Statement of FIMI and IWGIA before the Commission on the Status of Women, 70th session (CSW70)

The Joint Statement of FIMI and IWGIA before the Commission on the Status of Women, 70th session (CSW70), frames access to justice as an outstanding structural debt for Indigenous Women, highlighting how multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination—racial, gender-based, territorial, and cultural—continue to limit the full exercise of their rights. The statement underscores that ensuring justice requires not only legal reforms, but also the transformation of existing systems through the recognition of Indigenous justice systems, the meaningful participation of Indigenous Women in decision-making processes, and the provision of accessible and culturally relevant resources. In this context, it reaffirms the central role of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its General Recommendation No. 39 as a roadmap toward inclusive, equitable, and human rights-aligned justice systems, while calling on States to eradicate discriminatory practices, address structural gaps, and guarantee real conditions for the self-determination and dignity of Indigenous Women.