News

Despite policy advancements in Albania, significant gaps remain in the protection and support of workers, particularly women in rural areas. Labour rights violations persist, especially for women who face systemic barriers to employment and economic security. Whilst the government adopted the National Strategy for Employment and Skills (2023–2030), rural women remain disproportionately excluded from the workforce​. Limited access to childcare, a lack of vocational training, and deep-rooted gender norms restrict their participation, leaving them vulnerable to poverty and economic dependence.

The liquidity crisis has led to cuts in Special Procedures’ activities and limited engagement opportunities for rights holders. States cannot continue defunding the Special Procedures system, which they have created, thereby preventing them from fulfilling their essential mandates. States must pay their dues in full and on time. We ask the Coordination Committee and the Secretariat to regularly update and consult with civil society on the impact of the liquidity crisis and other challenges and developments affecting Special Procedures and OHCHR, and to make that information public and easily accessible.

We welcome the Independent Expert’s report. As it remarks, Global South countries are most affected by a climate crisis they did not cause and by an inequitable global financial system. They are struggling with increasing debt levels, forced to borrow more money, often just to repay existing debts, with IMF- and World Bank-imposed austerity measures, including cuts to public spending and privatization of essential services affecting disproportionately women, children, elderly, racialized and marginalized communities.

Apreciamos al informe de la Experta Independiente. Como señala, los países del Sur Global son los más afectados por una crisis climática que no causaron y por un sistema financiero global injusto, y están luchando con niveles de deuda cada vez mayores, obligados a pedir más dinero, a menudo solo para pagar las deudas existentes, con medidas de austeridad impuestas por el FMI y el Banco Mundial, incluidos recortes al gasto público y privatización de servicios esenciales que afectan desproporcionadamente a mujeres, comunidades racializadas, la niñez, personas adultas mayores y las comunidades marginadas.

We commend and appreciate the efforts of the Special Rapporteur in highlighting the rights of women and girls with disabilities by aligning the Beijing+30 review with commitments made in UNCRPD and SDG. We also thank her for spotlighting the leadership of women with disabilities in the regional B+30 processes.

More action is needed to address the intersectional challenges of women with disabilities living in rural areas, including young and indigenous women and other structurally excluded communities. Investment in developing the leadership of such women is key. We call for urgent implementation measures to combat violence based on gender and disability, including femicides. Even when legal frameworks exist, implementation, access to justice and to crisis centers are extremely limited for women with disabilities.

The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025. SRI is excited to be co-hosting 2 events this week in collaboration with multiple partners.

Housing is more than shelter. It is a fundamental determinant of health, safety, and well-being. Migrants, particularly those with irregular status, face systemic barriers to securing safe housing, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, ill health, displacement, gender-based violence, and human rights violations. In Canada, many migrant workers, especially in agricultural and caregiving sectors, and international students endure overcrowded and unsafe conditions with little recourse when facing exploitation, violence, or eviction.

The ability of the international human rights system - and, in particular, the multilateral institutions tasked with advancing human rights for all - has long been questioned by feminist and social justice activists. Join us for this exciting conversation, which will interrogate where collective advocacy should be headed and the possibilities for feminist collective action and mobilisation.