Notes from NGOCSW in 2025: Briefings Summary

During the Commission on the Status of Women, NGO CSW briefings were held. During the first briefing, Lopa Banerjee, executive coordinator of Generation Equality and Director of the Civil Society Division of UN Women gave an update, along with government representatives and youth participating in CSW. Lopa said we need to learn from the past – solidarity and working together. We cannot forget or exclude any groups. We must remain intergenerational in our quest for equity. There was no social media 30 years ago, but the women’s movement has adapted to the context.

This year, NY was not an easy venue. Many visas denied. From my point of view, this is totally against international law. When the UN was making the decision whether or not to locate in the US, the US entered into a treaty that specifically provided that members representing all UN states would be allowed into the country. What is happening. We had Zonta members that did not receive their Visas. These are not terrorists, but members who diligently advocate for women all over the world. This delay in the approval of Visas is not only against the treaty, but unconscionable.

When asked how revitalization of CSW can have a more actionable outcome, Lopa responded that we should all fund UN Women, protect UN Women, and include UN Women in important country decisions. Despite the Trump administration’s determination that “inclusion” is somehow a bad concept, inclusion would be a platform where the world could come together to set accountability measures for gender equity. We also need to ensure that we protect civil activism and civic voice. We need to have a united voice that will advance the Beijing Platform for Action. We have had some gains with new commitments to fundamental freedoms, such as the women peace and security agenda, but many freedoms are being deleted or eroded. Based on the backward movement, CSW and UN Women will commit to creating spaces for NGOs to have input to member states. It remains a question whether or not this will apply to the US.

Many member states and NGOs want to move CSW from the US. We need to have a space that will allow member states to negotiate in person.

Statistics show that $360 billion dollars per year will need to be invested to reach gender equality by 2030. Sustainable, adaptive, and flexible resourcing are at the core of discussions of Beijing plus 2030.

Fortunately, for the feminist perspective, not only are young women welcomed, but we can rely on and look to the past, which includes the greatest feminist mobility in the world.