The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women took 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 took place in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings.
Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world were invited to attend the session.
In the sixty-fifth session, the Commission addressed as its 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’. In addition, it evaluated progress in the implementation of the agreed conclusions from the sixtieth session (2016) on ‘Women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable development”. The ten-day session included a ministerial segment with round tables and other interactive dialogues, and a general discussion. Stakeholders organized virtual side events to draw attention to critical aspects of the work on gender equality.
For those interested in Gender and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library provides a guide with selected content from both UN and non-UN sources. It references third-party web sites, books and articles.
Source: United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld Library, 12 March 2021