History of Commissions for Women
From Global to Local
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women - UN CSW
The movement to establish Commissions for Women in the U.S. can be traced back to 1946 when the United Nations created the Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW), at the urging of First Lady and human rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt.
The UN CSW has become the principal global body exclusively dedicated to promoting gender equality and the rights and the empowerment of women today. The work of the UN CSW has led to several key treaties including CEDAW and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Eleanor Roosevelt was pivotal in the early work of the UN CSW, advocating for women to have an active political role on the world’s stage and calling for gender equality in politics, economics, and society, cementing her legacy as a human rights champion and diplomatic leader.
The Commission Movement in the United States
In 1961 President Kennedy established the President's Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), modeled after the UN CSW. He appointed Eleanor Roosevelt as Chair; and Esther Peterson, the Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, as Vice Chair. When the PCSW issued its "American Women" in 1963 report, it became clear that much needed to be done in the states and localities before women achieved their basic rights.
One of the central recommendations in the report was that each state form a similar commission on the status of women. In 1962 Michigan became the first state to establish a Commission on the Status of Women and it was soon followed by many others. Most were by executive order; today, most CSW’s are legislatively mandated.
The History of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW)
National and regional conferences were organized for Commissions on the Status of Women throughout the 1960’s. In the late '60s, the Women's Bureau stepped in and sponsored the Annual National Conference of Commissions. In 1970 the commissions, by mutual agreement, formed their own organization, the Interstate Association of Commissions for Women (IACSW).
In the early '70s, the movement for local commissions gained momentum, starting with local commissions in Wisconsin and Iowa. The IACSW continued annual meetings from 1969-1975. In 1975 the bylaws were changed and the IACSW became the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW), which expanded to include city and county commissions.
In the past 50 years, the number of state and regional CSW’s (and Commissions for Women) has grown to over 200, and the NACW continues its mission to serve, support and advocate for every commission to fulfill its mission to advocate for policies that promote women’s rights and gender equity in economics, social, cultural, civil, political and legal society.
The NACW continues to grow and serve the ecosystems of CSWs, by providing a platform and network to support your commission and commissioners. Please join our community by attending an upcoming NACW event, signing up for our communications and social media or even applying to join our Board of Directors!
Invitation to join the movement!
​The NACW continues to grow and serve the ecosystems of CSWs, by providing a platform and network to support your commission and commissioners. Please join our community by attending an upcoming NACW event, signing up for our communications and social media or even applying to join our Board of Directors!