It's a great pleasure - thank you for taking the time this morning.  

I thank the distinguished members of this panel for joining me today.

Before I begin, let me say a few words about the passing of His Majesty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, which I learnt of his passing with great sadness.

King Abdullah made major contributions to the development of the Kingdom. Under his leadership over many decades in different high-level positions in Government, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia achieved remarkable progress and prosperity for its people.

I would also like to pay tribute to King Abdullah’s efforts to address regional and international challenges at a time of turmoil and rapid change, and to promote dialogue among the world's faiths. As the driving force behind the Arab Peace Initiative, King Abdullah left a tangible legacy that can still point the way toward peace in the Middle East.  I am also grateful for King Abdullah’s generous humanitarian and development support for people across the Arab region and wider world.

King Abdullah’s leadership will be remembered throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds and the international community. On behalf of the United Nations, I would like to extend my condolences to the bereaved family of King Abdullah, the Government and people of Saudi Arabia.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us turn, now, to the issue we are all here to address today.

I am proud to say that I was the first person to sign up for the HeForShe [campaign] during the very moving event during the General Assembly session in New York.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of men and boys from around the world have joined us.

The Millennium Development Goals recognized that gender equality and women’s empowerment are essential to tackling poverty, hunger and other global problems.

Traditionally this central truth about human development has been advocated by women.

But the HeForShe campaign is based on solidarity and a different insight into sustainability. It “flips the script” so that men speak out for what we all know is right.

HeForShe has signed up fathers who want to raise empowered daughters. Leaders who know their societies will be stronger when there are as many women in parliament and in business as men. And ordinary people who are fed up with violence and discrimination against women – and want to be part of a global force for change.

This is a partnership campaign involving individuals and corporations, government leaders and grassroots activists, great celebrities and global citizens. HeForShe is the United Nations in your countries and communities.

And I would like to thank Emma Watson, who makes such a great advocate and [made a] moving presentation last year. Everybody, including myself, was very much grateful and admiring of her commitment, and I think she started the international community's awareness and I hope she will continue to work as Goodwill Ambassador. Thank you very much.

Ladies and gentlemen, just the other week, last week, I was in India, where I recruited three new men to the campaign: the country’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi; a star athlete considered the “God of Cricket”, Sachin Tendulkar; and the latest Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi. We had also a very good event for HeForShe in New Delhi.

Everywhere I go, I am involving more men in the campaign. I know that our world will not change until men think differently about their roles – about what it means to be a man. We are finding that we can do that most successfully when we enlist men to speak to other men.

In just a moment, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will explain how this will go forward in the newest phases of this campaign.

For now let me say: I stand for equality for the world’s women – and I am joined by people around the world who understand that this is everyone’s concern.

Let us work together to make this world better for all, particularly where women's rights, human dignity, are respected and promoted.

I thank you very much for your leadership. Thank you.