Commemorating International Women’s Day, Deputy Secretary-General Underlines Organization’s Commitment to Gender Equality
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the 2025 Commemoration of International Women’s Day, in New York today:
As we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day, we do so standing on the shoulders of generations of women who have fought for the rights we enjoy today.
Women rights activists, feminist movements and civil society organizations who have paved the way, often at great personal cost, for the progress that we see today.
Every hard-won gain is a testament to their relentless efforts. This fight is not a battle against windmills. It is real — what is at stake is not just words in resolutions or declarations.
Eleanor Roosevelt once wisely asked: “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?” They, of course, begin in the everyday lives of individuals. In the daily lives of women and girls in our societies and communities.
Yet, we are far from where we should be. In their own homes, women are often subject to violence. At their workplaces, they often face discrimination and unequal pay. Online, women often endure harassment and abuse.
Women continue to bear the brunt of unpaid care work, stifling their economic potential and limiting their opportunities. And when denied equal access to education and the labour market, they are held back from shaping the future they deserve.
These are the everyday injustices that women and girls face. And if their rights are not upheld in these spaces, our work is far from complete. The impact of inequality is real. It is measured in lost potential, in opportunities denied, in lives constrained by outdated norms and systemic barriers.
Our journey is not over. We will keep moving forward. We will continue to reverse centuries of systemic discrimination. We will dismantle inequalities, prevent rollbacks and push forward — relentlessly — to defend and advance gender equality and the rights of all women and girls, in all their diversity.
And when the patriarchy pushes back, so will we. We have done it countless times before, and we will do it again. Because the rights of women and girls — our rights — cannot be taken away.
Eighty years ago, the UN was founded on the principle of non-discrimination. That principle remains at the heart of our work. The entire United Nations family stands united in its commitment to championing gender equality – not just in words, but in action.
We will lead the world humbly and boldly. And every step of the way, we will stand with you. Together, we have the power to succeed. Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl can live with dignity, freedom and opportunity.