The seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026.
Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session.
Themes
- 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 (agreed conclusions of the sixty-fifth session)
Bureau
The Bureau of the Commission plays a crucial role in facilitating the preparation for, and in ensuring the successful outcome of, the annual sessions of the Commission. Bureau members serve for two years. In 2002, in order to improve its work and ensure continuity, the Commission decided to hold the first meeting of its subsequent session, immediately following the closure of the regular session, for the sole purpose of electing the new Chairperson and other members of the Bureau (ECOSOC decision 2002/234).
The Bureau for the 70th session (2026) of the Commission on the Status of Women comprises the following members:
- H.E. Ms. Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica), Chair (Latin American and Caribbean States Group)
- Ms. Samah Dbouk (Lebanon), Vice-Chair (Asia and Pacific States Group)
- Mr. Noah Oehri (Liechtenstein), Vice-Chair (Western European and Other States Group)
- Ms. Andreea Mocanu (Romania), Vice-Chair (Eastern European States Group)
- Ms. Flavia Umulisa (Rwanda), Vice-Chair (African States Group)
Session outcomes
The outcome of the Commission’s consideration of the priority theme during its 70th session will take the form of agreed conclusions, to be negotiated by all Member States.
More information regarding the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (2026) will be uploaded in due time.
NGO participation
The active participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is a critical element in the work of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Registration for NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is open from 3 October 2025 till 23 January 2026.
Side events
Information about side events and activities organized outside of the formal programme of the session.
