Priority theme:

Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers.

Review theme:

Women’s full and effective participation and decision making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

“When women have access to timely, effective, and affordable access to justice, they can manaofte their destinies, participate in the political, economic, and social life of their communities, live free from violence and discrimination, and, ultimately, contribute to the development of their communities.” Zainab Malik (2024)

The African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) in collaboration with the UN Women East and Southern African Office (ESARO) and members of the NGO CSW/Africa convened a series of African-wide consultations to collectively reflect on the theme of the seventieth session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). A total of seven convenings brought together over 1,000 girls, young women, and women’s rights activists, legal practitioners, feminists, FEMNET members, gender and social justice advocates and development practitioners from 577 CSOs and 210 youth organizations across 54 countries.

They unpacked the meaning of access to justice, reviewed existing international and regional frameworks that advance gender equality and women’s rights, and discussed in-depth the legal, institutional, and structural barriers that continue to hinder women’s and girls’ ability to fully and meaningfully access legal protection in Africa.

This CSOs Position Statement outlines the most pressing challenges identified by African women’s rights and civil society actors and proposes actionable recommendations to be included in the continental and global outcome documents to strengthen inclusive and equitable justice systems, urgently calls for transformative justice systems and policies that are inclusive, affordable, accessible and just for all.