The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025. The session focused on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. It assessed current challenges to gender equality and women’s empowerment and explored how the BPfA contributes to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the opening of CSW69, member States also adopted a strong Political Declaration, reaffirming the commitment to the rights, equality, and empowerment of all women and girls.
Plenary Session
A highlight of the session was the High-level Interactive Dialogue with Regional Commissions, where Chairs of the regional Beijing+30 conferences presented their review outcomes and next steps. The Dialogue featured contributions from the five Regional Commissions and focused on regional trends, persistent challenges, and strategies to accelerate progress.
For more information about ESCAP’s session, please see:
- Statement by the Chair of the Asia-Pacific B+30 Ministerial Conference (Cambodia Minister of Women’s Affairs)
- Statement by Ms. Yang Lin, ESCAP Deputy Executive Secretary, on behalf of the ESCAP Executive Secretary
Side Events
ESCAP and its partners organized a series of impactful side events showcasing regional priorities and collaboration across the Asia-Pacific and beyond:
Care at the Core: ASEAN Leadership in Advancing Gender Equality through the Care Economy
CSW69 - Care at the Core Co-organized by ESCAP, Lao Women’s Union, KPWKM Malaysia, ASEAN Secretariat, and Oxfam, this event spotlighted ASEAN’s leadership in promoting the care economy as a pathway to gender equality. A national case study on the care economy in Lao PDR was finalized and launched at this side event.
- Transforming Care Systems for a Changing World: A South-South Dialogue
Jointly organized by the Governments of Cambodia, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, along with ESCAP, ECLAC, ESCWA, and the Global Alliance for Care, this dialogue provided a platform for South-South collaboration and interregional exchange by showcasing promising practices in gender-transformative and care-responsive policies.
Organized by UN Women, this event brought together Regional Civil Society Steering Committees and youth leaders from across the Beijing+30 reviews to reflect on the vital role of civil society.
- National Women's Machineries: Accelerating BPfA Implementation
Hosted by the Government of the Philippines with partners including New Zealand, Egypt, Indonesia, the European Commission, ESCAP, and UN Women, this session explored ways to strengthen national institutions for advancing gender equality.