https://civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/news/7565-csw69-a-pivotal-...
- The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women marks important milestones, with the 80th UN anniversary and the 30th Beijing Platform anniversary, amid growing threats to women's rights.
- Women human rights defenders face increasing repression, with restrictive policies stifling activism and a global roll back of gender rights.
- Global solidarity and political will is required to protect civic space and ensure women’s leadership as central to peacebuilding and decision-making.
The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), scheduled from March 10 to March 21, 2025, will commemorate three key milestones. The 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, and the upcoming 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) are significant moments. While these anniversaries highlight global progress, women’s rights are increasingly under threat. Women-led organisations and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) continue to advocate for peace, justice, and gender equality, yet face mounting repression, reprisals, and systemic barriers.
The fight for women's rights is further exacerbated by the erosion of civic space. CIVICUS data reveals that 70% of the world’s population live in restrictive civic space conditions. They experience the impact of policies stifling civil society, especially those advocating for women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights. Activists, particularly from the Global South, are confronted with barriers such as visa denials and funding shortages, often resulting in their exclusion from vital international processes like CSW.
Compounding these challenges is Saudi Arabia’s presidency of CSW69, which has drawn widespread criticism from civil society. Despite its Vision 2030 program, Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, especially regarding women's rights, remains deeply troubling. The US rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and the withdrawal from international human rights and climate agreements are increasingly threatening gender rights, where CSW is held annually.
To counter these threats and reinforce the WPS and sustainable development agenda, the international community must commit to supporting women’s leadership in peace, security, and development. This includes safeguarding civic space, defending WHRDs, and ensuring the inclusion of women and gender minorities in peacebuilding and decision-making processes at all levels of governance, including within the UN.
As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, women’s voices are crucial to shaping and sustaining development efforts, including the 2030 Agenda. Without their active participation, both development and peace processes will remain incomplete. The global community must bridge the gaps left by states regressing in their support for gender rights. It must do so through flexible and localised funding for grassroots feminist organisations, enabling women’s participation in key international decision-making processes, and upholding a rules-based international order grounded in international law and human rights.
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