UN CSW69: Secretary-General Emphasises Women’s Participation As Key to Lasting Peace, Development

…Warns women’s rights under siege, patriarchy back

Rebecca Ejifoma

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasised the critical importance of ensuring women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peacebuilding efforts.

He spoke at the opening of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, which runs from March 10th to 21st.

Guterres highlighted that equality for women and girls is not only a matter of justice but also the foundation for sustainable development and lasting peace.

His remarks come 30 years after 189 countries made the declaration in Beijing to achieve equal rights for women and girls.

“We always knew that would never happen overnight — or even over years. But three decades on, that promise feels more distant than we might ever have imagined,” he added.

Hence, he believed that women’s rights are under siege, with the “poison of patriarchy” returning with a vengeance, impeding progress and taking new, dangerous forms.

Other challenges facing the women, according to Guterres, included gender pay gap, “Which still stands at 20 per cent. Globally, almost one in three women have been subject to violence. Horrific sexual violence in conflict is happening from Haiti to Sudan.”

While expressing that hard-won gains were being thrown into reverse around the world, he said global crises had hampered progress, COVID-19 worsened violence against women and girls, and labour market participation fall.

He cautioned that the debt crisis was draining funds and shrinking fiscal space for programmes of gender equality. “Escalating climate disasters are hitting women and girls hardest. Equality for women and girls is a casualty of surging conflicts around the world.

“Equality for women and girls is a human right. It is a matter of justice. It is the foundation of sustainable development and lasting peace. And it is essential for humanity.”

By ensuring access to quality education for girls and opening the doors of opportunity to decent work for women, he assured the world, “We kick-start economic growth and forge stronger economies.

“By giving women and girls their rightful seat at the table, we boost our chances of solving immense challenges — from climate to conflict.”

The secretary general, therefore, called on all stakeholders to work together to push back against the backlash on gender equality and advance women’s rights and participation across all sectors of society.

He charged nations to promote women’s leadership in government, policymaking, business, deliver their commitments in full, prioritise investments in gender equality, education and training, economic empowerment — including adequate pay and pensions for caregivers, the majority of whom are women; and eradicate all forms of violence and harassment.

Guterres also urged organisations to address pushbacks on gender equality and protect women human rights defenders. “And a commitment to help raise $300 million for women’s organisations in conflict and crisis settings.”

He encouraged nations to recommit to the Platform for Action, stand firm in making the promise of rights, equality and empowerment for women and girls, adding that it’s not just an investment for women and girls, but for all humanity.