\u201c<\/span>A society where the rights of women and girls are trampled on, is no society at all. Women\u2019s full participation in politics and the economy makes a society more likely to succeed. Sustainable peace cannot be built where the rights of women are ignored.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ<\/span> Deputy <\/span>Secretary<\/span>–<\/span>General\u202fAmina Mohammed<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>at\u00a0Security Council <\/span>meeting<\/span> on peacebuilding and sustaining peace<\/span><\/span><\/span>,<\/span>\u00a026 January<\/span><\/span> 2023<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Women and girls represent half of the world\u2019s population and therefore also half of its potential. But, today gender inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress.\u00a0Ahead of next month\u2019s annual stocktake of progress on women\u2019s rights-the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s Commission on the Status of Women-the Goal of the Month editorial takes a close look at\u00a0Sustainable Development Goal 5<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(Gender Equality).<\/p>\n The first quarter of the year offers a host of opportunities to accelerate action towards the achievement of SDG 5 and build further momentum towards the\u00a0SDG Summit<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in September.<\/p>\n News: Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ pushes for women\u2019s rights in Afghanistan<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, progress on that country\u2019s women\u2019s rights took a turn for the worse. The de facto authorities\u2019 <\/span>recent decree banning women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations followed edicts to close universities to female students, until further notice, and prevent girls from attending secondary school.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In recent weeks, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ dispatched a <\/span>fact-finding mission to Afghanistan<\/a><\/span> comprising Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, and Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari from the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ political, peacebuilding and peace operations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In meetings with Taliban leaders, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ delegation\u202f\u201cdirectly conveyed the alarm\u202fover the recent decree banning women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations, a move that\u202fundermines the work of numerous organizations helping millions\u202fof vulnerable Afghans,\u201d according to a <\/span>Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ press release<\/a><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ delegation also called for efforts to be intensified to reflect the urgency of the crisis facing Afghan women and girls, \u201cand stressed the importance of a unified response by the international community.\u201d\u202f A proposal to hold an international conference on women and girls in the Muslim World in March this year \u201cwas also considered and agreed in principle,\u201d according to the press release. So, stay tuned for this conference.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a recent <\/span>Security Council meeting<\/a><\/span> on sustainable peace, Ms.<\/span> Mohammed declared: \u201c<\/span>A society where the rights of women and girls are trampled on, is no society at all. Women\u2019s full participation in politics and the economy makes a society more likely to succeed. Sustainable peace cannot be built where the rights of women are ignored.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> The\u202f<\/span><\/span>International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation<\/a><\/span>\u202fis observed on February 6.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the\u202f<\/span><\/span>human rights<\/a><\/span>, the health and the integrity of girls and women. Goal 5 seeks to eliminate female genital mutilation by 2030. <\/span>The practice of female genital mutilation has proved remarkably tenacious, despite efforts spanning a century to eliminate it. In 2021, however, 4,475 communities made public declarations committing to eliminate female genital mutilation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year, the\u202f<\/span>Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFPA-Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵICEF Joint Programme<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u202fon the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation launched the 2023 theme; “Partnership with men and boys to transform social and gender norms to end FGM”.\u00a0 Join their online campaign this year and participate on social media. Share with the world how you #MenEndFGM! Full campaign is package\u202f<\/span>her<\/a><\/span>e<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Seventy percent of the world\u2019s people live in countries where income inequality has risen since 1990<\/span>.<\/span> T<\/span>he COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically exacerbated inequalities in the <\/span>labour<\/span> market. The 61st Session of the Commission for Social Development (<\/span><\/span>CSocD61<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span>) <\/span>from<\/span> 6 to 15 February 2023 at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in New York will focus on<\/span>:<\/span> \u201cCreating full and productive employment and decent work for all as a way of overcoming inequalities to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The <\/span>International Day of Women and Girls in Science<\/a><\/span> is observed annually on 11 February. A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields. <\/span>Women account for 35 per cent in STEM education, and just 3 per cent in information and communication technology studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year, the Day will focus on the role of women and girls in science as it relates to the Sustainable Development Goals (<\/span>SDGs<\/a><\/span>), namely\u202f<\/span>SDG 6<\/a><\/span>\u202f(clean water and sanitation),\u202f<\/span>SDG 7<\/a><\/span>\u202f(affordable and clean energy),\u202f<\/span>SDG 9<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u202f(industry, innovation, and infrastructure),\u202f<\/span>SDG 11<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u202f(sustainable cities and communities) and\u202f<\/span>SDG 17<\/a><\/span>\u202f(means of implementation),\u00a0 each of which will undergo an in-depth review at the forthcoming High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July.\u00a0 To get involved, <\/span>register<\/span><\/span><\/a> f<\/span>or <\/span>the 8th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly<\/a><\/span>\u202f<\/span>taking place on 10 February at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in New York City.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that, in turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security, or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.\u00a0<\/span> <\/span>T<\/span>he World Day of Social Justice<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> is a<\/span>nnually observed on 20 February<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>What to Watch For<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (6 February) <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>61st Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Commission for Social Development (6-15 February) <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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<\/p>\n<\/i><\/i><\/span>International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February) <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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<\/p>\n<\/i><\/i><\/span>World Day of Social Justice (20 February) <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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<\/p>\n