CSW70: a key moment for women’s rights and the fight against hunger 

What is CSW?  

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the only UN body where major international policy decisions on gender equality and the rights of women and girls are made each year. It is where states negotiate commitments; NGOs make their priorities heard, and progress can be recorded through the vote on agreed conclusions, a negotiated document. 

A CSW undergoing transformation 

In September 2025, the UN adopted a revitalization resolution to make the CSW more effective and more relevant to the field.  

Among the main changes: 

• Strengthened monitoring of State commitments; 

• Five-year reviews relocated to different regions of the world;  

• reaffirmation of the crucial role of civil society, particularly feminists. 

The 70th session of the CSW, from March 9 to 19, 2026, will focus on a central theme: access to justice for all women and girls. 

A tense global context  

CSW70 comes at a time marked by the rise of anti-gender movements, attacks on sexual and reproductive rights and, more generally, on gender equality, with attempts to dilute or weaken existing international standards, increasing restrictions on the participation of feminist organizations, and a shrinking civic space.    

This is a moment when CSW and the rights of women and girls can either be strengthened or weakened. 

What does this have to do with hunger?  

We can define gender inequality as the set of disparities, discrimination, and imbalances that exist between women, men, and people of all gender identities in terms of access to resources, rights, opportunities, and power.   

Action Against Hunger is involved in the CSW because gender inequality is one of the causes that exacerbates hunger in the world and one of the consequences, as women and girls are disproportionately affected by hunger. Without justice, women cannot assert their land rights (access to land, productive resources) and have less access to essential services (health, nutrition, protection). Furthermore, they benefit less from safety nets in times of crisis and are more exposed to violence, which is often exacerbated in times of food insecurity.  

CSW70 is therefore a unique opportunity to raise awareness at the highest level of these links between justice, equality, and food security.  

This high-level negotiation forum also provides an opportunity to address the crucial issue of financing humanitarian and development actions.   

Today, international solidarity is facing a financial earthquake: according to an ISGlobal study published in The Lancet Global Health and summarized by the Rockefeller Foundation, the continuation and acceleration of ODA cuts (−$32 billion (−15.1%) between 2024 and 2025, followed by a prolonged contraction.  

[1] 93 Countries Worldwide at Risk of Losing Nearly 23 Million More People by 2030 | RF  

Action Against Hunger’s agenda for CSW70  

• 1) Recognize food insecurity as a determining factor in gender inequality.    

• 2) Advocate for the full participation of feminist organizations, particularly those from the Global South.  

• 3) Promote international standards, such as the Food Security Committee’s gender guidelines, which protect women’s economic and land rights, which are essential for combating hunger.   

• 4) Call for sustainable financing for essential services and the fight against gender inequality: health and nutrition, including family planning, protection, mental health, programs to combat gender-based violence, livelihoods, and the promotion of economic empowerment for women and girls in all their diversity. 

CSW70: A Worrying TurningPoint for Women’s Rights – Action Against Hunger’s Assessment

The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), dedicated to access to justice for women and girls, took place amid an unprecedented diplomatic atmosphere. Action Against Hunger delivered a clear message: without justice, it is impossible for women to access their land rights, essential services, or protection from violence, particularly in the crisis contexts where we operate. 

An orchestrated rollback of women’s rights  

This CSW was marked by fierce attacks on international achievements. The United States attempted to weaken the negotiated text by removing all references to gender, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and civil society. Their offensive, blocked thanks to the mobilization of several states, reveals a troubling trend: the CSW is becoming a defensive space, where the focus is now on protecting existing gains rather than making progress.  

Highlighting gender-based violence and the protection of women in humanitarian work  

ACF co-organized a roundtable dedicated to access to justice for women in humanitarian work, highlighting:  

• the scale of the violence they endure,  

• the lack of appropriate legal mechanisms,  

• the urgency of strengthening specialized services and the protection of survivors.  

At the same time, as a co-lead of the “Call to Action on GBV,” ACF advocated for more ambitious actions against gender-based violence, particularly in the DRC.  

A Weakened Civil Society  

Many feminist organizations from the Global South were unable to participate in the CSW due to a lack of funding or excessive red tape. Their absence raises questions about the UN system’s ability to include those who are directly affected by crises and should be at the heart of decision-making. We hope that the process to revitalize the CSW will take these challenges into account.   

To conclude :  

CSW70 confirmed the rise in attacks on women’s rights. While the final text was preserved, the trend is alarming. Action Against Hunger will continue its commitment to defending the rights of women and girls, alongside feminist organizations and international partners.