Parallel Event Basics
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 totally organized by the host organization and address the UN CSW priority and/or review theme in some way. This year, the themes are:
- Priority theme: Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls;
- Review theme: Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-second session).
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 open to the public.
Yes! With the hybrid format of the Forum, 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. If you are not chosen for an in-person timeslot, we will schedule you for a virtual event instead. There is a separate application for each. Organizations may apply for one in-person event. However, they 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, as well as in the Digital Handbook.
Because we have a limited number of in-person event slots (around 250), we unfortunately will not be able to assign room slots to every in-person event application. If your event is not chosen for one of the limited in-person slots, we will automatically offer you a virtual event slot.
We accept almost all of the Parallel Event applications we receive, with the exception of proposed events that do not align with our value of human rights and respect for all, or organizations who have a history of harmful disruption.
There are several ways to promote your Parallel Event leading up to and during the NGO CSW67 Forum.
- Sponsor a digital Handbook Ad to promote your organization on the Virtual Portal and your Parallel Event in the Digital Handbook
- Post about your event in the Community board on the Virtual Portal. We will have a specific space for organizers to post about their events.
- Engage with Forum participants who work on similar issues and invite them directly
- Promote your event to your constituency/mailing list/network
A deposit of $125 is due upon application for both in-person and virtual applications. If chosen for a room slot, you will be required to pay the rest of the fee depending on the size of the room you requested upon acceptance. If you are not chosen for one of the limited in-person event slots, we will accept your event as a virtual session and you will not need to pay anything else.
If your event is not accepted, you will receive a full refund. We do not provide refunds for events that are canceled by the organizers after acceptance.
IN-PERSON Parallel Events
All decision emails for both in-person and virtual Parallel Event applications have been sent.
If you have not received a decision email, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org. Please also check your spam folder.
Unfortunately, in-person Parallel Events cannot be rescheduled since all room slots have been booked. If your time slot does not work for you, you can convert your event to a virtual one where you can choose the date/time of your event.
Yes, public wifi will be available to use in all of the in-person venues. Although bandwidth will be increased during the two weeks of the Forum, we cannot guarantee that there will not be weak or interrupted connection due to the large number of people using the wifi at once.
Parallel Event organizers can decide if they’d like to live stream their in-person event or add a hybrid/virtual element. However, NGO CSW/NY cannot guarantee that technical difficulties or weak wifi connection will not occur.
If organizers do live stream or add a virtual element, they are responsible for the equipment. NGO CSW/NY is not responsible for providing any A/V equipment.
Each Parallel Event room will have microphones, a speaker system, a projector and screen. Parallel Event Organizers are responsible for setting up their tech. However, there will be NGO CSW/NY staff and volunteers in all venues available for assistance at any time.
To use the projector, you must bring a laptop and appropriate HDMI cables. NGO CSW/NY cannot provide this equipment.
Other tech equipment for live streaming, interpretation, etc., is allowed and encouraged, but please note that you will only have 15 minutes before your event to set up and 15 minutes after your event to break down. These time frames cannot be extended.
Each Parallel Event room will have wifi, microphones, a speaker system, a projector and screen.
To use the projector, you must bring your own laptop and connect it to the projector via HDMI. Be sure to bring the appropriate HDMI and/or VGA cables (depending on what kind of laptop you have). NGO CSW/NY cannot provide this equipment.
Other tech equipment for live streaming, interpretation, etc., is allowed and encouraged, but please note that you will only have 15 minutes before your event to set up and 15 minutes after your event to break down. These time frames cannot be extended.
Firstly, make sure you’re registered for the NGO CSW67 Forum. You can do so here if you haven’t already.
All Parallel Events (whether they’re in-person or virtual) will be listed on the Virtual Portal with their own event page. When we upload the accepted Parallel Events to the Virtual Portal, we will assign those who were indicated in your application to your event page. These representatives will receive an email allowing them access to edit your event page.
If you need to add other representatives to your event page, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org and we will add them. Please note that any additional representatives must be registered for the Forum before we can add them to your page.
