Speakers Emphasize That Global Crises and Conflicts Hampering Women’s Human Rights, Empowerment, as Third Committee Discusses Advancement of Women

Delegates stressed the need to address barriers to women’s human rights and empowerment, including female genital mutilation, obstetric fistula, gaps in female political representation and limited access to economic production, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its debate today on the advancement of women.

Noting that global crises and conflicts increase inequality, gender-based violence and harmful female afflictions, including through information and communications technology (ICT), they pointed to national strategies in combatting these obstacles, calling for strengthened efforts at the international level.

“Female genital mutilation is a specific act of violence against women”, Tanzania’s delegate said, noting that such practices are criminalized in his country’s penal code.  Turning to obstetric fistula, he said opening up access to health facilities for pregnant women led to a reduction in fistula cases.  Fistula treatment is expensive, he said, and most women are unable to afford its cost.

Several delegates noted that women are often the most impacted by conflicts and humanitarian crises, but continue to be largely excluded from participating in policymaking.  Highlighting the contribution they can bring to peacebuilding processes, the representative of Sri Lanka said that “between 1992 and 2019, women served as only 6 per cent of mediators, 6 per cent of signatories and 13 per cent of negotiators globally”, calling for their inclusion in conflict negotiations.

Along similar lines, Libera’s delegate acknowledged the key role women play in maintaining regional and global peace.  Noting that women are powerful agents of change who contribute to more stable and just societies, the representative of Germany emphasized that men and boys should use their de facto privileges and representation in parliamentary, political and governing bodies to advance gender equality.  Women’s empowerment also means reducing the gender pay gap and increasing economic opportunities for women and girl by allowing them to access financial instruments, speakers said.  Burkina Faso’s delegate noted that legal steps to ensure gender equality have included economic empowerment programmes for youth and women as well as funding for microprojects.

Similarly. the representative of Togo focused on the importance of easing women’s access to production factors like land and technologies.  Bhutan’s delegate stressed that women still have less control over land than men do in her country, despite their increased engagement in agriculture due to an outflux of men from rural areas.

Addressing femicide, the representative of Brazil pointed to her country’s national plan against the scourge, aimed at fighting and preventing the violent deaths of women due to their sex, race, ethnicity, age, social inclusion, economic and regional situation, and disability.  Uruguay's delegate echoed this concern, , pointing to a World Bank report stating that 40 per cent of women suffering from gender-based violence told another person, but only 7 per cent reported the incident to authorities due to the perception that States are often unable to respond to complaints.

On promoting the rights of diverse groups, the representative of Argentina pointed to a law in her country stipulating that the State must guarantee that at least 1 per cent of its workforce be transsexual, transgender and transvestite persons, as well as a decree recognizing non-binary gender identity in identity documents.

Also speaking today were the representative of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, El Salvador, Fiji, Ethiopia, Italy, Syria, Mauritania, Peru, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Bahrain, Maldives, Sierra Leone, United Arab Emirates, Iceland, Kuwait, Nepal, Paraguay, Rwanda, Algeria, Nicaragua, Türkiye, Georgia, Australia, Indonesia, Liberia, Bangladesh, Israel, Nigeria, Chile, France, Pakistan, Myanmar, Japan, Spain, Ghana, New Zealand, Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Andorra, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway, Morocco, Yemen, Monaco, Angola, Zambia, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Congo, Hungary, Romania, Oman, Egypt, Chad, Bulgaria, United States and Kazakhstan.  The youth delegates of Luxembourg and Serbia also spoke.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were representatives of Ethiopia, Iran, Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.

The Third Committee will meet again on Friday, 7 October, at 10 a.m. to discuss the rights of children.

General Debate

SULAFA HAMID I. MOUSA (Saudi Arabia) detailed a series of reforms and “affirmative actions” undertaken by her country favouring women and enhancing their rights. These range from the promotion of equal rights with men to the fostering of women’s empowerment.  Pointing to legal texts produced in this regard, she further noted progress recorded on the advancement of women, particularly in diplomacy and decision-making both in the private and public sectors.  These have increased women‘s participation in the labour market by 32 per cent, she said.  She also highlighted improvements and commitments in the judiciary, security and military sectors, which have been commended regionally and internationally. Noting that her country’s commitment to the advancement of women exceeds its borders, she pointed to projects pursued in cooperation with international and regional partners.  Her country has contributed to women’s humanitarian relief in several conflict centres by supporting 788 projects in 79 areas and contributing $520 million dollars. 

Ms. MUBARAKAL-THANI (Qatar) highlighted Qatar’s salary equity for women in the Government and free enrolment in university.  Women in Qatar occupy high posts in Government and enjoy the right to vote, participating in democratic decisions, she said.  Underlining the role women play in peacekeeping operations, she outlined programmes, conferences and scholarships to train them in situations of conflict.  Reiterating Qatar’s commitment to the Group of Friends, she said it is working to achieve gender equity and increase women’s involvement in peace operations.

Ms. CHAKIR and Ms. BERTEMES, youth delegates of Luxembourg, deplored the fact that gender structures are established from a very young age, ranging from education and job markets to political positions.  Despite being protected by labour laws stipulating that no woman can be discriminated against or let go because of her pregnancy, pregnant women in Luxembourg remain stigmatized in employment selection.  Pregnancy is considered an inconvenience for some employers, she said, describing this view as a violation of the principle of respect for private and family life that systematically disadvantages families.  Even though Luxembourg has the lowest pay gap in the European Union, she called the fact that men make 1.4 per cent more than women unacceptable.  Inequalities persist, with women being underrepresented in the political world, she said, noting that in 2021 the most significant political posts were occupied by men.  Pointing to unbalanced representation due to prejudices against women, she stressed that women must also overcome multiple challenges in their family lives.  The situation is slow to change, and the mentality that certain jobs are connected to gender remains, she said, calling for better measures to improve political careers for women, encourage girls at schools to accept leadership positions and create an environment in which women are no longer disadvantaged due to their family situations.

EGRISELDA LÓPEZ (El Salvador), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China and the Central American Integration System, spotlighted the pandemic’s exacerbation of structural causes affecting women.  In referencing various figures within the Secretary-General’s report, she reminded all that “we are in reality talking about women and girls who live with inequality, violence and discrimination… It is for this reason that we have the responsibility to move beyond rhetoric and work together.”  The Committee’s resolutions, she continued, must be significant and substantive, providing clear road maps to the international community.  At the national level, El Salvador consolidated its strategy to monitor, promote and guarantee compliance with regulatory frameworks and public policies for equality and non-discrimination.  While there has been significant progress, all national, regional and international bodies and stakeholders must continue to work together to improve the situation of women and girls, especially the most vulnerable, she said.

MARÍA DEL CARMEN SQUEFF (Argentina) pointed to her country’s creation of the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diverse Groups.  At the international level, Argentina holds key positions to implement a foreign policy in which gender is a cross-cutting issue and an intersectional approach is adopted, she said.  The legalization of abortion in her country aims at protecting the health and lives of women and persons with other gender identities able to give birth, she said, also referring to a health care initiative to protect the health of women during pregnancy as well as boys and girls in early childhood.  A bill was established addressing the unequal distribution of care work as “the heart of inequalities that divide genders”, she said, stressing that moving towards equal parental leave is essential.  On the promotion of the rights of diverse groups, she pointed to a law stipulating that the State must guarantee that at least 1 per cent of its workforce be transsexual, transgender and transvestite persons, as well as a decree recognizing non-binary gender identity in identity documents.

