63rd United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and its partners that include the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Labour and Social Services will be participating at the sixty third UN Commission on the Status of Women Conference in line with the need to advance gender equality in the provision of social protection services on a legal basis. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has been held consistently since its first meeting at Lake Success in New York in 1947. The conference intends to foster dialogue and enhance coordination, networking and policy advocacy that will lead to improved social protection systems in Africa for the poor and vulnerable, and further promote the advancement of women. The conference theme "Social Protection Systems, Access to Public Services and Sustainable Infrastructure for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls", brings together trade unions, civil society organizations, informal worker organizations, Academicians, Social Protection Experts, UN entities, Government representatives, regional and international organizations globally.

The Foundation will also take part in a Panel Discussion on "Promoting Rights-based Social Protection Policies for Gender Equality: A Pre-requisite for Social Justice and Sustainable Development", during the conference. The discussion will highlight the benefits of social protection for women and girls focusing on Zambia and learning from other countries around the continent. The discussion will also focus on the need to develop policy frameworks that will ensure social and gender inclusion. Panelists will share on best practices from other countries for replication of innovative ways on how to improve women’s access to quality and equitable social protection services. Apart from having panelists from governmental ministries, attending the conference, other panelists from the African Platform for Social Protection (ASPS), Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).