Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

APPROXIMATE COMMITTEE SIZE: 80 Double DELEGATIONS

The Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which promotes gender equality and women’s rights globally. Together, the 45 member states of the CSW seek to resolve the most pressing issues facing women such as economic empowerment, access to education and healthcare, and political representation. Topic A will be increasing equitable access to female healthcare. Worldwide, over 500 million women lack access to basic menstrual products and hygienic tools, and double that amount did not have reliable access to preventative female and maternal healthcare. Delegates will consider how to expand women’s access to these, especially women in rural regions or others who face natural or economic barriers to access. Topic B will be the protection of women’s rights in the informal economy. Women make up a disproportionate amount of laborers in the global informal sector, often experiencing little to no legal protection, fair wage practices, or job security. Delegates will consider ways to expect public protections for women working in this sector, ensuring their access to essential services and their protection from exploitation.

Chairs: Madison Lilly & Anokhi Ashwin

TOPICS

Topic A: Increasing Equitable Access to Female Healthcare

Topic B: Protecting Women’s Rights in the Informal Economy

lEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the challenges facing female representation in the diplomatic and healthcare spheres and solutions policymakers have proposed to circumvent this. 

  • Grapple with the difficulties of addressing gender discrimination across various cultures and belief systems.

  • Gain an in-depth understanding of how women contribute to peacemaking processes worldwide and the barriers obstructing gender inequality in that area. 

about the chairs

Madison Lilly is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Arts and Sciences, double majoring in government and mathematics. Originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, Madison has extensive experience in Model UN from leading her high school team as Head Delegate for two years. This is Madison's second year staffing the Commission on the Status of Women, and she cannot wait to see how delegates tackle issues of international women's rights and equity at another great conference! When she is not staffing NAIMUN, Madison spends her time chatting with prospective Georgetown students through GAAP, writing about political news with Georgetown's student political publication On the Record, and working in political finance at Young Democrats of America.

Anokhi Ashwin is a member of the Class of 2026 in Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service majoring in International Political Economy, with certificates in International Business Diplomacy and Diplomatic Studies. Originally hailing from Carmel, Indiana, she is so excited to serve as Co-Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women!