During the CSW64 Chair Briefing on 2 March 2020, the decision was made by the Commission to scale down its two-week session, which also marked the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It convened on 9 March for a procedural meeting where a political declaration was adopted.
Koek with NGO CSW/NY colleagues at the UN General Assembly Hall at the scaled-down CSW64.
Despite the circumstances, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY) organized a virtual NGO CSW64 Forum Consultation Day on 16 March and virtual Conversation Circle Space workshop on 23 March, which drew over 1,700 registrants in total. As Vice Chair of the NGO CSW/NY and Co-chair of the Conversation Circles Space, Ivy Koek of SGI served as moderator for both. Feminist and women’s activists’ resilience was demonstrated. The virtual meetings engaged many participants through the chat box and small group breakouts. The Committee received emails of appreciation for organizing the events.