On March 10 2025, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz accepted the Cities for CEDAW Leadership Award on behalf of the City of Toledo, Ohio, during the United Nation’s 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York City.
The Cities for CEWDAW campaign is a national movement uniting local governments, social justice organizations, and women’s rights groups across political lines to promote equity, empowerment, and anti-discrimination measures for women and girls in all their diversity. Since its launch at the UN NGO CSW Forum in 2014, it has spread from the first CEDAW city, San Francisco, to over 80 cities and countries in 2025.
Every year, one city is selected for its exceptional progress in advancing women’s rights. Toledo has emerged as a leader by successfully mobilizing community coalitions, securing City Council support, and engaging with the Mayor’s office to enact a CEDAW Ordinance.
The Cities for CEDAW campaign is supported by the Women’s Intercultural Network and NGO CSW/NY in collaboration with coalition members including: AAUW, YWCA, Zonta, League of Women Voters, NAACP, Catholic Diocese.
