Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the United Nations’ principal global policy-making body on gender equality and the advancement of women.
As such, it is very important that national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are able to contribute their independent knowledge and expertise on the human rights issues facing women and girls in their country.
Unlike the Human Rights Council, NHRIs do not have standing in their own right to participate in meetings of the CSW and can only attend as part of their country’s government delegation, if they are invited.
A major campaign initiated by the APF in 2008, and backed by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions, aims to ensure that ‘A’ status NHRIs are able to participate independently in the work of the CSW.
Lobbying efforts by APF members and NHRIs from other regions are helping to raise awareness of the important role played by NHRIs among the government delegations that make up the CSW.
A number of concrete achievements have been made since the campaign began.
Supported by the APF secretariat, seven NHRIs attended CSW 55 in March 2011, including the NHRIs of Australia, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the Philippines.
Read about the APF's advocacy at:
