CSW69
PUSHING FOR PROGRESS
The Nordic ministers for gender equality stand up for gender equality
at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Photographer
Agaton Strom/ norden.org
"We vow to keep pushing for progress!"
Gender equality and equal rights of women and girls have become increasingly politicized issues. And in many places, hard-won gains are being questioned or even actively rolled back.
The Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality are deeply concerned with the growing regression and push-back against gender equality and equal rights, both globally and within the Nordic region.
To reverse these developments, the Nordic governments are now calling for a renewed commitment from the international community to keep pushing for progress.
This was the joint message of the Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality at the UN with a Nordic program during the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
The Nordic Program
The Nordic Program 2025
Streaming & recordings
11 MARCH: Nordic and international experts and activists in conversation - Turning Push-Back into Progress
10 MARCH: The Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality - Join us in Pushing for Progress!
Minister panel
The Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality
Join us in Pushing for Progress!
Time: Monday 10 March, 1:15-2:30 pm (EDT)
Place: ECOSOC, UN Building, New York
Today, growing resistance, regression and push-back against gender equality threatens women’s and girls’ rights everywhere.
For 30 years, the international community has worked together to promote gender equality, to safeguard women’s universal human rights, and to fulfil the promise of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
But we are not done yet!
During this event, Nordic ministers for gender equality will discuss urgent challenges, bold strategies, and advancements already made.
Join our commitment to never go back but keep pushing for progress!
Speakers
Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Minister for Social Security, Finland
Magnus Heunicke, Minister for Environment and Gender Equality, Denmark
Margit Stórá, Minister of Environment, Housing and Labour market, Faroe Islands
Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir, Minister of Justice, Iceland
Erlend Kaldestad Hanstveit, State secretary, Ministry of Culture and Equality, Norway
Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life, Sweden
The panel will be moderated by journalist and broadcaster Femi Oke.
Live streamed here or in-person accessible with accreditation to CSW69.
Highlights from The Nordic Ministers' panel at CSW69
Highlights from Ministers panel at CSW69
Side event with experts
Nordic and international experts and activists in conversation
Turning Push-Back into Progress
Time: Tuesday 11 March 11:30-12:45 (EDT)
Place: Conference Room 9, UN Building, New York
The global movement against gender equality is a crisis impacting the lives of women and girls everywhere. With gender equality policies under attack, the need for a united, powerful response is urgent.
How do we safeguard advancements already made? How do we counter the push-back? And how do we come together to maximize our impact?
Join Nordic and international activists and experts as they unveil bold strategies to reverse the tide and drive forward gender equality. Let’s push for progress together.
Speakers
Joanna Lilja, Strategic Adviser, ACT Church of Sweden
Silvia Modig, Chair, The National Council of Women of Finland
Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director, Reproductive Health Network in Kenya
Iryna Trokhym, Co-Founder, Centre “Women's Perspectives”, Ukraine
Moderated by Secretary General of Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann.
Live streamed here or in-person accessible with accreditation to CSW69.
CSW69: Turning Push-Back into Progress
Turning Push-Back into Progress: Nordic and international experts and activists in conversation. From the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, 11 March 2025, New York.
Turning Push-Back into Progress: Experts and activists in conversation at CSW69
Nordic-Baltic Side event
Speakers from Latvia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Finland
This event is unfortunately not streamed.
Reclaiming the Digital Space
Time: Tuesday 11 March 3:00-4:15 pm (EDT)
Place: One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 31st Floor
Digital advancements have transformed the landscape of advocating for gender equality. Online platforms have accelerated progress, opening new avenues to amplify women's and girls’ voices for change while expanding access to information and resources.
However, the digital realm has also become a battleground where progress is challenged by disinformation and gender-based harassment. The very tools and platforms that once fostered progress and gender equality are now being used to drive the push-back against equal rights.
Join this inter-regional panel of ministers to explore how we deliver on the gender equality promises of the digital age and make sure that technological advancements and AI become tools for the empowerment of women and men everywhere.
Speakers
Inese Lībiņa Egnere, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Latvia
Laura Rissanen, State Secretary of the Republic of Finland
Ermelita Valdeavilla, Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women
Viridiana Lorelei Hernández Rivera, Viceminister for Women of Mexico
Moderated by Secretary General of Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann.
The event is open to the public. Please register via link.
Sweden - sideevent
Event organised by Sweden's mission to the UN
SRHR: A Critical Pathway to Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Gender Equality
Time: Monday 10 March 3:00-4:15 pm (EDT)
Place: Conference room 12
The lack of sexual and reproductive health and rights hits marginalised and vulnerable groups particularly hard. Ensuring universal access to SRHR including comprehensive sexuality education has profound and measurable implications on health, poverty eradication, gains in education, social inclusion, and sustainable development. This side-event brings together government, civil society, international organisations, faith-based organisations and youth for an evidence-based conversation around the importance of reaching those left behind by taking actions to change social norms, laws, and policies to ensure universal access to SRHR and comprehensive sexuality education to reduce inequalitites.
Norway - sideevent
Event organised by Norway's mission to the UN
Digital solutions for gender equality and SRHR
Time: Tuesday 11 March 1:15-2:30 pm (EDT)
Place: Conference room 12
How to leverage digital solutions to reach adolescents with quality assured information about sexual and reproductive rights and comprehensive sexuality education in the era of misinformation? Event in collaboration between Norway, Columbia, UNFPA and Human Reproduction Programme.
Iceland - sideevent
Event organised by Iceland's mission to the UN
50 Years on - The Icelandic quest for Equality
Time: Tuesday 11 March 4:45-6:00 pm (EDT)
Place: CR-2: Level 1 (First floor)
In this joint side event of the Government of Iceland and The Women’s Year2025 we will discuss the milestones in the fight for equality and how thecollaboration between the Icelandic government and the women’smovement has been a transformative force in progressing gender equality.We will contemplate on how the magic of women’s solidarity can acceleratethe goal towards equal rights for all, the challenges that face women, girlsand LGBTI+ people today, and the most important next steps.Speakers: Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir, Minister of Justice, Sonja Ýr Þorbergsdóttir and Tatjana Latinović, organisers of the Women´s Strike 2023 and the Women´s year 2025. The event will be moderated by Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, Speaker of Althingi – the Icelandic Parliament.
VIDEO CSW68
Why the Nordics always show up for Gender Equality.
