Finland continues to promote gender equality and human rights loudly at session of UN Commission on the Status of Women

The 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place in New York between 10 and 21 March 2025. Finland will be represented at the session by a broad-based delegation headed by Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

The main focus of the 69th session will be on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen will, among other things, deliver Finland’s address at the CSW session, participate in high-level roundtable discussions and chair many of the events organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers during the CSW session.

International support for promotion of gender equality to continue

Opposition to gender equality, the rights of women and girls and the rights of gender and sexual minorities has increased around the world in recent years. The anti-gender movement seeks to undermine the gender equality that has already been achieved and the rights of gender and sexual minorities.

“The advancement of gender equality is now being challenged on an exceptionally large scale, but Finland’s policy is clear: we defend gender equality and continue to work towards achieving equality between women, men and people belonging to gender minorities,” says Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

At the CSW session, Finland wants to loudly support the promotion of gender equality. As part of its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Finland will, together with the other Nordic countries, promote the efforts to counter the anti-gender movement in line with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Pushing for Progress declaration.

The aim of the Pushing for Progress programme is to promote gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as the rights of LGBTI people by mobilising national, regional and global support for binding multilateral agreements.

At the CSW session, Finland and the other Nordic countries will seek to form and reinforce alliances with other countries and actors and to strengthen international support for the promotion of gender equality in the future, too.

Commission on the Status of Women is an important international forum for Finland

The Commission on the Status of Women, which operates under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), monitors and supports the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in different thematic areas. The CSW session is the UN's second largest annual meeting after the General Assembly.

The Commission on the Status of Women is an important international forum for Finland to promote a human rights-based approach and the realisation of the rights of women and girls, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. During the negotiations and side events and in its other advocacy work, Finland will promote a comprehensive approach to the participation of women and girls.

Finland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2025

The Nordic countries have a long tradition of defending gender equality as a united front. As the country holding the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Finland is responsible for organising Nordic events at the CSW this year.

The Finnish delegation is appointed annually and led by the minister responsible for gender equality issues. This year, the delegation includes representatives from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Council for Gender Equality, the Finnish Parliament and civil society organisations.

• Pushing for Progress declaration (Norden.org)
• CSW69 (UNWomen.org)

Inquiries

Laura Rissanen, State Secretary (Riikka Mononen, Secretary to the State Secretary, tel. +358 295 163531)
Hanna Onwen-Huma, Senior Specialist, Gender Equality Unit, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 233
Mia Mäkinen, Senior Specialist, International Affairs Unit, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 075 
Suvi Tuominen, Desk Officer, UN Human Rights Council, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 735

The email addresses are in the format
[email protected]