NEW YORK, 3 March 2010: More than a decade after world leaders agreed to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, their empowerment remains a necessary element in attaining development targets, UN secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday.
– Until women and girls are liberated from poverty and injustice, our entire goals – peace, security, sustainable development – stand in jeopardy, Mr. Ban said to the Commission on the Status of Women, as the United Nations marked International Women’s Day, which is observed annually on 8 March.
This year is the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 – which remains the most comprehensive global policy framework to achieve the goals of gender equality, development and peace.
World leaders attending the summit in the Chinese capital declared that the full participation by women in all spheres of society, including the decision-making and access to power, are fundamental for development and peace.
Since the landmark gathering, there are signs of progress, the Secretary-General said. Most girls now receive education, especially at the primary level, while a growing number of countries have policies and legislation supporting gender equality and reproductive health in place.
As we look back on Beijing, we have much reason to be proud. Proud but not complacent, said Mr. Ban, who said that, as a son, husband, father and grandfather to girls, he has made women’s empowerment a priority.
He pointed out that injustice and discrimination against women persist around the world, manifesting in violence in some cases. Over two thirds of women experience violence in their lifetime, most commonly at the hands of an intimate partner.
Last September, it was announced that four UN agencies and offices – including the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – will be amalgamated to create a new single entity within the world body to promote the rights and well-being of women worldwide and to work towards gender equality.
Mr. Ban today urged the General Assembly to adopt a resolution “without delay” to set up this new entity.
He also expressed his wish to lead by example, citing the numerous achievements made by the UN to give women a stronger voice.
