Women and gender issues

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the “Commonwealth Says No More Violence against Women” side event of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in Kigali today:

To a burst of applause, the General Assembly proclaimed 24 June of each year the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, adopting by consensus a resolution today reaffirming that the participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to the achievement of sustainable development, peace and democracy.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, in New York today:

In Sri Lanka, the World Food Programme (WFP) is launching its emergency response in the country amid the escalating food crisis.  WFP is working to provide life-saving food, cash and voucher assistance to 3 million of the most vulnerable people who can no longer meet their food needs due to the economic crisis there.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council open debate on women, peace and security, in New York today:

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and this year’s theme is “Combating Elder Abuse”.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year, one in six people aged 60 and older experience some form of abuse.

With conflicts and military takeovers wiping out gains on women's rights, and with the safety and prospects of women and girls on the ground and in political and economic spheres being driven backwards, regional organizations have an important role to play in promoting women's participation in peace and other decision-making processes, almost 60 speakers told the Security Council today in a ministerial-level open debate on women, peace and security.

The United Nations will bestow the first United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers to Téné Maïmouna Zoungrana of Burkina Faso at a ceremony at United Nations Headquarters in New York today.

A Zimbabwean peacekeeper who recently completed her assignment with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will receive the 2021 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

For the first time on record, the number of forcibly displaced people around the world had topped 100 million, propelled by the war in Ukraine and other conflicts, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports.