Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard on Monday urged UN member states to step up collective resistance against global attacks on gender justice and women’s rights during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70).

Leading Amnesty’s delegation, Callamard spoke on the global backlash against gender equality gains. She pointed to restrictions preventing many women human rights defenders and feminist organizations from entering the US to participate in CSW70. The conference opened March 9 at UN Headquarters in New York and runs through March 19.

“This year’s Commission on the Status of Women comes at a particularly urgent time, with gender justice under attack across much of the globe and many women human rights defenders and feminist organizations unable to enter the US,” Callamard said.

CSW70’s priority theme focuses on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls through inclusive and equitable legal systems, elimination of discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and removal of structural barriers. Amnesty has called on states to name the forces and actors driving attacks on gender justice, organize active collective countermeasures, and safeguard accountability mechanisms from interference or intimidation.

A new Amnesty briefing released in conjunction with the statement documents emerging acts of humanity, solidarity, and resistance. It underscored momentum from feminist movements, survivors, and community organizers in pursuing transformative, survivor-centered, and intersectional justice grounded in human rights. Callamard emphasized that women, girls, LGBTI individuals and their supporters, refuse to retreat, instead exposing and resisting abuses despite threats.

Callamard’s statement addressed ongoing rollbacks, including assaults on reproductive rights, funding cuts to women’s rights groups, silencing of feminist voices, and increased gender-based violence in various contexts. Amnesty’s delegation pledged to continuing advocacy for strengthened protections, including full recognition of sexual and reproductive rights, and coordinated international action to preserve and advance progress.

CSW70 convenes member states, UN entities, civil society, and advocates to negotiate agreed conclusions and policy recommendations on gender equality. The session includes ministerial roundtables, side events addressing women’s judicial participation, conflict-related sexual violence responses, protections for women human rights defenders, and efforts toward a Convention on Crimes Against Humanity.

Amnesty framed CSW70 as a critical platform for unified resistance and accountability in the face of organized pushback against gender equality norms. The organization’s participation aligns with broader calls from UN bodies and partners to dismantle discriminatory barriers and promote equitable justice systems.