WUNRN
MEMBER STATE COMMITMENTS
AT GLOBAL LEADERS MEETING
In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon directly addressed the assembled world leaders, saying: “As Heads of State and Government you have the power and the responsibility to ensure that gender equality is—and remains—a national priority.”
http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/step-it-up/commitments - Important to Save for Referral in Advocacy
Afghanistan: Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah
"Protecting the constitutional rights of all our
citizens is a high priority for the Afghan Unity Government. As a result, we
are conducting comprehensive reforms in our security, legal and judicial
institutions. We are sparing no effort to implement Elimination of All forms of
Violence against Women law, and our National Action Plan for the Women of
Afghanistan (NAPWA). The same is true for our commitments under CEDAW. A lot
has been achieved, thanks to the support of the international community. We continue
to rely on support from partners. Thanks to the participation of women,
Afghanistan has a vibrant civil society. … Afghanistan will do its part to
reach the goal for 2030." [Speech]
Albania: Prime Minister Edi Rama
“The Government that I lead has placed gender equality at
the centre of its agenda … I’ll outline very briefly three aspects of this
challenge facing Albanian society by promising at the same time an effective
engagement of all institutions responsible for the implementation. First:
economic empowerment of women through increasing and improving access to credits,
as well as promotion and expansion of employment programmes for women and
girls, narrowing the gap in employment and increasing the participation of
women in labour markets. Second: prevention and reduction of violence against
women and domestic violence, elimination of gender discrimination in education,
health, media, strengthening the legal and institutional mechanisms, as well as
improvement of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. And third: increased …
decision-making, as well as central and local representation of women in
managerial and professional positions in all public administration … including
representation of women in police and armed forces.”
Algeria commits to ongoing efforts to promote peace and
tolerance and implement strategies to improve women’s status
Outlining progress made over the past 20 years, in
social, economic and political spheres, Algeria highlights recent gains such as
the adoption of a Working Woman’s Charter which aims to reconcile family and
professional obligations and the participation of women in company management
bodies as well as their representation in trade unions. … The National Peace
and Reconciliation Charter was adopted on 29 September 2005, as a result of a
referendum. In this area, the efforts of the Government and the people are both
ongoing and resolute. They are based on the policy of de-radicalization which
consists essentially of promoting the civilizing values of peace, concord and
tolerance. … Just like in Beijing 20 years ago, my country joins in the
commitment of the international community to continue to work for the promotion
of women’s rights and to implement strategies which aim to improve their
status. [Commitment statement: en |
ar | fr]
Angola commits to the empowerment of women and gender
equality, the dignity of families and the advancement of women
The policy measures under the National Development Plan
aim to promote the full realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms
for men and women, promote all equal-opportunity aspects in employment
policies, including reducing occupational segregation and helping reconcile
work and family life, as well as counter the persistent under-representation of
women in all decision-making spheres, promote equal access and full enjoyment
of social rights for men and women, eliminate gender disparities in primary and
secondary education by 2017 and at other educational levels by 2025, promote
equality in civic life and contribute to change gender roles and stereotypes.
In compliance with its international commitments, namely CEDAW, the Protocol to
the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights regarding the Rights of Women
in Africa, the SADC Gender and Development Protocol, the Solemn Declaration on
Gender Equality in Africa, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, to which Angola is
a party, the Angolan Executive Branch has adopted policies to support gender
issues and the advancement of women, as well as to support victims of violence,
to give due recognition to families, to develop communities and promote rural
women. The country’s Head of State also mandated a review of plans and policies
related to the percentage of representation of women at all levels to increase
it to at least 40 per cent, and has launched national campaigns to prevent
violence and traditional practices that violate the rights of women and
girls. [Commitment
statement]
Argentina: President Cristina Fernandez
“In Argentina we have developed a strong process of
social inclusion which has brought about more equal opportunities for women. We
have active programmes and policies such as universal benefits for pregnancies,
for children and education all the way up to university. This has made it
possible together with gender equality laws to protect women. … Even in more
developed societies, there continues to be gender inequality with respect to
access to political decision-making. … We need to break cultural barriers which
have considered women for centuries to be an inferior or less intelligent
being. And that is why I think that policies must also be aimed at
[transforming] culture, at empowering women not only as as a matter of
obligation under conventions or international treaties, but that there be a
deep conviction in the hearts of men and of women… to bring down taboos and
prejudices against us. … In Argentina we have achieved a high degree of
equality that should also be extended to youth and other sectors of society.”
Australia makes new commitments internationally and at
home to empower women and girls
In this anniversary year [of the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action] and to progress the 2030 Agenda, Australia is making new
commitments both internationally and at home to empower women and girls.
Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs has launched a new Gender Equality
Fund. This Fund will accelerate support for gender equality in our overseas
development program with a focus on women’s economic and leadership
participation and addressing violence against women. Australia will confront
record levels of homicide of women, and domestic and family violence,
committing new funds for frontline services, support for women from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are experiencing violence, and
primary prevention initiatives to change the attitudes of young people towards
violence against women and their children. To increase women’s workforce
participation, responding to G20 commitments of 2014, Australia is providing
new financial literacy projects for women, improved assistance for child care
and small business reforms that will deliver new opportunities for women in the
workforce. [Commitment
statement]
Austria: President Heinz Fischer
"Austria commits to further tackling gender
stereotypes...Gender-sensitive vocational orientation and educational guidance
will be expanded, and gender-theory-based competence of teachers and educators
will be strengthened. Austria also commits to the continuation of its National
Action Plan on Gender Equality in the Labour Market and will also continue to
tackle the high gender-pay-gap and to strengthen income transparency. We will
continue comprehensive action to reconcile family work, both for women and men.
Extending the provision of childcare facilities and including men in childcare
and care responsibilities remains a focus of our efforts. We shall continue to
intensify mentoring and training programmes to encourage women to stand for
elections on all political levels…as well as awareness-raising and trainings in
gender competence for university bodies and decision-makers. Promoting women’s
share in management and board positions in our companies remains a priority.
Creating efficient measures to prevent and to protect women and girls from all
forms of violence in domestic and social contexts will remain a central
concern. Austria is committed to the work of UN Women and will continue on a
voluntary basis to support activities in the fields of women, peace and
security, violence against women and access to justice. Our development
cooperation will continue its efforts to promote gender equality by supporting
our partners to ensure equal access to economic opportunities, social and
financial services, and to overcome gender-related barriers in society and
legal systems." [Speech]
Azerbaijan steps it up: Gender mainstreaming in all State
programmes and legislation to help working women
The Government of Azerbaijan actively undertakes measures
to distribute opportunities equitably and to support the equal and balanced
participation of women and men in public and social life. Specific budgetary
allocations have been made to ensure a steady increase in the gender
mainstreaming process and all State programmes and services committed to ensure
gender equality at all levels and all spheres. The country is working to ensure
more girls pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
It pledges to introduce new legislation to help working women – including
flexible working and accessible childcare. The country will actively support
the development and implementation of specific programmes, projects and
activities aimed at improving the enjoyment by women and girls of their
fundamental human rights. Azerbaijan is prioritizing re-integration of refugee
women into society, promoting their participation in political, economic and
public life and addressing the causes of, and impunity for, sexual violence in
conflict as a central element of all discussions on the peace and security
agenda. Calling for the implementation and reinforcement of international
initiatives and conventions on women rights, Azerbaijan also commits to do
everything it can to ensure a safe future for women. [Commitment
statement]
Bangladesh: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
"The sustainable development [agenda can bring]
positive change in the lives of our women and girls. We should seize this
opportunity. In this context, it is our commitment to continue to work towards
the social, economic, and political empowerment of our women, and give our
girls higher education. We shall create more opportunities and access for our
women to participate in politics, business and government. We shall continue to
work for ending all forms of discrimination and violence against women. We
shall create a safer environment for our women and girls to thrive as agents of
change. My government has plans to eliminate child marriage by 2041. We shall
continue to give attention to maternal health and nutrition." [Speech]
Belgium: Prime Minister Charles Michel
"We commit to take into account the multiple forms
of discrimination against women, notably by developing action plans and
campaigns." Belgium steps it up for gender equality and women’s
empowerment with 25 commitments to act, covering both its external and internal
policies. While continuing its strategic partnership with UN Women, Belgium
will adopt a new gender strategy for its development cooperation. Domestically,
all government levels will adopt, implement and evaluate gender mainstreaming
legislation or methods. Furthermore, a sixth national action plan on the fight
against gender-based violence is being developed in line with the Council of
Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence. This Convention will be ratified by Belgium as soon as
possible and without formulating any reservations. Finally, the legislation on
gender discrimination will be evaluated and adapted and awareness-raising
campaigns on gender discrimination and stereotypes and their consequences will
be launched." [ Speech (in
French) | commitment
]
Benin: President Thomas Boni Yayi
“I have come to express our commitment again, not only to
the women of my country, but of Africa and the entire world. … We must
absolutely base our action on women… This is necessary at the highest level of
the State. And second, we need transformative leadership, which needs to be
accompanied by very effective policies and legislative measures for gender
equality and the empowerment of women. … We hope that we will make more
progress in these areas. Also, women must be involved in productive work and
decision-making in order to be effective. And therefore programmes have been
put into place so women can play an influential leadership role in political
parties and the private sector, among others.”
