Opportunities for NGOs to address the Commission
Submission of written statements
NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) may submit written statements on the thematic issues considered by CSW, in accordance with Council resolution 1996/31.
Submission of written statements for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will be open from 27 September to 17 October 2019.
NGOs are strongly encouraged to submit joint statements in collaboration with other NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC.
Instructions
Content
- Statements by organizations in general consultative status with ECOSOC may not exceed 2,000 words including the cover page; statements by organizations in special consultative status with ECOSOC may not exceed 1,500 words including the cover page. Please note that this word allowance includes the cover page which is automatically added by the system and generally takes up 100 words. Therefore, as you prepare your statement text, please take into account that you do not need to include a cover page and that your text should have no more than 1900 words for general consultative status, and 1400 words for special consultative status.
- Submit written statements in one of the official languages of the United Nations: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.
Formatting
- Indicate the start of a new paragraph with a double line break.
- Paragraphs of the statement should not be numbered.
- Do not use footnotes and end notes. Please incorporate all information into the body of the statement.
- If the statement is supported by other NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, add a note at the end of the document to this effect. (The names of the NGOs should be in alphabetical order)
- Ensure that the name of your organization (and of other NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC) is referenced as contained in the official list of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council
- Avoid using abbreviations and acronyms. (For a list of permissible acronyms, please consult the UN Editorial Manual. The acronyms on this list can be used if spelled out in the first instance). All others acronyms, including the acronym for the Commission on the Status of Women ("CSW") and for your organization are not allowed in written statements.
Recommendations
- Identify key ideas that you would like to address; introduce these ideas in the first sentence or paragraph of your statement.
- Avoid repetition. Keep statements clear, simple and to the point.
- To make reading effortless, organize material by applying the principle of one thought per paragraph.
- Verify references to titles and dates of United Nations events and conferences.
- Avoid the use of quotations.
- You may want to prepare your statement in Microsoft Word, or another text processor, and save it on your PC to avoid losing it during submission (e.g. if your PC loses the connection to the online system). Once you have finalized your statement, copy-paste the final text from your document onto the statement submission page in CSO-Net. Please note the online system removes formatting.
Making a speech during the general discussion
Subject to time availability, oral statements may be delivered during the general discussion by a limited number of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC. Preference will be given to NGOs speaking about the priority theme or review theme, on behalf of groups of organizations, caucuses, or coalitions.
Oral statements should not exceed three minutes (approx. two pages double-spaced using font size 12). Instructions will be communicated, via e-mail, to the NGOs that will be selected.
Sign up for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to express interest in delivering an oral statement during the general discussion at CSW64 will be open online from 22 January to 11 February 2020.
Intervening from the floor during an interactive panel
A limited number of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will be able to make oral interventions during the interactive panels. Interventions must be focused on the theme of the panel and not on any other issues.
Interventions at interactive expert panels are NOT to be in the form of prepared statements; NGOs are therefore not required to submit copies of such interventions. These interventions must be in the form of comments or questions addressed to the panel experts. Interventions should not exceed three minutes. Instructions will be communicated via e-mail to each NGO representative requesting to make an intervention.
Sign up for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC wishing to express interest in intervening from the floor during a dialogue or an interactive panel at CSW64 will be open online from 22 January to 11 February 2020.
