Host an official in-person or virtual Parallel Event during the NGO CSW69 Forum from 10 - 21 March 2025!
What are Parallel Events?
One of the key components of the NGO CSW Forum is the Parallel Events. Each year, we invite civil society organizations (CSOs) around the globe to apply to host a Parallel Event, regardless of their ECOSOC status. These events are organized by the host NGO or CSO and address the focus of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) session in some way.
2025 marks 30 years since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30). Every five years is a review year, which means that instead of a priority and review theme, the commission evaluates the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The review will include an assessment of current challenges that affect the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Parallel Events not only provide a space and voice for NGOs and CSOs who may not have a voice at/access to the UN, but they also allow for education and galvanizing around different issues and topics within the feminist and women’s movement. Parallel Events are totally free to attend and open to the public.
Why should I host a Parallel Event?
Hosting a Parallel Event during the NGO CSW Forum is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your organization’s work to thousands of activists, other organizations, and individuals interested in gender equality advocacy and the global women’s movement.
This year, to maximize the accessibility of in-person spaces and foster collaboration, in-person Parallel Events will be hosted by consortia of two to three organizations, with one serving as the lead organization. As Parallel Event organizers, you will have a unique event page on the NGO CSW69/B+30 Forum virtual portal. The event page will feature a description of your event, a chat function, profiles of the event organizers, and the ability to share images, links, materials, videos, or documents. After your event, the page can display a recording of the session. Lead organizers will have the ability to directly edit and manage their event page on the virtual portal.
If you would like to be added to a list of organizations seeking partners to apply, and see others who are on the list, please fill out this form. Please note, NGO CSW/NY will not match you with a partner, please use this list as a tool to seek partnerships.
Virtual Event organizers are not required to apply in partnerships, but we always encourage collaboration! For virtual events, the event page will feature a description of your event, a chat function, profiles of the event organizers, and the ability to share images, links, materials, videos, or documents in addition to a link to register for or join your event on your chosen virtual meeting platform (e.g., Zoom, Google Meets, Webex, etc.).
All Parallel Events, whether in-person or virtual, will be listed on the virtual portal with a unique event page that organizers can edit.
In-Person vs. Virtual Parallel Events
You have the option to host an in-person event or a virtual event. We have a limited amount of in-person Parallel Event slots available. There is a separate application for each.
- Virtual Parallel Event cost: $100 USD
- In-person Parallel Event cost:
- Regular room (80-100 attendees): $400 USD
- Large room (Up to 175 attendees): $500 USD
All in-person event rooms have a projector, microphones, and a speaker system.
Important: The full fee for your room selection is due upon application for both in-person and virtual events. For in-person and virtual events, a non-refundable application fee of $25 is added to the cost.
Room selection operates on a first come, first serve basis, so if your desired room & time slot is unavailable, it means all slots have been filled. If you wish to host an in-person event but your preferred room is unavailable, please consider hosting a virtual event instead.
A waitlist will be available. As they become available, newly opened time slots will be sent out to the waitlist. These will also be filled on a first come first served basis. To ensure your event goes as planned, we encourage you to choose from the available rooms or opt for a virtual event instead of relying on the waitlist, as it does not guarantee an in-person slot. You may not select a time slot and join the waitlist.
Lead organizations may apply for one in-person event. However, organizers can apply for more than one virtual event.
All Parallel Events, both in-person and virtual, will be listed on the virtual portal agenda with a unique event page.