UN Commission on the Status of Women Focuses on Justice for Women and Girls Amidst Global Crises

UNITED NATIONS, March 17, 2026 – The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) convened at UN Headquarters in New York, bringing together global leaders, gender equity advocates, and youth representatives to address critical challenges to justice, equality, and representation for women and girls worldwide. This year’s session prioritized “ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” focusing on dismantling discriminatory laws and structural barriers that hinder their full participation in legal systems and society.

Agreed Conclusions and Member State Debate

The Commission adopted its Agreed Conclusions on March 9, emphasizing improvements in access to justice for women and girls. The process involved spirited discussions among member states, with some countries – including the United States, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Russia – proposing modifications to language supporting gender equity reforms and revisiting previous agreements. These efforts faced significant opposition from other member states, who argued that such changes would undermine years of progress. The Chair of the CSW preserved core elements of past agreements whereas incorporating progressive changes.

Pushback on Gender Equality Provisions

During the adoption of the outcome document, the U.S. Attempted to halt the changes, citing “controversial” and “ideological” issues. This effort failed to gain widespread support, with only the U.S. Voting in favor of maintaining the status quo. Egypt and Nigeria called for a delay in the voting process to allow for further negotiations. Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, stated that the adoption of Agreed Conclusions safeguarding gender equality standards was “a powerful signal that global commitments still matter and that attempts to turn back the clock will not go unchallenged.” UN Geneva

Persistent Inequalities and Global Crises

Despite progress, significant inequalities persist. Women currently hold only approximately 64 percent of the legal rights afforded to men, and discriminatory laws and patriarchal norms continue to impede progress towards justice. UN.org These disparities are particularly acute in conflict zones, where women and girls face increased risks of violence, displacement, and exclusion from opportunities and decision-making.

UN Women Executive Director Highlights the Importance of Justice

UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous emphasized the far-reaching consequences of denying justice to women and girls. “When women and girls are denied justice, the damage goes far beyond any single case: it impacts the remarkably fabric of our societies and good governance. Public trust erodes, institutions lose legitimacy, and the rule of law itself is weakened. A justice system that fails half the population cannot claim to uphold justice at all,” she stated at the opening of CSW70. UN Geneva

Escalating Threats to Women’s Rights

Legal protections against discrimination and exploitation are eroding, and female human rights defenders are increasingly under attack. Sexual and reproductive health rights are also being curtailed. The UN has reported an 87 percent increase in cases of conflict-related sexual violence in the past two years. Women and children in conflict zones continue to bear the heaviest burdens of violence and displacement, with the number of women and girls living within 50 kilometers of deadly conflict at its highest level in decades.

Voices from the Frontlines: A Ukrainian Activist’s Perspective

Anna, a 20-year-traditional Ukrainian activist and member of the UNICEF Global Girl Leaders Advisory Group, shared her experiences with the Commission. Displaced from her home near the Ukrainian border due to the conflict, Anna highlighted the challenges faced by women and girls in times of war. She noted that women often become pillars of their communities, taking on increased responsibilities while facing persistent inequalities.

Anna emphasized the disproportionate impact of conflict on women’s access to education and employment. In Ukraine, roughly 32 percent of women aged 20-24 and nearly 49 percent of women aged 25-29 are without access to education, employment, or training, compared to approximately 16.4 percent and 12.2 percent of men in the same age groups. She also spoke to the psychological toll of conflict, describing the constant anxiety and fear experienced by women and girls living near conflict zones.

Global Statistics and Calls for Action

A UN report indicates that nearly 54 percent of surveyed countries lack laws correlating rape with consent, and roughly 75 percent permit the forced marriage of a girl child. 44 percent of countries do not guarantee equal pay for women and girls. It is estimated that it could take 286 years to eliminate these gaps.

Sima Bahous concluded, “The justice women and girls deserve, that is theirs by right, cannot wait. We must collectively pursue it, here at the United Nations, in our national laws and policies, in your court rooms and traditional justice mechanisms. In doing so, we must engage all of society, including men and boys and young people, to contribute to our collective effort for equality.”