PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR

ADVISORY GROUP SUPPORTS PRESIDENT’S EFFORTS TO FOSTER GENDER EQUALITY

  • The President has written to Member States to update them on the work of his Advisory Group on Gender Equality, which held its inaugural meeting on 19 November.
  • The President asked the Group to consider how gender equality could best be mainstreamed into the mandated events and initiatives of the 75th session.
  • These include events on COVID-19, water, desertification, land degradation and drought, middle income countries, least developed countries, culture, corruption and HIV/AIDS.
  • The Group made a number of recommendations to the President, including for him to: play a stronger role in meetings pertaining to women and gender issues, including the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW); initiate a relevant thematic high-level event; leverage the Group’s relationships with the private sector to advance women’s economic empowerment; highlight the crucial role of men and boys in ending violence against women and girls through consistent references in his statements; support engagement in UN processes by civil society, including grassroots women’s organizations; pay close attention to the participation of women, including young women, in panels and events; and consider conducting a gender analysis or audit of the General Assembly and its functioning, in view of the serious lack of gender balance at the political level.

SPECIAL SESSION ON COVID-19 TO HEAR REMAINING SPEAKERS NEXT WEEK

  • On the General Assembly’s special session on COVID-19, as mentioned yesterday, it was not possible to hear all statements from Member States, observers and civil society, during the mandated two days.
  • Therefore, the special session will resume on Monday, 14 December, at 3 p.m., in the General Assembly Hall, to hear the remaining speakers.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS DEBATE ON OCEANS & LAW OF THE SEA

 SECOND COMMITTEE TO TAKE ACTION ON U.N. DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM RESOLUTION

  • The General Assembly’s Second Committee, which covers economic and financial matters, will take action this afternoon on a draft resolution on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review – or QCPR.
  • The QCPR is the overarching tool through which Member States give guidance to the UN development system and hold it accountable.
  • The current QCPR lays out how the UN system can help countries implement the 2030 Agenda and respond to COVID-19. 
  • And the draft resolution places great emphasis on improving the support the UN system provides to least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and middle income countries. 
  • Asked when the plenary would consider the reports of the First, Second and Third Committees, the Spokesperson informed the journalist that the First Committee reports had been considered yesterday and the Third Committee reports would be considered on 16 December. Regarding the Second Committee, a date would be announced once it had finished its work; that had not happened yet.