SECRETARY-GENERAL, AT SIGNING CEREMONY FOR EMPOWERMENT PROJECT, HAILS ‘SOLID

PARTNERSHIP’ BETWEEN UNITED NATIONS, SUPREME WOMEN’S COUNCIL OF BAHRAIN

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the signing ceremony for the Women Empowerment Project in Manama, Bahrain on 17 May:

It is a great honour and pleasure to join you for this very important and meaningful ceremony.  I have heard so much about the achievements of Bahraini women that I wanted to be here to pay my respects in person.  I know that women are playing an increasingly active role in society and in Bahrain's development.

As you may know, I began my tenure as Secretary-General at a time when a Bahraini woman, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, was President of the General Assembly.  She administered the oath of office at the time of my appointment.  I am sure you all are proud of her achievements in that role.

I am delighted to see so many Bahraini women here today, including ministers, members of legislative bodies, business leaders, activists and members of non-governmental organizations.

While we all know that much more needs to be done on gender equality here and globally, the world should know more about the achievements of Bahraini women.  You are setting an example for the region and contributing to the world's efforts to promote the empowerment of women.  This effort is one of my highest priorities.  And it includes ending the appalling violence that so many women and girls face.

I am proud that the United Nations and my team here in Bahrain, represented by the United Nations Development Programme, has established a solid partnership with the Supreme Council for Women and Bahraini NGOs.  The signing of our partnership document today will further advance the active role of Bahraini women in the political and economic spheres, particularly as the country moves towards national elections next year.

Let me end by thanking Her Highness Sheikha Sabika, and through her the Supreme Council for Women and all Bahraini women, for their pioneering efforts.

Lastly, before I conclude, I would like to say something about what I'm doing in the United Nations for empowerment of women and gender equality.  As I said, I have taken it as one of my top priorities.  I have looked at the status of women, the dimensions of where gender equality was standing.  I found this extreme imbalance between men and women.  As you go down in the lower levels, there are more women in fact.  As you go up the levels, there is a clear imbalance.  Since I became Secretary-General, during the last two-and-a-half years, I have appointed additionally nine Under-Secretaries-General.  This is unprecedented in the history of the United Nations during the last 63 years.

When I became Secretary-General, there were only two women [Under-Secretaries-General] in the Secretariat.  Now, I have appointed nine additional Under-Secretaries-General.  Yesterday I signed one additional post for a second woman as Special Representative of the Secretary-General.  There have been no women SRSGs; now I appointed one woman SRSG in Liberia and yesterday I appointed one more.  This is going to be a big improvement but I think there is still a long way to go.  But I feel proud, yet still modest and humbled, by what I see in the United Nations system.  Only here is where I can see more women than men.

You have my full commitment for that.  I hope His Majesty the King and His Highness the Prime Minister will do more.  In fact, one of the top subjects which I have discussed with His Majesty the King and His Highness the Prime Minister was how to further encourage the Bahraini Government and the leadership to do more for women empowerment.  Thank you very much, Your Highness, for your strong commitment.

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For information media • not an official record