CSW 2008

The 52nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was held 25 February – 13 March 2008.

In accordance with its multi-year programme of work for 2007–2009, the Commission considered the following themes at its 52nd session:

• Priority Theme: “Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women”
• Emerging Issue: “Gender Perspectives on Climate Change”
• Review Theme: “Women’s Equal Participation in Conflict Prevention, Management and Conflict Resolution and in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding” — review of the agreed conclusions on thise theme adopted by the Commission at its 48th session in 2004

For more information, please see the official documentation.

Read about the outcome »

International Women’s Day
The theme for International Women's Day 2008, observed at the United Nations this year on 6 March, was "Investing in Women and Girls." read more »

About the CSW
The CSW was established in 1946 by United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 11(II) with the objective of promoting the principle that men and women shall have equal rights. Originally a 15-member body, it now consists of 45 members elected by ECOSOC for a period of four years. The Commission recommends and reports to ECOSOC on the promotion of women's rights in the political, economic, civil, social and educational fields and also addresses problems affecting women that require immediate attention.

Since 1996, the main focus of work of the CSW has been to monitor the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. At its twenty-third special session in June 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted a Political Declaration and Further Actions and Initiatives to Implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (the Outcome Document). The commission's current and future work, as determined by its multi-year programme of work 2007–2009, now focuses on the implementation of both the Platform for Action and the outcome document.