Italy’s National Statement and Initiatives during the Seventieth Session of theCommission on the Status of Women

Press Release of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN in New York

New York, March 18, 2026

Italy’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi,

addressed the General Assembly, on March 17, during the debate of the 70th Commission on the

Status of Women (CSW), which this year focused on promoting justice, rights, and the full

participation of all women and girls, as well as on strengthening legal systems to combat

discrimination and violence.

The Ambassador highlighted Italy’s longstanding commitment and the measures recently adopted

by the Italian government to strengthen the legal framework and combat any form of violence

against women. Marrapodi specifically underscored the Italian Parliament’s unanimous approval

of the introduction of femicide as a distinct criminal offense, on November 25, 2025, on the

occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

During a week packed with meetings between the delegations and participating civil society

organizations, Italy hosted and co-sponsored numerous initiatives.

On March 13, a conference dedicated to combating female genital mutilation took place,

organized in collaboration with UNFPA, UNICEF, Canada, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Sweden

to share and assess regulatory progress and best practices for protecting the rights of women and

girls. On Thursday, March 12, the Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia

Roccella, delivered a video message at the event “Protecting Women and Children: Combating

Violence and Exploitation in Surrogacy” organized with the Holy See, Paraguay, and Turkey on

the topic of surrogacy and its ethical and regulatory implications, in light of Italy’s commitment

to protecting human dignity and preventing all forms of exploitation of women’s bodies and lives.

During CSW, Italy also organized a side event with UNIDO on March 11 to promote the role of

women and youth in the coffee supply chains, particularly in Africa; with FAO on March 12 to

promote women’s leadership and equal opportunities in the agri-food sector; with UNHCR and

UN Women to enhance support for women and girls in conflict situations; with IDLO to zoom in

on the specific issue of access to justice for women.

The Italian delegation participating in the 70th Session of the CSW included Representatives

Annarita Patriarca, Valentina Ghio, and Catia Polidori, as well as Stefano Pizzicannella, Director

of the Department for the Family, Birth Rates, and Equal Opportunities.

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