68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) [fr]
The 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will be held from March 11 to 22, 2024. Held annually at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the theme of this session will be “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.
What is the CSW?
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the world’s leading intergovernmental body and the largest annual gathering dedicated exclusively to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
It was established in 1946 by a resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Its secretariat is provided by UN Women.
What is the purpose of the CSW?
CSW’s main objective is to promote gender equality and empower women.
To this end, the CSW reviews progress made, identifies challenges to be met and draws up policy recommendations on women’s rights in general, and on an annual theme targeting a specific priority.
The CSW is a unique opportunity for representatives of Member States, United Nations entities, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and worldwide representatives of civil society to meet and to discuss.
At the end of each session, Member States adopt agreed conclusions outlining their common positions and recommendations on the annual theme, and on gender equality issues more broadly. These conclusions are intended to encourage governments, intergovernmental bodies, civil society and other actors to take action to improve the status of women.
How will the CSW take place?
A ministerial segment will open the session on March 11, 12 and 13. This segment will include three key moments: a general debate, ministerial roundtables and a Security Council meeting in "Arria" format on the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda.
Alongside the official program, more than 500 events will be organized, involving representatives of civil society.
The French delegation will be led by Mme Aurore Bergé, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Equality between Women and Men and the Fight against Discrimination, who will defend France’s priorities in New York. The delegation will also include members of parliament and association representatives.
What are France’s priorities for the CSW?
Issues related to women’s rights are a priority for France. Since the beginning of his mandate in 2017, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, has declared equality between women and men a grande cause of his term, and a project promoted internationally.
On March 4, 2024, Parliament, meeting in Congress, approved the bill to enshrine the right to abortion in the Constitution. A sealing ceremony was held in Paris on March 8, 2024. France became the first country in the world to make explicit reference to the notion of abortion in its fundamental text.
Implementing France’s feminist diplomacy is a daily priority, at all levels. France is one of the fifteen main contributors to UN Women. At the Security Council, it signed the joint commitments on the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda alongside ten other countries. At the General Assembly, we co-sponsor, with the Netherlands, a biennial resolution on combating violence against women and girls.
Lastly, with regard to the fight against poverty, the priority theme of the 68th session of the CSW, France is mobilizing, in particular by promoting the integration and economic autonomy of women, who represent an essential societal, social and economic challenge. In 2021, France co-chaired the Generation Equality Forum, one of whose six action coalitions is dedicated to economic justice and rights. France is also one of the world’s biggest supporters of women’s organizations, providing 250 million euros of support over the period 2023-2027 via a dedicated national fund. France will take part in the negotiations for the 68th session of the CSW, supporting ambitious projects to achieve full equality between women and men.
During this edition, France will organize, in the presence of Minister Aurore Bergé, several thematic events focusing on:
Sexual violence in conflicts and the fight against impunity;
The situation of women in Afghanistan;
The role of civil society and parliamentarians in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights;
Feminist funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality.