The United Nations has been concerned with women’s rights since its founding in 1945. The United Nations Charter promised in the preamble “to reaffirm faith in…the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.” At the first UN General Assembly meeting in 1946, Eleanor Roosevelt, a delegate from the United States, called upon all governments to encourage women to take a more active role in political affairs. Soon after, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established to promote gender equality and the rights of women worldwide. Its main role is to create recommendations and reports to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on improving women’s rights in areas such as politics, economics, education, and social matters. The CSW also addresses urgent issues affecting women and advocates for their participation in both national and international decision-making. Over the years, the CSW has played a key role in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment globally.

Women and girls remain significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These fields are key to solving global challenges and driving innovation. While more girls are completing education than ever before, many still face barriers such as gender stereotypes, lack of mentors and role models, unequal access to opportunities, and limited encouragement to pursue STEM subjects. Globally, women make up only about one-third of STEM graduates and just 26 percent of the workforce in data and artificial intelligence. This gap limits innovation and reduces the diversity of perspectives in scientific development. For example, since men historically dominated research spaces, studies have found that women are up to 70 percent more likely to be seriously injured in car crashes because safety testing historically relied on crash-test dummies based on average male bodies. Closing the gender gap in STEM requires action from CSW delegates such as improving access to quality education for girls, expanding mentoring and scholarship programs, challenging stereotypes, and encouraging inclusive workplaces in science and technology sectors. Strengthening these efforts will help ensure that girls and women everywhere can participate equally in shaping technologies and discoveries of the future.

Migration corridors, while offering pathways to safety and opportunity, often expose migrants to significant risk, including exploitation and violence. Migrants, especially women and girls, are disproportionately targeted due to their vulnerability. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), five out of every ten trafficking victims are women, and two out of ten are girls. Sexual violence is also heightened along migration routes due to the secluded and dispersed nature of the routes. Furthermore, reporting mechanisms are often inaccessible or unsafe. Many migrants are fleeing dangerous situations or attempting to escape unstable home countries and often have no clear point of contact in their destination country. Fear of deportation and social stigma are also clear barriers to reporting for women. Migration routes cross borders and are often designed to evade detection. As a result, there are prolific gaps in oversight and enforcement. Delegates in CSW must consider protections for these vulnerable populations while considering the complex and often illicit nature of migration corridors.