Justice for women, girls must be ‘cornerstone of the world we seek to build’, UN chief

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 09 (APP): “Not a single step forward for women’s rights has ever been given. It has been won. Won by generations of women and girls, advocates and activists, community leaders and justice seekers. Won by you,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Commission on the Status of Women, which opened its seventieth session in New York on Monday.

Around the globe, women hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men. In a world strained by conflict, climate chaos, widening inequalities and technological upheaval, the pushback on women’s rights is in overdrive, he said. Hard-won legal protections are being eroded.

Yet, over 40 countries have amended constitutions to advance women’s rights; 90 per cent have strengthened laws against violence.

“The world is changing because women are changing it,” he said. “But we have barriers to overcome and gaps to fill – opportunity gaps, implementation gaps, justice gaps.”

He highlighted “four frontlines for justice” – as the engine for sustainable development, the foundation for peace and security, the guardian of human rights and human dignity, and the key to a safe and inclusive digital future.
As well, climate justice and gender justice go hand-in-hand.

Pointing to the UN’s role to ensure women’s leadership, he said the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan coordinates action across dozens of entities to deliver real change in the lives of women and girls.

“We must keep going – inside and outside these walls. We need every voice, every idea, every ounce of leadership from the world’s women and girls,” he said.

The Commission on the Status of Women is the United Nations’ principal global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women.

Established in 1946 by the UN Economic and Social Council, the Commission plays a central role in setting global standards on women’s rights and reviewing progress on gender equality.