Bridget and Ivete watched live the Opening session of the CSW69 today, marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
We heard from the UN’s Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, that “women’s rights are at siege. But there is an antidote, and the antidote is action.
Global crisis around the world impeded progress on the agreements in Beijing and that political will is often weak and so is action. The masters of misogyny are gathering strength, so we must step up support for women’s organisations.”
Bob Ray, President of ECOSOC, stated that “it’s not enough to reflect on progress, not only talk about solutions, but to deliver solutions. Deliver on the promise of equality, as per Sustainable Development Goal 5. We have an obligation to push back against regression, against the argument that women must know their place. The answer to that is that a woman’s place is here and everywhere.”
The Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, told us that 189 governments agreed about the need for gender equality in 1995. This year 159 countries reaffirmed this. She stated that violence against women is a scourge. The proportion of women killed in conflicts has doubled since 1995.
This year, on the 15th anniversary of the foundation of the Commission on the Status of Women, “there is an opportunity to revitalise the organisation.”
There was much food for thought at the 2nd Plenary of the 69th Session of CSW at the United Nations, marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action.
We are looking forward to many stimulating and inspiring sessions on various issues affecting women in the days to come.
Soroptimist SIGBI UN Women UK #SoroptimistBristol #CSW69 #Equality