Side-Events at the UN’s 70th Annual Commission on the Status of Women

Explore our CSW70 engagements.

The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) is headed to New York for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the UN’s second largest convening after the General Assembly, dedicated to assessing the lived experiences of women and girls globally and advancing gender equality policy.   

This year, the commission’s meeting will take place amid significant financial and political pressures stemming from the rollback of global commitments to addressing systemic inequalities and increased pushback against women’s rights and women’s leadership. The United States’ expanding travel ban imposed on several countries has also affected the ability of many women peacebuilders to travel to New York for the sessions. 

During CSW70, GIWPS will co-host a series of events amplifying the voices of women peacebuilders from the frontlines of global conflict, including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria. In partnership with the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Women, we will convene a high-level roundtable to examine the future of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda. Our goal is to ensure this framework evolves to effectively address the urgent needs and security of women and girls living through today’s most devastating conflicts.

Explore our CSW70 engagements:

From Principles to Voices: Survivor-Centered CRSV Global Practices and Survivor Stories from Ukraine
Monday, March 9 
7:00 PM
Ukrainian Institute of America
A screening of excerpts from Traces, a documentary sharing the stories of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). The film highlights survivors’ resilience and their pursuit of justice and recovery, followed by a brief discussion. The event is co-sponsored by GIWPS.
RSVP by March 7

Annual International Law Conference on the Status of Women
Tuesday, March 10
5:00-8:30 PM
Both at home and abroad the rule of law and the judiciary are facing unprecedented attacks. These attacks on the independence of the judiciary have sparked an alarming rise in threats against judges and their families, with women judges in particular facing heightened risks of physical violence and intimidation. This event will honor women judges who continue to uphold justice for all, demonstrating courage, integrity, and unwavering commitment, regardless of who appointed them or how their rulings are received. GIWPS Executive Director Melanne Verveer will also be honored.

Justice for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
Wednesday, March 11
4:00–5:00 PM
Royal Norwegian Mission to the United Nations
Organized by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development (Norway), this discussion will examine barriers to justice for survivors of CRSV and the role of civil society in advancing accountability. Drawing on lessons from Ukraine and Colombia, the event will explore policy solutions and global recommendations to strengthen survivor-centered justice. Ambassador Melanne Verveer will serve as moderator.

Ensuring Access to Justice for Afghan Women and Girls: Documentation, Accountability, Protection, and the Rule of Law
Thursday, March 12
10:00–11:15 AM
This joint side event by Afghan civil society organizations on the margins of CSW70 will examine the growing barriers to justice faced by Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule. Since 2021, a series of decrees and legal measures have systematically restricted women’s rights, participation in public life, and access to legal protection and remedies. The event will bring together Afghan women leaders, legal experts, and accountability actors to discuss how documentation initiatives and international mechanisms can support evidence preservation, advance accountability efforts, and ensure that Afghan women’s voices remain central to global justice processes. The event is co-hosted by GIWPS.
RSVP


Advancing a Just Peace: Justice as Its Integral Element and Women’s Participation in Peacebuilding
Thursday, March 12 
1:15–2:45 PM
Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations
Held during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, this expert discussion will examine justice as a core component of sustainable peace and the essential role of women’s participation in peacebuilding processes. Organized by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations and partners, the event will convene legal experts, policymakers, and civil society leaders. Light refreshments will be served.
RSVP

Power, Representation, and the Future of the UN
Thursday, March 12
5:00-6:30 PM
Instituto Cervantes
Organized by Global Women Voices, this event will explore concrete pathways to move from rhetoric to reform—at a pivotal moment ahead of the next UN Secretary-General selection. GIWPS Executive Director Amb. Melanne Verveer will join the panel discussion.
RSVP

Building Civic Coalitions for Advancing Women, Peace and Security: Strategies, Tactics, and Lessons Learned. 
Friday, March 13 
3:00-4:30 PM
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) will host a high-level launch for a new report, “Building Civic Coalitions for Advancing Women, Peace and Security: Strategies, Tactics, and Lessons Learned.” The event will bring together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and the diplomatic community to amplify the evidence-based case for supporting women-led civil society organizations in coalition building, as well as strategies to inform policy and practice that enable women to contribute fully and strategically to peace processes.
RSVP (in person only)


Protection of Women, Access to Justice, and Political Participation: The Syrian Women’s Political Movement
Wednesday, March 18 
1:00-3:00 PM
The event aims to situate the realities of Syrian women within the priorities of CSW70 and the review of progress since Beijing+30. Syrian women and girls continue to face violence and abduction, alongside discriminatory laws, which create structural barriers to access to justice and limit their access to decision-making spaces. In this context, raising awareness of Syrian women’s rights and promoting community dialogue on equality is a fundamental pillar to justice. GIWPS Middle East and North Africa Policy Associate Gihan Elhadidy will make remarks during the event.