ILC AT CSW 70
Advancing women’s land rights as a pathway to justice
At the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the International Land Coalition (ILC) will advocate for women’s land rights as a fundamental pillar of access to justice, economic empowerment and resilience.
why CSW 70?
Globally, women make up only 35 per cent of landowners despite producing up to 80 per cent of food in developing countries. Discriminatory laws, inheritance practices, weak enforcement of land rights and limited access to justice systems continue to undermine women’s livelihoods. Without secure land tenure, women struggle to access credit, invest in agriculture, seek legal redress or pass assets on to their children.
Secure land rights provide the economic foundation that enables women to claim their rights and participate fully in social and economic life. Yet widows are often dispossessed,
women’s land claims are frequently ignored in conflict and displacement contexts, and climate change is further exacerbating tenure insecurity.
CSW70 takes place amid a severe crisis for international development cooperation. Recent funding cuts have disproportionately affected programmes supporting women’s rights, legal aid and land documentation—particularly in the Global South. In this context, ILC and its members are calling for renewed political commitment and investment to protect and advance women’s land rights
What we are asking
At CSW, we call for .........
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WHAT WE ARE ASKING:
- Land is central to the livelihoods of women farmers and must be recognised as foundational across climate, economic empowerment and resilience debates.
- Women's identity as farmers, pastoralists and Indigenous peoples must be explicitly named and maintained in all advocacy spaces.
- Barriers to land access — including social norms, care burdens and economic constraints — must be systematically addressed. Barriers in formal justice systems; assess alternative or formalised mechanisms that work for women in different contexts.
“While 164 countries legally recognise women’s right to inherit land, only 52 guarantee these rights in practice.” - Source: OECD SIGI 2023
WHAT WE ARE ASKING:
- Barriers in formal justice systems must be tackled, and alternative or formalised mechanisms that work for women in diverse contexts should be assessed and strengthened.
- Women farmers must be recognised as a political constituency, with their labour made visible and their leadership and resource mobilisation supported.
- Land rights must be explicitly linked to broader economic empowerment and political participation.
- Women farmers should be recognized and protected as land defenders.
“383 million women and girls live in extreme poverty — 15 million more than men and boys.” - Source: UN 2022
WHAT WE ARE ASKING:
- Men and community leaders must be engaged as allies to shift power dynamics and transform harmful social norms.
- Women's organisations, literacy and productive support need strengthening, particularly in vulnerable and migration-affected areas.
- Education and economic empowerment are essential tools to prevent forced migration and build resilience.
MEET THE ILC MEMBERS GOING TO CSW 70
The International Land Coalition is proud to be represented at the upcoming session of the CSW by two women leaders advancing land rights and gender justice.
We look forward to seeing you in New York – together we can ensure that women's land rights are front and centre in discussions at CSW.
The following delegates will join on behalf of ILC:
Frances Birungi
Executive Director, Uganda Community Based Association for Women and Children's Welfare
Ngone Ngom
Chargée de projet gouvernance foncière, CICODEV Africa
WHERE TO FIND US
*Information to be updated as it's confirmed*
10 March
9:00H | Securing Her Future: Advancing Women’s Land Rights, Housing and Access to Justice in Tanzania
Securing Her Future: Advancing Women's Land Rights, Housing, and Access to Justice in Tanzania
Organised by: GEF NAC & UN Women Tanzania, Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, S4HL, WiLDAF Tanzania, Habitat for Humanity
Location: UN HQ, NYC
Conference Room: 9
ILC Speakers: Frances Birungi
11:30H | Advancing Justice for Women Farmers: IYWF 2026
Advancing Justice for Women Farmers, celebrating the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer
Organised by: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Kingdom of Sweden, Federal Republic of Germany, FAO, IFAD, WFP, UN Women, AWLN
Location: UN HQ, NYC
Conference Room: 2
ILC Speakers: Danitza Quispe
4:45H | Rural Women’s Access to Natural Resources as a Pathway to Economic, Social and Climate Resilience
Rural Women’s Access to Natural Resources as a Pathway to Economic, Social and Climate Resilience
Organised by: Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, IFAD, Gates Foundation
Location: UN HQ, NYC
Conference Room: E
ILC Speakers: Marcy Vigoda, Director
11 MARCH
14:30H | NGO Forum side event: Women farmers as land defenders
NGO Forum side event: Women farmers as land defenders
Organised by: ILC and the LAC LED Platform
Location: UN Church Center, Drew Room
ILC Speakers: Frances Birungi, Lipi Rahman, Ngone Ngom, Danitza Quispe
12 March
13H | Seeds of justice: Securing women farmers' economic and land rights and climate justice
Seeds of justice: Securing women farmers' economic and land rights and climate justice
Organised by: ILC, FAO, UN Women, Landesa, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, with Ireland and Sierra Leone
Location: African Union Conference Hall
ILC Speakers: Marcy Vigoda, Lipi Rahman
15H | Ensuring Rural Women’s Decision-Making Opportunities in Environmental Governance
Ensuring Rural Women’s Decision-Making Opportunities in Environmental Governance
Organised by: Permanent Mission of Mongolia, UNDP, UNCCD
Location: UN HQ, NYC
Conference Room: D
ILC Speakers: Marcy Vigoda
