UN Warns of Global Setback in Women's Rights and Equality
The United Nations is sounding the alarm on the global state of women's rights. Despite progress, there's a worrying pushback against gender equality and multilateralism, impacting women and girls' access to education, healthcare, and food. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged nations to increase funding and ensure women's participation in peace negotiations and economic security.
Guterres' call comes as sexual violence against women and girls is on the rise, with 676 million women living in conflict zones. Twenty-five years after a U.N. resolution demanding equal participation for women in peace efforts, women remain largely absent from these processes. However, there are success stories. In Abyei, CAR, and Haiti, women have made strides in reducing community violence and achieving parity in leadership.
U.N. Executive Director Sima Bahous has emphasized that change is possible, urging increased commitment to women's participation and protection. Yet, Guterres warns that gains are fragile and reversing in some areas. Nations often fail to meet the resolution's demand for equal participation of women in peace negotiations and protection from sexual abuse. Despite this, the number of women in U.N. peacekeeping forces has doubled since 2000, and women have led local mediation and justice efforts.
The U.N. Security Council meeting on October 31, 2022, highlighted these challenges and progress. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, then UN Women Executive Director, reported on women's roles in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. As sexual violence against women and girls increases, Guterres expressed concern about the rising brutality in conflicts. The global community must remain committed to women's participation and protection to ensure lasting peace and equality.
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