The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) will on 18 March 2025, host a side event at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) on: “The role of National Gender/Women’s Machineries (NGM/WMs) in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The panelists will include:
- Advocate Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale – Chairperson, Commission for Gender Equality
- Honourable Rehema Jaidesa – Chairperson, National Gender and Equality Commission of Kenya
- Ms Laura Nyirinkindi – Chairperson, UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls
- Ms Keiso Matashane-Marite – Gender Affairs Officer, UN Economic Commission for Africa
- Honourable Lynette Karenyi – SADC Parliamentary Forum Member
Addressing challenges in gender equality
The discussion is driven by the ongoing challenges that hinder both the successful implementation of the BPfA objectives and the broader global commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Key obstacles include:
- Lack of strong mandates – Many NGM/NWMs operate without a robust legal framework or explicit governmental support, limiting their authority and impact.
- Conflicting roles – These machineries often struggle to balance advocacy and implementation, leading to diluted objectives.
- Poor coordination – Limited stakeholder collaboration, lack of representation, and inadequate data access hinder decision-making.
- Locational instability – Many NGM/NWMs are placed in government structures where their relevance and effectiveness are compromised.
- Underfunding – Insufficient resources restrict programme implementation and advocacy efforts.
- Bureaucratic resistance – Institutional inertia and red tape slow down gender equality reforms.
- Lack of autonomy – Dependence on broader government structures limits independent advocacy for women’s rights.
Objectives of the side event
The side event aims to:
- Examine legal frameworks and policy measures essential for strengthening NGM/NWMs.
- Analyse structural arrangements, organisational frameworks, and resource allocations affecting progress toward gender equality.
- Assess institutional mechanisms supporting BPfA objectives and highlight best practices.
- Identify key achievements and ongoing challenges of NGM/NWMs.
- Explore recommendations to address capacity gaps within NGM/NWMs.
Event details
Date: 18 March 2025
Time: 03:00 PM - 04:15 PM (GMT-5)
Venue: Conference Room 9, United Nations Headquarters, New York
RSVP: Ms Naledi Selebano – Naledi@cge.org.za | 066 166 2921
The event will be streamed live at: United Nations Web TV.
For interactive engagement, use #CGECSW69.
For enquiries:
Naledi Selebano
E-mail: Naledi@cge.org.za
Cell: 066 166 2921
#CGECSW69
#GovZAUpdates
