The Women’s Forum at the 70th Session of the CSW in New York
Advancing Access to Justice for Women Through Private Sector Leadership
The Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society is proud to be hosting an event at the 70th session of the CSW taking place on March 10 at the UN headquarters in NYC at the initiative of the French Ministry Aurore Bergé. This year, the focus is on ensuring access to justice for all women and girls. The Women’s Forum will be highlighting the crucial role of the private sector and the opportunities to build new synergies for lasting impact through the workplace.
A Brief History of the CSW and Why It Matters: The UN’s Principal Global Intergovernmental Body for Gender Equality.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was created as part of the United Nations’ broader efforts to foster equality, peace, and sustainable progress. When the UN Charter was signed in 1945, only four of its 160 signatories were women, highlighting the urgent need to recognize women’s role in international governance. In response to pressure from women leaders and activists, the Commission on the Status of Women was established the following year, in 1946, with the objective of preparing recommendations for the Economic and Social Council on all matters related to women’s rights.
The Major Trends In Gender Equality Supported By The CSW.
Since its inception, the CSW has been characterized by the active involvement of NGOs and civil society, whose participation has grown over time, bringing diverse perspectives and lived experiences from around the world.
The CSW’s priorities have evolved over time, reflecting broader trends in women’s rights and international development. The priorities spanned from the recognition of political rights for women, to specific areas of improvement, to creating a detailed roadmap for pushing the gender equality agenda forward.[1]
Each year, the CSW focuses on a specific theme of discussion. Over the past two years, the focus has been on how poverty affects women (2024, 68th session of the CSW) and on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration (2025, 69th session of the CSW). Each year, Member States may host official side events in partnership with external organizations. It is in this context that the Women’s Forum has been entrusted with supporting France and its Ministry responsible for Gender Equality and the Fight Against Discrimination.
Access to Justice: The Key Role of the Private Sector.
This year, for its 70th session, the theme of CSW is: Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers.
In a context marked by growing geopolitical tensions and global insecurity, ensuring access to justice has become essential to maintaining trust in institutions and safeguarding their legitimacy.
The private sector is increasingly recognized as a key actor in promoting gender equality,[2] since workplace policies and practices can generate benefits not only for individual companies but also for society as a whole.[3] Employers therefore have both the responsibility and the capacity to actively support women’s access to justice, positioning the workplace as a safe and supportive environment for victims of domestic violence.
A Priority for The Women’s Forum.
During last year’s Global Meeting held in Paris, the issue of access to justice was a key focus, notably with the participation of renowned international lawyer Amal Clooney who provides free legal aid to women through her foundation, the Clooney Foundation for Justice. Madeleine Rees, former Secretary General of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, also explored this issue in depth, emphasizing how women’s justice movements around the world, while confronting different challenges, have learned from one another and helped consolidate best practices.
The private sector bears a tangible responsibility in addressing violence against women. Many women who experience violence are in employment. One concrete example of how companies can act is the initiative launched in 2025 by the Women’s Forum and Vanessa Bousardo, former vice-batonnière of the Paris Bar: a shared fund open to companies that provides access to legal assistance for employees who are victims of domestic violence. The ambition behind this initiative is to build a lasting movement, encouraging more companies to join forces and contribute actively to advancing social justice.
The Aim of the Event: Collaborating for Justice.
The CSW side event hosted by the Women’s Forum in collaboration with the French Ministry responsible for Gender Equality and the Fight Against Discrimination will build on these ongoing efforts. It will provide an opportunity not only to acknowledge companies’ responsibility, but also to explore concrete ways in which enterprises can create synergies with other actors of civil society and international organizations, strengthen access to justice, and foster safe workplaces: environments where women feel protected, heard, and supported.
By embedding protective and inclusive practices within corporate culture, businesses can contribute meaningfully to more inclusive societies. At a time when trust in institutions is being tested, mobilizing the private sector represents a critical step toward ensuring justice and safety for all women and girls.
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[1] In the first decades (1946–1962), the focus was on women acquiring political rights through the adoption of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women.
From 1963 to 1975, the focus shifted to development and the role of women as agents of change, addressing the disproportionate effects of poverty on women.
From 1976 to 1985, it was declared the Decade for Women, focusing on women’s emancipation through employment, health, and education.
From 1986 to 1995, gender equality was promoted as a cross-cutting theme in all areas, culminating in the Beijing Conference, which created the Platform for Action, the most comprehensive roadmap for gender equality ever agreed on.
From 1986 to 1995, gender equality was promoted as a cross-cutting theme in all areas, culminating in the Beijing Conference, which created the Platform for Action, the most comprehensive roadmap for gender equality ever agreed on.
From 2006 to 2015, a gender mainstreaming approach was developed with the integration of gender equality into the Sustainable Development Goals.
[2] Gemma Wood et al., publication, Unfinished Business: Private Sector and Gender Equality – Transforming Corporate Commitments into Equality for All Women and Girls (UN Women, 2025), https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2025/09/unfinished-business-private-sector-and-gender-equality.
[3] Christine Lagarde and Jonathan D. Ostry, “When More Women Join the Workforce, Everyone Benefits. Here’s Why,” World Economic Forum, December 4, 2018, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2018/12/economic-gains-from-gender-inclusion-even-greater-than-you-thought/.