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NGOs that are accredited to and in good standing with the Economic and Social Council, may send representatives to annual sessions of CSW at United Nations Headquarters.
NGOs with or without consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, may organize and attend parallel events held outside United Nations premises, for example in the Church Center. To do so, they should contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (http://www.ngocsw.org/), which is a group of New York-based women’s NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
Invitation letters are sent to the e-mail addresses registered in the integrated Civil Society Organizations (iCSO) System of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) by NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. These Organizations are encouraged to update their profile and contact information on the iCSO system.
Pre-registration
DEADLINE:
17 January 2012
Online pre-registration is now closed
Because of appreciable space limitations in the North Lawn Building where the next session will take place, it has become necessary to reduce the numbers of attendees from civil society. This number should be kept to a minimum and should not exceed 20 representatives per organization.
Please note that participants will need a secondary pass to gain access to the North Lawn Building. One or two such secondary passes per/organization will be distributed at or near the registration site. Organizations should also be aware that, in this context, entry into official meetings can still not be guaranteed to all who wish to attend.
How to pre-register
Online pre-registration ran from November 2011 to 17 January 2012. Online pre-registration for CSW56 is now closed.
Instructions for changing / editing names of representatives who have been pre-registered
Names and contact details of representatives can be edited by clicking on the relevant name on the CSO net.
While logged-in to the CSO net, organizations can also cancel the pre-registration of a representative by clicking on the  (unlist icon) button. The name will continue to appear in the system, but the person will no longer be pre-registered.
Please note that an Organization’s login ID and passwords are strictly confidential.
NGOs should not give their organization’s login ID or password to any other organization.
Pre-registration questions
All pre-registration-related questions should be sent to the official CSW e-mail address. The subject line should read “CSW pre-registration”.
Confirmation of pre-registration
Once an NGO representative has been pre-registered, a confirmation letter can be downloaded and printed for her/him from the same webpage.
Application for a United Nations Grounds Pass
Before arriving at on-site registration at United Nations Headquarters, all participants need to fill out and print an application form for a UN grounds pass which will be available in the organization’s account on CSO net. Participants will be required to show this form at on-site registration in order to obtain a grounds pass.
On-site registration
Upon arrival at the United Nations, each pre-registered NGO representative must register on site in order to obtain a grounds pass. Details regarding on-site registration and issuance of grounds passes are provided in the confirmation letter and in NGO advisories in the period preceding CSW.
The United Nations will not make travel or visa arrangements or pay for any expenses in connection with the participation of NGO representatives in the sessions of CSW. Such arrangements and costs are the exclusive responsibility of participants.
Participants are encouraged to submit their visa applications well in advance, in accordance with their local United States Consulate requirements, in order to allow sufficient time for processing.
Written statements to CSW may be submitted by NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council on the thematic issues considered by CSW in accordance with Council resolution 1996/31. These statements are submitted months prior to any session in order to allow time for processing and issuance of the statements as official United Nations documents for the Commission.
Submission of written statements
- Please note that only NGOs in consultative status with the Council may submit written statements.
- Written statements should be prepared in Microsoft Word and transmitted for processing in electronic form;
- United Nations manuscript page sizes are standard United States letter size (8.5 x 11 inches, or 215.9 x 279.4 millimetres) and ISO A4 (210 x 297 millimetres);
- The type used in text files submitted for processing should be 12-point Times New Roman;
- Texts submitted for processing should be double-spaced and presented in single-column format.
- Written statements should be submitted in one of the official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).
Organizations wishing to submit their statement in more than one official language must specify which language version is the original, and which other language versions are to be used as references for translation;
- Statements by organizations in general consultative status with the Council should not exceed 2000 words; statements by organizations in special consultative status with the Council should not exceed 1500 words;
- Please note that the word count includes the required title and agenda item;
- If more than one NGO has submitted the statement, the names of the NGOs should be in alphabetical order.