Bhutan: Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay
“I pledge my Government’s full commitment to the
accelerated implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
and to the realization of the gender equality goals of empowerment in the 2030
Agenda. More specifically, I recommit to support ongoing initiatives to
increase representation of women in governance and decision-making at all
levels. For this, we have commenced extensive nation-wide consultations to
explore measures to encourage women’s participation in politics. We commit to
strengthen targeted programmes for economic empowerment of women. This is
critical to address the persistent burden of poverty on women and effectively
remove inequality in economic structures and policies. We commit to enhance
investment in programmes that ensure equal access to the critical areas of
education and training and healthcare for women. We commit to render full
support to agencies and civil society organizations that combat violence
against women and girls and we commit to promote programmes and policies that
strengthen the role of women in the management of natural resources and in the
safeguarding of our environment.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Chairman of the Presidency Dragan
Čović
“For Bosnia and Herzegovina, gender equality and
empowerment of women remain priorities, on both [the] national and
international level. We are making efforts to reconcile our unfortunate past
with the demands of the future...Focus on women is a way of healing. [This is]
our obligation… We have created a solid legal and institutional framework for
the advancement of gender equality, requiring affirmative measures aimed at
achieving gender equality from the State. Furthermore, both [the] Gender Action
Plan 2013-2017 and 1325 Action Plan 2014-2017 define priority measures for
improvements and advancement in line with the Beijing Action Plan. In line with
that, today I pledge to…[implement] the Istanbul Convention and address three
areas of concern: greater inclusion of women and reduction of labour market
segregation; prevention of …domestic violence; and finally, support for the
women victims of sexual violence in conflict. " [Speech]
Botswana: Vice President Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi
"Botswana…remains committed to the
principle of elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. To this
end, Botswana adopted, recently, the National Policy on Gender and Development
on 7 August 2015. The policy serves as a springboard for implementation of Goal
5 of the [Sustainable Development Goals] of achieving gender equality and
empowering women and girls, and all other goals that intend to improve the
dignity and the status of women…Botswana embraces the Secretary General’s UNiTE
campaign to end violence against women and has developed the National
Gender-Based Violence Strategy 2015-2020. The strategy provides a multi-pronged
and multisectoral approach for the prevention and elimination of gender-based
violence. We recognize men as critical partners in the promotion of gender
equality and, as such, have established a men’s sector under the Ministry
responsible for gender…In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm Botswana’s unwavering
commitment to the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment."
Brazil: President Dilma Rousseff
“On behalf of the Brazilian Government I bring you a
message of unwavering and firm commitment to implementing the Beijing Platform
for Action. A commitment to gender equality, to empowerment of women and to
implementation and materialization of women’s rights on all fronts – that is
our commitment. … [We commit] to ensuring coverage of all women in situations
of violence, …further [engaging] in actions [for] women in policies, further
[ensuring] women's development at all educational levels…, strengthening
maternal health care…and assistance to girls.” [Previous
commitment]
Brunei Darussalam: Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Haji
Hassandal Bolklah
"In Brunei, our experience on this issue is based
upon our long-standing policy to provide universal access to education. In the
1950s ... education was made free to all children irrespective of gender. … Our
girls and women have equal opportunities to upgrade their knowledge and skills
particularly in evolving areas like ICT. … Our women have attained employment
in various professional fields like medicine, law, business and engineering.
…They have equal access to healthcare facilities, free for all citizens. Over
the past two decades, our women's life expectancy has improved to about 80
years. They're increasingly active in business ventures through various credit
financing schemes. …We are also making efforts to protect women's rights
through legislation and plans of action, which we will continue to review when
necessary. Regionally, we're part of the commission on promoting and protecting
the rights of women and children. … Our continued effort to fulfill our
international responsibilities are shown by our commitment to the [Millennium
Development Goals] and [Sustainable Development Goals] as well as Convention on
Eliminating all Forms of Discrimination against Women. … I'm pleased to
reaffirm our commitment towards implementing the objectives of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action."
Bulgaria: President Rossen Plevneliev
"We will make every effort to achieve
full gender equality in the next 15 years. [We] will adopt a new specialized
law on gender equality [and] will ensure that [a] gender perspective is
mainstreamed into all policies. The Government has committed to further develop
and update the national strategy on gender equality. [We are] determined to
abolish the gender wage gap, [and are] committed to combatting all forms of
violence against women." [Speech]
Burundi: Vice President Joseph Butore
“Burundi has assured free schooling for basic education
which has helped lead to equality between boys and girls in education. ...The
extension of the health network and its infrastructure…has…substantially
reduced infant [and] maternal mortality. The Government has set up a national
centre to help with victims of gender-based violence…three further centres will
be opened. A… gender-based violence [law]…has been adopted…. The participation
of women in national and local decision-making bodies has seen remarkable
progress. Despite these efforts, socio-economic problems persist and the lack
of funding means that promotion of women and girls is still an issue…. We
commit to the Beijing Platform for Action. Reinforcing gains [made] to promote
women and girls, [we] support the reinforcement of equality and women’s
empowerment [in] development programmes in the post-2015 agenda, and [efforts]
to help women and young girls to make sure they are empowered and not
discriminated against.”
Cabo Verde steps it up: Boosts efforts to implement
national plan, gender-based violence law and public funding for gender equality
The Government of Cabo Verde joins Step It Up for Gender
Equality with a pledge to implement the National Plan for Gender Equality as
the main national instrument for mainstreaming gender in order to promote equal
rights and empowerment of women. Furthermore, Cabo Verde will implement the
National Plan to combat gender-based violence and boost efforts to fully
implement the Gender-Based Violence Law. Cabo Verde commits to have in place
effective gender-responsive budgeting and allocate public funding for the
promotion of gender equality in the country. [Commitment]
Cambodia: Prime Minister Sen Hun
“Cambodia has achieved remarkable progress in major
areas, [such as]: Adopting laws and regulatory frameworks to protect, eliminate
discrimination, and reduce violence against women and girls; promoting gender
equality in education through increasing [the] enrolment rate of girls in both
primary and secondary levels; promoting women’s involvement in [the] economy
and enhancing their access to financial services, so as to strengthen their
financial autonomy; improving the health status of women and children,
particularly through achieving the MDG target on maternal mortality; and
promoting the engagement of women in political affairs and decision-making at
all national institutions and levels, including legislative and executive
branches, and all the institutions in both national and sub-national
levels." "We should give priority to the following works: Increasing
investment in gender equality, especially by reviewing fiscal policies to
generate and increase public spending on gender equality, including monitoring
and analyzing the impacts of such public spending on gender inequality through
gender-responsive budgeting. Two: Ensuring the protection of women’s rights, as
well as full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels.
Three: Strengthening accountability mechanisms for gender equality by strengthening
government institutions with effective means of monitoring progress and
ensuring sufficient provision of resources for gender works. And continuing to
promote women’s involvement in the economy and their financial inclusion.” [Speech]
Central African Republic: President Catherine Samba-
Panza
"I continue to promote and encourage the nomination
and candidature of women for the next presidential and legislative elections
that I am responsible for organizing by the end of 2015. The CAR woman is an
integral part of the community of women of the world. While reaffirming the
commitment of my country [to] gender equality and women’s empowerment, I would
like to use this opportunity ... to reiterate my appeal to the international
community to mobilize their forces for the peace and security of the people of
the CAR ... to make sure that we have lasting efforts towards transition [and]
women’s empowerment. And now, in the name of all the sisters of all those
living the Central African Republic, I would like to express the wish that
today’s meeting should be a launching pad of new policy which will be bolder in
order to improve the living conditions of women everywhere in the world."
[Speech]
Chile: President Michelle Bachelet
“The Chilean Government … is implementing a Labour
Training Programme. We hope to train 300,000 women for highly skilled jobs,
together with our programmes to empower women entrepreneurs. When it comes to
collective negotiation, we want to improve the ability of women to negotiate as
workers, including organizations representing the labour force in such a way
that the gender focus can reduce the wage gap between men and women. … We
implemented a national action plan against violence against women and we have
more centres to welcome women who are the victims of abuse. We’ve also started
programmes to train community leaders and government officials to prevent and
halt violence against women. We also have a bill [to decriminalize] abortion
when the mother’s life is in danger, or the fetus might be seriously
compromised after birth, [or for] pregnancy as a result of rape. … But for
gender equality to be effective, we also have to look at the decision-making
area, in social and political spheres. The new Chilean electoral system, which
we approved in January this year, for the first time has a quota system whereby
at least 40 per cent of the candidates standing for Parliament must be women.
We have problems with people complying, so we have put forward two incentives:
firstly any party which does not have 40 per cent of women standing cannot
register any candidate; secondly, parties [presenting] women [candidates] will
receive economic incentives … to comply with the law. ... My Government has
also taken steps so that by 2018 we will have 40 per cent of women directing
public enterprises. We’re also looking [to ensure there] is equality,
empowerment and solidarity between spouses.”
