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) convened for its 70th session, a pivotal gathering that underscores the enduring commitment to advancing women’s rights and empowerment on a global scale. Established in the nascent years of the UN, the CSW has evolved into the foremost international intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to gender equality and the advancement of women. Each March, it serves as a critical forum where world leaders, policymakers, activists, and experts converge to assess progress, identify persistent challenges, and reaffirm their collective dedication to achieving gender parity.

The 70th session, officially designated CSW70 and held from March 9th to March 19th, 2026, placed a particular emphasis on the imperative of ensuring and strengthening women and girls’ access to justice. This focus directly aligns with the core mission of the Center for Reproductive Rights, a leading global legal advocacy organization. Throughout the negotiation process of the CSW70, the Center actively advised Member States, contributing its expertise to shape policy discussions. Furthermore, the organization hosted and participated in a series of high-profile events designed to explore and articulate robust strategies for reforming legal frameworks and expanding access to justice, particularly within the crucial context of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Delegations from the Center for Reproductive Rights, comprising seasoned advocates and legal experts from various regions, played a central role in these international deliberations. 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 presence and active participation highlighted the Center’s commitment to amplifying the voices and experiences of women and girls worldwide and translating global commitments into tangible progress.

The Enduring Significance of CSW in Advancing Reproductive Rights

The Commission on the Status of Women holds profound significance in the ongoing global struggle to secure sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Its unique position within the UN system provides an unparalleled platform for multifaceted advocacy and norm-setting.

Elsy Sainna articulated the vital role of CSW as a space to "surface and interrogate emerging SRHR threats, and to contribute to legal and policy discourse intended to hold the line and push back against regression." This sentiment underscores the Commission’s function not only as a forum for celebrating progress but also as a critical bulwark against the erosion of established rights.

Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia further elaborated on this, emphasizing CSW’s role as "a key space to shape global norms on gender issues, including SRHR." She highlighted that in an era marked by escalating backlash against these rights, the Commission offers a crucial opportunity "not only to defend existing commitments, but to push forward new standards—creating new entry points to advance rights across contexts." This forward-looking perspective is essential for navigating the complex and often contested landscape of reproductive rights.

Kiefer Kofman underscored the CSW’s function as a crucial monitoring mechanism. He noted its role in tracking progress and identifying gaps in the implementation of the landmark 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA). This foundational document, to which all UN Member States have committed, serves as a comprehensive roadmap for advancing women’s rights globally. The outcome documents adopted at the conclusion of each annual CSW session represent a renewed commitment from every nation to accelerate the BDPfA’s implementation, thereby advancing the human rights of all women and girls, including their SRHR.

The Pervasive Threats to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Despite decades of advocacy and significant legal advancements, SRHR remain under persistent and multifaceted attack across the globe. These threats manifest in both overt policy reversals and subtle attempts to undermine established legal and normative frameworks.

Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia detailed the tangible ways SRHR are being undermined. These include "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." Beyond these direct measures, she pointed to more insidious tactics: "attempts to reinterpret and weaken established standards in international human rights law." Furthermore, she noted the coordinated efforts of "anti-rights actors actively working to influence laws, policies, and public discourse at the national level to roll back protections and limit autonomy." This highlights a deliberate and strategic campaign to curtail reproductive freedoms.

Elsy Sainna characterized these actions as "intentional attacks on constitutional and legal guarantees and safeguards, fueled by misinformation and disinformation attributed to conservative and religious ideologies." This points to the ideological underpinnings of the anti-rights movement and its reliance on divisive narratives.

Kiefer Kofman provided a stark example of these challenges occurring within the UN system itself. He described how "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." He cited a recent instance where there were "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." At CSW70 itself, the United States introduced "unprecedented amendments and a last-minute resolution that would have weakened commitments on gender equality and human rights," a move that was met with significant opposition from a broad coalition of nations. This demonstrated a concerted effort to derail progress on gender equality and reproductive rights within the multilateral framework.

Charting a Path Forward: Strategies for Advancing SRHR

In the face of these escalating challenges, the Center for Reproductive Rights and its allies are employing a multi-pronged strategy to defend and advance SRHR globally. This strategy emphasizes accountability, legal reform, and sustained advocacy at both international and national levels.

Kiefer Kofman highlighted the Center’s unwavering commitment to ensuring SRHR are recognized as fundamental human rights within the UN system. He recounted the Center’s active role during CSW70 as part of the Women’s Rights Caucus, working to ensure Member States prioritized SRHR in the outcome document and resisted the regressive amendments proposed by the U.S. He noted the significant diplomatic isolation of the U.S., which was the sole Member State to vote against the adoption of the CSW outcome document, sending a powerful message that human rights and the multilateral system must prevail over extremism. The Center remains committed to its mission of ensuring SRHR are universally recognized and that Member States uphold their international legal obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill these rights.

Elsy Sainna emphasized the importance of constructive engagement and dialogue. "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," she stated. She specifically referenced regional instruments like the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), underscoring the diverse legal tools available to advance reproductive justice.

Maria Cecilia Ibanez Garcia outlined a comprehensive approach that combines accountability with proactive legal and advocacy efforts. "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," she explained. She stressed the importance of drawing strength from past achievements: "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 sentiment captures the resilience and long-term vision inherent in the fight for reproductive rights.

Looking Towards CSW71 and Beyond

Despite the significant pushback and attempts to undermine progress, CSW70 served as a vital affirmation that the global community remains deeply invested in sexual and reproductive health and rights. The session underscored the unwavering resolve of many nations and civil society organizations to defend these fundamental rights and to actively work towards their realization.

Recent legal victories further bolster this optimistic outlook. The groundbreaking Celia Ramos v. Peru decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which recognized reproductive violence as a form of gender-based discrimination, represents a significant advancement in legal jurisprudence. Similarly, the freeing of Violet Zulu, a single mother who faced imprisonment for obtaining an abortion in Zambia, illustrates the tangible impact of legal advocacy and the ongoing efforts to decriminalize abortion and ensure access to safe reproductive healthcare. These developments are powerful testaments to the fact that progress is not only attainable but is actively being achieved, even in the face of formidable opposition.

As the international community looks ahead to CSW71, the lessons learned and the strategies forged at CSW70 will undoubtedly inform and strengthen future advocacy efforts. The commitment to ensuring SRHR are recognized as fundamental human rights and are accessible to all women and girls remains a central tenet of the global pursuit of gender equality and social justice. The ongoing work at the UN, coupled with strategic litigation and on-the-ground activism, continues to drive meaningful change and to build a more just and equitable future. The fight for reproductive rights is a marathon, not a sprint, and the global community remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving its ultimate goals.