UN Warns Women’s Legal Rights Still Far from Full Equality

Credit: UN Women

On 8 March 2026, International Women’s Day, UN Women issued a global alert: justice systems meant to uphold rights and the rule of law are failing women and girls everywhere. Globally, women hold just 64 per cent of the legal rights of men, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination, violence, and exclusion at every stage of life.

This is one of the key findings of the new report by the United Nations Secretary-General, titled Ensuring and Strengthening Access to Justice for All Women and Girls. The report reveals that in over half of the world’s countries—54 per cent—rape is still not defined on the basis of consent, meaning a woman can be raped and the law may not recognize it as a crime.

Nearly three out of four countries still allow laws that can force girls into marriage. In 44 per cent of countries, the law does not guarantee equal pay for work of equal value, meaning women can still legally earn less than men for the same work.

“When women and girls are denied justice, the damage goes far beyond any single case. Public trust erodes, institutions lose legitimacy, and the rule of law itself is weakened. A justice system that fails half the population cannot claim to uphold justice at all,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

As backlash against longstanding commitments on gender equality intensifies, violations of women’s and girls’ rights are accelerating, fueled by a global culture of impunity spanning courts, online spaces, and conflict zones. Laws are being rewritten to restrict freedoms, silence voices, and enable abuse without consequence.

Technology outpaces regulation, and women and girls face growing digital violence in an environment where perpetrators are rarely held accountable. In conflict zones, rape continues to be used as a weapon of war, with reported cases of sexual violence rising 87 per cent in just two years.

The report also shows that progress is possible: 87 per cent of countries have enacted domestic violence legislation, and over 40 countries have strengthened constitutional protections for women and girls in the past decade. But laws alone are not enough.

Discriminatory social norms—stigma, victim-blaming, fear, and community pressure—continue to silence survivors and obstruct justice, allowing even extreme forms of violence, including femicide, to go unpunished.

Practical barriers such as cost, time, language, and lack of trust in institutions also prevent women from accessing justice.

This International Women’s Day 2026, under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” UN Women calls for urgent action: end impunity, defend the rule of law, and deliver equality in law, practice, and all spheres of life for women and girls.

This year’s 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)—the UN’s highest-level intergovernmental body setting global standards for women’s rights and gender equality—is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reverse the rollback of women’s rights and ensure justice.

“Now is the moment to stand up, show up, and speak up for rights, for justice, and for action—so that every woman and girl can live safely, speak freely, and live equally,” stressed Bahous.

International Women’s Day commemoration and the opening of CSW70 will take place on 9 March 2026 in the UN General Assembly, starting at 9:00 a.m. EST, with online participation available.