PLUME at CSW70: Advancing CEDAW GR39 and Justice for Indigenous Women
From March 9–14, PLUME joined the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA) and the International Forum of Indigenous Women (FIMI) at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York—advancing Indigenous women's priorities and pushing for the implementation of CEDAW General Recommendation No. 39 (GR39) as a self-determined legal pathway.
GR39 as a Priority Framework
PLUME Executive Director Rosalee Gonzalez moderated a panel on GR39 at FIMI's CSW70 event, where Indigenous women leaders from across seven socio-cultural regions shared priorities rooted in lived experience and collective advocacy. The panel reinforced GR39 as a critical tool for Indigenous Nations—especially in contexts where national governments, like the United States, have not ratified CEDAW.
PLUME representatives at CSW70 with New York City skyline, March 2026
Systemic Barriers to Justice
Dr. Gonzalez also spoke on the FIMI/IWGIA panel "Access to Justice for Indigenous Women of the Americas," representing ECMIA to name the structural obstacles Indigenous women face when seeking accountability within legal systems that were not designed by or for them. The panel positioned Indigenous legal traditions and international mechanisms as complementary pathways, not replacements for each other.
Joint Statement to the CSW Plenary
PLUME co-authored ECMIA's official statement to the CSW plenary, delivered on March 17. This statement outlined regional demands and positioned Indigenous women's self-determination—not inclusion—as the measure of progress.
Local-to-Global Strategy: Cities for CEDAW
Beyond the UN sessions, PLUME met with Cities for CEDAW to explore pathways for Los Angeles County to formally adopt GR39. This marks a critical link between international standards and local governance—a strategy central to PLUME's theory of change.
Indigenous women leaders from the Americas at UN Women headquarters, CSW70
Cultural Continuity and Public Narrative
PLUME participated in a discussion on Indigenous midwifery and maternal health at the home of Gloria Steinem, filmed for an upcoming documentary. This moment reflects PLUME's commitment to centering Indigenous knowledge systems in public discourse, not as heritage but as living governance.
““GR39 is not a tool we’re waiting for permission to use. It’s a standard Indigenous Nations can adopt now—on our own terms.””
