Press release: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Finland to focus on supporting women in conflicts and strengthening gender equality at session of UN Commission on the Status of Women

The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026. Finland will be represented at the session by a broad-based delegation led by Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is responsible for gender equality issues.

The priority theme of the CSW session is ‘Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls’. Access to justice means that people have a genuine possibility to seek justice, obtain information about where to seek justice and have their case dealt with in a fair and just manner. Other themes include women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. 

The global backlash against gender equality and human rights is undermining the hard-won progress made in these fields, even though gender equality and human rights still have strong supporters around the world. It is now more important than ever to prevent the further weakening of gender equality and to address the existing shortcomings quickly.  

- Growing opposition to gender equality threatens rights that have already been achieved. This opposition is being used to weaken and undermine human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. Finland defends gender equality and the rights of women and girls and pursues active international cooperation based on our values. We will not yield but continue to work for progress and human rights. We are deeply concerned about the status of women in war zones and conflict areas and work to end violence against women and girls, says Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. 

Finland promotes gender equality on many fronts and rejects language that weakens existing standards 

At the CSW session, Finland will promote human rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the rights of LGBTI people. Access to justice is a central part of these objectives.  

Finland cannot accept text amendments that aim to weaken states’ obligations under international law or to undermine the universality of human rights. This also includes attempts to undermine the rule of law and democratic systems. 

Finland supports women in conflicts and works to end violence against women and girls 

Conflicts and crises have a particular impact on the health of women and girls, especially their mental health and sexual and reproductive health and rights.  Mental health impacts in particular receive insufficient attention, although trauma and other long-term harm experienced by women and girls have increased considerably. 

Finland is organising a side event during the CSW session that will bring together representatives from governments, civil society and the multilateral system to discuss and share experiences on strengthening gender equality, mental health and wellbeing and on providing psychosocial support services in conflict settings. 

The event will pay particular attention to the situation in Ukraine.  Masha Foundation, a Ukrainian civil society organisation which received Finland's International Gender Equality Prize in 2025 for its significant work to help women suffering from the psychological consequences of war and violence, will participate in the side event. 

What is the CSW?

Founded in 1946, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council. The CSW is the most important international forum for promoting the status of women in the fields of politics, the economy, civil rights and social and cultural rights, and it is the UN’s second largest meeting after the General Assembly.

Inquiries  

• Laura Rissanen, State Secretary (Riikka Mononen, Secretary to the State Secretary, tel. +358 295 163531) 
• Satu Leino, Ministerial Adviser, International Affairs Unit, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel.  +358 295 163 498 
• Katja Karppinen, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 564
• Hanna Onwen-Huma, Ministerial Adviser, Gender Equality Unit, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 233 

The email address of the Finnish Government are in the format [email protected] 

The press release has been edited on March 6 at 12.45, and a sentence has been added: Access to justice means that people have a genuine possibility to seek justice, obtain information about where to seek justice and have their case dealt with in a fair and just manner.