Host an official in-person or virtual Parallel Event during the NGO CSW68 Forum from 11 - 22 March 2024!

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 CSW priority and/or review theme in some way. This year, the themes are:

  • Priority theme: Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective
  • Review theme: Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-third 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 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 great way to promote your organization’s work to thousands of activists, other organizations, and people looking to learn more about gender equality advocacy and the global women’s movement.

As a Parallel Event organizer, you will have a unique event page on the NGO CSW68 Forum virtual portal with a link to register for/join your event on your own virtual meeting platform (e.g. Zoom, Google Meets, Webex, etc.). The event page will have a description of your event, a chat feature, the event organizers’ profiles, and any images, links, materials, videos, or documents that you’d like to share. When your event is over, the event page can show the recording of your event. Organizers will have access to directly edit and manage their event page on the virtual portal.

All Parallel Events, both in-person and 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. 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.

  • Virtual Parallel Event application fee: $125 USD
  • In-person Parallel Event application fees:
    • Small room (40 attendees): $200 USD
    • 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.

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.

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.

Organizations may apply for one in-person event. However, they can apply for more than one virtual event.

The deadline to apply to host a Parallel Event is Monday, 4 December 2023.

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