WILPF US's UN Commission on the Status of Women Programs

WILPF US’s Local to Global and Practicum in Advocacy Programs at the Annual CSW

Through International WILPF's consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) WILPF US has the ability to attend the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). WILPF US offers week-long programs for two different groups during the March CSW meetings, designed to deepen understanding of the work of the CSW, the UN, and WILPF.

One of these programs, Local to Global, is restricted to active WILPF US members. The other program, the Practicum in Advocacy, is for college and university students. Both of WILPF’s CSW programs offer participants an informed orientation to and ongoing briefings about the CSW activities. This background assists participants to better experience the presentations, events, and discussions of the CSW and its work towards UN action on women's rights and issues. Please see below for application requirements, costs, and additional information on each of the two distinct programs.

Priority and Review Themes

Each year the CSW has a Priority and a Review Theme. For the 2024 CSW  these themes are –

• Priority theme: Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective
• Review theme: Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-third session)

Practicum in Advocacy

WILPF US, along with WILPF women from our International WILPF sections around the world, participates annually in the Commission on the Status of Women. In an effort to open opportunities for students and other somewhat younger individuals, each year WILPF US selects a group of individuals from around the country to participate in the Practicum in Advocacy (Practicum) at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Participants may be students enrolled in US universities and colleges. Additionally, this year the program has been opened up to other somewhat younger applicants whose work or community involvement would benefit from them learning more about feminist peace-building processes. These applicants may be working in non-profits or be community leaders or activists.

As part of the Practicum, participants experience the discussions and processes towards UN decisions on women's rights/issues through both formal and informal meetings that take place during the first week of the Commission on the Status of Women. The Practicum will provide ample opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and exploration of opportunities in international relations and advocacy work. During the week participants will attend official high-level UN meetings, panel discussions and other events hosted by member governments and national and international NGOs, as well as parallel events hosted by civil society organizations.

Participants will come away from the week with increased understanding of:

• The structures and functions of the UN and its various parts
• WILPF US and international WILPF’s focuses, programs and activities
• International women’s issues and policy advocacy around these issues

Application Process

Click here for the application for CSW 2024 and here for the recommendation form (Non-students should adapt the form to their employment or community situation.). 

The deadline for both applications and letters of recommendation is Friday, January 8 2024 at 11:59 PM PST.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to participate?
The WILPF UN Practicum in Advocacy is open to somewhat younger individuals currently enrolled as undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in the United States, as well as younger community leaders or activist and others working in non-profits addressing  peace and justice issues.

How much does the Practicum cost?
The tuition for the Practicum in Advocacy is expected to be  $1,000 + flight and travel expenses. Tuition covers all expenses for the week including hotel, food, UN access and conference fees, as well as in-town travel during the week. It does not include travel to and from NYC.

Limited scholarships  are available. applicants interested in scholarships should indicate their need on the application. Applicants must also work with their institution to identify funds available to them. Applicants may contact Practicum coordinators for help in troubleshooting fundraising efforts. Also, those writing recommendations are expected to help applicants identify funding available through educational and other institutions and/or other possible funding.

How do I make  payments for the Practicum in Advocacy?

There are two ways to send payments for the practicum. Students or their donors can pay by credit card online here. Or one can pay by check payable to WILPF US and mailed to the WILPF US office.  Write "practicum" and the student's name in the memo line.

WILPF US
Friends House
P.O. Box 13075
Des Moines, IA 50310

When is the UN Practicum in Advocacy?
The WILPF program is March 9-15. The UN Practicum in Advocacy participates in the first week of the CSW meetings, which run from March 11 to 22, 2024.

WILPF Practicum in Advocacy participants are required to attend the entire seven-day WILPF program and must arrive at our hotel in NYC by 10:30 am Saturday, March 9, so we can leave to secure our UN badges at that time. Saturday evening, there is an orientation to the Practicum and WILPF’s work. Sunday we will participate in Consultation Day, an orientation to the CSW. The proceedings of the CSW start Monday, March 11, 2024

Will I receive school credit for the UN Practicum in Advocacy?
WILPF does not offer course credit for the Practicum, but students may be able to arrange course credit, for example, through an independent study, from their home college or university. Practicum coordinators are available to help students individually on arranging for course credit where this is possible. However, it might not be possible to arrange for course credit, due to differing rules from institution to institution.

