Justice must work for all women and girls, and for every generation: Six key takeaways from CSW70

Date: Thursday, 9 April 2026

Scenes from the opening of the Seventieth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) held in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters on 9 March 2026. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

The largest United Nations convening dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights, the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) concluded, but its echoes continue to resonate. High-level representatives from Europe and Central Asia region came together to reaffirm their commitment to women’s rights and shed light on future initiatives aimed at tackling the justice gap for women and girls across the life course. UN Women captured key insights from five Member States and here are some main takeaways.

"During the CSW70, it was reaffirmed that ensuring equal opportunities and access to justice for women and girls is only possible through the implementation of comprehensive and consistent policies. Progress depends not only on legislative reforms, but also on their effective enforcement and the strengthening of gender-responsive institutions.
Looking ahead, one of our key priorities is to continue taking consistent steps to eliminate discriminatory norms affecting women and girls, while expanding access to social protection and essential services in close cooperation with international partners. Our goal is clear: to further improve the justice system so that every woman and girl can fully exercise her rights and benefit from effective and accessible justice mechanisms."
— Arsen Torosyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Armenia

Arsen Torosyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Armenia

“One key takeaway from CSW70 is the importance of strengthening legal and institutional mechanisms that ensure women’s rights are protected in practice, including equal access to justice. While many countries have made significant progress in adopting gender equality commitments, the next step is effective implementation through national legislation, independent courts, and responsive institutions. In Kazakhstan, constitutional and legal reforms are part of this effort. Ensuring that women and girls can fully exercise their rights, including through accessible justice systems, will remain essential for advancing gender equality and inclusive development.”
— Elvira Azimova, Chair of the Constitutional Court, Kazakhstan

Elvira Azimova, Chair of the Constitutional Court, Kazakhstan

“At the UN tribune, with a profound sense of pain and responsibility, I spoke for all the women who suffer in silence. Meaningful access to justice requires coordinated efforts from police, prosecutors, courts, social protection systems, health services, local authorities, and civil society.
I am proud that the Republic of Moldova ranked seventh place among 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, with a record 40 per cent of women in Parliament. We aim to lead by example, not because we are perfect, but because we are committed to learning, reforming, and acting with determination. Even a small country facing multiple crises can make bold choices to protect women, advance equality, and build strong institutions.”
— Doina Gherman, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Republic of Moldova

Doina Gherman, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Republic of Moldova

“During CSW70, we reaffirmed Serbia’s strong commitment to advancing gender equality. Through high-level interventions, bilateral engagements, and participation in diverse side events, we underscored the importance of cross-country collaboration and strengthening institutions that support women’s empowerment.
We also highlighted how partnerships are key to addressing violence against women and promoting inclusive policies, aligning national priorities with global efforts led by UN Women.”
— Tatjana Macura, Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women and economic and political empowerment of women, Serbia

Tatjana Macura, Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women and economic and political empowerment of women, Serbia

"The main takeaway from CSW70 is that justice for women and girls must be at the center of global efforts, particularly in conflict settings. Ukraine’s delegation placed strong emphasis on ensuring accountability for crimes committed as a result of the Russian Federation’s armed aggression, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Furthermore, the international community must amplify the voices of survivor-led networks, such as the "Sema Ukraine", "Numo Sisters", "29 December" and "Alumni". These networks are not just recipients of aid; they are powerful agents of change, actively advocating on the international stage to ensure that the response to CRSV is survivor-centered and that justice is not delayed.

Upholding international law, including UN Security Council resolutions, is not optional — it is essential. There can be no sustainable peace without justice, accountability, and equal rights for all."
— Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Ukraine

Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Ukraine

“CSW70 reminded us that, even in a complex global context, there is still a strong collective commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment. The key takeaway is the need to come together to move forward through exchange, engagement, and shared solutions. Advancing women’s access to justice requires building bridges. It is through partnerships and collaboration across governments, civil society, private sector, academia, all actors, as well as generations, that we can translate commitments into real change in the lives of women and girls.”
— Maryse Guimond, UN Women Türkiye Country Director

Maryse Guimond, UN Women Türkiye Country Director

From 9 - 19 March, governments, civil society, UN entities, and partners convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York for CSW70 to advance policies, financing, and accountability for gender equality worldwide.

A powerful set of Agreed Conclusions was adopted by broad consensus, reinforcing global commitments to gender equality and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. Through this negotiated outcome, global leaders reaffirmed that access to justice is a transformative force for women and girls, which advances equality and non-discrimination, protects against violence and abuse, and strengthens trust in institutions.

Key highlights of the Agreed Conclusions include the recognition of community justice workers and paralegals as integral parts of national justice ecosystems, helping to expand the justice workforce and support women and girls in navigating both formal and traditional justice systems; introducing new intergovernmental language calling for transitional and international justice mechanisms to be gender-responsive, survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and adequately resourced; underscoring the need for a whole-of-society approach to justice reform, recognizing civil society, including feminist groups, as essential partners with expertise in addressing barriers to justice such as discriminatory social norms; and positioning access to justice for women and girls as a cross-cutting governance priority, with commitments to integrate justice considerations into economic, social, labour, environmental, and peace and security frameworks at national, regional, and global levels.