A woman participates in a mural painting event to raise awareness about violence against women in Honduras. LIVE: International Women’s Day and CSW70 at the United Nations Women
Welcome to our live coverage of International Women’s Day 2026 and the opening of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at UN Headquarters in New York. Throughout the day, we will bring you updates, reactions and key moments from across the UN system as global leaders, diplomats and advocates gather to mark International Women’s Day and advance the theme “Rights. Justice. Action” for all women and girls.
HIGHLIGHTS
Watch: Asia-Pacific regional commemoration of IWD in Bangkok, Thailand.
UN marks International Women’s Day: Events at UN Headquarters precede the opening of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the UN’s largest annual forum on gender equality.
Focus on “Rights, Justice, Action”: This year’s theme calls for stronger action to ensure women and girls can fully access justice and equal rights.
Secretary-General highlights legal inequality: António Guterres notes women worldwide hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men, encouraging countries to dismantle discriminatory laws and defend hard-won progress.
High-profile participation: Anne Hathaway will headline the observance, with a musical performance by Michelle Williams.
Justice gap highlighted in Afghanistan: UN findings show women in Afghanistan are far less likely than men to access formal justice mechanisms.