The UN debates on the participation of women in public life and in decision-making at different levels in the 65 period of sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to run until March 26th.
The importance of creating an environment conducive to their participation and leadership is the central topic of today’s debates, which will include the participation of representatives of UN member states, their agencies and also non-governmental organizations.
An information meeting will also be held as a follow up on the Fourth World Conference on Women and the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, according to the organizers of the CSW.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, highlighted in his opening speech how the Covid-19 pandemic exposed how deeply gender inequality remains ingrained in the world’s political, social and economic systems.
In Guterres’ opinion, it is time to transform that course and for that reason, he asked the international community to take specific actions in this regard.
Guterres explained that women represent 70 percent of the world’s health personnel and occupy most of the jobs in the economic sectors most affected by the pandemic.
‘Compared to men, women are 24 percent more likely to lose their job and can expect their income to drop 50 percent more,’ he warned.
He also warned about the increase in violence against them in the midst of the current health crisis, from sexual abuse to child marriage.