SATYENDRA PRASAD (Fiji), aligning with the Group of 77 and China, noted the alarming increase in instances of violence against women, including domestic and intimate partner violence, during the pandemic, underscoring that “women’s rights are human rights”.  Similarly, working conditions for women and even access to employment have worsened, he said.  He stressed that these situations require significant interventions by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) in countries with particularly challenging contexts.  “More of the same is simply not an option,” he said.  Also highlighting the distressing increase in trafficking of women and girls, and condemning female genital mutilation, he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to work with all stakeholders to achieve gender equality and incorporate women’s perspectives into all decisions and policies involving climate change.

MARIE-ADÉLAÏDE MATHEÏ (Belgium) noted that the current slew of crises exacerbates the inequality of women and girls that was already exaggerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.  She stressed the importance of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its optional protocol, which should be at the heart of any action to end discrimination, she said.  Although 189 countries have ratified the Convention, many States have reservations about Article 2, which contains the central commitment to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women in both public and private spheres, she said.  States’ reservations about eliminating discrimination in the “private” sphere of work, home and family will significantly limit legal obligations and undermine the purpose of the Convention, she stressed.  She called on these Member States to withdraw their expressed reservations and, for those who have not done so, to submit their periodic reports before the Convention’s review conference in Belgium in ten days.

AYELE LIRE (Ethiopia) underscored the oversized role women played during the COVID-19 pandemic as doctors, nurses and caretakers, noting that they bear the brunt of economic crises.  He called on advanced countries to support the recovery of developing nations from the pandemic through financial support, technology transfer and knowledge-sharing so they can build resilient social and economic frameworks.  Turning to its successes, he said Ethiopia has enjoyed an increase in enrolment for women and girls in school and women’s participation in parliament, noting that the country’s Head of State is a woman.  Adding that maternal mortality has decreased significantly, he said the Government also plans to eradicate female genital mutilation, child marriage and obstetric fistula through a national plan, in addition to the established Road Map to Ending Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage.

MAURIZIO MASSARI (Italy), calling for meaningful inclusion of women in all spheres of public life and in the main decision-making processes, noted that this year, his Government increased its total financial support to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), continuing its leading support for the joint programs to fight female genital mutilations and early child marriages.  The full potential of women in society cannot be unlocked without ensuring sustainable education for girls and eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices, he asserted.  The unprecedented intensity of humanitarian crises has shown how disproportionate their impact is on women and girls, he said, pointing to recent conflicts that have highlighted the disturbing spectrum of violence and sexual abuse employed as weapons of war.  He stressed the need to prevent such crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable.

ELIE ALTARSHA (Syria), aligning with the Group of 77 and China, pointed to legislation in his country that provides women with rights equal to those of men in their social, economic and political lives.  Women have been allowed to vote since 1948, he noted, recalling that Syria was the first Arab country to give women the right to be members of the parliament.  Moreover, Syrian women have been members of the Constitutional Court since 2012, and 34 per cent of the country’s lawyers are women, he said, noting that more protection is granted to women with children whose fathers are not Syrian.  Detailing his Government’s national plan for gender equality, he said the age of marriage for women and girls was increased, and a newborn whose father is unknown is registered under the mother’s name.  Syria has also implemented a plan to reduce the number of early marriages from 13 to 5 per cent, he added.  Regarding the terrorist war against Syria, the Government drew up legislative decree number 3, which prohibits trafficking in persons and strengthens the punishment for this crime, particularly when committed against women and girls.  Despite efforts to promote the rights of women, the terrorist war forces many Syrian women into displacement, he added.

SOUEDA EL GUERA (Mauritania), aligning herself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, spotlighted her country’s efforts to promote women’s rights and active participation across all sectors.  As women constitute a significant percentage of the population and can play a crucial leading role, Mauritania has implemented action plans and national strategies to end early marriage and enhance their role, including in Government, she said.  In promoting education for girls, Mauritania is encouraging families to send girls to school, raising awareness of the harmful effects of school abandonment and tackling root causes hindering schooling, she said.  At the legislative level, the Government has enacted a law to protect women and girls against violence and implemented a national strategy in 2017 to create a commission to tackle issues across several ministries.

ABRA ESENAM GUINHOUYA (Togo), stressing that women are particularly affected by global crises and the impact of the pandemic, detailed her country’s action to improve their participation in decision-making in the public area, remove inequalities and foster empowerment.  Measures enhancing social protection and access to basic social services remain essential to reduce poverty, she said.  Instruments at the national level have been adopted to accelerate the inclusion of women, including laws on universal insurance and the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality.  She also noted progress in women’s participation in municipalities and the Government, emphasizing that women currently hold strategic positions in several sectors, like the executive and the army.  Adding that punitive measures directed at violence against women have been adopted in the new criminal code, she pointed to the creation of 26 support and counselling centres for victims of violence.  Her country’s national development program will provide the framework to help address remaining challenges, she added, noting that Togo aims to improve women’s representation in decision-making, better protect women against discrimination and gender-based violence and facilitate their access to production factors like land and technologies.

JAVIER LEONARDO SALAS DE LOS RIOS (Peru) voiced concern that the multiple crises facing the world, including climate change, environmental degradation and the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbate vulnerabilities of women and girls.  Violence is a widespread form of gender-based discrimination, he asserted, noting that physical and psychological violence prohibits women from enjoying their rights on an equal footing.  Calling for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, he recognized the need to eradicate violence and promote access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.  Drawing attention to Peru’s national gender equality policy, adopted in 2019, and recognizing as a public issue structural discrimination against women in their diversity, he stressed the importance of focusing on the rights of indigenous, Afro-descendent and rural women.  Calling for an intercultural approach, he underscored the need for dialogue between various cultural groups in Peru.

KIM SONG (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said institutional guarantees and protection of women’s rights are essential for equality, societal and family welfare and the 2030 Agenda.  In his country, every woman becomes a deputy to the Supreme People’s Assembly, and many exercise their political rights in party organs, government bodies and working people’s organizations, he said.  Women participate in social life and are able to work and live comfortably since they have free medical, nursery and kindergarten services.  The Government will continue to provide women with the conditions and environment to exercise their equal rights while actively contributing to the State and social life, he pledged.  Turning to the brutal violation and sexual enslavement of Korean women and girls during World War II, he called on Japan to apologize and compensate for its crimes.  Japan has neither repented nor apologized and is instead “trying to distort and erase their crimes from history”, he said.  On the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reviewed the report on the Convention’s implementation in November 2017 and cooperated with international organizations on protecting and promoting women’s rights and health.  His country would continue to strengthen international cooperation and exchange on women’s rights, he said.

Ms. ALKOOHEJI (Bahrain) spoke of her country’s political will and sincere efforts to further advance and support women in different areas.  Gender equality is a main pillar of Bahrain’s policies, she noted while spotlighting women’s electoral participation since the 1930s and the launch of a new non-governmental organization to encourage women’s entrepreneurship and facilitate economic development.  In 2020, Bahrain issued Decision No.25 to prevent wage discrimination.  At the legislative level, Bahrain protects the rights of women through the support and directives of the King of Bahrain, she noted.  Women are further supported by Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Women, which launched a global award on women’s empowerment with UN-Women.  In continuing its work to achieve gender equality through a new national plan on the advancement of women, Bahrain remains committed to supporting the national priorities of Member States and their communities, she said. 

Mr. HAMID (Maldives) called on the international community to ensure that women are involved in all aspects of decision-making.  Detailing his country’s progress, he cited the 2016 Gender Equality Act, which recognizes both direct and indirect gender-based discrimination and provides redress mechanisms for receiving complaints.  Further, in 2019, the country’s Decentralization Act was amended to allocate 33 per cent of all local council seats to women, and two female judges were appointed to the Supreme Court.  Some 33 per cent of cabinet ministers are women who have been assigned, for the first time, portfolios in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as defence, transport, climate change, technology, arts and culture.  Calling on the international community to capitalize on gender-equality gains, he urged world leaders to see commitments through to ensure, promote and protect women’s’ rights.

