Allan Olingo
Every March, as part of International Women’s Month, global leaders gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York for a two-week session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
The Commission is the leading global body dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment. This year’s session — CSW69 — is especially significant: It marks 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, —a landmark blueprint for gender equality which set out a vision of equal rights, freedom, and opportunities for all women and which continues to shape women’s movements worldwide. Three decades later, how much progress have we really made?
Women continue to bear the brunt of war, climate disasters, and economic instability, with a growing global funding crisis threatening essential health and social protection services — sectors where women are disproportionately impacted. The hard-won gains of past decades are now at risk, and without urgent action, gender equality could slip further down the global agenda.
So, will this be a moment of renewed commitment for women and girls worldwide, or will gender equality remain a promise deferred? With hundreds of people traveling to New York for the two-week event, attending official UN meetings and a diverse lineup of side events, I spoke with several attendees — including Fuller Project’s CEO Zsuzsi Lippai and Editor-in-Chief Eliza Anyangwe — about their reasons for participating. Here’s what they had to say…
Eliza Anyangwe
Editor-in-Chief, The Fuller Project
As one of the leading platforms reporting on gender inequality, it is important that The Fuller Project actively engages in the most important gathering focused on this subject. Attending CSW is an opportunity to meet people who read and/or use Fuller’s journalism in their advocacy or policymaking.
It’s also a time to connect with the global women and LGBTQ+ rights communities, to learn what they are working on, and to hear examples also of best practice — all of which are necessary to inform our journalism.
Francoise Moudouthe
CEO, Africa Women Development Fund
Being at CSW this year is a mix of pride and concern. I’m in awe of how far we’ve come since the Beijing Platform for Action 30 years ago, yet deeply worried about the rollback on rights, the attacks on women’s rights defenders, and the funding cuts threatening progress.
Millions of girls, women, and LGBTQI people stand to lose not just freedoms, but lives — and when that happens, our democracies, economies, peace, and environment suffer. Now is not the time for complacency. Now is the time to act, invest, and amplify. Feminist activists are on the frontlines of change — let’s stand with them.
Dr. Natalia Kanem
UNFPA Executive Director
Investing in the health and rights of women and girls has transformed the world, bringing us closer to equality than ever before. The progress made since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and the 1995 Beijing Conference has been undeniable — especially in sexual and reproductive health.
Despite ongoing challenges, history proves that change is possible, and international law and human rights are on our side. The march toward gender equality is unstoppable, and we have the tools, evidence, and momentum to make it a reality for all women and girls. Let’s keep pushing forward.
Diana Njuguna
Co-CEO – Womankind Worldwide
The upcoming CSW69 comes at a pivotal moment for women’s rights worldwide. With rising geopolitical tensions, pushback on gender equality, shrinking civic space, and the growing influence of the far right, there is an urgent need to break the cycle of violence and drive collective action.
Now more than ever, a shared vision and concrete action plan are critical to sustaining progress. My hope is that this CSW will not only reflect on the achievements of the past 30 years but also draw lessons from the strategies that created real change—ensuring we build on that momentum for the future.
Mahjabeen Khaled
General Secretary, Parliamentarians’ Caucus on Migration & Development, Bangladesh
I see CSW69 as a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm global commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, while addressing persistent gaps in achieving gender equality.
Beyond reflection, we need concrete commitments—Member States must develop actionable strategies with measurable outcomes to drive real change. As someone engaged in migration governance and policy advocacy, I hope to see strong resolutions addressing gender and migration, ensuring that migrant and displaced women are empowered, not excluded.
Susan Hinely
Scholar, Researcher and Lawyer
For over two decades, I taught undergraduates about women’s political activism, exploring their pivotal role in shaping twentieth-century human rights and gender equality frameworks. Yet, it wasn’t until last year that I had the chance to engage directly with one of the key achievements of that era—the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
This year, while I’m excited to return as a historian, my primary focus will be on the climate crisis and its disproportionate impact on women, as well as the innovative ways women are adapting, responding, and leading change. I also look forward to learning from activists who have successfully expanded women’s reproductive rights and from those who continue to resist the setbacks we’re facing here in the U.S. Their insights will be critical as we work toward a more just and equitable future.
Mercy Jelimo,
Centre for Rights Education and Awareness
CSW69 is happening within a very challenging context of dwindling funding, rise of anti rights movements, and drawbacks of the gains made . As we mark 30 years, this is time to reflect, and with the challenges highlighted, there is a need for strategy, solidarity and solutions.
CSW69 therefore presents the space to re-energize and forge solidarity to continue advancing the aspirations of global development goals. I must say also, the discussions on revitalising CSW and strengthening multilateralism will be on top of my agenda as well – these structures should be fit for purpose and be responsive to the dynamics of today.
