The landmark 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the largest global forum dedicated to advancing the rights and status of women and girls, has begun at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. As a member of the delegation of the Republic of Serbia, led by the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snežana Paunović, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, is taking part in the work of this conference, presenting Serbia’s progress in key areas of gender equality.

The main theme of this year’s session is “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” with a special focus on reforming legal systems and removing structural barriers. The gathering opened with the marking of International Women’s Day under the slogan “Rights. Equality. Empowerment. For all women and girls,” with introductory addresses by the President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, actress Anne Hathaway.

At the panel “The Vital Role of Women: Building Alliances for Empowerment,” organized by the office of Minister Tatjana Macura with the support of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the UN, Commissioner Antonijević presented the Report on the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the Republic of Serbia. The report, prepared with the support of UNDP, analyzes progress and challenges in four key areas: education, economic participation, political representation, and the media.

During the session, the Commissioner held several bilateral meetings dedicated to the exchange of experiences and possible cooperation in the field of combating gender-based violence, especially in the digital sphere, as well as ensuring greater participation of women in managerial positions and decision-making posts. On these topics, as well as on strengthening independent equality bodies, the Commissioner spoke with colleagues from various countries, including: Anna Sporrer, Minister of Justice of Austria; May Golan, Israeli Minister for Social Equality; Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Finland’s Minister of Social Security; Lars Castellucci, Germany’s Commissioner for Human Rights Policy; Laura Rissanen, State Secretary of Finland; and Stefano Pizzicannella from the Italian Department for Equal Opportunities.

Summarizing the first week of activities, the Commissioner assessed that Serbia’s participation is of exceptional importance for the exchange of good practices, especially in the region.

“Equal access to justice must not remain only an ideal, but a basic precondition for true equality. In order to break down barriers, we must act together – through education, healthcare, and an uncompromising fight against discrimination. Every woman who frees herself from injustice is proof that, as a society, we can and must do better,” Antonijević said.

The session of the Commission will continue during the coming week, when further steps will be defined for strengthening institutional mechanisms that guarantee safety and dignity to all women and girls around the world.