Her Excellency, Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl,
Excellencies,
Fellow Champions,
I thank the Permanent Mission of Switzerland for organizing this Annual Meeting of International Gender Champions.
The IGC network-wide pledges, namely the panel parity and gender-based violence pledge, are significant landmarks on the road to gender equality.
As one of the first to sign these pledges, I call upon leaders and gender champions who have not done so to sign up, and to join efforts in shifting institutionalized and unacceptable norms of gender inequality.
Dear friends,
The commitments outlined by the IGC gender-based violence pledge must be met with decisive and accelerated action.
Today¡¯s interactive dialogue is thus a timely opportunity to build synergies across our respective commitments and implementations.
This is particularly important as we strive for sustainable recovery from the global pandemic. In doing so, we must continue to ensure that the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence, sexist behavior, and sexist attitudes remain a priority.
With at least a third of women experiencing some form of violence in their lifetime, – a number that has increased during this ¡®shadow pandemic¡¯ – violence against women and girls remains a devastating example of human rights violations.
As global citizens, this goes against all our morals and principles.
As leaders we are uniquely positioned to effectuate change, to promote and protect the principles of human rights, including the elimination of gender-based violence.
Addressing gender equality, and by extension the IGC gender-based violence pledge, is about making that change.
It is about re-shaping power imbalances.
It is about empowering women and girls to combat violence, to speak their truths, and to give voice to their concerns.
It is about enhancing women¡¯s participation in political, economic, and social spheres, giving them the chance to speak out against violence, harassment, or intimidation, which continue to haunt women in positions of power.
Because women and girls have the right to freely pursue their potentials without fear. Across the world, women are making breakthroughs in their respective fields as leaders, scientists, doctors, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and so much more.
We owe it to the women and girls out there, who constantly face fear and ridicule, to stand up and raise awareness for their rights as global citizens.
As President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, gender equality remains at the heart of my ¡®Presidency of Hope¡¯. Each of my priority areas, my rays of hope, are seen through a gender lens. Be that recovering and rebuilding sustainably from the pandemic, responding to the planet, respecting the rights of all or revitalizing the United Nations.
Colleagues, over the past five months of my Presidency, I am proud of the work we have accomplished to advance gender equality.
This includes achieving gender parity within my own team at OPGA.? In fact, the women now outnumber the men.? This also includes establishing the role of ¡®Special Adviser on Gender Equality¡¯, ?to ensure that we remain on track in our goals and ambitions.
To further strengthen our work, I have reconstituted the Advisory Board on Gender Equality. The expanded membership of the Board is to ensure synergy and coherence between Member States, Civil Society, and the private sector.
I am grateful to note that among us today are two of my board members, the Executive Director of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Women, and the SG¡¯s Special Envoy on Youth.
Outside of the General Assembly, I have had the pleasure of meeting with women scientists, leaders, frontline workers, and aspiring youth and students, both here and during my travels abroad. I have heard and acted on their advice and suggestions.
And I will continue to speak with women and girls at every opportunity.
Engaging youth remains an important priority and I am proud to have launched the PGA¡¯s Fellowship for HOPE program. As part of this program, 8 youth diplomats, of which 5 are women, have joined the OPGA for the 76th session.
It is my hope that through this program, these young diplomats can strengthen their understanding of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and multilateral system.
I have also pledged, as part of the IGC Parity-Pledge, to never participate in single or unequal gender panels. I am proud to note that by declining such invitations, organizers have in turn taken the moral responsibility to alter the composition of their panels.
These snow-ball effects are the very reason why we make these pledges and why we commit to them.
You see, this pledge and our commitments are significant landmarks for which we must always stay the course.? Because even the smallest of actions can amount to greater and impactful changes.
That being said, I will continue to build upon this momentum for the remainder of the 76th session.? The busy months ahead of us are opportunities to do so, which includes the upcoming International Women¡¯s Day and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Excellencies, fellow champions,
Today, I reaffirm my commitment to championing the rights of women and girls, for panel parity and to advancing the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence.
And going forward, rest assured that I remain committed to work alongside you to uphold and fulfill our collective pledge for women and girls everywhere.
I thank you.