Message of the UN Secretary-General on International Women's DayPublished: 7.03.2006 |
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day
-- the role of women in decision-making -- is
central to the advancement of women around the
world, and to the progress of humankind as a
whole. As the Beijing Declaration tells us,
“women's empowerment and their full participation
on the basis of equality in all spheres of
society, including participation in the
decision-making process and access to power, are
fundamental for the achievement of equality,
development and peace.”
The international community is finally beginning
to understand a fundamental principle: women are
every bit as affected as any man by the challenges
facing humanity in the 21st century -- in economic
and social development, as well as in peace and
security. Often, they are more affected. It is,
therefore, right and indeed necessary that women
should be engaged in the decision-making processes
in all areas, with equal strength and in equal
numbers.
The world is also starting to grasp that there is
no policy more effective in promoting development,
health and education than the empowerment of women
and girls. And I would venture that no policy is
more important in preventing conflict, or in
achieving reconciliation after a conflict has
ended.
We do have achievements to celebrate in women’s
representation around the world. In January of
this year, the proportion of women in national
parliaments reached a new global high. There are
now 11 women Heads of State or Government, in
countries on every continent. And three countries
– Chile, Spain and Sweden – now have gender parity
in Government.
But we have far, far more to do. The rate of
progress overall is slow. Let us remember that in
individual countries, the increase in the number
of women in decision-making has not happened by
itself. Rather, it is often the result of
institutional and electoral initiatives, such as
the adoption of goals and quotas, political party
commitment and sustained mobilization. It is also
the result of targeted and concerted measures to
improve the balance between life and work. Those
are lessons every nation -- and the United Nations
-- need to take very seriously.
At the 2005 World Summit, world leaders declared
that “progress for women is progress for all”. On
this International Women’s Day, let us rededicate
ourselves to demonstrating the truth behind those
words. Let us ensure that half the world’s
population takes up its rightful place in the
world’s decision-making.
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