Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the opening of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
11 March 2024
[As Delivered]
Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo, Chair of the 68thsession of the Commission on the Status of Women,
Mr. Secretary-General, António Guterres,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my distinct pleasure to address you all today at this Opening of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The annual CSW session is always momentous, as the United Nations Headquarters complex pulsates with the energy of thousands of dynamic participants – comprising Heads of State and Government, Ministers, senior government officials, stakeholders, influencers, and advocates from around the globe – come together to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Over the two weeks ahead, I am confident that your discussions will reignite meaningful dialogue worldwide – thus bringing us closer to breaking down the barriers that hinder women’s full enjoyment of their rights and impede our collective objective of achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Excellencies,
This year’s priority theme – which highlights the crucial link between eradicating poverty and the achievement of gender equality through financing with a gender perspective and the strengthening of institutions – is extremely important, as it underlines the urgency of the need to intensify our efforts.
Despite being halfway through the 2030 Agenda, regrettably we are woefully lagging in our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG1, the goal of which is to eradicate extreme poverty.
Currently, 1 in every 10 women lives in extreme poverty – I repeat – 1 in every 10 women.
If we continue on a business-as-usual path, over 340 million women and girlswill still languish in extreme poverty by 2030.
To reverse this undesirable trajectory, we need to adopt a multidimensional approach – one that should include, among other measures:
- Equal access to resources and services such as land, healthcare, family planning, education, and the labour market.
- Social protection policies that are gender responsive.
- Measures to end the gender-based discrimination impeding women’s leadership and equal participation in decision-making in all spheres of life.
In this regard, we must draw our inspiration from the exemplary women – who overcame significant barriers and obstacles through their resilience, determination, ingenuity, and grit.
Women such as Azhar Riyati, a Jordanian mother of six, whose first job outside the home was at the UN-Women’s Oasis Centre program – a lifeline for over 30,000 primarily Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian women and their families. Through this program, Azhar acquired tailoring skills, which she now uses to earn an income.
And Evghenia from Ukraine, a former art-school teacher who fled to Moldova following Russia’s full-scale invasion. In Moldova, she joined a community of over a hundred thousand Ukrainian refugees, predominantly women and girls, and established her own art business. She honed her entrepreneurial abilities through the SheLeads Project, which is active in six regions of Moldova and offers 10-day courses in business and entrepreneurial skills, facilitated by UN-Women and its partners. In addition to her business, Evghenia also volunteers as a teacher in arts and crafts to children in refugee camps.
Reflecting on the experiences of these and many other remarkable women adds a humanistic dimension to the often-abstract data and narratives.
Inspired and motivated by their resilience, we are reminded of our obligation to support the millions of women and girls worldwide – who seek and deserve the same rights and opportunities as men and boys to reach their full potential.
Excellencies, honorable ministers,
The perennial underfunding in gender equality projects and programmes not only undermines, but significantly reverses any progress we have achieved. It is evident that current bilateral funding allocated for gender equality – while somewhat beneficial – is inconsistent andinsufficient.
To achieve real gender equality in critical sectors, an estimated $6.4 trillion annually is required in 48 developing countries – which accounts for nearly 70% of the developing world’s population.
We must therefore acknowledge that enhanced international cooperation is crucial, particularly in the provision of financial assistance – that would allow for predictable allocation of resources to meet gender specific needs.
I urge you all, CSW attendees, to build and strengthen partnerships that result in actionable steps at the national, regional, and international levels – always keeping in mind that empowering women and girls yields a far-reaching dividend for humanity, drives transformative development, and propels progress forward towards sustainable development.
Excellencies,
We convene at a time where the prevalence of gender-based violence is alarming globally, with conflict zones being particularly worrisome. The time for action is now; not tomorrow, not next week, but now.
I am deeply distressed by reports of sexual abuse targeting women and girls in Palestine, Ukraine, Haiti and other places in the world, including the Reports of the UN’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which indicated that there is credible evidence of rape and sexualized torture committed against women and girls by Hamas during and subsequent to the October 7 attacks, with “reasonable grounds” to believe that such abuses are still ongoing.
Such gratuitous and flagrant violence – often with impunity – highlights the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and the profound global failure to prevent violence and sexual violence targeting them. It is urgent that we do much more to prevent these atrocities, and, when proven on an evidentiary basis, to punish the perpetrators.
Rest assured of my steadfast dedication and unwavering commitment – as President of the General Assembly – to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
I will continue to work with my Special Adviser on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, as well as my Advisory Board on Gender Equality to facilitate astute analysis and expert guidance on this important matter – with a view to ensure mainstreaming of a gender perspective across priorities of my Presidency and the overall work of the General Assembly.
Just last week – in conjunction with the Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations – I convened a very successful, frank and eye-opening “Barbershop” discussion with a group of male Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives.
This special edition of my morning Gayap Dialogues aimed to reflect on the role of men as agents of change in global efforts to achieve gender equality and empowerment of our women.
As I look around this Hall, it is evident that meaningful progress on gender equality requires that we involve menmore in our discussions on gender issues. To that end, I encourage each of you to include more male representatives in your national delegations to future sessions of the CSW.
I am also looking forward, with anticipation, to engaging with you on various topics over the next two weeks, including ways to close the education gender gap and enhancing women’s financial inclusion; and I look forward to the adoption of a concise, action-oriented and implementable Agreed Conclusion, encapsulating our unity of purpose.
As we set our sights on the Summit of the Future, we have a unique opportunity to prioritize gender equality in our efforts to strengthen our beleaguered multilateral system.
And intergovernmental negotiations on the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations also offer additional opportunities to ensure that digital transformation equally benefits women and girls, and unlocks the full potential of future generations, thus contributing to a sustainable future for all.
I urge you to seize these key impending opportunities to keep gender equality at the forefront of our vision for a prosperous shared future.
Excellencies, Honorable Ministers,
Let me leave you with a familiar though important message, namely that: with power comes responsibility.
You – particularly the decision-makers – are especially well positioned to use your influence in the next two weeks to drive lasting, impactful and positive change for women and girls worldwide.
I have complete confidence in your unwavering commitment and capabilities.
The CSW has a proven track record of convening power and of overcoming substantial challenges.
I am confident that your collaborative engagement will make this session a successful and impactful one.
I thank you.