CARLOS AMORÍN (Uruguay), underscored that, since the beginning of the pandemic, 45 per cent of women reported that they themselves or a woman they know had experienced violence.  He also stressed that women are increasingly subject to violence online, including intimate partner violence or financial abuse.  As such forms of violence impact their active contribution to society, he said the economy and public sphere cannot thrive if their participation is diminished. Noting that his country has launched an observatory of gender-based violence against women, he said the collection of reliable and accurate data is a vital tool that enabled Uruguay to take targeted actions.  Enhancing or creating more effective frameworks and policies to address the issue is also key.  Actions undertaken include a multi-party agreement and the allocation of financial resources to support such work. Pointing to a World Bank report, he noted that 40 per cent of women who suffered gender-based violence told someone, but only 7 per cent reported it to the authorities due to the perception that States are often unable to respond to complaints.

SEYDOU SINKA (Burkina Faso), aligning with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said that 51.7 per cent of his country’s population is female.  Legal steps to ensure gender equality in Burkina Faso have included economic empowerment programmes for youth and women as well as the funding of microprojects, he said.  Further, women participate significantly in land development and benefit from agricultural training and tools.  In 2020, some 20,000 vulnerable women in the informal sector received cash transfers for a period of three months.  Turning to legal frameworks to bolster gender equality, he said the Government has established programmes to care for victims of violence, punish aggressors and prevent child marriage.  The country has monitoring units for female genital mutilation and a health-care programme for women and children under the age of five, which has resulted in the early detection and treatment of cancerous lesions.  Burkina Faso has an education acceleration strategy that prioritizes access and literacy, he said, noting a significant increase in scholarships given to women and girls.  The country is working to prevent the conscription of women and girls into terrorist groups, he added.

Mr. SANUSI (Sierra Leone), aligning himself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, reiterated his country’s full commitment to delivering on gender equality and women’s empowerment.  Adding that women and girls are entitled to live in dignity and freedom, he said the promotion of gender equality can be a catalyst for stimulating inclusive growth and reducing poverty.  As sexual violence poses a grave threat to peace and security, Sierra Leone has established mechanisms to ensure justice for victims by holding perpetrators accountable.  He spotlighted his country’s legislative efforts and policies on gender equality and gender mainstreaming, which include gender-responsive budgeting from 2023 onwards for all ministries, departments and agencies.  Sierra Leone is also continuing its efforts to address the adverse effects of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic through microcredit schemes and business incubation centres, he said. 

MYAN MEDHAT ANWAR TANTAWY (United Arab Emirates) said that sustainable and inclusive policies require the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in institutions at leadership and decision-making levels.  Stressing that women representatives of the Federal National Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country’s Mission to the United Nations represent 50 per cent, she emphasized that female representation in these positions advances the needs of women and girls.  She also noted that last month her country launched the United Arab Emirates Gender Balance Centre for Excellence, in partnership with the World Bank, to further advance gender parity in the region.  Noting that economies and societies are stronger when women are included, she pointed to equal-pay-for-equal-work laws in her country and a quota to ensure that women are represented on all corporate and governmental boards of directors.  On education, she noted that guaranteeing equal access has been a priority for her country, stressing that Emirati women make up 70 per cent of university graduates and 56 per cent of all science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates.

JÖRUNDUR VALTÝSSON (Iceland), stressing that women have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, said that amidst restrictions and community lockdowns, more cases of gender-based violence have been documented than ever before.  He expressed concern that established international standards are continuously being challenged, with attempts to overturn the discourse on bodily autonomy, comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health and rights.  Stressing the vital importance of access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services, he said women and girls must be able to decide freely on matters relating to their sexuality.  Highlighting the Committee’s resolutions related to the harmful practices of child, early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation, as well as ending fistula and trafficking in women and girls, he voiced concern over the women and girls currently affected by war and conflict, including in Afghanistan, where women are facing one of the worst cases of deterioration of their rights. 

Ms. ALMANSOUR (Kuwait), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, stressed that men and women complement each other and are equal in their dignity.  During the recent elections, women regained their seats in parliament, she noted, pointing to her Government’s legislation emphasizing gender equality as well as women’s rights to education, work and economic independence, in addition to other measures protecting the rights of women in family law, social security, housing and health care.  Kuwaiti women have played an important role in the building of a modern society, she said, describing them as “the catalyst to building the new Kuwait by 2035”.  She emphasized her Government’s efforts to enable Kuwaiti women to advance their economic, social and political rights.

AMRIT BAHADUR RAI (Nepal), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, called for bold actions to repeal gender discriminatory laws, promote gender parity in politics, expedite women’s economic inclusion and eradicate violence against women.  The Constitution of Nepal, he pointed out, guarantees the fundamental rights of women and girls, ensures their rights of equal lineage and safe motherhood and reproductive health, and promotes their inclusion in governance.  At the legislative level, Nepal enacted laws to ensure gender equality and prohibit violence and discrimination against women, including in wages and social security. Such laws prohibit marriage below 20 years of age, provide safe and accessible reproductive health services, protect against sexual, physical and psychological harassment and criminalize witchcraft accusations, he noted.  In 2020, Nepal acceded to the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.  Turning to his country’s zero-tolerance policy on gender-based violence, he spotlighted Nepal’s employment programme for women and girls and social security schemes for elderly people.  As a member of the Human Rights Council and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Nepal has promoted and protected human rights and remains committed to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, he said.

WEERASEKARAGE CHATHURA RAMYAJITH WEERASEKARA (Sri Lanka) said that following the pandemic women and girls have been exposed to exacerbated levels of violence and had their access to effective assistance mechanisms impeded.  Although significant strides have been made in executing the women, peace and security agenda, “there exists a missing link, a tangible concrete pathway to engaging in private businesses, especially those working in conflict and post-conflict environments to converge with the aims of the … agenda on women's empowerment, particularly in private enterprise”, he said.  While women are often the most impacted by conflicts and humanitarian crises, they continue to be largely excluded from participating in peace processes.  “Between 1992 and 2019, women served as only 6 per cent of mediators, 6 per cent of signatories and 13 per cent of negotiators globally,” he noted, adding that empowering women leaders to participate in peacebuilding becomes increasingly crucial.  As his country is formulating the draft of a National Women’s Policy, special attention is being given to the intersectionality of women’s rights issues structured by areas such as ethnicity, social class and caste that may require additional policy interventions, he said.

JOSÉ EDUARDO PEREIRA SOSA (Paraguay), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, said it is essential to spare no effort in tackling the obstacles which exacerbate inequality and discrimination.  As inequality and gender gaps stymie progress in ensuring human rights and development, Paraguay has modified its regulations, implemented innovative strategies and strengthened women’s leadership to enable them to influence policy design and implementation.  It has also created conditions for the enjoyment of comprehensive health care and a life free of violence.  Paraguay has prioritized women’s participation by facilitating their continued presence in public decisions, economic empowerment and autonomy.  On the prevention and eradication of violence against women, he spotlighted his country’s efforts to increase the comprehensive protection of women and girls and fight against trafficking in persons.  He highlighted Paraguay’s partnerships with non-governmental stakeholders to increase opportunities for women.  Paraguay has offered free courses in programming and information technology, developed a seal to certify discrimination-free businesses and assisted indigenous and rural women on sexual and reproductive health, economic empowerment, childcare and the prevention and tackling of violence against women, he noted.

