Commission on the Status of Women Concludes Session as Tensions over Language, Scope, Prevent Consensus on Key Text

The Commission on the Status of Women concluded its seventieth session today, with delegates adopting a text on "women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS", and many airing pent-up concerns over the Agreed Conclusions adopted last week, which they argued had been weakened by unprecedented objections of some Member States.

In a vociferous round of explanations - which prompted bursts of applause and boos at various turns - several speakers voiced regret that the Agreed Conclusions had been adopted by a recorded vote, rather than by consensus, with the representatives of Malaysia and Namibia, in particular, raising concerns over the introduction of "undefined concepts" and issues that fall outside the Commission's scope.

Explaining her country's position, the representative of the United States opposed all references to sexual and reproductive health and rights. The United States would not stand by and watch as "malicious forces use multilateral institutions to spread dangerous gender ideologies", she insisted. There are only two biological sexes - male and female. Despite clear communication about these redlines, amendments presented by her delegation had never been brought to a vote, she said.

"We don't think it is reasonable to use the consensus tradition as a cover to turn back the clock 30 to 40 years," Sweden's delegate countered, explaining its objection to demands by a small group of Member States to "go below" what had been agreed in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Cuba's delegate, meanwhile, accused Washington, D.C., of attempting to roll back years of progress on gender equality, while Canada's delegate, who spoke for a number of countries, argued that attempts to reopen issues already "exhaustively negotiated" undermine the Commission's integrity.

Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS

Similar divisions spilled into the Commission's action on the resolution titled, "Women, the girl child and HIV and AIDS" (document E/CN.6/2026/L.3), which it adopted by a recorded vote of 43 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 0 abstentions.

By the text, the Commission called on Governments, international partners and civil society to give full attention to the high levels of new HIV infections among young women and adolescent girls and their root causes, bearing in mind that women and girls are physiologically more vulnerable to HIV, especially at an earlier age, than men and boys.

Introducing the draft, South Africa's representative voiced deep concern that "the face of HIV and AIDS continues to be female, perpetuating stigma and discrimination" against women and girls. Economic dependency, conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, among other structural inequalities, increase the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and AIDS. Further, women who experience intimate partner violence are at greater risk of contracting HIV, she explained.

The representative of the United States, whose delegation had called for a vote, expressed concern over various terms relating to sexual and reproductive health, which he could not accept without proper qualification. Citing what he described as "a lack of desire" for consensus, he said his delegation "could not merely absent ourselves from the room" for the sake of consensus no longer desired.

Following the recorded vote, the representative of the United States took the floor again to insist that Member States "stop using a resolution on children as a conduit to promote controversial issues in recipient countries". He expressed hope that future iterations would lead to a more constructive outcome. The representative of Egypt supported "L.3" for its noble cause and out of empathy for the suffering of girls affected by HIV/AIDS. However, Egypt distanced itself from controversial concepts and definitions contained in the text.

The representative of Mali similarly welcomed the adoption but said that references to controversial issues should be interpreted according to Malian values. The representative of Argentina meanwhile reaffirmed his country's commitment to international cooperation in responding to HIV/AIDS, clarifying that Buenos Aires understands the term "gender" in accordance with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and understands equality between men and women in line with its national Constitution.

Motion for No Action

In other business, reflecting the same underlying tensions over phrasing and scope, the Commission opted to take no action on a draft titled "Protection of women and girls through appropriate terminology" (document E/CN.6/2026/L.4), which would have reaffirmed that the term "gender" - as used in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and other relevant instruments - is to be interpreted and understood as referring to men and women.

Introducing that text, the representative of the United States argued that "adherence to this established definition would allow constructive engagement by countries across the globe that seek to advance the Commission on the Status of Women's core mission".

However, Belgium's delegate, on behalf of the European Union, and with support expressed by Brazil's delegate, proposed "a no-action motion" on the text, stressing that it misquotes and contradicts annex 4 of the report of the Fourth World Conference on Women and "attempts to rewrite what was carefully agreed and reflected in Beijing over 30 years ago".

The Commission then approved the no-action motion by a recorded vote of 23 in favour to 3 against (Chile, Pakistan and United States), with 17 abstentions, deciding not to consider the text presented by the United States.

The representatives of Italy and the Czech Republic, among others, explained that their votes had been made on procedural rather than substantive grounds. They voiced support for the interpretation of "gender" outlined in the United States' text.

Lastly, the Commission approved its provisional agenda and documentation for its seventy-first session (document E/CN.6/2026/L.5) to be recommended to the Economic and Social Council for adoption. It also approved the draft report of its seventieth session (document E/CN.6/2026/L.1) entrusting the Rapporteur with its finalization, with the support of the Secretariat.

Despite Tensions, 'Strong Message' Delivered to Women and Girls

In closing remarks, Sima Bahous, Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), said the Commission had sent a strong message to the women and girls of the world - that their rights matter. The Agreed Conclusions place women's access to justice firmly at the heart of the global gender equality agenda. "You have done this in the face of many challenges," she said, celebrating the Commission's resolve to face the backlash against women's rights.

Gender equality is the foundation on which peace, prosperity and sustainable development ambitions rely, she said. UN-Women is working tirelessly to help Member States with their national gender equality ambitions. Its impact is measured in lives changed, inclusive economies and peace processes shaped by women's leadership. She looked forward to "opening the Commission next year alongside a Madam Secretary-General", as applause filled the hall.

Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica), Commission Chair, said Malala reminded the world last week that "we cannot succeed when half of us are held back". This Commission exists to prove her right, she said. This session asked a precise question about what revitalization actually requires. "Access to justice is the answer, the mechanism that transforms a right into a remedy," she said.

"What was agreed here has to reach the women it was written for - women waiting for courts that will hear them, girls whose rights are recognized in law but not in life", she argued. Somewhere a girl who has never heard of the Commission will grow up in a world slightly more inclined towards her rights. "She will not know why; she will not need to […] That is the only measure that matters, and it is the most hopeful thing I know," she said.

Opening of Seventy-First Session to Elect Bureau

The Commission then concluded its seventieth session, and immediately opened its seventy-first session to continue electing its new bureau. Wellington Bencosme (Dominican Republic) was elected by acclamation as Chair of the seventy-first session. Ligia Mavale (Mozambique) and Bayarsaikhan Altankhuyag (Mongolia) were elected as Vice-Chairs, joining Andreea Mocanu (Romania) and Noah Oehri (Liechtenstein), elected on 21 March as Vice-Chairs for the seventieth and seventy-first sessions. Ukraine was appointed to the Working Group on Communications.

In his first address to the Commission, Mr. Bencosme said that for his country, the promotion of gender equality is a profoundly held principle rooted in its history. "We will be actively listening" and building bridges, while defending the integrity of the Commission, he promised.

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* The 14^th-16^th Meetings were not covered.