Around the world, women still do not enjoy the same legal rights as men. Although legal protection against domestic violence has expanded in many countries, the rights of women and girls are receding in plain sight.
What is happening at UN headquarters?
Here are some of the events the UN is hosting at its headquarters in New York and online this month:
Youth Forum: Voices without Borders
The CSW70 Youth Forum, Voices without borderswill take place at United Nations Headquarters on March 8. The youth-led global gathering will bring together 200 young feminists and allies to confront systemic injustices and advocate for bold, transformative solutions.
The meeting will include UN agencies and Member States and will combine storytelling with strategic dialogues.
Women in the Sudanese city of Port Sudan are learning about agriculture, trade and economic rights.
Commission on the Status of Women
From March 9 to 19, the world will gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York for CSW70, the United Nations’ largest annual forum dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights.
What happens in the CSW influences laws, policies, funding and accountability across countries and generations.
Do you want to learn more?
- What is feminism? Find out here.
- Read our explainer about the History of the Commission on the Status of Women. here
- Read What justice means for women and how to deliver it here
- Read the UN Women explainer When justice fails: why women can’t get protection from AI deepfake abuse here
This year’s focus is clear: rights, justice and action for all women and girls.
CSW70 is a defining test: whether the world decides to act together and provide equality under the law for all women and girls or allow injustice to persist with impunity.
Opening remarks are expected from the president of the CSW, the presidents of the United Nations Secretary-General, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as representatives of civil society and youth.
At the closing meeting on March 19, delegates will review progress made during discussions on the priority topic, consider outstanding agenda items, adopt the session report and agreed conclusions while looking ahead to the work of CSW71.
Learn more about CSW70 here and click here for the full list of dozens of side events.
UN commemorates International Women’s Day
The UN will celebrate International Women’s Day at 9 am on March 9, 2026 in the iconic General Assembly Hall, immediately before the opening of CSW70.
Aligned with CSW70, the celebration aims to raise global attention to justice as the critical bridge between rights on paper and rights in practice.
The celebration, which will bring together delegations from Member States, world leaders, advocates, global voices and goodwill ambassadors, including American actress Anne Hathaway, will serve as a high-visibility platform to galvanize leadership and concrete action to ensure equal access to justice for all women and girls.
Watch it live on ONU Web TV here.
Town hall with the Secretary General of the UN and civil society
On March 10, UN chief António Guterres will meet with the largest gathering of civil society at the United Nations and will have a frank discussion on issues related to advancing gender equality and the rights of women and girls around the world.
The town hall meeting offers intersectional and intergenerational civil society a space to interact directly with the United Nations’ senior leaders and ask questions, share recommendations and strengthen collaboration.
The event will be broadcast live starting at 10am New York time on UN Web TV here.
A mother and her son find refuge in a municipal building in Port-au-Prince after fleeing violence.
The role of parliaments
Among a wide range of side events, on March 11 at United Nations Headquarters, the Role of parliaments in achieving parity in decision-making and guaranteeing access to justice with a gender perspective for women and girls will provide the opportunity to bring a parliamentary perspective to the CSW70 discussions on priority and review issues and will also launch the latest Map of Women in Politicswhich presents new data on women in executive positions and national parliaments as of January 1, 2026.
Members of Parliament from around the world are expected to:
- share perspectives and practices on legislative, oversight and budgetary actions to achieve equal representation in decision-making
- eliminate discriminatory laws
- address gaps between legal frameworks and their implementation
- Fight impunity for violence against women.
- Strengthen accountability and law enforcement across justice systems
Watch the full meeting live on ONU Web TV here.
CSW high-level meeting on violence against women and girls
On March 12 at 10 am, Member States will meet at UN Headquarters for the CSW High-level meeting on violence against women and girls.
It will be the first annual high-level meeting held during the CSW under a new mandate to elevate critical cross-cutting priorities aimed at accelerating the implementation of the historic Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The meeting will highlight what works to prevent violence and strengthen survivor-centered responses (both online and offline) at a time when progress remains too slow and technology is accelerating new harms.
Ministers and leading experts, including women’s rights organizations and survivors from the five UN regional groups, will share evidence, good practices with potential for scaling up and practical actions.
Watch it on UN Web TV here.