ROBERT KAYINAMURA (Rwanda), aligning with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, said his country has achieved significant results through policies empowering women and girls, adding that almost half of the Supreme Court judges are women.  Some laws that led to these successes include a National Policy against Gender-Based Violence and a law ensuring equal property rights for men and women.  Rwanda is ranked sixth worldwide and first in Africa by the World Economic Forum in closing the gender gap, he added.  To respond to challenges posed by stereotypes that limit women and girls’ professional development, the Government is promoting girls’ education in traditionally male-dominated fields such as science and engineering.  It is addressing gender-based violence through “Isange One-Stop-Centres” that provide psychosocial, medical and legal support to survivors.

RAHMA SAMAI (Algeria), aligning herself with the African Group and the Group of 77 and China, detailed her country’s participation in several international treaties and instruments to advance the role of women, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Maputo Protocol.  Aiming to fight discrimination, which includes different types of restrictions of women’s participation in society, the Government has enacted national laws fostering their inclusion. She stressed measures addressing parity in the labour market and guaranteeing salary equality as well as equal access to programs for female entrepreneurs, women in rural areas and those who are unemployed.  Further, she touched on progress in female representation in municipalities and elected councils and girls’ inclusion in education.  Noting that Algeria is not directly affected by the trafficking of women and girls, she underscored that a national commission and programme have been established encouraging international cooperation to tackle such a scourge.

OLIMPIA RAQUEL OCHOA ESPINALES (Nicaragua), aligning with the Group of 77 and China, said that the country’s Government of Reconciliation and National Unity is working to restore the full exercise of equity, complementarity and solidarity with women and girls.  Adding that Nicaragua has the third highest number of women parliamentary seats worldwide, she said the World Economic Forum has ranked it the seventh best performing in gender equity and the fifth best in the political prominence of women in the world. Highlighting that the gender gap is closing in Nicaragua, she underlined the importance of indigenous women as guardians of cultural heritage and land, saying they play a central role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.  She said that 70 per cent of small businesses are women-owned, condemning the use of unilateral sanctions and blockades which increase vulnerability and poverty.

INANC ORNEKOL (Türkiye), raising concern over the negative impacts of conflicts, the COVID‑19 pandemic, climate change and mass displacement on the rights of women and girls, underscored the importance of positive discrimination, a concept focusing on the societal status of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities.  Highlighting the two fundamental laws of the Turkish legal system, namely the civil code and the penal code, she pointed to achievements in articles concerning women.  She called violence against women and girls “an abhorrent human rights violation and a persistent global challenge”, with devastating effects on women’s physical and mental health, that bears an immense cost on the socio-economic fabric of society.  However, it is preventable, she underscored, calling for a holistic approach by all segments of society as well as active participation of women in politics and their meaningful representation.

EKATERINE LORTKIPANIDZE (Georgia), associating herself with the European Union, outlined steps taken by her country’s Government to strengthen gender equality, combat domestic violence and violence against women, and promote a bigger role for women in national decision-making.  Due to changes to the electoral code, the number of elected women in local councils has increased from 19.59 per cent in 2017 to 31.41 per cent in 2021.  Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship is also a priority under Georgia’s small- and medium-sized business development strategy, while the Government is drafting legislation to address sexual harassment in the workplace.  She went on to say that the Government attaches great importance to implementing the Security Council’s resolution on women, peace and security, adding, however, that women and girls in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia and areas adjacent to the occupation line continue to suffer grave violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms, including impeded freedom of movement and illegal detention by Russian occupying forces.

FIONA WEBSTER (Australia) stressed that global challenges, ranging from COVID-19 to conflicts, might push back hard-won gains in gender equality. “All women and girls — who are diverse in their identities and the intersecting inequalities they confront — must be able to fully and freely exercise what we hold to be universal human rights and live their lives with dignity, physical integrity, choice of opportunities, and free of violence”, she said.  Pointing to a national strategy in her country aiming to ensure women’s economic security, she detailed measures to reduce the gender pay gap, strengthen protection against discrimination and harassment in the workplace and respond to human rights violations.  Reiterating Australia’s commitment to listen to the priorities of its region across Pacific and Southeast Asia, she said that her country stands with its neighbours, which includes responding to shared concerns on climate security and economic prosperity, ending gender-based violence and advancing the peace and security agenda.

FEBRIAN IRAWATI MAMESAH (Indonesia), aligning with ASEAN and the Group of 77 and China, highlighted the country’s successes, stating that its Gender Development Index has reached 0.94 life expectancy and that school attendance is higher for girls and women.  She said the Government has turned words into action since 1999 through laws and programmes to empower women, such as the National Law on Human Rights, and legislation on domestic and sexual violence.  Acknowledging the important role of community building, she said the country has used public forums to address problems on the ground and to exchange best practices and capacities.  She commended the role that women and girls have played as peacemakers in negotiations.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER GEISLER (Germany), aligning himself with the representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, expressed concern over the effects of climate change, the COVID‑19 pandemic, the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine and the resulting food and energy crisis on pre-existing gender gaps.  “No matter where in the world, it is women and girls who bear the brunt of worsening living conditions, diminished public services, dwindling socioeconomic perspectives and security threats,” he said.  Women, however, are not passive victims but rather powerful agents of change who contribute to more stable, peaceful and just societies, he continued.  In recognizing the importance of the women, peace and security agenda, he spotlighted his country’s feminist foreign policy, emphasizing that women’s rights are fundamentally a human rights, democracy, and rule of law issue.  Men and boys should use their de facto privileges and representation in parliamentary, political and governing bodies to advance gender equality and practice positive masculinity, he added.  The brutal attack on women in Iran is an attack on human rights, as a whole, which Germany will discuss at the Human Rights Council, he noted.  He then called for a transformation in gender roles and power relations, urged strength in the face of backlash against women’s rights and advocated for space for women in decision-making processes.

CECILIA FORGBE WREH-MCGILL (Liberia)said her country’s executive body is committed to creating an “enabling environment for women’s political participation”, underscoring that such efforts are complemented by support of partners like the United Nations Peacebuilding Support office.  She also noted that her Government is championing the amendment of the country’s election laws to provide for a mandatory gender quota of 30 per cent.  “The Act includes a means for enforcement, whereby the National Elections Commission can reject political parties’ candidate listings that do not meet the 30 per cent quota”, she said.  Noting that women are leading the judiciary and other major sectors of society, she listed initiatives to combat violence against women online and offline.  These include ongoing processes for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor for rape and the Constitution of a National Sex Offenders Registry.  Acknowledging the vital role women can play in the maintenance of regional and global peace and stressing her country’s contribution to peacekeeping, she emphasized that “we have over 31 per cent females deployed as military experts on mission and staff officers”.

Mr. RAHMAN (Bangladesh), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent conflicts have added further agony to the lives of women and girls.  He highlighted that, worldwide, over 380 million women are living in extreme poverty and nearly 130 million girls are out of school.  His government allocated 27 per cent of the budget to women’s socioeconomic empowerment and encouraged women’s entrepreneurship by simplifying their access to financing, he noted, pointing to the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which prioritizes women’s equal participation in addressing climate change, natural disasters, and violent extremism.  He called for greater investments in education, health, job creation and bridging the digital divide.

AVITAL MIMRAN ROSENBERG (Israel) discussed several ways in which her country is fighting gender-based violence and ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls.  One programme provides life-saving protection-trained dogs to threatened women, while another helps victims of domestic violence find jobs in high-tech companies, thus helping them to regain their self-confidence and independence.  She went on to stress the need to prevent all forms of abuse and hostile environments, including on the Internet, and to address women’s rights – including the right to health and education – which are clearly established under international law.