China: President Xi Jinping
“China will do more to enhance gender equality as its
basic State policy, give play to women's important role as ‘half of the sky’
and support them in realizing their own dreams and aspirations in both career
and life. … Let us reaffirm the support of the Beijing Conference with renewed
commitment and pledge greater efforts to promote gender equality and women’s
all-around development. … To support women’s development worldwide and the work
of the UN Women, China will donate USD 10 million to UN Women for the
implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the
realization of the related goals in the post-2015 development agenda. In the
coming five years, China will help other developing countries build 100 ‘health
projects for women and children,’ send teams of medical experts to provide
services and implement 100 ‘happy campus projects’ to finance the schooling of
poor girls and raise girls’ school enrolment rate. We will also host 30,000
women from developing countries for training programmes in China and provide
100,000 skills training opportunities in local communities of other developing
countries. Under the related fund co-sponsored by China and the UN, there will
be special capacity-building programmes for women from developing countries.” [Speech]
Colombia commits to strengthen gender equality policies,
eliminate gender disparities in education, reduce female unemployment,
implement a plan on ending gender-based violence
Colombia commits to: strengthen the institutions and
gender equality policies for the promotion, respect, protection and guarantee
of the rights of all women with special attention to the most vulnerable,
including the victims of conflict and women living in rural areas; to continue
working to eliminate gender disparities in education and to guarantee equal
access for women to all levels of schooling and training; to undertake all
necessary efforts so that all boys and girls have access to quality early childhood
care and development services and pre-school education; to continue to
strengthen and promote the economic empowerment and autonomy of women and
increase efforts to reduce the female unemployment rate from 11.9 per cent to
10.5 per cent; to continue working to transform work structures in companies,
seeking to ensure that they not only generate employment and wealth for society
at large but also serve as an equal work environment and contribute to creating
a fairer society; to strengthen democratic representation and electoral
participation and increase the full and effective participation of women and
equal leadership opportunities at all levels of decision-making; to adopt
additional measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against
women and girls in private and public spheres… In 2015, the country approved a
law against femicide. … Colombia pledges to create a national mechanism of
coordination across sectors and institutions to create a global approach to
gender violence, including prevention, care, protection, sanction and
eradication; to establish and strengthen the necessary mechanisms and measures
for the promotion, protection, full exercise and guarantee of sexual and
reproductive rights; to strengthen women’s capacity to make decisions as to
their bodies, sexuality and reproduction; to work towards the construction of
new masculinities; and to strengthen the processes of planning, monitoring,
assessing and creating proposals which are gender-sensitive. [Commitment
statement]
Comoros: President Ikililou Dhoinine
“The Union of the Comoros has always displayed an
undeniable drive towards creating a social fabric where women can take their
rightful place. The Constitution of the Union of the Comoros enshrines…
equality for all in rights and in duties without any distinction on the grounds
of sex or gender… Women are [full-fledged actors] leveraging their capabilities
to deliver development. Therefore, their empowerment needs to be strongly
promoted. The Government of the Comoros would like to reiterate here before you
all through my good offices its commitment to the swift implementation of the
Beijing [Platform for] Action. The Government of the Comoros is committed to
building on its 2011 policy on preschool attendance in public schools. Since
introducing the programme in 2011, in just two years we have seen the enrolment
of some 6,000 children in preschool, so we hope to continue building on these
numbers. We’ve also pledged to step up measures taken to ensure that
appropriate services are made available to women during their pregnancy, delivery
and on a post-natal basis. We have also given priority to reproductive health
in our new health strategy, which has enabled us to step up the reduction of
maternal mortality rates from 381 to 170 deaths per 100,000 live births between
2007 and 2012. The Union of the Comoros is also committed to [beefing] up its
multisectoral strategy on HIV… [and] to continuing efforts to ensure that more
women will be in key decision-making posts in our national institutions. [We
are] working to enhance access by women to microcredit which will allow them to
continue to play a key role in our national economy.” [Speech]
Costa Rica: President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera
"[We commit ourselves] to place at the centre of
public policy the shared responsibility for caregiving as an engine for
cultural change, expanding and diversifying its alternatives; to promote
instruments that generate scientific evidence on gaps in gender data that
result in barriers to [using] women’s talent; [to] create jobs through
affirmative action for women through public/private partnerships; [to]
establish job creation programmes with affirmative action…to benefit youth,
women and persons with disabilities; [to] create and implement a seal of
quality to check and certify gender equality in businesses and institutions;
[to] guarantee the effective implementation of inspections in places of work;
[to] work within the framework of the UN tirelessly together with our partners
and elders and other groups that will facilitate this process; and [to] achieve
the objective [that] would give content to the promises and commitments made
here, which would be the election of a women as the next Secretary-General of
the UN." [Speech]
Côte d’Ivoire steps it up: The country launches the
National Council for Women to guide efforts on women’s rights
Côte d’Ivoire is stepping it up with the launch of its
National Council for Women on 2 March in line with the country’s commitment to
international norms, such as the Beijing Platform for Action, and its
Constitution’s tenet to promote gender equality. Côte d’Ivoire’s President,
Alassane Ouattara, will chair the National Council. In conjunction with the
Observatory for Equity and Gender established in 2014, the National Council
will guide and advise the government in decisions related to women’s rights.
President Ouattara is also urging Ivorians to double efforts to change
attitudes and to promote equitable roles in decision-making for women and men.
Croatia: President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
“The Beijing Platform for Action remains as relevant
today as it was on the historic day of its adoption. We still have a long way
to go to full implementation as no country has achieved full gender equality
yet… The overarching theme of the Beijing conference – [that] women’s rights
are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights – should be a driving
force and inexhaustible inspiration in implementing our national policies for
gender equality and equal opportunities… The notion that women’s progress
represents human progress lies at the core of our national policy for gender
equality. … We will continue to further support women’s empowerment both
domestically and internationally. This is and will remain one of our major
foreign policy priorities, with a focus on conflict and post-conflict
societies. Activities to eliminate all forms of violence against women will
remain a priority… Further work is needed in Croatia and globally to combat
gender stereotypes more vigorously and to raise the level of public knowledge
and awareness on gender equality. It is essential to enable women to balance
private and professional obligations, including [through] increasing the
provision of child care services. Croatia will…continue to work closely with
other members of the Equal Futures Partnership and take an active role as a
member of UN Women’s Executive Board.”
Cuba: President Raúl Castro
“Today Cuban women’s life expectancy at birth is 80.45
years of age. The direct maternal mortality rate is…one of the lowest in the
world. … They make up 66.8 per cent of the labour force…. Nevertheless, we
still have much to do. We need to continue to work to change cultural patterns
as to have men and women share the care of their family. We must continue
increasing the number of women in decision-making positions in the government.”
[Speech]
Cyprus: President Nicos Anastasiades
“Cyprus … has come a long way in the promotion of gender
equality, the empowerment and the realization of the human rights for women and
child[ren] and girls through a number of concrete measures and policies.
However, a lot remains to be done and we reaffirm our commitment to this end.
My Government adopted the new national action plan on equality between women
and men for 2014-2017 which is the [flagship] of our national policies for
gender equality. We also reaffirm our commitment to the relevant legal action
plans and directives, and all relevant international instruments combatting all
forms of violence against women. Promoting economic empowerment and eliminating
deeply rooted stereotypes among gender roles are among our priorities. Another
area of concern in my Government is combatting trafficking in human beings,
with the core of our policies being the protection of victims, mostly women and
children. I would like also to announce that we are ready to ratify the Council
of Europe Convention on Preventing and combatting violence against women and
domestic violence. The role of women in the promotion of reconciliation and
peace is invaluable. …A technical committee on gender equality has [already
been established]. Concluding, I wish to express the strong willingness of my
country to contribute to the full implementation of the Beijing Platform for
Action in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.”
[Commitment: en | es | fr]
Denmark: Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen
"The 2030 agenda for sustainable development sets
out new goals for our continued struggle, and I warmly welcome these new and
ambitious goals. Denmark will continue its longstanding acts of support for
gender equality. We remain committed to intensifying our efforts to ensure that
all women and girls have equal opportunities to pursue the education and career
they want and have free and equal access to the labour market. The Danish Government
is further determined to combat domestic violence. We are proud to organize the
next Women Deliver conference in May 2016 in Copenhagen."
Dominican Republic: President Danilo Medina Sanchez
“We have achieved some important targets, for example…in
education. We are also developing a plan for early childhood. This is helping
hundreds of free community centres and other centres [that are] helping women
every day. We are also promoting funding [for]…women. Seventy per cent of loans
granted by the solidarity bank go to women…to set up microenterprises [and]
women’s cooperatives [to] increase their income by working together. …We want
to work to prevent women from...not achieving empowerment because of economic
factors…[and] we want to eradicate violence against women. We have a political
resolve to continue [to achieve] the well-being of our people…and a more just
society.”
