Tackling Discriminatory Norms, Laws, and Justice Systems by Addressing Patriarchal Masculinities
- Event Date
- 6 November 2025
- Event Locations
- Online, New York
- Language
- English
- Event Duration
- 2 hours
- Event Start Time
- 9:30am (New York)
How do patriarchal masculinities manifest in justice systems, and what impact do they have on women’s and girls’ access to these systems? Why is it important to frame patriarchal masculinities as a structural barrier to access to justice rather than only as individual attitudes or behaviors? These are some of the critical questions that will be unpacked in this session, co-organised by UN Women, Bahá’i International Community, and MenEngage Alliance.
Patriarchal masculinities – anchored in discriminatory social norms and harmful gender stereotypes and increasingly amplified online – deeply inform and influence laws and legal and justice systems, including whether, how, and with whom women, girls and marginalised populations, in all their diversities, seek-access and control services across the path to justice.
The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) will be examining access to justice for women and girls as its priority theme. As we look ahead to CSW70, this session will look at the critical role of transforming patriarchal masculinities amid a complex landscape of access to justice for women, girls and marginalised populations marked by conflict, colonial and conservative geopolitics, shrinking civic space, rising authoritarianism and backlash against gender equality.
This session – taking place at the United Nations Plaza in New York and livestreamed on Zoom – will share promising practices in transforming patriarchal masculinities within legal, judicial, or community systems, and ask what lessons can be learned from these experiences.
What to expect:
- Deepen understanding and analysis on how patriarchal masculinities affect formal and informal justice systems and women’s and girls’ access to justice.
- Develop knowledge and expertise on impactful practices in addressing patriarchal masculinities within justice systems.
- Get concrete and practical recommendations for policymakers and civil society organisations on framing “men and masculinities” within feminist approaches to access to justice, especially for intergovernmental policy discussions.
