FEMNET | FEMNET Conversations, Deliberations and Debates @CSW63

FEMNET Conversations, Deliberations and Debates @CSW63

By FEMNET
17 Jun 2019

FEMNET has been engaging with the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) since 1996, serving as an information hub, mobilizing African women to participate, submitting written and oral statements, organizing side events and advocating for a progressive CSW outcome document.
The 63rd session of CSW was primarily around social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable
infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. It also addressed women’s
empowerment and the link to sustainable development, reviewing the theme from the 60th session of CSW. CSW63 took place from March 11-22, 2019 in New York City and brought together thousands of government delegates, representative of UN agencies, women’s rights organizations, activists, practitioners, private sector, donor institutions and other non-state actors.
At CSW63, 14 FEMNET members were present from 11 Countries. In its delegation, FEMNET ensured inclusion and intersectionality and supported young women as well as representatives from the LGBTQI community.
In partnership with AWID, FEMNET submitted a written statement on Privatization of Public Services and another on Multiple Discrimination, Intersecting Inequalities and Social Protection for Older Women in partnership with Help Age International. In collaboration with Gender and Development Network, FEMNET also prepared a briefing paper on how social protection, public services and infrastructure impact women’s rights in line with the theme of CSW63.
FEMNET organized 8 side events around varied topics including public-private partnerships (PPPs), illicit financial flows (IFFs), tax justice and unpaid care work. In addition to the FEMNET organized events, there were events organized by FEMNET member/partner organizations as well as NGO CSW/Africa in line with the theme of CSW63.
This report gives an overview of some of these events and of FEMNET’s overall engagement at CSW63.