The Commission on the Status of Women isn’t just a conference. It’s a catalyst!

From Dialogue to Action: Understanding CSW’s Agreed Conclusions

In our last article, we introduced the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Each year, CSW brings together Member States, UN entities, and civil society organizations—including representatives from NFBPWC and BPW International—to review progress, identify challenges, and shape global standards and policies.

But what happens after all the speeches, panels, and discussions? How does CSW translate global dialogue into actionable outcomes?

The answer lies in one of CSW’s most important outputs: the Agreed Conclusions. 

What Are Agreed Conclusions? Agreed Conclusions are the negotiated outcome document adopted at the end of each annual CSW session. This document captures commitments made by UN Member States to advance gender equality in a specific thematic area—whether it's access to education, economic empowerment, technology, or climate resilience.

They’re not just words on paper. These conclusions influence national policies, inform NGO advocacy, and provide a clear benchmark for evaluating global progress. The process of drafting them is complex, collaborative, and—at times—contentious. But when consensus is reached, the final product serves as a powerful signal of international political will and direction.

Why Do They Matter to Us? As members of NFBPWC and BPW International, we are part of a global network of women’s organizations with consultative status at the United Nations. That means we have a voice—often in the form of written statements, side events, and formal interventions—during the CSW process.

Understanding the Agreed Conclusions gives our advocacy sharper focus. It helps us:

• Align our local and national work with global gender equity goals.
• Hold governments accountable for the commitments they make on the world stage.
• Push for progress in areas where language has historically been weak or watered down.

For example, if the Agreed Conclusions call for expanded access to STEM education for girls, NFBPWC members can highlight successful programs already underway in their communities—or push for new ones that align with this goal.

How Are They Formed? The process begins long before delegates arrive in New York. In the months leading up to the March session, the UN Secretary-General releases a report on the year’s theme, laying the groundwork for negotiation. Civil society organizations, including BPW, provide written inputs and host pre-CSW consultations.

During the two-week CSW meeting, government delegates negotiate line by line, word by word. Every paragraph is scrutinized. Language around issues like sexual and reproductive health, economic autonomy, or the rights of marginalized groups can be flashpoints, with some Member States pushing to strengthen commitments and others pushing back.

Civil society is not in the negotiation room—but we are in the building. We lobby, educate, and raise our voices to ensure that feminist principles aren’t lost in political compromise.

What’s in the 2024 Agreed Conclusions? This year’s priority theme was "Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective."

Among the commitments adopted:

• Increasing investments in care infrastructure to reduce the unpaid care burden on women.
• Creating gender-responsive budgeting at the national level.
• Strengthening women’s participation in public institutions and decision-making processes.
• Prioritizing data collection to measure poverty and inequality through a gender lens.

These conclusions give us clear guidance: we must connect gender equality efforts to broader systems of economic justice and institutional reform.

How Can You Use the Agreed Conclusions?

Here are three ways members can turn these global commitments into local momentum:

1. Educate: Share summaries of the Agreed Conclusions in your clubs. Use them to spark conversation about what’s working—and what’s still needed—in your own communities.

2. Advocate: Meet with local or national lawmakers. Show them how CSW’s recommendations apply to their policies—and what women in your area are calling for.

3. Collaborate: Partner with other organizations. Joint projects aligned with CSW outcomes have added credibility and international backing.

From Global Commitments to Grassroots Change

The Commission on the Status of Women is not just a conference. It’s a catalyst.

By understanding and acting on the Agreed Conclusions, we transform global consensus into local change. As NFBPWC members, we don’t just observe the process—we’re part of it. Let’s use our voice, our presence, and our programs to ensure these promises don’t stay in New York but reach all the way to the lives of women and girls in every corner of the world.

Core CSW Resources

• UN Women – Commission on the Status of Women (Main Page)

Overview of CSW, themes, outcomes, and session archives. https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw

• CSW68 (2024) – Official Session Page

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw68-2024

• Agreed Conclusions Archive (All Years) Browse outcome documents from past sessions.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/outcomes

Civil Society & NGO Participation

• NGO Committee on the Status of Women (New York) Key civil society group organizing NGO engagement around CSW.

https://ngocsw.org

• CSW NGO CSW Forum (Parallel Events) Find or propose side events, access recordings, and participate in the NGO CSW Forum.

https://ngocsw.org/ngo-csw-forum

Helpful UN Documents

• CSW Methods of Work (explains how CSW functions)

https://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/methods-of-work

• UN Women – Reports & Briefs Related to CSW

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications

To participate with the CSW Committee and learn more – contact csw@nfbpwc.org or President Barbara Bozeman via president@nfbpwc.org