In Focus: UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66)

This year, the 66^th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment, will take place from 14 to 25 March, under the theme, “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”. 

Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSW66 will take place in a hybrid format. All side events and parallel events will be fully virtual.

Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources, which climate change threatens the most. However, despite increasing evidence, there is still hesitancy in making the vital connections between gender, social equity and climate change.

Climate change also drives increased vulnerability to gender-based violence. Across the world, women bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water and fuel, tasks that climate change makes more time-consuming and difficult. Scarcity of resources and the necessity of traveling further to obtain them may open women up to more violence including increased risk factors linked to human trafficking, child marriage or access to resources to protect them from gender-based violence.  

Follow the discussions at CSW66, learn more about gender inequality as it relates to climate change, and what it means to keep women and girls at the heart of climate action.

• Press release: UN Commission on the Status of Women reaffirms women's and girls’ leadership as key to address climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction for all
• Civil society activists and international leaders highlight the triple threat of climate crises, conflict, and gender inequality and call for women-centered commitments
• Building climate resilient societies requires sustainable care systems, say leaders of the Global Alliance for Care
• African women to play key roles in mitigating impacts of climate change
• Leaders call for collective action, elevating marginalized voices and women in decision making roles beyond COVID-19
• UN Women Executive Director re-ignites ambition for Generation Equality by sharing her bold vision for the future at CSW66
• Women need to be leaders in addressing climate change challenges, say leaders in Asia and the Pacific
• African countries agree on common position to integrate gender equality in climate action agenda
• Arab States agree on common position ahead of global meeting on gender equality and climate change
• The climate crisis is a human rights crisis and a women’s rights crisis, UN chief says
• Afghan women call for global attention and action to meet the needs of women and girls in Afghanistan
• Calling for an end to violence against women in politics
• Women’s leadership in climate response and recovery at the centre of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
• Media advisory: UN Commission on the Status of Women stresses the empowerment of women and girls in fighting climate change, 14-25 March 2022

• Speech: Agreement on action for a just, safe and sustainable planet
  Closing remarks by United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous to the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 25 March 2022
• Speech: To combat climate shocks, protect women’s rights and strengthen their resilience and leadership
  Remarks by United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, at the UN Women side event, ‘Climate Shocks Exacerbating Humanitarian Crisis, Insecurity and Gender Inequality – Voices from the Sahel and Afghanistan’, at the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, 21 March 2022
• Speech: Calling for a major shift in action, policies and investments
  Remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, at the UN Women side event, ‘Beyond COVID-19: Advancing Gender Responsive Policies on Climate, Care and Jobs for a Sustainable and Equal Future’, at the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
• Speech: Bringing transformative change with accountability and accelerated pace
  Opening remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, at the corporate side event, Generation Equality: The Journey Ahead – High-level Multistakeholder Intergenerational Dialogue, at the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
• Speech: Crises multiply threats, women are the solution multipliers
  Introductory statement by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, to the Commission on the Status of Women at its 66th session

• Whether you’re tuning in from the United Nations Headquarters, or from your offices and homes around the world; use #CSW66 to engage online and share how you are participating.
• Take a look at our social media package  with messages in English, Spanish and French. Here you will find guidance for coverage, CSW templates, assets, editorial stories and more content.
• Access the latest information on logistics, official sessions and side events through @UN_CSW on Twitter and UN CSW on Facebook.

Closing, 14th plenary meeting, 25 March

Interactive expert panel on priority theme, 12th plenary meeting, 22 March

General discussion (continued), 11th plenary meeting, 22 March

Interactive dialogue on the Review theme, 9th plenary meeting, 18 March

General discussion (continued), 7th plenary meeting, 17 March

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Generation Equality: The Journey Ahead

UN Secretary-General's Town Hall Meeting with Civil Society, 16 March

General discussion (continued), 6th plenary meeting, 16 March

General discussion (continued), 5th plenary meeting, 16 March

Virtual Global Alliance for Care High-level Dialogue, 16 March

Upholding Women's Rights in Afghanistan: An Urgent Moment for UNAMA Renewal, 15 March

Ending Violence Against Women in Politics- Special Event hosted by the President of the General Assembly, 15 March

Ministerial round tables, 3rd plenary meeting, 15 March.

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Ministerial round tables, 2nd plenary meeting, 14 March

Opening of the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of women, 14 March