CSW 56

This year's CSW will take place from February 27th to March 9th on the priority theme: The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges.

WILPF's delegation will be made up of participants from many of our global sections, including Pakistan, Nigeria, US, Sweden, Japan, Lebanon and the Philippines. PeaceWomen are also supporting a small delegation from the Caucasus.

The 56th CSW sees WILPF host three events, two of which will take place the 29th of February, namely “Achieving Human Security for Rural Women in Africa” and “Empowering Rural Women in eradicating poverty and hunger—how can we really help". A third event discussing “Food Security, Conflict, Peace and Rural Women” will be held on the 1st of March.

WILPF International submitted a written statement regarding this year's CSW, noting that, “For nearly a century, WILPF has concentrated on the links between gender inequality, socioeconomic injustice and the root causes of war. The statement draws particular attention to cross-cutting issues: participation; land rights and access; indigenous rights; natural resources; food security, and the particular challenges and impacts of disasters, conflict and insecurity on the lives of rural women. The statement underlines that “rural women are often subject to particular rights' violations, exclusion, isolation, and poverty, and are acutely affected by natural and man-made disasters including economic crisis, climate change, militarization and conflict”. As a point of reference the statement provides case studies from some of our national sections which highlight these challenges.