Youth leaders call for transformative justice reforms at CSW70

UN Women
18 Mar 2026, 01:53 GMT+10

A youth representative from Côte d'Ivoire shared a powerful call for expanded access to mental health services for survivors. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Youth voices shaping the justice agenda

While many countries have taken steps to strengthen laws addressing violence against women, the participants emphasized the persistent structural and intersectional barriers that continue to limit meaningful access to justice.

In the 2024 global review of the Beijing Platform for Action, 77 per cent of countries identified access to justice as a top priority, and 90 per cent reported recent action to strengthen legal frameworks addressing violence against women. Yet discriminatory laws, institutional bias, and social norms continue to constrain justice outcomes in many contexts – including for LGBTIQ+ individuals who often face stigma, exclusion and barriers to accessing justice safely.

Speakers also highlighted the important role that men and boys play in transforming justice systems, emphasizing both their responsibility in addressing unequal power relations and their potential as allies in advancing gender equality.

—Ekaterine Muzashvili, youth representative, Georgia

Addressing structural barriers to justice

Throughout the dialogue, youth representatives called urgent attention to the intersecting inequalities and structural barriers that prevent many survivors from accessing justice.

This includes adolescent girls and young women who may encounter stigma and fear of retaliation, as well as those with limited access to survivor-centered services, such as women and girls in rural areas with no transportation, people with disabilities, migrant women, and those who may not be able to afford legal support. Speakers highlighted the economic inequality and lack of financial independence that continues to restrict access to justice.

A youth representative from Mexico raised new measures to address digital violence. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Youth-led innovation and solutions

Young activists are also leading innovative approaches to expanding access to justice, strengthening legal empowerment, supporting survivors of violence, and promoting accountability within justice systems.

Participants discussed the potential of digital tools to improve access to legal information and reporting mechanisms. At the same time, speakers emphasized that technological solutions must be designed with safeguards to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities, particularly for women and girls facing digital exclusion.

—Sidra Riaz, Sahar Social Welfare Association, Pakistan

Strengthening support for youth leadership

Participants highlighted the importance of protecting and supporting youth-led justice movements. In many contexts, shrinking civic space, backlash against gender equality, and limited funding pose significant challenges for young activists working to advance legal and social reform.

Speakers called for stronger partnerships between governments, civil society organizations and international institutions to ensure that youth-led initiatives receive the resources and support needed to drive lasting change.

Member States, United Nations leaders and youth representatives all spoke at the interactive dialogue. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Advancing justice for women and girls

By fostering open exchange between youth representatives, policymakers and civil society actors, the interactive dialogue reaffirmed the importance of placing youth voices at the centre of global discussions on justice and gender equality.

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