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CSW 68: The Center at the UN Commission on the Status of Women

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Banner graphic reading "Commission on the Status of Women 2024—Center for Reproductive Rights" with a yellow, gray, and indigo color scheme

CSW 68: The Center at the UN Commission on the Status of Women

Advancing Gender Equality and Women and Girls’ Rights · March 11–22, 2024

Meet the Center for Reproductive Rights at the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), a global gathering being held March 11–22 at UN Headquarters in New York.

Center leaders will join representatives from UN Member States, UN entities, and civil society organizations to examine critical issues impacting gender equality and the rights of women and girls in all their diversity. This year’s session will focus on addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. 

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are essential to the empowerment of women and girls, and at several sessions, Center leaders will share their expertise about the critical importance of respecting, protecting and fulfilling SRHR to address poverty and advance gender equality.  

About the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 

CSW is the principal intergovernmental body dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Each year, the CSW brings together government ministers, NGOs, advocates, and UN delegates for two weeks of meetings to advance gender equality and women’s rights.

See Center leaders from Latin America, Europe, Africa and the U.S. at the events listed below. (Events are in person unless otherwise noted.)

Tuesday, March 12

Watch the video replay here.

The Impacts of Poverty and Criminalization on Access to Abortion

March 12, 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. ET • Venue: UN Headquarters, CR-12, or online

At this side event, you’ll hear from cross-regional and intersectional speakers on the critical importance of addressing structural barriers to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom—including through the decriminalization of abortion—to address the cycle of poverty with the aim of achieving gender equality. The event is organized by the Center for Reproductive Rights and co-sponsored by the permanent missions of Luxembourg, Colombia, and Canada.

Moderator: Rachana Desai Martin, Chief Government and External Relations Officer, Center for Reproductive Rights

Headshot of Rachana Desai Martin, Chief Government & External Relations Officer at the Center for Reproductive Rights

Rachana Desai Martin, Chief Government and External Relations Officer

Panelists:

  • Claire Padilla, Executive Director, EnGendeRights, Philippines

  • Justyna Wydrzyńska, Abortion Dream Team, Poland

  • Mariana Moisa, Agrupación Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto, El Salvador

  • Salima Namusobya, Vice President, Africa, Center for Reproductive Rights

  • Nia Mitchell, Policy and Research Center at Reproductive Health Impact, United States

Headshot of Salima Namusobya, Vice President for Africa at the Center for Reproductive Rights

Salima Namusobya, Vice President, Africa

Event details:

  • In-person: UN Headquarters, CR-12

    English, French, and Spanish interpretations will be provided.

  • Online: UNWeb TV

more information
WATCH here.

Pathways to Change: Celebrating Stories of Hope and Inspiration on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

March 12, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. ET

Cover of "Pathways to Change" document

This breakfast reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of Ireland, the Permanent Mission of Nepal and the Center for Reproductive Rights will celebrate the launch of Pathways to Change, a new publication capturing important learning and reflection from advancements on sexual and reproductive health and rights across the world.

VIEW THE FLYER.
read THE report.

Watch online on Zoom!

Eliminating Gender-Based Inequities in Healthcare to Achieve Gender Equality

March 12, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET • Venue: NYU Langone Health, 222 East 41st Street (second floor), Seminar Room A, or online

This panel—sponsored by NYU Langone Health and the Medical Women’s International Association, International Health Awareness Network, and American Medical Women’s Association—will discuss topics including violence against women, access to reproductive health care, and sex- and gender-based differences in disease.

Speakers:

  • Eleanor Nwadinobi, President, MWIA, Nigeria

  • Mariam Jashi, Secretary General, MWIA, Georgia

  • Ashna Basu, NGO CSW/NY Global Youth Fellow, Australia

  • Salima Namusobya, Vice President for Africa, Center for Reproductive Rights, Kenya

  • Gabrielle Casper, Professor, University Notre Dame; President, IHAN, Australia

  • Eliza Chin, Executive Director, AMWA, United States

  • Banafcheh Hejazi, Professor, McGill University, Canada

  • Connie Newman, Vice President, MWIA, United States

  • Fay Parris, International Human Rights Committee, Women’s Bar Association, NY, United States

  • Sorosh Roshan, Founder, IHAN, United States

Event details:

  • In-person: NYU Langone Health, 222 East 41st Street (second floor), Seminar Room A

  • Online: Zoom

    Meeting ID: 915 8245 1399;  Passcode: 703106

VIEW THE FLYER.
WATCH ONLINE.

Honoring International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day, March 8, celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the globe.

On this day and every day, the Center works to improve lives across the globe so everyone can participate as equal members of society. Learn more.

Wednesday, March 20

Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights

March 20, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET • Venue: UNICEF Headquarters, 3 United Nations Plaza, Lobby Meeting Room ‘Danny Kaye’

At this event, members from major groups and other stakeholders at CSW are invited to provide thoughts and guidance for the Special Rapporteur’s 2024 thematic report on the intersections of toxics and gender, to be presented to the UN General Assembly later this year. This event is organized by the Center for Reproductive Rights, UNICEF, and Human Rights Watch.

Speakers:

  • Marcos A. Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur, who will provide introductory remarks and seek input from participants.

  • Alejandra Coll (shown right), Senior Advocacy Adviser, Latin America & the Caribbean, Center for Reproductive Rights, who will open the consultations with insights from research in Colombia on reproductive harms from the herbicide glyphosate.

