The fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 2 to 13 March 2009.
Please click on the links below for further information and resources.
Report of the 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women [ Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish ]
Agenda
Participants
Themes
Official documentation
Statements
General discussion
Parallel events
Addressing violence against women through legal reform
Media
E/CN.6/2009/1 [ A C E F R S ]
Annotated provisional agenda and proposed organization of work
The session was attended by representatives of Member States, UN entities and of ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world.
For more information on NGO participation, please click here.
Pre-registered NGO participants, download the NGO Participation Note [ English | French ]
The themes considered were the following:
Priority theme:
The Commission on the Status of Women considered the theme: “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS” at its 53rd session.
>> Read more on the priority theme
Watch the Opening of the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Webcast: Archived Video - English: 3 hours and 3 minutes
Webcast: Archived Video - Original Language: 3 hours and 3 minutes
High-level round-table on "Equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS", Monday, 2 March 2009, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Panelists
High-level round table: Composition A | Composition B
Interactive expert panel on “Key policy initiatives on equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS” - Tuesday 3 March 2009, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Panelists
Papers/Presentations
Webcast: Archived Video - English: 2 hours and 56 minutes
Webcast: Archived Video - Original Language: 2 hours and 56 minutes
Interactive expert panel on “Capacity-building for mainstreaming a gender perspective into national policies and programmes to support the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care-giving in the context of HIV/AIDS” - Tuesday 3 March 2009, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Panelists
Papers/Presentations
Webcast: Archived Video - English: 2 hours and 53 minutes
Webcast: Archived Video - Original Language: 2 hours and 53 minutes
The Division for the Advancement of Women organized an online discussion on the theme “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS”, which provided an opportunity for practitioners and experts to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The online discussion provided background information for an Expert Group Meeting organized by the Division as part of the preparatory process for the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2009.
>> View archived online discussion (7 July to 1 August 2008)
Review theme:
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Issues paper
Panelists
Papers/Presentations
An interactive dialogue evaluated progress of the implementation of the agreed conclusions "Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels" adopted at the 50th session of CSW. The dialogue was held on Friday, 6 March 2009, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Emerging issue:
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Issues paper
Panelists
Papers/Presentations
The emerging issue on “The gender perspectives of the financial crisis” was considered at an interactive expert panel which was held on Thursday, 5 March, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Interactive expert panel:
Moderator's summary [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ]
Issues paper
Panelists
Papers/Presentations
An interactive expert panel on "Gender perspectives on global public health: Implementing the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs", was held on Thursday, 12 March 2009 from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. in Conference Room 2.
The Secretary-General prepares reports on the priority theme under consideration by the Commission, as well as on topics mandated through the resolutions and decisions of the Commission. The Bureau and the Secretariat also provide further documentation, as mandated by the Commission. Official documentation related to the 53rd session is available in all official United Nations languages.
Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General
H.E. Ambassador Sylvie Lucas,
President of the Economic and Social Council
[ English | French ]
Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
Ms. Carolyn Hannan, Director, Division for the Advancement of Women, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Ms. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM
Ms. Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA
Prof. Yakin Ertürk, Special Rapporteur on violence against women
Ms. Naéla Gabr, Chairperson, CEDAW
Mr. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS
Mr. Thandika Mkandawire, Director, UNRISD
Ms. Jane Hodges, Director, Bureau for Gender Equality, ILO
Regional groups:
Cuba on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement
Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union
Mexico on behalf of the Rio Group
Niue on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum
South Africa on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Sudan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China
Member States:
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia [ English | Spanish ]
Congo
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Greece
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Islamic Republic of Iran
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malaysia
Mali
Malta
Mexico
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Korea
Russian Federation
Saint Lucia
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United Republic of Tanzania
United States of America
Venezuela
Viet Nam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Permanent observers:
UN entities:
Other intergovernmental organizations:
Non-governmental organizations:
- Africa Women's Caucus [ English | French ]
- Asia Pacific Caucus
- European Women's Lobby (EWL)
- Human Rights Advocates
- International Federation of Women Lawyers (Asia)
- International Network of Liberal Women (INLW)
- Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice, Salesian Missions and VIDES International
- West Asia Women's Caucus
- Women International Democratic Federation (WIDF) [ English | Spanish ]
- World Council of Churches on behalf of Anglican Consultative Council, Association of Presbyterian Women of Aoteora, New Zealand, Church Women United, Church World Service, Presbyterian Church (USA), Lutheran World Federation, The Salvation Army, World Council of Churches, World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, World Student Christian Federation, World Young Women's Christian Association, United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
The large programme of parallel events or activities organized outside the formal programme of the Commission provided an excellent opportunity to bring critical issues to the forefront. These parallel events were organized by Member States, UN entities, other international and regional organizations, and NGOs.