Estonia: PresidentToomas Hendrik Ilves
“Estonia is committed to promoting women’s rights and
gender equality on a national as well as on a global level. As one of the
founders, Estonia has supported UN Women financially since its creation and we
are committed to continue to do so. In order to contribute to the full
implementation of the Beijing Declaration, Estonia commits to work actively towards
reducing the gender pay gap in Estonia, preventing and reducing violence
against women in the world, and continuing to promote women’s rights and gender
equality at the global level…More specifically, Estonia is preparing its first
action plan for gender equality policies with the aim to promote equal economic
independence, balanced participation at all levels of decision-making and
management, and to tackle the negative impact of gender stereotypes. The action
plan will continue to reduce the gender pay gap, to make necessary resources
available for gender mainstreaming, to guarantee efficient legal protection
against gender-based discrimination, and to support institutional capacity to
reduce gender inequality. Estonia [will improve] services for victims of
violence, including gender-based violence... Estonia has taken upon itself to
concentrate on women’s human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of
women also in development cooperation.” [Speech]
Fiji: Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama
"In the Pacific region, Fiji boasts a
gender-responsive and socially inclusive Constitution. For the first time, Fiji
has a female speaker of Parliament and…four women possess significant
ministerial portfolios. Over the last seven years, the Government has increased
funding to the national women’s machinery by some 320 per cent. [We] will
continue… with adequate funding and human resources, to
strengthen…[gender-disaggregated data] to better influence policies…. We have
amended our criminal laws to make [them] modern and gender inclusive. Our
family laws have also been amended [to] recognize the rights of women in de
facto relationships, and to provide legal protection in terms of spousal
maintenance and property rights. My government also introduced …[a] domestic
violence law [that] allows any person to apply for [a] domestic violence
restraining order. The police are legally obligated to enforce measures to
promote the safety and well-being of victims of domestic violence, particularly
women and children."
Finland: President Sauli Niinistö
"The Finnish Government, as one of the largest
donors to UN Women, has initiated the preparation of a new National Action Plan
for Gender Equality, with gender mainstreaming at its core. Gender equality,
the empowerment of women and girls and the full realization of their rights are
key priorities in our foreign and development policy. Violence against women
and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. We
have the national goal of decreasing substantially the number of cases of
violence against women and girls perpetrated by young men. For example, we
start educating, teaching all conscripts in this matter. ...We emphasize
increasing the number of women mediators, ensuring the gender training of all
peace operations personnel, and succeeding in the fight against impunity. ... I
particularly call all men and boys together with women and girls to build equal
and sustainable societies. Our goal this year is to have the gender aspect
included in the new climate agreement reached in Paris." [Speech]
France: President François Hollande
“The first [goal] is to promote women's [position]. …The
goal is to enable all girls in the world to freely go to school, to have access
to work, to also be able to found their own businesses, and to be able to be
autonomous and independent in their lives... The second goal is to promote the
place of women for peace... We must mobilize and that's what we're going to do
during this General Assembly, to strengthen the means of the High Commission
for Refugees, to find a solution to what is happening in Syria, ... combat
terrorism, because stopping the war is bringing an end to the suffering of
women... In Paris, we will be holding the Climate Conference, and we have been
able to note that climate injustices strengthen even further inequalities.
…We've also been able to note that it is the women who can be the most capable
of playing a role in finding solutions to global warming and preserving the
environment. It's for this reason I would ask that ...in the Paris Conference,
financing for women will be a priority. The final objective is to promote the
[position] of women because this is to act for dignity. I therefore call for
the universal ratification of the Convention on all Forms of Discrimination
against Women. … If we want these goals to become truly the global order, if we
want these to be achieved, there’s only one way to do it: To give many more
women responsibility in countries that make up the international community, to
ensure equality at all levels of the administration and politics. If I can give
an example, in France, the Government that I chose and created has more women
than men.”
Georgia: Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili
"2015 is the year of women in Georgia. …[We are]
committed to fully improve our gender equality and women’s empowerment policy
framework. On November 9 and 10 we will host the international high-level
conference on achieving gender equality in the European neighbourhood region.
Today I am here to make concrete commitments. First, Georgia will continue to
update, enhance and develop next phases of gender equality, domestic violence,
and women, peace and security national action plans... [We] will enhance our institutional
mechanisms on gender by setting up and resourcing an interministerial
commission on gender under my leadership. Thirdly, we will continue to update
and reform our legal system. [We plan] to amend the labour code [with]
protection of women’s employment rights, and we will revise the gender equality
law to …address cases of gender discrimination with the newly adopted
non-discrimination law. And we will also ratify and implement the Istanbul
Convention. Fourthly, we will work with development partners, the UN family and
civil society to jointly address the practice of early marriages. An
intersectoral taskforce with this purpose will be established in my office….
Dedicated awareness raising-campaigns [will take place] on combating violence
against women and girls, and prevention of early marriages. The final
commitment I can make is that my country, Georgia, will continue to adhere to
human rights standards and implement Georgia’s international commitments to
women’s rights, such as CEDAW and [the] Beijing Platform for Action." [Speech]
Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel
"Women have to play a more prominent role in
politics, in the economy, and in society. [We commit] ourselves to…launching an
initiative to improve [women’s] professional qualifications in developing
countries and…promote the entrepreneurial empowerment of women. In Germany too
there is still room for improvement. … We've greatly enhanced the possibilities
for child care and we finally have a law on women in leadership positions. We
all committed ourselves in 1995 to implement the Beijing Platform for Action.
Now we are making a new commitment with Sustainable Development Goal 5.
Commitments are good. Action is better. Let us take action!" [Previous
commitment]
Guyana: President David Granger
“Guyana has long implemented legislative measures to
ensure equitable access of women to the highest offices and to ensure that, at
the level of the working class, women can enjoy equal wages for equal work. We
seek to build a country in which women and girls can expect to live in safety,
to be protected from abuse, such as trafficking in persons, domestic violence
and workplace hazards. Guyana continues to make great strides towards
achievement of the internationally agreed development goals and objectives
relative to gender equality and empowerment of women, particularly in the areas
of mainstreaming a gender perspective in policy development and programmes
enhancing education and training opportunities for women and girls, [as well
as] increasing the participation of women in leadership positions and
decision-making circles. We wish to assert our full support for Goal number 5
of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Honduras: President Juan Orlando Hernandez
“Honduras has made significant inroads in the promotion
of gender equality...we are improving living conditions and housing…Proactive
state employment programs...have always been conducted in accordance with
strict criteria for gender equality. We have announced a firm strategy to
counter [increases in family violence and femicide], which we believe [is]
having a great impact…. Honduras has implemented policies to combat crime and
violence in general...we've seen therefore effects on the death rate among
women.... I personally am interested in…implementing a policy for gender
mainstreaming…. We have made [reducing maternal mortality] one of the main
planks in the reform of our health system. And we're also looking at…
[ensuring] gender mainstreaming in planning and effective operations….” [Speech]
Iceland
“Iceland is committed to closing the gender pay gap by
2022…. Iceland has a proven track record on advancing gender equality and this
has been instrumental in the progressive development of our society. It therefore
gives me great pleasure that our new session of Parliament…has the highest
number of women parliamentarians yet, with about 45 per cent of
parliamentarians being women…. I am proud to stand before you here as one of
the 10 heads of government or state that are HeforShe champions in the impact
10-10-10 initiative of UN Women. I am joined by close to 6 per cent of
Icelandic men who have taken the pledge. We are determined to get more of our
fellow countrymen to sign up, and will also encourage males around the world to
sign up…and engage…in achieving gender equality…. Parliament has confirmed a
huge increase for funding issues of equality. To celebrate the 100th
anniversary of women’s rights to vote and stand in parliamentary elections, we
have set up a…five-year equality fund. Over half of the grants will be awarded
to international equality efforts.”
Indonesia: Vice President Jusuf Kalla
"We are more than eager to improve the quality of
life of women. We must ensure that women have equal and inclusive access to
greater participation in as well as better control of and benefit from all
sectors. Toward this goal, Indonesia is focusing on three key areas. First,
increasing the participation and representation of women in decision-making
processes...by promoting women in senior leadership positions. Second, reducing
maternal mortality rates by expanding access to reproductive health services.
And third, eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls by
informing all stakeholders in the family and community including the men [about
combatting] this heinous crime.... We believe a stronger commitment, improved
means of implementation and better cooperation are key to overcome current and
future challenges. Indonesia for its part is pleased to join in partnerships
and pledges...to realize our national priorities and common [goals] for gender
equality and women’s empowerment." [Speech]
Ireland: President Michael Higgins
“Ireland has made gender equality a priority area of our
foreign policy. Our strategies at home and abroad will be more robust because
of our new universal commitment. Since its election to the UNHRC in 2013,
Ireland has taken every opportunity to highlight the right of all girls in
every country to quality education, we’ve emphasized the centrality of
promoting women’s participation in decision-making at all levels, and the
importance of eradicating harmful practices, especially female genital
mutilation. Ireland is firmly dedicated to the implementation of UN Security
Council resolution 1325 recognizing as it does the negative impact of conflict
on women and girls and the particular contribution of women to peacebuilding.
And we’ve recently published the second national action plan on Women, Peace
and Security; our particular priority is attached to the prevention of and
response to gender-based violence including institutional violence, which
undermines the health, well-being and livelihoods of millions of women around
the world. We should not have to wait 15 years to end violence against women
and girls; any paradigm of gender equality is not the gift of men, either
generously or reluctantly given. Gender equality is a right achieved, not a
gift; and during visits to Africa [one] could see that gender equality cuts
across all areas and arrangements… Impact the achievement of gender equality in
a positive direction; they must assist its achievement [and] never obstruct it;
let us be clear we cannot achieve the new SDGs if we do not achieve gender
equality; if we do not enable the true empowerment of women and girls worldwide
our declarations will be shown to be empty rhetoric. We must… gather momentum
in our change so this does not happen.”
