The Commission on the Status of Women was established in 1946, originally a commission by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It also served as a response to former US first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's speech during a UN General Assembly meeting, days before the committee was established, where she urged more women to partake in international and national issues. The committee focuses exclusively on women's suffrage, the promotion of gender equality, and the empowerment of women. In the first meeting, the duration of the committee was defined: "members considered that the work of the sub-commission should last until women had reached the point where they were on equal footing with men in all fields of human enterprise”. However, CSW's equality efforts continue today, addressing emerging issues regarding women's rights and privileges.