NNAMDI OKECHUKWU NZE (Nigeria), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, reiterated his country’s commitment to the advancement of women and gender equality.  As no country can achieve its maximum development potential without fully harnessing women’s capabilities, endowments and competencies, women have a decisive role in the global, continental and national agenda for democracy, transition and development, he said.  To that end, Nigeria has intensified its fight against gender-based violence, sexual abuse, discrimination and human trafficking.  There can be no road to women’s empowerment and gender equality without social integration and inclusion, poverty eradication and the implementation of concrete measures, he noted.  As such, Nigeria has implemented various social investment programmes, reviewed policies, reassessed priorities, created institutional mechanisms to ensure women’s participation in national development and encouraged financial institutions to provide women with access to financial products, services and information.  Efforts to achieve gender equality and empower women must also address sexual and gender-based violence, he said.  Gender-based violence remains one of the most oppressive forms of gender equality, poses a fundamental barrier to the equal participation of women, significantly constrains women’s autonomy and opportunities and impedes development outcomes, he emphasized.

Ms. OJEDA TAPIA (Chile) pointed to measures taken domestically to improve the equal participation, economic empowerment and autonomy of women, including the Fourth National Equality Plan for Gender Equality 2018-2030, aimed at removing discrimination.  Regarding the economic empowerment of women, some regulative frameworks have been strengthened to put an end to unequal work conditions or unequal pay for any social group, she said.  To tackle gender-based violence, the country is striving to make available care programmes for women in all their diversity, including Afro-descendent, indigenous and migrant women.  Other programmes aim at fostering women’s access to justice in all areas.  Underscoring that violence perpetrated through information and communications technology (ICT) can be as serious as physical violence, she said the debate on ending abuses should include tackling gender-based stereotypes and negative social norms.

Mr. BOUCAULT (France), aligning with the European Union in its capacity as observer, condemned the brutal oppression of women and men protesting in Iran by its “security apparatus”.  Affirming his country’s support for equity for women and girls, he said France has taken steps toward feminist diplomacy by co-sponsoring the Generation Equality Forum with Mexico.  The Government takes a strong stance on sexual and reproductive assistance and dedicates about $197,000 to support programmes in this sector.  It will continue to defend bodily autonomy for women and girls, including the fundamental right to abortion, he said.  Adding that France would like to set an example in implementing the women, peace and security agenda in all its components, he said the country adopted an action plan in 2021.  He underscored the importance of protecting women and girls from all forms of violence and discrimination, calling on Member States who have not already done so to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women.

SAIMA SALEEM (Pakistan) expressed concern over the series of shocks the world has suffered in recent years — the COVID‑19 pandemic, commodity inflation, food and fuel crises and climate change — that have disproportionately affected women and girls.  Pakistan has been affected by the worst disaster in its history, she said, pointing to recent floods of epic proportions that have affected more than 33 million people, of which almost six million need immediate humanitarian assistance.  While the damage to infrastructure is evolving, it is currently estimated at $30 billion.  Among those affected, more than 1.6 million are women of reproductive age, with nearly 130,000 pregnant women in need of urgent health services.  In Pakistan, between 50 to 80 per cent of women are food producers, she noted, adding that due to these traditional roles in the agriculture sector, women are the first to be affected by climate change.  To this end, she drew attention to the national climate change policy that is gender sensitive and caters to the needs of women and girls in the wake of climate-induced disasters.

KYAW MOE TUN (Myanmar) said the military in his country has killed and tortured many women and girls, arrested innocent women and children as hostages and used abducted women and children as human shields.  As the trafficking of women has re-emerged as a major issue, women and girls are facing increased sexual and work exploitation, he noted.  Women are unsafe in cities and non-conflict areas, as they are subjected to sexual violence, harassment and abduction while carrying out their daily activities.  Despite the military’s brutal and inhumane acts, the people of Myanmar are ready to end the military dictatorship at any cost, he said.  He then called on the international community to answer the calls of Myanmar’s women and people before any additional loss of life and brutal incidents occur.

SULEIMAN HAJI SULEIMAN (United Republic of Tanzania), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said his Government is carrying out various programmes aimed at empowering women by increasing economic opportunities and reducing poverty, including through soft loans to women entrepreneurs.  Stressing that his State has several women leaders heading up strategic ministries, he noted that the National Assembly is led by a female speaker, that a third of parliamentarians are women and that female judges have increased to 43 per cent.  Laws and regulations have been adopted to ensure non-discrimination of women and girls, persons with disabilities and persons infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.  Over 20 one-stop centres have been established across the country to provide counselling and legal aid services to gender-based violence survivors.  In addition, over 450 gender and children’s desks in police stations exist across the country to deal with issues of violence against women and children.  “Female genital mutilation is a specific act of violence against women and has been criminalized in our penal code,” he said, stressing his State’s cooperation with its neighbours to address the transboundary effect of genital mutilation.  He also noted his country’s participation in the Cross-Border Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Plan of Action for East African Countries in 2019 to prevent such practices across borders.  On maternal health, he said that 81 per cent of pregnant women have access to a health facility, which has meant fewer pregnancy-related deaths and a reduction in obstetric fistula cases.  “Understanding that the treatment of fistula is expensive and most women suffering from it cannot afford the cost of treatment, the government in cooperation with the private sector is implementing a two-year programme (2021–2022) and treating at least 300 women with fistula free of charge,” he said.

IRENE GASHU (Japan) said the statement made by the Democratic Republic of the Congo was erroneous, groundless and unacceptable.  Highlighting her country’s domestic efforts in empowering women, she said the Government has established a policy package that will implement measures to ensure women’s empowerment through engagement in the economic, public and private spheres.  Speaking on her county’s work within the United Nations, she cited the resolution adopted in September that Japan and Sierra Leone co-facilitated on international cooperation for access to justice, remedies and assistance for survivors of sexual violence.  As a Security Council member in 2023-2024, Japan will continue its work on the women, peace and security agenda, she said, reaffirming her country’s commitment to the advancement of women.

ANA MARÍA ALONSO GIGANTO (Spain), aligning himself with the representative of the European Union, referenced the widespread restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan as an example of progress being undone.  The structural inequalities of gender mean that armed conflicts, the climate emergency and humanitarian crises have a disproportionate impact on women and girls, she stressed while noting sexual and gender-based violence which has also occurred in Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Yemen and Ukraine.  As the international community must expedite progress, Spain has made gender equality a priority, enacted legislation on eradicating gender-based violence, pledged increased financial support for organizations working on sexual and reproductive rights and created an ambitious public policy road map on care which included ensuring joint responsibility among all genders, she said.  As co-Chair of the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights, Spain would continue to champion the global alliance on care, she emphasized.

PATRICIA SOARES LEITE (Brazil), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, pointed to her country’s national plan against femicide, which strives to encourage people to report all forms of violence against women.  This plan envisages actions aimed at fighting and preventing the violent deaths of women due to their sex, race, ethnicity, age, social inclusion, economic and regional situation, and disability, which can increase women`s vulnerability.  Raising concern over new forms of violence committed against women and girls in online contexts and underscoring the need to adjust policies to address it, she pointed to the law on cybercrimes that Brazil enacted 10 years ago.  Brazil has also expanded social protection nets benefiting households headed by women.  To mitigate the effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic, Brazil carried out programmes such as Emergency Aid that has directly targeted 68.2 million eligible citizens and indirectly impacted more than half of the Brazilian population.

SONAM CHODEN NAMGYEL (Bhutan) said a 2020 study in Bhutan found that the country’s rural women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men, including when climate-induced disasters strike.  An outflux of men from rural areas is seeing more women engaged in agriculture, but women still have less control over land than men do.  In the waste sector, there is a significant gender gap in terms of division of labour and pay, among other things, even though women are the main managers of household waste.  She underscored the importance that the leaders of Bhutan attach to empowering women and children in all aspects of life, with gender equality being one of the parameters in its Gross National Happiness index.  She went on to emphasize her country’s resolve to combat violence against women and children, including sexual exploitation and rape.