- Please note that only NGOs in consultative status can endorse or support a given statement.
- If the statement is supported by another NGO(s) in consultative status with the Council, a note to that effect should be added at the end of the document.
- The names of the NGOs in the heading of the document and in the note must match the names in E/2010/INF/4 (at this point, the latest version).
- Incomprehensible and/or repetitive text will be deleted.
- There should be minimal, if any, use of footnotes.
- The paragraphs of the statement should not be numbered.
- Statements should be e-mailed to the official CSW e-mail address, with 'Written statement / Name of NGOs' in the subject line.
DEADLINE: 17 February 2012 for requests to make an oral statement
General discussion
Oral statements may be delivered during the general discussion by a limited number of NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council subject to time availability. The CSW priority theme this year is: "The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges."
Preference will be given to NGOs speaking about the priority theme, and on behalf of rural women's and grassroots women's organizations, as well as groups of organizations, caucuses, or coalitions. Instructions about the process will be communicated via email to each NGO representative requesting to make a statement.
Oral statements should not exceed three minutes. (i.e., about two pages double-spaced using font size 12).
Request to make an oral statement during the general discussion using this form.
Interactive expert panels
DEADLINE: 17 February 2012 for sign-up
A limited number of NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council will be able to make an oral intervention during the interactive panels. Interventions must be focused on the theme of the panel. Inputs on other issues will not be accommodated. Preference will be given to rural women's and grassroots women's' organizations. Instructions will be communicated via e-mail to each NGO representative requesting to make an intervention.
Please click here to request to make an oral statement during the interactive panels.
Side events held on United Nations premises
Permanent Missions and United Nations entities hold side events on United Nations premises during the CSW session.
The programme of side events or activities organized outside the formal programme of the fifty-sixth session of the Commission will provide an excellent opportunity for Member States, UN entities and NGOs to discuss themes of the Commission and other critical gender equality issues.
Click here for the calendar of side events of Permanent Missions and UN entities:
[ First week, 27 February - 2 March | Second week, 5 - 9 March ]
Parallel events held in the Church Center and other locations
Parallel events organized by NGOs take place outside United Nations premises, usually in the Church Center (located at the intersection of 44th Street and First Avenue, across from the United Nations Secretariat building). Any NGO may organize and attend these events.
NGOs wishing to organize a parallel event during the CSW session should directly contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, which is a group of New York-based women’s NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. Please see the website of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women for more information and deadlines of parallel events organized by NGOs: http://www.ngocsw.org/parallel-events
Calendar of side events
A calendar of side events organized by Permanent Missions and United Nations entities is posted on the UN Women website prior to the CSW session, and updated regularly:
[ First week, 27 February - 2 March | Second week, 5 - 9 March ]
A calendar of parallel events organized by NGOs is posted on the website of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (http://www.ngocsw.org/parallel-events).
Questions on parallel events organized by NGOs
Eligibility / accreditation
Is my NGO eligible to participate in CSW?
How does an NGO become eligible to participate in CSW?
How does an NGO obtain consultative status with the Economic and Social Council?
Invitation / pre-registration
How do I pre-register representatives?
How many representatives can my NGO pre-register?
What do I do if login to pre-registration fails?
How can I retrieve my organization login ID or password?
Parallel events
Who can hold side events on United Nations premises?
Who schedules parallel events in the Church Center?
Written statements
What is the deadline for submitting written statements?
What language can I submit a written statement in?
Oral statements
How long should oral statements be?
Travel and visas
Can the United Nations help me obtain a visa to the United States?
Can the United Nations fund my travel or my stay in New York?
Can the United Nations help me find a hotel in New York?
Other
What is the NGO Committee on the Status of Women?
How can I contact the NGO Committee on the Status of Women?
How can media representatives attend CSW?
How can I contact the local office of UN Women in my region?
I have other unanswered questions – who can I contact?
Please e-mail your question to the official CSW e-mail address.
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