As delivered
Remarks by Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly at exhibition “Her Story: A Celebration of Leading Women in the United Nations”
13 December 2016
Thanks you very much for the introduction, Ambassador Mejia.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon,
Secretary General designate António Guterres,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here today in celebration of the United Nations’ finest female leaders.
Let me begin by thanking the Group of Friends for Gender Parity and in particular the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Colombia, Germany, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for organizing this exhibition.
In its former guise, this Group has already made a significant contribution to Gender Equality at the UN, facilitating as it did not just the presentation of more female than male candidates in this year’s SG selection process; but of more female candidates in 2016 than in the previous 70 years.
The push for a female Secretary-General will no doubt continue in the future, but with only 3 female PGAs in 71 years, there is clearly plenty of room for improvement elsewhere in the United Nations system.
In relation to the presentation of nominations or candidacies for the post of the PGA, I have recommended to the Group of Friends that they should begin work within the five regional groups to address group principles in this regard.
Through today’s exhibition, the Group has managed to capture both the impact of women at the highest levels of the UN and an historic push for gender equality in employment and decision-making that goes far beyond these halls.
With women having to spend a greater proportion of their time on unpaid domestic work and care activities, and earning on average between 20 and 30 percent less than working men worldwide, the barriers against gender parity in employment and decision making remain many.
To achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; to advance towards SDG five’s promise of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, each and every one of us – individually and collectively – must do our utmost to support the equal participation women and girls at all levels and the full protection of their human rights.
Here, the United Nations bears a special responsibility.
I am proud that in the Office of the President of the General Assembly for the 71st session, we have gender parity, including at the senior adviser level.
I also wish to congratulate Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for his untiring efforts to achieve gender parity at the UN.
Now the baton passes to Secretary General designate Guterres who has set out ambitious benchmarks and timeframes for gender parity in yesterday’s speech to the General Assembly.
I hope that today’s exhibition will serve not only as a source of inspiration to him but to all of us whose support can assist him in this endeavor.
Thank you.