In the global pursuit of gender equality, the concept of justice is often relegated to the background of more immediate economic or social concerns. However, according to the latest strategic mandates from UN Women, justice is not merely a secondary goal; it is the fundamental bedrock upon which every other right for women and girls is built. As the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) prepares for its upcoming sessions, the focus has shifted toward a foundational truth: without full, unhindered access to a fair legal system, the promises of safety, economic independence, and bodily autonomy remain out of reach for billions. Delivering this access is no longer viewed as an aspirational milestone but as one of the highest duties and most urgent priorities for every Member State within the United Nations.
The current landscape of global justice is fraught with systemic hurdles that disproportionately affect women. Despite decades of activism, the path to legal recourse remains blocked by a complex web of discriminatory laws and deep-seated institutional inequities. For many women, the barriers start long before they ever reach a courtroom. They are rooted in "time poverty"—the phenomenon where women are so burdened by unpaid care work and domestic responsibilities that they lack the time to seek legal aid or attend court proceedings. Furthermore, a pervasive lack of legal literacy means that many women are unaware of the rights they possess, let alone how to enforce them.
These challenges are not confined to formal courtrooms. In many parts of the world, justice is administered through informal or customary systems. While these local mechanisms can be more accessible geographically, they are often the sites of reinforced gender biases. The situation is even more dire for those living in rural areas, conflict-affected zones, and other underserved communities where the rule of law is either fragile or non-existent. In these contexts, the "justice gap" becomes a chasm, leaving the most vulnerable women with no protection against violence, land theft, or systemic exclusion.
However, the narrative is not solely one of struggle. Between 2022 and 2024, a significant shift occurred. With the direct support of UN Women, 83 countries took decisive action to reform their legal frameworks. During this period, 325 laws were either adopted, revised, or repealed to better protect the rights of women and girls. These legislative victories have had a staggering impact, improving the lives of approximately 2.9 billion women and girls globally. Whether through the strengthening of domestic violence protections or the elimination of discriminatory inheritance laws, these changes represent a tangible move toward a more equitable world.
A key driver of this progress has been the UNDP–UN Women Gender Justice Platform. This collaborative initiative has become a lifeline for those navigating the legal system. Since 2022, the platform has facilitated legal aid, paralegal support, and assistance through both formal and customary mechanisms for nearly a quarter-million people. These success stories serve as a blueprint for what is possible when international cooperation meets local necessity. As global headwinds—such as economic instability and political polarization—threaten to stall progress, UN Women is calling for a doubling down on these proven strategies, urging the international community to scale these "what works" models into global standards.
To guide this transformation, UN Women has identified five essential deliverables that must sit at the heart of any justice-related reform. These pillars are designed to move justice from a theoretical concept to a lived reality.
The first deliverable focuses on the structural integrity of justice systems. For justice to be served, systems must be fair, functional, and coherent. This requires more than just passing laws; it requires a wholesale commitment to international human rights instruments. Crucially, these systems must be appropriately financed. UN Women has raised a red flag regarding the current trend of withdrawing funds from legal sectors, noting that without robust financing, even the best-designed laws remain "paper rights." Furthermore, equality must be modeled within the judiciary itself. Decision-making bodies must be free of structural gender imbalances, as a bench that does not reflect the population it serves is inevitably prone to biased outcomes. True coherence also means that a woman’s journey through the system—from the initial police report to prosecution, and from the courtroom to social services—must be seamless. No survivor should be forced to navigate a labyrinth of bureaucratic dysfunction while seeking redress for a crime.
The second pillar emphasizes that justice services must be gender-responsive and survivor-centered. This means moving beyond a "one size fits all" approach and adopting trauma-informed practices. When a woman enters a legal space, the environment must be designed to support her recovery, not exacerbate her trauma. This requires clear and transparent gender-responsive budgeting, ensuring that victim services are not treated as optional extras but as prerequisites for a functioning legal system.
The third deliverable is the universalization of legal aid. UN Women maintains that every woman and girl, regardless of her geographic location or economic status, must have access to legal counsel when she needs it. Legal aid is the bridge between a right and its enforcement; without it, the law remains a tool for the privileged.
Fourth, the role of grassroots women’s organizations cannot be overstated. These organizations are often the first responders on the ground, providing the service delivery and advocacy that underpin justice. They demand accountability from local governments and provide a safety net where state services fail. UN Women advocates for the direct and sustained funding of these organizations, recognizing that their contribution is essential to the survival of rights movements worldwide.
The fifth and final deliverable looks toward the future: the leveraging of technology and data. Digital innovation offers a unique opportunity to overcome traditional barriers like distance and care responsibilities. Virtual hearings and mobile legal apps can bring the courtroom to the woman, rather than forcing her to travel hours away from her home. However, this digital frontier is not without its perils. UN Women warns of the clear risks associated with technology, particularly regarding AI-driven legal tools. Guaranteeing non-discrimination in AI and digital justice tools is non-negotiable. Governments must act as responsible stewards of this innovation, ensuring that private sector developers do not bake existing biases into the algorithms of the future. Supporting all of this must be robust, disaggregated data, which provides the evidence needed to track success and identify where women are still being left behind.
The call for justice is not a new one. It is a promise that has been echoed in international forums for decades. It was a cornerstone of the Beijing Platform for Action over thirty years ago, and it is explicitly woven into the Sustainable Development Goals—specifically Goal 5, which targets gender equality, and Goal 16, which focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions. Most recently, the Pact for the Future reaffirmed these commitments. Yet, as UN Women points out, there is a profound difference between a promise made and a promise kept.
The cost of failure is too high to ignore. When women are denied justice, society loses the economic contributions, the leadership, and the stability that gender equality brings. Conversely, the gains to be found in a just society are immense. When a woman can secure her property rights, she can invest in her family. When she is protected from violence, she can participate in the workforce. When she has a voice in the legal system, she can help shape a more peaceful world.
As the international community reflects on these priorities, the message from UN Women is clear: there is no excuse for inaction. The solutions are available, the models have been tested, and the path forward is mapped out. The goal now is to transform the wisdom and expertise found in global discussions into a launchpad for real-world change. Making justice a lived reality for every woman and girl, always and everywhere, is the only way to ensure that the bedrock of human rights remains firm for generations to come.
