Basics of the NGO CSW67 Forum:
The NGO CSW Forum is a civil society gathering that runs parallel to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). It provides civil society the opportunity to engage with the CSW processes and sessions without any special qualifications (such as ECOSOC-accreditation). The NGO CSW Forum includes hundreds of events that inform, engage, and inspire grassroots efforts to empower women and girls. The Forum gives CSOs and NGOs an opportunity to host their own in-person or virtual Parallel Events as part of the two-week forum.
The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. During the two-week session, UN entities, Member States, and civil society assess progress and gaps in the implementation of women’s rights documents such as the Beijing Platform for Action. Each year, the Commission focuses on a specific theme related to gender equality, known as the ‘priority theme’ of CSW.
UN Women is the secretariat for the UN CSW, handling the logistics side of the Commission. For questions or concerns about the UN CSW, visit UN Women’s website or contact them at csw@unwomen.org.
The Commission of the Status of Women is made up of forty-five member states, consisting of one representative from each Member State based on equitable geographical distribution:
- 13 members from Africa
- 11 from Asia
- 9 from Latin America & the Caribbean
- 8 from Western Europe and other States
- 4 from Eastern Europe
These representatives work in four year terms. For more information on the Commission and its members, please visit the UN Women’s website, or contact UN Women at csw@unwomen.org.
The CSW Bureau facilitates the preparation for the CSW and ensures the successful outcome of the session. The Bureau consists of five Member States, one representing each region. Bureau members serve two-year terms.
The Bureau for the UN CSW67 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 (Western European and Other States Group)
- Mr. Māris Burbergs (Latvia), Vice-Chair (Eastern European States Group)
- Ms. Chimguundari Navaan-Yunden (Mongolia), Vice-Chair designate (Asia and Pacific States Group)
Learn more about the CSW Bureau on UN Women’s website.
The “Zero Draft” is the initial draft of the CSW Agreed Conclusions, which is prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s office and negotiated on during the UN CSW session. It usually comes out in January.
Parallel Events take place at the NGO CSW67 Forum and are hosted by civil society organizations or groups. They take place outside of the UN Headquarters, either in-person or virtually. Any civil society organization, coalition, or group is welcome to apply to host a Parallel Event regardless of their ECOSOC-accredited status.
Side events take place at the UN CSW and are hosted by Member States and UN agencies with ECOSOC-accredited organizations as partners. They take place inside of the UNHQ and require a UN grounds pass or special event ticket to attend. (Additionally, there will most likely be virtual side events which will be open to the public.) To host a side event at the UN CSW, ECOSOC-accredited organizations must partner with a Member State or UN agency who submits the proposal to UN Women. For more information about side events, visit UN Women’s website.
Throughout the two weeks of the NGO CSW67 Forum, we host hundreds of events and other engagement spaces. The hybrid NGO CSW67 Forum will include:
- In-Person and Virtual Parallel Events
- Consultation Day
- Conversation Circles
- Orientation & Advocacy Training sessions
- Regional Caucuses
- Virtual Exhibit Hall
- Digital Handbook
- Networking and advocacy
- Youth Leaders & Young Professionals (YLYPs)
Parallel Events are hosted by NGOs and CSOs from around the globe during the NGO CSW Forum. They are one of the key components of the NGO CSW Forum, as they provide a space and voice for CSOs who may not have full access to the UN. Because they are outside the official UN CSW session, they are open to the public and free to attend. These events allow for education and galvanizing around different issues and topics within the feminist and women’s movement.
Consultation Day is our annual kick-off event to the NGO CSW Forum. It prepares participants for the UN CSW and NGO CSW Forum by providing education on the priority theme. The program includes high-level conversations, educational panel discussions on the priority theme, as well as feminist entertainment. Consultation Day always takes place on the Sunday right before the UN CSW. Consultation Day for NGO CSW67 in March 2023 will be virtual.
You can watch last year’s Consultation Day here.
Conversation Circles are a safe space for raising issues and exchanging ideas on various women’s rights and gender equality topics during the CSW. Each Conversation Circle addresses a specific topic. Each session is loosely-moderated and guided by co-facilitators who are experts on the topic, and participants are encouraged to be engaged in discussion either live or by chat.
For NGO CSW67, Conversation Circles will be hosted in a hybrid format. Each session will have an in-person space with virtual components to engage those not able to physically attend.
You can watch last year’s Conversation Circles here.
Virtual Exhibit Booths imitate a traditional exhibit hall with different interactive “booths” for Forum participants to visit and learn all about the sponsoring organization, campaign, or group. They can also contact booth representatives to get more information. Exhibitors can manage their booths, upload resources and videos, host events, and engage with attendees directly within their Booth.
If you’re interested in hosting a virtual Exhibit Booth on our Virtual Portal, learn more and apply here.
