UN CSW70 Concludes, Continuing to Advance Global Gender Equality

The 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) concluded successfully on March 19 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This year’s session focused on the priority theme “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” emphasizing the need to build fair and inclusive legal systems, eliminate institutional discrimination and structural barriers, and continue advancing global action on gender equality.

CSW70 was held from March 9 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session also reviewed progress since the 65th session, particularly in promoting women’s participation in public decision-making and eliminating violence against women. Throughout the conference, BLIA members participated in numerous parallel forums, actively supporting gender equality and integrating the Humanistic Buddhist values of “caring for life” and “respecting equality” into global dialogue, demonstrating a spirit of compassion and global connection.

The closing ceremony, which summarized the outcomes and outlined future directions, was attended by over 800 representatives from governments and civil society organizations worldwide. The delegation from the Fo Guang Shan New York Temple, led by Venerable Miao Chu, included Tsay Bichun, Director of the BLIA New York Chapter; Zhang Hui from BLIA New York Chapter the Secretariat; Chen Pei Rong, a Sumati Lecturer of the BLIA-YAD World Headquarters; and Wang Shoujuan from the temple’s localization team, all of whom actively engaged in international exchange.

The closing session was chaired by Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde of Costa Rica, with vice chairs from Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Romania, and Rwanda, reflecting regional diversity and international cooperation. During the session, representatives reviewed proposals and adopted “Agreed Conclusions,” which will serve as the basis for future policy implementation, while also assessing progress in implementing previous resolutions.

In her concluding remarks, Maritza Chan Valverde emphasized that the outcomes of this session will have a tangible impact on women and girls worldwide, and stressed that rights guaranteed by law must not be denied. Although gaps remain between institutional frameworks and real-world implementation, sustained political will and focused efforts can lead to meaningful change.

Notably, during the session, under the guidance of Venerable Chueh Pei, Secretary-General of the BLIA World Headquarters, BLIA hosted an online parallel forum on March 12 titled “From Disaster to Hope—Recognizing the Power of Women.” The forum highlighted women’s resilience and influence in times of adversity and attracted over 2,000 participants worldwide, demonstrating BLIA’s active international engagement on gender equality issues.

In addition, during the conference, monastics from the Fo Guang Shan New York Temple, along with representatives from the BLIA New York Association and BLIA Young Adults, participated in more than 20 parallel forums, learning from international experiences, exchanging perspectives on women’s issues, and gaining deeper insight into global challenges in gender equality while broadening their international outlook.

Zhang Hui stated that BLIA, guided by Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s principle of “equality for all beings,” has long been committed to environmental protection, disaster relief, and spiritual care. She expressed hope that through cross-sector collaboration between religion and academia, greater compassion and wisdom can be brought to advancing global gender equality and social justice.