Remarks by H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly
at the Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
[As Delivered]
22 November 2023
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Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
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I consider it a privilege to join you today for this important event.
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Violence against women is one of the most?pervasive and pernicious?human rights violations around the world ¨C a devastating experience visited upon?one in every three women.
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Who are these women, whose dignity and rights we men so whimsically deny and treat dishonourably, in some situations, as if they are mere possessions, inanimate and so easily replaceable?
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They are our mothers. Our sisters. Our daughters. Our beloved grand -daughters, Our cherished loved ones, the overwhelming majority of whom guide, nurture and support us as we advance, sometimes with great success that commands the admiration and respect of the community, through our lives.
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I commend the?Secretary-General and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women for spearheading the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵiTE campaign, spurring political will ¨C and critically, the availability of resources ¨C to prevent and to end this heinous scourge, in?all?its forms, in?all?parts of the world.
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The history behind the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women ¨C and the designation of 25th?of November to commemorate it ¨C is not a celebratory one.
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Rather, it recalls the assassination of the Mirabal sisters, who displayed exemplary bravery in the fight against political oppression.
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Today, 63 years later, the dangers facing women and girls still loom large.
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Globally,
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- An estimated?736 million women?have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime*
- Eighty-six per cent?of women and girls live in countries that lack robust legal protections against violence, and
- Less than 40 per cent?of women who experience violence seek help of any kind.
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These statistics say nothing of the increased risks women face in conflict settings, and amid compounding stressors such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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I therefore could not agree more with the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵiTE theme chosen this year.
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We know that investments are crucial for the advancement of gender equality.
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And yet, global investments to prevent gender-based violence are?still far too low.
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Aside from being a flagrant their human rights violation, violence against women results in significant costs that are borne by?everyone:? most prominently ¨C by victims and survivors themselves ¨C but also to communities, Governments, employers and the society at large.
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Everyone, everywhere?therefore has a role ¨C and indeed a responsibility ¨C to repudiate this abuse, and to commit to working to prevent it.
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For their part, Governments have a multi-dimensional duty to take robust measures to prevent violence and to protect women from it, among other things, by enforcing laws, allocating adequate resources through gender-sensitive budgeting, and fostering strategic partnerships ¨C especially with the private sector to fill the funding gaps, which impede effective interventions.
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And we must certainly do more to bolster international cooperation to match our commitments.
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The paltry 0.2 per cent of total aid and development spending allocated to prevention stands as a stark ¨C?I repeat, stark?¨C negative signal about what and who we value.
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Surely, we can elevate our ambitions. The pervasiveness of the problem demands it, if we are to achieve the desired results.
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Surely, we can find the wherewithal to ¡°invest smarter¡± in efforts that tackle the root causes and structural inequalities fueling gender-based violence, today.
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Let us do this first and foremost, by
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- ensuring that women and girls have equal access to the quality education they deserve as of right, I repeat, as of right,
- stamping out the?sexism?and stereotypes that routinely hinder their advancement and deny them respect and appreciation,
- engaging more?men and boys?as agents of change,
- creating equal opportunities for women to assume leadership?roles, and
- making all systems within which we operate built to encourage and support the success of women.
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Excellencies,
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As a gender champion, I am committed to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ¡¯s zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment and the promotion of an equal, inclusive work environment.
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And I am investing in women¡¯s leadership.
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As you may know, I have the privilege of being advised by my Special Envoy, who also serves as my Special Adviser on Gender Equality and Women¡¯s Empowerment.
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Within my office, 57 per cent ¨C that is, 23 of our 40 staff members ¨C are women and we have achieved gender balance among the senior leadership.
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In this spirit, I am pleased to announce that, together with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Women, I am launching the?second phase?of the gender equality and prevention of sexual harassment training campaign for Permanent Missions at all Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHQ locations.
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We aim to augment our numbers ¨C from 44 at present to all 193 Missions in New York, as well as Missions in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.
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As well, I plan to use my platform during the?16 Days of Activism?against Gender Based Violence?to raise public awareness, inside and outside this house, about this critical issue that has the potential to undermine so much of what we are seeking to achieve in the context of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Perhaps the single most important partnership of strategic value in the successful implementation of the SDG¡¯s is the partnership between men and women as equal partners and co-leaders in shaping our societies to reflect a rights-based approach. That will guarantee a win -win result in which we can all take pride in the formation of balanced, stable, economically vibrant, well- functioning societies, based on reciprocal respect and appreciation between men and women.
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To be clear, I am not advocating that we achieve that milestone in 2030. No we need to work with determination to achieve it as soon as possible and we have the means to do it NOW.
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You can be sure that I will continue to call for long-term investments to create a truly ¡°orange world¡± that is free from violence against women and girls and frees women from fear of victimization by violence.
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You¡¯ve heard me say before: gender equality is not an option. It is a moral, ethical and practical imperative.
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It is time to act.? So let us join hands and act with vision and commitment.
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I thank you.