Other Entities
last updated 13 June 2013
 
 
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
 
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was created in 1946 by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The purpose of CSW is to promote women’s rights by preparing recommendations and reports that discuss and address issues related to women. “Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide.”[1]
 
 
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
 
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) was created in 1994 by a resolution from the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).[2] The purpose of creating UNAIDS was to coordinate and support a wider response to HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS coordinates the efforts from eleven U.N. agencies, including UN Women, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank.[3] In 2004, UNAIDS launched a project called the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS to bring international attention to the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and prevent its spread. Specifically, it aims to end violence against women, eliminate economic barriers for girls to attend school, implement legislation that protects women’s property and inheritance rights, improve access to prevention and treatment services, and value caregivers.[4] The principles of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS are[5]:
  • The leadership of women and girls must be at the center of the response to HIV
  • Supporting women and girls “to live with dignity and health”
  • Further the use of partnerships to aid in the HIV response to women and girls
  • Upholding women and girls’ human rights
  • Investment in women and girls is beneficial to the world as a whole
 
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
 
The United Nations maintains a close affiliation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an intergovernmental humanitarian organization. The IOM works in cooperation with national governments, the United Nations and with NGOs.[6] The IOM has carried out a number of counter-trafficking activities in Central Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. The IOM conducts information campaigns and research on the issue of trafficking, and also provides services, such as rehabilitation and return assistance, for victims of trafficking. The IOM also offers technical assistance to governments to strengthen their legal systems.[7] In addition, the IOM focuses on gender issues, including “promoting gender awareness and sensitivity throughout the organization.”[8] In 1995, it created a Working Group on Gender Issues (WGGI). The purpose of the group is to make efforts relating to gender issues a fundamental “part of IOM’s planning and action.”[9]
 

[1] “Commission on the Status of Women,” UN Women, http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/.
[2] “Main Bodies,” United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/mainbodies/.
[3] “UNAIDS Cosponsors.” UNAIDS, http://www.unaids.org/en/aboutunaids/unaidscosponsors/.
[4] “About GCAW,” The Global Coalition on Women and Aids, http://www.womenandaids.net/about-gcwa.aspx.
[5] “Our Principles,” The Global Coalition on Women and Aids, http://www.womenandaids.net/about-gcwa/our-principles.aspx.
[6] “About IOM,” International Organization for Migration, http://www.iom.ch/cms/about-iom.
[7] “Counter-Trafficking,” International Organization for Migration, http://www.iom.ch/cms/countertrafficking.
[8] “IOM and Gender,” International Organization for Migration, http://www.iom.ch/cms/iom-and-gender.
[9] “Working Group on Gender Issues,” International Organization for Migration, http://www.iom.ch/cms/iom-and-gender.