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UN CSW70 Forum: Advancing Women’s Rights Amid Adversity

The 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) opened in New York on March 9, with numerous parallel forums taking place alongside the official meetings. Venerable You Hong of Fo Guang Shan New York Temple, Cindy Wang, NY Localization team member, Jannie, Elmhurst Subchapter member, and Leah Chen, Lecturer of the World BLIA Young Adult Division, attended the parallel forum “Moving Forward Amid Adversity: How Feminist Movements Turn Justice into Power.”  It was jointly organized by the Taiwan Women’s Center and the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers (FIDA) and was held on March 9 at the Church Center for the United Nations.

The forum was moderated by Denise Scotto, Vice President of the International Federation of Women in Legal Careers, and was attended by 130 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds.  The forum focused on issues including gender-based violence, digital gender-based violence, reproductive justice, and networks of women’s shelters. It also examined how feminist movements promote structural change through legal reform, social advocacy, and transnational cooperation noting the importance of judicial systems and policy reform in safeguarding women’s rights.

Several speakers shared their experiences from different regions. Huang Yijia, International Affairs Specialist from the Garden of Hope Foundation, introduced Taiwan’s policy developments in addressing gender-based violence and digital gender-based violence, including legal amendments and cross-sector collaboration mechanisms designed to respond to new challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and the digital environment.

Justyna Faszcza, representing Poland’s Women and Family Planning Foundation, shared the organization’s long-standing efforts to advocate for reproductive rights, providing women with support through legal consultation, international advocacy, and social action.

In addition, Patricia Vargas, representing the Global Network of Women’s Shelters, introduced experiences in cross-continental cooperation. By building international shelter networks and sharing resources, these initiatives provide safe shelter, legal accompaniment, and psychological support for women experiencing gender-based violence.

The forum also addressed the importance of legislation on coercive control, including psychological and economic forms of control. Speakers noted that many existing laws focus primarily on physical violence while overlooking the long-term impact of psychological manipulation and economic control on women and children. By integrating legal frameworks, education, technological tools, cross-sector collaboration, and cultural adaptation, advocates for women’s rights can continue advancing reforms across different social contexts.

Attending the parallel forum for the first time, Jannie shared that hearing representatives from different countries discuss women’s issues and social action on an international platform was deeply inspiring. She also recognized the importance of transnational dialogue and cooperation in promoting social harmony and equity.