Conference of NGOs (CoNGO) and CSW66

The sixty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 14 to 25 March 2022. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSW66 will take place in a hybrid format. All side events and parallel events will be fully virtual.

Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to contribute to the session.

Themes

• Priority theme: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes;
• Review theme: Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work (agreed conclusions of the sixty-first session);

Bureau

The Bureau of the Commission plays a crucial role in facilitating the preparation for, and in ensuring the successful outcome of the annual sessions of the Commission. Bureau members serve for two years. In 2002, in order to improve its work and ensure continuity, the Commission decided to hold the first meeting of its subsequent session, immediately following the closure of the regular session, for the sole purpose of electing the new Chairperson and other members of the Bureau (ECOSOC decision 2002/234).

The Bureau for the 66th session (2022) of the Commission on the Status of Women comprises the following members:

• H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini (South Africa), Chair (African States Group)
• Ms. Pilar Eugenio (Argentina), Vice-Chair (Latin American and Caribbean States Group)
• H.E. Ms. Antje Leendertse (Germany), Vice-Chair designate (Western European and Other States Group)
• Mr. Māris Burbergs (Latvia), Vice-Chair designate (Eastern European States Group)
• Ms. Hye Ryoung Song (Republic of Korea), Vice-Chair designate (Asia and Pacific States Group)

Preparations

• Expert Group Meeting: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes

Organization of the Session

The Commission’s two-weeks session includes the following activities:

•  Organization of Work

Side Events

• All side events will take place virtually. Information about side events and activities organized outside of the formal programme of the session

Session Outcomes

The outcome of the Commission’s consideration of the priority theme during its 66th session will take the form of agreed conclusions, to be negotiated by all Member States.

• CSW66 Draft Agreed Conclusions

The Commission will review, as appropriate, its methods of work, taking into consideration the outcome of the process of alignment of the agendas of the GA and ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, with a view to further enhancing the impact of the work of the Commission.The Commission will make a recommendation on how best to utilize the year 2025, on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

NGO Participation

• Overview
• Eligibility
• Arrangements
• Opportunities for NGOs to address the Commission

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CoNGO Notes: For collaborative work among NGOs related to the agenda of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women, visit  NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, and the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna. For more information about CoNGO-related NGO Committees, view Substantive Committees.