Center Teams Join Global Leaders at UN for Commission on Status of Women

Center for Reproductive Rights leaders from regions across the globe will be on hand for meetings at the United Nations (UN) for the 69^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on March 10–21. 

Held at UN Headquarters in New York, the event is the UN’s largest annual gathering to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.  

Bringing together government ministers, NGOs, advocates, and UN delegates, this year’s meeting marks the 30^th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, which was adopted after four world conferences on women. The Platform called for urgent action by States to advance gender equality and the rights of women and girls. 

Center leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States will be speaking at several side events to discuss the significant progress made over the past three decades to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) around the world—as well as the challenges that lie ahead. If you are attending CSW, find Center staff at any of these events.

Side events will cover issues including:  

• Barriers faced by adolescents in exercising their SRHR. 
• Sexual violence and forced pregnancies in adolescent girls. 
• Equality and non-discrimination. 
• Regression and anti-rights movements.

“The Commission on the Status of Women is the most important annual convening on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide. This year’s gathering is an opportunity to mark 30 years of progress since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration Platform for Action—and to address the gaps in implementation that remain,” said Rachana Desai Martin, the Center’s Chief Government & External Relations Officer. “The Center and our partners will be at CSW to hold the line on progress even as some actors try to undermine gender equality and SRHR within their own countries and around the world.”

In conjunction with this year’s convening, the Center for Reproductive Rights is sharing 30 Years, 30 Stories, to highlight some of the notable achievements and trends that have improved maternal health care, abortion access, gender equality, and international human rights in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Read more about #30Years30Stories here.