Episcopalians have participated in annual sessions of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), along with their wider Anglican Communion family, since at least the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995. Read a brief overview about the history of Episcopal/Anglican engagement with UNCSW and how you can get involved on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sheet below.

Preparing for CSW69 – March 10th – 21st, 2025

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women’s 69th session (CSW69) will be a hybrid session for both the official UN meetings and parallel events. The priority theme will be a review on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This will be an excellent opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved in women’s and girls’ empowerment, gender equality and gender justice and to look ahead to the changes still needed to achieve Beijing’s goals. Read more about UN Women’s plans for CSW69 here.

Looking to get involved? Want to know what is happening with the Episcopal and Anglican presence at CSW69? Participating virtually? Details below – please check back frequently for updates.

How can I participate? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Looking to get involved more generally? CSW69 FAQs will be posted here to answer your Frequently Asked Questions.

Presiding Bishop’s Delegation

Since mid-2024, The Episcopal Church has been in a season of institutional transitions. In light of these ongoing transitions, this year’s Presiding Bishop’s delegation consists of a small number of invited guests supported by Presiding Bishop’s staff:

• Julia Ayala Harris, President of the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church
• Rebecca Linder Blachly, Chief of Public Policy and Witness, Division of Public Policy, Partnerships and Witness 
• Troy Collazo, Policy Advisor, Office of Government Relations 
• The Reverend Margaret Rose, Presiding Bishop’s Ecumenical and Interreligious Deputy and former Episcopal Church Director of Women’s Ministries  
• Nicole Hosein, Director of Gender Initiatives, Episcopal Relief & Development
• Lynnaia Main, Episcopal Church Representative to the United Nations, Office of Government Relations 

More information is available in this Public Affairs press release.

CSW69 Episcopal Church written statement

In October 2024, the 26th Presiding Bishop Michael Curry submitted The Episcopal Church’s CSW69 written statement to UN Women in preparation for the conference in 2025. Based on General Convention resolutions and existing churchwide priorities related to the UN’s work, it celebrates the progress made in women’s and girls’ empowerment over the last 30 years since Beijing and outlines the Church’s priorities at CSW69:

• Prioritize resources and programs for marginalized women and girls
• Increase access to resources, public services, social protections, and infrastructure
• Increase access to economic and political power and decision-making
• Eradicate violence against women and girls and all forms of gender-based violence
• Address climate change and environmental concerns

Access the official statement here: https://docs.un.org/E/CN.6/2025/NGO/56

CSW69 Fact Sheet

An up-to-date description of the Anglican and Episcopal presence that will participate in CSW69 alongside our faith-based and civil society partners:

Episcopal Church events and joint Anglican/Episcopal events

You are warmly invited to join Episcopal Church-hosted events, with the participation of our wider Anglican family and the UN faith-based community. If you or your church are planning to host an event at CSW69, please share your event listing to the Episcopal News Service Events page.

Monday, February 10th, 4 – 5 pm Eastern (virtual): CSW69 Info Call for Episcopalians. All welcome to learn more about how to participate in person or virtually at CSW69. Click here to view recording.

Monday, March 3rd, 4 – 5:30 pm Eastern (virtual): Beijing+30: Celebrating the Blessing. Episcopal leaders share their stories of Beijing’s impact within the Episcopal Church over the past 30 years. Bring your own stories of celebration and learn more about how to participate at CSW69. Click here to view recording.

Monday, March 10th, 12:10 – 1 pm Eastern (hybrid): CSW69 Opening Eucharist, Chapel of Christ the Lord, Episcopal Church Center. Access video link here or join by phone: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll), Meeting ID: 8391179709, password 815815. Follow along via the worship bulletin below:

Friday, March 21st, 12:10 – 1 pm Eastern (hybrid): CSW69 Closing Eucharist, Chapel of Christ the Lord, Episcopal Church Center. Access video link here, passcode 815815 or join by phone: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll), Meeting ID: 8391179709. Link to worship bulletin will be posted here closer to the date – please check back soon.

Monday, March 31st, 4 – 5 pm Eastern (virtual): Beyond Beijing+30: Realizing the Dream. A report back on CSW69 and brainstorming session for future plans for interested Episcopalians.

Generation Equality Forum – #GenerationEquality

In 2021, UN Women launched a new campaign, Generation Equality Forum, to accelerate progress towards gender equality and justice over five years. The Forum launched officially in Mexico City in March followed by follow-up pledges committed at a second event in Paris in June/July. Episcopal Church’s CSW65 Presiding Bishop’s delegates participated virtually in the Mexico launch and hosted “Generation Equality: Lifting Up Young Women’s Voices”, a follow-up webinar to share their experiences representing the Church at GEF in Mexico and the importance of mentoring and identifying opportunities for developing young women’s leadership. The Forum’s 5-year action journey plans to realize irreversible progress towards gender equality, founded on a series of concrete, ambitious and transformative actions, including $40 Billion in financial commitments. Read more about GEF’s outcomes and progress here.

Join us via social media

Follow the action and contribute your own experiences/stories/thoughts across all social media platforms via hashtags #CSW69 (official UN hashtag), #GenerationEquality, #EpiscopalUN, #EpiscopalCSW and #EpiscopalAdvocacy, continuous reporting from year to year). More information about social media channels will be available in the FAQs and Fact Sheet.

Share Your Story

What is your connection to UNCSW, Generation Equality and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action? Episcopalians have been involved with Beijing since before the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, adapting the Platform for use in their churchwide, diocesan and local ministries. They also have been involved in attending UNCSW for decades. If you are one of them, or know of one, you are invited to share your story as part of documenting our collective Episcopal and Anglican achievements and reflecting on the state of women’s and girls’ empowerment 30 years after Beijing. Share your story, photos, videos and other materials at EpiscopalUN@episcopalchurch.org.

Beijing Noonday Prayer

Join in praying the Beijing Noonday Prayer. By praying this prayer at noon in each of our time zones, we pray not only for those who will be gathering, we also join in a tradition born during the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995:

Beijing Noonday Prayer  [updated for Beijing +30]

Dear God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, we pray for all who gathered in Beijing and for all those attending and supporting the sixty-fourth session of the Commission on the Status of Women Meeting. Bless them.

Help us to see one another through eyes enlightened by understanding and compassion.
Release us from prejudice so we can receive the stories of our sisters and brothers with respect and attention.
Open our ears to the cries of a suffering world and the healing melodies of peace.
Empower us to be instruments in bringing about Your justice, peace and equality everywhere.

Questions? Feel free to contact us at EpiscopalUN@episcopalchurch.org.

Please join us in celebrating and praying with all those who have been involved with Beijing and UNCSW, for our delegations who will represent and advocate on our behalf, and most especially for women and girls in all their diversity, worldwide.

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