Italy: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi
"When we adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, we pledge to leave no one behind. Despite progress, much remains
to be done. The Beijing Platform for Action remains our blueprint for advancing
women’s rights and a more sustainable future for everyone. Italy is here to
confirm we remain fully committed to implementation of the Beijing Platform of
Action. We support fully the commitment taken collectively at the European
level. In addition…, I’m very pleased to announce…that Italy will continue to support
multilateral initiatives to eliminate harmful practices, especially female
genital mutilation, and child, early and forced marriage. We’re going to devote
new resources of up to 50 million Euros in the next two years for maintaining
gender equality and full enjoyment of human rights by women and girls…. In
particular we continue to strongly support UN Women and UNFPA by maintaining
high levels of national contributions to resources and programmes." [Speech]
Japan: Prime Minister Shinzō Abe
“Since I became Prime Minister of Japan, the fundamental
pillar of my policy has been the realization of a society where women shine. As
a result in the past three years more than 90,000 women have entered the
Japanese labour market. We have set a goal that about 30 per cent of leadership
positions…be occupied by women by 2020…already, the percentage of women among
newly hired national public servants in Japan has exceeded 30 per cent. …Last
month, Japan enacted a new law to promote the active engagement of women in
society [so that it will become] commonplace for both men and women to share
responsibility for work, household chores and child rearing. …Japan’s donation
[to UN Women] has increased tenfold in the past two years… [and] a new UN Women
liaison office was recently opened in Japan…. Japan has pledged to contribute
more than 42 billion yen… in the next three years. Japan will continue to
implement further actions and initiatives toward resolving challenges for
gender equality, development and peace…” [Speech]
Jordan steps it up: Pledges to align national laws with
international commitments and expand support to women and girls in many areas
The Jordanian Government has committed to close the
gender equality gap by 2030 through a variety of actions, including
intensifying efforts to align national legislation with the Kingdom’s
international and regional commitments, in a participatory manner that ensures
gender equality and the elimination of violence against women. The Government
pledges to accelerate the implementation of resolutions to which it has
committed itself before international committees and review relevant national
plans and strategies to bring them in line with the Sustainable Development
Goals for 2030, as well as provide the necessary financial and human resources
to carry them out. Jordan pledges to expand the scope of economic, social,
cultural and political support to women and girls, with special emphasis on
marginalized adolescents, elderly women, poor or vulnerable women, rural women,
women with disabilities, female refugees, displaced women and survivors of
gender-based violence. It will address social norms and stereotypes that instill
discrimination against women through education, cultural and media productions
that promote positive roles of women as active partners in sustainable
development and community building. The Kingdom will also: adopt policies that
support women’s access to leadership positions and participation in all levels
of decision-making; empower the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW)
as a national mechanism in order to be able to carry out its mandate; as well
as supporting and facilitating the work of civil society organizations,
offering protection and social, economic and legal empowerment services to
women throughout the country, including refugee camps and host communities.
Jordan further commits to enhance women’s access to justice and promote gender
sensitization among judges in regular and Shari’a courts, general prosecutors
and judicial police; and to accelerate the adoption of a national action plan
to implement Security Council’s resolution 1325 on women, peace and security,
and all subsequent resolutions. [Commitment (English
and Arabic)]
Kazakhstan: Senator Byrganym Aitimova
“My country will go beyond ensuring gender equality and
women’s empowerment at the national level to providing regional leadership.
Hosting UN Women’s multi-country office and the proposed UN Regional Hub in
Almaty, Kazakhstan will strive, together with other Members States, to achieve
the goals of the Beijing Declaration in the region of Central Asia and beyond.”
[Kazakhstan] “sees the need.. to manage the transition from the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) to SDGs, carrying forward lessons learned and
galvanizing them into transformative change, even for the most marginalized and
disadvantaged women and girls facing multiple intersecting forms of
discrimination and abuse. … Our declarations must be translated into adequate
financing with strong transparent and open accountability governmental
mechanisms, utilizing high-level comparable gender data with statistics in all
aspects of gender equality. ... A sum of US $56 million is allocated for
developing programmes for women’s entrepreneurship, representing presently 40%
of the entire medium- and small[-sized] business sector in the country. ... The
Government’s “Kazakhstan Strategy 2050” [is] an exemplary national model,
accompanied by its road map “Nyrly Zhol”, meaning the bright future. We have
enacted national legislation, made long-term financial commitments with
unquestioned political support for the Beijing Declaration. In addition, we
uphold all international instruments, including CEDAW, that have a bearing on
women." [Commitment]
Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta
"My Government commits to safeguarding the gains
realized by women under our new robust Constitution, through enactment of
appropriate legislation and formulation of policies. My Government continues to
commit to the implementation and enforcement of these policies and
legislation.... My Government further commits to ensuring effective monitoring
of the implementation and enforcement of these policies and legislation and
will also ensure the acceleration of the implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the 23rd Special session
of the UN General Assembly. We also commit to allocating adequate resources
towards gender equality and to strengthen … mechanisms for gender-sensitive
budgeting. To ensure the economic empowerment of women, my Government will
continue to refine the public procurement policy in order to ensure increased
access for women to procurement opportunities. My Government will progressively
address women’s access to decent work and address the gender wage gap. My
Government is also committed to accelerating the implementation of the national
policy for prevention and response to gender-based violence and the Prevention
Against Domestic Violence Act; and will continue to engage men and boys in line
with the HeForShe campaign. My Government continues to commit itself to
eradicating all harmful practices, including Female Genital Mutilation and
child marriages. We commit to ensuring women’s full and effective participation
and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in
political, economic and public life. We commit further to ensuring universal
access to sexual and reproductive health as guaranteed by our Constitution and
in accordance with the Beijing Declaratoin and Platform for Action. We commit
to ensure equal access of quality education for boys and girls and to
strengthen programmes aimed at encouraging and mentoring youth, especially
women to pursue careers in science, technology, ICT, engineering and
mathematics."
Kyrgyzstan steps it up: Announces new commitments in its
National Action Plan for Gender Equality
The Government of Kyrgyzstan holds gender equality as a
priority and has several measures outlined in the National Strategy for the
Achievement of Gender Equality by 2020 for the advancement of women in the
economy; education for girls and women; access to justice; and gender parity in
decision-making and women’s political participation. To support the
implementation of this long-term strategy and to help close gender equality
gaps, Kyrgyzstan joins Step It Up by committing to strengthen its 2015–2017
National Action Plan for Gender Equality by adding the following new measures:
integrating gender-sensitive principles into human resources policy at a State
and municipal level; providing informational support for promoting women’s
political participation and leadership; and implementing a social order
mechanism for supporting women’s political leadership at all levels and
promoting female leaders’ potential. [Commitment: en | Русский ]
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Deputy Prime Minister
Thongloun Sisoulith
“The Government has established a national institution…to
promote gender equality and women's advancement...Gender equality has been
enhanced…including in education and health…The maternal mortality rate has
declined. The Government has endorsed the National Plan of Action on violence
against women and…children, [and the] National Assembly has endorsed a law on
the prevention of violence against women and children. Women's roles in all
fields have been widely strengthened. For example, women account for 25 percent
[of the current National Assembly]. The Government will continue to implement
its gender equality policy through...2030, the 10-year social-economic
development strategy and the five-year social economic development plan.” [Speech]
Latvia: President Raimonds Vējonis
“We will continue to strengthen our legal framework,
acceding to [the Istanbul] Convention by 2018. Latvia also supports other
partner countries…We will continue to provide support to local authorities and
civil society in Central Asia…to fight all forms of violence against women.”
Liberia: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
“Liberia has already demonstrated, by my election, its
commitment to [women’s] equality. However, I must be the first to admit that
the gaps are many, and much more remains to be done. I therefore commit my
administration to ensure that the Domestic Violence Bill, now under
consideration by our legislature is passed into law to safeguard the safety of
our women. My administration commits to continue adherence and enforcement of
the law which denies bail to those who commit the offense of rape… My
administration commits to uphold the rights and laws on children to ensure
their access to quality education and their retention in schools …My
administration commits to ensuring training and better working conditions for
healthcare workers to ensure better healthcare delivery service, given our
recent experience with the Ebola Disease. My Government commits to continuing
the effort to submit laws under much difficulty to our standing legislature to
ensure the abolition [and] enforcement of the ban on Female Genital Mutilation.
My Government commits to improving the living and working conditions of women
in the informal sector, who provide the resilience of our economy and are the
most disadvantaged. My Government commits to ensuring that the ongoing
Constitutional review process guarantees women’s full participation in
governance and national affairs on a priority basis.”
