlying the challenge of implementation of the CSW agreed conclusions is the non-binding nature of the commission created in 1946.

·         Women’s organizations and civil society organizations are the main actors of the follow of the Beijing Declaration of Action and its review outcome documents at the sub-national, national, regional and global levels. Thus, the commission depends on them in terms of its legitimacy and impact.

·         However, in recent years, women’s organizations and CSO’s have witnessed increasing hurdles in terms of participation of women’s organizations in the CSW meetings, both at the national level - in terms of being consulted or included in the governmental delegations and in terms of attending the CSW negotiations in New York.

·         This situation seriously discourages women’s organizations and CSOs, who are the main forgers of norms on gender equality, as well as the main actors of the implementation and follow of Beijing Platform of Action, CEDAW and other existing commitments on realization of gender equality, human rights and empowerment of women and girls to participate in CSW.

·         It also negatively impacts their power and role in terms of the implementation and follow-up of the Beijing Platform for Action and the agreed conclusions of the CSW.

Based on the above, we ask the honorable Chair and the Vice-Chairs of the 59^th CSW and all member states to:   

·         To have a fresh, transforming, innovating approach in reviewing the working methods of the commission, aiming at strengthening the role of the commission in terms of implementation of its agreed conclusions and its role and impact on realizing gender equality. The post 2015 process not only offers a significant window of opportunity for this shift of paradigm, but also makes it an obligation.

·         To reach a resolution that sets clear guidelines in terms of the obligation of governments, regional and international bodies to include independent women’s organizations and CSOs in all processes of CSW negotiations, from the sub-national to global.