Frequently Asked Questions

The Forum begins on Sunday 7 March with Consultation Day and continues 8 to 19 March 2027, running parallel to the official United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW).

Yes. All NGO CSW71 Parallel Events are completely free and open to the public. However, the Reception event hosted by NGO CSW/NY is a ticketed event.

No. NGO CSW/NY cannot provide any accommodations for attendees or Parallel Event organizers.

No. NGO CSW/NY is not in a position to advise, intervene or facilitate individual visa arrangements.

No. NGO CSW/NY cannot provide visa letters to any individual or organization.

The schedule will be updated via our Virtual Portal, Whova. To access the Virtual Portal, you must first register for the NGO CSW71 Forum. After you register, you will receive a link to join the Portal. You can access the portal in the browser or via the Whova mobile app.

NGO CSW71 Parallel Events are held outside of the United Nations Headquarters in New York at the following locations:

• Church Center for the United Nations
  777 UN Plaza
  New York, NY 10017
• The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission
  221 E 52nd Street
  New York, NY 10022

Sign up for the NGO CSW/NY newsletter to receive email updates.

Attendee registration for the NGO CSW71 Forum opens in February 2027. 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.

This is separate from Parallel Event applications, which open in November 2026 for members and December 2026 for non-members.

No. There is no deadline to register for the NGO CSW71 Forum. However, we encourage you to register as early as possible so you do not miss out on important information about the event organizers and other relevant details.

While you do have to register to attend the general Forum, you do not have to register for every specific event. However, limited space is available in each room, so seating is first-come, first-served.

There is no deadline to register for the Parallel Events. However, the Reception at the NGO CSW71 Forum is a paid event, and attendance is subject to the availability of tickets.

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 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 movements.

Any global NGO can apply to host an NGO CSW71 Parallel Event as long as the proposed event is relevant to the CSW71 theme. Your organization does not have to be ECOSOC accredited or have UN Special Consultative Status.

To host a Parallel Event through NGO CSW/NY, you must submit an official application through our website and pay an application fee based on the size of the room you require. Applications open in November 2026 for members and December 2026 for non-members.

Each group will have 90 minutes for their event. In addition to the 90 minutes, the organizing group will be given 15 minutes to set up the room before the event and 15 minutes to vacate the room after the event. Non-compliant organizers may be banned from any future NGO CSW Forum participation.

No. Due to the high volume of requests, we regret that it is not possible to allow event organizers to choose their time slot.

There is no limit on the number of co-sponsors for your Parallel Event.

For in-person Parallel Events, you may not change the date or time once your application is submitted. For CSW71, all other change requests will come with a fee.

No. Food and drink (besides water) is not allowed at any of the venues. Organizers or attendees who do not comply will be asked to discard their food or leave the venue.

The equipment provided is specific to the room that you have booked. When applying to host a Parallel Event, differing payment options will be available for respective A/V equipment. All rooms within one venue have the same equipment:

• Church Center for the United Nations: table, chairs, two microphones, projector, and a projector screen.
• Salvation Army: table, chairs, two microphones, projector, and a projector screen.

You must provide your own laptop and adapters. If you did not bring your own adapter, you may borrow one from NGO CSW staff in exchange for your ID.

Yes. However, organizers must be mindful of the 15-minute set-up and break-down time. Please do not bring any equipment that would take longer than 15 minutes to assemble or disassemble.

Yes. Public wifi will be available at the Church Center for the UN at all times. At the Salvation Army, you will need to ask security for the wifi login information.

Yes, but you must provide the appropriate adapters. We recommend bringing a non-Mac laptop for the best compatibility.

There will be limited technical support available at all venues. We recommend downloading all of your content and preparing for technical issues before your event to avoid any delays in the start of your event.

Consultation Day is a half-day event that takes place the Sunday before the NGO CSW71 Forum. It is meant to educate and prepare attendees for the upcoming Forum and its priority theme. The day consists of several panel discussions with global experts on the theme as well as entertainment from feminist artists.

7 March 2027, 10:00am to 1:00pm EST.

Registration for Consultation Day will open in February 2027. Please check our website then.

Consultation Day will be held virtually.

The program will be published on our website closer to the date of the event. Please check the website for the final program in February 2027.

The NGO CSW71 Reception is a networking event in which CSW attendees from around the world have the opportunity to meet, socialize, and collaborate with other global feminists. Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres are served.

Tuesday, 9 March 2027.