Liechtenstein: Prime Minister Adrian Hasler
“We remain committed to the full implementation of the
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and are happy to endorse the
political declaration adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women earlier
this year. … Our commitment to international criminal justice also has a strong
focus on gender issues, as illustrated through our work with justice rapid
response and the ICC trust fund for victims. … Additional efforts will be
needed to reach our goals with respect to political participation and to ensure
equal pay for equal work. We note in this regard the call to action by the UN
Global Compact and others. … Liechtenstein furthermore pays special attention
to ending violence against women. To this end we have strengthened national
legislation and run a successful government campaign to raise awareness.” [Speech]
Luxembourg: Prime Minister Xavier Bettel
“To achieve a world where gender equality is a reality,
my government is pursuing four main priorities in our government plan and also
in our gender equality plan for 2015-2018. First we want to eliminate
inequalities in decision-making and especially in the political and economic
spheres. Luxembourg expects to implement a very robust policy in this area in
order to achieve, by 2019, a minimum quota of 40 per cent of women on all
executive boards in public establishments in Luxembourg. We will have 40 per
cent also in the large enterprises and private businesses where women can be
stakeholders and shareholders. We expect to have 40 per cent of women on
candidacy lists for parties in political elections. … Men should be involved in
having professional equality for men and women. Family life and professional
life should not be incompatible. …It is up to us in politics to make sure that
the two are compatible…so that women can do both. …[My government] is committed
to ratifying the Istanbul Convention as soon as possible. …Women and girls must
have access to the same [education] as men do, especially in sciences and
maths. We are continuing to work to deconstruct stereotypes in the educational
sphere with awareness-raising campaigns. …We must end all forms of
discrimination, especially sexism. We are working [on this] at the national and
international level. We are maintaining our contribution to gender equality
mainstreaming [at] the UN [and]...to UN Women.” [Speech]
Malawi: President Arthur Peter Mutharika
“My Government and I personally are committed to the
accelerated implementation of actions and activities, which aim to achieve
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Malawi. … The
HeforShe Campaign is one of the strategies that my Government has adopted to
address gender inequalities, end gender-based violence, promote women’s
political participation and facilitate the economic empowerment of women.
Nation-wide sensitization on the campaign has been carried out and men have
been mobilized to support gender equality and the empowerment of women and
girls. Subsequently, Malawi has enacted the ground-breaking Marriage, Divorce
and Family Relations Law that puts the age of marriage at 18 years. …
Gender-responsive budgeting was prioritized in the formulation of the national
budget. In addition, traditional leaders established a Chief’s Gender Council
to support the campaign on ending of child marriage, promotion of gender
equality and the empowerment of women and girls. My Government has identified
gender equality and women’s empowerment as one of the core priority areas of
the revised Malawi Growth and Development Strategy. My Government is working
closely with banks, microfinance institutions and other stakeholders to
increase women’s access to financial services and productive resources. The
Gender Equality Act of 2013 provides for 40:60 or 60:40 of either sexes
representation in politics and decision-making. Further, a National Plan of
Action on Gender-Based Violence has been developed to end the epidemic.” [Speech]
Malaysia: Prime Minister Najib Razak
“Malaysia has always stood by the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action… Malaysia has a long tradition of empowering women. … In
Malaysia, we aim to achieve high-income nation status by 2020. But we cannot do
this without women being equal partners, and we need them to be drivers of
growth – growth that will bring prosperity to all our citizens. … In our last
budget, we made upholding the role of women one of our main strategies. ... We
set a target of increasing the female labour participation rate from 54 per
cent as of last year to 59 per cent by 2020. And next year, all Malaysian
public companies must disclose their level of gender diversity in their annual
reports. … As we are aware that single mothers and female-headed households are
often socially and economically disadvantaged, particularly in rural areas, my
Government is going to launch a national action plan to empower single mothers
next month.”
Mauritania: President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
“Our country through its national policies [has sought
to] empower women in all sectors and positions of leadership, be it
in…legislative…judicial [or] executive [institutions] or political parties,
also in civil society organizations, military and security agencies,
[and]…business. Thus women have become influential actors in our society [who]
cannot be bypassed in national life. I would like to reiterate our commitment
to gender equality, because this is an absolute necessity [that] we have to
work to achieve.” [Speech]
Mexico: President Enrique Peña Nieto
“We are again taking a transcendental step in
mainstreaming the gender perspective [guiding] the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. For Mexico, it is of great satisfaction to have achieved the
incorporation of this approach in the document that will guide international
efforts on development. In keeping with this vision, Mexico included the gender
perspective at the core of our national development plan and promoted political
reform which commits parties to ensuring that 50 per cent of candidates to
legislative seats be for women. Thanks to this measure today, the recently elected
Chamber of Deputies in Mexico is made up of 42 per cent women. To continue to
move forward toward greater equality, the Government of Mexico will implement
three important measures: We will have, at the ministerial level, the
coordination of the work of our national activity on equality of men and women;
… we will promote more shared responsibility between men and women to improve
on the distribution of work in the home; [and] we will scale up actions to
prevent adolescent pregnancies and to reduce maternal mortality.” [Speech]
The Federated States of Micronesia: President Peter
Christian
“I propose that we reach our goal before its
time…Micronesia has adopted a strategic development plan that started in 2004
and will end in 2023. That plan encompasses the participation of women in all
spheres of our national building efforts…The Government of the Federated States
of Micronesia will pursue with more vigor the unfinished work of the MDGs,
while focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 5 and its cross-cutting
[effect].” [Speech]
Montenegro: President Filip Vujanović
“The Government of Montenegro is committed to ensure that
women and girls have equal rights and opportunities in all spheres of life and
live free of violence. Our National Plan for Achieving Gender Equality…was
based on the Beijing Platform for Action…We commit to the implementation of the
plan to improve the role of women in all areas of the society. The law on
gender equality has been amended, and Montenegro pledges to fully implement the
amended law to ensure women’s full participation in decision-making…Montenegro
was a strong advocate for the stand-alone goal on gender equality and…all
gender-related targets and indicators in the new development framework…Thus,
Montenegro commits to implement all national and international standards [to
achieve gender equality]…Additionally, it will undertake regular
awareness-raising and educational campaigns on ending violence against women
and engage men and boys [in this effort].” [Speech]
Mozambique: President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi
“Our Government has committed itself to: designing
national planning guidelines with a strong gender dimension, which provide
technical support and capacity-building for public institutions in order to
meet this objective. [We are] firm in combatting harmful gender practices that
violate human rights such as early marriage, sexual abuse and trafficking of
children. In this regard, the development of a national strategy is underway as
well as a review of the current gender policy and strategy for its
implementation in order to repeal discriminatory practices. We [commit to]:
expansion of social protection and access to productive resources [for women]
as well as funding mechanisms for the development of income-generating
activities and self-sustainment for their family members. Mozambique supports
the principles of the African Union and the United Nations concerning gender
equality and women’s rights. …Last Tuesday we appointed a woman [with] the
ability and competence to be in charge of the revenue authority in Mozambique
and we are very happy with this appointment."
Namibia: Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
"The Beijing Platform for Action remains a powerful
guide and source of inspiration to all of us. Since independence, Namibia has
paid special attention to women’s empowerment and gender equality…it is an
integral part of our Constitution…Significant targets…have been met…. We've
increased the number of girls in primary and secondary schools…and the [share]
of women in the National Assembly from 24 per cent in 2009 to 46 per cent in
2015…. We still face challenges [that] need to be addressed... Namibia commits
herself to women’s empowerment and ensuring that women's rights are protected,
and that women have access to services such as education, health and
employment, among others. We also commit ourselves to fight gender-based
violence…[and] to make sure women as agents of peace play their role both in
the community and national level. We will continue to have our women in uniform
to serve in UN peacekeeping. We commit ourselves to continue to...fully embrace
the critical role women play in society. Finally, gender equality and women’s
empowerment [are] prerequisites for sustainable development. Therefore Namibia
commits herself to ensure equality between men and women."
Nepal: Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh
"Over the years, Nepal has made substantive efforts
of further promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women. … The
following actions are the highlights of our commitments and achievements in
this field: adoption and implementation of proportionate, inclusive and
affirmative policies and laws; mandatory participation of women in all civil
and security agencies; implementation of action plans, including CEDAW and the
Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action; implementation of national
action plans based on the UN Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820;
enactment and enforcement of laws and rules with the government’s
zero-tolerance policy tool on sexual and domestic violence, workplace-related
sexual harassment, child marriage, witchcraft allegations, and other
gender-based discriminations. [We have elevated] the national women’s
commission to constitutional status; [mainstreamed] gender as a cross-cutting
issue in all development policies and programmes, including through a
gender-responsive budgeting system, which has now reached 22 per cent of the
total budget. [We are] integrating … legal rights and instruments –including
ICCPR, CEDAW, CRC, CRPD– into national legislation. Nepal has an inclusive and
democratic Constitution written by the elected representatives of the people
which was promulgated last week on 20 September. While women enjoy all the
fundamental rights and freedoms that are enshrined in the new Constitution,
art. 43 specifically deals with the rights of women that include the right to
lineage, right to safe maternity and reproduction, right against all forms of
exploitation, equal rights in family matters and property. The Constitution
ensures at least 33 per cent representation of women in Parliament. Most
importantly, the new Constitution has a provision according to which persons of
the same gender…cannot occupy both the elected office of the president and the
vice-president at the same time…" [Speech]
Netherlands: Prime Minister Mark Rutte
"Netherlands government is committed to increasing
women’s economic independence and financial self-sufficiency. Equality between
women and men is also a guiding principle of our foreign and development
efforts because gender equality provides a basis for stability and economic
prosperity. We work closely with governments, businesses and civil society
organizations … around the world to achieve this goal. In January 2016, my
Government is launching a programme called Funding Leadership and Opportunities
for Women. Its aim is to support women’s economic and political participation,
and combat violence against women and girls in low-income and
lower-middle-income countries. It will be the largest fund of its kind in the whole
world. An important part of our international efforts is advancing sexual and
reproductive health and rights. For women worldwide to have a voice and
economic opportunities, they need to be able to make their own choices about
sexuality and family planning. So in 2016 the Netherlands is launching another
major fund to advance these rights around the world." [Speech]
Norway: Prime Minister Erna Solberg
"In two weeks time, my Government will present a
white paper to the Norwegian Parliament on gender equality. This will lay the
foundation for long-term targeted efforts for equality between women and men.
