War, inequality, and militarisation continue to put women and girls at risk, UN warns.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has called on governments to move beyond mere condemnation and take strong, concrete action against violence targeting women and girls worldwide. Speaking at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, Mohammed highlighted how conflicts expose women and children to severe, lasting harm.
She cited shocking statistics: over 4,500 conflict-related sexual violence cases in 2024 alone, though the real numbers are likely much higher due to underreporting. In Sudan, attacks against women human rights defenders are rampant; in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a child is raped every 30 minutes; and in Haiti, sexual violence against children has surged dramatically.
Mohammed stressed that women must be central to peace processes and political decision-making, warning that lasting peace is impossible while women and girls remain excluded and unprotected.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk also raised alarm over drone attacks in Sudan, noting over 200 civilian deaths since March 4, including strikes on markets, hospitals, schools, and health clinics in Kordofan and White Nile states. He called for all parties to fully abide by international law and stop targeting civilians.
The CSW session, running until March 19, brings together member states, UN bodies, and NGOs—including Nigeria—to focus on strengthening access to justice for women and girls, eliminating discriminatory laws, and removing barriers to equality.
“The violence, fueled by new technologies of war, keeps spreading. Women and girls cannot wait for protection—action is needed now,” Mohammed said.
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