Preparations

Regional preparatory meeting in the Asia-Pacific region for CSW61

On 23–24 February, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with other UN agencies, held the Asia-Pacific policy dialogue on “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work” in Bangkok, Thailand. The policy dialogue concluded by recommending decisive measures to remove the barriers to women’s economic empowerment. The meeting made action-oriented recommendations to turn the tide on gender inequality and ensure equal access to decent work for all. The recommendations will inform the upcoming Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61).

Asia-Pacific calls for decisive measures to promote women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work

Regional preparatory meeting in the Arab region for CSW61

On 7 February, ministers and representatives of the Member States participated in a regionalpreparatory for CSW 61, in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, to coordinate the Arab position and determine the priorities of the region concerning the issues to be discussed at the Commission.The event took place on the sidelines of the meetings of the 36th session of the Arab Women Committee headed by the Kingdom of Bahrain, and was convened in cooperation with the Arab League and UN-Women. It resulted in the Manama Declaration for CSW61 (available in English and Arabic).

Arab States build consensus on accelerating women´s economic empowerment ahead of CSW

Regional consultation for Latin America and the Caribbean prior to CSW61

From 6 to 8 February, the Government of Panama, through the National Institute of Women (INAMU), the National Institute of Women (INMUJERES) of Uruguay (in the exercise of the Presidency of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean) and the UN-Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, co-sponsored the regional consultation for Latin America and the Caribbean prior to CSW61, in Panama City. Ministers and high authorities of the national mechanisms for the advancement of women of Latin America and the Caribbean agreed on a consolidated position for women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work, called Declaration of Panama (available in English and Spanish).

Africa Regional CSW61 Preparatory and Consultative Meeting

On 26 and 27 January 2017, UN-Women, in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) convened the Africa Ministerial Pre-Consultative Meeting on CSW 61 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the theme “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”. Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs, Senior Government Officials and Ambassadors to the African Union agreed on Key Messages and Strategies (available in English and French) to inform Africa’s positioning and advocacy for the 61st session of the Commission.

Multi-Stakeholder Forum

On 30 January 2017, UN Women convened a forum to engage a range of stakeholders in the preparations for CSW61 at UN Headquarters in New York.

Programme
Concept note and discussion guide
Report
Opening statement Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri
Opening statement by H.E. Mr. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Chair, Commission on the Status of Women
Panel 1: Strengthening normative and legal frameworks for full employment and decent work for all women
- Topic introduction by Ms. Seemin Qayum, Policy Advisor on Sustainable Development, UN-Women (click here to read the statement)
- MODERATOR:
- Ms. Šejla Đurbuzović, Vice-Chair, Commission on the Status of Women
- PANELISTS:
- H.E. Ms. Gillian Elizabeth Bird, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nation (click here to read the statement)
- H.E. Mr. Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations (statement not available)
- Mr. Olivier Marc Zehnder, Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations (click here to read the statement)
- Ms. Sameera Hafiz, Advocacy Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance (click here to read the statement)
Panel 2: Strengthening women’s leadership and participation in the changing world of work
- Topic introduction by Mr. Vinicius Pinheiro, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director of International Labour Organization (click here to read the statement)
- MODERATOR:
- H.E. Ms. Maria Emma Mejía Vélez, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations (click here to read the statement)
- PANELISTS:
- H.E. Mr. Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations (statement not available)
- H.E. Mrs. Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of United Arab Emirates to the United Nations (statement not available)
- H.E. Mr. Jerry Matthews Matjila, Permanent Representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations (statement not available)
- H.E. Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Nations (click here to read highlights of the statement)
- Ms. Aruna Rao, Co-Founder/Executive Director, Gender at Work (click here to read the statement)
Panel 3: Implementing economic and social policies for women’s economic empowerment
- Topic introduction by Ms. Seemin Qayum, Policy Advisor on Sustainable Development, UN-Women (click here to read the statement)
- MODERATOR:
- Ms. Christine Brautigam, Director, Intergovernmental Support Division, UN-Women
- PANELISTS:
- H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations (click here to read the statement)
- H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations (statement not available)
- H.E. Mr. Courtenay Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations (click here to read the statement)
- H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Minami, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations (statement not available)
- Ms. Katia Araujo, Director of Programs, Huairou Commission (click here to read the statement)
Panel 4: Expanding opportunities for women in the changing world of work (i.e. the growing informality of work, technological change and mobility)
- Topic introduction by Ms. Christine Brautigam, Director, Intergovernmental Support Division, UN-Women (click here to read the statement)
- MODERATOR:
- Mr. Andreas Glossner, Vice-Chair, Commission on the Status of Women
- PANELISTS:
- H.E. Mr. Carlos Olguín Cigarroa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations (click here to read the background paper for the statement)
- Mr. Bruno Ríos Sánchez, Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations (statement not available)
- Ms. Monami Maulik, Member of the Steering Committee, Women in Migration Network (click here to read the statement)
- Ms. Eleanor Blomstrom, Co-Director/Head of Office, Women's Environment and Development Organization (click here to read the statement)

Wrap-up/Closing statement by Ms. Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director, UN-Women

Expert Group Meeting

In preparation for the sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women convened an Expert Group Meeting on the priority theme: “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work.” The Expert Group Meeting was held with the technical contribution and support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) at ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from 26 to 28 September 2016.