Amnesty International Chief Calls for Intensified Resistance to Attacks on Gender Justice

Amnesty's Secretary General Agnès Callamard urges UN member states to step up collective action against global backlash on women's rights.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Amnesty International's Secretary General Agnès Callamard called on UN member states to intensify collective resistance against the global backlash on gender justice and women's rights during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York. Callamard highlighted restrictions preventing many women human rights defenders and feminist organizations from entering the US to participate in the conference, and emphasized the need to name the forces driving attacks on gender justice, organize countermeasures, and safeguard accountability mechanisms.

Why it matters

The CSW70 conference comes at a critical time, with gender justice under attack in many parts of the world. Amnesty's participation aligns with broader calls to dismantle discriminatory barriers and promote equitable justice systems, as the global community faces organized pushback against gender equality norms.

The details

Leading Amnesty's delegation, Callamard spoke on the global backlash against gender equality gains, pointing to restrictions preventing many women human rights defenders and feminist organizations from entering the US to participate in CSW70. The conference'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.

  • CSW70 opened on March 9, 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York and runs through March 19, 2026.

The players

Agnès Callamard

The Secretary General of Amnesty International, leading the organization's delegation at CSW70.

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70)

The 70th session of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women, convening member states, UN entities, civil society, and advocates to negotiate agreed conclusions and policy recommendations on gender equality.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International (Jurist)

What’s next

CSW70 will continue through March 19, 2026, with ministerial roundtables, side events, and negotiations on agreed conclusions and policy recommendations to promote gender equality.

The takeaway

Amnesty International's participation in CSW70 underscores the urgent need for unified resistance and accountability in the face of organized global pushback against gender justice and women's rights. The conference provides a critical platform for coordinated international action to preserve and advance progress on gender equality.