From March 9-19, the United Nations held its 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), convening international representatives to evaluate progress towards gender equality. The theme of CSW70, “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” provided an ideal platform for the Vance Center’s Human Rights & Access to Justice Program to spotlight its ongoing work to uphold access to justice for women around the world. We collaborated with clients, partner organizations, and members of the Women in Prison Network to co-host eight events alongside CSW – almost certainly a new Vance Center record for events in one... read more
Post tagged in "Women in Prison"
Women in Prison Network Statement Calls on CSW, UN Member States to Include Incarcerated Women in Global Gender Equality Agenda
Posted on February 9, 2026Ahead of the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Vance Center and Penal Reform International submitted a statement on behalf of Women in Prison Network members highlighting the need to include incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in broader conversations on gender equality and specifically in UN spaces, including the CSW. The statement calls on the Commission to “reset the agenda” by ensuring women in prison and formerly incarcerated women participate fully in the 70th session of the CSW, scheduled for March 9-20, 2026. It offers recommendations for the United Nations and Member... read more
Bangkok +15 to a New Horizon: Vance Center’s Women in Prison Network Organizes Global Convening in Bogotá
Posted on November 18, 2025Attendees gather on the opening night of the Women in Prison Network’s Global Convening, in Bogotá, Colombia, Nov. 3, 2025. Photo credit: Vance Center From November 3-5, the Vance Center’s Human Rights and Access to Justice Program held the second global convening of the Women in Prison Network. The event, “From Bangkok +15 to a New Horizon,” marked the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, more commonly known as the Bangkok Rules. The three-day event brought together more than 80 participants from across the Americas, Europe, Africa,... read more
Women in Prison Network Highlights Rights of Incarcerated Women on Global Stage during UN CSW69
Posted on March 26, 2025Vance Center Senior Staff Attorney Romina Canessa, Clean Start Africa founder and CEO Teresa Njoroge, and UNODC Prison and Corrections Advisor Sarang Ahsani at the March 13, 2025, event at the New York City Bar Association. Photo: Vance Center From March 10-21, the United Nations held its 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), convening international leaders to evaluate progress towards gender equality. The forum marked the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark framework for advancing women’s rights and gender... read more
Vance Center’s Women in Prison Network Leads IACHR Hearing on Women Deprived of Liberty
Posted on March 14, 2024Vance Center Staff Attorney Astrid Reyes (third from right) with presenters from the Women in Prison Network after the thematic hearing on the right to reintegration of women deprived of liberty, in Washington, DC, February 29, 2024. Photo: Vance Center On February 29, Vance Center Staff Attorney Astrid Reyes joined representatives of partner organizations and members of the Women in Prison Network from across Latin America for a special session on the right to reintegration of women deprived of liberty. During the hearing, the first ever held by the Commission specifically on this subject, Reyes and representatives of seven other... read more
Our Year in Review: 2025 at the Vance Center
Posted on December 23, 2025This year has been quite a journey: for our organization, our clients, and the broader international community. Urgent questions of human rights, the state of democracy, the rule of law, and the role of the legal profession have demanded our resources and expertise, and many of the Vance Center’s legal services are more in demand than ever before. Even as we responded to new clients, requests, and projects, we stayed true to our mission. Through the twists and turns of 2025, we found new ways to provide pro bono support for civil society organizations and activate a global network of... read more