The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, is the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, convening annually at the United Nations Headquarters to bring together governments, civil society, and experts. During its 70th session (CSW70), which addressed key challenges such as unpaid care, social protection, and demographic change, the International Federation for Family Development contributed by advancing a family-focused perspective, including the delivery of an oral statement by its youth representative, Rocío Ramos, and participation in side events, emphasizing the need for integrated, inclusive policies that place families and care systems at the center of gender equality and sustainable development.
IFFD’s Contributions to the Commission
Events
Intergenerational Solidarity and Empowering Women in Society
The side-event organized by Hungary focused on how intergenerational solidarity can drive women’s empowerment through more balanced care systems. IFFD highlighted the need to invest in parenting and promote policies that recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work across generations while emphasizing that supporting families and sharing caregiving responsibilities between women, men, and institutions is essential to achieving sustainable gender equality.
Statements
Oral Statement at the Plenary
IFFD emphasized that advancing gender equality requires placing care systems and family dynamics at the center of policymaking, highlighting the disproportionate burden of unpaid care on women. It called for policies to recognize, reduce, and redistribute care through services, parental leave, and family-friendly measures, while supporting both caregivers and care recipients. It also stressed the need for greater investment, improved data, and coordinated action to achieve sustainable gender equality.
