And let us make the case, powerfully, for equality. Let the world hear what we have asserted over the past two weeks: that gender equality is just and prudent, and essential for everything we all aspire to.
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous - Closing Remarks CSW68, 27 March 2024. Tweet
Socioeconomic conditions significantly hinder the achievement of gender equality for girls. They are twice as likely as boys to be disengaged from employment, education, or training opportunities. Additionally, girls encounter significant barriers in digital access and literacy, which further restricts their opportunities. Globally, adolescent girls face limitations on their autonomy regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. They also lack sufficient opportunities to exercise their right to free speech and to participate in leadership roles. These challenges collectively obstruct their progress and empowerment.
Poverty disproportionately affects women and girls, making it a deeply gendered issue. For this reason, we submitted our Written Statement to the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. With information from our networks and The Grail, Global GLOW and Vivat International, we raised the issues faced by women and girls in diverse communities.
Our networks situated in over 100 countries support women, girls, and their communities and offer a range of programs focused on education, mentoring, and building economic, political, and social capacities. These initiatives unleash their power to advocate for themselves and assert their human rights.
In consultation with our networks living and working on the ground, and recognizing their diversity and the various conditions that contribute to gender equality in the areas of health, education, economic participation, and political engagement and leadership; we called on Member States to commit to:
- Institutional Investment in Women and Girls
- Investment in Girls’ and Women’s Education
- Investment in Girls’ and Women’s Health and Wellbeing
- Investment in Women’s Reproductive Health and Rights
- Invest in Women in the Workforce
- Investment in Technology and Digital Inclusion
Read our full CSW68 Written Statement here.
We also endorsed the following CSW68 Written Statements: