News - USA, New York, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the UN

In her address to the UN General Assembly on the occasion of the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Ambassador Gergana Karadjova reaffirmed that for Bulgaria, equality between women and men remains both an urgent priority and a shared responsibility. She added that guaranteeing and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls lies at the core of these efforts.

“Discriminatory laws, weaknesses in their implementation, gender-based prejudice, and economic dependence continue to deter survivors of violence from seeking justice,” Ambassador Karadjova emphasized. She said that justice systems must be accessible, affordable, and survivor-centered, through effective legal aid, trained professionals, and robust accountability mechanisms. Eliminating violence against women and girls and ensuring access to justice are mutually reinforcing goals that require sustained political will and adequate resources.

At the national level, Bulgaria continues to strengthen its legal and institutional framework to combat gender-based violence and to improve access to protection and support services. As positively reflected in the Secretary-General’s review report, Bulgaria has reinforced the relevant legislative frameworks and established the National Council for Equality between Women and Men within the Council of Ministers, thereby further consolidating institutional coordination and the mainstreaming of gender equality issues.

Ambassador Gergana Karadjova underlined that, at the international level, Bulgaria remains committed to advancing gender equality, including through its engagement with the Human Rights Council.