Beijing+30 Asia Pacific CSO Virtual Consultations Invitation
APWW as part of the Beijing +30 Civil Society Steering Committee for Asia and the Pacific invites you to join a series of virtual consultations dedicated towards addressing and advancing critical issues related to gender equality and human rights in our Asia-Pacific region.
These virtual consultations will serve as a regional platform for national and regional civil society organisations, networks, coalitions, movements and independent activists to engage in meaningful dialogue, reflect on past achievements, identify current and emerging challenges, and collectively chart a path forward for gender equality and human rights in our region. It will also serve as a roadmap towards advocating for our demands with Member States, UN Institutions, corporations and all other stakeholders. Know more about the consultations:
APWW along with other members of the RCEM and women from the CSO CSW 68th Forum (held 4-5 February, 2024 in Bangkok) attended the ESCAP High Level Government Regional Consultation on the Priority Theme of the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The Meeting held in Bangkok was attended by Government Representatives from the Asia Pacific Region, however, it was disappointing to see so few Government representatives in the room (some were attending virtually for part of the meeting) others presented in the meeting others contributed to the Consultation outside of the meeting.
UN Secretariat members, funds, programs and specialised agencies attended, along with Intergovernmental Organisations, Asia Development Bank, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). Approximately 67 civil society organisations were in attendance.
There were 3 thematic sessions :
Developing economic and social policies to address gendered poverty
Fiscal space and mobilizing financing for strategies to end women’s poverty
New development strategies : toward caring, green economies
Followed by a Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) + 30 Review. This session was a presentation of work to date and overview of the process.
Civil Society Representatives were able to present to the meeting for both the opening session and the following 3 thematic sessions.
CSO AP Forum on CSW 68th Session Bangkok 4-5 Feb 2024
In facilitation this forum, UN Women’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) worked collaboratively with the Regional Consultative Engagement Mechanism (RCEM) to host a Civil Society Led Forum from 4th – 5th February, 2024 prior to the ESCAP Asia-Pacific Regional Governmental Consultation on CSW 68th Session held at ESCAP 6 – 7 February 2024.
This event was led by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) along with other RCEM Steering Committee members from : Asia Pacific Alliance for SRHR (APA), Asia Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Asia Pacific Women Watch (APWW) and Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM). Over 60 regional and national civil society organisations attended the event both in person and on line.
The regional consultation provided a platform through which ESCAP Member States and stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific assessed and articulated key trends, needs, gaps in legal, policy, and programmatic responses, and good practices in line with the CSW 68 priority theme.
Poverty is a gendered phenomenon, and it intersects with race, ethnicity, age, disability identity, religion, and geographical location, giving rise to distinct forms of discrimination and inequality. It is deeply imbricated and its pervasive impact extends across every facet of women and girls’ lives, influencing the dynamics from individual to family to community, both in public and private spheres. This contributes to and exacerbates existing inequalities. To address these, public institutions must adopt more progressive socio-economic policies and alternative development models to eradicate poverty. The CSW68 priority theme offers a unique opportunity to reassess gendered poverty, and to formulate recommendations that would pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable alternative economic model centred on gender justice, human rights and well-being.
It is essential for civil society to meaningfully engage and contribute to these processes by highlighting issues, challenges, and recommendations related to the CSW68 priority theme.
The CSO Forum on CSW 68 collectively examined and identified actionable regional priorities and put forth recommendations for the ESCAP Asia-Pacific Regional Governmental Consultation on CSW 68th Session held at ESCAP 6 – 7 February 2024.
The statements from the CSO Session were also shared at New York Asia Pacific Caucus meeting and were used to assist members to inform the CSW68 session and the agreed conclusions on the priority theme.
APWW report back and Statements presented from this Forum to the ESCAP Asia Pacific Regional Consultation on CSW 68th Session can be found here:
