缅北禁地

鈥淕ender equality is essentially about power, and power in a world that is still largely male dominated, with a culture that is still largely patriarchal鈥�,听Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres听said听at the听,听launching a听鈥渇ive-year听action journey鈥�, based on听the UN听.听

Noting that听鈥減ower is very rarely given.鈥痀ou have to take it鈥�,听he stressed as one of his five priorities, the importance of听parity听to redistribute power and create the necessary听conditions for听true听equality.听听

Setting priorities听

The 缅北禁地chief听said that to achieve听equal rights,听discriminatory laws around the world must be repealed听and听transformed听into听鈥榙e facto鈥櫶齟quality.听听

He said women in the听informal economy,听were听鈥減aying a heavy price for the pandemic鈥�,听also highlighting听economic equality听in pay,听employment,听and听social protections.听

Noting听a听surge听in violence against women and girls听during听COVID,听Mr. Guterres听said听that听putting an end to听it must be听鈥渁听central element of all policies and all of our objectives鈥�.听听

Finally, he highlighted听the importance of听intergenerational dialogue听as听鈥渁nother fundamental instrument for gender equality鈥澨齮o听allow young people to be a part of decision-making听in听today鈥檚听digital society.听听

Women worth more than a quarter听

In her听,听听Executive Director听Phumzile听Mlambo-Ngcuka,听said that 鈥渨omen everywhere in the world are squeezed into a small corner鈥�.听听

She听highlighted听how听they听make up听a quarter听of听all听managers, parliamentarians, climate change听negotiators and 鈥渓ess than one quarter of those who negotiate peace agreements鈥�.听

鈥淥ne quarter is not enough. One quarter is not equality. Equality is one half, where both men and women are together鈥�, she spelled out.听

Moving听forward听

Generation Equality is about change, the 缅北禁地Women听chief听said, it鈥檚听about听鈥渕oving from making promises鈥� to听saying what has been done to advance women听worldwide.听

She detailed that听Member States,听the听private sector and听others,听have made nearly听1,000 commitments听to听change the lives of women, including听to change policies.听听

However,听Ms.听Mlambo-Ngcuka听continued, 鈥渢he fight still has to continue鈥�We need to be pushing upwards all the time, so that there is a race to the top鈥澨�

Stepping up funds听

The 缅北禁地Women chief听concluded by detailing that听countries听of the Global South,听regional organizations, young people听and听civil society groups,听have all 鈥減ut their foot forward鈥� raising $40 billion, saying听鈥渁nd we are still counting鈥�.听

Meanwhile,听Chancellor听Angela Merkel听declared听that Germany 鈥渋s actively involved in the听鈥澨齛nd听would听invest听an 鈥渁dditional 鈧�140 million, making a total of around 鈧�240 million in the听鈥�.听

And听the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation鈥痑nnounced听that听it would spend $2.1 billion to advance global gender equality.听

Achieving 鈥榯angible progress鈥櫶�

At the same time,听the 缅北禁地Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization听()听launched听a set of听听to achieve听鈥渢angible progress鈥澨齮owards gender equality over the next five years.听

The 缅北禁地agency will support听听with quality gender-transformative teaching听for听28 million learners in听over听80 countries;听work to close听, empower women scientists, and promote ethical Artificial Intelligence; and听in Africa,听听women听economically听in creative industries.听听

UNESCO听chief听Audrey听Azoulay听had听called听upon women worldwide to听鈥渢ake control and full leadership in every aspect of life and domain of society to build back a better future for all鈥�.听

Co-host听comments听

Co-hosting the event,听French President听Emmanuel Macron鈥痵aid that the struggle for gender equality is听鈥渇ar from won鈥�.听听

鈥淚t's a battle today, but tomorrow it must be a matter of fact鈥�, he underscored.听听

His counterpart,听Andr茅s Manuel L贸pez Obrador,听President of Mexico, said:听鈥淲e must continue to fight against sexism. We must not forget economic and social equality, which is fundamental to achieve a better society鈥�.听听

Call听to听action from Clinton, Harris听

United States Vice President Kamala Harris,听warned that 鈥渄emocracy is in peril鈥� around the world.听

Back听in1995,听at the听World Conference on Women听in Beijing,听then-First Lady Hillary Clinton proclaimed:听鈥淗uman rights are women鈥檚 rights and women鈥檚 rights are human rights once and for all鈥濃��.听

At today鈥檚 meeting she sent a message听that听鈥渋t鈥檚 no longer enough to talk about women鈥檚 rights鈥�[as]听they are nothing without the power to claim them. And we know that when women have the power to raise our voices, assert our rights, and rebuild economies, everyone will be better off鈥�.听

Marija听Pej膷inovi膰听Buri膰, Secretary General of the Council of Europe,听drew attention to听the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women,听or the听.听

鈥淟ast year, we saw a surge in domestic violence during COVID lockdowns. The Convention provides three advantages that no country alone can: it raises national standards; provides a monitoring mechanism; and ensures co-operation between governments in the prosecution of these crimes鈥�,听she said.