CAROLYN OPPONG-NTIRI (Ghana), aligning herself with the African Group, commended UN-Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its partners for their global gender efforts, especially on women’s well-being and sexual and reproductive health.  In spotlighting her country’s operational plans to end obstetric fistula, she reiterated Ghana’s commitment to work with UNFPA and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Gender Development Centre on repairing obstetric fistula and sensitizing stakeholders on sexual and reproductive health, fistula and child marriages.  As national legislation efforts to end female genital mutilation must be complemented by social engagement and education on health implications and women’s rights, Ghana looks forward to technical and financial support for African states to accelerate progress, strengthen health systems, educate women and girls and empower them to safeguard their health and dignity, she said.  Turning to digitization, she called for more attention to violence against women and girls in digital contexts and mentioned Ghana’s laws to protect women from sexual and gender-based violence and harassment online.  Member States need to recognize the issue as a human rights violation and introduce effective laws, policies and regulatory frameworks to criminalize and prohibit all forms of violence in digital contexts, strengthen law enforcement capacity and prosecute crimes effectively.  On human trafficking, Ghana will leverage its membership on the Security Council to address the issue, she said.

Ms. EDILSON (New Zealand) noted global push-back on sexual and reproductive health and rights, regression in legislation, jurisprudence and freedoms, and restricted or denied access to related services.  Stating that women and girls must have power over their own bodies and lives, she encouraged States to do more to provide safe, accessible and quality reproductive and maternal healthcare.  “When women and girls thrive, families, communities and societies do better”, she said. She also urged States to recognise the compounding impacts of intersecting forms of discrimination in the lives of women and girls, specifically women and girls who are indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, part of the LGBTQI community, have a disability, live in rural or remote communities, and are displaced, refugees or migrants.  Further, she called on States to “continue to champion the rights of the LGBTQI community through decriminalization reform, full inclusion in society, targeting discriminatory attitudes through social behavioural change”.

BRINZ-YANNICK-MICHEL LENANGUY (Central African Republic), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African group, pointed to a national strategy to promote women’s empowerment by fostering equality and reducing poverty.  He stressed major challenges his country faces in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; promoting women’s participation in policymaking and leadership positions; ensuring their independence, including by reducing violence and illiteracy, which remains high in the country; and reducing female genital mutilation.  He called for the launch of an awareness-raising campaign among all actors and stakeholders on gender empowerment, with a goal to improve the access of women to decision-making, including in peace consolidation processes.  Guaranteeing women’s professional training, ensuring young girls access to schools and promoting their economic empowerment is also needed, he said.

JOAN MARGARITA CEDANO (Dominican Republic), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, lamented that women and girls are still victims of trafficking, forced labour, sexual slavery and suffer preventable deaths in childbirth.  She said that her country has mechanisms to ensure that the agenda for gender equality is cross-cutting, detailing an affirmative action policy to ensure political participation of women through equality quotas in bills seeking to reform political parties or electoral law.  Further, the Government has formalized all domestic labour, giving equal conditions to domestic workers, she said, adding that the national care system has been broadened to improve opportunities for care workers.  Affirming that eradicating domestic violence and femicide is a priority, she detailed a strategic plan to broaden awareness and establish a special police unit for the care and support of victims.  To meet challenges posed by adolescent pregnancy, the country has established centres for promoting comprehensive health care and sex education for adolescents and eliminated legal loopholes that have previously led to child marriage.

NATALIIA MUDRENKO (Ukraine), aligning herself with the European Union, which spoke in its capacity as observer, said her Government is continuing to work on the country’s recovery despite ongoing Russian aggression.  Expanding gender equality and bolstering women’s empowerment in all spheres remains an integral part of the recovery process.  Despite Moscow’s war of aggression, she described significant progress on gender equality, including the Framework of Cooperation with the United Nations outlining joint actions in the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence.  These include combatting trafficking, offering holistic services and working towards justice and accountability.  A coalition of representatives from Ukraine’s civil society and all relevant executive government bodies, with the support and assistance of UN-Women, continue to elaborate the national strategy for gender equality and apply principles of gender mainstreaming for post-war reconstruction.

MERITXELL FONT VILAGINES (Andorra), pointing to the national law on countering discrimination against women as well as a series of laws on equality and non-discrimination, called for gender parity and balanced representation of men and women in public and political bodies.  In terms of its legislation, Andorra has achieved full parity of men and women.  In terms of its current legislation, Andorra has achieved respect for gender equality in parliament.  Raising concern over remaining challenges ‑ regression on the rights of women in certain regions of the country, continuing violence against women and girls, increased femicide, unequal access to education ‑ she stressed that promoting a culture of equality is more necessary than ever.

DENNIS FRANCIS (Trinidad and Tobago) aligned himself with CARICOM and said that his country developed a National Policy on Gender and Development, which provides a framework for the inclusion of gender perspectives in all areas of national development.  Detailing an aspect of the policy, he said the country officially recognized widows as a vulnerable group and implemented measures to provide support to them and their families.  Recognizing “the nexus between gender equity and equality and the development of rural communities”, he said that initiatives had been undertaken to create an environment for rural women to reach their full potential and live in sustainable communities.  He underlined the importance of creating safe spaces for women and girls and added that the country’s legislative framework has been bolstered by a Gender-Based Violence Unit and the National Sex Offenders Registry to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected in public and private.

TRINE SKARBOEVIK HEIMERBACK (Norway) called for a gender-lens in all policy decisions across all sectors.  Protecting women and girls’ rights, including over their own bodies, is a key priority for gender equality, she said.  In noting the increased backsliding of democracies, attacks on women’s rights and gender equality as well as changes in legislation and legal systems which undermine women’s rights, she urged creativity and coordination in supporting the United Nations, civil society and other actors in removing these obstacles.  If women do not enjoy sexual and reproductive health and rights, their political and economic participation is hindered, she stressed.  Women are not solely victims of today’s challenges but actors with diverse roles and responsibilities as mediators, peacemakers, combatants, community mobilizers, food producers and providers of income and welfare in families and communities.  “No country can afford to not make use of half of its human resources,” she said.

Ms. MABROUKI (Morocco) called on the Committee to accelerate its work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 5.  The systematic inclusion of women as agents of change in all decision-making processes, programmes and development projects is fundamental to sustainable development, she emphasized.  As such, Morocco signed and entered into force the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in July 2022.  In addition to creating its own legal framework to combat violence against women more actively, Morocco adopted a law on fighting all forms of violence and harassment which included sexual content via the Internet, texts, voice messages and photos.  On the women, peace and security agenda, Morocco submitted its plan of action in accordance with Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), promoted women to decision-making positions and increased their representation in security forces.  Women are actors of development and sustainable peace, she stressed.

SARAH AHMED AHMED AL-MASHEHARI (Yemen) aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, said that Yemen believes in gender equality, which stems from its Islamic civilization and history and underlined that it was the first country to sign CEDAW and has ratified and implemented many treaties.  Detailing women’s participation in government, she said that the country has established a Supreme Council for Women and a Council for Maternity and Childhood.  Further, two of the nine judges on the Higher Committee for Elections are women, and there is a quota of 33 per cent for women in the three branches of the State, she added. The Government has passed a law changing the minimum age of marriage to 18 as well as adopted other laws criminalizing harassment and other forms of gender discrimination.  Houthis militias violate the constitutional rights of Yemeni people, including the rights of women, through kidnapping, puppet courts, and persecuting female activists who reject their extremist views, she said. Underscoring that Yemini women are protected under international law to combat human trafficking, she added that the Committee on Dialogue and Reparation includes five women members.

