Securing Access to Justice for Women and Girls: A Global Celebration of Reproductive Rights Achievements

In commemoration of International Women’s Day and the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), a significant global initiative is highlighting pivotal advancements in ensuring access to justice for women and girls worldwide. This year’s observance, running from March 9th to March 19th at the United Nations, brings together a diverse coalition of human rights experts, policymakers, and advocates to assess progress, confront persistent challenges, and chart a course for future endeavors in gender equality. The Commission on the Status of Women serves as a critical annual forum for the international community to evaluate strides made in gender equality, identify obstacles hindering progress, and establish ambitious goals for the years ahead.

This year’s CSW session holds particular significance as it focuses on the intersection of women’s access to justice and their fundamental sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). While acknowledging the substantial progress achieved over the past seven decades, it remains evident that women and girls continue to encounter formidable barriers within legal systems globally. These impediments often hinder their ability to assert and realize their SRHR, underscoring the ongoing necessity for robust legal advocacy and systemic reform. In recognition of these ongoing efforts and recent triumphs, several key victories are being celebrated, demonstrating the profound impact of dedicated legal action.

Zambia: Freedom Won for a Mother Denied Legal Counsel

A landmark case in Zambia exemplifies the critical importance of legal representation and due process in upholding women’s rights. In 2024, Violet Zulu, a single mother of two and the sole provider for her family, was sentenced to a seven-year prison term. Her conviction stemmed from terminating a pregnancy she could not afford to sustain. The prohibitive cost of safe abortion services—equivalent to a month’s salary for Ms. Zulu—compelled her to seek care outside the formal healthcare system, leading to her arrest. During her 19-day detention, she was denied post-abortion care and contact with her children.

Zambia’s own Termination of Pregnancy Act permits abortion on broad socio-economic grounds, including circumstances where a woman’s situation would prevent her from raising a child. However, Ms. Zulu was convicted despite her lack of legal counsel and insufficient understanding of the charges against her. Recognizing the egregious violation of her right to justice, the Center intervened, filing an appeal on her behalf. In a resounding victory in January 2026, the High Court of Zambia overturned the lower court’s decision. The Court affirmed that Ms. Zulu’s sentencing and imprisonment without legal representation were unlawful and unjust. After two years of incarceration, Ms. Zulu has been reunited with her children. Her case powerfully illustrates the compounded effects of legal and socio-economic disadvantages and underscores the vital role of the legal framework in safeguarding women’s SRHR. The legal precedent set by this ruling is expected to have a far-reaching impact on similar cases within Zambia’s jurisdiction.

Nepal: Expanding Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Rights

In Nepal, a significant stride has been made in enhancing adolescent SRHR through policy reform and advocacy. A poignant case involving two adolescents in a rural village, whose consensual sexual activity led to public shaming, interrogation of their families, and financial penalties, highlighted the pervasive stigma and punitive legal frameworks surrounding adolescent sexuality in many parts of Asia. This environment fosters fear and silence, deterring young people from seeking crucial sexual and reproductive health information and services, thereby exacerbating issues such as unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

In response to a lawsuit filed in 2020 by the Center and its partners, Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population has adopted new guidelines specifically addressing adolescent SRHR. These guidelines are a crucial step toward reforming national policy and shifting societal attitudes. They establish standards for equitable, non-discriminatory, and adolescent-friendly services, promote community support, enhance health literacy among young people, and crucially, ensure the participation of adolescents in the development of laws and policies affecting them. Furthermore, the Center collaborated with the High Court Bar Association in Nepal to convene a high-level dialogue on the legal and social ramifications of the country’s current age of consent laws. This engagement aimed to garner support for legal reforms during a critical juncture in the process. The work undertaken in Nepal underscores a commitment to seeking justice for young individuals, advocating that they should not face criminalization for natural developmental processes and deserve dignity and autonomy over their sexual and reproductive choices. This initiative aligns with global efforts to destigmatize adolescent sexuality and promote comprehensive sexual education.

Poland: Upholding the Right to Abortion Amidst Restrictive Laws

Poland’s legal landscape concerning abortion has undergone significant challenges, culminating in a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that affirmed the rights of women denied timely access to care. In 2020, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal issued a decision that effectively created a near-total ban on abortion, removing one of the few remaining legal grounds for the procedure. This ruling sparked widespread protests and resulted in numerous women facing severe distress and harm due to the denial of essential medical services.

