IDRC at CSW69: Driving Progress on Gender Equality and Women's Rights

The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will convene in New York from March 10-21, 2025, focusing on reviewing progress toward gender equality. IDRC plays a key role in advancing global commitments, supporting partners in the Global South to accelerate the realization of women's rights.
Four women walk in a field in Sudan.
Simon Townsley/Panos Pictures

UN Commission to Review Progress on Gender Equality at Sixty-Ninth Session 

This year’s gathering will focus on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), alongside the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, which reaffirmed global commitments to women's rights and empowerment and the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Amid a rapidly changing and unpredictable landscape and with global leaders, policymakers and advocates in attendance, CSW69 aims to strengthen commitments and accelerate progress toward a more just and equal world.

IDRC is supporting Global South partners to inform this agenda and accelerate progress. Here are some of our contributions: 

See the full schedule and register for the below side events via the CSW69 Side Event Schedule. 

Accelerating Progress on the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) on Women and the Environment through a care-centered just transition 

March 17, 2025, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. EDT, Room CR-12 

Government of Canada, Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger - Government of Brazil, Government of the Philippines, IDRC, UNRISD, Oxfam Canada, Fundación AVINA, Global Alliance for Care

This session will discuss the challenges to implement the BPfA, particularly at the intersection of care and climate issues. It will highlight how investing in care systems supports key BPfA goals — such as gender equality, women's economic empowerment and women's health — while also being essential for climate resilience and sustainability. 

The session will unpack the care and climate nexus, building on recent action research being undertaken by the Climate and Care Initiative with the support of IDRC on a care-centered transition. The session will elevate voices of ecofeminist and grassroots organizations and movements from the Global South that are developing practices at the intersection of care and climate and facilitate a discussion with policymakers and climate experts to develop recommendations and inform deliberations on the COP30 Brazil and ensure that it accelerates progress on the BfPA.  

Read the full concept note 
Register here

Addressing Structural Barriers for Progress on the BPfA: Financing care to fulfill the SDGs — Feminist proposals from Latin America 

March 19, 2025, 4:45 – 6:00 p.m. EDT, Room CR-12.  

Government of Canada, Government of Colombia, Government of South Africa, IDRC Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, Red de Género y Comercio, the Global Alliance for Care, the Gender and Trade Network, UNRISD and Oxfam 

This event will highlight the critical role of financing care in advancing the BPfA goals. It will share key recommendations from discussions on care financing, including insights from IDRC partners and feminist movements, in preparation for the Financing for Development Conference in Spain in June 2025. 

Ahead of the official side event, a closed workshop during CSW will contribute to shaping a shared feminist proposal for financing care systems. This proposal aims to foster social, economic, and environmental development and move toward a care society. The workshop will also focus on aligning these proposals with key political processes, including the IV World Conference on Financing for Development 2025 and the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (August 2025). 

Register here

Care and Climate Nexus CSW69 Workshop 

March 20, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT

The Climate and Care initiative supported by IDRC, will come together alongside experts and feminist organizations to advance research and lessons, explore synergies between initiatives addressing the care and climate nexus for more effective advocacy and climate action, in particular vis a vis COP30 in Brazil. 

Beijing +30, African Women Leading Change: Advancing Gender Equality, Peace and Climate Justice, the Time is Now! 

March 11, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT, virtual  

Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE Africa), Pan-African Women’s Political Leaders Movement (PAWLEM), Deaf Women Included, Empowered Women, Oxfam Zimbabwe, Whispers, NGO CSW New York, and IDRC

Powering Change: Women, Youth and the Clean Energy Revolution 

March 13, 2025, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. EDT, 10th Floor of CCUN.  

Institute for Development Studies

Although there is tremendous potential for employment creation and business opportunities in clean energy, there is a growing concern that women, who are already underrepresented in the energy sector, will become even more marginalized if gender equity strategies are not proactively integrated into policy and business planning and action. During this NGO CSW69 Forum event, partners from IDRC’s Clean Energy for Development (CEDCA) initiative, will highlight women and youth as key drivers of the clean energy transition in emerging economies, discussing pathways to create sustainable economic systems. 

Projects represented: 

  1. African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)   
     Evidence for informing optimisation and scaling of youth- and women-led clean energy enterprises and business models in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and South Africa
  2. Desjardins International Development (DID)  
     Mobilisation of renewable energies for women and young entrepreneurs’ sustainable economic empowerment in Senegal
  3. Economic Research Forum (ERF)   
     The role of MSMEs in fostering inclusive and equitable economic growth in the context of the clean energy transition in MENA

Breaking Barriers and Shattering Glass Ceilings: Overcoming obstacles to women’s leadership in Africa through the intensive implementation of the Platform for Action 

March 17, 2025, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. EDT, Salvation Army Lower Level, New York  

Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE Africa). 

Scaling Up Innovation for Reducing and Redistributing Women and Girls’ Unpaid Care Work in Rural Tanzania 

March 18, 2025, 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. EDT, Conference Room F, Conference Building. 

An official side event that will feature Scaling Care Innovations in Africa grantees ESRF and WSP. 

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