Alejandra Coll, Senior Advocacy Adviser, Latin America & the Caribbean

Center Resources

PHOTO USE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT COLOMBIA, CAUSA JUSTA, AND/OR ABORTION DECRIMINALIZATION IN COLOMBIA OR SOUTH AMERICA. Press conference People in Colombia celebrate the decriminalization of abortion nationwide. The Constitutional Court of Colombia issued a ruling decriminalizing abortion up to 24 weeks gestation on February 22, 2022—a move expected to further eliminate barriers to legal abortion and help to end criminal prosecution of women and girls, as well as abortion providers. Colombia becomes the eighth country in Latin America and the Caribbean to decriminalize abortion during initial stages of pregnancy. The ruling is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the exercise of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country. The lawsuit was filed in 2020, brought by the Causa Justa (Just Cause) movement, a coalition of 90 organizations and 134 advocates, including the Center for Reproductive Rights. The lawsuit called for an end of the use of criminal law to regulate abortion because it bars women, adolescents and girls in vulnerable situations from accessing legal, safe and timely abortions, particularly in rural areas. The Center was one of five organizations that worked to draft this landmark lawsuit. Abortion has been allowed in Colombia since 2006, but only in three specific circumstances, which will continue to be enforced for abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Colombia joins the majority of countries in the world (72) that do not criminalize the termination of pregnancy and that respect a woman’s decision to have an abortion, regardless of the reason for that decision. It also becomes the eighth Latin American country to take this great step in favor of women. Statement from Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights: “Access to abortion is essential healthcare and a human right and should not be treated as a crime. This ruling represents great progress for the people of Colombia. It will make a huge difference, especially for t

The World’s Abortion Laws Map

The definitive record of the legal status of abortion in countries across the globe, the World’s Abortion Laws Map has been upgraded with improved interactivity and more context on the decades of progress made on abortion rights worldwide.

Graphic reading "Abortion is an essential health service"
PHOTO USE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT COLOMBIA, CAUSA JUSTA, AND/OR ABORTION DECRIMINALIZATION IN COLOMBIA OR SOUTH AMERICA. Press conference People in Colombia celebrate the decriminalization of abortion nationwide. The Constitutional Court of Colombia issued a ruling decriminalizing abortion up to 24 weeks gestation on February 22, 2022—a move expected to further eliminate barriers to legal abortion and help to end criminal prosecution of women and girls, as well as abortion providers. Colombia becomes the eighth country in Latin America and the Caribbean to decriminalize abortion during initial stages of pregnancy. The ruling is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the exercise of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country. The lawsuit was filed in 2020, brought by the Causa Justa (Just Cause) movement, a coalition of 90 organizations and 134 advocates, including the Center for Reproductive Rights. The lawsuit called for an end of the use of criminal law to regulate abortion because it bars women, adolescents and girls in vulnerable situations from accessing legal, safe and timely abortions, particularly in rural areas. The Center was one of five organizations that worked to draft this landmark lawsuit. Abortion has been allowed in Colombia since 2006, but only in three specific circumstances, which will continue to be enforced for abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Colombia joins the majority of countries in the world (72) that do not criminalize the termination of pregnancy and that respect a woman’s decision to have an abortion, regardless of the reason for that decision. It also becomes the eighth Latin American country to take this great step in favor of women. Statement from Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights: “Access to abortion is essential healthcare and a human right and should not be treated as a crime. This ruling represents great progress for the people of Colombia. It will make a huge difference, especially for t

Abortion Decriminalization

Watch a brief video and read in-depth analysis of the legal and public health issues surrounding abortion decriminalization.

Report: Global Abortion Trends

A supplement to the World’s Abortion Laws Map, this report outlines trends in the liberalization of abortion laws over the last 30 years. You’ll see the 60+ countries that have liberalized their abortion laws since 1994—as well as the four countries, including the U.S., that have regressed.

PHOTO USE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT COLOMBIA, CAUSA JUSTA, AND/OR ABORTION DECRIMINALIZATION IN COLOMBIA OR SOUTH AMERICA. Press conference People in Colombia celebrate the decriminalization of abortion nationwide. The Constitutional Court of Colombia issued a ruling decriminalizing abortion up to 24 weeks gestation on February 22, 2022—a move expected to further eliminate barriers to legal abortion and help to end criminal prosecution of women and girls, as well as abortion providers. Colombia becomes the eighth country in Latin America and the Caribbean to decriminalize abortion during initial stages of pregnancy. The ruling is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the exercise of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country. The lawsuit was filed in 2020, brought by the Causa Justa (Just Cause) movement, a coalition of 90 organizations and 134 advocates, including the Center for Reproductive Rights. The lawsuit called for an end of the use of criminal law to regulate abortion because it bars women, adolescents and girls in vulnerable situations from accessing legal, safe and timely abortions, particularly in rural areas. The Center was one of five organizations that worked to draft this landmark lawsuit. Abortion has been allowed in Colombia since 2006, but only in three specific circumstances, which will continue to be enforced for abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Colombia joins the majority of countries in the world (72) that do not criminalize the termination of pregnancy and that respect a woman’s decision to have an abortion, regardless of the reason for that decision. It also becomes the eighth Latin American country to take this great step in favor of women. Statement from Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights: “Access to abortion is essential healthcare and a human right and should not be treated as a crime. This ruling represents great progress for the people of Colombia. It will make a huge difference, especially for t

Pathways to Change: Building Stronger Legal Guarantees for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Designed for activists and organizations working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues, Pathways to Change presents the stories and strategies that have advanced SRHR in countries around the world.

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