One such individual, identified as A.R., found herself in a precarious situation after becoming pregnant following the Tribunal’s ruling. Facing immense uncertainty about accessing legal abortion care within Poland, and fearing potential legal repercussions, she was compelled to travel abroad for the procedure. This necessitated her departure from her support network and the security of her home country, causing significant emotional and psychological distress. In November 2025, the European Court of Human Rights, in the case of A.R. v. Poland, ruled that this scenario constituted a violation of A.R.’s right to private and family life. A.R. was represented by legal counsel associated with the Foundation for Women and Family Planning in Poland (FEDERA), a key partner of the Center in the country. As part of the proceedings, the Center, alongside eight international human rights organizations, submitted extensive expert legal analysis and evidence detailing the human rights and public health implications of Poland’s highly restrictive abortion laws. This judgment is part of a growing body of decisions by international human rights bodies that have found Poland in violation of its obligations to guarantee access to abortion care. The ruling reinforces the principle that national laws must align with international human rights standards, particularly concerning reproductive healthcare.

Latin America and the Caribbean: Protecting Girls from Forced Motherhood

In Latin America and beyond, a concerted effort is underway to protect girls from forced motherhood, particularly those who have experienced sexual abuse. The cases of Fátima, Lucía, Susana, and Norma, each under the age of fourteen when raped and impregnated by older men, highlight the intersection of sexual violence, restrictive abortion laws, and systemic failures to protect vulnerable minors. These girls, hailing from rural and economically marginalized communities, had limited access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and, in some instances, lacked comprehensive sexual education, leading some to not even realize they were pregnant.

Their countries of origin—Guatemala, Ecuador, and Nicaragua—have highly restrictive abortion laws. In Guatemala and Ecuador, abortion is illegal with only very narrow exceptions, while in Nicaragua, it is criminalized in all circumstances without exception. Consequently, these four girls were compelled to carry their pregnancies to term and give birth against their will, facing significant risks to their health and lives. In 2019, the Center and its partners submitted legal complaints on behalf of these girls to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC). These cases were central to the "Niñas, no madres" (Girls, not mothers) movement, which advocates for the protection of the sexual and reproductive rights of girls, especially survivors of sexual abuse in Latin America. In January and June of 2025, the UNHRC delivered rulings in favor of the girls. These decisions have established new human rights standards aimed at ensuring access to abortion and preventing forced pregnancies and motherhood. The impact of these rulings extends across over 170 countries, reinforcing the imperative for access to sexual education, safe abortion services, and comprehensive protections for survivors of sexual abuse globally. These victories mark a significant step in holding states accountable for failing to protect the rights of child survivors of sexual violence.

Arizona: Challenging Unconstitutional Abortion Restrictions

In the United States, despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade, public support for abortion rights remains strong, with a majority of Americans favoring access to the procedure. In Arizona, voters demonstrated this sentiment in 2024 by overwhelmingly approving a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s foundational legal document. However, pre-existing state laws restricting abortion remained in effect, including a 15-week abortion ban and other burdensome regulations for individuals seeking legally permissible abortion care.

In December 2024, Arizona healthcare providers, represented by the Center and its partners, challenged the 15-week ban in court. The legal challenge proved successful, with the court declaring the ban unconstitutional. Subsequently, the Center initiated a second legal action, targeting three sets of laws encompassing numerous restrictions that impeded timely abortion care. On February 6, 2026, an Arizona state court permanently blocked these challenged restrictions. The court ruled that these and other barriers to care violated the state’s constitution by infringing upon Arizonans’ fundamental right to bodily autonomy and control over their medical decisions. These legal victories in Arizona underscore the ongoing legal battles for reproductive freedom at the state level and the importance of state constitutions in protecting individual rights. The court’s decisions highlight the judiciary’s role in ensuring that voter-approved protections are upheld against legislative and administrative obstruction.

The Broader Landscape: Persistent Gaps and the Path Forward

These global achievements underscore the transformative power of law in safeguarding the rights of women and girls worldwide. They vividly illustrate the tangible impact that legal victories can have on women’s health, lives, and overall well-being. However, the journey toward full gender equality remains arduous. Current data indicates that women globally possess only 64% of the legal rights afforded to men, and at the current pace of progress, achieving parity could take centuries.

The ongoing work of organizations like the Center is crucial in accelerating this progress. By relentlessly advocating for equitable access to justice systems, these efforts aim to dismantle legal and systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality. The commitment to fighting for the rights of women and girls and ensuring they receive the justice they unequivocally deserve is a testament to the enduring pursuit of a more equitable world. Engaging with these issues and supporting organizations dedicated to legal advocacy is paramount in achieving a future where gender equality is not merely an aspiration, but a lived reality for all. The 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women serves as a vital platform to galvanize further action and reinforce the global commitment to these critical human rights objectives.