New Delhi, The UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, along with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), has opened applications for the Beijing+30 Civil Society Steering Committee. This initiative aims to enhance civil society engagement in the regional review of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

According to Pak NGOs, the selected members of the Steering Committee will play a crucial role in facilitating the effective, coordinated, and inclusive participation of civil society organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. These organizations will focus on women’s rights, gender equality, and intersectional feminist issues throughout the review process. This process will culminate in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, scheduled for November 2024 in Bangkok.

The committee will include up to fifteen diverse civil society organizations that will collaborate closely with UN Women and ESCAP to support civil society contributions. Their responsibilities will include organizing the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum prior to the conference, providing input for national and regional reviews, and coordinating substantive advocacy efforts.

Eligibility for the Steering Committee is open to organizations that uphold global human rights principles and address various intersectional feminist issues without discrimination. These organizations should have a significant presence or network in Asia and the Pacific and a demonstrated capacity to influence gender equality policies and practices.

Applications are open until 12 May 2024, with further details available on the official UN Women Asia Pacific website.