UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (CSW)
Established 1946

CSW 1998 Agreed Conclusions on Women and Armed Conflict

CSW 47 (2003) l CSW 48 (2004) | CSW 49 (2005)

| CSW 50 (2006) | CSW 51 (2007) | CSW 52 (2008) | CSW 53 (2009)

History of the Commission (1946-2004)


KEY ACTORS IN THE FUNCTIONING OF THE COMISSION

UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The CSW is one of the nine functional commissions of ECOSOC. During the substantive session of the ECOSOC, the Council adopts the outcome document of the CSW, the Agreed Conclusions.

UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) of the UN Secretariat
DAW is the administrative body that supports the management of the CSW, including the work of the Bureau, members of the Commission and the experts who particpate in the Expert Group Meetings.

Expert Group Meetings (EGMs)

Experts and observers are
• Selected by the UN Secretary-General (SG)
• Advisory to the SG in that their final report will assist the SG in making recommedations to intergovernmental bodies
• Required to adopt their work by consensus

ECOSOC resolution 1987/24 on the long-term work of the Commission:
para. 4: "Recommends, as a part of the the regular programme of work of the United Nations Secretariat in areas related to the advancement of women, in particularthat of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, when regular budgetary resources are available, the convening of expert group meetings, as required by the Commission, to assist in the preparation of the work of the Commission on priority themes;

the expert group should be composed of an appropriate number of specialists, taking into account equitable geographic distribution and the involvement of non-governmental organizations, in the field or fields of study addressed under specific priority themes in order to prepare an analysis and preliminary proposals to assist the Commission in making informed, practical and action-oriented policy recommendations;

each expert group meeting should be structured like the Expert Group Meeting on Violence in the Family, held in Vienna from 8 to 12 December 1986, and should be timed so as to permit the results of the meeting to be made available to Member States in advance of sessions of the Commission."

Members of the Commission

CSW Bureau for 2008 (52nd Session):
Belgium (Chair): H.E. Mr. Olivier Belle
Armenia (Vice Chair): Mr. Ara Margarian
Republic of Korea (Vice Chair): Ms. Enna Park
Paraguay (Vice Chairperson): Mr. Julio Peralta
African Group, Vice Chairperson: Ms. Cécile Mballa Eyenga

NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW)
The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY was created in 1972 as a Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO). Committees were later formed in Geneva and Vienna. These three Committees have worked together over the years to bring a positive presence to women’s issues globally for over 30 years.

It is our goal to help NGO representatives link with those who are like-minded to bring the issues of women from around the world to the attention of decision-makers at the United Nations. We provide space for NGO meetings and side events, and facilitate training and the sharing of information through an annual consultation. We work closely with the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women to assist NGO representatives in giving voice to their concerns.

Local, national, regional and international non-governmental women's organizations