Fijian women’s rights advocate Noelene Nabulivou has delivered a strong warning about declining access to justice for women and girls across the Asia-Pacific, citing a global rollback of gender equality and shrinking space for civil society.
Speaking in Bangkok at the Regional Consultation for the Commission on the Status of Women 70 (CSW70), Ms Nabulivou addressed delegates on behalf of Asia and Pacific civil society organisations, including women-led human rights groups, feminist organisations and social movements.
“Across Asia and the Pacific, women and girls face significant obstacles in accessing justice,” she said, pointing to intersecting global crises including rising inequality, war, democratic decline, climate change and uneven digital access.
Ms Nabulivou warned of what she described as a “rapid rollback” of women’s and girls’ human rights, driven by authoritarianism, anti-gender movements and geopolitical pressures.
“This weakens sexual and reproductive health and rights, increases gender-based violence, and places greater restrictions on the crucial work of civil society and social movements,” she said.
She said some States were promoting restrictive gender roles, narrowing family-focused and pronatalist policies, attempting to lower the legal age of marriage, and stalling responses to HIV and AIDS.
“We must stop this regression, together,” she said.
Ms Nabulivou also raised concerns about reduced civil society participation under initiatives such as the UN@80 reforms, the CSW Revitalisation Agenda and the UN Regional Reset, saying many organisations across Asia and the Pacific were unable to attend CSW70 due to cost and safety barriers.
“We call for State support for women advocates’ access to justice within the multilateral system, and adequate representation at UN processes,” she said.
She highlighted compounded barriers faced by women, including lack of access to food, water, education, health care, land and housing, alongside discriminatory laws, weak enforcement, poverty, digital divides, climate-related displacement and conflict.
Calling for concrete action, Ms Nabulivou urged governments to support the declaration of an International Decade to Advance Access to Justice for Women and Girls from 2027 to 2036.
“Justice is not merely about access to courts,” she said. “It is about dismantling systems of power that perpetuate inequality.”
Ms Nabulivou concluded by urging States to ensure justice systems are safe, timely and inclusive, and to deliver strong, meaningful outcomes at the 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women.