If you are not assigned to your event page, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org and we can assist.
Yes! The representatives who are assigned to your Parallel Event page will have editing privileges for your event. They will receive an email with a link to upload your information to your event page. Make sure to save this email, as you will need to go back to it to edit your page.
If you need to add other representatives to your event page, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org and we will add them. Please note that any additional representatives must be registered for the Forum before we can add them to your page.
No. NGO CSW/NY does not provide interpretation for Parallel Events. We encourage Parallel Event organizers to provide interpretation for their event, but we are unable to provide interpretation services to them.
All in-person Parallel Event sessions are 90 minutes. You will have 15 minutes before your event to set up and 15 minutes after your event to break down.
Unfortunately, since there are events happening in the venues leading up to and during the Forum, organizers are not able to visit their assigned room beforehand. Organizers will have 15 minutes before their event to set up and 15 minutes after the event to break down.
No. Absolutely no food or drinks are allowed in the Parallel Event rooms. Only water is permissible.
Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN)
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
(on the corner of 44th St. and 1st Ave.)
Salvation Army
221 E. 52nd St.
New York, NY 10022
Salvation Army
221 E. 52nd St.
New York, NY 10022
Registration is not required for attendees of your event. You are welcome to set up a registration link on your event page on the Virtual Portal to keep track of those who attend your event. However, attendees do not need to show any kind of registration or confirmation to enter the Parallel Event venues or rooms. They can simply show up on a first come basis.
No. The NGO CSW67 Forum and all Parallel Events are totally open to the public. There is no pass, registration, or confirmation necessary to enter the venues or attend in-person Parallel Events.
All in-person Forum attendees must be vaccinated or show a negative test to attend the NGO CSW67 Forum. Masks are not required, but are highly recommended. It is up to each Parallel Event organizer whether or not they would like to require attendees to wear a mask.
VIRTUAL Parallel Events
All decision emails for both in-person and virtual Parallel Event applications have been sent.
If you have not received a decision email, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org. Please also check your spam folder.
To reschedule your virtual Parallel Event, please email us at parallelevents@ngocsw.org requesting a schedule change.
The deadline for schedule changes to your event is Monday, 27 February, 2023.
Yes! The representatives who are assigned to your Parallel Event page will have editing privileges for your event. They will receive an email with a link to upload your information to your event page. Make sure to save this email, as you will need to go back to it to edit your page.
Yes. Each Parallel Event organizer is responsible for providing their own virtual meeting platform for their event such as Zoom, Webex, Google Meet, etc. You are responsible for providing the link to register for/join your event on your own virtual meeting platform. The link will be listed on your event page on the NGO CSW67 Forum Virtual Portal. If you do not upload your event link by Monday, 27 February, your event will be removed from the Virtual Portal with no refund.
Helpful resources and informational materials for hosting an event securely and safely on different communication platforms will be sent to accepted Parallel Event organizers in January.
Using your own virtual meeting platforms will allow each organization to have more control over the preparation, set up, and technical capacities leading up to and during their event, such as setting up interpretation channels, meeting settings, and opening your session earlier for technical checks.
No. NGO CSW/NY does not provide interpretation for virtual Parallel Events. We encourage Parallel Event organizers to provide interpretation for their event, but we are unable to provide interpretation services to them.
We highly recommend that virtual Parallel Event organizers set up registration for their event, as it greatly decreases the risk of Zoom-bombing and disrupters in your event. For example, if you are using Zoom for your event, you can require registration. If you use a communications platform that does not have a registration option, you can set up a simple registration form on Eventbrite or similar website.
Your event page will have a section at the top of your page with a button to “Join the stream.” This will bring people either to your event’s registration or a link to join your session directly, depending on if you have registration set up or not. There will also be another “Join stream” button above the Organizer information on your page as well.
Participants will also be able to add events to ‘My Agenda’ in the Virtual Portal which adds Forum sessions they are planning to attend to their personalized schedule.