The focus will be on education, work and the business world, as well as health,
violence and abuse. These are universal issues when it comes to gender
equality. No country is perfect. We all have to do our job. A strong legal
framework is essential for combatting discrimination, including gender
discrimination. In 2016, my Government will present a renewed comprehensive
equality act and discrimination bill to the Norwegian Parliament. Yesterday, UN
Member States formally agreed on the [Sustainable Development Goals], which
sets 2030 as an expiration date for gender inequality. Some say that this is
too ambitious. I say, “Let’s speed it up.” Because this is a question of human
rights. We need to accelerate the implementation of the [Beijing Platform for
Action] that we adopted 20 years ago. …Let us therefore commit ourselves to
doubling our efforts…." [Speech]
Pakistan: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
"We welcome the inclusion of a stand-alone goal on
gender equality and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 development agenda.
The challenge now is to invest sufficient resources and to adopt appropriate
policies to ensure its full and effective realization. … We have introduced
many initiatives over the years, including the…establishment of national and
provincial commissions of the status of women. Led by women, they are
independent and contributing to formulation of legislation and policies for
women’s empowerment and gender equality. [We have] strengthened and improved
the implementation of the national policy for development and empowerment of
women…and [enacted and implemented] pro-women legislation including the
criminal law amendment act and women in distress in detention act…. [W]omen’s
empowerment is the first pillar of our key planning document, Vision 2025. All
countries stand to benefit from the empowerment of women. We are therefore
determined to ensure a more central role for women in the political, economic
as well as other spheres of national life."
Panama: Vice President Isabel Saint Malo
“We are working to strengthen our electoral system [in
terms of] women’s representation…. Panama will take the steps necessary to
promote the rights of women and girls. In the Government of Panama we are
determined to [make] headway… Panama is also committed to eradicating violence
against women.”
Paraguay commits to boost resources for rural women and
improve coordinated action to prevent violence against women and punish
perpetrators
In a speech prepared in the context of the Global
Leaders’ Meeting, President Horacio Cartes said: “I make a firm commitment to
strengthening the actions needed to speed up the advancement of real and
effective equality between men and women in my country in accordance with the
national regulatory framework.” He outlined the country’s priorities for
increasing women’s economic empowerment, through significant steps to include
rural women with scant resources in public programmes by getting them into
productive projects, providing them with access to credit and training, and
enacting the Public Policy Law for Rural Women. He committed to boost the
implementation of this Law with as many resources as possible and to increase
the number of rural women engaged in agricultural work who are beneficiaries of
agrarian extension programmes. To preventing and punish gender-based violence,
he said he is doubling political support to approve the Draft Law for
Comprehensive Protection for Women against any kind of Violence, now being
discussed in the National Congress, and committed to improving the coordinated
actions among the different institutions to prevent any danger, help women
facing violence and trafficking, and punish perpetrators. To improve women’s
public and political participation, through the governing mechanism for public
policies for gender equality, he said Paraguay will promote legislative reform
aimed at democratic parity, and political agreements to increase women’s
presence in decision-making positions and in positions of power. [Commitment
statement: en | es]
Romania: President Klaus Werner Iohannis
“Romania stands for gender equality and will continue to
be fully committed to the protection and promotion of all the rights of women,
as well as to the implementation of legal international instruments, such as
the Beijing Platform for Action, Istanbul Convention or UN Security Council
resolution 1325 … I’m personally committed … to launch a new integrated system
to track, report and prevent all forms of violence; to create the new
profession [of] gender equality expert across Romania; as well as to develop
and implement programmes to engage girls and boys in political, social and
economic life, to create the next generation of leaders.” [Speech]
Rwanda commits to increase economic participation of
women
Rwanda makes the following commitments to increase the
economic participation of women: Achieve gender parity in financial inclusion
by 2030. To close the existing gap, the country pledges to work to increase
access to financial services for women as well as improve use of available
financial products. Rwanda also commits to achieve gender parity in waged
non-farm employment. Currently, women account for just over a quarter of all
off-farm jobs, and their transition from agriculture is slower than that of
men. As part of this effort, Rwanda will triple the number of girls enrolled in
Technical and Vocational Training by the year 2020. Finally, Rwanda commits to
bridge the digital divide between men and women, and to attain parity in ICT
usage by the year 2020. Currently, only 35 per cent of women own mobile phones
compared to 49 per cent of men. Women are also under-represented as ICT
graduates in higher education. [Speech]
Samoa: Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
"In Samoa…we are acutely aware that we must make
every effort to develop and release the full potential of our women…We have
already made important strides in…education as well as employment
opportunities. Many…ministries are led by women…. Still, much remains to be
done…Samoa is committed to mainstreaming policy on gender equality and the
empowerment of our women across all sectors of government…. Given that climate
change affects men and women differently, we have now integrated fully the
needs of women and girls into our national climate resilience, disaster
prevention and response policies and operations. ...In May 2015, salaries for
village women representatives were raised to address [a] gender pay gap…. The
Constitutional Amendment Act of 2013, which guarantees a minimum of 10 per cent
of seats for women in our national parliament…[will make] women
representatives…an integral and permanent feature of our parliament…. Samoa is
committed to [advancing] the full and effective implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action within the next development agenda." [Speech]
Senegal: President Macky Sall
“We have a law on equality in public bodies to which
people are elected. Our legislation for two years now has allowed Senegalese
women to give their citizenship to their foreign spouse and to their children –
this was not the case previously, it was only through the father or the husband
that citizenship could be conferred… Senegal is part and parcel of the momentum
here. We have new policies such as caesarean operations free for all Senegalese
women in public hospitals; social security grants help the most vulnerable in
society and these are managed by women; universal health insurance is there; we
have the emergency community development programme; and one of the essential
planks of this is to lighten the burden of women working in rural environments.
We are committed to giving meaning to the empowerment of women. Politically, we
have the law on equality. We want to ensure that the presence of women is not
just shown in terms of quantity but in terms of quality, so that we have true
equality.”
Sierra Leone: President Ernest Bai Koroma
“We have enacted…legislation…towards the empowerment of
women and ensuring that there is equality. Additionally, knowing that education
is key, we have emphasized providing a free education for our girls in primary
schools and senior secondary schools. We are also providing free tertiary
education scholarships for girls...in the sciences. We have provided free
health care for women who are pregnant, lactating mothers and children under
five. The policies that we have adopted so far have ensured that as of now
there is [gender] parity…in primary school…and an increased number of girls
finishing…junior secondary schools.” [Speech]
Slovenia: Prime Minister Miroslav Cerar
“Slovenia is fully committed to…the Beijing Declaration
and Platform for Action. We reaffirm the 2030 Agenda…where the implementation
of each and every Sustainable Development Goal must include equal participation
and equal enjoyment of rights for women and girls… Inequalities between women
and men still exist, and no country is immune to this. We pledge and call on
others to…further challenge traditional notions of masculinities, and
traditional norms, laws, and practices that support them. We also believe that
gender equality…requires active involvement of men and boys. This is
why…ministers of my government and I joined the HeForShe campaign. Slovenia
will continue to support and promote the role and responsibility of men and
boys as allies and agents of change in the promotion of women’s and girls’
rights. For several years, Slovenia [has kept] the issue of violence against
women and girls high on the political agenda, [making] significant progress in
preventing and combatting violence. Recently we became party to the…Istanbul
Convention. Slovenia has affirmed its commitment to foster gender equality…by
adopting the national programme for equality between women and men by 2020.”
South Sudan: Vice President James Wani Igga
“Gender equality and women’s empowerment have been at the
centre of our Government’s policy and initiatives. We are committed to that.
The good news for South Sudan is that even though it is lagging behind in…many
indicators of women’s empowerment…the country has taken steps to catch up with
the rest of the world. A number of women’s health facilities have been built
across the country, leading to a marked reduction in maternal and infant
mortality rates. In my Government our vision and policy is to end gender
inequality by 2040.”
Spain steps it up: Investments in equal opportunities,
awareness campaigns
Emphasizing that the fight against gender violence is a
"national priority” that deserves special attention, Spain vows to
continue working for a comprehensive response to all forms of violence, such as
trafficking for sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, forced marriage
and sexual assault. Investing in gender equality, Spain's Strategic Plan for
Equal Opportunities 2014-2016 is allocated a budget of EUR 3.1 million. To
promote the participation and leadership of women in political, economic,
social and cultural life, the country commits to strengthen the initiative
"More Women, Better Business", aimed at moving towards balanced
participation in management positions in companies. A Code of Good Governance
of Listed Companies, adopted in February 2015, urges companies to increase the
number of directors representing at least 30 per cent of the total by 2020.