Each year, NGO CSW/NY prepares a Handbook with everything you need to know about that year’s NGO CSW Forum. It is publicly available and free to use via the NGO CSW/NY website and on the NGO CSW Forum Virtual Portal. The handbook includes:
- Exclusive statements from the NGO CSW/NY Chair, CSW Chair, and UN Women Executive Director, and other high-level officials;
- The full two-week program of the NGO CSW Forum including Parallel Events;
- Details about the CSW priority and review themes;
- Information on NGO CSW/NY; and
- Handbook Ads sponsored by organizations and groups around the world.
You can view last year’s Digital Handbook here.
Sponsoring a Handbook Ad is a great way to promote your organization, group, or campaign and/or your Parallel Event at the NGO CSW67 Forum. Depending on the tier you purchase, you will be promoted on the NGO CSW67 Forum Virtual Platform and/or the Digital Handbook. With our new and improved Virtual Platform, there are more options for Handbook Ads with a range of different price points.
With most Handbook Ad tiers, your organization would have a unique page on the NGO CSW67 Forum Virtual Portal where attendees could visit and learn more about your work and engage with you. For more information about sponsoring a Handbook Ad, visit this page.
At the beginning of the NGO CSW Forum, NGO CSW/NY hosts Orientation and Advocacy Training sessions to introduce new attendees to the CSW and the Forum and familiarize them with the different aspects of the Forum and ways to engage.
The Orientation session provides an overview of the Forum and the basics on how to participate and engage in the most effective way, while the Advocacy Training session delves into how to advocate for your work, yourself, and/or your organization effectively during the CSW.
While these sessions are great for those who are new to the UN CSW and NGO CSW Forum spaces, they are also helpful for those who need a refresher or want to learn about new features of the NGO CSW67 Forum.
You can watch last year’s Orientation & Advocacy Training sessions on our Youtube channel.
Regional Caucuses are informal spaces for participants to discuss and reflect upon regional advocacy and their region’s most relevant and pressing issues. They are hosted by the NGO CSWs in the Regions and the North America and Europe Caucus, with each region hosting two Caucuses throughout the two weeks of the Forum.
You can watch last year’s Regional Caucuses here.
The YLYPs are a youth-specific space within NGO CSW/NY and the NGO CSW Forum. They host a Youth Preparation Series leading up to the NGO CSW Forum and the CSW. The program also hosts other professional development events throughout the year and shares information related to youth at the CSW and the UN system more broadly. The YLYPs are open to anyone under the age of 40.
Learn more, get involved, and join the community here.
The NGO CSW Forum is a great place to promote your work and network with other participants. While there are plenty of opportunities for informal networking and promotion through the Virtual Portal message board and in the halls of in-person events, there are also more formal ways to promote your work or organization at the NGO CSW Forum. Visit the link below to learn more about each opportunity.
Host a virtual Exhibit Booth or Handbook Ad: https://ngocsw.org/ngocsw67-promoteyourorg/.
- Video Tutorials on the Virtual Portal (coming soon)
- Open Forum on CSW67 recording
- FAQs for:
- Parallel Event Organizers (coming soon)
- Exhibitors (coming soon)
- Handbook Ad Sponsors (coming soon)
- Virtual Safety Guidelines
- Safety at the NGO CSW67 Forum
- Training events in January and February (more info coming soon)
More resources will be disseminated as we get closer to the Forum, including tutorial videos and training events. Sign up to our mailing list to ensure you receive updates with new materials.
The working language of the NGO CSW Forum is English. If Parallel Event organizers wish to have interpretation for their event(s), they are responsible for providing the interpretation service. NGO CSW/NY cannot provide interpretation services for any virtual Parallel Events.
NGO CSW67 Forum Registration
Registration for the NGO CSW67 Forum will open on Friday, 18 November 2022. To register for the Forum, visit https://whova.com/portal/registration/ngocs1_202303/. Choose your ticket type based on how you will be attending: in-person, virtually, or both. Continue filling out your information and submit your registration!
While registration for the Forum opens on 18 November, the Virtual Portal itself will not go live until Monday, 5 December.
If you register before the Portal opens on 5 December, you will receive a confirmation email, but you will not be able to access the Portal. However, once the Portal goes live, you will automatically receive an email with a link to join the Virtual Portal.
If you register after the Portal opens on 5 December, your registration confirmation email will include a link to access the Virtual Portal.
No. The NGO CSW67 Forum is totally free! However, if you’d like to support our work, you can make a donation here.
You can register more than one person at a time when registering for the NGO CSW67 Forum.
No. Anyone can register and attend the NGO CSW Forum whether you’re part of an organization or not. The Forum is totally open to the public.
No. The UN CSW and NGO CSW67 Forum are two totally separate events. Registration for the NGO CSW67 Forum will not get you a UN grounds pass or access to the UN building.
For more information about official registration for the UN CSW, visit UN Women’s website.
Advocacy for the CSW67
The ARG conducts research on the CSW priority theme to prepare recommendations for the CSW Agreed Conclusions Zero Draft. Leading up to the CSW, the ARG also solicits input from and consults with NGO CSW/NY’s global, grassroots community to understand their lived experiences that pertain to the CSW67 theme.
