The Agreed Conclusions Process Explained
Download PDF version: https://www.outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/AGuideAgreedConclusions.pdf
The Agreed Conclusions are the primary output document of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The Agreed Conclusions are negotiated in an inter-governmental process between UN Member States. Most of the negotiations occur during the second week of CSW, although important parts of the process occur in the lead up as well. The final document includes an analysis of the CSW priority theme and a set of concrete recommendations on gender justice and equality for governments, intergovernmental bodies and other institutions, civil society actors and other relevant stakeholders to be implemented at the international, national, regional and local level.
As civil society, it can be hard to understand the process of coming to the Agreed Conclusions because much of it happens behind closed doors in spaces that restrict access and participation of civil society. This document aims to clarify the process as well as show you where you can influence the outcome.
Advocacy Entry Points and Useful Tips
Release of
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What Is It? The UN Women Expert Group report and the Secretary General’s report are created to inform the development of the Agreed Conclusions (AC) by providing an evidence base for the CSW priority theme. This guides the development of the zero draft and the way in which UN Member States negotiate on the theme. Advocacy Entry Points
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Zero Draft
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What Is It? The ‘zero draft’ of the AC is the UN term for the initial draft of the AC. It is generally drafted by UN Women and is based on the UN Secretary’s Report on the priority theme. Most of the zero draft is quoted language from other UN texts. Negotiations on the language begin using this text as a starting point. Governments submit written comments directly to the CSW facilitator (this year the facilitator is Colombia) either within regional groups or as individual countries. The comments are compiled into a second document, which results in the first revision of the Agreed Conclusions also known as ‘Rev. 1’. Each subsequent formal revision of the draft is referred to as Rev 2. Rev 3., Rev 4. - etc… Advocacy Entry Points
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First Reading
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What Is It? The first reading of the AC, now in the Rev 1 version, is a closed in person negotiation on the text. A closed negotiation means the meeting is not open to general civil society. During these negotiations, the facilitator generally identifies areas of agreement. Advocacy Entry Points
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Revisions and
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What Is It? The formal CSW negotiation on the AC begins on March 22. These negotiations remain closed and therefore restricted to general civil society. Only civil society who are formally appointed to their governments delegations are permitted to observe. At this point all language suggestions are debated in an attempt to reach consensus. If consensus is reached the facilitator streamlines the language and produces the final document. If consensus is not reached in the general session, mediated negotiation in small groups occurs. Advocacy Entry Points
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Published on March 30, 2018 | OutRight Action International an LGBT human rights organization