The Salvation Army Executive Headquarters
120 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10011-7393

Ticket prices will be released closer to the date. Please check back in January 2027.

Tickets must be purchased through NGO CSW/NY. Ticket details will be released closer to the date. Please check back in January 2027.

No. Free registration only lists you as an attendee of the NGO CSW Forum and signs you up for email updates. The Reception is a ticketed event during the Forum and is not included in general Forum registration. You must buy tickets for the Reception through NGO CSW.

The Reception is one of NGO CSW/NY's only fundraising events. We use the funds raised to manage our general operations for the rest of the year. All of the Parallel Events during the NGO CSW Forum and our monthly meetings throughout the year are free.

Wednesday, 10 March 2027, 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST.

CCUN, 2nd Floor.

To sell your goods at the CSW71 Forum Artisan Fair, you must apply through our website and pay a fee if you are selected as an artisan. The application will open in December 2026. Please check back on our website then.

Yes. The application for a table at the Artisan Fair is free, but selected artisans will be asked to pay a registration fee. The price is yet to be decided. Please check the website in December 2026. Due to limited space, tables are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one table will be allotted per organization.

Artisans can bring their goods the day of the Artisan Fair. There will be time before the Fair opens to set up tables and goods.

NGO CSW/NY will post the Handbook on the website in March 2027, before the Forum begins. It will be available online to download and print, and on the CSW Whova app.

No. It will be accessible online for free.

Please check the website in December 2026 for an application. All ad copy will be due in February 2027.

There is considerable flexibility in changing the online ad. However, final Handbook ads need to be submitted by mid-February, before the Handbook goes out.

If your Parallel Event was accepted, it will automatically be listed in the online and app versions of the NGO CSW71 Forum Handbook.

No. Please contact our office to troubleshoot failed transactions.

No. We cannot refund tickets for any NGO CSW events. However, if you are unable to attend an event, you can transfer your ticket to another name.

No. Unfortunately, we cannot refund Parallel Events that were canceled by the organizer outside the date listed in the application. However, we do give refunds for applications that are not selected to host a Parallel Event.

The NGO CSW Forum is a civil society gathering that runs parallel to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). It gives civil society the opportunity to engage with the CSW processes and sessions without any special qualifications, such as ECOSOC accreditation. The Forum includes hundreds of events that inform, engage, and inspire grassroots efforts to empower women and girls. It also 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 the UN Women website or contact csw@unwomen.org.

UN Side Events are held inside the UN Headquarters, where UN grounds passes and/or RSVPs are required to access the events. Side Events are hosted by member states and ECOSOC-accredited organizations. UN Women manages these events.

No. NGO CSW/NY only organizes NGO CSW Parallel Events. UN Women organizes Side Events for ECOSOC-accredited organizations.

NGO CSW Forum Parallel Events are hosted in locations outside of the United Nations Headquarters. They can be hosted by global organizations that are not ECOSOC accredited, and they are completely open to the public.

UN Side Events are held inside the UN Headquarters, where UN grounds passes and/or RSVPs are required to access the events. Side Events are hosted by member states and ECOSOC-accredited organizations.

More information may be found through the UN CSW website.

NGO CSW/NY does not issue invitation letters for the UN CSW sessions inside the UN Headquarters. Please see the UN Women website for an invitation letter request for CSW sessions inside UNHQ.

Yes. Please view the UN Women website on NGO participation for additional information.

Yes. UN Women will post the Side Event schedule on their website in February. For some events you can RSVP and pick up a temporary pass on the day of the event. Please note that this is not all events. Additionally, if you have an annual UN pass, you will be allowed to enter the UN during CSW71.

Yes. Registration for the NGO CSW71 Forum with NGO CSW/NY is different from the UN CSW71. Registration for the NGO CSW71 Forum is not mandatory, but we highly recommend registering if you plan on attending Parallel Events.

Some Side Events only require an RSVP in advance, while others are only accessible to those who hold a UN grounds pass. Please refer to the UN CSW website, as this information changes yearly.

UN Women issues NGO Advisories with information on registration. Please view the UN Women website on NGO participation for registration information. NGO CSW/NY does not have the authority to register organizations.

No. You do not need a UN grounds pass to attend a Parallel Event.

No. NGO CSW/NY cannot help you get a UN grounds pass and does not process any requests for them. Please contact csw@unwomen.org with questions about UN grounds pass registration.