Alexandra Bennett

Note: This story is part of a series of coverage from the first week of the 2026 UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). Read Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4. Friday marked the fifth and final day of the first week of CSW70, with panels focusing on young women’s roles in peacebuilding, politics, and digital spaces. Across these sessions, one theme rang clear: participation alone is not enough. What matters is power and protection.

Note: This story is part of a series of coverage from the first week of the 2026 UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). Read Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. The fourth day of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) brought together a series of sessions tackling two urgent and interconnected themes: the Taliban’s systematic erasure of women and the persistent gap in women’s political participation around the world.

Note: This story is part of a series of coverage from the first week of the 2026 UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). Read Day 1 and Day 2. The third day of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) featured a day-long, two-part session with parliamentarians discussing women’s political representation and access to justice. The day concluded with a program discussing the growing threat of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).