The sixth Women Deliver 2023 Conference, (WD2023) which gathers 6,000 participants from the globe in person and some 200,000 plus people through virtual platforms, is being conducted for the first time in Africa – in Kigali, Rwanda- under the theme “Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions”.
The Conference, which is said to be the largest multi-sectoral forum to advance gender equality, targets to create inclusive and co-created spaces that foster solidarity for sustainable solutions on gender equality, catalyze collective action to advance gender equality, empower the feminist movement, create space and hold leaders accountable.
At the session, including Ethiopian President Sahle Work Zewde, and President of Hungarian Katalin Novak, several high ranking officials, representatives of feminist movements, international organizations, civil society institutions, government, private sector, and decision-makers, among others have taken place.
Speaking on the occasion, President Sahle-Work said that even though women are participating in the political world; they should be involved in a more meaningful manner.
According to the President, when a woman holds an important position, she should be a role model for other women by supporting and encouraging them. “To this end, we should empower women to reach decision-making positions,” she underscored.
Opening the conference Rwandan President Paul Kagame said that in recent decades, there have been meaningful results in closing the gap between women and men in terms of opportunity and achievement.
However, still, across the globe women remain vulnerable to various forms of injustice and are more often employed in the informal sector or even expected to provide unpaid labor. These inequalities have been exacerbated by some political pushback movements in certain contexts. Moreover, women and girls have faced the burden of the overlapping health and climate and economic crisis.
“Recent studies show it could take more than a century to achieve gender equality targets at the current rates of progress. We must challenge ourselves to do things differently and with a sense of urgency. Commitments which are not followed by actions cannot fulfill our promise to build a major just active and prosperous future for the generations that follow us.”
In this regard, much more remains to be done to tackle biased attitudes about gender which are deeply embedded in our political, social and economic systems.
Remarking that change is difficult and does not happen overnight, the President said that together with a sustained effort, it is possible to make a decisive difference. Thus, he urged all to play a role in creating a favorable playground for women.
Speaking on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said: “We are here because we are committed to ensure that the women’s movement rises from strength to strength, in solidarity. Women Deliver is the largest community of feminists, of the women’s movement and its allies. It is, indeed, an unstoppable force. We are here because we believe in the power and imperative of gender equality. We are here to celebrate and build on the women’s movement, to applaud those who have shattered glass ceilings, and to chart a path to shatter more and more.”
According to her, there is pushback against gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights. It is potent and pervasive. Regression on sexual and reproductive health rights, increased gender-based violence, and discrimination are seen widely. Deeply rooted misogyny is also witnessed.
In an era of poly-crises—including climate, conflict, and COVID recovery—that power and imperative of equality could not be more urgent. We know that a world with only one wing, that spurns the power of women’s leadership, can never rise to the challenges of these crises, and can never soar past them.
“Our hopes and aspirations for a brighter, more sustainable, more equal, and more peaceful planet hang by a thread. As we look ahead to the SDG Summit this September and the Summit of the Future next year, we must do so with renewed commitment, determination, and energy. We must continue to push forward,” the Executive Director remarked.
Mentioning the enormous progress made in gender equality over the past two or three decades, and stating that one hundred fifty-five countries have now laws on domestic violence and one hundred forty have legislation on sexual harassment in the workplace Bahous said that celebrating these achievements in Rwanda which is one of the top 10 countries in the world for gender equality is sensible.
“We will not wait the estimated 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws. We will not accept another day of ubiquitous violence against women or health inequality or child marriage. We will not accept the continued reprisals and intimidation against women’s human rights defenders. We will not accept that women are excluded from peace tables, climate negotiations, and decision-making spaces. We will not—and we cannot wait,” she underlined.
Africa is the continent with the youngest population in the world, which means it is a continent that holds the potential of the future we all want; and when I look out at this crowd, I see the power and the strength of unity. I see the power and the strength of youth movements, of adolescent girls, of young feminist leaders, of the grassroots movements and civil society.”
As to her, the conference is crucial to share the progress that has been made and the losses that have come to happen. And the forum can help to share experiences with each other, draw lessons and to strengthen and move forward.
“United, we are unstoppable. We are the ones who recognize what must be done, and in recognizing it, we commit ourselves to it. We are the ones who embrace the responsibility of change. We are the ones who devote our lives to breaking barriers, changing minds, reshaping systems and structures that exclude, diminish, and that lessen”, she remarked.
The sixth Women Deliver 2023 Conference, (WD2023), which kicked off on Monday, July 17, 2023, is expected to be concluded today on 20 July 2023.
BY STAFF REPORTER
The Ethiopian Herald July 20/2023
