Remarks by the President of the UN General Assembly,
Mr. Philemon Yang
Opening of the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women
10 March 2025, General Assembly Hall
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I thank his Excellency Abdulaziz Alwasil, Chair of the Bureau of the Commission on the Status of Women, for his leadership in overseeing preparations for this session.
I also commend Member States for negotiating a political declaration that reaffirms the relevance of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and also outlines actions to accelerate the agenda.
This year¡¯s session is a landmark one.
We commemorate thirty years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
We also mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Â鶹APP Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women and Peace and Security.
Over the decades, we have seen significant progress in advancing the rights of women and girls.
? More countries now have legislation to promote gender equality, penalize violence against women and girls, and combat discrimination.
? Politically, while full parity remains elusive, there are now substantially more women in parliament than 30 years ago¡ªan increase from just 11 percent to 20 percent globally.
? More countries have national plans that recognize and promote women¡¯s roles in the peace and security agenda.
? And more girls are in school today compared to thirty years ago.
While we remain far from our goals, there exists momentum we must build upon.
Excellences,
Mesdames et Messieurs,
La D¨¦claration et le Programme d¡¯action de Beijing restent l¡¯agenda mondial le plus complet, ambitieux et largement approuv¨¦ en mati¨¨re d¡¯¨¦galit¨¦ des genres et de r¨¦alisation des droits humains des femmes et des filles.
Cela est r¨¦affirm¨¦ par le Pacte pour l’avenir, qui reconna?t que le d¨¦veloppement durable ne pourra tout simplement pas ¨ºtre atteint si les femmes et les filles continuent ¨¤ se voir refuser l¡¯ensemble de leurs droits et opportunit¨¦s.
Pourtant, des d¨¦fis majeurs persistent. Nombre d’entre eux sont renforc¨¦s par des normes sociales profond¨¦ment ancr¨¦es et des obstacles syst¨¦miques qui perp¨¦tuent la discrimination contre les femmes et les filles.
En effet, aujourd¡¯hui l¡¯inaction autant que les politiques r¨¦trogrades menacent de faire reculer les acquis durement obtenus en mati¨¨re de droits des femmes.
De plus, l’urgence politique et les ressources mises ¨¤ disposition ne sont pas ¨¤ la hauteur de l’ampleur du d¨¦fi auquel nous sommes confront¨¦s.
Pensez-y : au rythme actuel des progr¨¨s, il faudra 137 ans pour sortir toutes les femmes et les filles de l’extr¨ºme pauvret¨¦.
Et il faudra encore 68 ans pour mettre fin au mariage des enfants.
Ces r¨¦alit¨¦s sont inacceptables et devraient nous alarmer tous.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As an International Gender Champion, I am committed to promoting gender equality throughout the work of the Â鶹APP and across all my priorities.
I am particularly focused on women¡¯s economic empowerment and rights.
As the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals nears, we must be resolute in delivering on the promise of Beijing.
To end poverty and enhance economic development, we must unleash women¡¯s full potential.
And we are at a defining moment.
I believe it is possible to achieve gender equality in our lifetime, if we seize this opportunity.
It demands greater resources, decisive legislation and policies, the dismantling of discriminatory norms, and institutional reforms.
At the international level, it requires a steadfast commitment to leveraging multilateralism to uphold and advance gender equality, including through the revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women.
With genuine commitment and the will to act, we can succeed in building a future where all women and girls can thrive successfully.
I thank you.
Media Contacts
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Dr. Mariam Shaikh, Adviser/ Social and Digital Media/Media Relations, M: +1 917 3614990, Email: mariam.shaikh@un.org
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