3 Key Ingredients for the CSW68 Agreed Conclusions

During one of the virtual CSW knowledge sharing sessions organized by WO=MEN and Soroptimist International in February 2024, Veerle Slegers from Feniks Emancipation Expertise Centre talked about her experience at Feniks and the key ingredients to keep in mind when influencing the outcome document, the Agreed Conclusions, of this upcoming CSW on gender, poverty, institutions and financing. Read her blogpost here to find out more.

At Feniks Emancipation Expertise Centre we are very pleased with the recommendations developed by Dutch civil society for the Agreed Conclusions of the upcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The recommendations explicitly address the need for the transition to a rights-based, fair and just economic system which is essential for a gender-transformative and intersectional approach to poverty alleviation. At Feniks, we strongly support that statement.

At the same time we would like to see three essential ingredients added in that transition.

1. Redefine work

Feniks would like to specifically add that a fundamental factor in the development of a fair and just economic system is: redefining what counts as “work” and rejecting structural undervaluation of women’s labour, both paid and unpaid. Caregiving, housework, work which is now classified as “voluntary” and “informal”, are all highly significant and indispensable activities from which capital, economies and societies benefit, but for which they do not pay.

2. Redistribute capital and power

Redefining what we consider to be valuable and significant contributions to our economy and society also means putting schemes in place which acknowledge, respect and reward the people who do all that work (i.e. mostly women). An important means to that end is some form of a Universal Basic Income, a living wage for al. This helps women to sustain themselves and their children and to able to make more autonomous life choices. To enable this, a fundamental redistribution of capital and power is required.

3. Men’s emancipation is crucial

Last but not least: at Feniks know from our experience that programmes for the emancipation of men are essential. In order to change the economic system we have to change society as a whole and offer alternatives for the current dysfunctional and counterproductive social constructs. Constructs which keep men, women and all people from being who they really are and want to be, and from leading meaningful lives of their own choice. Programmes for men’s emancipation should discuss changing societal norms for men and masculinity, and support men in their liberation from traditional masculinities.

Veerle Slegers

Feniks Emancipation Expertise Centre

Comments

CSW Revitalisation conversations in the region

Photo: Facilitation team (Liliane Nkunzimana, Lopa Banerjee, Nadia van der Linde, Ivy Koek) What do you think about when you hear countries are committed to 'revitalize' the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)? "Oh, is it dying?" is one of the responses I've gotten, as if the CSW is holding on to its last straws at the moment, in desparate need of resuscitation. The challenges ahead for the current multilateral system, as well as for many of our national governments, are huge. In order to give gender equality and the rights of all women and girls a bit more of a boost, UN Women has been encouraging countries to commit to a process to 'revitalize' the CSW. And now that this has indeed been taken on board by governments from around the world in the recent Pact for the Future, the conversation is moving to: So what does that mean? During the NGO Forum in Geneva that took place just prior to the UNECE Beijing+30 Regional Review in October 2024 I co-f...

Aandachtspunten voor de CSW delegatie en onze democratie

Hieronder lees je de presentatie met aandachtspunten voor de Nederlandse CSW delegatie gegeven door Britt Myren, Atria, tijdens de CSW69 NGO briefing op de Nederlandse ambassade (Permanente Vertegenwoordiging) in New York. De bijeenkomst werd zeer goed bijgewoond met 40+ deelnemers uit het Nederlands maatschappelijk middenveld - we pasten niet meer aan de tafel en er ontstond een tweede ring - en met een welkomstwoord en dialoog met het hoofd van de delegatie, staatssecretaris Mariëlle Paul. 11 maart 2025 “Let us be clear, gender equality is not just a goal, it is the foundation of a just and sustainable world.” Deze woorden gebruikte de Ambassadeur van Canada en ECOSOC president gisteren bij de opening ceremonie van de CSW, de VN Commissie voor de Status van Vrouwen . Als maatschappelijk middenveld herkennen wij deze boodschap en benadrukken het belang van ons functioneren in een sterke democratie. Dit belang kan niet onderschat worden, net zo min als het belang van de jui...

Access Denied Campaign

Following many concerns and calls for support received from activists who were not able to come to New York, WO=MEN – jointly with members and partners - took the initiative to launch a campaign to call attention to the exclusion of defenders from meaningfully participating in the CSW: ACCESS DENIED! “Without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspective at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved.” - Beijing Platform for Action The ACCESS DENIED campaign seeks to address the stark contrast between Beijing’s call for participation of women back in 1995 already and the reality of exclusion faced by many activists who had wished to be here at this 30 year anniversary of Beijing. Particularly activists from the global South , black and brown women, women with disabilities, youth, trans and gender non-binary people, sex workers and undocumented migrants face exclusion. Denied access due to visa obstacle...

WO=MEN in New York

Search This Blog