UN Experts Urge Action on Women’s Rights in Prisons Ahead of CSW70

United Nations human rights experts have called on Member States to urgently strengthen protections for women and girls in criminal justice systems, warning that access to justice, safety and dignity for women deprived of their liberty remains "gravely inadequate" as governments prepare for the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70).

"As the principal global intergovernmental forum on gender equality, CSW70 presents an important opportunity to renew attention to the situation of women and girls who are criminalised, detained or imprisoned," the experts said.

Women's Imprisonment Rising at Alarming Rate

Globally, more than 740,000 women and girls are currently held in detention — accounting for around 7 per cent of the world's prison population.

Since 2000:

• Women's imprisonment has increased by 60 per cent

• The growth rate is nearly three times higher than that of men

• Approximately 19,000 children live in prison with their mothers

The experts noted that the majority of incarcerated women are held for non-violent offences, often linked to poverty, inability to pay fines or bail, and punitive drug policies.

"Criminalising women for survival, caregiving responsibilities and socio-economic vulnerability fails to address root causes and protection needs," they said.

Heightened Risks of Violence and Ill-Treatment

Women in detention face disproportionate risks, including:

• Sexual and gender-based violence

• Overcrowding and unsafe conditions

• Inadequate healthcare

• Limited access to legal aid

• Conditions that may amount to ill-treatment or torture

These risks are particularly acute in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Although international standards exist — notably the UN Bangkok Rules on the treatment of women prisoners and the Havana Rules on juvenile justice — implementation remains uneven and inconsistent.

Call for Structural Reform and Community Alternatives

The experts urged States to use CSW70 as a platform to adopt ambitious, concrete commitments that address the structural drivers of women's criminalisation, including:

• Poverty and economic exclusion

• Racial and ethnic marginalisation

• Discriminatory social norms

• Inequalities rooted in colonial-era harms

They called for:

• Improved data collection and participatory research involving formerly incarcerated women

• Comprehensive review of criminal laws, including drug policies

• Sustained funding for community-based, women-led support organisations

• Stronger safeguards for girls at risk of or in conflict with the law

"Crucially, States need to reduce reliance on imprisonment as the default for minor, non-violent offences and prioritise and expand suitable community-based alternatives to detention," the experts said.

Safe and Gender-Responsive Detention Conditions Essential

Where alternatives to detention are unavailable, the experts stressed that safety and dignity inside prisons must be guaranteed.

They called for:

• Sex- and gender-responsive detention policies

• Trauma-informed approaches

• Full implementation of the Bangkok Rules and Mandela Rules

• Access to mental, sexual and reproductive healthcare

• Education and vocational training opportunities

• Regular family contact

• Confidential complaint mechanisms

"All women in detention have a right to sex/gender- and age-appropriate conditions of detention, protection from all forms of violence and abuse, and healthcare equivalent to that available in the community," they said.

A Turning Point for Global Gender Policy

The experts emphasised that addressing the needs of incarcerated women is essential to advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on justice and strong institutions.

"CSW70 can and should become a turning point," they said.

"It must ensure that women and girls in contact with criminal justice systems are made visible, protected and heard in global gender policy."

As governments prepare to convene for CSW70, the experts warned that without meaningful commitments, women and girls behind bars risk remaining one of the most overlooked populations in global gender equality efforts.