Question

To ask His Majesty's Government whether civil society and youth representatives were included in the UK delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting as requested by UN Women; and if so, (1) how they were selected, and (2) how they liaised with and reflected the views of the other UK civil society representatives at CSW.

The UK delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was led by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon. Officials from FCDO and the Cabinet Office were also part of the delegation. The UK does not include civil society and youth representatives on the delegation, instead we hold regular briefing sessions with them to keep them updated. The relationship that the Government delegation has with civil society representatives at CSW is often held up as a model of good practice.

Some other visitors to CSW from the UK are allowed to attend and are thus provided with delegate passes for the purpose of access to the UN building. This year this included a number of parliamentarians, a civil society speaker at one of our side events and a UN Women Youth delegate. We do not, though, consider them members of the official HMG delegation.