The ARG then sends their recommendations to the UN Secretary-General, UN Women, the CSW Bureau, and all Member States in advance of CSW negotiations for consideration and inclusion in the Zero Draft and in their discussions.
Learn more about the ARG, their process, and their work for CSW67 here.
The best way to contribute to the ARG and provide your input on the CSW priority theme is to attend NGO CSW/NY’s Monthly Meetings. Toward the beginning of each Monthly Meeting, the ARG engages participants to share their recommendations and input. They do this through surveys, polls, speakouts, and other participatory activities.
You can also email us at info@ngocsw.org for any recommendations, priorities, or issues that you’d like to be included in the ARG’s recommendations.
We have several resources available for our community to learn more about how to advocate at the UN CSW.
- Advocacy Training Toolkit (coming soon)
- Youth Advocacy Training (to be announced)
- Orientation & Advocacy Training sessions during the NGO CSW67 Forum
- Last year’s Orientation and Advocacy Training sessions
- Women’s Human Rights Teaching, Learning, and Advocacy Resource (WHRTLAR)
NGO CSW67 Forum Virtual Portal
This year, we are using Whova, a new platform to host our Virtual Portal. This platform will allow us to have a new and improved Portal that will be more user-friendly and easier to navigate!
The Virtual Portal will open on Monday, 5 December 2022. If you registered for the Forum before the Portal opened, you will automatically receive an email with a link to access the Portal.
When the Virtual Portal goes live on 5 December, we will send an email to our mailing list announcing its opening.
To access the Virtual Portal, you must first register for the NGO CSW67 Forum. You can register via this link. After you register, you will receive a link to join the Portal.
After you set up a profile on the Portal via registering, you will be able to access the Portal by visiting ngocsw67forum.events.whova.com/ or using the mobile app going forward.
We recommend bookmarking https://ngocsw67forum.events.whova.com/ on your internet browser for easy access, especially during the two weeks of the Forum.
Yes! To download the mobile app, search "Whova" in the App Store on your iPhone or in Google Play on your Android phone.
If you have already registered and made a profile, log in to your profile on the mobile app and the NGO CSW67 Forum should be automatically under ‘My events.’
If you haven’t already registered and don’t have a profile, you can set one up upon downloading the app. Use the access code sax8zbihdo or search for 'NGO CSW67 Forum' to join the NGO CSW67 Forum on the app.
You can update your name, photo, interests, organization, education, social media handles, and more on the Virtual Portal. Click your name at the top right of your screen (or the top left if you’re in the mobile app) and click ‘My profile’ to edit your information.
The Virtual Portal allows you to interact and connect with the other Forum participants leading up to and during the NGO CSW67 Forum.
To see and search for the other Forum attendees, click the “Attendees” tab in the main menu. There, you will be able to see all other attendees. You can connect with them by visiting their profile and messaging them. You can also bookmark different attendees.
The Virtual Portal also allows you to see attendees that it recommends for you. You can find people in your area, from your organization, other people from your school, or those with similar interests as you.
You can also connect with other participants via the “Community” tab in the main menu. There are several topics and spaces in which you can post and network with others.
Yes! In the Agenda, you can add events directly to your own agenda by clicking “Add to my agenda” next to the session title. This is a great way to keep track of the events you’d like to attend.
When you add events to My Agenda, it will give you the option to add the session to your personal calendar outside of the Portal such as Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Apple Calendar as well.
We will share tutorial videos for navigating the Virtual Portal depending on how you are participating. We will have a tutorial for:
- General participants;
- Parallel Event organizers;
- Exhibitors; and
- Handbook Ad Sponsors.
We will send emails to our mailing list and post on social media when each of the tutorial videos becomes available.
We will also host a series of training events that will go over using the Virtual Portal. These events will take place in January and February. We will send more information to our mailing list and on social media as it becomes available.
Safety at the NGO CSW67 Forum
At NGO CSW/NY, we take safety during the NGO CSW Forum very seriously, both in-person and online.
During in-person events at the NGO CSW67 Forum, we will have NGO CSW/NY staff and volunteers present throughout the venues to address any concerns or issues regarding safety. Additionally, each of the venues have their own staff who will be monitoring the buildings as well.
We also have several procedures in place to ensure virtual safety during the Forum as well. Firstly, we have our Virtual Safety Guidelines to which all participants agree to when registering for the Forum and/or applying for a Parallel Event, Exhibit Booth, or Handbook Ad. Any individual or organization who violates these guidelines will be removed from the Forum.
We also provide a resource on how to have a safe and secure experience at the Forum. It provides tips for both participants and Parallel Event organizers on how to maintain safety and security during their events. You can download the resource here.
Lastly, Whova itself has many security features in place. For more information about customer data protection and privacy, as well as other security/privacy concerns, visit Whova’s website here.
If you have experienced any type of harassment or an unsafe environment in anyway, please reach out to us at virtualsafety@ngocsw.org and we will address the issue immediately. Any organization or individual who is determined to be disruptive, violent, and/or has violated our Virtual Safety Guidelines will be permanently removed from the NGO CSW67 Forum Virtual Portal.