The Commission on the Status of Women is the world’s single largest human rights body dedicated to women. It is the UN’s principal inter-governmental body for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. By documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, CSW helps shape global standards on gender equality.

Participation of NGOs is important.

LWF has long taken part in CSW and monitored proceedings. Women in Church and Society enables the voice of strong activists in member churches to access this global platform. This year, it has two delegates: LWF council member Ranjita Borgoary, from India, and El Salvadoran theologian Larry José Madrigal.

• Borgoary brings her experience as women's desk secretary for the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India, where she develops programs on women’s empowerment and leadership.
• Madrigal’s organization, Centro Bartolomé de las Casas, works alongside WICAS networks and World Service programs in several Central American countries in rural and indigenous areas to foster women’s leadership in grassroots organizations and to prevent gender-based violence.

LWF has also submitted an oral statement to the CSW putting forward the message that faith entity promotes gender justice and that faith, religion and spirituality matter to a large number of people.

Program

      10 March - Ecumenical Women’s panel “Prophetic Vision, Experiential Change: How can faith-rooted partners mobilize to empower rural women and girls?” with Ranjita Borgoary as a panellist.

      11 March - Lutheran day. Delegates from ELCA young adults in Global Mission program, ELCA staff and LWF delegates share contextual and global experiences on gender justice.

      15 March - 16h30 at the Social Hall, Manhattan, LWF parallel event with Islamic Relief Worldwide, Finn Church Aid and the World Council of Churches, sponsored by the Canadian government and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), highlighting the role of faith-based organizations in working toward achieving the SDGs (particularly SDG 5 promoting women’s empowerment).

The panel will showcase good practices and ways in which partner organizations have streamed gender into their programs and helped realise women’s human rights from a faith perspective. Panellists: Larry José Madrigal (Centro Bartolomé de las Casas), Eva-Marita Rinne-Koistinen (FCA), Iman Sandra Pertek (IRW), Terrie Robinson (Side by Side), Cristina Rendón, (LWF). Moderator: Dr Azza Karam, senior advisor on culture at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Final remarks: UN Women.