Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will represent Switzerland at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York

Access to justice is an essential condition for the realisation of equality and human rights. However, due to structural inequalities and persistent stereotypes, women still face specific obstacles to fully exercising this right, for example when gender bias within judicial institutions discourages reporting and limits access to remedies. This theme will be the focus of the 70th session of the CSW, the UN body dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

No equality without effective access to justice

Without effective access to justice for all women and girls, a pillar of the rule of law, equality cannot become a reality, in Switzerland or elsewhere. Indeed, human rights are only guaranteed if they can be exercised, protected and defended. This is the position that Switzerland will put forward during the general discussion. The Swiss delegation will be led by Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider. Ms Baume-Schneider will also speak at a ministerial round table on the empowerment of older women. On the sidelines of the session, she will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts and high-level UN representatives, including the Executive Director of UN Women. She will also take part in a high-level round table discussion on women's health, organised by the Swiss Consulate General in New York, which will bring together leaders of Swiss and international companies and institutions. Finally, Ms Baume-Schneider will meet with representatives of Swiss civil society who are in New York.

Switzerland's commitment in a challenging international context

In a global context marked by a decline in women's rights in certain countries, access to justice is becoming increasingly urgent for women and girls. This requires improving the training of legal professionals and increasing women's participation at all levels of decision-making. In many countries, legal, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers limit women's access to justice and hinder the achievement of gender equality. These include language and financial barriers, unfamiliarity with procedures, fear of stigmatisation, and deeply ingrained gender stereotypes.

As part of the 2030 Agenda and its international commitments, in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Switzerland is committed to promoting equal access to justice and strengthening legal frameworks that guarantee equality and non-discrimination. In New York, Switzerland will also highlight its efforts to combat gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. It will also reaffirm its commitment to combating discrimination and gender stereotypes, as well as to protecting civic space.