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Mr Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Albania^*, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Georgia, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

In some spheres of life there has been visible progress. Six years ago, the last country in the world gave women the right to vote, making it a reality everywhere. Yet, women’s leadership and political participation continue to be restricted at all levels. As of today, women still make up only 26 percent of parliamentarians globally. That is not enough. Similarly, more must be done to achieve gender equality and to break the glass ceiling by promoting women in corporate senior leadership. Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in leadership and decision-making is crucial for the socio-economic development of societies.

Instability, fragility, conflict, climate change, global pandemics, just to mention a few critical issues, are exacerbating gender inequalities and threatening hard-won gains for women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of human rights everywhere.

Gender stereotypes and negative social norms coupled with structural inequalities, including the persistent unequal division of unpaid care and domestic work as well as sexual and gender based violence, contributes to the exclusion of women from all spheres of economic, social and political life. Removing such barriers requires strengthened joint efforts by all actors: government, civil society, the media, academia and the private sector alike. The EU is constantly doing more within and outside its borders to address deeply rooted and systemic multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. The EU also equally underscores the need for the active inclusion and engagement of men and boys as agents of change and beneficiaries of gender equality. We all have to work together to change unequal power relations, gender stereotypes and negative social norms.   

More targeted attention and effort is required to achieve the full, equal, and meaningful participation of all women and girls in public life and political discourse and action is crucial for adequately translating their perspectives, knowledge and skills into policies and programmes to achieve gender equality. The EU will work towards women's and youth's equal, full and meaningful participation, in all their diversity, in all spheres and levels of public and political life including by advocating for their inclusion on political parties' lists for winnable seats and building candidates' capacity.

Sexual and gender-based violence both offline and online, in peacetime as well as in crisis and conflict, is a major violation of human rights and continues to be a barrier for the advancement of all women and girls globally and for their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. The scale of the problem remains alarming. But we firmly believe the ‘Group of Friends on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls’ at the UN continues to make a difference. The Group of Friends now counts nearly 100 members and the EU remains committed to driving tangible impact through its activities.

Women activists, feminist groups, peacebuilders and human rights defenders and their families are often at risk of intimidation, violence and harassment. Acts or threats of violence –offline and online - can have physical or mental health-impacts, lead to self-censorship and to women entirely retreating from their profession or the public sphere. These acts are detrimental for the individuals concerned, but also hamper prevention and resolution of conflict as well as long-term peacebuilding –efforts and development. Thus, their security and safety must be made a priority, in theory and in practice.

Women and girls are agents of change. The EU welcomes the fact that the digital space and social media tools, enables new forms of participation and activism, including by young people. This can be a source of positive transformation, but the risks – not least exposure to online violence – also needs to be taken into account and effectively addressed. Active participation of women and girls in technology and innovation is essential for finding solutions to pressing challenges such as climate change, including through climate-smart technology and solutions that support their livelihoods. Moreover, affordable digital products and services can break down the barriers that impede girls all over the world from accessing and progressing in high-quality education.

The EU remains committed to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their review conferences and remains committed to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), in this context. Having that in mind, the EU reaffirms its commitment to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the right of every individual to have full control over, and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, free from discrimination, coercion and violence. The EU further stresses the need for universal access to quality and affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, education, including comprehensive sexuality education, and health-care services. The EU takes note of the efforts of the Generation Equality Forum in this regard.

Today, the EU reaffirms its commitment to the international framework on gender equality, the full enjoyment of all human rights by all women and girls and their empowerment full, equal and meaningful participation. We especially stand with all women and girls affected by war and conflict, from Afghanistan to Ethiopia, from Ukraine to Myanmar, and call on all Member States to strengthen the protection of women and girls from all types of conflict-related sexual and gender based violence, trafficking and harassment, and to combat impunity for the perpetrators. We stand as well with all women fighting for their rights and with all Iranians who are exercising their fundamental right to assemble and protest following Mahsa Amini’s abuse by the morality police and her death in custody.  

Women play a critical role in the prevention and resolution of conflict, as well as in long-term peacebuilding. We must redouble our efforts to fully implement Security Council resolution 1325 and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation, and that all conflict analyses, policies, programmes, activities and funding are guided by, and benefitting, the women and girls affected by conflict and violence.

Last but not least, in view of the global pushback, we cannot stress enough how  that more must be done to safeguard and support the critical role of civil society and women’s rights movements as being a key enabling factor for peace, security, gender equality and sustainable development, in the long-term.

Thank you.