Bangkok--13 Mar--ESCAP
Governments in the Asia and Pacific region have,this week, re-committed to eliminating discrimination against women andgirls, with the unanimous adoption of a political declaration at theCommission on the Status of Women, currently underway in New York.
Reflecting this commitment, and in commemorating International Women’s Daywith the diplomatic community and the United Nations system in Asia-Pacifictoday, the region’s top United Nations official and Executive Secretary ofthe United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific(ESCAP), Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, highlighted that gender equality is a matterof human rights and a precondition for the development and prosperity ofthe region.
“Our governments regionally and globally have recognised the centrality ofgender equality and women’s empowerment to ending poverty, promotingprosperity and well-being for all, protecting the environment andaddressing climate change. Thus, on the occasion of International Women’sDay, I take the opportunity to reiterate the call for a transformativeapproach to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment that isunderpinned by human rights, accountability and financing,” Dr. Akhtar
explained.
Participants in the interactive dialogue which followed Dr Akhtar’saddress, including the ambassadors of South Africa, Cambodia andBangladesh, highlighted the themes of the day with a provocative andinspiring discussion covering the evolving challenges for women in theareas of leadership, participation, violence, peace and security.
Against this backdrop, regional and global leaders have reinforced thecentrality of the Beijing Platform for Action, and CEDAW – the Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women – in the“Political declaration on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of theFourth World Conference on Women.” This again commits governments aroundthe world to achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment and the needfor accelerated implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action thattransforms rhetoric into reality.
This Political Declaration emphasizes the need for a “transformative andcomprehensive approach” to gender equality and women’s empowerment thatcombines strengthened legislation, policies and programmes, withinstitutional support, transformation of discriminatory social norms,greater financial investment monitoring and capacity building.
Dr. Akhtar also looked to the future saying that the proposed SustainableDevelopment Goals, which will likely be adopted by the United NationsGeneral Assembly this September and contain a standalone goal on achievinggender equality and empowering women, offer the promise of tackling genderinequalities in a holistic manner.