At CSW 70, Global Reproductive Rights Face Progress and Pushback

Seventy years after its inception, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) remains a pivotal global forum dedicated to advancing women’s rights and empowerment. Established by the nascent United Nations, the CSW convenes annually in March, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, activists, and experts to assess progress, identify persistent challenges, and reaffirm commitments to achieving gender equality worldwide. This year’s 70th session, CSW70, held from March 9th to 19th, placed a critical spotlight on the imperative of ensuring and strengthening access to justice for women and girls, a cornerstone of the Center for Reproductive Rights’ advocacy. As a preeminent legal advocacy organization, the Center played a crucial role, offering counsel to Member States during negotiation processes and spearheading and participating in a series of events focused on legal reform and the expansion of access to justice within the realm of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The global reach of the Center’s commitment was evident as colleagues from across the world converged for CSW70. Among them were Elsy Sainna, Associate Director for Advocacy and External Relations for Africa; Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia, Senior Advocacy Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Kiefer Kofman, Global Advocacy Advisor. Their collective expertise and regional insights were instrumental in shaping discussions and driving the agenda forward.

The significance of the CSW in the protracted struggle for global SRHR cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital platform for confronting emerging threats and contributing to the evolution of legal and policy frameworks. Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia articulated this, stating, "It’s a key space to shape global norms on gender issues, including SRHR. At a time of growing backlash, it allows us not only to defend existing commitments, but to push forward new standards—creating new entry points to advance rights across contexts." This sentiment underscores the dual role of the CSW: a defensive bastion against regression and a proactive engine for progress.

Kiefer Kofman further elaborated on the CSW’s foundational importance, highlighting its role in monitoring the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA). "It also monitors progress and gaps in the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA), a roadmap for advancing women’s rights which all countries have committed to. The adopted outcome at the end of annual CSW sessions represents a renewed agreement from every country to accelerate the implementation of the BDPfA and advance the human rights of all women and girls, including SRHR." The BDPfA, a landmark document adopted by 189 governments, remains the most progressive blueprint ever to advance women’s rights. Its comprehensive agenda covers critical areas such as poverty, education, health, violence against women, and institutional mechanisms. The annual review at the CSW serves as a crucial accountability mechanism, ensuring that the commitments made in Beijing are not forgotten but actively pursued.

The Pervasive Threats to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

The current landscape of SRHR is marked by a concerning resurgence of attacks, both overt and insidious. Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia detailed the tangible manifestations of this rollback: "SRHR is being undermined through very tangible rollbacks, such as the criminalization of abortion, the prosecution of women and girls for obstetric emergencies, and increasing restrictions that make services harder to access in practice. We are also seeing attempts to reinterpret and weaken established standards in international human rights law. At the same time, anti-rights actors are actively working to influence laws, policies, and public discourse at the national level to roll back protections and limit autonomy." This multifaceted assault involves not only legislative restrictions but also a concerted effort to dismantle established legal interpretations and influence public opinion.

Elsy Sainna underscored the ideological underpinnings of these attacks: "These are intentional attacks on constitutional and legal guarantees and safeguards, fueled by misinformation and disinformation attributed to conservative and religious ideologies." The weaponization of information and the exploitation of deeply held beliefs represent a significant challenge to the universal acceptance of SRHR as fundamental human rights.

Kiefer Kofman provided a stark example of these coordinated efforts at the UN level. "Conservative states, with the support of anti-rights groups, are also attempting to undermine long-standing international commitments on gender equality and SRHR and to challenge long-accepted terminology and concepts. At the UN earlier this year, we saw attempts to entirely remove the phrase ‘sexual and reproductive health’ from a resolution on children’s rights—a bid to erase a fundamental aspect of health and well-being to fit an extremist agenda." The deliberate erasure of crucial terminology signals a strategic attempt to undermine the very framework of SRHR.

Furthermore, Kofman pointed to specific instances of obstructionism during CSW70 itself. "At CSW, the United States introduced unprecedented amendments and a last-minute resolution that would have weakened commitments on gender equality and human rights." This action, particularly noteworthy given the United States’ historical role in championing human rights, signaled a concerning shift and a challenge to the established multilateral consensus. The isolation of the U.S. as the sole Member State to vote against the adoption of the CSW outcome document served as a powerful rebuke, underscoring the international community’s commitment to human rights and multilateralism over what was perceived as extremism.

