GIESCR has submitted a written statement to the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) to help inform the discussions to be held in March 2024. The CSW68 will address as a 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” and also review the theme “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls” from the agreed conclusions of the 63rd session of the CSW. 

GIESCR’s statement emphasises the pivotal role of gender-transformative public services in building a just, inclusive, and equitable society. While progress has been made to advance gender equality, political resistance, environmental crises, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact women's and girls' rights. Furthermore, the rampant privatisation and commercialisation of public services have disproportionately affected women and girls, leading to increased economic barriers that encroach upon their fundamental rights and their overreliance on unaccountable private actors. In this context, the statement puts forward key policy recommendations that highlight the need for gender-responsive public services that aim to redistribute power, resources, and opportunities between persons of different genders to tackle the root causes of gender inequality.