Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
CSW70 will be held in New York from the 9 - 20 March 2026.
Our region faces specific barriers to justice, from maritime legal challenges in the Pacific to labor rights in South East Asia.
Humanizing the Data: Behind every report in our database is a human story. In New York, our delegates serve as the "living link" between those stories and the global stage, ensuring that the Asia-Pacific perspective isn't just a statistic, but a lived reality.
In New York Soroptimists are not bystanders, our in-person delegation will ensure our advocacy message is loud and clear, and will transform our advocacy from a message into a movement. It is where we advocate to turn the 'Access to Justice' theme into tangible commitments from world leaders.
The energy from a big group of SISEAP Soroptimists, will ensure that gender equality issues from Asia Pacific will be front and centre, we will ensure that the Soroptimist voice is heard.
Soroptimists members and interested feminists are encouraged to register to participate in the virtual meetings and workshops.
The information on this page is for members and guests. The page will be updated regularly over the coming months as we lead up to CSW70. You will find links to SI and SISEAP events, actions to undertake, blogs and latest news about the event.
Consultative Status of Women (CSW70)
Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific will be represented in New York 2026 by: President Joanne and Programme Convenor Donnell.
SISEAP is pleased to announce the scholarship winner to accompany Joanne and Donnell is: Petrice Pesick, Petrice will hold 2 roles, as a SISEAP delegate and also SISEAP Youth Representative. Congratulation Petrice. Petrice is a member of SI Freemantle.
SISEAP is also pleased to announce the following self funded approved delegates who will be assisting Joanne, Donnell and Petrice. Congratulations to Wendy Logan, Sarah Barnbrook, Cherrie Power, Filomena Pingiaro, we look forward to their blogs and reports on outcomes from CSW70.
Soroptimist Events at CSW70
CSW70 Asia Pacific Sisters: Access to Justice and Life Long Learning Webinar
Join SISEAP President Joanne Yeoh, Programme Convenor Dr Donnell Davis, Nayomi Kannangara (CEO, International Women’s Development, Agency - Australia) Soroptimist CSW Delegates Filomenia Pangiaro, Cherry Power, Wendy Logan, Petrice Pesick, explores the topic through the ASEAN lens and grass roots projects, delivering Justice for women.
Webinar live from CSW70 New York
Saturday 14th March, 12.30pm - 2.00 pm AEDT
Register for SI Parallel Events at CSW70
This CSW70 parallel event, organised by the Taiwan Coalition Against Violence (TCAV) and sponsored by Soroptimist International, examines gender-based violence as a structural human rights issue requiring coordinated, survivor-centred responses.
Date: 12 March 2026
Time: Event starts at 10:30
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
Location: 8 th Floor, Church Centre (CCUN)
This CSW70 parallel event, co-organised by Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) and Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), examines perinatal depression as a gender equality and social justice issue, grounded in women’s lived experiences and policy evidence.
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
While flexibility is often presented as a solution for balancing work and care, this event examines the hidden impacts on pay, career progression, social protection, and job security.
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
A Special Event Bridging the 70th Commission on the Status of Women and World
Water Day 2026.
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
This CSW70 parallel event, co-organised by Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific (SISEAP) and co-sponsored by The Steve Sinnott Foundation, examines access to education in the digital era and its implications for gender equality.
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
The discussion will examine how formal, non-formal, vocational, and lifelong learning strengthen legal empowerment and improve justice outcomes, while addressing the persistent barriers faced by women and girls, particularly those experiencing intersecting discrimination or living in marginalised and conflict-affected contexts.
America/New_York (UTC−05:00)
CSW Agreed Conclusions Zero Draft
This year CSW70 is different, Instead of beginning at a Zero Draft document, this year negogiations have already opened with a Zero Agreed Conclusions document. Agreed conclusions are the primary output of the commission.
Moving straight to a Zero Draft of Agreed Conclusions means the Commission is skipping the "what should we talk about?" phase and going directly to the "what are we going to commit to doing?" phase.
As "Agreed Conclusions," the draft will contain specific "calls to action"—such as repealing discriminatory laws or funding legal aid. Countries are more protective of the wording here because once they agree, they are publicly committed to those standards.
What This Means for Advocates (NGOs)
If you are following CSW70, this shift means the "window" for influence is narrower but deeper:
Paragraph Lobbying: Instead of suggesting broad themes, advocates now have to look at specific paragraphs. You aren't just saying "we need justice"; you are saying "we need to strengthen paragraph 14 to include migrant women."
Attending virtually Side and Parallel events
Parallel events may be viewed both in person or virtually. These are organized by Civil Society Organisations (such as SISEAP), these offer critical opportunities for grassroots groups to discuss, educate and advocate on gender equality issues. Attend all the parallel events virtuall via the NGOCSW website. You will need to register to attend these sessions via the visit the NGOCSW website
You will need to monitor the website for when registrations open. The programme team will endeavour to keep a link open here once registrations are open.
Side Events are held inside the UN building and are organized by governments, UN bodies, or NGOs to dive deeper into gender equality themes, showcase innovations, share best practices, and discuss issues outside the main formal CSW negotiations, these events may be viewed on the UN Web TV . There is no need to register to view these events.
Registrations are now open!
Register to attend any parallel events advertised through the UNCSW Whova account.
Register through this link https://ngocsw70.events.whova.com/registration/
Future CSW Themes
T𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 2026–2029 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀:
CSW70 (2026): Ensuring and strengthening 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 for all women and girls
CSW71 (2027): Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮
CSW72 (2028): Women and girls in 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀
CSW73 (2029): Transforming 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
In addition, ECOSOC invites the Commission to consider placing the issue of achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all 𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 as a focus area for its seventieth session.
NGO CSW/NY ensures that the voices and leadership of feminist and women's rights organizations all over the world are included in UN deliberations.
NGO CSW/NY facilities a platform for NGO participation in CSW69, these can be in person or virtual events.
Blogs from CSW69
Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific, hold special consultative status at ECOSOC. SISEAP a non-governmental organisation (NGO's) was granted special consultative status in 2014.
As an NGO with Special Consultative Status, SISEAP is invited to participate in the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. The Commission on the Status of Women is:
- A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- The principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
- Established by resolution on 21 June 1946 to monitor and promote women’s rights
- The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
- The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women. It is also one of the reference frameworks to analyse the situation of women around the world and to assess the efforts of States in support of women’s empowerment.
- Progress on implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) is reviewed by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) every five years.
Reference UN and UN Women
