70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), New York

BPW Cyprus at CSW70 in New York: Advocating Justice and Equality for Every Woman

Under the central slogan "Rights, Justice, Action," BPW Cyprus (Cyprus Federation of Business and Professional Women) is actively participating in the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York.

This year's delegation — comprising BPW Cyprus President Mary Papadopoulou, Executive Secretary of BPW Cyprus Zoe Louvieri, and Vice President of BPW Kyrenia Konstantina Constantinou — is present at a historic moment, as the session focuses on strengthening women's access to justice and abolishing discriminatory laws.

In his opening speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres set the tone of the proceedings with a stark observation. Globally, women hold only 64% of the legal rights enjoyed by men. Casting justice as a foundation, he emphasized that gender justice is inseparable from peace, security, and sustainable development.

“Justice for women and girls must be the cornerstone of the world we seek to build.”

Mr. Guterres also warned of the "strong winds" of global backlash, stressing that no step of progress was ever granted to women — it was won through struggle.

The session began with the adoption of strong commitments to address the structural barriers women face. These included legislative reform — the urgent need to abolish laws relating to property, employment, and family status that continue to restrict women's autonomy; combating impunity — a focus on creating judicial systems that protect victims of gender-based violence and ensure accountability; and digital justice and technology — addressing male chauvinism in algorithms and artificial intelligence so that technology promotes equality rather than bias.

Speaking from New York, President Mary Papadopoulou stated:

“We stand alongside the global movement for full legal and substantive equality. The presence of BPW Cyprus underscores our commitment to bringing these international demands into the Cypriot reality. We are not asking for privileges — we demand equal opportunities at every level of social and economic life.”