The United States closed out a bruising two weeks at the Commission on the Status of Women — the world’s largest gathering on gender equality — much like it began: in lonely diplomatic defeat.
On CSW’s first day, the country cast the single vote against a political declaration on the world’s commitments to women. On the last, delegates declined to consider a U.S. resolution on gender, one that sought to define the term across the United Nations as “referring to men and women.”
The effort was part of a broader campaign to influence debates on the topic — and to do so not just at the U.N., but worldwide. While ultimately, the country’s twin pushes at CSW failed, U.S. officials have made it clear that the fight on gender, women’s rights, and “family values” is far from over.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene covers U.S. foreign assistance from Washington, D.C. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other news outlets across the world. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for aid agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
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