Chair,

On behalf of the European Union, I would like to thank the Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls to the Third Committee and its Chair, Ms. Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, for her presentation. We take note of the Working Group’s yearly thematic report, titled “Gendered inequalities of poverty: feminist and human rights-based approaches”.

Women’s and girls’ inequality and poverty are the result of historical and continuing economic policy choices at the global, regional and national levels. These policy priorities are not gender-neutral, as they have been developed within patriarchal political, legal and socio-economic systems and institutions that ignore the specific experiences and rights of girls and women, thus perpetuating existing hierarchies. This undermines the freedom of women and girls to take their own decisions and their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to physical and mental integrity, to equitable and inclusive quality education, and to full, equal and meaningful participation.

Feminist groups, organizations and movements have been of great value in outlining how many predominant approaches to women’s poverty concentrate on increasing the economic productivity of individual women, rather than analysing the systems of power that generate and reproduce unequal  power relations within families, communities, institutions and markets. Failing to address the gender stereotypes, negative social norms and discriminatory laws and practices are at the heart of this spiral to the bottom.

The right to be free from poverty cannot be realized in isolation from individual and collective rights to substantive equality. The meaningful participation of diverse groups of women and girls in conceptualizing, implementing and monitoring socioeconomic policies, norms and strategies is a core part of this process. International human rights-based feminist approaches to inequality and poverty provide key insights, tools, accountability measures and remedies that would enable the structural determinants of poverty and inequality to be identified, challenged and overcome. They outline the importance of tackling multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination against women and girls in both the private as the public sphere, including in democratic processes, peace processes and state building.

Gender equality is not only a human right in itself – but it is also a prerequisite for sustainable peace, security, development and economic prosperity. It is only when women and girls are able to fully enjoy all human rights, that they are able to participate fully, equally, and meaningfully in social, economic and political life, benefitting societies as a whole.

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 (ICPD) 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 shares your assessment that the distribution and control over of wealth and assets, intra-household dynamics, time allocation and the equal sharing of care and household responsibilities are prerequisites to achieve gender equality. In this regard, the European Union’s policies on social protection and economic growth are closely intertwined with the human rights and gender equality acquis to ensure women’s and girls’ social and economic rights.

Given the findings of your report, we would seek to hear your views on how the human rights - based approach is complementary to sustainable economic development and not an obstacle.

We look forward to hearing your views and we convey our full support and appreciation for your work.

Thank you.