On this International Women’s Day we call on everyone, everywhere to uphold gender equality as a necessity in upholding human rights.
It has been twenty-five years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, which remains the most comprehensive global agenda for achieving gender equality. All Member States should not only reaffirm their commitment to it, but work assiduously to implement it.
We have made important gains since 1995: there are more girls in school than ever before, and many countries have reached gender parity in educational enrolment.
However, no country can claim to have achieved gender equality, especially in terms of income and political leadership. Change has been slow for most women and girls in the world. We have much work to do. In this context, I welcome stakeholder engagement across the globe, inspired by women’s movements and energised by youth activists who call for wide ranging structural and systemic changes necessary for accelerated progress.
As we enter the Decade of Action and Delivery to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, we must mainstream SDG 5 – Gender Equality – across all of our work. This ensures that women and girls have the opportunity to participate equally in all decisions.
As we celebrate ten years of UN Women, I call on you to support the intergenerational campaign, ‘Generation Equality’ to guarantee that equality becomes a lived experience for everyone, regardless of gender. By working together- girls and boys, women and men- we can galvanize multilateral action to realise the human rights of all women and girls.
As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, let us not forget that equality is one of our most cherished goals as an Organisation.
I thank you.
