Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset took part in the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York from 10 to 12 March, stressing that gender equality is not only a human rights issue but also a democratic and security imperative.
At a time of growing backlash against women’s rights and rising violence against women and girls worldwide, the Secretary General stressed that protecting women’s rights is fundamental to safeguarding democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
“We must ensure that the achievements of past decades do not recede. We must act wherever this backlash spreads, including online. Justice must work in the digital world as it does offline,” he said. “That is why last week the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a new Recommendation on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.”
The Secretary General took part in three side events on gender equality and democratic resilience. On 11 March, he delivered a speech at the Nordic-Baltic event “Protect Democracy, Defend Gender Equality” and spoke at the Council of Europe-organised event “Policing the Pixel: Gender, Tech and Justice”, which addressed the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence on gender-based violence. On 12 March, he joined the side event “Countering Backlash and Safeguarding Women’s Rights”, organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Throughout the discussions, the Secretary General highlighted the global relevance of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, the most comprehensive international treaty addressing violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention requires states to establish laws, policies and support services to prevent such violence and provides for independent monitoring of their implementation.
He also referred to the Council of Europe’s efforts to advance gender equality and combat violence in situations of conflict and crisis, including initiatives supporting women and girls affected by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as projects promoting gender equality in the country.
Alongside the CSW70 events, Alain Berset held a series of meetings with international partners and senior UN officials. He met Guy Ryder, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Policy and Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly alongside Petra Bayr, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe.
The Secretary General also had bilateral meetings with Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Susana Elisa Pavlou, President of the Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) network, and Philippe Bolopion, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch.
In these exchanges, he addressed pressing geopolitical issues. Referring to tensions involving Iran and the wider Middle East, he recalled how the death of Mahsa Amini sparked protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”, demonstrating how attacks on women’s rights often reflect broader pressures on democratic freedoms. In interviews with international media, he stressed that the immediate priority must be de-escalation, the protection of civilians and respect for international law.
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