The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) opened today in New York at a moment of deep strain for multilateralism and global commitments to gender equality.

For the first time in the Commission’s seventy-year history, Member States adopted agreed conclusions through a vote rather than consensus. The outcome reflects a broader global backlash against gender equality, human rights, and the international commitments feminist movements have fought for over decades.

CSW has always been a complicated space. As a UN convening held in New York, participation has long been shaped by cost, travel barriers, and access. This year those challenges are even more acute. Visa restrictions, escalating conflict, and shrinking civic space mean many feminist leaders, particularly from the Global South, are unable to participate in person.

These barriers are not abstract. In a public statement, the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA) announced its decision not to participate in CSW70, citing long-standing visa barriers, discriminatory travel procedures, and growing restrictions that make participation unsafe or inaccessible for many women human rights defenders. The full statement can be read here.

Feminist movements engaging in CSW this year are doing so while carrying these realities with them. For decades, activists have fought to shape and expand multilateral commitments on gender equality. Many are showing up to defend those gains in the face of backlash, push back against the erosion of rights, and insist on accountability. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that the institutions and processes themselves must be reformed if they are to truly serve feminist visions of justice, equality, and solidarity.

As a global feminist organization based in New York, WEDO is engaging in CSW70 as a space to connect with partners, advance key areas of our work, and hold urgent conversations about what feminist strategy and solidarity must look like in this moment.

Together with partners across civil society, philanthropy, and international institutions, we are convening conversations on feminist climate justice, energy transitions, care systems, and the future of multilateral cooperation.

Alongside public events, WEDO is also convening a dialogue with partners from civil society, UN institutions, and Governments focused on laying a strong foundation for implementation of the nine-year UNFCCC Gender Action Plan. 

WEDO Events

Powering Progress: Centering Gender in the Just Energy Transition
March 12 | 9:30–11:00 AM EST
Susan Berresford Room, Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York
RSVP: Register here
WEDO Executive Director Bridget Burns joins this discussion centering women’s lived realities and exploring how climate and energy policies can embed gender justice, accountability, and community leadership at every stage of the energy transition.

Weighing the Cost of Rising Militarization: Justice, Gender Equality, and Peace
March 12 | 11:30 AM–12:45 PM EST
Baha’i International Community Office, New York / Zoom
Partners: WILPF, TAP Network, Baha’i International Community
Mara Dolan joins a conversation examining the gendered impacts of global military spending and its implications for justice, peace, and equality.

Sip & Solidarity: A Feminist Climate Mixer
March 13 | 4:00–6:00 PM EST
Albert’s Bar, 140 East 41st Street, New York
RSVP: Register here
On the occasion of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, join feminist climate justice advocates for an informal gathering to reconnect, share ideas, and build community. Light drinks and fare will be provided.

Care and Climate: How Care Systems Shape Access to Justice in a Just Transition
March 16 | 4:45–6:00 PM EST
UN Headquarters, Conference Room 8
RSVP: Access is open to all CSW-accredited participants. If you are not accredited, you can obtain access exclusively to this session by registering here.
Partners: Climate & Care Initiative
Mara Dolan speaks on the relationship between care systems, climate justice, and equitable transitions in climate policy.