NEW YORK – At the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the World Jewish Congress Jewish Diplomatic Corps participated in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) from March 10 to 21. Held annually under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the CSW is the UN’s principal global platform for advancing gender equality and the rights of women and girls. As an organization with ECOSOC consultative status, the World Jewish Congress was proud to take part in this year’s Commission. The advancement of women’s rights and representation—within global society and across Jewish communities—remains a core priority for the WJC and its diplomatic network.
On March 10, the WJC co-hosted the official CSW side event “Women, Conflict, and Peace: A Universal Feminist Vision”, which convened an international panel of high-level speakers to reaffirm the crucial role of women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The discussion also served as a principled stand against selective outrage, calling for consistent, universal application of human rights standards in the defense of women worldwide. The event was moderated by JD Marie-Sarah Seeberger (France), the framework of which was developed with the active contribution of the JDCorps Working Group on Women’s Representation.
Throughout the two-week session, JDCorps members Elizabeth Chen (United States) and JD Danielle Murad Weiss (United States/Mexico), both based in New York, followed the Commission’s formal proceedings and contributed to a range of high-level thematic events.
In the second week, JD Karina Arlin, who played an instrumental role in establishing the Commitment on Gender Equality within the Latin American Jewish Congress, joined the delegation as an official CSW delegate. She was joined by JD Déborah Lichentin (France), co-chair of the JDCorps Working Group on Women’s Representation, who traveled from Paris to represent the JDCorps during the CSW session, contributing to multiple discussion panels with her expertise.
The CSW69 agenda addressed key themes including:
- The persistent under-representation of women in constitution-making processes and peace negotiations.
- The strategic importance of education and access to information for women in conflict and crisis zones, with the example of Radio Begum in Afghanistan.
- The increasing urgency of combating gender-based violence in digital and institutional spaces.
- The call for universality and consistency in the defense of women’s rights across all regions and political contexts.
The World Jewish Congress commends the dedication of its Jewish Diplomatic Corps delegates and reaffirms its commitment to advancing gender equality, empowering women leaders, and ensuring meaningful Jewish representation in global diplomatic forums. Learn more about the JDCorps' efforts here.
