For Awele Ideal, standing among global leaders and advocates at the United Nations Headquarters in New York was not just another professional achievement. It was the triumph of a woman who says she was abandoned as a baby, suffered abuse while growing up, and turned her pain into a lifelong mission to defend vulnerable women and children.

Speaking during the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), Awele delivered a passionate call for justice, inclusion, and stronger protection for women and girls across the world.

“I was abandoned by my mom at seven months, and my stepmother who raised me maltreated me badly. That was what challenged me into becoming a lawyer because I wanted to help oppressed people, especially children. I vowed to become the voice of the voiceless,” she revealed.

The conference, held earlier this week at the United Nations Headquarters, brought together policymakers, legal professionals, gender advocates, and civil society leaders to address issues surrounding justice, gender equality, women’s participation in leadership, and the elimination of discriminatory laws and practices.

Throughout the engagements, discussions focused on how weak legal systems, exclusion, and structural inequality continue to expose millions of women and girls to violence and marginalization.

Awele, while addressing participants, lamented the continued exclusion of women from critical decision-making spaces despite years of global conversations around equality.

“Many girls and women are kept out of the rooms where decision making happens. For how long should this continue? Justice delayed is justice denied and justice denied is justice stolen,” she said.

She further stressed that beyond representation, women must be given real opportunities to contribute meaningfully to policies and decisions affecting their future.

“At the United Nations CSW70, we advocate that the voices of women and girls must be heard in order to drive meaningful changes. We must support the voices of those who are able to show up and with our voices, amplify the voices of those who are prevented from participation,” she added.

Awele also spoke openly about the personal and professional battles she has faced while building her legal career. According to her, balancing motherhood with the demands of a male-dominated profession and confronting social stereotypes associated with divorced women were among the toughest realities she had to overcome.

“Being a woman in a male dominated profession, being a mother while maintaining my professional career, and dealing with stereotypes of being a divorcee are some of the challenges I have faced,” she stated.

Despite the obstacles, she described her biggest accomplishment as raising her children intentionally while building a respected legal and advocacy voice.

“My greatest accomplishment is being an intentional mom and being a lawyer whose voice is heard loud and clear,” she said.

Delegates at the conference repeatedly emphasized that rights without access to justice leave many women vulnerable, calling for stronger institutions, inclusive policies, and practical reforms capable of protecting women and girls globally.

As the conference continues to shape international conversations around gender justice, Awele maintained that women must never surrender their dreams because of difficult circumstances or societal limitations.

“Your life is what you make of it. You are enough. If you set your mind towards achieving a goal then nobody can stop you except you,” she said.