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At the beginning of each year, the United Nations in New York becomes a vibrant space of dialogue and action as major commissions such as the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convene. Alongside the formal negotiations led by Member States, civil society organizations (CSOs) play a crucial role through the organization of side events and parallel events.
For CSOs committed to social justice, these events are far more than logistical exercises. They are strategic spaces for awareness-raising, advocacy, and policy influence. Side events, held within the UN premises and often co-sponsored with Member States or UN agencies, allow civil society to bring lived realities—poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, migration, homelessness—directly into official UN discussions. They humanize policy debates by connecting global frameworks with grassroots experience. Daughters of Charity who are members of CSoCD and CSW will serve as panelists during these events.
Parallel events, organized by civil society outside official UN rooms or online, offer additional freedom for critical reflection and collective mobilization. These spaces foster solidarity, amplify marginalized voices, and encourage honest dialogue on gaps between commitments and realities on the ground. They are essential platforms for naming injustices that are often softened or overlooked in diplomatic language.
Through careful preparation, coalition-building, and sustained presence, CSOs use these events to translate moral urgency into policy relevance. Their work ensures that social justice remains central to the UN agenda—not only in negotiated texts, but in the conscience of the international community.
In a time of growing inequalities and global crises, the steady, often unseen labor of civil society at the UN continues to shape narratives, challenge complacency, and advocate for dignity, rights, and inclusion for all.