At the UN, Center for Reproductive Rights Leaders Push for Progress

Ensuring the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights globally is a key part of the Center for Reproductive Rights’ work—over the past three years, it’s helped strengthen legal protections for 2.7 billion people worldwide. 

One important setting for this work is the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the United Nations’ largest yearly gathering to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, which provides an annual opportunity to impact policy at the global level.  

Last month, Center leaders from around the globe joined UN delegates, policy makers, and civil society members for the 69^th session of CSW (CSW69), where—in addition to co-sponsoring and organizing side events on adolescent reproductive health, sexual violence, and other priority issues— they met with a number of high-level national delegates and helped push for more robust commitments from Member States. 

In the Face of Backlash, Renewed Commitment to Equality 

2025 marks the 30^th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—to date the most comprehensive plan for advancing gender equality globally. At CSW69, Member States adopted a Political Declaration recommitting to the Beijing Agenda, but not without intense opposition from far-right governments—joined by the U.S. —that targeted the Declaration’s progressive language and aims.

In a blunt reflection of its anti-rights position, the U.S. under the Trump administration fought the inclusion of references to sexual and reproductive health and rights, sexual and reproductive health services, human rights obligations, Sustainable Development Goals, and even gender itself.  

Joining with other civil society members, the Center pushed back, mobilizing progressive governments to strengthen the Declaration by: 

• Ensuring key language around human rights and gender equality remained; 
• Including new language on universal health coverage, maternal and neonatal health, and menstrual health; 
• Making explicit reference to adolescent girls, for the first time in a CSW political declaration. 

This recommitment to the aims and ideals of the Beijing Platform comes at a crucial moment. Taking stock of global progress over the past 30 years, a report by the UN Secretary General noted important achievements on maternal mortality and family planning, but also acknowledged momentum has waned amid the ongoing global backlash against sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

Findings from the Secretary General’s report show progress…

• Since 1995, 84 percent of States have expanded health services for women and girls, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. 
• 86 percent of global births in 2023 were attended by a doctor, midwife, or other skilled attendant.  
• Births among adolescent girls (15-19) have declined by roughly a third, from 64 per 1,000 in 2000 to 41 in 2024.  
• In 2023, abortion was available with no requirement for justification in 51 countries. 

…as well as room for improvement.

• Globally, one in three women are still subjected to physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. 
• Maternal mortality has remained virtually unchanged since 2015, at 223 deaths per 100,000 live births. 
• Significant racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and other systemic inequalities persist in sexual and reproductive health and rights.  

Women and girls can’t wait another 30 years for their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Center will continue to advocate at the UN and other global fora to ensure that they don’t have to.