UN Sustainable Development Goal #5: Gender Equality
FAWCO supports UN Sustainable Development Goal #5
UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
FAWCO delegations participate actively in CSW at UN Headquarters in New York each year. FAWCO joins with other women's organizations in advocacy on gender equality issues through submitting written and oral statements to CSW. We partner with other NGOs and with NGO committees including the NGO Committee on the Status of Women and NGO Committee on Migration in New York to organize and co-sponsor parallel events for the NGO Forum at CSW. Learn more about FAWCO at CSW and read blogs by FAWCO CSW delegation members on the CSW Blog.
UN Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council, created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006, is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe, addressing situations of human rights violations, and making recommendations on them.
The Council is made up of 47 Member States which are elected by members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through direct and secret ballot. Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.
The Council’s rotating membership is based on equitable geographical distribution of the following seats: African States: 13 seats; Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats; Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats; Western European and other States: 7 seats; Eastern European States: 6 seats.
FAWCO UN Reps observe sessions of the UN Human Rights Council and post articles on human rights issues of interest to FAWCO members.
Target Program: Human Rights for Women
The Target Program 2013 – 2016 focused on education, awareness and project assistance for women's human rights. The Target Project raised over $170,000 over two years to support Free the Girls, an American NGO working with former victims of sex trafficking in Africa and Latin America, helping them rebuild their lives through economic empowerment.
Building on the knowledge and experience gained through our Target Project collaboration with Free the Girls, FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation partnered with a network of NGOs in The Netherlands working to fight human trafficking, and organized a Symposium on Human Trafficking in October 2016.
Human Rights Team
FAWCO's Human Rights Team works on women’s economic empowerment and political empowerment, ending violence against women, and women, peace and conflict. The Team publishes regular bulletins with news and information about women's rights topics and campaigns.
Considering volunteering?
If you would like to get involved, join FAWCO’s Global Issues Team on Human Rights.