Speech: The headwinds are strong, but our shared resolve to advance women’s rights is stronger
Closing remarks by UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, at the Commission on the Status of Women at its 70th Session (CSW70), at the UN Headquarters, on 19 March 2026.
[As delivered.]
As always, this Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) sent a strong message to the women and girls of the world: their right to justice matters, and discriminatory laws and practices have no place in legal systems, policies or institutions.
The past two weeks have witnessed yet again the energy, the determination, and the passion of all of you, delegates and civil society, who bring the Commission to life.
You have done this, in the face of many challenges, because of our shared belief in one fundamental truth: gender equality and women’s rights are the foundation on which our peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable development ambitions rely.
Without women’s equal, meaningful participation, without their equal access to justice, to economic opportunity, to a life free from violence, without their leadership in governments, the private sector, in peace negotiations—our nations will not progress. Reaffirming this very simple truth, pushing it forward through agreed conclusions, is the purpose of this Commission—and you rose to the challenge.
My deepest thanks to our dear Chair, Her Excellency Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde and to all the Vice-Chairs: Ms. Andreea Mocanu of Romania, Ms. Samah Dbouk of Lebanon, and special thanks to Vice-Chairs Mr. Noah Oehri of Liechtenstein and Ms. Flavia Umulisa of Rwanda for facilitating the Agreed Conclusions. I know their efforts are appreciated by every one of you.
This CSW70 Bureau served as an inspiration, showing leadership in action during a critical time for the Commission. Together, you led the first session of the revitalized CSW.
I thank you, Member States, for your continued support to UN Women, as we support you and work with you to implement your national priorities and gender equality ambitions.
My thanks also to the UN Women team, who work tirelessly, every day, here in New York, and around the world, to advance gender equality, and the rights and empowerment of all women and girls.
UN Women’s impact is measured in lives lived, in lives changed, in laws that protect, economies that are inclusive, and peace processes shaped by women’s leadership. From development to conflict settings, we see progress where women and girls are no longer left behind but leading forward.
I would also like to recognize our sister entities across the United Nations system for their active engagement throughout this session and always on gender equality and women’s empowerment. This is our collective effort also in the context of UN80, as we work towards a stronger, coherent, and well-funded gender equality architecture at the heart of the UN system.
Our collective focus must remain on the women and girls across crisis contexts. They pay the highest price, from Afghanistan to Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, Ukraine, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, and as we speak now, across the Middle East. The long list is ever-growing. We hope that they will all soon find justice and peace. A return to the rule of law and respect for the UN Charter.
On the opening day of this Commission, you voted to adopt, by a majority, historic Agreed Conclusions. In doing so, your Agreed Conclusions placed women’s and girls’ access to justice firmly at the centre of the global gender equality agenda, recognizing that discriminatory laws and structural barriers—including harmful social norms—continue to fail women and girls, and the full realization of their rights.
You have urged governments to review discriminatory laws—from child marriage to family and property rights—and to strengthen measures to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, both online and offline.
You emphasized the need for accountability for perpetrators, timely and trauma-informed access to justice, and support services for survivors.
You have recognized the necessity of adequate financing and coordinated justice governance, including ensuring universal access to legal aid.
You delivered breakthrough language. For the first time, community justice workers and paralegals are specifically recognized as important actors who can expand women’s and girls’ access to justice. And women in detention and imprisonment are explicitly acknowledged, along with the gendered pathways that lead to their incarceration.
You have advanced gender-responsive transitional and international justice mechanisms and highlighted the potential of administrative reparations to deliver timely remedies to women and girls surviving conflict and crisis.
Your Conclusions champion a whole of society approach, recognizing civil society—especially feminist groups—as indispensable partners.
Together, you have taken a vital step toward justice that is truly for all women and girls.
UN Women looks forward to working with all of you to implement the Agreed Conclusions.
CSW70 marks the first session held since the adoption of ECOSOC resolution (2026/2) on the revitalization of this Commission. Delivering on revitalization, CSW70 reduced the text of the Agreed Conclusions to 10 pages, making them more focused. It also had three new additions to enrich the discussion: a multi‑stakeholder hearing; a high‑level meeting on violence against women and girls that brought together over 80 ministers; and a dedicated ministerial roundtable focused on the rights and empowerment of older women.
This CSW had 190 Member States represented, amongst them two Heads of State or Government and one Vice President, five Deputy Prime Ministers, and 75 Ministers. We also had the participation of over 4,600 nongovernmental organization representatives, and a total of 255 side events, organized by Member States, civil society, and the United Nations family.
In all spaces, civil society activists and leaders, young and older, made recommendations and called for bold measures to bring justice closer to the lives of all women and girls.
I thank you, and I salute you—for your passion, for your commitment, and for the hope that you always carry. The hope that carries us all as we all push forward, together. So, thank you very much to civil society and nongovernmental organizations.
This CSW has once again shown us that the headwinds against gender equality and women’s rights are strong, but it has also reminded us that our shared resolve to advance women’s rights is stronger. And together we will continue to face those headwinds.
UN Women’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and to our crucial triple mandate—will remain the unshakable ground on which we stand. Always.
We will continue to deliver on the promises of the Beijing Declaration to advance gender equality, and the rights and empowerment of all women and girls, in all their diversity, leaving no one behind. We will pursue access to justice for all women and girls. And we look forward to working with all of you to this end.
We also look forward to the seventy-first session of the Commission (CSW71) next year. The Commission’s priority theme will assess gender equality and women’s and girls’ human rights across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With 2030 approaching, no Goal 5 indicators have been fully met. CSW71 will review progress on the SDGs, identify required actions and accelerators to sustain momentum, and advance the Beijing Platform for Action.
This year sees you electing a new Secretary-General—perhaps the most consequential action in the history of these United Nations. I know all of us at UN Women, and I am sure many of you in this room, would be proud to open the Commission next year alongside a Madam Secretary-General.
As we leave this room, let us carry forward the voices, the evidence, and the urgency that shaped this session. The world is watching. Women and girls are counting on all of us. And together, we must—and we will—deliver.
For those who are celebrating Eid al-Fitr tomorrow—may it bring with it peace and hope for everyone.
I thank you.
