Kenya at CSW70: Advancing Access to Justice

This brief presents the outcomes of Kenya’s participation in the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026.

CSW70 focused on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. Kenya used the session to present national progress, contribute to global policy discussions and identify actions needed to build more inclusive, affordable and responsive justice systems.

The brief highlights progress through constitutional and legal reforms, expanded legal aid, specialised Gender Justice Courts, alternative justice mechanisms and the digitisation of court services. It also identifies persistent barriers, including harmful social norms, unaffordable legal services, limited legal awareness, institutional capacity gaps and overlapping discrimination affecting women in vulnerable situations.

Following CSW70, Kenya adopted six priority areas for national action:

• Access to justice and legal reform
• Strengthening justice institutions
• Preventing violence against women
• Digital justice and artificial intelligence governance
• Empowering women in law
• Recognising community justice

The brief calls for effective implementation, adequate financing, stronger accountability, improved data systems and coordinated action involving government, civil society, development partners, the private sector and communities.