On 16 March, young advocates from around the world took the microphones at the United Nations Headquarters with a plain but powerful demand: Rights. Applied equally to everyone.
The event – an interactive dialogue with youth leaders and representatives from government and civil society – allowed participants to exchange experiences and perspectives on how justice systems can better respond to the realities women and girls face.
Discussions underscored that justice extends beyond legal systems to include bodily autonomy and the ability to make decisions over one’s own life and health. This followed the theme of the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) during which the event took place: Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls.
The dialogue was further evidence of how young people are not only the leaders of the future – but powerful changemakers today. They play a critical role in advancing inclusive legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws and practices, and addressing the structural barriers, rooted in unequal power relations, that continue to limit women’s rights globally.
Youth voices shaping the justice agenda
While many countries have taken steps to strengthen laws addressing violence against women, the participants emphasised 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, emphasising both their responsibility in addressing unequal power relations and their potential as allies in advancing gender equality.
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-centred 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 continue to restrict access to justice.
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 emphasised that technological solutions must be designed with safeguards to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities, particularly for women and girls facing digital exclusion.
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 organisations, and international institutions to ensure that youth-led initiatives receive the resources and support needed to drive lasting change.
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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