EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Event on Women Breaking Barriers

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Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank the organisers of this event, Sweden, Uruguay, Viet Nam, Rise and the Spotlight Initiative for closing women’s month with such a powerful event. 

I celebrate the incredible women who spoke before us, and all the women and girls out there who are survivors, athletes, diplomats and astronauts, scientists, creators, CEOs and community leaders. Everyone.

You are not just breaking barriers. You are rewriting what is possible. 

For many decades, these UN halls were almost exclusively filled with men.

Women fought to enter. Fought to be heard. Fought to lead. 

Today, the voices, the talent and the power of women and girls fill this room. 

Progress is undeniable. 

But where there is progress, there is also pushback. And we see this today as well.

Women’s and girls’ lived experiences are still too often questioned. 

Their perspectives are still too often ignored. 

Their demands for equality, freedom and justice are still too often denied. 

The fight to achieve gender equality, empower all women and girls and ensure a world free from violence requires constant effort from all of us.

Governments and civil society, scientists and advocates, women and men. 

I am here to assure you that the European Union is a leading ally in this fight. 

We are standing up for all women and girls, including those who are marginalised, silenced or overlooked. 

Because every woman and girl has the right to live free from violence, fear and discrimination. 

Every woman and girl have the right to choose the dream they wish to pursue and to chart their own destiny. 

The EU is speaking up for all of them every day, here at the UN and around the world. 

But speaking up is not enough. 

Commitment is measured by actions, not words alone. 

Let me, therefore, speak about what the EU does to transform words into reality. 

First, on the EU level itself, we adopted our first-ever law on combating violence against women and domestic violence. 

It ensures that different forms of violence against women and girls are criminalized in the whole of the European Union. 

That prevention, reporting and support to survivors are strengthened. 

And that women get better access to justice and real remedies – not just promises on paper. 

Second, we are also addressing violence in the digital world. 

Deepfakes. Non‑consensual images. Cyber-stalking. Cyber-harassment. Violence facilitated by technology that target women and girls, often with complete impunity. 

In the EU, these acts are all crimes, forcing platforms to act, and treating online gender‑based violence as seriously as violence on the street, at home or at the workplace. 

Third, we have made a solid commitment and unprecedented investments into ending gender-based violence around the world as well. 

Together with the UN, the EU founded the Spotlight Initiative and invested half a billion Euros into what is one of the largest global efforts to end violence against women and girls.

And it’s working. Across 28 countries, Spotlight has helped prevent violence against more than 21 million women and girls. 

It supported nearly 1 million girls to stay in school. 

And it engaged over 6 million men and boys on positive masculinity, respectful relationships and non-violence. 

And our actions do not stop there. 

The EU, together with UN Women, funded the ACT Programme - a 22 million Euro investment to support feminist movements and women’s rights organisations.

Because we believe that real change starts, succeeds and lasts where women organise, speak up and lead. 

Because we believe that women’s movements can move mountains. 

We are also creating alliances here at the United Nations.

When domestic violence soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU launched the Group of Friends for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls.

This grew into a network of more than a hundred Member States, partners and civil society organisations united in their efforts to end violence once and for all. 

Dear Friends,

Let me share a personal example as well. In the 2010's, as the European Union’s Special Representative for Human Rights, I travelled to many countries and was speaking to governments, asking them to respect women’s rights while fighting terrorism. When faced with reluctance, I asked my counterparts the question: Can you please tell me what is so scary about smart girls? 

Why did the Taliban plant a bullet in Malala Yousafzai’s head, hoping to silence her, when she was talking about girls’ education?

Why did Boko Haram in Nigeria abduct hundreds of girls from school?

In Iraq, why did ISIS abduct and forcefully marry - and do much worse – to Yazidi girls?

What’s so scary about smart girls to terrorists?

And the answer to that question is quite clear. 

Smart girls can become educated girls, and educated girls become empowered women, an empowered women change entirely the balance of power in any society. And the last thing that terrorists want is empowered societies.

So, you want to fight terrorists? Educate girls. 

I was not always successful with this argument, but I did made progress and I am proud of that. 

Now also, too often, when we discuss women’s rights, men stay silent.

But the fight for gender equality is not a burden women should carry alone. 

Men and boys have a huge responsibility to step up, to speak up, to change long-standing behaviours and to be at the forefront of ending gender-based violence. 

What does this leadership look like?

It includes creating a safe space for women to come forward when something is not right.

It includes listening to and believing survivors. 

It is calling out sexism, bias or harassment when we see it. 

It includes empowering women and girls to be the best version of themselves and fulfil their full potential. 

It includes making sure that women are at the table when people we meet, organize and strategize. 

And asking to be at their table, too, when they call out for allies. 

It is not telling them what they should do, but asking them what they want to do, and supporting them in their won calling. 

So here is my ask as I close. 

To the women and girls in this hall:

Keep inspiring us. Keep breaking barriers – in space, in science, in sport, in politics, in diplomacy, online and offline. 

The European Union will stand with you, fight with you and our doors will always be open for you. 

To the artists and content creators inside and outside this hall: 

You shape what millions see on their screens every day. 

You tell the stories. You set the trends. You can decide what the world will see and what fades into oblivion. 

Please Use this power, as many of you do already, to change the world. 

Call out sexism and misogyny. 

Give a platform to survivor and advocates. 

Help change the world. 

And to everyone, women and men, girls and boys:

The world will not change, unless we change it. 

So let’s do it.

Thank you.