Mar 08, 2026
3 min read
Investing in a gender-responsive justice system is not a symbolic gesture, it is paying off historical debt and moving towards a just and secure society.
Rights, justice and work for all women and girls
Investing in gender inclusive justice systems is not a symbolic move, it is paying off a historic debt and moving towards more equitable and safer societies.
Talking about the right to go to court may at first glance seem like a technical, almost abstract matter.The subject of codes, courts and procedures.Apart from offices and offices, we are talking about everyday life;about the concrete possibility that a woman, wherever she is, can exercise her rights and trust that the state will listen to her, protect her and respond to her.
In 2026, International Women's Day brings us together around the world under the motto "Rights, justice and agency and for all women and girls".This call will bring together women and representatives from around the world in New York at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) to affirm that access to justice is the basis for all rights and to overcome the historical obstacles that still prevent the full reality.
Access to justice is the bridge between the norm and the realization of rights: it makes the principle of equality before the law a reality.However, this is far from the truth everywhere in the world.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, this conversation is especially relevant.The region has made progress in regulation and public policy.Twenty countries have criminalized femicide in their criminal laws, and the region also has pioneering instruments such as the Escazú Convention that strengthen access to information, participation and justice in environmental matters.
However, the challenge is not only legislative, as there are still structural obstacles that prevent access to legal protection.Distance from court, costs of court proceedings, lack of specialized defense offices, limited resources and the persistence of gender stereotypes in decisions and proceedings limit effective access.
The lack of justice is reflected in violence and indifference.In 2024, ECLAC registered at least 3,828 victims of murder / feminism in 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is equivalent to 11 women killed every day for being a woman.In the same year, 14 countries reported more than 5,500 female trials.This data not only shows the importance of terrorism, it also shows the failure in prevention, protection and timely response.
Access to justice also requires ensuring sexual and reproductive rights and eliminating harmful practices.A worrying fact in the region is the persistence of child and forced marriages and unions, which affect one in five girls and adolescents.Seventeen countries have outlawed child marriage without exception, a significant improvement over many similar practices.marriage and often associated with teenage pregnancy.Without a strong legal framework, prevention policies and accessible services, reporting is rare and difficult or impossible to resolve.
The approach to justice must be inclusive and take interculturality into account.Afro-descendant, indigenous, and mobile women face regional, linguistic, cultural, and economic barriers that limit access to justice services.Justice must be accessible in indigenous languages and without racial discrimination.Also, women with disabilities face systems that do not guarantee appropriate reforms or autonomous participation.LGBTI+ people, especially trans people, face prejudice and obstacles throughout the judicial process.
Technology could help increase access to justice by facilitating complaints, information and case monitoring, especially in remote areas, but without a focus on human rights and gender, it can also reproduce inequality and create obstacles and violence.Stations must take steps to prevent and address the violence they promote, and provide effective protection and accountability mechanisms.
CSW70 will put access to justice at the center of the global debate, aiming to strengthen inclusive legal systems and eliminate discriminatory laws and practices.It will be an opportunity to reaffirm an essential principle of international human rights law: non-refoulement.Any reform must expand, never reduce, protections for women and girls.
Ensuring access to justice requires a strong gender-focused legal framework, adequate and sustainable funding, specialized services with territorial coverage, reliable data and accountability.Coherence is needed in law and practice, in commitment and budget, in rhetoric and action.
It's time to face the evidence, build alliances, and bridge the gaps in a sustainable way.Investing in gender-inclusive justice systems is not a symbolic gesture, it is paying historical debts and moving towards more just and secure societies.This March 8 call is clear, it is urgent to turn commitments into concrete results so that regulatory progress becomes real change for all women and the lives of women.
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