Our Director of Legal Services represented YWCA Spokane on a global stage and brought the world's conversation back home.

In March 2026, YWCA Spokane's own Sally Winn traveled to New York City as one of just 5 state-affiliate delegates selected to represent YWCA USA at the 70th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Sally brought the work of YWCA Spokane into a global conversation on gender equity, safety, and justice.

A Surreal and Clarifying Experience

Picture the United Nations General Assembly Hall: representatives from nearly every country in the world seated side by side, real-time translation flowing through dozens of headsets, and global decisions being made in real time. Now picture sitting in that room knowing the conversations happening there are about the exact same thing you work on every single day: safety, justice, and dignity for women and girls.

That was Sally's week. And it was, in her own words, both surreal and clarifying.

Captured in her reflection, What I Saw at the United Nations, her experience offers a powerful reminder: the challenges faced by survivors here in Spokane are deeply connected to those experienced by women and families around the world.

A Global Conversation that Felt Close to Home

World leaders and advocates came together to address one central theme: Access to Justice for Women and Girls.

While attending sessions throughout the week, Sally noticed a truth began to emerge across countries and cultures: access to a courtroom is not the same thing as access to justice.

Women across the globe are navigating legal systems that are technically available but practically difficult, intimidating, or even retraumatizing to engage. They face economic barriers, cultural stigma, and processes that can feel like a second round of harm. The door might be open but that doesn't mean it's easy, or safe, to walk through. These complex processes can prevent women from seeking help.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is. These are the same barriers Sally's legal team works to address every day through services at YWCA Spokane.

Finding Innovative Ways to Move Forward

One of the most energizing parts of Sally’s experience was seeing how communities around the world are reimagining justice systems to respond to these challenges and better support women and survivors.

She noted examples like:

• Zimbabwe is created survivor-centered courts designed to feel safer, be more accessible, and integrate with medical and other support services all in one place.
• Argentina is training prosecutors to approach cases through a gender-informed lens, reshaping how harm is understood and addressed.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo is using digital technology to track cases and strengthen accountability across the justice system.
• Many areas are exploring mobile legal clinics, delivered by bus, to bring services directly to communities that don't have easy access.

These ideas sparked inspiration as well as affirmation.

In many ways, YWCA Spokane is already leading this kind of integrated, survivor-centered approach. Our legal services don’t operate in isolation; they are part of a broader network of support designed to meet survivors where they are.

Naming the Challenges Ahead

Not all conversations at UNCSW70 were hopeful. Leaders from around the world spoke candidly about rising violence, increasing online harm, and the limitations of traditional justice systems.

One issue that stood out in particular: digital violence.

From non-consensual image sharing to emerging forms of AI-generated abuse, technology is creating new risks faster than systems can respond. These are not distant issues, they are already impacting survivors in our own community.

Sally’s experience highlighted the importance of staying responsive, informed, and innovative in how we support survivors in a rapidly changing world.

The Power of Collective Work

Amid the complexity of global challenges, one thing stood out clearly: the strength of the YWCA network.

Connecting with leaders from across the country and around the world reinforced that this work is part of something much bigger. While contexts may differ, the mission remains the same: eliminating racism and empowering women.

And throughout the week, Sally found herself returning to a simple but powerful realization: “We’re doing something right in Spokane.”

Bringing It Back Home

One phrase Sally carried home from the conference was: “Regression is part of the work.”

Progress is not linear. There are setbacks. There are challenges. But change continues because people remain committed. They continue to show up, advocating for and building systems that better serve survivors.

That’s exactly what happens every day at YWCA Spokane.

The conversations at the United Nations may feel far away, but the issues are not. Access to justice, survivor safety, and systemic barriers are lived realities for the individuals and families we serve.

The difference is that here, in Spokane, we have the opportunity to act.

What This Means for Our Community

Sally’s experience didn’t change our direction, it strengthened it.

It affirmed that YWCA Spokane’s work is aligned with global best practices. It also reinforced that meaningful change doesn’t depend on geography. It depends on action.

As Sally shared in her reflection, this experience isn’t just about what happened in New York, it’s about what we do next, right here in Spokane.

And thanks to the support of this community, that work continues every day.