The information on this page is for members and guests.  The page will be updated regularly over the weeks of CSW69.  You will find links to SI and SISEAP events, actions to undertake, blogs and latest news about the event.

Adolescents - Agents for Advocacy

To view the recording of the SISEAP parallel event Adolescents: Agents for Advocacy, this can now be viewed on the SISEAP youtube channel

Over the 14 days, there will be multiple events held both inperson and virtually by Soroptimist International and the 5 Federations 

For all events visit the SI CSW page, the event listed will be updated as informtion become available.

No Child left a Bride

Successes & Setbacks in the Global Effort to End Child Marriage

UN Commission on the Status of Women side event

19th March, 10am ET 2pm GMT.   Inperson event

This will be on at midnight AEST, but it can be viewed later on the UN CSWTV channel 

UN CSW69 Zero Draft Document 

  pdf SISEAP Written Statement to CSW69(148 KB)

SI Written Statement to CSW69

  document CoNGO Soroptimist Joint Statement IWD2025 (103 KB)

SI CSW69 Resource Pack

T?? ???????? ?????? ??? 2026–2029 ??? ?? ???????:

CSW70 (2026): Ensuring and strengthening ?????? ?? ??????? for all women and girls

CSW71 (2027): Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 ??????

CSW72 (2028): Women and girls in ???????????? ???????????

CSW73 (2029): Transforming ???? ??? ??????? ???????

In addition, ECOSOC invites the Commission to consider placing the issue of achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all ????? ????? as a focus area for its seventieth session.

NGO CSW/NY ensures that the voices and leadership of feminist and women's rights organizations all over the world are included in UN deliberations. 

NGO CSW/NY facilities a platform for NGO participation in CSW69, these can be in person or virtual events. 

Soroptimists and interested feminists may register to participate in the virtual meetings and workshops

CSW69 will be held in New York from the 10 - 21 March 2025.  This year joining President Joanne, Programme Convenor Donnell will be 7 SISEAP delegates.  The energy from a big group of SISEAP Soroptimists, will ensure that gender equality issues from Asia Pacific will be front and centre, we will ensure that the Soroptimist voice is heard. 

Authorised SISEAP Delegates are:

Dr Senata Tinaiseru Ratumaitavuki - Fiji
Munkhtsetseg Jargalsaikhan - Mongolia
Lindasari Anggorowati - Indonesia
Raelene McMullen - New Zealand
Theresa Lyford - Company Secretary and SI Board member 

Indira Chatterjee - South Australia
Cherrie Power - Victoria and National Treasurer Australia
Judy Toll - Western Australia
Sarah Barnbrook - Melbourne

Register for free via the NGO CSW link, upon registration you will receive access to the WHOVA dedicated CSW69 event platform. 

On the WHOVA platform you are able to register to attend thousands of live webinars, or register to watch at a more convenient time.

The UN Web TV,  presents live and pre recorded events from CSW, you can view these at any time

There will be negotiations between Member States at CSW69 (10-21 March) to Revitalise the meetings, the NGO Communities (us and others like us) want the States to be more accountable with our requests binding, which means that what they agree to has to be implemented within the Nations around the globe.

The global Women's groups are tired of repeating the same requests like "STOP Violence Against Women" for decades without any development! 

NGOCSW have produced a report with recommendations of the NGO CSW NY Advocacy and Research Group (ARG): Read the Report Here https://ngocsw.org/wp- content/uploads/2025/02/FINAL. FINAL_.Submission-by-the-NGO-C SW-NY-to-UN-Women.pdf

NGOCSW are requesting that NGO's and individuals endorse the recommendation of the ARG:   To sign the petition:   https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/ 1FAIpQLSeSQVI2jpVl5q2Xd1M6tjHt 63fB1IHX3-qHScjmGzjy3nFfiw/ viewform?usp=header

Info on the ARG of which Linda and Berthe are members of: https://ngocsw.org/about- us/advocacy/arg/.

When completing the petition, some points to assist you.
Your organisation would be club name "Soroptimist International of xxxxx" 
tick 'Affiliation with Economic and Social Council"
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
Website of your organisation would be: "www.siseap.org"

What Happens at CSW?

Official representatives from member states and civil society and NGO's can attend the formal CSW meetings and the accompanying side events on women’s issues which are sponsored by member states.

As SISEAP hold special consultative status, we are able to have delegates attend the two-week session.  NGOCSW, the civil society arm of CSW presents the NGOCSW Forum where hundreds of sessions, known as parallel events are open for all interested parties to attend. To attend in person NGO's must register their official representatives.  But now with hybrid events, members can register to attend for virtual events, to register for parallel inperson and virtual events visit ngocsw.org.

Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific, hold special consultative status at ECOSOC.  SISEAP a non-governmental organisation (NGO's) was granted special consultative status in 2014.

As an NGO with Special Consultative Status, SISEAP is invited to participate in the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. The Commission on the Status of Women is:

• A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
• The principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• Established by resolution on 21 June 1946 to monitor and promote women’s rights
• The CSW is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women. It is also one of the reference frameworks to analyse the situation of women around the world and to assess the efforts of States in support of women’s empowerment.
• Progress on implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) is reviewed by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) every five years.

Reference UN and UN Women

Step 1

Review the criteria and guideline documents and supporting documents. 

Step 2

Collect the information and material you will need to apply, read the application questions  

Step 3

Go to the online application form and complete. 

Step 4

Submit your application.

