Statement on the Recommendations from the Commission on the Status of Women

On March 15 to 26, the sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) took place with one of the priority themes on “women’s full and effective participation in decision-making in public life”. The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The two-week-long gathering ended with the Report of the Secretary-General (Final Report), an outcome document that lists recommendations that the Member States will abide by. 

In preparation of the CSW, G(irls)20 prepared five recommendations for the world leaders to consider while at the CSW. We are pleased to see that there are significant overlaps with our recommendations and those within the Final Report.

To achieve gender equality and the full and effective participation of women in decision-making and public life, the CSW urges Governments and other stakeholders to follow their recommendations. An overview of these recommendations includes strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks; preventing and eliminating violence against women in public life; strengthening gender-responsive institutional reform; increasing the availability of high financing in support of women’s participation in public life; and strengthening women’s voices and leaving no one behind in public life. There are a few notable recommendations that stand out to us.

The Final Report acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated gender inequity and gender discrimination, as well as racism, xenophobia and stigmatization. Further, the lack of women in these spaces of power makes responding to crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have harmful gaps. The Report recommends that effective COVID-19 responses and recovery efforts require women to be represented in all task forces, as well as in legislative, policy and budgetary decision-making processes. 

As an organization that works with and for young women, we are pleased to see the experiences of young women highlighted in the final recommendations. Despite young women supporting and leading activities that call for change, they are underrepresented in public life and disproportionately excluded from consultations on issues that affect them. Recognizing this, the Commission has agreed to implement targeted measures ranging from skills development, mentorship programs, early exposure to women leaders as role models, financial support and support in legislative and policy-making spaces.

While these recommendations serve as an excellent blueprint to advance gender equality, we ask governments and other relevant stakeholders to provide financial support for feminist organizations to advance these goals.  Women’s organizations have been showing up and doing the work despite diminished funding. The Final Report acknowledges that direct funding of women’s organizations accounts for less than 1 percent of the global official development assistance provided for gender equality and women’s empowerment ($198 million), most of which flows through larger organizations that may not meet local needs. Increased access to direct, flexible and sustainable funding is necessary to sustain women’s full participation in public life.

We are pleased with the range and depth of conversations and recommendations that the CSW has put forth. To continue to support our communities, funding is needed to support the goals indicated by the CSW. To advance the blueprint for gender equality, sustainable financial support should be a priority.