Dear colleagues,
There is a moral element to our aspirations for gender-equality. It is driven by a need to correct a longstanding historical injustice, whereby women have been unfairly excluded from the halls of power and decision-making at all levels, whether in government or the private sector. We know this is wrong.
In addition to this, there is a practical element. By hindering half of humanity from reaching their full potential, and from contributing to solving the common challenges confronting our species, we undermine our own progress.
That is why Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development relates to women’s empowerment. It follows from the recognition that by removing barriers to women’s participation, and by supporting their efforts to contribute, we can build more resilient, more prosperous communities.
Almost in every sector and profession we can find great examples of women leading, despite the odds arrayed against them. Their success has been our success, and it is self-defeating, as societies, to place obstacles in their path, or to not provide them with the necessary support to overcome those obstacles.
This applies in particular to the corporate world and to the private sector. We must acknowledge that women have an equal right to pursue their dreams in business. And we must recognize that empowering women to pursue their dreams will have a transformative and trickle-down effect, benefiting countless others.
By removing the unfair norms, practices and attitudes that hinder women in business we can enter a new era of economic progress and innovation.
We have much work to do, especially as we grapple with the aftermath of a pandemic that has had a disproportionate impact on women, particularly women in the labor force.
Despite retaining the same level of ambition, and despite working even harder in many cases, women have been at a stark disadvantage compared to men in recovering the millions of jobs they lost following the onset of the pandemic.
As we craft and implement recovery policies, we must prioritize the gender dimension. Not only because it is right, but because we need all hands on deck to finally put this pandemic behind us. Only with the full and unhindered involvement of women can we truly recover better.
Rest assured that I will remain true to these convictions throughout my Presidency of Hope. In alignment with my priorities for the session, I will continue to fight on behalf of women’s empowerment, because I firmly believe that a brighter future for women means a brighter future for all of humanity.
Thank you.
