CSW65 | IDLO at the Commission on the Status of Women
The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women [1] will take place from 15 to 26 March 2021. In light of the evolving COVID-19 situation, and taking into account the latest guidance from the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization (WHO), CSW65 will take place in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings.
Representatives of Member States [2], UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) [3] from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session.
- Priority theme: Women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls;
- Review theme: Women's empowerment and the link to sustainable development (agreed conclusions of the sixtieth session)
Recognizing the urgent need to champion justice for women, IDLO will participate in CSW65 with a focus on key areas of its gender work as articulated in the Strategic Plan 2021-2024 [5] and its objective to reduce the justice gap for women and girls. IDLO’s participation will call for enhanced commitment of policy makers and sector leaders to:
- increase investment and action on justice for women and girls to enable achievement of SDGs 5 and 16;
- fast track the elimination of discriminatory laws against women and girls;
- accelerate the adoption of effective and survivor-centered measures in the justice sector to prevent and combat gender-based violence especially within the context of the COVID -19 pandemic; and
- strengthen leadership and participation of women justice professionals in delivering justice for all.
Our side events Plenary statement Our gender work International Women's Day [6] SDG16 Conference 2021 [7]
Our side events:
Women Delivering Justice
[8]Eliminating Discriminatory Laws
[10]Plenary statement
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Our gender work
IDLO's work on Women and GirlsIn much of the world, women and girls continue to be denied equal protection under the law. Many suffer appalling violence and confront significant cultural and economic barriers. Discrimination, low access to education, poverty, family pressure and social stigma obstruct their freedom and advancement. Family disputes over inheritance and ownership are often resolved at community or village level, reinforcing traditional hierarchies and excluding women from the decision-making process.
Across all of its programs, IDLO works to empower women, with the rule of law both a broad frame of reference and a flexible tool. To achieve this aim, top-down reforms must be coupled with efforts to protect women and promote gender equality. The aim is a justice system which affirms women’s rights and allows their voice to be heard. Read more [13]
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