Publication alert: Stronger Together

Legal restrictions and political anti-gender attacks continue to reduce the space for civil society engagement both nationally and internationally, making the documentation of effective collaboration strategies fundamental to holding member states accountable to their commitments. Commissioned by the WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform on behalf of the Our Voices Our Futures (OVOF) Consortium, and authored by the Feminist Diplomacy Lab, our new research report maps diverse engagement models between civil society and national delegations around the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) processes. The publication, titled "Stronger Together: Exploring Diverse Models of Civil Society and State Engagement in the CSW Cycle ", was launched at an online parallel event at the margins of CSW70, co-sponsored by WO=MEN and the Feminist Diplomacy Lab.

Analyzing case studies from Argentina, Australia, Jordan, the Netherlands, and Nigeria, the report reveals that political alignment and institutionalization fundamentally drive civil society access. While highly institutionalized models benefit from stable funding and inclusion in official delegations, restricted contexts force advocates to adopt outsider strategies or hybrid approaches, balancing formal visibility with independent shadow reporting on sensitive issues.

While there is no universal template for meaningful participation; strategies must adapt to specific political realities and resources. To strengthen this global ecosystem, governments must deliberately cultivate trust and resource civil society inclusion throughout the CSW cycle, while organizations should prioritize cross-movement solidarity and coordinated transnational advocacy.

You can read this new publication here.