Spain also commits to conduct awareness campaigns to fight against stereotypes,
promote equal opportunities and combat violence against women, primarily
directed at youth and adolescents. In October, under the Spanish presidency of
the Security Council, the High-level Review on UN Security Council Resolution
1325 will be held to assess progress, renew commitments and address obstacles
in the implementation of the resolution, as the country celebrates the 15th
anniversary of its adoption. As a symbol of its importance, the Prime Minister
of Spain will host a high-level debate on 13 October. [Commitment: es]
Sri Lanka: President Maithripala Sirisena
"Free education for both boys and girls, and free
healthcare were introduced very early after independence. …Since the adoption
of the Beijing Platform for Action, further steps were taken to achieve gender
equality. This was mainly by introducing reforms to domestic laws and
mainstreaming gender-related priorities into government action plans.… [A]
National Action Plan on women…is currently being updated…. We also have [a]
dedicated Ministry on women’s matters. My Government and I take the
responsibility of ensuring [the] promotion and protection of the rights of
women in my country very seriously and we remain firm in our commitment to
strive continuously with diligence to achieve gender equality and women’s
empowerment." [Speech]
Sweden: Prime Minister Stefan Löfven
“We will ensure that our national policies and our
national budget allocations contribute to gender equality. And we will ensure
that our development and humanitarian aid is gender-sensitive across all areas
of cooperation and support. Fellow feminists, the Beijing Platform for Action
and our new 2030 Agenda are powerful action plans for equality, for development
and peace. In this spirit, Sweden is taking action to strengthen women’s
contribution to peace and security. We will develop a network of women mediators,
which within two years, will be ready to assist peace efforts wherever they
occur. The aim of this initiative is, however, not only to develop our own
capabilities, but more importantly also to cooperate with female mediation
networks from the global south. We know that women’s participation at all
levels is vital to the success and sustainability of peace processes and
peacebuilding efforts. So proactive leadership is needed to promote and include
women. " [Commitment,
speech]
Switzerland: President Simonetta Sommaruga
“True to its commitment to the protection of those who
defend women’s rights, Switzerland will pursue the promotion of their freedom
of action and of expression, without fear of reprisal. As a Government, we also
have the political duty to connect the implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action and Agenda 2030, in order to move forward
their goals, which are complementary, at the national level. The translation of
these efforts into internal policies remains a priority. We [will make] efforts,
in particular, to combat wage discrimination, to achieve a better work-family
balance and to fight against domestic violence. Switzerland has the firm
intention to continue to support the action of UN Women and to increase its
contribution to almost US $50 million for the period 2015 to 2017. It is also
important to Switzerland that all other United Nations entities whose mandates
it supports mainstream a gender perspective into their respective activities.
Finally, Switzerland considers it fundamental that the international
commitments made be accompanied by strong follow-up procedures. The Commission
on the Status of Women, due to its responsibility in the follow-up and the
implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, must play a central role in
this." [Speech: en |
fr]
Thailand: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
"Recently, Thailand promulgated the 2015 Gender
Equality Act, which became effective on 9 September 2015, so we can protect all
individuals from gender-based discrimination. Thailand is resolved to move
forward on gender equality in the following areas: First, by developing a
curriculum on gender roles to cultivate positive attitudes and an acceptance of
gender equality in children from an early age. Second, by collecting sex
disaggregated data, for analytical purposes and for formulating
gender-sensitive policies as well as for monitoring progress made in the realization
of gender equality. Third, by providing training to relevant public agencies at
the national level in order to promote gender-responsive budgeting. Thailand’s
next national and economic and social development plan will also focus on
people-centred, inclusive development, and also on reducing social inequality.
This will provide further opportunities for women to participate even more
equally in our national development." [Speech]
Timor-Leste: Prime Minister Rui Maria Araujo
“The Timor-Leste Constitution…provides that men and women
must be treated equally in all aspects of life.… Our Government…prioritized
action to end the discrimination of women and girls…and to stop gender-based
violence. Timor-Leste fully supports [Sustainable Development Goal 5], which
seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. We also
recommit to implement the Beijing Platform for Action as we celebrate 20 years
since its adoption. Our country has a proud history of support for women.
During our fight for independence, women participated actively in all fronts of
the struggle. And now Timor-Leste has one of the biggest proportions of women
parliamentarians in the world and the highest in the Asia-Pacific region. In
our last elections, 38 per cent of those elected to the national parliament
were women. …We must improve the situation of women and address the pervasive
gender discrimination if we are to meet our development goals. …We fully commit
to achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.” [Speech]
Tunisia: Prime Minister M. Habib Essid
"Women have been actively participating in political
work. This is in addition to the 50 per cent quota in candidate lists in
elections. In addition, we have enhanced the gender equality principle in all
our laws and we have stressed the importance of protecting the gains for
women’s empowerment and equal opportunities between men and women when it comes
to taking responsibility in all walks of life. …Tunisia has made great
achievements towards gender equality. This is evident in many indicators
including the increase in the levels of female enrolment, and the benefits for
women in terms of the services for training, and increasing women’s
participation in all walks of life. All rights of women are enshrined in our
Constitution and international conventions. This is a commitment by Tunisia and
we are anxious to protect women so we could overcome all attempts against our
modern society in Tunisia. Our experience in democratic transition recently is
witness to the fact that women should be represented in all legislative bodies.
Hence, we enhance women's ability to participate in politics and in public affairs.
This is a commitment."
United Republic of Tanzania: President Jakaya Mrisho
Kikwete
“We will do everything in our power to implement Goal 5
on women’s empowerment and other key gender equality targets and indicators in
all other SDGs. … We have enacted laws against gender-based violence against
women and children, gender-responsive budgeting systems where women’s issues
are given priority … [and provided] money for the establishment of a women’s
bank…which is providing soft loans to women entrepreneurs … We will ensure the
full co-domestication of all women’s rights treaties, particularly CEDAW, to
ensure women enjoy their full rights and opportunities. We will amend all
remaining laws which maintain cultural aspects that are deemed discriminatory
against women, specifically laws related to marriage, property and inheritance
and development of a standalone act on ending violence against women. We will
promote and support financing of gender equality in line with the Addis Ababa
Financing for Development Agenda. Last but not least, I will implement the
principle of 50/50, and will put in place effective mechanisms of monitoring
and accountability to implement all gender equality and women’s rights
commitments at national and local levels. [Collection] of sex-disaggregated
data for evidence-based policy will also be undertaken. Tanzania commits itself
to ensure that economic growth is leveraged to support women’s rights and
economic equality and opportunity, which recognizes their critical importance
for sustainable development. I therefore call on my fellow global leaders to
put our commitments into action.” [Speech]
The United States of America to work towards a world
where every woman and girl can enjoy their rights and freedoms
In a statement for the 20th anniversary of the Fourth
World Conference on Women, US President Barack Obama recommitted his country to
the basic principle affirmed in Beijing: “[w]omen's empowerment and their full
participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including
participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are
fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.” He said:
“Within the United States, we are taking steps to support working families,
encourage women and girls to pursue careers in the STEM fields, and provide
additional opportunities for women entrepreneurs. But we know that much work
remains … my Administration continues to work to advance the empowerment and
education of women and girls here and abroad. It's why we are dedicating
additional resources to address violence against women and girls. It's why we
are investing in job training and apprenticeships to help women earn
better-paying jobs. It is why we launched ‘Let Girls Learn’, to address the
challenges adolescent girls around the world face in enrolling, completing and
succeeding in school. And it is why my Administration's Stand with Civil
Society initiative is supporting the right of women and all people around the
world to work peacefully for the betterment of their societies without fear
that their rights and freedoms will be unjustly abridged. Today, we renew our
resolve to work tirelessly towards a world where every woman and girl can enjoy
the rights and freedoms that are her birthright.”
Viet Nam: President Truong Tan Sang
"Gender equality is not merely a goal but rather the
common thread of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Viet Nam pledges
to devote all resources needed to bridge the gender gap in all domains. Viet
Nam will continue to step up awareness-raising campaigns on gender equality,
and work hard to ensure that 100 per cent of its radio and television stations
broadcast exclusive gender equality programmes…. The HeforShe movement has
found strong resonance in Viet Nam. Viet Nam pledges to further improve the
access of women, especially those in difficult areas, to health care, education
and employment services. Viet Nam sets a target that by 2020, 50 per cent of
its rural women will have access to various forms of vocational training, and
95 per cent of women aged 15-40 living in remote areas [will be] literate. The
country is also committed to sparing no efforts to gradually eradicate all
forms of violence against women and girls, and has set a target that at least
50 per cent of all the reported victims of domestic violence [are] provided
with health care and counselling services."
Zambia: President Edgar Chagwa Lungu
“It’s been 20 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, and now 15 years since the Millennium Declaration. While much has been accomplished, I believe a lot more remains to be done. I therefore wish to commit myself and the people of Zambia to ensuring that what remains to be done will truly be done…My Government is committed to addressing the persistent gender equalities and ensuring the empowerment of women in our pursuit of national development. While we have not had [large] numbers of women attaining elected legislative positions in my country, the Government has tried to compensate by having more women in strategic and top management positions…Violence against women and girls continues to be a problem…Zambia continues to fight this scourge…I’m proud to be a champion of HeForShe. Women’s economic empowerment is one area that requires investment, [such as through] the facilitation of access and control of resources such as land, and credit for small to medium businesses…with a bias towards women…Our vision of the government is to achieve full participation of men and women in decision-making processes. And [attain] sustainable development through gender equity and equality so that no one is left behind on account of sex, age, social or economic and health status."