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The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) brought together over 13,000 participants, including representatives from 186 Member States—one Vice President, three Deputy Prime Ministers, and 97 Ministers—as well as a record-breaking 5,845 NGO representatives. With 283 side events, engagement was high, and the call for safeguarding gains and accelerating equality was clear.
As we reflect on this milestone event, here are five key insights from CSW69:
1. Data Highlights the Urgent Need for Women’s Representation and Leadership
For GWL Voices, CSW69 began with the launch of Women in Multilateralism 2025, the organization’s flagship report, which reveals the persistent gender gap in international leadership. Among its groundbreaking findings, GWL Voices President, Susana Malcorra, and Executive Director, María Fernanda Espinosa, presented never-before-seen data on the gender of Permanent Representatives appointed to the UN since its founding. The report revealed that only 7% of the more than 2,800 permanent representatives who have served as ambassadors to the United Nations since 1947 have been women. Additionally, 73 countries have never sent a female permanent representative to the UN, and 64 have done so only once.
Access GWL Voices Data here.
Access the GWL Voices report “Women in Multilateralism 2025” in six languages.
2. Smart Partnerships to Increase Women’s Participation in Politics
Increasing women’s participation and representation—both locally and internationally—is key to achieving equality and inclusion. Despite progress, gender parity remains far from reality, according to WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024. Women’s participation in local politics plays a critical role in increasing representation in multilateralism.
"Many times, we are asked, 'What does local politics have to do with what happens in multilateral spaces?' It has everything to do with it because it’s a matter of power, representation, and legitimacy. It relates to how the foreign services of our countries are structured. In the local sphere, the issue is not so simple. Representation has seen only small, modest, and slow increases, but this underrepresentation persists in local governments. Women hold around 35% of deliberative bodies and remain a minority," said GWL Voices Executive Director, María Fernanda Espinosa.
Recognizing this, GWL Voices co-hosted the event Women in Politics: Obstacles and Challenges to Gender Parity in Subnational Governments in Latin America, 30 Years After Beijing, in collaboration with UN Women LAC, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Colmena Fund, and the Permanent Missions of Colombia and Chile to the UN.
At the event, GWL Voices member and former Vice President of Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell, stated: “Us women have changed politics; and today, more than ever, we must work locally, internationally, and independently.”
Meanwhile, UCLG Secretary-General Emilia Saiz reflected: “Today’s perspective on women’s participation is almost like a mirage of equality. The women who are reaching the highest positions aren’t necessarily prioritizing equality—because that comes at a cost.”
On the same note, UN Women Representative in Ecuador, Ana Elena Badilla, highlighted the challenges posed by digital spaces: “Social media also affects women’s participation and endangers our participation and candidacies.”
Looking for ways to change this scenario, Former President of Chile and GWL Voices member, Michelle Bachelet, shared insights, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and financial support mechanisms for women in politics. The panel concluded by highlighting the value of smart partnerships and shared knowledge from women’s perspectives—two fundamental pillars of GWL Voices' Women in Politics initiative. These aspects were also highlighted during the event “30 Years of Women's Political Participation. Towards Full Parity” co-hosted by GWL Voices, Club de Madrid, Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the UN, and the Permanent Mission of Spain to the UN.
Find more information on GWL Voices’ Women in Politics here
Watch the Highlights from this panel here
Watch the full event here
3. Celebrate history while continue accelerating equality
A key milestone at CSW69 was the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing—an opportunity to celebrate progress while continuing to seek concrete and effective ways to advance equality. GWL Voices co-hosted an event analyzing this journey in collaboration with the Institute of Global Politics Women's Initiative at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Vital Voices, Wellesley College, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.
At the event, GWL Voices member and Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Melanne Verveer, reflected on the transformative power of the Beijing Conference: “In 1995, violence against women was not considered a violation of human rights, nor was human trafficking. This movement was transformed, and these issues were transformed.”
Former U.S. Secretary of State and author of the famous Beijing premise “human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights”, Hillary Clinton, shared: “Thirty years ago, when we met in Beijing and adopted the Platform for Action by consensus, it was a breathtaking moment full of potential. You cannot imagine how few rights women had in most places around the world. However, it has been disheartening and disappointing to witness the pushback since gaining political power.”
GWL Voices President and Co-Founder, Susana Malcorra, made a powerful statement: “We need a Madam Secretary-General, that’s what we need. And let me tell you, it’s not because it is the time for women, or because it is the right thing to do. It is because we need something different.” She emphasized the need for leadership that fosters change and noted: “Let’s give the opportunity to that half of the population that never had the opportunity, and let’s be truthful to the Charter of the United Nations that says ‘we the peoples’. It doesn’t say ‘we the men’.”
GWL Voices Executive Director, María Fernanda Espinosa, highlighted the enduring significance of the Beijing Political Declaration and Platform for Action, noting that they continue to serve as roadmaps for gender equality: “International agreements are useful, especially after you come back. Especially when you translate both the Declaration and the Platform for Action into real work, real policies, real political commitment.
Watch “Beijing+30: Addressing 21st Century Challenges to Gender Equality” full event here.
4. Setting the tone and translate it into concrete actions
Another major milestone at CSW69 was the adoption of a Political Declaration by the 186 Member States present. Similar to the Beijing Political Declaration, this document marked a step in the right direction, aligning with GWL Voices’ statement for CSW69. Notably, GWL Voices celebrates paragraph 20, which explicitly calls for women to be nominated for leadership positions. A key point that was particularly emphasized during the event “Madame Secretary-General: A Groundbreaking Appointment to transform the UN”, led by CIVICUS, Plataforma CIPÓ, Southern Voice, UNA-UK, and Woman SG, in which GWL Voices Board Secretary, Cristina Gallach, stress the importance of learn from 2016 elections and cannot rely on rhetoric from a previous era.
“We cannot keep using metaphors like the ‘glass ceiling,’ for example, along with slogans that are rooted in the previous century. If we do, some people are going to think we are just a broken record. That we’re struck in the past. Even though gender exclusion is an old problem, the geopolitical context and the nature of the debates around gender are radically different today. So, this time, we need a fresh message and fresh arguments that reflect the moment we’re living in,” said Ms. Gallach.
Review GWL Voices reflections on CSW69 Political Declaration here.
5. New generations have our back
Young women leaders played a crucial role at CSW69, fostering intergenerational dialogues and inspiring a sense of optimism for a challenging future. Their presence demonstrated that the next generation is ready to take the baton and continue working towards gender equality. In this regard, GWL Voices as part of its initiative Her Turn facilitated two important exchanges: one with WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) and another with students from The New School. These discussions featured insights from Susana Malcorra, María Fernanda Espinosa, Carol Bellamy, Jesse Rose Mabutas, and Margot Wallström, highlighting the importance of mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and collective action across generations.
As CSW69 comes to a close, it is clear that the fight for gender equality in multilateralism remains as urgent as ever. While progress has been made, the data and discussions at this year’s session underscore the need for sustained action, smart partnerships, and bold leadership. GWL Voices remains committed to driving this agenda forward, advocating for a more inclusive and representative global governance system. Now, the challenge is to ensure that the commitments made at CSW69 translate into meaningful change—because equality cannot wait another 30 years.
Find more about Her Turn here.