International Women’s Day: Strengthening Women’s Access to Justice through Democratic Participation

In the wake of rising authoritarianism and democratic backsliding across the globe, it’s impossible to ignore the purposeful erosion of gender equality and women’s rights as a critical component of those efforts. At a moment like this, advancing equality, dignity and representation is essential to the health of democracy itself.

This is why the National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) work to support strong and resilient democratic institutions — and to ensure that all people can participate fully and freely in public life — is more important than ever before. This year, as we mark International Women’s Day, NDI is proud to amplify the global theme of rights, justice and action for all women and girls. #IWD2026 #ForAllWomenAndGirls

International Women’s Day 2026 comes at a time when conflict, repression and political tensions are weakening the rule of law. In this environment, democratic institutions that are representative, transparent and accountable serve as a critical counterweight. By strengthening these institutions and broadening democratic participation, NDI and our partners help build public trust, advance fairness and remove the barriers that prevent women from fully exercising their rights. At its core, this work is about ensuring that justice systems serve everyone equally, impartially and with dignity.

When the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (#CSW70), the largest annual forum dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights, convened in New York this month, it focused on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. This includes promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws and practices, and addressing the structural barriers that continue to limit women’s participation.

Across regions, NDI supports local partners in advancing these goals, working to ensure equality before the law while strengthening the institutions and processes that make justice possible. This means not only supporting reforms, but also empowering women to participate meaningfully in all aspects of public life.

As part of this commitment, NDI was proud to partner with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and Solidarity Center on a CSW panel to highlight the extraordinary work of women leaders advancing equal access to justice through democratic participation.

On March 11, as part of the parallel program to CSW70, Ambassador Maria Leissner, former Swedish Liberal Member of Parliament and former Secretary General for the Community of Democracies, moderated a panel discussion on “Strengthening Women’s Access to Justice through Democratic Participation.” She was joined by: Anna Kulaya, National Coordinator of Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF) in Tanzania; Nilanthi Ranasinghe, Vice President of the National Postal and Telecommunication Workers’ Union in Sri Lanka; and Fauzia Tariq, Gender and Democratic Participation Expert in Pakistan, all of whom discussed the importance of strong democratic institutions in ensuring that all people understand their rights and can resolve disputes through a fair, accessible, and timely justice system.

Drawing on examples from Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, these leaders shared stories of how women’s rights and gender equality activists are utilizing participation in democratic processes to expand access to justice and strengthen public trust in legal systems. From advancing legislation to address violence against women in politics to improving institutional responsiveness, these efforts are helping build systems where rights are not only recognized but realized for women.