In the last week, 190 representatives from their respective countries have addressed the United Nations General Assembly which included presidents, prime ministers and ministers. The astonishing element of this representation is, that only 9 of them were women leaders.
United Nations Secretary-General Anotonio Guterres addressed the issue, stating “Gender inequality remains the greatest single challenge to human rights around the world.”
The General Assembly will meet again on Thursday for the 25th anniversary of a landmark conference on women. Hilary Clinton has announced that “women’s rights are human rights” and there needs to be emphasis on gender equality and empowerment for women and girls.
World leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking in the convention.
There have been rising opinions on whether diplomats would agree for such a strong declaration. The highlighting issue would be women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
French U.N. Ambassador Nicholas de Riviere stated on Wednesday, “On women’s rights issues at the global level, the fear now is that 25 years after Beijing there is a counteroffensive to reduce the magnitude of women’s rights… We want to avoid that and we are aiming at further progress and not regression.”
U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, tweeted on the occasion of International Safe Abortion Day on Monday, “Women’s rights to health care services, including those related to sexual and reproductive health, must be protected.”