ALYSON CALEM-SANGIORGIO (Monaco) said violence against women is linked to socioeconomic phenomena, namely armed conflict, displacement, and climate change.  On online violence, she pointed to a national law against cyber harassment enacted in her country in 2021 as well as an information campaign that will alert victims of violence about available mechanisms of assistance, using digital tools.  The economic insecurity of women has worsened during the pandemic, leading to an exacerbation of gender-based violence.  The National Statistical Institute recently published that, in the private sector, the pay gap is an average of 5.9 per cent in favour of men, she highlighted, stressing the importance of gender parity.  At the international level, Monaco is working towards creating female entrepreneurship in North Africa. Turning to access to education, she voiced concern over the situation in Afghanistan.

TERESA MANUEL BENTO DA SILVA (Angola), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, highlighted the health consequences and impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic, climate change, socioeconomic crises and armed conflicts on the living conditions of women and girls.  She then spotlighted her country’s efforts, policies and programmes to combat violence against women including trafficking, increase education, change the national culture on gender roles and treat obstetric fistula with the support of international partners, United Nations entities and the Resident Coordinator.  Angola has also worked on preventing female genital mutilation through policies, programmes and dialogues with families, she added.  Female gentile mutilation harms the dignity of women and girls and should be banned, she urged.  Despite Angola’s progress in reducing early child marriage primarily in rural areas, the COVID‑19 pandemic expanded the risk of early marriage amongst young girls not in school, she noted.  Serious challenges, including pandemic-related setbacks and climate change impacts in the south, still hamper the ability for Angola to implement Goal 5, she emphasized.

REGINA CHAMA BOMA (Zambia), aligning with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said her country has scaled up affirmative action measures to promote the inclusion of women and acted to eradicate violence against women in “cultural resetting activities”, meant to challenge damaging cultural norms.  To provide women with economic empowerment, the Government allotted 10 per cent of the Constituency Development Fund to women in lower geographical levels, she added.  Further, Zambia provides free education up to secondary school to provide a foundation for women and girls participation at all levels, she said, adding that scholarships are given to the most vulnerable.  Turning to cybercrime, she highlighted the role it plays in reinforcing and exacerbating systemic structural gender inequality.  To that end, Zambia has implemented the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act to stem cyberbullying.

Ms. KNANI (Tunisia), aligning herself with the G77 and China and the African Group, pointed to her country’s efforts to enhance its independence, including by putting an end to practices such as polygamy and introducing rights such as the right to request divorce without the approval of a husband.  In 2017, Tunisia issued a basic law covering all forms of violence against women that aimed to eliminate discriminatory practices, especially those connected to wages and social protection.  The law prevents the economic exploitation of women, including imposing undignified working conditions on them, and creates mechanisms needed for its implementation.  Moreover, Tunisia has established more than 100 specialized teams in combating sexual violence since 2018, she said, stressing the importance of civil society and the collaboration between private and public sectors.

BILLUR AHMADOVA (Azerbaijan) said her Government has enacted legislation eliminating all forms of gender-based discrimination.  Lamenting that women and girls bear the brunt of conflict, she said her country’s 30-year conflict with Armenia has produced a million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displace persons, half of whom are women.  Armenia abused its time in the General Assembly to make unfounded allegations against her country, she said, using old and fake names in referring to places in Azerbaijan.  Underscoring her country’s commitment to host visits of international organizations, she said Azerbaijan took measures to ensure its sovereignty during an Armenian military provocation that inflicted significant damage.  She stressed that Armenia’s concern over alleged war crimes is hypocritical, adding that, unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan takes its international obligations seriously.

HAIDER MAHMOOD (Iraq), in noting his country’s fight against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh, spotlighted the Government’s efforts to achieve equality for women which included addressing the needs of survivors of sexual violence related to conflict, establishing a second national plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2020) and preparing a national strategy with women peace mediators on enhancing the effective participation of women.  Iraq is also reviewing its laws on women’s rights and establishing a national strategy for 2023, he said.  Electronic blackmail crimes have recently decreased as a result of the Government’s follow-up through several specialized agencies; seminars at universities, schools and government institutions to raise awareness; and a firm response from the judiciary, he noted.  He then reiterated the important role of the family in protecting children from violence in all of its manifestations.

Mr. KOVAČEVIĆ and Ms. STOJKOVIĆ, youth delegates of Serbia, said women must be supported as they re-enter the workforce after giving birth, adding that becoming mothers should not hurt their economic status.  Advancing women’s economic positions will advance the global goals and create a better society for all.  Serbia has made significant steps to improve women’s position by establishing a coordination body and improving legal and strategic frameworks in gender equality and prohibiting discrimination.  All actions being taken harmonize with the Government’s national strategy and an action plan for gender equality.  Changes are being made in the Government’s institutional framework.  Violence against women also must be tackled head-on, with the recognition that new technologies introduce new challenges.  In the digital age, many users of social media are facing media abuse and discrimination.  The perpetrators of online abuse cannot be allowed to abuse online space.

Ms. MAYANDA (Congo), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, cautioned that despite significant efforts, there are many cases of violations of women’s rights.  To this end, Congo added a new legal instrument to fight against violence against women, which proposes broader definitions of violence in its various forms.  In addition to physical violence, it recognizes economic, sexual, psychological, and cultural violence against women.  Countering the mistreatment of widows, extending statutes of limitation and acting against revenge pornography, the law proposes mechanisms of legal and psychological assistance.  She then elaborated on the awareness-raising campaign to encourage women to form cooperative groups and provide more lucrative employment.

MAGDOLNA PONGOR (Hungary) said that women must be free to choose their own life paths and not be forced into one.  To allow for women to both build a career and have a family and raise children, the Government will provide support through a comprehensive family policy whose budget is 5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).  He detailed other policies in the same vein such as a six-month fully paid parental leave for both men and women, childcare benefits on top of salaries, and mandatory, free childcare.  Adding that employers are incentivized to hire women with small children through tax benefits, he added that the Government will ensure women’s financial stability through tax breaks for every child, and subsidized loans for young couples to purchase and renovate homes.  Underscoring the importance of eliminating domestic and intimate partner violence, he detailed the benefits of Hungary’s system of halfway houses that assist victims in starting new lives.

CORNEL FERUȚĂ (Romania) said while progress has been made in the country, much more needs to be done, including changing mindsets and eliminating stereotypes.  Romania’s National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men works to do so by closely working with other Governmental bodies and local authorities, as well as representatives of civil society, nongovernmental organizations and academia.  Regarding the fight against domestic violence and violence against women, Romania is part of the Council of Europe Convention preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.  It has made progress by implementing convention provisions in its national legislation. The Government also works to strengthen and expand communication tools available to potential victims.  For example, additional training is given to the operators of a free helpline, partnerships are strengthened with private operators for a dedicated app (Bright Sky), and victims are reached through information campaigns in supermarket chains and online retailers.

Ms. AL-HARMASI (Oman), aligning with the Group of 77 and China, said protection of women in Oman is the protection of the family and thus society.  To that end, women have been appointed to senior decision-making posts, and the country has signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention of the Rights of the Child and others.  Women have the same rights and duties as men, are promoted to senior posts in the public and private sectors and enjoy the right to vote as well as be candidates in elections, she added.  Turning to the economy and education, she cited statistics illustrating the country’s successes.  Some 40 per cent of scholarships to study overseas are given to women; women represent 28 per cent of trade and craftspeople; land granted to women amounts to 47 per cent of the total area; and 45 per cent of driver’s licenses are issued to women.

