2 March 2020
António Guterres
United Nations Secretary General
405 East 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10017, USA
Mher Margaryan
Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia
119 E 36th St, New York, New York 10016
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
UN Women Executive Director
220 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States
Aina Iiyambo
Executive Secretary CSW and Policy Advisor, Intergovernmental Support Division
220 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States
Subject: Civil society letter supporting postponement of CSW64
Dear Excellencies,
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the most important annual process to review progress and challenges towards achieving women’s human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The government commitments to reaffirm the Beijing Platform for Action are a centerpiece. However, the CSW is powerful in many other ways. It brings together governments, UN agencies and the beautiful diversity of civil society to discuss, debate and collaborate on ways to accelerate progress and commit to actions that will achieve these joint goals.
We recognize the seriousness of the health concerns due to COVID-19, including the WHO’s classification of the outbreak as a level 4 international health emergency and the letters from the Secretary General and the Chair of the CSW urging that the session not continue as planned for the two weeks beginning on March 9th. As feminists, as civil society, we first and foremost want to safeguard people’s health and well-being, and we do not wish to subject anyone to the additional risks of interrupted travel, quarantine, or inability to leave the country in a timely manner if more governments put in place travel restrictions.
However, CSW is a place/mechanism accountable to all women and girls in all their diversity around the world, and it cannot be held without safe, meaningful and informed participation of women’s movements. Particularly in view of the Beijing+25 review processes, in which women’s movements and civil society have been actively participating in all regions of the world, CSW64 cannot go ahead without our participation. We have committed energy and resources, and in some cases, risked lives, to come together at the CSW.
We urge governments to:
- Postpone CSW64 to later in 2020. Make that decision as soon as possible to allow the highest participation and least disruption. Holding it alongside relevant events could maximize attendance, for example, the President of the General Assembly is holding a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Beijing+25 in July, and celebrations around Resolutions 1325 on WPS will take place after the General Assembly.
- Establish different modes of engagement leading up to the rescheduled dates of CSW64. These can include online sessions or written submission channels for civil society to inform/influence the CSW session, particularly in consideration of the fact that rescheduling of CSW64 itself will undoubtedly affect the level of participation of diverse women’s movements and civil society organizations, not least due to cost implications. And, many of us block March for CSW but in other months we have other important work to do.
Further, we urge the UN to issue letters of support for affected participants to use in order to request reimbursement of expenses incurred due to the changing circumstances and the disruption to the CSW. Any decision will have immense consequences for the already limited resources of the women’s movement, and this cannot be ignored.
The 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action deserves the attention and concerted action of a CSW with the broadest possible attendance of governments and civil society. We urge you to postpone to a later date to ensure that no one is left behind.
This letter is signed by the organizations below and is actively open for sign-on by additional organizations. As of 9:35am New York time on March 2nd, 2020, we have 470 organizations.
Sincerely,
*List as of 9:35am NY time, 2 March – 470 organizations*
ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality
ACAL-AZUL
ACT Alliance
Action for Change Tanzanite
Action works nepal (awon)
ActionAid
Africa For Africa Women
African Women’s Network for Community management of Forests (REFACOF)
AIDOS
Akina Mama wa Afrika
ALL INDIA WOMEN’S CONFERERENCE
ALLIANCE CONTRE LA PAUVRETE AU MALI
AMASBIF
ANANDI
Arms of Comfort Foundation
Arthemisas por la Equidad, A. C.
Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) and Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB)
Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center
Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW)men (ARROW)
Asmaa Society for Development
Associacao de Mulheres Contra a Violência
Associació Hèlia
ASSOCIATION DE LUTTE CONTRE LES VIOLENCES FAITES AUX FEMMES EXTRÊME NORD CAMEROUN (ALVF EN)
Association Dushirehamwe
Association of Media Women in Kenya(AMWIK)
Awaj Foundation
Azad Foundation
Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud
Banteay Srei organisation
BAPSA(Association for Prevention of Septic Abortion)
Barra de Abogafas María Sandoval de Zarco AC
Beijing +25 Youth Task Force
Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal
Blind Women Association, Nepal (BWAN)
Blue Diamond Society
BPW, Nepal
Bretton Woods Project
Business Focus
Casa Amiga Esther Chávez Cano A.C
Casa Rara
Cátedra UNESCO de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Nación Autónoma de México
CAUCUS DES FEMMES CONGOLAISES DU SUDKIVU POUR LA PAIX
Cawtar
CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago
Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE)
Center for gender studies, University of Padova
Center for Legal Civic Initiatives
Center for Women’s Studies, Zagreb, Dolac 8
Center for Women’s Global Leadership
Centre for Women War Victims – ROSA
Centro Cultural Esperanza Rodriguez
Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Electorales de Sinaloa, A.C.
CENTRO MUJERES A.C.
Centro Mujeres Graciela Hierro A.C.
CEPROSAF
Cidhal AC
Ciesas
CIMAC
CLADEM
Cmpic Cdmx
CMPIC sector Guanajuato
CNDC
Coalition on Violence Against Women
COC Netherlands
COCAFEM/ Great Lakes
COFEM Maloi
Colectiva Artemisa
Colectivo “Género y Teología para el Desarrollo”
Colectivo Lambda
Colegio de Mujeres Profesionales de la Industria de la Construcción (CMPIC)
Collectif Sénégalais des Africaines pour la Promotion de l’Education Relative à l’Environnement – COSAPERE
COMITE NATIONAL FEMME ET DEVELOPPEMENT (CONAFED)
Comunicación, Intercambio y Desarrollo Humano en América Latina, Asociación Civil (CIDHAL A C)
CONSELL NACIONAL DONES D’ESPANYA
Coordinación Feminista Olimpia de Gouges AC
Corporación La Morada
Corporación Miles
CREA
Creación Positiva
CreSer
CUTS Lusaka
D.i.Re – Donne in Rete contro la violenza (Rome-Italy)
Daughters Of Kenya
DCU
Department of Family Affairs
Derechos Autonomías y Sexualidades (DAS)
Desarrollo Social con Igualdad y diversidad, Desidi, A. C.
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN)
DIVA for Equality, Fiji
Domine -Organization for Promotion of Women’s Rights
DUKINGIRE ISI YACU
Education as a Vaccine
Egyptian Business Women Association
ENG-KAD Association of women with Disabilities
Equality
Equality Now
Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia
EQUIDE AC
Espaço Feminista
Federación Mexicana de Universitarias
Federation of Entrepreneurs
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia
Federation of sexual and Gender minorities Nepal
Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO)
Feminist League, Kazakhstan
Feminist Legal Studies Queen’s, Faculty of Law, Queen’s University, and Global Alliance for Tax Justice Gender and Taxation Working Group
Feminist Task Force
FEMNET African Women’s Development and Communication Network
Fiji Women’s Rights Movement
Filipino Migrants Workers’ Union
First Future Leadership
FLYING BROOM FOUNDATION-UÇAN SÜPÜRGE VAKFI
FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development
Fondo Semillas
Foráneas seguras
Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)
Forum Mulher
Forum of women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
FRI – The Norwegian Organisation for Sexual and Gender Diversity
Fundació Aroa
Fundació Surt – Surt Foundation
Fundacion Arcoiris
Fundacion para estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer
FUNDACION. Plurales
FUSA AC
Gabasawa Women and Children Empowerment Initiative
GAM
GAMAG, Global Alliance on Media and Gender