What are the requirements for the UN Practicum in Advocacy?
All applicants will be required to complete a post-Practicum project. Assistance and information will be given to students throughout the week including one-on-one mentoring with program faculty and coordinators as well as introductions to WILPF US leadership. Contact us for further information about the post-Practicum project.

What is the daily schedule for the Practicum?
The agenda for the week is jam-packed. Every day, time is split among Practicum delegation meetings, speakers, presentations by women activists from many countries, and evening debriefings.

Most mornings, participants will be expected to join in early morning briefings. They will attend meetings and other events from 8:00 – 5:00 and, unless other scheduling arises, have daily debriefing sessions 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Practicum Faculty and Coordinators will make few exceptions for missing delegation activities.

Local to Global

The Local to Global program was created to help open opportunities for active and seasoned members to bring local voices into the national and international work of WILPF. Additionally, Local to Global was created to foster intergenerational mentorship and relationship-building between members of WILPF US and those just becoming involved with WILPF US via the Practicum in Advocacy Program.

Application Process

Interested WILPF US members must submit an application and a letter of reference and recommendation from a WILPF member familiar with the applicant’s WILPF work (using the form below).

Direct your reference contact to this website to access and complete the reference and recommendation form. 

The deadline for applications for the Local to Global CSW68 is Friday, January 5, and the deadline the letter of reference and recommendation is Monday, January 8.

Click here for application form.
Click here for recommendation form.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Local to Global program?
The Local to Global program takes place during the first week of the meetings of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. This year our CSW program dates are March 9-15, 2024. Local to Global participants are required to attend the entire week and should plan to arrive at the hotel in New York City by 3:00 pm EST on Saturday, March 9. We’ll secure our UN badges and attend an orientation session conducted by WILPF US CSW Program Coordinators and others. Sunday we will participate in CSW Consultation Day. The conference begins Monday, March 11.

Who is eligible to participate?
Local to Global participants are required to be WILPF members in good standing and be active in their local branch and/or active in a national issue or standing committee. Applicants must submit a letter of reference from a current WILPF US member who has been a member for at least two years.

How much does Local to Global participation cost?
There is no tuition requirement for the Local to Global program as it was designed to open WILPF’s work at the UN to active WILPF members who otherwise might not be able to afford the trip and related conference fees. WILPF US will pay for hotel, meals, and all UN conference fees. However, participants must arrange their own travel to and from NYC for the week of the meetings and fund about half of that travel expense (consistent with WILPF US guidelines for reasonable travel costs; further details upon approved application).

What are the expectations for Local to Global participants?
Participants are encouraged to mentor Practicum participants during the week and to learn from each other as well. Program Coordinators aim to establish an environment where information and expertise is readily exchanged across all our differences. Local to Global participants will also prepare for and facilitate a morning briefing session during the week, on their work with WILPF US and will help Practicum participants learn ways to contribute to WILPF’s work beyond the CSW week.

Additionally, after you return from the CSW meetings, L2G participants are required to complete a project of their own design – generally, a public presentation, related to the CSW programs, and, where possible, linked to WILPF projects near you. You will discuss the parameters of this project with our program faculty before and after the CSW. Our faculty will help advise you on how to design and carry out your project. 

What is the daily schedule for the delegation?
The agenda for the week is jam-packed. Delegation participants will attend briefings most mornings and CSW meetings from 8:00 am–5:00 pm. There will also be evening debriefing sessions with the Practicum participants throughout the week.

Questions?
For the Practicum, contact Shilpa Pandey at UN-Practicum-mail@wilpfus.org
For Local to Global, contact Jan Corderman at UN-L2G-mail@wilpfus.org
 

The working language of the WILPF US UN Programs is English.