GENEVA, 5 October 2026 — The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women opened its 93rd session in Geneva, warning that financial constraints and a growing backlash against gender equality are placing international oversight under strain.
Andrea Ori, representing the UN Secretary-General, said the United Nations liquidity crisis meant CEDAW could hold only two sessions in 2026 instead of the three normally scheduled. The present session had originally been planned for June.
The Committee will sit from 5 to 30 October and examine the records of Angola, Cabo Verde, the Cook Islands, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Paraguay, the Republic of Moldova and Togo.
Its opening discussion highlighted attacks against women human-rights defenders, shrinking civic space, rising gender-based violence and the erosion of sexual and reproductive health rights across several regions.
CEDAW’s independent experts question governments about their compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women before issuing recommendations for legal and policy reform.
Reduced meeting time can delay country reviews, individual complaints and follow-up procedures precisely when civil-society organizations report increasing demand for protection, accountability and access to justice.
The session dates, participating States and funding warning were verified through the UN Geneva meeting summary, OHCHR’s treaty-body database and an independent women’s-rights monitoring network.
References
- United Nations Office at Geneva — CEDAW opens its 93rd session, 5 October 2026
- OHCHR Treaty Body Database — CEDAW 93rd session
- IWRAW Asia Pacific — Independent session overview
Featured photo: Mathias Reding/Unsplash.