Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
GA HOLDS PLENARY MEETING ON BEIJING + 25 AND CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO
The President of the General Assembly is chairing a plenary meeting on the advancement of women – Item 29, and on Item 88 about the request for an advisory opinion on the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.
The draft resolution (A/73/L/84 Rev.1) was introduced by Senegal on behalf of the African Group.
As of this morning, 15 speakers have been inscribed to take the GA podium on this issue.
Mauritius was represented by H.E. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. The British Ambassador, H.E. Karen Pierce, spoke on behalf of her country.
Prior to this debate, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution to hold a high-level meeting in 2020 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The draft resolution had over 100 sponsors.
The PGA commended Kenya for its leadership on this resolution as well as many co-sponsors from all regions.
Ms. Espinosa said that: “almost 25 years on, the Beijing Platform for Action remains highly relevant because progress has been painfully slow. As we heard at the Commission on the Status of Women this year, if we maintain the current rate of progress, it will take 108 years – more than a century – to close the global gender gap, and 202 years to achieve economic gender parity. And no country has achieved gender equality.”
The President of the General Assembly hopes that the high-level meeting will be an opportunity to renew the commitment to empower women and girls everywhere.
Ms. Espinosa will shortly appoint two co-facilitators to help with consultations on modalities of the event in 2020.
More information on our website: www.un.org/pga/73
PGA’S AGENDA
This afternoon, Ms. Espinosa will meet the Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Mariangela Zappia. She will also hold bilateral meetings with the Ambassadors of Singapore and Iceland on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, to be marked next year. The PGA will also receive at her office, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, Ms. Ana de Palacio. She will finish the day with a meeting with the Permanent Representatives of Bangladesh and Spain.
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