Union minister Annapurna Devi to lead India's delegation at Commission on Status of Women at UN

New Delhi: Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annapurna Devi will lead India's delegation at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The session, which begins on Monday, will focus on global progress in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

According to a statement by the Women and Child Development Ministry, the minister will deliver India's national statement at the Commission which will highlight the government's initiatives for the holistic development of women and girls under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

She will also participate in discussions on resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it said.

As part of the high-level engagements, the minister will be the guest of honour at a side event on March 12, organised by the Indian government in collaboration with UN Women.

The event will bring together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss financial and digital empowerment strategies for women, the statement said.

During her visit, the minister will also interact with the Indian diaspora in New York, marking International Women's Day with discussions on India's progress in gender equality and women's empowerment, it said.

The CSW, a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women's rights.

This year's session, running from March 10 to 21, will see participation from member states, intergovernmental organisations, civil society, and private sector representatives, the statement said.