The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Gender Section will host a series of events in New York City from 9 to 14 March 2025 on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), this year’s CSW will focus on assessing progress and challenges in implementing its global commitments to gender equality and women’s rights.
In line with this review, the Secretariat will convene representatives from Commonwealth countries to examine policies and programmes that have advanced one or more BPfA commitments, such as ending violence against women and girls.
The events are as follows:
Event 1: Annual Consultation of Commonwealth National Women’s Machineries
Date: Sunday, 9 March 2025
This consultation brings together representatives from women’s affairs ministries and civil society organisations to examine gains and gaps in progress on the Commonwealth’s four gender equality priorities and relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Discussions will be guided by the outcomes of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), both held in Samoa in October 2024.
This meeting is restricted to registered delegations.
For further information, please email: [email protected]
CSW69 Side Event: Empowering Women for a Sustainable Blue Future: Gender, Oceans, and the Beijing+30 Agenda
Time: 11:45 am – 12:30 pm Eastern Standard Time
Date: Friday, 14 March 2025
Venue: Conference Room 12 UN HQ
The Beijing Declaration recognises women’s participation in environmental decision-making and access to natural resources as a key priority for sustainable development.
Building on this, this event will explore how empowering women and girls in the ocean economy – while addressing gender-based challenges in coastal communities – can advance climate resilience, environmental sustainability and women’s economic empowerment.
For further information, please email: [email protected]
Roundtable: Commonwealth Says NO MORE: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Time: 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time
Date: Friday, 14 March 2025
Venue: Commonwealth Joint Office, 685 Third Ave
Hosted in partnership with the NO MORE Foundation, this roundtable will showcase achievements of the Commonwealth Says NO MORE campaign and chapters, celebrate the work of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, and introduce a new grant programme to strengthen gender-based violence prevention efforts in the Commonwealth.
For further information, please email: [email protected]
