Scheduled from 9 to 19 March 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) will focus on ensuring access to justice for all women and girls.
As International Women’s Day and the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women approach, experts and activists gathered under the SHE & Rights initiative are calling for immediate action to guarantee gender equality and stronger recognition of the rights of older persons.
Organized as a prelude to major international milestones in March 2026, this dialogue session examined the intersecting issues of health, human rights, and ageing, while taking stock of ongoing global discussions. The exchanges echoed the Intergovernmental Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) held in Thailand, as well as the Youth Forum and the People’s Forum meetings organized this month.
The meeting took place in an international context marked by anticipated reforms and provided an opportunity to review the first session of the Intergovernmental Working Group tasked with drafting a legally binding instrument for the promotion and protection of the rights of older persons—an initiative considered a major step forward in recognizing a group often overlooked in public policies.
This session also marks the 20th anniversary of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a key mechanism of the international human rights system aimed at assessing States’ commitments.
Distinguished voices from research, activism, and public health participated in the discussions, including Sai Jyothirmai Racherla of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Shiphrah Belonguel of Fòs Feminista, Professor Emerita Rashidah Shuib of REHAK (Kelantan Reproductive Health Association), and Shobha Shukla of CNS, coordinator of SHE & Rights and an advocate within the Development Justice for Older Persons initiative.
Discussions emphasized the urgent need to fully integrate older persons—particularly women—into health, social protection, and justice policies, in order to address the multiple forms of discrimination linked to age and gender.
CSW70, a decisive gathering for women’s rights, will take place from 9 to 19 March 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session will prioritize access to justice for all women and girls.
This edition aims to promote inclusive legal systems, eliminate discriminatory laws, and strengthen the protection of fundamental rights.
The main theme selected this year “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls by eliminating structural barriers and discriminatory practices”—aligns with the message of International Women’s Day 2026:
The stated objective is to concretely assess women’s participation in decision-making while accelerating efforts to eliminate violence and persistent inequalities.
The SHE & Rights session is jointly organized by several international networks, including the Women’s Rights Caucus, the Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Women Deliver (2026 edition), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), the Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health, Gender and Development Justice (APCAT Media), and Development Justice for Older Persons.
By bringing together Member States, UN agencies, and mobilizing international civil society collectively, CSW70 is seen as a decisive test for equality before the law in a global context marked. Babacar Sene Journal Agropasteur