{"id":172235,"date":"2018-11-29T14:25:59","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T19:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/?p=172235"},"modified":"2018-12-26T12:11:42","modified_gmt":"2018-12-26T17:11:42","slug":"press-briefing-by-spokesperson-29-november-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/2018\/11\/29\/press-briefing-by-spokesperson-29-november-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Briefing by Spokesperson \u2013 29 November 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
I hope you are well today after our day off from the Briefing Room yesterday?<\/p>\n
PGA CONGRATULATES FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA<\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0The President of the General Assembly issued a tweet this morning congratulating H.E, Ms. Salome Zurabishvili on her election as the first female Head of State of Georgia. Ms. Mar\u00eda Fernanda Espinosa said that she was happy to see another woman taking up a leading role in politics.<\/p>\n
The PGA firmly believes that gender balance is key to build a better and fairer world. Ms. Espinosa also declared her intention to invite the next President of Georgia to the High-Level event on \u201cWomen in Power\u201d, which is scheduled for 12 March 2019 on the margins of the 63rd<\/sup>\u00a0Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The PGA recalls that\u00a0only 20 countries have an elected woman Head of State or Government. And globally, only 24 per cent of parliamentarians are women. The President believes that we need to harness the full potential of women\u2019s leadership if we are to tackle today\u2019s global challenges and achieve the ambitious sustainable development goals set by the international community.<\/p>\n
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE<\/strong><\/p>\n
This 29 of November is the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. As you know, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ also marked it in advance yesterday with an event at the Trusteeship Council. In her speech, the PGA noted that \u201cthe condition of the Palestinian people remains a scar on our collective conscience and we all have a responsibility to press the urgency of the need for expeditious resolution and the two State solution.\u201d She has called on world leaders, including religious and other leaders, to make the Palestinian question a priority that deserves utmost attention.<\/p>\n
Ms. Espinosa believes that with sufficient investment, and with support from Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA and other Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and multilateral partners, we can help to empower women and girls; expand access to education; create jobs and livelihoods; and ensure access to affordable healthcare.<\/p>\n
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PGA\u2019s AGENDA<\/strong><\/p>\n
On the agenda: Ms. Espinosa started her day with a meeting on South-South Cooperation. She also took part in a video conference with the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, FLACSO. This afternoon, the PGA will have a luncheon with the Friends of Youth, Peace and Security, which is one of her Seven Priorities for the current GA session. In the afternoon at 3 pm., Ms. Espinosa will chair a meeting on \u201cthe Question of Palestine\u201d, Item 39; report on the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (A\/73\/35) and the \u201csituation in the Middle East\u201d, item 38. This meeting will be webcast.<\/p>\n
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This is all from us today. I am now happy to take your questions.<\/p>\n