The Brilliant Futures Fund Grant will provide a single grant of up to  AUD$10,000.  The project must have a strong educational focus.  The nominated project should address but is not inclusive to the following:

●     Vision and Mission of SISEAP

●     Increasing education opportunities for women 

●     Women’s sustainable economic independence

●     Women in leadership

●     Entrepreneurship project

 The Nominated project can be:

●     New Project

●     Or an Existing project 

  Requirements
A Club, collective of clubs or a country may only submit one application for each round of funding.   

 The Project must recognize and respect diversity of individuals, families or communities. SISEAP and the Brilliant Futures fund branding must be used on all publicity material. 

Length of Project 
The project should be delivered within 12 months of the signing of the grant agreement. 

New Projects  
The project will need to be started and completed within 12 months of signing of the grant agreement.

Existing Projects
The portion of work which was nominated for the grant, will have to be started and completed within 12 months of signing of the grant agreement.

Benefit Requirements
1.    Beneficiaries should be mostly women and girls

2.    The project must have a strong education foundation 

3.    The Education component could cover amongst others the following:

●     improvement in livelihood 

●     improved gender equality

●     employment opportunities 

●     address a gap in education.

●     literacy skills

●     vocational skills

●     training of women

●     train the trainer

 4.    It would be preferable that the project can be sustained after completion 

 The Project should also consider:

●     Increased education opportunities

●     Improvement in livelihoods or improved gender equality

●     What education gap does the project address for example; literacy, skills, vocational skills

●     Demonstrate how the project will be delivered and by whom.

●     Demonstrate clear evidence of the identified target group

  What won’t be funded in your application
●     Any project which does not have an educational element

●     Capital works

●     Monitor and travel costs must not exceed 10% of the grant

●     Major equipment purchases which exceed 30% of the grant.

●     Fundraising or the general administrative costs of the club/region/country.

●     Retrospective payments for a project which is continuing or has already started.

Who Can apply?
●     Club

●     Collective of Clubs

●     National President's on behalf of their country.

Supporting policies
The nominated project must nominate the Programme Objectives, SDGs and Target which the project will address, and how it will address these areas.  Please read the SISEAP:

●     Programme objectives 

●     SDG guidelines

Additional supporting documents which require reading before proceeding with the application.

☐   Brilliant Futures Fund Guidelines Document

☐   The Brilliant Futures Fund grant agreement form

☐  The Progress Narrative report

☐   The Final acquittal form.

☐  SISEAP Vulnerable persons policy

☐  SISEAP Anti Fraud and anti corruption policy

☐  SISEAP Conflict of interest policy and procedure

 The nominated project must also actively promote and address the SI tagline Educate, Empower and Enable and a “global voice for women”.

Funding
The successful applicant will be required to sign the Acceptance of Grant document which will include the amount of funding, timeline of start and end of project, reporting terms, and grant acquittal form to be returned at end of project.

●     If the project is not started within 4 months of receiving the grant, then the funding will be forfeited

●     Any funding not used at the end of the project will need to be returned to SISEAP. 

●     The applicant will need to provide the amount of financial, donations or in kind which will be contributed by the applicant. 

Reporting
The successful applicant will need to report to the SISEAP Federation Project Liaison who in turn will report to the Board. 

The Progress Narrative report will be submitted quarterly, which will include an expense sheet, and photographic evidence of progress. 

During the project, images will be used for promotional purposes, website and social media, permission will need to be obtained to use these images. 

During the project, the SISEAP communications team and the programme team will reach out to you to provide, good news stories which can be used throughout the project for publicity

 Within 3 months of the close of the project the applicant must submit a close out report which identifies among others:

●     Acquittal Details 

●     Project Details

●     Activity Summary

●     Key Learnings

●     Sustainability of Impacts

●     Financials with receipts

●     Any variations and why?

●     Proof of purchase for the expenditure, other receipts or bank statements

●     Confirmation that project took place i.e. photographs etc

●     Any public acknowledgement of the project e.g. links to social media, website, copies of press releases, e-newsletter or media coverage

●     Evidence SISEAP branding was used and recognised throughout the project. 

How to apply?
You will need to complete the application form, to complete the application form you will need to be logged onto your club, or national presidents SISEAP email account, reason is that you need to be able to upload supporting documentation.    The Programme Team will judge each of the applications for the current round. 

How will the application be assessed?
The applications will be judged on a weighted response to the questions in the application form. The Programme Team will review each application and mark accordingly. 

Members should read the following documents before proceeding with their application.   

Remember that the programme team members are ready to assist you with any enquiries or help with the application process. 

Note:  You will need to log onto the members area to download the documents. 

pdf (273 KB)

document (232 KB)

pdf SISEAP Policy for Working with Vulnerable Persons(186 KB)

document SISEAP Vulnerable persons incident reporting template(162 KB)

pdf Brilliant Futures guidelines Document(273 KB)

document SISEAP BFF Grant Agreement v1(232 KB)

document Brilliant Futures Fund example of Application Form V3(2.80 MB)

document Brilliant Futures Progress Narrative Report v3 October 2024(164 KB)

document Brilliant Futures Fund Final Acquittal Form v3 October 2024(154 KB)

pdf SISEAP Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedures for External Conduct V1(222 KB)

pdf SISEAP Anti fraud and anti corruption policy v1(175 KB)

pdf SISEAP Risk Assessment for Working with Vulnerable Persons(243 KB)

default Brilliant Futures fund link to online application form

Review the benefits delivered by previous winners of the fund.   Each project has delivered life changing benefits to the women and girls.