The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank Group, UNICEF-Innocenti are hosting two powerful sessions at CSW69 ­–co-sponsored by the Swedish and Philippine government– to mark 30 years since the Beijing Declaration, reflecting on three decades of advancing evidence and driving research on violence against women and violence against children that sparks real change.

The two sessions will critically analyse how far research, policy, and advocacy have come in understanding the scale, causes, and consequences of VAW. It will also assess the strides made in identifying what works to prevent it and outline what is still required to build a robust, sustainable gender-based violence response and prevention data and evidence building ecosystem.

With a focus on evidence-based approaches, this panel will bring together experts and practitioners to explore the intersection of research, policy, and advocacy. The discussions will address transformative advancements, ongoing barriers, and emerging opportunities for advancing VAW data and evidence, ultimately envisioning a future where evidence drives impactful interventions and systemic change.

Sessions at CSW69: Dates, Times and Locations

Session 1
Date: Thursday 20 March 2025
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Location: Conference Room 9, UN Conference Building, NY
Access: UN Grounds Pass required. Register here.

Session 2
Date: Friday 21 March 2025
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Salvation Army Auditorium
Access: Open to all registered CSW attendees with capacity for 450 people.

Panel Highlights

During the sessions, key experts in the field will:

📊 Progress & Breakthroughs: How research, data, policy, and public awareness have evolved in tackling VAW.

💡 Lessons That Matter: What’s working in prevention, and how we scale and sustain real change.

🚧 Breaking Barriers: Tackling the biggest challenges, such as underfunded research, knowledge gaps, and the struggle to turn evidence into action.

🛤️ Shaping the Future: Envisioning a world where decision-makers drive bold, evidence-based interventions that make a lasting impact.

Proposed Panel of Experts

Session 1 (Thursday 20 March 2025)

Opening remarks: Charlotta Schlyter, ECOSOC Ambassador, Sweden.

Overview of the state of the field: Avni Amin, Unit Head, Rights and equality across the life course, WHO

Panel Discussion Participants

• Annette Baleda, Chief Gender and Development Specialist, Philippine Commission on Women
• Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
• Diana Arango, Senior Gender Specialist, World Bank Group
• Suzanne Duryea, Principal Economist, Inter-American Development Bank
• Alessandra Guedes, Gender and Development Manager, UNICEF Innocenti
• Shalini Joshi, Program Director (Larger World), Meedan

Facilitator:  Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI

Session 2 (Friday 21 March 2025)

Overview of the state of the field: Avni Amin, Unit Head, Rights and equality across the life course, WHO

Panel Discussion Participants

• Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI
• Diana Arango, Senior Gender Specialist, World Bank Group
• Alessandra Guedes, Gender and Development Manager, UNICEF Innocenti
• Shalini Joshi, Program Director (Larger World), Meedan

Facilitator:  Ayesha Mago, Global Advocacy Director, SVRI

Why Are These Sessions Important?

These events offer a unique opportunity to critically reflect on 30 years of progress in addressing violence against women, drawing on diverse expertise and perspectives. The two sessions will inspire fresh dialogue, foster cross-sector collaboration, and ignite actionable momentum to strengthen the evidence base and its practical application.

Together, we aim to shape a future where evidence drives impactful interventions, creating lasting change and advancing global efforts to end violence against women. This is not just a reflection on the past—it is a blueprint for the next 30 years of progress.