Focusing on Gender Equality: P.R.I.D.E. Makes Its Appearance at the 69th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

From March 10 to 21, 2025, the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) was held with great ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA. As one of the most important annual gatherings in the field of global gender equality, the session drew representatives from governments around the world, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as experts and scholars, who jointly explored how to advance gender equality and women's empowerment, injecting new momentum into the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. As a UN NGO, the Pacific Rim Institute for Development & Education (P.R.I.D.E.) responded actively and was invited to send a delegation to the session, contributing its wisdom and strength to the development of the global women's cause on the international stage.

The P.R.I.D.E. delegation was composed of Zhao Yuanhong, Director-General for the Asia-Pacific Region, Ou Jing, Secretary-General, together with senior experts and scholars within the organization and practitioners who have made outstanding contributions in the field of women's development. Specially invited to join the delegation were Huang Yao, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Federation of Shanghai-based Chambers of Commerce (Enterprises) from various regions, along with young female elites Zhan Yangyang and Huang Boling.

During the session, the P.R.I.D.E. delegation actively took part in various agenda items. In addition to the official agenda, the delegation also actively participated in the various side events and parallel activities held during the conference. On March 13, at an online parallel forum hosted by P.R.I.D.E. on “The Challenges Faced and Achievements Made by Young Women in Empowerment and Building Gender Equality,” the representatives presented the results of a series of projects carried out by P.R.I.D.E. in the Asia-Pacific region to promote women's development.

In addition, the Asia-Pacific Headquarters specially selected four representatives to attend the online meeting, including delegation member Huang Boling, a young female representative studying at Stanford University, Sheng Shuhan, a high school student at Shanghai Pinghe International School, Liu Xiaoying, a master's student at Shanghai Normal University, and Wang Yi, a professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, providing an outstanding platform for young women to have the opportunity to speak out on the international stage. The participants also engaged in in-depth exchanges with representatives from other countries and regions, sharing their experiences and lessons in the process of advancing gender equality and jointly exploring future directions and modes of cooperation. In the online meeting, Huang Boling delivered a keynote speech entitled “Breaking the Gender Double Standard: Ending the Invisible Demand for Women's Beauty,” which received unanimous praise from the experts in attendance.

P.R.I.D.E.'s attendance at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women was not only an opportunity to showcase the achievements and challenges of women's development in the Asia-Pacific region, but also an important step toward actively integrating into the global cause of gender equality. Through extensive exchanges and cooperation with the international community, P.R.I.D.E. will further promote the all-round development of women worldwide in education, the economy, society and other fields, and contribute even greater strength to achieving the goals of global gender equality and women's empowerment. In the future, P.R.I.D.E. will continue to pay attention to women's issues, carry out more fruitful projects and activities within the region, and help women around the world move toward a brighter tomorrow.