Students stand together to empower women at CSW69

Seventeen students from Utah Valley University (UVU), Osh Technological University, Fordham University and Indiana University advocated for mountain women and girls at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) from 10 - 14 March 2025. Their participation was guided by a student-led model developed with the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of UVU student clubs.  

The students hosted a hybrid event, “An inclusive student-engaged learning model to empower mountain women and girls,” on 10 March 2025. They showcased how the initiative enabled them to lead all aspects of their UN participation, including fundraising and service-learning projects that empower women and families through academic research and community engagement. 

On 11 March, UIMF President Janessa-Michelle Purcell led students in moderating a virtual side event, “The Kyrgyz Republic–State of Utah advocacy to empower mountain women and girls through ethically good student-centric education”. Hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations, the event featured speakers including Ambassador Aida Kasymalieva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations in New York, as well as academics from Osh Technological University and UVU. The event highlighted two decades of collaboration between Utah and the Kyrgyz Republic in advancing gender advocacy and sustainable mountain development. 

Since 2011, UIMF has engaged both traditional and non-traditional students in addressing challenges faced by mountain communities. The model promotes collaborative problem-solving, with faculty mentors guiding students. Non-traditional students over the age of 25 who balance education with work and family responsibilities play a key role in the initiative and their participation strengthens the model’s student-driven and inclusive nature, as they are directly connected to mountain communities and often face educational and economic disadvantages. 

A written statement (E/CN.6/2025/NGO/89) recognized the initiative’s impact, highlighting the UIMF's role in advocacy at CSW67, CSW68 and CSW69. Students also gained diplomatic skills by contributing to the CSW69 final document and engaging with Kyrgyz UN representatives. This group of youth advocates represents a powerful voice for the future of sustainable mountain development, helping to keep the challenges faced by mountain communities on the global agenda.