AYA KAMAL IBRAHIM HASSAN (Egypt), aligning herself with Group of 77 and China and the African Group, reiterated her country’s commitment to women’s empowerment and gender equality through its efforts to appoint women to leadership posts and ensure economic empowerment.  Citing low unemployment rates among women, she spotlighted Egypt’s policies on financial inclusion which expanded financial services for women, increased financial awareness through education and responded quickly to address their needs to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact.  Over the past year, Egypt has also worked on eliminating all forms of violence against women which included combatting information technology crimes, she said.  In addition to its commitment to justice and accountability, Egypt provides legal and social assistance and health protection for victims of violence through many of its ministries, she added.  On climate change, her Government has developed a vision which is based on women’s needs, promotes their participation in environmental governance, calls for the employment of women throughout the just transition period to the green economy and addresses the health impact of environmental degradation.  A full day will be dedicated to the role of women in addressing various environmental challenges at the upcoming twenty-seventh  session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in November, she promised.

ABAKAR MOUCTAR (Chad), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, said society cannot prosper without gender equality and full participation of women in all sectors of national life.  The presence of political will has made it possible to create a reliable legal framework, including laws on gender parity, forbidding child marriage, and reproductive health.  Since 2021, Chad has been in a political transition, with the first part consisting of a sovereign national dialogue, he said, adding that women took an active part in the preparation of every phase of the plan’s implementation and have made contributions to every aspect of national policy, including that on women’s rights.  This dialogue was key in his country’s peaceful transition, he said.

LACHEZARA STOEVA (Bulgaria), associating herself with the European Union, said full gender equality exists nowhere, and deficits must be addressed even in those States which have come the furthest.  While women have traditionally been underrepresented in science, Bulgaria ranks first in the European Union in terms of employed female information and communications technology specialists.  It is also among the top five of the bloc’s Member States for female scientists and engineers.  Nearly every fourth police officer in Bulgaria is female.  Emphasizing how privileged she is to have the job that she has, she said that gender equality comes neither at the expense of men nor at the expense of society, but that it will have a high price if it is not a reality.  “Women and girls making their own choices [and] being able to go to school and work should not be a privilege; it should be the norm,” she said.

LISA A. CARTY (United States) noted the challenges posed by climate change, the Russian Federation’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the consequent exacerbation of the global food, energy and humanitarian crises.  She underscored the impact on women and girls, especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.  As people look to their governments and international institutions to find solutions to these unacceptable realities, there has never been a moment when the United Nations and the work of the Third Committee has mattered more, she said.  Despite the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a long held constitutional right, her country remains committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity, she said.  To that end, the United States will prioritize impactful language in the Committee’s resolutions to enhance women and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health services and their reproductive rights.  It would also push for strong language on eliminating sexual and gender-based violence online in the Committee’s gender-related texts.  As achieving and protecting gains for women and girls requires vigilance and perseverance, she called on the Committee to adopt resolutions by consensus with strong language on human rights and gender equality.  “Collectively it is our responsibility to ensure women and girls everywhere can look to a tomorrow where their rights are protected and their potential is fully realized,” she said.

AMIRBEK ISLAMULY (Kazakhstan) recalled that since its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has committed to ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment, adding that the country was the first in the region to establish a national office to promote gender equality and that recently it approved a special action plan for ensuring gender equality.  Noting that women comprise almost 50 per cent of the workforce, he pointed to an increase in female entrepreneurship in 2021 and that it now produces approximately 40 per cent of the country’s GDP.  To address challenges, the Government partners with the United Nations and grassroots organizations, he said.  Adding that the last year, the country adopted a national action plan to implement Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security and abolished the list of 191 professions previously reserved for men.  Further, he said, the country welcomes educating Afghan women in its universities as part of a joint programme with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Right of Reply

The representative of Ethiopia, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, condemned sexual violence against women and girls including in conflict situations and the trafficking of women.  Ethiopia has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence and has taken various actions, including legislative and administrative measures to eliminate and respond to such heinous crimes, he said.  On the sexual misconduct committed in the northern region of the country, he noted that Ethiopia demonstrated its commitment to hold perpetrators accountable and deliver justice through their constructive engagement, joint investigations with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), establishment of an inter-ministerial task force and implementation of recommendations.  The unsubstantiated allegations of Spain, he pointed out, manipulate this fact, politicize the Committee’s work and do not contribute to Ethiopia’s national work in addressing the challenges women and girls face.  This platform should promote meaningful international cooperation and solidarity towards eliminating sexual violence against women and girls in all its forms and should not be used for finger pointing and false accusations, he stressed.

The representative of Iran, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, rejected allegations made by Germany and France.  She underlined that Iran is committed to protecting the dignity and rights of women as well as their right to peacefully assemble.  The Constitution guarantees peaceful assembly, but violence and disorder do not constitute peaceful assembly and, in fact, violate the human rights of others. She called on countries, particularly Germany and France, to refrain from meddling in the internal affairs of Iran and reminded them of their obligations under international law.  She stressed that human rights in Iran are of inherent value, while others see them as double standards to be politicized, which weakens the discussion on the advancement of women.

The representative of Armenia, responding to the delegation of Azerbaijan, opposed the anti-Armenian propaganda and condemned outrageous cases of criminal acts by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces against Armenian female military personnel.  Azerbaijan’s latest aggression on 13 September only demonstrated that in the absence of proper accountability measures, policies of aggression are likely to continue, he said, opposing Azerbaijan’s attempts to distract from its continued use and threat of use of force.  He called for the immediate withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces.

The representative of the Russian Federation, responding to the statement by Ukraine, said the Committee heard statements of lies once again and reminded all of the wave of groundless accusations made by Lyudmyla Denisova.  He said that she confirmed that she had thought of falsehoods at Ukraine’s request to receive weapons from the West.  In referencing the monstrous crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces and nationalist formations since 2014 while citing data from the United Nations, he questioned the lack of condemnation over the murder of a woman and her young daughter, publication of a 12-year-old’s personal data online and sexual violence against women in the Donbas region.  Meanwhile, he continued, Ukraine continues to bomb civilian sites in the Russian Federation’s regions and kills civilians every day, the majority of whom are women and children.  Since the Western protectors of Ukraine react by further contributing weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, they are complicit in the murder of civilians, he noted.  The Russian Federation has consistently and relentlessly documented Ukraine’s crimes since 2014 and perpetrators will not escape punishment, he emphasized.

The representative of Azerbaijan, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said the response from the representative of Armenia demonstrated his State’s intention to cover up its efforts to evade implementing its commitments.  She stressed that Azerbaijan dedicated their general statement to a response that the Armenian delegation delivered two days ago under the same agenda item, which were full of “the usual distortions”, she said.  She rejected allegations made by the representative of Armenia, stressing that, instead of misleading the international community, Armenia should abandon hostile narratives, cease sponsoring hate propaganda and address the harm caused to Azerbaijan.

The representative of Armenia, speaking in second exercise of the right of reply, said violations to human rights law and international humanitarian law perpetrated by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh are the result of the decades-long policy of cultivating hatred against Armenia in Azerbaijani society.  The report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination points to the systematic nature of this policy, he noted.

The representative of Azerbaijan, speaking in second exercise of the right of reply, said the representative of Armenia’s irrelevant and irresponsible comments once again confirmed that his country’s leading position in hate crimes and hypocrisy are well-deserved and incontestable.  Immediately following the end of the conflict in November 2020, Azerbaijan initiated the process of normalizing relations with Armenia and pushed for concrete results on the delineation and demarcation of state borders, conclusion of a peace treaty and opening of transparent communication in the region.  Armenia however has done everything possible by word and deed to obstruct the process and backtrack from implementing its agreements, she said.  The new realities Azerbaijan has established provide an opportunity to consolidate peace and promote mutually beneficial, comprehensive, multilateral cooperation in the region, she emphasized.