UN Chief Urges Action for Gender Equality
UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Group of Friends on Gender Parity in New York, emphasizing the urgent need for action towards gender equality. He acknowledged the leadership of Qatar and Rwanda in promoting gender parity and highlighted the significance of 2025 as both a year of celebration and a critical juncture for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Guterres called for renewed commitment and collaboration to overcome persistent challenges and accelerate progress in gender equality.
Celebrating Milestones and Acknowledging Challenges
During his remarks, Guterres noted that 2025 marks significant anniversaries, including 25 years since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security, and 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. While these milestones represent hard-won achievements, Guterres warned that they also serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality. He pointed out that as the world approaches 2030, progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5, remains insufficient.
Guterres highlighted the disproportionate impact of environmental and climate crises on women, who continue to face the brunt of war and are often excluded from peace negotiations. He expressed concern over stagnating political representation, citing that only five women were elected as Heads of State in 2024, despite a record number of elections. Furthermore, he noted a troubling backlash against gender equality that threatens the progress made in women’s rights and freedoms.
Commitment to Gender Equality and Action Plans
Guterres called for a renewed commitment to the Beijing Declaration and the implementation of the Beijing+30 framework. He urged all member states to accelerate efforts to fulfill the commitments outlined in the Pact for the Future, which emphasizes that gender equality is essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda and sustainable development. The Pact advocates for increased investment in Sustainable Development Goals, debt relief measures, and enhanced support from multilateral development banks to enable governments to invest in programs that promote gender equality.
Additionally, the Global Digital Compact aims to bridge the gender digital divide, ensuring that women and girls can access opportunities in a rapidly evolving global economy. Guterres stressed that gender equality must be a priority across all initiatives and called for the revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women to ensure effective implementation of the Platform for Action.
Progress Within the UN System
Reflecting on the UN’s internal progress, Guterres reported significant strides towards achieving gender parity within the organization. Since launching the system-wide strategy on gender parity in 2017, the number of UN entities reaching parity has increased from five to 28. He noted that gender parity among senior leadership and resident coordinators has been maintained since 2020, and for the first time, parity has been achieved in international professional categories.
Despite these advancements, Guterres acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly at the P-5 and D-1 levels, which could jeopardize the future pipeline of senior leaders. He emphasized the need to nurture talent at all levels and highlighted that achieving gender parity is not solely about numbers; it requires transforming power structures that hinder women’s access to leadership and opportunities.
Call to Action for Lasting Change
Guterres concluded by reiterating the UN’s commitment to leading by example in promoting a workplace grounded in dignity, equality, and respect. He outlined initiatives such as the UN Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, which aims to enhance coordination across 43 UN entities and integrate accountability frameworks for gender mainstreaming.
He emphasized that a more gender-equal UN would be more effective in serving all women and girls, mobilizing investments, and ensuring real accountability. Guterres underscored that advancing gender equality is not just an aspiration but a fundamental human right essential for breaking cycles of poverty and inequality. He called for bold leadership and collective action to safeguard women’s rights and drive meaningful transformation, asserting that gender parity is non-negotiable in the pursuit of a just and sustainable future.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.