Research Guides: Women and Gender Equality: UN Documents & Organs

UN Publications on Gender Equality

UN Publications on Gender Equality
Find key UN publications on gender equality, and on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the UN Digital Library.
UN Books and Articles on Gender Equality
Browse the UN-iLibrary collection of books and articles on women and gender equality.

Key United Nations Documents

UN Reports and Studies on Women/Gender Equality
General Assembly (GA) Resolutions
GA Agenda Items (UN Women)
Security Council (SC) Resolutions
SC resolutions on women, peace and security: more information (UN Women)
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolutions
ECOSOC Agenda Items (UN Women)

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946. It is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women.

Multi-year programme of work of the Commission on the Status of Women - ECOSOC Resolutions

Commission on the Status of Women - Sessional Reports

Gender and the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW): A Quick Guide
Research guide by UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library

CSW social media: Facebook

World Conferences on Women
First (Mexico City, 1975) / Second (Copenhagen, 1980) / Third (Nairobi, 1985) /
Fourth (Beijing, 1995) : Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Read more about the Beijing and its follow-up (UN Women).

History of the Commission

Established by ECOSOC resolution E/RES/11(II) on 21 June 1946.

Read more about the History of the Commission on UN Women Watch.

UN Women

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women was created in July 2010, when the General Assembly voted unanimously to merge four distinct parts of the UN System that focused on gender equality and women's empowerment (A/RES/64/289)

UN Women Official Documents (in the UN Digital Library)

UN Women publications:

UN Women social media: Youtube / X / Facebook

UN Reference Works

Women’s rights in review 30 years after Beijing by UN-Women
ISBN: 9789211071771
Publication Date: 2025
This publication summarizes the UN Secretary-General’s report on the 30-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reflects global, regional, and national reviews of 159 countries, summarizing progress and priorities for further action.
Progress on the sustainable development goals : the gender snapshot 2024 by UN-Women; UN. Department of Economic and Social Affairs
ISBN: 9789211067248
Publication Date: 2024
This publication highlights new data and evidence on gender equality trends.
The United Nations and the Advancement of Women, 1945-1996
Call Number: DPI/1804 Location:UN Corner B.121
Publication Date: 1996, UN Blue Books Series ; no. 6
This comprehensive reference work chronicles the ground-breaking efforts of the United Nations in promoting recognition of women's fundamental human rights, codifying those rights in legally binding international agreements & fostering greater understanding of women's central role in peace-building & in economic & social development. Reproduced in this volume are more than 100 conventions, declarations & other key documents addressing political & family life, poverty, violence against women & equal access to education, employment & health care.
Women, Development, and the UN by Devaki Jain; Foreword by Amartya K. Sen
Call Number: 341.271:140 J255 Location:UN Corner B.121
Publication Date: 2005, UN Intellectual History Project
Synthesizing insights from the extensive literature on women and development and from her own broad experience, internationally noted development economist and activist Devaki Jain reviews the evolution of the UN's programs aimed at benefiting the women of developing nations and the impact of women's ideas about rights, equality, and social justice on UN thinking and practice regarding development. The book highlights the contributions of the four global women's conferences in Mexico City, Copenhagen, Nairobi, and Beijing in raising awareness, building confidence, spreading ideas, and creating alliances.