Media Statement

16 March 2022

South Africa Chairs the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

South Africa has assumed responsibility as the Chair of the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) that is taking place at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, from 14 – 25 March 2022.

The South African delegation is led by the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disability, HE Ms M E Nkoana-Mashabane. Also in attendance are the Minister of Human Settlements, HE Ms M T Kubayi, and the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, HE Ms M Sotyu.

The South African Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Mathu Joyini, in her capacity as the Chair, opened the CSW66 on 14 March 2022, under the theme: “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”.

South Africa is chairing the CSW at a time when the government has taken a deliberate policy decision to give highest priority to the thematic issues of women, children and persons with disabilities as they have historically suffered multiple and aggregated forms of discrimination.

South Africa has consistently been the champion and advocate for the UN programmes to initiate concrete and tangible empowerment programmes for the realisation of the rights of these categories.

The delegation will also present South Africa’s report on the implementation of the 61st Session Agreed Conclusions on the review theme titled: “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”.

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 ‪‪884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084