Calendar of parallel events organized by Permanent Missions and UN Agencies
Calendar of parallel events organized by NGOs
Moderators' summary
Issues paper
Expert Group Meeting
Model framework for legislation on violence against women
Flyer
Deputy Secretary-General's remarks
The Commission held a joint dialogue with the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on the theme "Addressing violence against women through legal reform", on Wednesday, 4 March 2009, from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Media accreditation:
The media accreditation form and other related data can be accessed at www.un.org/media/accreditation. For further media enquiries and to receive press releases relating to the CSW and other women's issues, please e-mail: mediainfo@un.org.
Media representatives wishing to attend the CSW should contact:
Media Accreditation & Liaison Unit
Department of Public Information
Room S-250
UN Headquarters
New York
NY 10017, USA
Fax: 1-212-963 4642
Media material:
Media backgrounder on “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS."
Press releases:
Women’s Commission ends session, calls for shared responsibility for caregiving between men, women in context of HIV/AIDS, reducing care burden on households
Friday, 13 March 2009
Growing scale, scope of threats to women’s health, access to quality health care, delivering on promises to improve women’s lives, explored in women’s Commission
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Women’s Commission considers effectiveness of working group on communications, as delegations weigh in about how to improve complaints procedure
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Women hold keys to unlocking barriers against progress on sustainable development, Deputy Secretary-General tells international leadership colloquium
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Young South African woman chosen to be Secretary-General in selection of secretariat officials for global model UN Conference
Monday, 9 March 2009
Specialized agencies, intergovernmental, non-governmental groups submit proposals for improving women’s welfare, as women’s Commission concludes general discussion
Monday, 9 March 2009
Despite ‘record year’ globally for women decision makers in public sector, road was long to achieve parity with men, women’s Commission told
Friday, 6 March 2009
Press conference on International Women’s Day theme: “Women and men united to end violence against women and girls”
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Press conference on ‘Annual statistics of women in politics’
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Violence against women ‘an attack on all of us’, declares Secretary-General as United Nations holds event to commemorate international day
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Violence against women ‘cannot be tolerated’ in any circumstance, by any political leader or Government, says Secretary-General, at New York observance
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Deputy Secretary-General launches database on violence against women, hailing it as first global ‘one-stop shop’ for information on measures by Member States
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Governments must focus on women as economic agents during global financial crisis if their disproportionate suffering is to be averted, women’s Commission hears
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Press conference on situation of women in occupied Palestinian territory
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Press conference by high-level African women officials on addressing economic, food, climate change crises
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Deputy Secretary-General, in remarks to women’s affairs ministers, spells out steps taken towards strengthening United Nations gender architecture
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
‘Power of the law’ must be used to stop violence against women once and for all,
says Deputy Secretary-General at headquarters event
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Headway made to defeat violence against women, but entrenched stereotypes, customs
risk achievement of more balanced gender relations, women’s Commission told
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Caregiving burden must be valued, shared, supported by Governments as crucial to sustaining society, building human capital, women's Commission told
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Deputy Secretary-General, in remarks to Commission on the Status of Women, spells out steps to promote sharing of responsibilities between genders
Monday, 2 March 2009
Commission on the Status of Women opens session of sharing responsibilites equally between women, men, including caring for HIV/AIDS sufferers with ‘caring societies in recession’, says UNAIDS Executive Director
Monday, 2 March 2009
Commission on the Status of Women to focus on sharing duties between men, women, including caregiving for HIV/AIDS victims, during 2 to 13 March session
Monday, 23 February 2009
More details will be made available on this website, as they become available.
