As the United Nations approaches its landmark 80th anniversary, the global community finds itself at a critical crossroads, forced to reckon with the foundational promises of the 1945 Charter. At the heart of this international mission lies a simple, yet frequently contested truth: human rights are not a luxury of peaceful times, but the very scaffolding upon which stable societies are built. Within this framework, a singular principle remains paramount—that the rights of women and girls are not separate, optional, or secondary. They are human rights in their most essential form, woven into the fabric of daily existence, and they must remain non-negotiable and unconditional, regardless of the political or cultural climate.
Yet, as we survey the contemporary landscape, it is clear that these fundamental rights are facing an unprecedented degree of strain. From the halls of government to the digital frontiers of the internet, the safety and dignity of women are under sustained assault. This erosion of progress is fueled by a volatile cocktail of protracted armed conflicts, systemic economic injustice, and a rising tide of discrimination that seeks to roll back decades of hard-won gains. The current global atmosphere is one of volatility, where the protections once thought to be permanent are being questioned or dismantled in real-time.
The statistics and stories emerging from around the world paint a sobering picture of the challenges ahead. We are witnessing a terrifying proliferation of violence that transcends borders. In conflict zones, sexual violence is too often deployed as a calculated weapon of war, used to terrorize communities and destabilize social structures. Meanwhile, in the domestic sphere, the scourge of femicide continues to claim lives with haunting regularity, frequently occurring in environments where the legal system fails to provide even the most basic safeguards. The digital age has introduced new frontiers of abuse, where online harassment, deepfake exploitation, and cyberstalking create a climate of fear that limits women’s participation in public life.
Perhaps most distressing is the persistent culture of impunity that shields perpetrators from accountability. In many jurisdictions, justice remains a distant dream. We continue to see legal systems that offer reduced penalties for so-called “honor” crimes—a term that perverts the very concept of dignity to justify cold-blooded violence. Forced marriages remain a reality for millions of girls, robbing them of their education and their future. When these crimes are met with silence or leniency, it sends a clear message: that the lives of women are worth less than the traditions or power structures that oppress them. Corruption, entrenched gender stereotypes, and broken judicial infrastructures further entrench this inequality, turning human rights frameworks into hollow promises rather than ironclad guarantees.
This year carries particular weight as the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 1995, representatives from 189 nations gathered in China to forge what remains the most visionary blueprint for the empowerment of women and girls. It was a moment of profound hope, asserting that gender equality was a prerequisite for social, economic, and political development. Three decades later, the vision of Beijing remains our North Star, but the task of fully realizing its goals has taken on a new sense of urgency. We are no longer just fighting for new rights; we are fighting to protect the ones we thought were secure.
Central to this struggle is the concept of “Access to Justice.” For many women, a law on the books is meaningless if there is no path to a courtroom, no lawyer to represent their interests, and no judge who views their case with impartiality. Access to justice is the essential mechanism that transforms high-level international commitments into tangible protections. It is what ensures that a survivor of domestic violence can obtain a restraining order, that a female entrepreneur can defend her property rights, and that a victim of workplace discrimination can seek redress. Without a robust rule of law, the rhetoric of equality is little more than a facade.
Looking forward, the international community is preparing for the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in 2026. This gathering will be a pivotal moment for global policy, with a specific and sharpened focus on ending discriminatory laws and strengthening justice systems worldwide. The goal is to move beyond incremental change and toward a systemic overhaul of the legal barriers that keep women in a state of perpetual disadvantage. CSW70 represents a collective opportunity to demand that governments move past performative gestures and commit to the hard, necessary work of legislative reform.
In the face of these challenges, UN Women is actively working on the front lines to bridge the gap between global promises and local realities. The organization’s efforts are rooted in the belief that systemic change requires both grassroots mobilization and high-level policy intervention. One of the most effective tools in this arsenal is the Gender Justice Platform, a collaborative initiative designed to bring legal services to those who have historically been excluded from the system. In the last year alone, this platform facilitated justice for more than 125,000 individuals, providing the legal counsel and support necessary to navigate complex and often hostile judicial environments.
The impact of this work is visible in the wave of legislative reforms taking hold across diverse regions. In Mexico, UN Women supported the push for constitutional guarantees that solidify gender parity, ensuring that women have an equal seat at the table of power. In the Middle East and Southeast Asia, the tide is turning against domestic and gender-based violence; Bahrain, Malaysia, and Mali have all seen the implementation of stronger legal protections aimed at safeguarding women within their homes and communities. In the Caribbean and Latin America, countries like Guyana and Honduras are rewriting their legal codes to better address the nuances of modern violence. Furthermore, the recent passage of a comprehensive gender equality law in Albania serves as a testament to what can be achieved when political will meets expert advocacy.
These victories, while significant, are only the beginning. As we celebrate Human Rights Day, we are reminded that these rights are the bedrock of global peace and stability. A world where half the population lives in fear or under the thumb of discriminatory laws is a world that can never be truly secure. The suppression of women’s rights is often a “canary in the coal mine,” signaling a broader decline into authoritarianism and the breakdown of civil society. Conversely, when women are empowered and protected by the law, economies grow, health outcomes improve, and societies become more resilient to crisis.
The journey toward full equality is not a straight line; it is a constant struggle against the inertia of the status quo. On this Human Rights Day, the call to action is clear: we must move with renewed purpose to secure dignity, equality, and justice for every woman and girl. This means funding the organizations that provide frontline legal aid, holding leaders accountable for their promises, and refusing to accept the “status quo” as an excuse for inaction. The foundation of the United Nations was built on the ruins of a world that had forgotten the value of human life. Eighty years later, we must ensure that the rights of women and girls are never again treated as an afterthought, but as the essential daily essentials they truly are. The vision of a just world is within reach, but only if we have the courage to defend it in every courtroom, every parliament, and every community across the globe.