Gender Action Tanzania – GATA
Gender and development for cambodia
Gender Equality Advocacy and Action Network
Girls Power Initiative (GPI) Calabar
Girls Right to learn Liberia ( GRL-LIB)
Global Alliance for Tax Justice
Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)
Global Union delegations (including EI, ITF, ITUC, PSI, UNI Global Union) and national union delegations (including CLC, Canada and CGIL, Italy)
Gobernanza MX
GROOTS Kenya
Gruo Las Lobas Mx
Grupo Amplio de Mujeres, GAM
Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristóbal Las Casas AC
Haki Mashinani
Her-Ability Foundation
HomeNet Pakistan
Iamcr
iCON Enterprise Foundation (iCON)
ILSB
Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras)
Institute for Social Transformation
Int’l Centre For Women Empowerment & Child Dev
International Domestic Workers Federation
International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW)
International Federation of Women Lawyers( Fida Nigeria)
International Planned Parenthood Federation
International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
International Women’s Health Coalition
International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
International Women’s rights action watch
Internationallawyers.org
ISMPH
JUST ASSOCIATES (JASS)
Ka.der (Association for Supporting Women Candidates)
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Association
Kazakhstan Feminist Initiative “Feminita”
KeM Consulting
Kenya Female Advisory Organization
KENYA SEX WORKERS ALLIANCE
Keremetic AC
Kırmızı Biber Derneği
Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center
Korea Women’s Associations United (KWAU)
Korea Women’s Political Solidarity
Kunowa Creations
L’ Associacio de Drets Sexuals i Reproductius
La Palabre
Liberia National Students’ Union(LINSU).
Liberian Observer Corporation
Lindora Howard Diawara
LOOM
Luna Creciente Ecuador
MagistradaYa
Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre
Manas
Marche Mondiale des Femmes / CN du Mali
Marie Stopes International
Masimanyane Womens Rights International
Mauritius Council of Social Service
Medica Liberia
MenEngage Uganda Network
MENTORING AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG WOMEN, (MEMPROW)
MIRA Pensadoras urbanas
Mita y Pensadora Urbanas
Movfemme
Msichana Empowerment Kuria
Msichana Initiative Organisation
MUJER IDEAS DESARROLLO E INVESTIGACIÓN S.C.
Mujeres Construyendo Igualdad Hypatia AC
Mujeres en Acción Trabajando por la Igualdad Sustantiva AC
Mujeres en Incidencia AC
Mujeres Libres COLEM A.C
MUSAS Peru
Musonet
Mwana Pwo
Naripokkho
National Alliance of Women / SAWW
National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders (NAWHRD)
National Association for Womens Action in Development
National Council of Child Rights Advocates, Nigeria: South West Zone
National Federation of the disabled-Nepal
National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF)
National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women
National Women’s Council of Catalonia – Consell Nacional de Dones de Catalunya
Nepal Disabled women Association
Nepal disabled women association (NDWA)
Nepal Mahila Bishwasi Sangh (YWCA of Nepal)
Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT)
NGO “Center “Women’s perspectives”
NGO CSW LAC
Nijera Kori
Njuri ncheke
Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC)
Nordic Information on Gender
Not 4 Trade
Oge Pep Empowerment Initiative
Orchid Project
Organization for Women and Children(ORWOCH)
OutRight Action International
Ovie Brume Foundation
PA women’s organization Alga
PaRiter
Plataforma Unitària contra les violències de gènere
Plateforme des Femmes du G5 Sahel
PLATEFORME DES FEMMES LEADERS DU MALI
Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights
Productive Organization for Women in Action (POWA)
Programa Compañeros AC
Project Alert For Women And Children
Public foundation DIA
Putting Women First Trust ( Member FEMNET)
PWESCR
Red de Mujeres del 05 Distrito Jalisco
Red de Mujeres Periodistas de Tamaulipas, A.C.
Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y del Caribe
Red Europea de Mujeres Periodistas
Red Internacional de Periodistas con Visión de Género
Red Mesa de Mujeres de Cd Juárez A.C
Red nacional
Red Nacional de Mujere – Colombia
Red Nacional de Periodistas de México (RNP)
Red Nacional de Promotoras y Asesoras Rurales
Red Nacional de Refugios, AC
Red REPARE Chiapas
Reseau Interafricain àpour les Femmes, Médias, Genre et Développementnt
RÉSEAU MUSONET
Reseau Musonet Mali
RFSL – The Swedish Federation for LGBTQI Rights
RIFEMA
Right Here Right Now Indonesia
Right Here Right Now Nepal
Right Here, Right Now Honduras
Rise Up Against Gender Based Violence
Rothschild Rights
Rozaria Memoria Trust
SAHAYOG
Sahiyo
Sauti ya wanawake Ukerewe
SDGs Kenya Forum
Silvia Avelina Nava Nava
Sister Aid Liberia Inc.
Society for Rural education and development
Society for Women’s Action and Training Initiative
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
South East Asia Women’s Watch (SEAWWatch)
Southern Africa Human Rights NGO Network (SAHRiNGON) Tanzania Chapter
Spark Ideas Group
Spatium Libertas AC
SPECTRA
Sukaar Welfare Organization
Swaziland Women’s Land Rights Network
Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research
Swedish Women’s Lobby
Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles (SFVS)
Tabitha Cumi Foundation
Tanzania Gender Networking Programme
Tarangini foundation
Tax Justice Network
The Diasporan Touch
The Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women(EASSI)
The Foundation for Women’s Solidarity
The Launchpad Tanzania
The Queer Muslim Project
The Tunisian association of Governance and equal opportunities between women and men in decision-making positions: l’AT
The Woman’s Newsroom Foundation
Tomorrow’s Child Initiative
UASLP
Union-National council for gender equality
Univerdidad Autonoma de Guetrero
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
University of Sindh
Usawa Agenda
Vecinas Feministas por la Justicia Sexual y Reproductiva LAC
Visible Impact
Visión Alternativa A. C. Mexicali, Todos Ciudadnas, A.C.
Visual Sensation
Voice for Change
Wave – Women against violence Europe
We Will Speak Out South Africa
WECTAC
WIPGG
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center
Women and Law in Southern Africa
Women and Media Collective
Women Empowerment Forum Liberia
Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways
WOMEN FOUNDATION OF NIGERIA
Women in Global Health
Women in law in southern Africa
Women Law and Development
Women Making Peace
Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia
Women of Liberia Peace Network
Women with Disabilities Development Foundation (WDDF)
Women’s Association Split
Women’s Coalition – Turkey
Women’s Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
Women’s Human Rights Education Institute
Women’s Information Center
Women’s Major Group
Women’s March Global
Women’s Network Croatia
Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC)
Women’s Rights Action Movement ( WRAM)
Women’s Support Center
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy
WREPA
Xidpic.cat
Young and alive initiative
Young Women Leadership and Knowledge Institute (YOWLI) and 2009 MILEAD Fellow of Moremi Initiative
Young Women’s Leadership Institute
Youth Action Nepal
Youth Development Venter
YUWA
Yuwalaya
Zamara Foundation
Zihuame Mochilla A. C
Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network
West Africa Civil Society Institute
women’s network for dialogue and inclusive peace
FAMEDEV–Inter African Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development/Reseau Interafrican pour les Femmes, Medias, Genre et Développement
SVRI
Equal Pay Coalition
Women Center “Light Steps”
The Feminist Assosiation of Finland – Naisasialiitto Unioni
ISM- Institute for Self Management
B.a.B.e. Be active. Be emancipated.
Treasure global help initiative
Womankind Worldwide
Alliance Against Trafficking in Women and Children in Nepal (AATWIN)
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
Association tunisienne de gouvernance et d’égalité des chances
IT for Change
WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform
Vision Spring Initiatives
Associaçao Moçambicana das Mulheres de Carreira Juridica
NANE Organization
Gosulcares foundation
Rising Flame
Women’s Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Shirakat – Partnership for Development