Navigating the Path Forward: Strategies for Progress

In the face of these formidable challenges, the Center for Reproductive Rights and its allies are steadfast in their commitment to advancing SRHR. The strategy involves a multi-pronged approach, combining advocacy, legal action, and robust engagement with international mechanisms.

Kiefer Kofman emphasized the ongoing dedication to ensuring SRHR’s recognition within the UN system: "We will continue to be relentless in ensuring SRHR are recognized as fundamental human rights across the UN system." This commitment extends to holding Member States accountable for their obligations under international human rights law. The success in isolating the U.S. at CSW70 demonstrated the power of collective action in resisting regressive agendas.

Elsy Sainna highlighted the importance of reminding states of their existing obligations, particularly within regional frameworks: "Through constructive engagements and dialogue, we intend to remind states of their obligations to protect, promote and fulfill the SRHR standards contained in international and regional human rights norms & standards to which the majority of states are party, including regional treaties like the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol)." The Maputo Protocol, adopted in 2003, is a landmark human rights instrument that explicitly addresses the rights of women in Africa, including comprehensive reproductive health services. Its existence provides a strong legal basis for advocacy within the African continent.

Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia outlined the Center’s integrated strategy: "We move forward by combining strategies: holding states accountable to existing commitments, continuing our work to advance stronger legal standards through litigation and advocacy, and supporting local actors to use these tools in practice. Ultimately, it’s about remembering everything that the movement has achieved so far—gains that endure despite rollback attempts—and continuing to connect global norms with real change on the ground." This holistic approach recognizes that progress is achieved through a combination of international advocacy, strategic litigation to establish new legal precedents, and empowering grassroots organizations to leverage these advancements in their local contexts.

The Center’s work at CSW70 was emblematic of this broader mission. By advising Member States, participating in crucial side events, and engaging in robust diplomatic efforts, they aimed to solidify and expand commitments to SRHR. The events hosted and participated in by the Center provided vital spaces for experts and activists to strategize on reforming laws and expanding access to justice for SRHR. These discussions are critical for translating global commitments into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls.

A Chronicle of Progress Amidst Adversity

The journey towards universal SRHR is a long and often arduous one, marked by periods of significant advancement and frustrating setbacks. The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, despite the challenges posed by anti-rights forces, served as a potent reminder of the global community’s enduring dedication to sexual and reproductive health and rights. The collective voice of nations and advocates present reaffirmed that the fight for these fundamental rights is far from over.

Recent legal victories offer tangible evidence that progress, even in the face of fierce opposition, is not only possible but is actively occurring. The groundbreaking decision in Celia Ramos v. Peru by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which recognized reproductive violence as a form of gender-based discrimination, represents a significant legal precedent with far-reaching implications for accountability and justice across the Americas. This ruling reinforces the understanding that denying reproductive healthcare can constitute a violation of human rights.

Similarly, the case of Violet Zulu in Zambia, a single mother who was unjustly jailed for obtaining an abortion, culminating in her eventual release, highlights the crucial role of legal advocacy in rectifying grave injustices. These victories, alongside numerous others achieved through strategic litigation and persistent advocacy, demonstrate the resilience of the SRHR movement and its capacity to effect real change on the ground.

As the Center for Reproductive Rights and its partners depart from CSW70, they carry with them not only the lessons learned and the strategies forged but also a renewed sense of purpose. The commitment to holding states accountable, advancing stronger legal standards, and empowering local actors remains unwavering. The upcoming 71st session of the CSW will undoubtedly present new challenges and opportunities, but the momentum generated at this year’s session provides a strong foundation for continued advocacy. In the interim, the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights continues, fueled by the knowledge that progress, however incremental, is being made, and that the global community, when united, can effectively counter attempts to roll back hard-won freedoms. The fight for SRHR is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Center and its allies are committed to running the race with unwavering resolve until equality and justice prevail for all.